Samsung UN55C8000 Review

Samsung has always been one of the top competitors when it comes to the latest and greatest in TVs of any shape or size. The Samsung UN55C8000 which received our TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award is a perfect example of what they can do with a technology like LED lighting. At just under an inch thick this is the thinnest LED TV on the market but comes with a slightly higher price tag than others. The UN55C8000 is also the first 3D TV Samsung has released and they've done a better job than most with this new technology. They have also integrated a new apps platform which will continue to grow for as long as you have the TV.

Features:

The Samsung UN55C8000 is the thinnest LED TV on the market today. At just under an inch thick it is truly amazing to see what this new technology can provide. Not only is this TV insanely thin but it also offers local dimming – even for darker blacks – and it's got one of the deepest set of color variations available today. As we mentioned before, the Samsung UN55C8000 is 3D capable, but there is very little content for it at the moment and we are sure that 3D technology still has a long way to go before it's flawless. That being said, Samsung does provide one of the highest quality 3D experiences in an LED TV and will most likely stay up to date on anything that can be done to improve it.

Samsung has also released a new apps platform that is very similar to iPhone apps. You will have the capability of going into an apps menu where you will find a variety of different apps including Netflix, Vudu, weather services and even a few games. They have also come out and said the apps page will continue to grow, which means you'll be able to enjoy extras on this LED TV for years to come. The one thing that does present a small problem is that there is no Wi-Fi; you will have to run a wire to your TV in order to access the internet.

Display:

The first thing people look at when purchasing a new LED TV is not the amount of apps it has or how many HDMI connections you can find, but how good the picture is. If your first impression of a TV's picture is just average, odds are you're not going to purchase that specific TV. Samsung more than understands the need for picture quality and performance in any setting or room in the house. The Samsung UN55C8000 has a new 10p IRE system which allows you to change the color temperature so that every color stands out just how you want it to. Unlike other LED TVs, the Samsung UN55C8000 has the ability to adjust the dimming in different areas of the screen; this allows you to create the best picture no matter your seat in the room. The slightly lower 8,000,000:1 contrast ratio and 2ms response time could both be increased, but overall the slight difference from this TV to, say, the Vizio XVT553SV was minimal at best.

Connections:

Because this LED TV is so thin, the panel for connections had to be manipulated so all the appropriate connections could be added. The problem with this is that all of the analog connections require break-off connections which can cause problems if you happen to lose one. It also clutters up the back of your TV with extra cables that really shouldn’t be there in the first place. That being said it is a minor thing and this TV does offer the basic connections you would find on any other LED TV today.

Help and Support:

Samsung has been in the business of helping their customers for quite some time and have a very good grasp on this very important aspect of running a business. Like most other electronics companies, you can contact them through email, a phone call or by simply getting online and chatting with a representative. There is also a FAQs page which has the majority of answers because most people have the same issues as you. The one thing we could not find was an online manual for these LED TVs, which is not the end of the world, but it is a nice bonus if you lose the one th0at comes with your TV.

Summary:

The Samsung UN55C8000 LED TV has a few things that could be improved such as the 3D picture and a few minor image issues, but overall it is a quality LED TV and offers a variety of extras for the entire family. It may not be the best LED TV on the market today, but it is by far the thinnest and most appealing to look at. If you want a TV that can fit anywhere in the house and you don’t mind spending a little more money, this is the TV for you.