Samsung 43 Inch BU8000 UHD Crystal 4K Smart TV (2022) - Airslim Design With Alexa & Smart TV Streaming Built In, Object Tracking Sound, Contrast Enhancer, Boundless Screen & Adjustable Stand

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I should also mention that the BU8000 came with a slight panel defect with a green strip running vertically down the screen that would appear every now again, mainly when streaming content. Sound Quality

Even the most expensive TVs tend to play it safe design-wise, so no one should really be expecting any out-there design flourishes where a mainstream model like the AU7100 is concerned. And sure enough, there aren’t any - which is undoubtedly a good thing. Of course, we don’t all live on a diet of brand-new cutting-edge content - and when it comes to upscaling, the Samsung (mostly) continues its good work. Certainly an HD broadcast of some elite-level tennis suffers hardly at all – colors are confidently described, on-screen movement is stable in almost all circumstances, and detail levels stay high. There’s a little coarsening of skin-tones and a hint of jaggedness to the more difficult edges, but by and large the BU8500 remains eminently watchable. The build quality is impressive, too. The skinny chassis isn’t accompanied by scary amounts of bending or flexing and there’s enough heft to it to point to the use of much more heavy-duty materials than the lightweight plastics that typically dominate at this price level. Now, we have the UE65BU8000, the step-down model from the BU8500 – both of which are new sets in Samsung’s affordable Crystal UHD range.

In terms of alternatives, LG’s own G2 is the most obvious. In many ways, it’s the same TV, but it goes even brighter thanks to the addition of a heatsink. It also has a picture frame-style ‘Gallery’ design. In fact, it comes with a wall mount rather than a pedestal stand. The G2 is undeniably a better TV than the C2 until you take pricing into account, at which point the C2 becomes the one that most people should actually buy. This is a TV that combines the spectacular with cinematic subtlety in a very rare fashion. It thrills, but not in a way that’s even slightly showy. And it combines that with surprisingly atmospheric and engaging sound – though we would still, as ever, recommend a dedicated sound system if you’re serious about home cinema.

The Samsung BU8500 is impressively slim, but this does limit what its speakers can do. (Image credit: Future) Samsung BU8500 review: Sound quality UHD Dimming, Noise Reduction, Mega Contrast, Contrast Enhancer, Dynamic Crystal Color, HDR HLG, Filmmaker Mode, Auto Game Mode, Motion Xcelerator, HGiG, LED Clear Motion While not outfitted with the fancier features of its more expensive siblings, the TU7020’s interface, app support and gaming are like what you’d see higher up the range.

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It’s quite distinct through the mid-range and, again, quite decent levels of detail. Voices project forwards well, and they're actually quite nicely balanced – until they start to nudge into the upper frequency range. Once it reaches the higher frequencies, the BU8500 becomes quite hard and edgy, bringing sibilance and even a hint of coarseness to treble sounds. It’s a trait that’s only exacerbated by volume. To test the Samsung BU8500 we used Portrait Displays Calman colour calibration software. Samsung BU8500 review: Sound quality

As has lately been Samsung’s wont, the AU7100 is supplied with a couple of remote control handsets with which to navigate the interface, pursue the set-up menus and what-have-you. One is (and there’s no two ways about it) an unpleasant, cheap-feeling, overburdened handset of confusion, while the is a much nicer, much more minimal ‘just the basics’ alternative. Essentially, the higher the dynamic range (brightness and colours), the more lifelike the picture. HDR offers greater subtlety and depth of gradations of colours, plus stronger contrast.The midrange is just too underpowered and slender to permit for any critical enlargement as soon as an motion scene begins to warmth up. Actually, sound collapses into itself underneath any stress. The 43AU7100 isn’t as accomplished with its audio as it is with its pictures. It still gets the job done, though, without breaking that sense of consistency that makes it so engaging. Max light output HDR (high dynamic range) while displaying a live scene and white square taking up 10% of the screen (measured in Nits)

Once the euphoria of a screwless build has worn off, though, there’s no denying that the UE43AU7100 feels pretty entry-level in its construction. The lightweight feel and unassuming matt finish of both the feet and the screen frame alert you aggressively to the fact that the bodywork is pretty much completely plastic. Native 4K sources look a touch sharper and more detailed too, again thanks in no small part to the more refined colour rendering, while upscaled HD is a cut above the budget norm in terms of both its sharpness and its freedom from video noise.The TV is supported by feet at either end, but at this size it shouldn’t pose a problem for placement on stands and tables. The feet offer sufficient clearance to slip a soundbar beneath if you have one or are considering getting one.