Samsung Q60D / Q67D / Q68D vs Samsung U8000F (VA)

The Samsung Q60D consistently achieves brightness levels above 500 nits, which is above average for its class of devices. This level of brightness enhances the viewing experience, providing a more immersive home cinema feel, with clearly visible details in bright areas of the image and well-rendered contrast dynamics, especially when watching content from streaming platforms or Blu-ray discs. As a result, movie screenings gain added depth and realism, particularly in well-lit scenes.

However, despite incorporating quantum dot technology (QLED), the TV does not excel in colour reproduction. The DCI-P3 colour space coverage is limited to 90%, which may become apparent in more demanding scenes where the richness and saturation of colours are crucial for image quality. While the Q60D offers solid performance, those seeking more vibrant and accurate colour reproduction may notice some limitations.

While the U8000F with a VA panel can still be praised for decent blacks, there are no longer any reasons to be impressed regarding brightness – especially in HDR scenes. The television reaches a maximum of just under 250 nits, which is simply too little to talk about any impressive light effects. Bright elements come off as pale, and scenes that should shine look rather flat. An interesting situation was observed during the test of a scene from the movie Sicario 2 – the screen noticeably darkened, as if the television were trying to hide its limitations in displaying blacks. One might get the impression that the device artificially darkens the image to improve contrast, but in practice, the effect doesn't make much of a difference, other than that we see less on the screen. Additionally, there's the issue of colors – the U8000F does not support a wide color gamut, so don't expect vibrant, saturated shades known from better models. The HDR image here resembles slightly brightened SDR and… maybe that’s even a good thing. For this model, it's not worth setting expectations for cinematic experiences – it's better to treat HDR as a modest addition.

For several years, Samsung has included a "Filmmaker" mode in its televisions, designed to deliver picture settings that remain true to the original vision of filmmakers straight out of the box. This is undoubtedly a significant move towards achieving cinematic quality at home, but it's important to note that this mode is not without its drawbacks.

For instance, the white balance in both SDR and HDR modes tends to show an excessive amount of red, resulting in an overly warm image. This can cause actors' skin tones and brighter scenes to appear unnaturally pink. The Colour Checker test confirms this issue, as colour samples often shift towards red hues, deviating from the neutral colour representation that would be preferred in a professional context.

In terms of contrast, there is a noticeable dip at the start of the gamma curve, where values below 2.4 fall to around 2.1. This can make darker scenes look less detailed, diminishing their depth. When displaying HDR content, the EOTF curve (which handles brightness representation) shows a significant peak at the beginning of the graph, potentially leading to excessive brightness in lighter areas of the image and disrupting the natural tonal balance.

The Samsung U8000F has been tested by us in the best picture mode available out of the box – namely, Filmmaker Mode. This profile is supposed to provide a neutral, cinematic image, free of unnecessary enhancements and artificial beautifications. In the case of SDR content – mainly in HD or SD resolution – the television performed surprisingly well right out of the box. The only noticeable imperfection was brightness management. The gamma chart showed some deviations – slight brightening or dimming of certain tones – but in practice, it did not significantly affect the viewing experience. For a television in this segment, it performs quite well.

However, the situation is considerably weaker in HDR mode. Although white balance was still acceptable, color errors were very pronounced. In the Color Checker test, almost every sample was outside the target point, and the image itself looked unnatural – colors were shifted, sometimes too cool, at other times simply dull and lifeless. The main problem lies in the hardware limitations – the U8000F does not support the wide color gamut of DCI-P3, so it is physically unable to reproduce the colors anticipated by the HDR standard. And unfortunately, this is evident in almost every more demanding scene.

After professional calibration of the Samsung Q60D in film mode, users can experience a notable enhancement in image quality. Samsung TVs have long featured both 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustments, and an advanced Colour Management System (CMS), enabling precise tuning of colour and hue. Following calibration, the white balance for both SDR and HDR content is free from significant peaks and red tone shifts, resulting in a more natural image. Although a few larger errors may still be evident in HDR mode, the overall improvement in colour accuracy is impressive.

In terms of contrast, despite the inherent limitations of the TV’s technology, there has been a marked improvement. Calibration enhances the visibility of details in darker scenes and accentuates the differences between lighter and darker elements, making the image appear more dynamic. This leads to a more satisfying viewing experience, with improved depth and realism in the displayed content.

Right out of the box, the U8000F offered quite a decent picture in SDR for its price range. However, we managed to slightly enhance it – we reduced a subtle purple tint and improved the gamma characteristics, giving it a more natural curve. Despite these adjustments, the TV still tends to brighten the brightest details a bit too aggressively – the gamma graph shows a clear dip that cannot be fully corrected.

On the other hand, in HDR mode, it is noticeably weaker. It's hard to talk about any significant improvement here – despite attempts to tweak the settings, the picture still presents considerable color errors. A Delta E exceeding 7 means noticeable deviations that couldn't be effectively reduced. Unfortunately, this is a limitation of the design itself – the U8000F was simply not designed for serious HDR. In everyday SDR viewing, it performs quite well, but when it comes to HDR content... it's best not to have too high expectations.

However, when it comes to processing and scaling lower-quality content, the TV performs quite well. The image is displayed without overscan, ensuring the full use of the available screen space. Additionally, the edges of models or tree branches are not overly jagged, resulting in satisfactory content quality. While noise reduction could be more effective, the overall processing of lower-quality materials is positive and meets expectations.

When it comes to how the Samsung U8000F handles lower quality materials, we must admit that Samsung has made progress compared to its predecessor from last year – the DU7192 model, which theoretically occupies the same position in the lineup. This year's model is equipped with a feature for improving the fluidity of tonal transitions, which has been implemented much better than last year. Yes, the TV still uses quite strong algorithms that can distort details or remove film grain, but despite that – it can be confidently said that it works effectively. However, not everything went perfectly. The U8000F has noticeable issues with slight image stuttering when watching very old content in very low resolution. If someone plans to play their old VHS tape, they should be prepared for the image to appear slightly "choppy."

The Samsung Q60D is equipped with a 60 Hz panel and includes a feature known as "Motion Reduction," designed to minimise motion blur and improve the overall fluidity of the image. This addition is particularly beneficial for users who enjoy watching films and series, providing a smoother visual experience even during dynamic action scenes where detail is essential. However, while "Motion Reduction" enhances the viewing experience for cinematic content, it is important to note that this panel may not be the optimal choice for gaming due to a noticeable motion blur effect, which can become apparent during fast-paced gameplay.

The Samsung U8000F is equipped with a 60 Hz panel, so right from the start, it's clear that we shouldn't expect miracles. This is simply standard in this class – sufficient for everyday viewing but without any frills. The TV offers one motion enhancement slider – a feature called "Motion Blur Reduction," which allows us to adjust the smoothness of the image in movies. Higher settings give a more "theatrical" and smoothed effect, while lower settings help maintain the original character of the film with a slight 24p effect. An interesting feature is "Clear Motion LED," which is a BFI mode – inserting black frames between image frames to improve motion sharpness. However, in practice, the screen flickers heavily when it's activated, and it should be treated more as an experiment than something that genuinely improves gaming comfort.

The Samsung Q60D has gaming features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), and Game Bar, which contribute positively to gaming experiences by optimising response times and enhancing HDR visuals. However, the absence of HDMI 2.1 support limits the TV's potential, preventing the use of VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) which could further boost smoothness and image consistency. For casual gamers the Q60D should suffice, delivering satisfactory performance during typical gameplay. On the other hand, for more discerning gamers, models with a higher refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 support are recommended. Such upgrades enable full functionality and better compatibility with the latest games, ensuring smoother motion and superior image quality – essential for an immersive and top-tier gaming experience.

Samsung U8000F offers a basic set of features for gamers, which nonetheless may be sufficient for less demanding users. It has an automatic game mode – when a game is launched on the console, the TV automatically switches to low latency mode, significantly improving response time. It also includes a VRR feature, or variable refresh rate, which operates in the range of 48 to 60 Hz. This means that both Xbox and PS5 will not produce a "tearing" effect on the screen – as long as we stay within this range.

And unfortunately, that's about it when it comes to advantages. Additions like Game Bar or higher refresh rates are reserved for higher models of Samsung from the 2025 line. In theory, the TV also supports the HGiG function, which should adjust the HDR image to the intentions of game developers. Unfortunately – even though this feature appears in brochures and marketing materials – its configuration on the Xbox console turned out to be... impossible in practice.