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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize overall picture quality and movie watching, the TCL S555 might be the better option as it excels in those areas. However, if you need a TV that performs well in bright rooms, the Samsung CU8000 is the more suitable choice. Both TVs are similarly priced, but for gaming, the TCL has a slight edge. Both models may not be ideal if you're looking for great built-in speakers or advanced features like Dolby Vision or HDR10+. 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 S555 (LCD)
- Good for bright room
- Good for dark room
- Good for movies & TV
- Good for news, talk, & other TV
- Very good for cartoons & animation
Key differences
Picture Quality
5.8
7.8
4.92/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.3/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL S555 (LCD) has good picture quality, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
The TCL S555 provides an excellent contrast, good black uniformity, and vibrant colors out of the box, which helps deliver a good picture quality ideal for movies and HDR content. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 struggles with poor contrast, less impressive black uniformity, and fair color accuracy, resulting in a less satisfying viewing experience, particularly in dark scenes.
Movies & TV
5.3
7.9
4.92/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
6.1/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL S555 (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL S555 delivers a better movie and cinematic TV experience with superior contrast, effective local dimming, and more uniform blacks, all crucial for dark scene performance, while the Samsung CU8000 falls short in these aspects, leading to a less desirable viewing experience for those specific types of content. Viewing angles and color performance out of the box are better on the TCL S555 as well, further enhancing its suitability for cinema-like settings compared to the Samsung CU8000.
Gaming
5.5
6.7
4.9/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.0/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
80.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.3/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is only fair for gaming, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 offers a poor response time which can result in motion blur during gaming, though it provides very good input lag which is beneficial for a responsive gaming experience. On the other hand, the TCL S555 presents good response times, minimizing motion blur, and has the best input lag, making it better suited for fast-paced gaming despite both having a similar refresh rate.
Cartoons & Animation
5.9
8.4
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.4/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.3/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
6.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.6/10
6.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.4/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL S555 is rated higher for watching cartoons and animations than the Samsung CU8000 due to its superior performance in displaying colors right out of the box and maintaining a good color volume, which are crucial for animated content that often features vibrant and varied hues. Conversely, the Samsung CU8000 doesn't fare as well in these areas, making it less suited for content that relies heavily on color accuracy and richness.
News, Talk, & Other TV
5.7
7.0
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 has lower contrast and less effective upscaling, which might make news and TV shows look less sharp and vivid compared to the TCL S555, which has high contrast and very good out-of-the-box colors, enhancing visual clarity and color accuracy suited for these types of content. Additionally, the TCL S555's better SDR brightness ensures that the screen remains easily viewable in various lighting conditions, while the Samsung CU8000 may struggle with visibility in brighter rooms.
Bright Room
5.9
7.3
5.2/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.5/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
5.5/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.0/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is good for bright room, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 struggles in bright rooms due to its fair SDR brightness and poor handling of reflections, making it less ideal for well-lit environments. In contrast, the TCL S555 offers very good SDR brightness with similar poor reflections handling but excels in brighter settings, offering a more comfortable viewing experience.
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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
10.0/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and TCL S555 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
Both the Samsung CU8000 and TCL S555 have limitations that affect sports watching: the Samsung CU8000's relatively slow response time can lead to motion blur in fast-paced sports, and while the TCL S555 has a slightly faster response, its poor handling of reflections could be distracting in well-lit rooms. Neither TV excels in motion processing or viewing angles, critical for sports, and while gray uniformity is better on the Samsung, it's only a minor consolation for sports enthusiasts.
Cost
$428
$430
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has a price of $428 and the TCL S555 (LCD) costs $430.
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How the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and the TCL S555 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung CU8000 (LCD) | TCL S555 (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$428 | $430 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | TCL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 2, 2023 | September 1, 2022 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | UN50CU8000 | 50S555 | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 50" | 50" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Tizen | Roku TV | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 7/10 | 6.1/10 | |
NextGen Ready | |||
NextGen Ready | No | No | |
HDMI Ports | |||
HDMI Ports | 3 | 4 | |
Coax Ports | |||
Coax Ports | 1 | 1 | |
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Picture Quality Score | |||
Picture Quality Score | 5.8/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 6/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 5.3/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 6.4/10 | 6.3/10 | |
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" | 25.3" x 43.8" x 3" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 27" x 44" | 27.2" x 43.8" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | Unknown | 24.5 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 200 x 200 | 200 x 200 | |
DISPLAY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Color Depth | |||
Color Depth | 10 bit | 11 bit | |
Black Frame Insertion | |||
Black Frame Insertion | Yes | Yes | |
Auto Low Latency Mode | |||
Auto Low Latency Mode | Yes | Yes | |
Contrast | |||
Contrast | 4.9/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 2.5/10 | 6.1/10 | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Speaker Setup | |||
Speaker Setup | 2.0 | 2.0 | |
Speaker Power | |||
Speaker Power | 20 W | 20 W | |
Dolby Atmos | |||
Dolby Atmos | Yes | Yes | |
DTS:X | |||
DTS:X | No | No | |
Shopping
TCL S555 (LCD)
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Dig into reviews and images
digitaltrends
Caleb Denison | December 2022
"It looks great out of the box and the picture quality it is rock-solid for the price. (...) What really makes this a decent gaming TV, though, is the very low input lag. (...) But if you want to save a little money, the TCL S555 strikes a great balance between cost and performance – the kind of performance that’s impressive enough to deliver some wow to your eyes. (...)"
Get a great deal on the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) or the TCL S555 (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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