Samsung DU7192 (IPS) vs Samsung DU8002 (IPS)

The maximum luminance in HDR materials is 245 nits, which is often surpassed by even lower results. Such values will definitely not be sufficient for comfortable viewing of HDR materials, due to the lack of appropriate image dynamics and colour distortions caused by the low brightness of the unit. Although the manufacturer has equipped its device with an HDR format offering dynamic metadata, HDR10+, which is what we're talking about, is very rarely used compared to Dolby Vision, which Samsung has not yet introduced in its televisions. It’s also worth mentioning that Samsung DU7192 offers only 82% coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, which is another reason we shouldn't provide a signal in a wide dynamic range, as colour losses will be very noticeable. Samsung DU7192 delivers high-quality image that will satisfy most users.

The HDR effect on the DU8002 television leaves much to be desired. A brightness level of 300 nits is unable to provide a true high dynamic range experience, making the content viewed resemble more standard SDR than impressive HDR. Scenes that should dazzle with brilliance and detail appear muted and lack depth. Nevertheless, the television deserves praise for its high coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette at 92%. This allows for vibrant and saturated colours, which may please viewers who prefer rich tones, even if the HDR effect does not fully meet expectations.

The best factory mode we used throughout the testing process was "Filmmaker". This, like the vast majority of modes, had its flaws. Starting with the most basic graph, which is white balance, we can notice a significant dominance of red colour, both in SDR mode and HDR. Although in the latter there was also some green, which didn’t have a major impact on the overall perception. A graph with such results, in both cases, gives us an image characterised by strong yellowing, clearly visible on whites and on the faces of the actors. Another important graph, if not more important, is gamma. This, which is supposed to control contrast in materials with a standard colour palette, was quite good in factory mode with one "but" regarding the beginning. In the darkest scenes, it was significantly lowered, resulting in strong brightening, which left the film lacking contrast and suspense overall. As we mentioned, HDR materials regarding white balance remained at a similar level. The main change is the EOTF curve graph. At the very beginning, we can observe a bulge, which, just like in the case of gamma, strongly brightened the darkest scenes. However, after that, the graph significantly changed its characteristics and the measured result dived below the reference line, causing the film to lose even more dynamism.

DU8002 offers a Filmmaker mode, which is supposed to provide authentic image reproduction in line with the creators' intentions. Unfortunately, despite its promising name, the effects are far from ideal. The white balance in this mode shows significant drops in blue colour, leading to a noticeable yellowing of the image, as seen in our comparison photo. Colour Checker tests confirm these errors. Regarding brightness, the gamma characteristic is too low compared to the reference line of 2.4, resulting in excessive screen brightness. A similar problem occurs with 4K content – the EOTF responsible for brightness in 4K materials shows significant increases above the reference line, leading to overly bright small light elements. As a result, the Filmmaker mode in DU8002 does not meet expectations and instead of providing high quality, presents an image full of tonal and colour inaccuracies.

Samsung has equipped even its lowest-end TVs with advanced tools for carrying out the calibration process. So we got to work, and the results of our efforts are more than satisfactory. The white balance, which previously had a strong yellow tint in both scenarios, now looks much, much better, even if there are slight deviations from the norm. The picture will still look significantly cleaner than it did before the calibration process. We managed to model the gamma in SDR materials very well, allowing the image to be as contrasty as the TV permits. The EOTF curve has also changed its face and doesn’t brighten or darken the image in such a drastic manner. However, it is worth mentioning that in the case of HDR materials, the deltaE errors are still very high, but this is due to the unit's insufficient brightness.

Samsung is one of those companies that offers advanced tools to enhance picture quality in its televisions, including a 20-point white balance adjustment. Even in the budget model DU8002, after proper adjustments, surprisingly good results can be achieved. The white balance, especially for HD content, performs really well – tests on the Colour Checker palette confirm accuracy levels of 2–1.5, which indicates the significant capabilities of this television in colour reproduction. In 4K content, although not as perfect as in lower quality material, the overall picture looks much better.

The gamma brightness has also been significantly adjusted, meaning the image is not overly brightened and appears more natural. What about the EOTF curve? At first glance, it seems fine, but upon closer inspection, especially in film tests, it's clear that the television struggles due to its low-contrast panel. And the EOTF drops below the reference line. Nevertheless, the DU8002 is an example of a budget model where investing in calibration is worthwhile. Although construction flaws, such as the type of backlighting, cannot be completely eliminated, colour accuracy is surprisingly good, especially considering its price.

Let's return for a moment to the tonal transition smoothing function. We can set it in only two ways - off and auto. As you can easily guess, the first of these causes significant issues with gradation. However, if we set the second option, both movies and series will offer us smooth colour transitions. It is worth mentioning, though, that this function has its drawbacks. It heavily interferes with the director's intent, softens the film grain effect, and worse, often misinterprets small details, blurring them as well. Consequently, we consider that this function does not exist and do not recommend using it, as this is how the smoothness of tonal transitions was tested on the tested display.

The next thing we will check in this paragraph is the image scaling process, which is extremely important when watching material in lower resolution. Unfortunately, as this is the manufacturer's lowest model, this function doesn't work very well. All details are heavily blurred, and a characteristic white halo forms around the characters.

Smoothing tonal transitions on the DU8002 television leaves mixed feelings. Although the menu has an option for smoothing tonal transitions, in practice it yields no results and can even generate unwanted side effects.

Nonetheless, the television handles upscaling, or digital image processing, exceptionally well. The test pattern with the model looked really good – the image isn't overly jagged, and the overall presentation is decent and pleasing to the eye. This is definitely good news for those planning to watch traditional television on this model.

Despite the fact that Samsung DU7192 is the lowest model in the manufacturer's portfolio, it has implemented a motion smoothing system. Although it is quite limited in features compared to higher models, its very existence is a significant plus in the context of competition in a similar price range. The maximum refresh rate that we will give to the tested television is 60 Hz, which is entirely sufficient for films and series, although not when it comes to sports. In the motion smoothing menu, we find two functions responsible for improving smoothness. These are "Motion Blur Reduction" and "Clear Motion (LED)". We'll discuss the latter a bit later. Let's focus on the former, as it is quite mysterious. Unfortunately, despite its presence, we did not find any usefulness. At each of the settings, the picture looked the same, characterised by the typical judder known from materials recorded at 24 fps.

The panel Samsung DU7192 features an average response time. It's worth mentioning that due to this specific type of panel, it is better than VA panels in a similar price range. Therefore, it can be said that it won't be the worst in terms of watching sports.

The DU8002 with a 60 Hz panel is a television that performs better for watching movies than for intense gaming. The motion smoothing feature acts as a fluid enhancer, smoothing out movement and giving scenes a more fluid appearance, which is useful for movie sessions. In the context of gaming, this model is likely only suitable for occasional entertainment.

The Samsung DU7192 television is equipped only with HDMI 2.0 ports, which isn’t surprising considering the device’s price and its consumer profile. Therefore, it’s also logical that we won’t achieve maximum quality on the latest generation consoles. That’s why it only features the most basic options for gamers, namely ALLM. It’s a pity the manufacturer didn’t implement at least a GameBar, as this is now standard, even in lower-end TVs, and could offer significant conveniences in terms of quickly changing settings.

DU8002 is a television that is mainly suited for casual gamers. The 60 Hz panel won't provide the highest motion fluidity, so in dynamic games, you might miss that extra smoothness of the image. On the plus side, it has ALLM and HGiG functions, which automatically adjust the picture settings for HDR games, enhancing the gaming experience. Unfortunately, the TV only comes with HDMI 2.0 ports, so we have to forget about more advanced features like VRR or support for 4K at 120 Hz. Choosing this equipment means we will have to make do without a full set of gaming features.