Samsung UE48JS8500 review – go Quantum for less

Connections

The JS8500 uses one of Samsung’s One Connect Mini boxes to provide the bulk of its ports, letting you keep all that messy cabling tucked away in your AV cabinet. It’s a shame it doesn’t come with the same full-sized One Connect box like the next model up, the JS9000, which has a wider range of ports, but it’s not too much of an issue overall, as the ports missing from the larger Connect box have been moved to the rear of the TV on the JS8500, so you’re not missing out on any important connections.

In fact, the split makes perfect sense, as the Mini One Connect box houses all the modern connections you’ll need, including four HDMI 2.0 inputs (which are HDCP 2.2 compatible), an optical S/PDIF output and two USB2 ports, while older, legacy connections have been relegated to the TV. Here, you’ll find component and composite inputs, a 3.5mm headphone jack, an Ethernet port, ports for your aerial and satellite and a single USB3 port. It’s a shame the USB3 port isn’t on the Connect box, but it’s a pretty minor quibble overall.

The cable that connects the box to the TV is around 2m in length. Samsung does sell a longer 3m cable, but that’s the limit for this proprietary connection. 

Tizen & Smart Hub

Aside from its excellent picture quality and cabling convenience, the other main reason to consider the JS8500 is its superb line-up of built-in catch-up services. While rival manufacturers have started bundling in hybrid EPGs that let you scroll back through the week’s content to find shows you missed to help combat the TV’s lack of onboard app support, the JS8500 simply presents you with (almost) every catch-up service known to man as individual apps.

That means you get BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Demand 5, Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, TalkTalk TV (formerly Blinkbox), Wuaki, Plex, Vimeo, YouTube, Dailymotion, TuneIn radio, as well as a few outliers such as BFI Player and TED. The only noticeable omission is Sky’s NOW TV, but when a separate NOW TV box costs just £15, it’s a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things.

Samsung’s Tizen interface is also a real pleasure to use, and it remains one of the simplest and most intuitive Smart TV systems I’ve ever used. Hit the Smart Hub button on either its standard or smart, motion-control remote, and you’ll be presented with a small row of icons along the bottom of the screen. These are split into your most recent apps and sources, and a featured content box, which shows newly installed apps as well as shortcuts to other connected devices such as your smartphone, tablet or PC. You can also pin apps to the front of your recent list to prevent them from getting lost.

Conclusion

Overall, the Samsung JS8500 is a stunning TV that’s still a great buy a year on from its initial release. Its picture quality is superb no matter what type of content you’re watching, and its excellent suite of catch-up apps means you’ve always got something to watch. Admittedly, I’m still not convinced that its curved screen really adds anything to your overall viewing experience – in which case, you might want to opt for the flat, but identical JS8000 model instead – but if you’re after a great-looking TV and don’t want to spend more than £1,000, the JS8500 remains a great choice. It wins a Recommended award.