If you're looking for a television with better performance in a sunny room and a more dependable build quality, the Samsung AU8000 would be a suitable choice. It has a better bright room performance and reflection handling than the TCL S455. However, if you're on a tighter budget and still want a TV that offers a good overall experience, the TCL S455 could save you money. It's also packed with more HDMI ports, which could be useful if you plan to connect multiple devices. Keep in mind that both TVs may not excel in darker settings, as neither has a strong dark room performance. 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 AU8000 (LCD)
Good reflections
Advantages of the TCL S455 (LCD)
The TCL S455 (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Samsung AU8000 (LCD).
Key differences
Cartoons & Animation
6.9/10
6.0/10
6.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
5.9/10
6.3/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
6.3/10
7.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
7.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
6.6/10
6.8/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
5.8/10
The Samsung AU8000 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for cartoons & animation, though the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is somewhat better.
The Samsung AU8000 has better colors out of the box and color gamut than the TCL S455, which means it displays a wider range of colors more accurately when you first set it up. However, both TVs have their limitations in color volume and gray uniformity, which can affect the appearance of colors and shading during animation viewing.
Cost
$1,498
$1,317
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Samsung AU8000 (LCD) has a price of $1,498 and the TCL S455 (LCD) costs $1,317.
The Samsung AU8000 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) both have only fair picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.9/10
6.0/10
6.71/10
CONTRAST
6.43/10
6.9/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
9.2/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
No
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers TCL S455 (LCD) to be only fair for movies & TV, while the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung AU8000 has better color accuracy straight out of the box and better reflection handling, making it a decent choice in brighter rooms, yet it struggles with contrast and lacks local dimming which results in washed-out black levels, lessening the movie watching experience. The TCL S455, conversely, exhibits superior black uniformity and slightly better contrast, which can enhance movie scenes with darker content, but it has a narrower viewing angle and poorer gray uniformity, which may lead to uneven color and brightness when viewed from an angle or during scenes with uniform colors.
Sports
6.5/10
6.1/10
6.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
4.6/10
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
7.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung AU8000 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for sports.
The Samsung AU8000 and the TCL S455 both have fair performance when watching sports, yet they struggle with different aspects; the Samsung AU8000 is hindered by less effective motion processing and a slower response time, whereas the TCL S455 has a disadvantage with narrower viewing angles and lower capacity to handle reflections. Additionally, the gray uniformity is somewhat important in watching sports and is only fair for both models, which can be noticeable during scenes with large areas of similar color, such as a field or court.
Gaming
5.8/10
5.7/10
5.9/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
6.0/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
10.0/10
6.0/10
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 Samsung AU8000 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both poor for gaming.
The Samsung AU8000 and TCL S455 both exhibit slow response times, which means that fast-moving images might blur, reducing gaming quality. Despite having low input lag, which is good for responsiveness, their 60Hz refresh rates limit how smooth gameplay can feel, particularly in fast-paced games.
News, Talk, & Other TV
6.7/10
6.4/10
7.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
7.5/10
The Samsung AU8000 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for news, talk, & other TV.
The Samsung AU8000 offers good SDR brightness which is beneficial for news and day-to-day content in well-lit rooms, but its colors might not be as vibrant straight out of the box compared to other TVs. Conversely, the TCL S455 provides fair SDR brightness and might not be as suitable for brightly lit rooms, and while it provides fair performance in displaying colors, it also lacks a wide color gamut which affects color reproduction for more varied content.
Bright Room
6.3/10
6.0/10
5.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.1/10
7.1/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
6.3/10
5.7/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
5.6/10
7.8/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.3/10
The Samsung AU8000 (LCD) and TCL S455 (LCD) are both only fair for bright room.
The Samsung AU8000 has a better SDR brightness and handles reflections well, making it more suitable for bright rooms, while the TCL S455 has lower brightness under both SDR and HDR which may not combat room lighting effectively and its reflection handling is just fair, potentially causing glare in well-lit spaces. Both TVs have decent contrast and color performance but may not display the widest color range or the deepest blacks, factors to consider if vibrant colors and stark contrasts are important to your viewing experience.
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How the Samsung AU8000 (LCD) and the TCL S455 (LCD) compare to other TVs
"To put it directly: you’d never see a mid-range 4K TV hitting this black levels half a decade ago. AU8000 plays the part of a higher-end TV thanks to its sleek design. If you’re upgrading to a smart TV for the first time, the software is a great way to dip your toes in the streaming water."
"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 AU8000 (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
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About the TV team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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