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Updated January 12, 2024·
The Samsung CU8000 excels in high-speed motion handling, which is essential for sports, but it is not as budget-friendly as the TCL S546. If you prioritize a superior streaming experience, the TCL S546 is well-suited and has better smart features overall, making it a good fit for movies and TV. However, the Samsung CU8000 offers better reflection handling which is key if you plan on placing your TV in a bright room. While both TVs have good picture quality, the Samsung has slightly better peak brightness and contrast, which you'll notice if watching in darker environments. If you're looking for a more affordable option and can compromise slightly on picture quality in brighter settings, the TCL S546 may be the better choice for your needs. 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 CU8000 (LCD)
- Very good motion processing
Advantages of the TCL S546 (LCD)
- Good for bright room
- Good for dark room
- Good for movies & TV
Key differences
Picture Quality
5.8
7.4
4.92/10
CONTRAST
8.21/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.0/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL S546 (LCD) has good picture quality, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.3
7.0
4.92/10
CONTRAST
8.21/10
6.1/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.8/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S546 (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000, with a lower contrast ratio and absence of local dimming, displays poorer black uniformity, affecting its performance in movies and cinematic TV, where deep blacks are crucial. Conversely, the TCL S546 exhibits a higher contrast ratio and effective local dimming, significantly improving black uniformity and overall picture richness for a more immersive viewing experience in similar content.
Gaming
5.5
6.6
4.9/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.6/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.0/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
60.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.9/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair for gaming, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 has a poor response time, which can result in motion blur during fast-paced games, but it has very good input lag, meaning it reacts quickly to user inputs. Conversely, the TCL S546 has a good response time, leading to clearer motion handling, yet its input lag is also very good, providing a comparable rapid response to gaming commands.
Cartoons & Animation
5.9
6.6
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.8/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.0/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
6.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
4.4/10
6.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000's colors out of the box are rated fair, which means it may not provide the most accurate colors for watching cartoons and animation without adjustment, and while it has a good color gamut, it still underperforms in this category compared to other TVs. The TCL S546 has poor colors out of the box, negatively impacting the initial viewing experience for colorful content like cartoons, but its good color gamut and very good color volume suggest that, once calibrated, colors might be rich and well-saturated.
News, Talk, & Other TV
5.7
6.4
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) is only fair for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 generally provides a fair upscaling ability and SDR brightness which might not be suitable for very bright rooms and for displaying lower resolution content commonly found in news and talk shows. The TCL S546, on the other hand, offers very good SDR brightness, which is better for well-lit environments, but its upscaling ability is also rated as fair, indicating only moderate performance when improving lower-resolution feeds.
Bright Room
5.9
7.2
5.2/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
5.5/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.8/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.0/10
The TCL S546 (LCD) is good for bright room, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 struggles in bright rooms due to its lower SDR and HDR brightness, lack of local dimming, and poor handling of reflections, whereas the TCL S546 excels in brightly lit environments with very good SDR brightness, local dimming that improves contrast, and fair reflection handling. Although both have comparable contrast and color capabilities, the TCL is better equipped to maintain picture quality when faced with ambient light.
Cost
$428
$400
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has a price of $428 and the TCL S546 (LCD) costs $400.
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Key similarities
Sports
6.4
6.3
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.9/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.2/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and TCL S546 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The Samsung CU8000 and TCL S546 have fair capabilities for watching sports due to their adequate motion processing and response time, but they face challenges with reflecting light and maintaining color accuracy at wide viewing angles. Although they both handle motion blur decently, you might notice some inconsistencies during fast-paced sports scenes, and their performance in bright rooms or with groups spread out could be better.
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How the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and the TCL S546 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung CU8000 (LCD) | TCL S546 (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$428 | $400 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | TCL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 2, 2023 | August 1, 2021 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | UN50CU8000 | 50S546 | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 50" | 50" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Tizen | Android TV | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 7/10 | 5.9/10 | |
NextGen Ready | |||
NextGen Ready | No | No | |
HDMI Ports | |||
HDMI Ports | 3 | 3 | |
Coax Ports | |||
Coax Ports | 1 | 1 | |
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Picture Quality Score | |||
Picture Quality Score | 5.8/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 6/10 | 7.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 5.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 6.4/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | |||
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D) | 25.4" x 44" x 1" | 25.5" x 43.8" x 3.1" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 27" x 44" | 27.3" x 43.8" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | Unknown | 26.0 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 200 x 200 | 200 x 200 | |
DISPLAY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Color Depth | |||
Color Depth | 10 bit | 10 bit | |
Black Frame Insertion | |||
Black Frame Insertion | Yes | Yes | |
Auto Low Latency Mode | |||
Auto Low Latency Mode | Yes | Yes | |
Contrast | |||
Contrast | 4.9/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 2.5/10 | 5.7/10 | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Speaker Setup | |||
Speaker Setup | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
Speaker Power | |||
Speaker Power | 20 W | 16 W | |
Dolby Atmos | |||
Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes | |
DTS:X | |||
DTS:X | No | No | |
Get a great deal on the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) or the TCL S546 (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.
About TCL
TCL, the highly recognizable TV brand from China, has firmly established itself as the second-largest manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Renowned for striking an impressive balance between affordability, picture quality, and design, TCL TVs deliver a compelling overall package. While they have traditionally excelled in the low-end and midrange TV segments, TCL has recently made remarkable strides in the realm of high-end televisions, introducing impressive models that rival top competitors. Most TCL TVs use Roku software which is very user friendly and easy to use, but they have a few other models that use Google TV which has the largest app selection, but is not as user friendly as Roku.
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