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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Samsung CU8000 is often significantly less expensive than the TCL R655. If price is a major factor for you, the Samsung CU8000 could be the better option. It offers decent performance in a variety of uses, including news and cartoons, with respectable brightness for viewing in both dark and bright rooms. It is a newer model, but lacks local dimming which can affect its performance in a dark room. On the other hand, the TCL R655 is more expensive but offers superior picture quality, especially in dark rooms, thanks to its higher contrast and local dimming feature. It also excels in gaming performance and has a higher refresh rate, making it ideal for fast-paced content and gaming. Its brighter screen and better reflection handling make it more suitable for bright rooms. However, it might not be as effective as a monitor compared to the Samsung CU8000. 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 R655 (LCD)
- Best in class for bright room
- Very good for dark room
- Very good for gaming
- Good for movies & TV
- Good for news, talk, & other TV
- Very good for cartoons & animation
- Good for use as monitor
- Very good reflections
Key differences
Picture Quality
5.8
8.0
4.92/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.2/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
miniLED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL R655 (LCD) has very good picture quality, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.3
7.9
4.92/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
6.1/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.1/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL R655 (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 falls short in watching movies and cinematic TV due to its lack of local dimming, which greatly impacts its contrast and black uniformity, essential for good performance in dark scenes. In contrast, the TCL R655 has effective local dimming and better black uniformity, providing deeper blacks and richer contrast, thus offering a superior viewing experience for movies and cinematic content.
Gaming
5.5
8.6
4.9/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.0/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
5.3/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
85.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.8/10
The TCL R655 (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL R655 excels in gaming due to its faster response time and equally low input lag, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay. Meanwhile, the Samsung CU8000, with a slower response time, is less suited for gaming, as it may not keep up with fast-paced content as effectively.
Cartoons & Animation
5.9
8.7
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.6/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.2/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
6.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
7.7/10
6.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
8.2/10
The TCL R655 (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 has poor performance watching cartoons and animation due to its fair colors out of the box and a color gamut that is limited, affecting color representation and vibrancy. In contrast, the TCL R655 is very good for this content because it provides good colors out of the box and a wide color gamut, presenting cartoons and animations with rich and accurate colors.
News, Talk, & Other TV
5.7
7.2
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
The TCL R655 (LCD) is good for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 has fair upscaling and SDR brightness which may not be ideal for watching news and talk shows that are typically broadcast in lower resolution than modern 4K content, leading to less vivid images. In contrast, the TCL R655 has excellent SDR brightness and good colors out of the box, ensuring clear and colorful viewing in a variety of lighting conditions, making it more suitable for daytime TV programs.
Bright Room
5.9
9.5
5.2/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.2/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
5.5/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
8.8/10
The TCL R655 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The TCL R655 excels in a bright room due to its high SDR and HDR brightness and excellent reflection handling, ensuring a clear picture even in well-lit environments, while also offering a robust color volume and gamut. On the other hand, the Samsung CU8000 falls short in bright rooms, as it has lower SDR and HDR brightness and poor reflections handling, which can result in a washed-out picture and difficulty seeing the screen under ambient lighting, despite having a fair performance in color volume and gamut.
Cost
$578
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has a price of $578 and the TCL R655 (LCD) costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Sports
6.4
6.6
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
5.3/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The TCL R655 (LCD) and Samsung CU8000 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The Samsung CU8000 has a poor response time affecting the smoothness of fast-moving objects, which is crucial for sports, while the TCL R655 fares better with a good response time offering a smoother visual experience for the same content. Both models handle reflections quite well, with very good performance, which is helpful for bright room usage; however, neither excels in viewing angles, which means the picture quality might degrade when viewed from the side.
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How the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and the TCL R655 (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Samsung CU8000 (LCD) | TCL R655 (LCD) |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$578 | $1,000 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Samsung | TCL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 4, 2023 | September 2, 2022 | |
Full name | |||
Full name | UN65CU8000 | 65R655 | |
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 65" | 65" | |
Screen Resolution | |||
Screen Resolution | 4K | 4K | |
TV FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Tizen | Roku TV | |
Sound Quality Score | |||
Sound Quality Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
Bright Room Score | |||
Bright Room Score | 6/10 | 9.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 8.7/10 | |
Movies & TV Score | |||
Movies & TV Score | 5.3/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Sports Score | |||
Sports Score | 6.4/10 | 6.6/10 | |
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 56.9" x 2.7" | |
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | |||
Dimensions with Stand (H x W) | 34.4" x 57.1" | 35.6" x 56.9" | |
Weight without Stand | |||
Weight without Stand | Unknown | 50.7 lbs | |
VESA Mount | |||
VESA Mount | 400 x 300 | 400 x 400 | |
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 | 9.1/10 | |
Local Dimming | |||
Local Dimming | 2.5/10 | 7/10 | |
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 | |
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TCL R655 (LCD)
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Parker Hall | January 2023
"It has an excellent Roku interface, isn’t too expensive, has quantum dots and mini LED backlighting, and looks genuinely fantastic playing everything. If you’re in the market for a new TV, you should still start here. Gamers will like that it has a 120-Hz refresh rate at 4K, which is the maximum that a modern Xbox or Playstation 5 will put out—meaning the smoothest possible gaming and sports viewing in general. We’re no longer in the days of having to spend over $1,000 and spending a few hours on setup for decent black levels and great color accuracy and HDR"
Get a great deal on the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) or the TCL R655 (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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