The Samsung CU8000 is often significantly less expensive and has a decent picture quality, but it doesn't perform as well in dark rooms. If you're looking to save money and prioritize streaming or watching in brighter rooms, this could be a good fit.
On the other hand, the Sony X85J costs more, but offers better overall and gaming picture quality. It's also better suited for sports content, and performs well in both dark and bright rooms. If you're willing to invest in higher quality for a variety of content and room settings, the Sony X85J is a strong choice. 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)
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Sony X85J (LCD).
Advantages of the Sony X85J (LCD)
Good for bright room
Good for gaming
Good for sports
Very good for news, talk, & other TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Key differences
Picture Quality
5.8/10
7.3/10
4.92/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.3/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Sony X85J (LCD) has good picture quality, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.3/10
6.5/10
4.92/10
CONTRAST
7.88/10
6.1/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.9/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X85J (LCD) is only fair for movies & TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 exhibits lower performance in contrast and black uniformity, which is important for a movie-watching experience where deep blacks and high contrast can enhance the cinematic feel. The Sony X85J, while not excelling, offers better contrast and black uniformity which contributes to a fairer performance when watching movies and cinematic TV, alongside somewhat better colors out of the box and viewing angles.
Sports
6.4/10
7.2/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X85J (LCD) is good for sports, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony X85J is better suited for sports due to its superior motion processing and response time, ensuring that fast-moving scenes are clearer and more fluid, while the Samsung CU8000 has poorer performance in these areas. Both TVs struggle with handling reflections which can be distracting during sports viewing, but with the Sony offering better viewing angles and gray uniformity, it provides a slightly better experience for group sports watching environments.
Gaming
5.5/10
7.6/10
4.9/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.8/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.6/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
0.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is good for gaming, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 has a lower response time and is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, which can result in less fluid movement in fast-paced games, while the Sony X85J has a higher response time and supports a 120Hz refresh rate, providing smoother motion and an overall better gaming experience.
Cartoons & Animation
5.9/10
8.6/10
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.3/10
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
9.1/10
6.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
8.2/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85J excels in displaying cartoons and animation due to its excellent colors out of the box and good scores in color gamut and color volume, which are vital for vibrant and varied colors. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 is rated poorer for these types of content because it has fair colors out of the box performance and merely good color gamut and fair color volume, which can lead to less accurate and less rich color reproduction.
News, Talk, & Other TV
5.7/10
8.2/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is very good for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X85J performs very well for watching news and TV programs because it has superior upscaling quality and SDR brightness, making the picture clearer and more vivid in standard lighting conditions. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000 is not as proficient in upscaling and has a lower SDR brightness, which may result in less sharp images and a duller display for everyday content like news and talk shows.
Bright Room
5.9/10
7.3/10
5.2/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.3/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
5.5/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.1/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Sony X85J (LCD) is good for bright room, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000's lower scores in SDR and HDR brightness compared to the Sony X85J contribute to its poorer performance in bright rooms. Additionally, while both TVs struggle with reflections, the higher contrast, color volume, and color gamut of the Sony X85J help it deliver better picture quality in such environments.
Cost
$578
$1,200
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has a price of $578 and the Sony X85J (LCD) costs $1,200.
How the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and the Sony X85J (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
Samsung CU8000 (LCD)
Sony X85J (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$578
$1,200
Brand
Brand
Samsung
Sony
Release Date
Release Date
March 4, 2023
April 4, 2021
Full name
Full name
UN65CU8000
KD-65X85J
Screen Size
Screen Size
65"
65"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
LED VA
LED VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Tizen
Android TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7/10
7.5/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
No
Yes
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
3
4
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
60Hz
120Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
No
Yes
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
Voice Commands
None
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
5.8/10
7.3/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
6/10
7.4/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
5.5/10
7.6/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
5.3/10
6.6/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
6.4/10
7.3/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
5.7/10
8.3/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
6/10
8.6/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
5.8/10
6.9/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
32.8" x 57.1" x 1"
32.8" x 57.2" x 2.8"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
34.4" x 57.1"
35.6" x 57.2"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
Unknown
48.7 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
400 x 300
300 x 300
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
7.9/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
2.5/10
2.5/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
0/100
0/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
5.9/10
7.5/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
6.8/10
8.5/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
5.6/10
7.2/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
6.6/10
8.3/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
6.1/10
6.9/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
5.3/10
5.4/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
6/10
5.9/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
6/10
10/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
8.3/10
10/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
7.3/10
7.3/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
6.9/10
7.3/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
4.9/10
7.8/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
8.8/10
7.7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
6.3/10
9.2/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
6.7/10
8.8/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
7/10
7.5/10
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
Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only
Get a great deal on the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) or the Sony X85J (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 Sony
Sony stands as a highly experienced and widely trusted TV manufacturer, earning a reputation that surpasses all others. A Japanese company, Sony has been making TVs for far longs than it has been making Playstation game consoles. Sony's high-end TVs are often regarded as the ultimate choice for videophiles, representing the epitome of quality, albeit at a premium price point. Renowned for their advanced and precise motion handling, as well as their cutting-edge local dimming algorithms, Sony consistently delivers unparalleled performance in these areas. They include Google TV software with all their TV sets, which grants access to the largest selection of apps available and they also include Bravia Core which is a movie streaming platform specifically for Sony TVs that offers higher picture quality by using more bandwidth.
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
385
TVs evaluated
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TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
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18,275
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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.