The Samsung CU8000 offers more advanced features and tends to be on the more expensive side. It's a good fit if you're willing to invest in a better streaming experience, and it also boasts a faster response time, which is beneficial for gaming.
On the other hand, the TCL S455 is more budget-friendly and offers good performance for its price. It might not match the Samsung in terms of features and speed, but it's a solid choice if you're looking to save money while still getting a quality television. 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 S455 (LCD)
Good for upscaling
Key differences
Picture Quality
5.8/10
6.5/10
4.92/10
CONTRAST
6.43/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The TCL S455 (LCD) has only fair picture quality, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.3/10
6.0/10
4.92/10
CONTRAST
6.43/10
6.1/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
9.2/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
The TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair for movies & TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
For watching movies and cinematic TV, the Samsung CU8000 has less impressive blacks and local dimming which can reduce the picture quality in dark scenes, while the TCL S455, though better in those aspects, may not display colors as richly and variously, affecting the overall vibrancy of the image. Both TVs may struggle with color accuracy out of the box and viewing angles, making them less ideal for wider seating arrangements or critical viewing.
News, Talk, & Other TV
5.7/10
6.4/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
The TCL S455 (LCD) is only fair for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000's fair SDR brightness and lack of local dimming lead to a less robust picture quality for news, talk shows, and regular TV programs. In contrast, the TCL S455, although it shares a fair SDR brightness, benefits from better upscaling and a higher contrast ratio, which slightly enhances the overall viewing experience of similar content.
Cost
$628
$830
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has a price of $628 and the TCL S455 (LCD) costs $830.
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The Samsung CU8000 has a poor response time which affects the clarity of fast-moving scenes, a significant drawback for sports, but it has a considerably low input lag for less delay in displaying content. In comparison, the TCL S455 features fair response time providing better motion clarity for dynamic sports action but struggles with reflection handling, resulting in potential glare issues in bright rooms. Both TVs might display inconsistent shades of gray across the screen, impacting the uniformity of sports fields or courts. Viewing angles are limited on both models, leading to color and contrast shifts when viewed from the side.
Gaming
5.5/10
5.7/10
4.9/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.0/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
10.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.8/10
The TCL S455 (LCD) and Samsung CU8000 (LCD) are both poor for gaming.
The Samsung CU8000 has a poor response time, making it slow to render changes in fast-moving scenes, which is not ideal for gaming where speed is crucial. On the other hand, the TCL S455, while offering the best input lag, which is good for quick reactions in gaming, also has a fair response time, which can result in slight blurring during fast action.
Cartoons & Animation
5.9/10
6.0/10
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
5.9/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
6.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
6.6/10
6.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.8/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers TCL S455 (LCD) to be only fair for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000's colors out of the box are rated fair and it has a good color gamut, suggesting that it displays a wide range of colors decently well immediately after setup, which is important for animation. On the other hand, the TCL S455 also has fair colors out of the box but a poor color gamut, indicating it may not showcase animation as vibrantly due to its limited range of colors.
Bright Room
5.9/10
6.0/10
5.2/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.1/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
5.5/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.6/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.3/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers TCL S455 (LCD) to be only fair for bright room, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 has poorer SDR and HDR brightness levels and is considered poor in handling reflections, making it less suited for bright rooms. In contrast, the TCL S455 has slightly better SDR and HDR brightness, fair for handling reflections and a higher contrast, which could make it more acceptable in brighter environments.
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How the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and the TCL S455 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"A highly affordable but reliably kitted-out 4K Roku TV that, while far from perfect, still punches above its price and delivers a great user experience. If you want to soup up movie night for a bargain, the 4-Series won’t let you down. You may never need to plug in a set-top box or streaming device."
Get a great deal on the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) or the TCL S455 (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.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
98,730
Recommendations made
14,810
Consumer hours saved
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.