The Samsung CU8000 is less expensive and would be suitable if you are budget-conscious. However, the Sony X90L performs better overall and has a higher refresh rate, which is beneficial for fast-paced content like sports and gaming. While both are LCD TVs, the Sony has better image quality that could enhance movie-watching and a brighter screen ideal for well-lit rooms. If you often view content in a bright room, the Sony X90L is a better choice, despite the higher cost. Consider your viewing habits and whether the Sony's advantages justify the additional expense for your needs. 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 X90L (LCD).
Advantages of the Sony X90L (LCD)
Very good for bright room
Good for dark room
Very good for gaming
Good for movies & TV
Good for sports
Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
Very good for cartoons & animation
Good for use as monitor
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Key differences
Picture Quality
5.8/10
7.8/10
4.92/10
CONTRAST
7.125/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.8/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Sony X90L (LCD) has good picture quality, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has poor picture quality.
Movies & TV
5.3/10
7.6/10
4.92/10
CONTRAST
7.125/10
6.1/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.0/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X90L (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 struggles with movies and cinematic TV due to its poor local dimming and black uniformity, which lead to less impressive dark scenes and contrasts, whereas the Sony X90L is good for such content because of its strong contrast, effective local dimming, and better black uniformity, which together create deeper blacks and more pronounced dark details. Additionally, while both TVs have similar color performance out of the box and gray uniformity, the Sony X90L's superior color volume and viewing angles contribute to a richer and more consistent viewing experience from different seating positions.
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
7.0/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X90L (LCD) is good for sports, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony X90L is better suited for sports due to its superior response time and motion processing which ensure smoother action during fast-paced games, while the Samsung CU8000 is fair because of its poorer response time which can lead to more motion blur. Additionally, the Sony X90L's better viewing angles make it more versatile for group viewing situations, but both TVs have similar reflection handling which is not ideal in bright rooms.
Gaming
5.5/10
8.1/10
4.9/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.0/10
8.7/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.0/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
73.0/100
5.8/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
The Sony X90L (LCD) is very good for gaming, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 has a poor response time, which can lead to motion blur during gaming, whereas the Sony X90L has a very good response time, providing crisper motion. Additionally, the Sony model supports a higher refresh rate (120Hz) which allows for smoother gameplay, a feature the Samsung model lacks with its lower refresh rate.
Cartoons & Animation
5.9/10
8.6/10
7.3/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.7/10
6.9/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.8/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
6.2/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.0/10
6.6/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.6/10
The Sony X90L (LCD) is very good for cartoons & animation, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 is less suitable for watching cartoons and animation as it has 'fair' colors out of the box and a 'good' color gamut, both of which are critical for animated content, impacting the vibrancy and variety of colors displayed. In contrast, the Sony X90L excels in these areas with 'very good' colors out of the box and a 'good' color gamut, resulting in richer and more accurate color reproduction.
News, Talk, & Other TV
5.7/10
9.0/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
6.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
The Sony X90L (LCD) is excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Sony X90L provides an excellent viewing experience for news and TV shows primarily due to its superior upscaling of lower-resolution content and its high SDR brightness, making it suitable for well-lit environments. In contrast, the Samsung CU8000, with fair upscaling and SDR brightness, may not deliver as clear or as bright an image, thus offering a less ideal viewing experience for the same types of content.
Bright Room
5.9/10
8.6/10
5.2/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.5/10
6.7/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
5.5/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.3/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Sony X90L (LCD) is very good for bright room, while the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) is poor.
The Samsung CU8000 (LCD) has a price of $1,698 and the Sony X90L (LCD) costs $1,798.
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How the Samsung CU8000 (LCD) and the Sony X90L (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
Samsung CU8000 (LCD)
Sony X90L (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$1,698
$1,798
Brand
Brand
Samsung
Sony
Release Date
Release Date
March 6, 2023
August 1, 2023
Full name
Full name
UN85CU8000
XR-85X90L
Screen Size
Screen Size
85"
85"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
LED VA
LED FALD VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Tizen
Google TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
7/10
8.3/10
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
Voice Commands
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
5.8/10
7.8/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
6/10
8.6/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
5.5/10
8.2/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
5.3/10
7.6/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
6.4/10
7.2/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
5.7/10
9/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
6/10
8.7/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
5.8/10
7.3/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
42.8" x 74.8" x 1.1"
42.2" x 74.5" x 2.4"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
44.5" x 74.8"
44.1" x 74.5"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
Unknown
98.1 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
600 x 400
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
7.1/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
2.5/10
6.8/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
0/100
7.3/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
5.9/10
8.7/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
6.8/10
9.4/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
5.6/10
8.4/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
6.6/10
6.6/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
6.1/10
6/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
5.3/10
5.6/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
6/10
6/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
6/10
10/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
8.3/10
10/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
7.3/10
7.8/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
6.9/10
8.9/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
4.9/10
8.1/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
8.8/10
7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
6.3/10
8/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
6.7/10
10/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
7/10
8/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.0
2.2
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
20 W
30 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 X90L (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
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Proprietary TVs ratings developed
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Recommendations made
18,005
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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.