If you prioritize a lower price and are looking for a budget-friendly TV, the Samsung CU7000 offers a compelling value and includes voice command features, which can enhance the user experience. On the other hand, if you have a flexible budget and want better overall performance, which is particularly noticeable in gaming and movie watching due to the TCL S555's higher performance in these areas, then the TCL S555 could be the right choice for you. However, the TCL S555 will cost you more, and you should consider whether the improvements in performance are worth the higher price tag. 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 CU7000 (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
6.2/10
7.8/10
5.82/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
5.6/10
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 CU7000 (LCD) has only fair picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.8/10
7.9/10
5.82/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
6.6/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
7.0/10
6.6/10
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 CU7000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU7000's lower contrast and poor local dimming capabilities make it less suitable for movies and cinematic TV, leading to less distinct dark scenes, while the TCL S555, with significantly higher contrast and better local dimming, offers deeper blacks and better shadow detail which enhances the viewing experience for such content.
Gaming
6.0/10
6.7/10
6.5/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.0/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
30.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
80.0/100
5.9/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.3/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) and Samsung CU7000 (LCD) are both only fair for gaming, though the TCL S555 (LCD) is somewhat better.
The Samsung CU7000 has a fair response time and very good input lag, indicating it can handle gaming reasonably well with minimal delay between input and action on screen, yet it might not be the smoothest for fast-moving images. In contrast, the TCL S555 offers good response time and the best input lag, thus providing an overall superior gaming performance, especially for quick reflex-based games.
Cartoons & Animation
5.7/10
8.4/10
5.9/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.4/10
5.6/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.3/10
6.2/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.6/10
6.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.4/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU7000 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL S555 excels in displaying cartoons and animations because it has very good colors out of the box and a good color gamut, which ensures vibrant and varied colors, an aspect that's very important for animated content. In contrast, Samsung CU7000 provides less impressive color performance with only fair colors out of the box and a poor color gamut, meaning it might not reproduce the bright and varied colors typically found in cartoons as effectively.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.0/10
7.0/10
6.2/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
6.6/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
The TCL S555 (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU7000 (LCD) is only fair.
The TCL S555 boasts better SDR brightness, making it preferable in brighter rooms and for vibrant picture quality during daytime viewing of news and talk shows. On the other hand, the Samsung CU7000 offers more accurate colors right out of the box, which could enhance the naturalness of the viewing experience without the need for additional calibration.
Bright Room
5.8/10
7.3/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.5/10
6.2/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
5.4/10
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 CU7000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU7000 has fair SDR and poor HDR brightness levels, making it less suitable for bright rooms, whereas the TCL S555 boasts very good SDR and good HDR brightness, making it a better fit for well-lit environments. While both TVs have poor reflection handling, the TCL's higher brightness helps mitigate this issue, though the contrast, color volume, and color gamut should also be considered, with the TCL having an edge in these areas.
Cost
$428
$600
$200
$300
$400
$500
$600
$700
$800
$900
The Samsung CU7000 (LCD) has a price of $428 and the TCL S555 (LCD) costs $600.
The Samsung CU7000 (LCD) and TCL S555 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The Samsung CU7000 has good response time for watching sports but struggles with handling reflections and has a narrower viewing angle, which might be problematic for larger groups watching together. On the other hand, the TCL S555 has excellent reflection handling which is great for bright rooms, but its motion processing is not as good, resulting in blurrier action scenes during games.
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How the Samsung CU7000 (LCD) and the TCL S555 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"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 CU7000 (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.
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.
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