TECHWEEK
The Samsung QN90D ranks first among the company’s current 4K QLED TVs. At the same time, it provides high image quality and excellent gaming performance. However, it’s not necessarily the best option in Samsung’s entire 2024 lineup. After all, Samsung also makes 4K OLED TVs like the S95D or 8K LED TVs like the QN900D.
Overall, the Samsung QN90D 4K QLED is a great all-round TV with plenty of features and a much better price than similarly sized 4K OLED or 8K LED alternatives. All that remains is to find out whether this TV has any shortcomings and is it worth buying the QN90D? In our review of the Samsung QE65QN90DAU Neo QLED 4K HDR Mini-LED we will try to answer these and other questions.
Samsung QN90D review
Design
The design of the Samsung QE65QN90D TV looks minimalistic. The screen is surrounded by a narrow graphite-colored metal frame. The case is mounted on a wide hexagonal frame made of dark titanium-colored metal. The stand is supported by a relatively narrow lip at the back, giving the vague impression that the screen is “floating” in the air.
There is a small rectangular protrusion at the bottom right corner of the screen that holds the remote control sensor. The remote can also be connected to your TV and wirelessly via Bluetooth. The QN90D uses Samsung’s Eco Remote. This is the same advanced remote that came with the QN900D, as well as the company’s flagship TVs from last year.
It’s a simple rectangular “bar” with a round navigation pad at the top and volume and channel controls at the bottom. The remote control also has dedicated service buttons for Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix and Samsung TV Plus.
The solar panel is located on the underside of the remote control. It allows you to power the built-in rechargeable battery. You just need to turn it over and expose it to the light. A USB-C port is also located on the bottom of the remote for charging it using a cable.
Smart TV
Samsung Tizen Smart TV OS runs on the QN90D as well as on all of the company’s 2024 TVs. This operating system is rich in features but a bit disappointing in design. The good news is that Tizen 8 supports all major streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Crunchyroll, Disney+, Max, Netflix, Twitch and YouTube.
The platform also supports Apple AirPlay for streaming content from an iPad, iPhone or Mac, as well as Miracast for connecting a Windows PC for use as an external display. The Samsung 65QN90D TV also has Amazon Alexa voice assistant built into it.
With the TV’s long-range microphone array, you can use Amazon Alexa to give voice commands. Frustration occurs when the user tries to set different options and switch between sources outside of Smart TV apps.
Unlike most other TVs, general picture settings are hidden under several levels of menus. Since there’s no enter button on the remote, even switching to HDMI ports requires some menu diving.
Sound quality
The sound quality of the Samsung QN90D TV is not much different from most TVs, even with a lower price. The reason for this is the sound circuit, consisting of two speakers. The power of each of them is 10 W. However, it cannot be said that the sound coming from the TV is poorly balanced.
Dialogue sounds clear and intelligible. In addition, the new NQ4 AI Gen2 processor makes it possible to automatically remaster audio quality. But be that as it may, when watching blockbusters or listening to music programs, the bass is definitely not enough.
The TV is equipped with technologies such as Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony. However, these options reveal themselves qualitatively only with multi-channel sound. Therefore, lovers of high-quality sound are recommended to purchase an additional soundbar that supports Dolby Atmos mode.
Image quality
Samsung QN90D is a TV with 4K resolution with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. It supports high dynamic range (HDR) content in HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG formats. Samsung continues to ignore Dolby Vision, while almost every other TV manufacturer supports this standard.
The QN90D has an ATSC 1.0 tuner for live broadcasts, but not an ATSC 3.0 tuner for over-the-air 1080p and 4K. With an SDR signal at all settings, the Q90D has a peak brightness of 320 nits in a 10% white window. When using an HDR signal, peak brightness increases to 1250 nits in a 10% white window.
It’s still quite bright, although its SDR brightness is inferior to its predecessor, the QN90C . Black levels are near-perfect, something we often see on LED TVs thanks to local dimming backlights and mini-LEDs. These technologies allow hundreds or even thousands of individual LCD panel lights to dim, brighten, and even turn off according to the image.
However, the number of backlight LEDs is still much less than the total number of pixels by at least three magnitudes. Therefore, some blooming may still occur at the edges of high-contrast objects. This isn’t an issue for OLED TVs like the S95D because OLED panel technology individually controls color and light at the pixel level.
The trade-off is that OLED panels aren’t as bright. However, in 2024, the Samsung S95D has become even brighter. The Samsung QE65QN90D TV covers most of the DCI-P3 color space, but not completely. The S95D has a wider color gamut, superior to the DCI-P3, although its whites are slightly cooler.
Overall, the Samsung QN90D reproduces very high-quality images. The grass in the sunny savannah looks fresh and natural. The texture of both light, yellowish-brown fur and dark, almost black fur are clearly visible. The trees are silhouetted against the dark cloudy sky, maintaining strong shadow and even some green color among the leaves.
The lightning flash scene is also very impressive. When it comes to clothing in public, the cuts and textures of black suits are clearly visible. They don’t look even remotely blurry. Although they don’t reach inky levels, they still achieve detailed blacks. The white lanterns and shirts stand out very well. Skin tones are also well balanced.
Game Mode
The 120Hz QE65QN90D, which supports up to 144Hz Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, is also great for gaming. Moreover, its input lag in game mode is just under 3 milliseconds. This is well below the 10ms threshold for a TV to be considered suitable for gaming.
With its gaming features, OS Tizen offers some advantages. Game Mode has a useful Game Bar menu that lets you quickly check your game settings, check the refresh rate and frame rate, and toggle useful features like the on-screen crosshair.
In addition, Gaming Hub provides access to most major game streaming services, including Amazon Luna, Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Game Pass. The QN90D has Bluetooth for pairing the gamepad with your TV, but only supports Wi-Fi 5, not the newer Wi-Fi 6 or 6E standards. Therefore, a gamer will not be able to get the absolute best streaming quality with a high-end router.
Connections
Unlike the QN900D and S95D, the QN90D has the usual row of ports on the right side of the TV’s back panel, instead of a separate OneConnect unit that connects to the screen via a single wire. This is the standard configuration for almost all TVs except the above mentioned models. It is no less convenient than using the OneConnect block.
The only exception is when you want the elegance of a wall-mounted TV with a single cable coming from the panel. On the right rear of the TV are four HDMI 2.1 ports (one with eARC ), two USB ports, one Ethernet port, an optical digital audio output, antenna connectors, and a CI+ 1.4 slot for connecting premium channels. Wireless connections are implemented using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Conclusion
The Samsung QN90D boasts exceptional contrast, outstanding color reproduction, and a plethora of features that will appeal to gamers. It may not be as visually striking as the Samsung S95D, which offers a wider color gamut, but it serves as a great option for those seeking a TV larger than 77 inches or smaller than 55 inches. If you’re looking to invest in premium quality, the S95D OLED TV is the way to go.
For those looking to save some money and enjoy a brighter image, the Hisense U8K is a viable option. While it may not be flawless and is more susceptible to fading, it offers a broader color range and comes at half the price.
