Best Samsung TVs Buying Guide: Welcome to What Hi-Fi?'s guide to the best Samsung TVs you can buy in 2021.
Obviously it makes sense to shop around when buying a new TV. But if you've previously owned a Samsung and want to stick with what you know, there are some impressive screens out there.
From monster sets to more moderately-sized models, from very affordable to very expensive, Samsung has TVs to suit all tastes, spaces and budgets.
Before you lay down your cash, there are a few things to consider. 4K and HDR will improve the picture quality drastically, but only when fed compatible content, so check your source. And do remember that no Samsung sets support Dolby Vision - instead they feature Samsung's own rival format, HDR10+.
Samsung was also the first to sell 8K sets in the UK. While there's still no 8K content currently available, they do upscale 4K content using Samsung's processing tech, and generally do it very well.
Then there's which size to go for. Measure where you'll put it and see which size set will suit you best. Bigger isn't always better - if it towers over your sofa, you might need to reconsider.
You should also check the small print for things such as the number of HDMI and USB sockets. While these details might seem relatively minor, they make all the difference when it comes to getting set up.
Finally, consider whether you want a newer 2020 set or a longer-in-the-tooth 2019 model. It might be obvious that you'd want a newer model, but you'll likely make a big saving if you go for a discounted 2019 TV. Here's how you distinguish one from the other: Samsung's 2019 models are from the 'R' range, so look for an 'R' at the end of the model number if it's a QLED or an 'RU' in the middle if it's an LCD. 2020 TVs have a 'T' instead. For what it's worth, Samsung's 2021 TVs are 'A' models, but they're not available to buy yet.
The Samsung Q90T is a slightly tricky proposition. It’s the top 4K TV in Samsung’s 2020 TV range, but as a result of the company’s increased focus on 8K models, it’s also less of a flagship model than last year’s Q90R.
Whether you consider the Q90T to be the true successor to the Q90R or not, it is a better TV overall. It has a more natural balance, significantly better motion and a much-improved sound system. It’s true that it doesn’t go quite as bright or quite as black but, in fairness to Samsung, the Q90T is also more aggressively priced.
More important than how it fares against its discontinued sibling, though, is how it fares against similarly priced 2020 TVs such as the LG OLED55CX and Philips 55OLED805. These sets go blacker and, in the case of the LG, produce brighter highlights in otherwise dark images, but the Samsung is vastly punchier with almost everything you watch and images pop from the screen in a way that OLEDs still can’t match. It also has the best, most app-packed operating system by quite a margin, and a feature set that will keep it relevant for years to come.
There’s no doubt that the Samsung Q90T is an excellent TV, and you certainly shouldn’t discount it for not being an OLED or not having as many dimming zones as its ‘predecessor’.
Read the full Samsung QE55Q90T review
This is one of the cheapest 4K TVs that Samsung currently offers. But fear not, it still boasts Samsung's core performance and feature set, at a smaller size and a lower price. In short, it's pretty much the best cheap TV you can buy.
Most 43in TVs offer about a tenth of the features of a bigger set, but not this one. The Tizen operating system is identical to that found on pricier sets, with the same winning UI and stacked app selection. It's 4K, naturally, HDR formats are well catered for (with the exception of Dolby Vision, which no Samsung sets support), and it supports Auto Low Latency Mode, which switches the TV to game mode when it detects a gaming signal. That's a feature missing from many much pricier sets, such as the 48in Sony in the top spot on this list.
The contrast ratio isn't as impressive as an OLED or QLED TV, of course, but that's to be expected. The blacks are actually surprisingly deep for a TV this affordable, and there's a hefty amount of punch. The TU7100 is a sharp and detailed performer, too, and it handles motion with a good balance of smoothing and authenticity. It's an excellent picture performance for a TV of this size, and you'd have to spend a fair bit more to get a significant improvement.
Read the full Samsung UE43TU7100 review
Samsung's 8-series has traditionally been positioned just below the company’s glamorous range-topping QLEDs. In the past, it has proven to be the sweet spot where picture quality and price intersect to maximum effect. And so it proves once more.
The TU8000 is astonishingly good value. For comparatively very little money you're getting a 55-inch TV that performs brilliantly, particularly with HDR content, and boasts the best, most app-laden operating system available at any price.
It's sound is only so-so and it's lacking the outright brightness and next-gen HDMI features of its premium siblings, but it's still undeniably brilliant for the money.
Read the full Samsung UE55TU8000 review
This is the price where TVs tip over from budget to mid range. And this set is the new best in class.
The feature set is very impressive, with ALLM, eARC, 4K and three formats of HDR supported. There's no VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), but at this price, that's hardly surprising. The Tizen OS is the same as seen on Samsung's flagship TVs, which means a slick user interface and apps galore.
It comes with Samsung's standard remote, plus its One Remote, which is more ergonomic and has a stripped-back selection of buttons that cover all of the bases. Voice controls are handled by Amazon's Alexa or Samsung's Bixby personal assistants, with Google Assistant due to land soon via a firmware update.
Picture-wise, it blows most of the similarly priced competition out of the water, with deeper blacks and bright white highlights. On the motion side of things, it displays a satisfyingly natural degree of smoothing, and manages to dig up plenty of detail. At this price, there really is no competition.
Read the full Samsung UE50TU8500 review
We'll just come out and say it: you don't need an 8K TV. 8K content is thin on the ground, so for the most part, you'll be paying for something you don't use. On the other hand, if you're happy to spend the money, an 8K set could be a sound investment – it'll also play 4K content, after all, and if you don't want to buy another TV when 8K takes off, paying once could be the smart option.
The Samsung QE75Q950TS is not only a wise investment for 8K, it also manages to improve on 4K content.
That's thanks to Samsung's Quantum Processor 8K and its 8K AI Upscaling feature, which succeed in making non-8K content look better than ever: watching a 4K Blu-ray, we can’t recall a sharper 4K picture, with nothing looking artificially enhanced or exaggerated – it simply pops from the screen more than we’ve previously seen.
Blacks are deep and insightful, while motion is handled with aplomb. Away from the picture, the TV itself is stylish, super slim, and the bezels are amazingly thin. It sounds pretty great, too. Ticks all the boxes, then.
Read the full Samsung QE75Q950TS review
This new Samsung QLED set a formidable benchmark for mid-range TVs in 2020, offering a high-end performance at a fairly mid-range price.
The Q80T looks much like any other Samsung QLED, although it is a little bit chunkier than the Q90T. There's nothing wrong with the specs of the connections, either: the four HDMI inputs support the key features of HDMI 2.1, such as eARC, VRR and HFR.
4K HDR streaming is available via the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV+. In fact, the app support is superb, with pretty much every video and music streaming site you can think of on offer here.
A simple TV to set-up when it comes to getting the best possible picture, the Q80T ultimately delivers a brilliantly dynamic image with deep black levels, excellent contrast and neutral but vibrant colours. While there are rare occasions when watching HDR that a skin tone seems slightly overcooked, the colour balance is a great strength overall, while motion is handled confidently and smoothly throughout our testing. And while we'd recommend a soundbar or some speakers, Samsung's Object Tracking Sound technology provides open, engaging audio.
As well as being great at 55 inches, we've also now tested the 65-inch version of the Q80T and it's equally great at that size.
Read the full Samsung QE55Q80T review
Read the full Samsung QE65Q80T review
The Q95T shares the top spot in Samsung's 2020 4K TV range with the Q90T. The only differences between the two are that the Q95T gets a more stylish, metal remote and the One Connect system, which sees all connections (including power) routed through a separate box that can be easily hidden away.
Somewhat disappointingly, the Q95T and Q90T have fewer dimming zones and go less bright than the Q90R, but they're otherwise better in every meaningful way. They deliver a richer, more solid and more natural picture, as well as better sound.
The Tizen operating system is largely unchanged, and that's no bad thing. No other operating system has as much content or more quickly gets you to what you want to watch.
If you're after Samsung's top 4K model, the sensible money would be spend on the Q90T, but if you like the idea of extremely clever and neat One Connect solution, there's nothing wrong with spending the extra money on the Q95T.
Read the full Samsung QE65Q95T review
The Samsung UE43RU7020 is the smallest size of the cheapest range of Samsung’s 2019 current TVs. If you are strapped for cash but still want to buy an excellent, small(ish) screen, this is the one.
Black levels and detail are very good for a TV at this price – we're not talking OLED standards, but this is no hazy production – and there's good control of lighting. The 4K detail is good, too, and colours are natural if not quite of the richness Samsung is capable further up the food chain.
As a small, budget TV, the UE43RU7020 deserves to be taken seriously.
Read the full Samsung UE43RU7020 review
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