If you want a premium viewing experience with excellent overall picture quality, deep blacks, and great gaming performance, the Samsung S90C (OLED) is a superior choice. However, it is much more expensive. On the other hand, the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is more budget-friendly, still, offers decent performance but falls short in picture quality, especially in dark rooms. If you often watch content in bright rooms, both TVs are capable, but the S90C has a slight edge. For gaming, the S90C is also better with lower input lag and a higher refresh rate. Keep in mind, the CU8000 might be a better value if you're looking for a good TV without needing top-of-the-line features. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Samsung S90C (OLED)
Very good for bright room
Excellent for dark room
Best in class for gaming
Excellent for movies & TV
Very good for sports
Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
Excellent for cartoons & animation
Excellent for use as monitor
Very good for upscaling
Best in class viewing angle
Best in class reflections
Advantages of the Samsung CU8000 (LCD)
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Samsung S90C (OLED).
Key differences
Picture Quality
9.4/10
5.8/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
4.92/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.9/10
RGB OLED
PANEL TYPE
LED
QD-OLED
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Samsung S90C (OLED) has excellent picture quality, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
9.4/10
5.3/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
4.92/10
10.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.1/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
6.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is excellent for movies & TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung S90C OLED TV offers a superior movie and cinematic TV watching experience with perfect black uniformity, excellent viewing angles, and vibrant colors, due to its OLED technology which allows for high contrast, effective local dimming, and wide color gamut. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 LCD TV, with its lower contrast, lack of local dimming, and poorer black uniformity, does not provide the same level of immersion and may result in a less engaging viewing experience in dark scenes.
Sports
8.7/10
6.4/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
8.2/10
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
6.0/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.7/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is very good for sports, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is only fair.
The Samsung S90C OLED TV excels at sports watching with superior response time for clearer fast action, excellent handling of reflections to minimize distractions, and a wide viewing angle ensuring consistent picture quality wherever you sit. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 LCD has a poorer response time which may lead to more blur during fast movements, it's less effective at reducing reflections, and has a narrower viewing angle that might result in color and brightness shifts when viewed from the side.
Gaming
10.0/10
5.5/10
10.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
4.9/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
8.2/10
100.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
8.4/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.8/10
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is best in class for gaming, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung S90C is preferred for gaming as it showcases top performance in response time and input lag, crucial for fast and precise gameplay, along with a higher refresh rate that improves motion clarity. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 falls short in these aspects, particularly with a lower response time rating, leading to less optimal gaming experiences.
Cartoons & Animation
9.3/10
5.9/10
9.2/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.3/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.9/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.7/10
8.8/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
6.2/10
9.8/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.6/10
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is excellent for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung S90C (OLED) excels at displaying cartoons and animations because it has very good colors right out of the box and an excellent color gamut, making the images vibrant and true to life. On the other hand, the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is considered poor for the same content because it delivers just fair performance in colors out of the box and has a good, but not excellent, color gamut, meaning the colors may appear less vivid and less accurate.
News, Talk, & Other TV
9.1/10
5.7/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.7/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
6.0/10
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung S90C (OLED) excels in upscaling and has very good SDR brightness, which ensures clear picture quality and brightness suitable for news and talk shows. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) exhibits poorer upscaling and fair SDR brightness, which means the picture may not be as clear and bright, impacting the viewing experience for similar content.
Bright Room
8.5/10
5.9/10
10.0/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.2/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.7/10
8.0/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.5/10
10.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is very good for bright room, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung S90C OLED excels in a bright room due to its very good SDR and HDR brightness and best-in-class reflection handling, which maintains picture quality even in well-lit conditions. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 LCD struggles in bright environments because of its fair SDR and poor HDR brightness, coupled with poor reflection handling, leading to a less clear and vibrant image under the same conditions.
Cost
$1,375
$578
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Samsung S90C (OLED) has a price of $1,375 and the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) costs $578.
"Samsung S90C is the company's attempt at making its QD-OLED technology more affordable. You get high-end pictures, great processing, top gaming tech, and a sharp design."
Get a great deal on the Samsung S90C (OLED) or the Samsung CU8000 (LCD)
About Samsung
Samsung, a South Korean electronics manufacturer, holds the title of being the largest global TV vendor in terms of units sold. They offer a diverse lineup of TV products that cater to various budget ranges. A notable achievement in recent years is the development of Quantum Dots, a technology that enhances color reproduction, resulting in richer and more vibrant hues. Samsung TVs are well-regarded for their high manufacturing quality and user-friendly software, making them an excellent choice for consumers seeking an intuitive viewing experience.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.