You've probably noticed it. Walk into a Best Buy or browse the "New Arrivals" on Amazon today, and the shelves are a sea of flat glass. It's almost weird. A few years back, everyone was convinced that the future of home cinema had a bend in it. Samsung was the king of that hill, pushing the Samsung 65 inch curved tv as the literal pinnacle of living room luxury.
Then, the industry just... stopped.
By 2026, finding a brand-new curved model feels like a scavenger hunt. But here’s the kicker: people are still searching for them. Like, a lot. Whether it's the sleek aesthetic of a Samsung TU8300 or the older, more premium NU8500, there is a subset of enthusiasts who refuse to let the curve die. Are they just nostalgic, or did Samsung actually get something right that the rest of the industry abandoned too quickly?
The "Immersive" Lie and the Real Truth
Marketing departments used to scream about "total immersion." They said the curve would wrap around your peripheral vision like an IMAX screen. Honestly? On a 65-inch screen from ten feet away, that’s mostly marketing fluff. To get that wrap-around feeling, you’d need to sit about four feet from the screen, which is how you end up with eye strain and a concerned spouse.
However, the curve wasn't a total gimmick.
When you sit in the "sweet spot"—dead center, aligned with the middle of the panel—the distance from your eyes to every part of the screen is roughly equal. On a massive flat 65-inch panel, the edges are actually further from your eyes than the center. This creates a tiny bit of "trapezoidal" distortion. A curved panel fixes this. It’s subtle, but once you see how "natural" the depth feels on a Samsung curved 4K display, going back to flat feels slightly off, like looking at a world that’s been flattened by a steamroller.
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Why Samsung Basically Quit (Mostly)
Samsung hasn't totally abandoned the curve—they just moved it to the desk. If you look at the Odyssey G9 or the massive 57-inch Neo G9, the curve is more aggressive than ever. Why? Because you sit close to a monitor.
For the living room, a few things killed the vibe:
- The "Side-Eye" Problem: If you aren't in the middle, the curve actually makes the picture look worse. The near edge gets "squished" and the far edge looks stretched.
- Wall Mounting Woes: Flat TVs look like art on a wall. Curved TVs look like a weird piece of architectural debris sticking out four inches from the drywall.
- Manufacturing Costs: It is simply harder and more expensive to bend a panel without causing "light bleed" or "clouding" issues at the corners.
What Most People Get Wrong About the TU8300
If you are looking for a Samsung 65 inch curved tv today, you are likely looking at the TU8300 series. It’s basically the last man standing in the curved world.
Here is the "expert" take that most reviewers gloss over: the TU8300 isn't a flagship TV. It was never meant to compete with the QN90 or the new Micro RGB sets Samsung is showing off at CES 2026. It's a "Crystal UHD" model. This means it uses a standard LED backlight rather than the fancy Mini-LED or OLED tech.
Because it’s a VA (Vertical Alignment) panel, it actually has pretty decent contrast. The blacks look black, not grey. But because it's curved, that VA panel’s already narrow viewing angles are even more restricted. It is a TV built for a single person in a recliner, not a family of five spread across a sectional sofa.
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The Hidden Benefit of the Curve: Reflections
This is something nobody talks about.
A flat TV acts like a mirror. If you have a window behind your couch, you’ll see that window reflected perfectly on a flat screen. A curved screen, however, changes the geometry of reflections. It often "stretches" the reflection or pushes it out of your direct line of sight. If you have a room with annoying lamps or windows, a Samsung 65 inch curved tv might actually handle the glare better than a high-end flat screen, simply because of the physics of the bend.
Choosing Between Used, Refurbished, and "New Old Stock"
Since Samsung hasn't released a "2026 Edition" of their curved lineup, you're looking at the secondary market. This is where you need to be careful.
Older models like the JU7500 or KS9500 were actually higher-end than the newer TU8300. They had better brightness (HDR) and better color. But they are also older, meaning the internal "Smart TV" processors are likely slow as molasses by today's standards.
If you find a deal on a UN65TU8300, realize that you are paying for the shape. You can get a flat TCL QM7K or a Samsung S90D for a similar price that will absolutely demolish the curved TV in terms of brightness, refresh rate (120Hz vs 60Hz), and gaming features.
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But I get it. Sometimes, the heart wants what the heart wants. The curve looks cool. It’s a conversation starter. It makes your setup look different from everyone else’s boring black rectangle.
Actionable Tips for the Curved Hunter
If you are dead-set on grabbing one of these 65-inch beauties, don't just click "buy" on the first eBay listing you see. Follow this checklist to ensure you don't end up with a very expensive piece of e-waste.
- Check for "Flashlight" Issues: Turn the TV on in a dark room and put on a black screen. Look at the corners. Because the panel is bent, the adhesive can sometimes pull away, causing light to "leak" from the edges. If you see bright white spots in the corners, walk away.
- Forget the Built-in Apps: Even if you find a "New in Box" model from 2020 or 2022, the Tizen software will feel sluggish. Buy a Roku Stick 4K or an Apple TV 4K immediately. Plug it into the HDMI port and never look at the Samsung home screen again.
- The Stand Matters: Most curved TVs used a "T-Center" stand because the screen is too heavy to be supported by tiny feet at the edges. Make sure the seller has the original stand. Finding a replacement stand for a discontinued curved model is a nightmare.
- Avoid Wall Mounting: Unless you have a recessed niche in your wall specifically for a TV, just put it on a media console. It looks better, and you won't have to deal with the awkward "gap" that makes the TV look like it's falling off the wall.
Ultimately, the Samsung 65 inch curved tv is becoming a niche item for enthusiasts who value a specific aesthetic and a "centered" viewing experience. It’s a piece of tech history that still holds up if you know what you’re getting into. Just don't expect it to compete with the 2026 OLEDs in a side-by-side brightness battle. It’s about the vibe, not just the nits.
Next Steps for You
- Measure your seating distance: If you aren't sitting between 6 and 9 feet away, the curve's benefits are lost.
- Check local listings: Look for "TU8300" or "NU8500" on Facebook Marketplace; these are often sold by people moving who don't want to transport a fragile curved screen.
- Compare with the 2026 OLEDs: Before committing, look at a modern flat OLED like the S95F. The picture quality jump might be enough to make you forget about the curve entirely.