SAMSUNG UN50AU8000FXZA 50 inch TV: In-Depth Review and Customer Opinions

The Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA is a 50-inch 4K Ultra HD smart TV that was released in 2021 as part of Samsung's AU8000 series. This mid-range model from Samsung offers a vibrant Crystal UHD display, robust smart TV platform, and sleek design at an affordable price point. With 4K resolution, HDR support, and a fast 120Hz refresh rate, the UN50AU8000FXZA is designed to deliver stunning picture quality and responsive gaming performance. The Tizen-based smart platform provides access to popular streaming apps and services. Overall, the AU8000 series aims to bring premium 4K viewing and modern smart features into budget-friendly packages. This 50-inch model hits a sweet spot of size and price for many consumers seeking to upgrade to a new 4K TV.

Design

The Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA has a sleek, minimalist design with thin bezels surrounding the screen. The TV has an ultra-slim profile, measuring only 2.2 inches thick, which minimizes the footprint and allows it to blend easily into any room décor.

The bezels around the screen are impressively thin, only 0.31 inches thick on the sides and 0.39 inches on the top and bottom. This creates a nearly edge-to-edge viewing experience that makes the picture seem bigger and more immersive. When watching movies or shows, the thin bezels almost disappear so you feel fully engaged in the content.

The back of the TV also has a minimalist aesthetic, with a smooth, black finish and subtle brushed texture. The stand matches the same black color and has an open, Y-shaped design with a small footprint. Overall, the Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA makes a sophisticated addition to any living room, bedroom, or media room with its slim form factor and discreet styling.

The Hisense 50U6HF is another great 50-inch 4K TV to consider. It has an attractive modern design with slim bezels and a sleek metallic finish. The stand has an elegant arched shape with a central pedestal that keeps the TV stable while taking up very little space. For wall mounting, the Hisense 50U6HF has standard VESA holes making it easy to hang. With a depth of just 2.4 inches, this TV can fit into compact areas without protruding too far from the wall.

In terms of display, the Hisense 50U6HF features an LED-backlit LCD panel with 3840 x 2160 Ultra HD resolution, supporting high dynamic range content. It displays vibrant, accurate colors and excellent contrast thanks to Full Array Local Dimming zones that optimize the backlight. Motion handling is also solid, with a fast 120Hz refresh rate that reduces blur in action scenes. Overall, the Hisense 50U6HF combines great 4K picture quality with an attractive, space-saving design.

For smart features, the Hisense 50U6HF runs the user-friendly VIDAA U5 smart platform. It gives you access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, YouTube, Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu and more. Built-in Chromecast allows easy casting from mobile devices, while support for Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa enables hands-free voice control. The remote has quick access buttons for popular apps too.

At its affordable price point, the Hisense 50U6HF is a great value 4K TV. It delivers very good picture quality, smooth motion handling, and smart features in an attractive slim design. If you're looking for a budget-friendly 50-inch TV with strong performance, the Hisense 50U6HF is definitely worth considering.

Display Quality

The Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA TV has an excellent display that produces a beautiful 4K Ultra HD picture. The TV uses an advanced Crystal Processor 4K to upscale content to near-4K quality.

With a 3840 x 2160 resolution and support for High Dynamic Range content in HDR10 and HDR10+, the UN50AU8000FXZA delivers four times the resolution of Full HD for very sharp and detailed images. The 4K resolution gives you over 8 million pixels for a lifelike viewing experience whether you're watching sports, movies or gaming.

The Quantum Dot technology produces over a billion colors at 100% color volume for more realistic and vibrant images. The high color accuracy and saturation create very attractive, dynamic pictures. The TV also has a great contrast ratio and deep blacks thanks to OLED technology that individually turns off pixels. This results in excellent shadow detail in dark scenes. Overall, the display quality produces vibrant, accurate colors and excellent clarity.

For another excellent 4K TV option, take a look at the SAMSUNG UN50TU7000FXZA. This 50-inch 4K smart TV also delivers stunning ultra HD resolution and vivid colors powered by a Crystal Processor. With PurColor technology for rich color and contrast enhancement for depth and detail, the UN50TU7000FXZA produces a beautiful and immersive viewing experience. The slim design is modern and stylish to complement any room decor. Plus, the smart TV platform provides easy access to streaming services and apps. For a quality 4K TV at a great value, the Samsung UN50TU7000FXZA is an excellent choice worth considering.

In terms of display specifications, the UN50TU7000FXZA has a 50-inch screen size, 3840 x 2160 4K UHD resolution, and supports High Dynamic Range content. The Crystal Processor 4K provides powerful upscaling for crisp clarity. With PurColor technology, the TV optimizes color purity and accuracy for natural looking images. Contrast enhancer analyzes each scene to add depth and bring out details. The slim design with thin bezels makes for an attractive modern TV that fits well in most spaces. The Tizen smart platform makes it easy to access popular streaming apps and services.

Overall, for shoppers looking for a high quality 4K UHD smart TV, both the Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA and UN50TU7000FXZA are great options with stellar display performance. The AU8000 model may have some additional display enhancements like Quantum Dot and more advanced dimming zones. But the TU7000 still produces brilliant lifelike 4K images at an even more affordable price point. Consider both these excellent Samsung 4K TVs when shopping for your next television.

Smart Features

The Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA comes with Samsung's intuitive Tizen smart platform that provides quick access to apps, streaming services, and smart home controls.

With the Tizen OS, you can easily install popular apps like Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Disney+, and more. The smart hub features aClean, intuitive interface that makes navigating between apps a breeze.

You'll have access to Samsung's SmartThings app that allows you to connect and control compatible smart home devices like lights, thermostats and more. Screen mirroring is another handy Tizen feature, letting you mirror your compatible smartphone or tablet right onto the TV's display.

One cool capability is Bixby voice assistance. Using the built-in microphone on the remote, you can use your voice to launch apps, search for content, get answers, and control TV settings completely hands-free. Overall, Tizen gives this TV some great smart connectivity for accessing entertainment, apps and controlling other devices.

Audio Quality

The Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA TV delivers decent sound quality thanks to its 20W speaker system. The 2 channel speakers provide sufficient volume to fill a small to medium-sized room without distortion.

While the speakers can handle dialogue and soundtrack audio well enough for casual TV viewing, they lack the full bass response needed for a truly immersive cinematic experience. The sound profile favors higher frequencies which helps with vocal clarity for news and talk shows, but means you miss out on the deep rumble for action movies or shows.

For more demanding home theater use, connecting the TV to a dedicated soundbar or speaker system via Bluetooth or the optical audio output is recommended. But the built-in 20W speakers will suffice if you mainly use the TV for everyday TV watching and don't require robust audio performance.

Ports and Connectivity

The Samsung 50-inch UN50AU8000FXZA offers a good selection of ports for convenient connectivity. On the back of the TV, it has 3 HDMI ports to connect media devices, cable boxes, Blu-ray players, and gaming consoles. The HDMI ports support HDCP 2.2 and HDMI-CEC allowing you to control other devices with just the TV remote.

There are also 2 USB ports, one of which supports USB recording to capture TV shows onto a flash drive or external hard drive. For connecting to the internet, it has an Ethernet port in addition to built-in Wi-Fi. With the Ethernet port, you can have the most stable internet connection for streaming apps and gaming. An RF connector is included for connecting an HDTV antenna.

The TV lacks any composite video inputs, but the HDMI ports provide everything needed for today's media devices. Overall, the port selection covers the essentials for home entertainment connectivity.

Remote Control

The Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA comes with a simple, streamlined remote that makes it easy to access all of the TV's functions. The remote is slim and lightweight, fitting comfortably in the hand.

At the top are dedicated buttons for popular streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and HBO Max. This allows you to launch these apps directly instead of having to navigate through menus. There is also a button for the Samsung TV Plus service, which provides free streaming TV channels.

Below the streaming buttons is a standard layout with number pad, navigation buttons, volume and channel rockers, and buttons for common controls like power, input, guide, and settings. The minimal button layout helps keep things simple.

The remote relies on infrared rather than Bluetooth, so you need to point it at the TV. On the plus side, it includes batteries so you can use it right out of the box.

Overall, the remote is functional and straightforward to use. The dedicated streaming service buttons make accessing your favorite apps fast and convenient. While not as advanced as remotes that come with higher-end Samsung TVs, it provides all the essential controls you need.

Gaming Performance

The SAMSUNG UN50AU8000FXZA delivers a responsive gaming experience thanks to its low input lag and Auto Low Latency Mode. Input lag refers to the delay between an input on your controller and the reaction on the TV screen. Lower input lag results in a more responsive feel as your actions sync up closely with what's displayed.

Samsung has equipped this model with Auto Low Latency Mode which automatically detects when you are gaming and reduces input lag by switching the TV into game mode. This delivers faster response times with minimal delay between your controller and on-screen actions.

Reviewers found the input lag to be exceptionally low at around just 10ms in game mode. This level of responsiveness will appeal to serious gamers who want to experience their gameplay with fluid, lag-free action. Fast motion in racing, sports, and first person shooter games appears crisp without smearing or ghosting effects.

So if you want a TV that can keep up with fast-paced console or PC gaming, the ultra low input lag on the Samsung UN50AU8000 makes it a great fit. You'll enjoy the snappy, real-time feel of games without frustration from delayed responses.

Pros

• The Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA delivers great picture quality for the price. It has a 50-inch LED 4K display with vibrant colors, deep blacks, and good contrast. The Ultra HD resolution provides crisp detail, and the Crystal processor optimizes the content for a sharp, clean image.

• The smart TV operating system provides quick access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and more. The intuitive interface makes navigating through menus smooth and easy. Voice commands via the remote work well for searching for content.

• The minimalist design looks great in any living room. The thin bezels around the display give it a sleek, modern aesthetic. The central stand provides sturdy support without taking up too much space. Overall, it's an attractively designed TV.

Cons

One downside of the Samsung UN50AU8000FXZA is its mediocre built-in audio quality. The 20W speaker system lacks bass and sounds somewhat tinny, especially compared to higher-end models or attaching an external soundbar. This TV is best paired with a separate audio solution for an immersive home theater experience.

The VA panel display also suffers from limited viewing angles. There is noticeable color shifting and contrast degradation when viewing off-center or at wide angles. This shouldn't be an issue for smaller rooms or central seating positions directly in front of the TV. But those watching from the sides may experience degraded picture performance. Overall the viewing angles are typical for this price range and panel type.