I simply obtained again from a go to with Samsung in New Jersey, the place I obtained early entry to some 2024 TVs. It’s a visit I’ve been wanting ahead to since CES, the place, fairly frankly, Samsung had so many merchandise to take a look at and canopy at its First Look that it was laborious to dive into something with any actual depth.
At the moment, we’re going to take a more in-depth take a look at the 2024 Samsung QN900D — Samsung’s flagship 8K TV this yr. However earlier than I dive into the TV, let me handle expectations a bit. The excellent news is I obtained to measure a number of TVs throughout my go to and do a good bit of subjective evaluation, so I’ve some issues to say about image high quality for every mannequin that I’ll cowl over the approaching days. Nonetheless, I solely obtained just a few hours with the TVs, so these aren’t full evaluations.
With that in thoughts, let’s discuss concerning the
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What’s new
Let’s be sincere: 8K TVs are a tricky promote today. And Samsung is among the final main TV producers to place actual effort into an 8K TV lineup.
Whereas it was once that one of the best expertise was reserved for 8K TVs — you’d purchase one to have one of the best tech, not for the 8K decision — that’s not fully the case anymore. Samsung’s 4K Neo QLEDs have killer tech in them, too. However, nonetheless, Samsung’s 8K lineup will get all of the goodies, and the QN900D right here is on the tippy prime of the lineup. So it’s secure to say that the QN900D is one of the best Neo QLED TV that Samsung makes.
So, how does Samsung’s greatest QLED TV look? Fairly freaking implausible. I’ll get into that in a second. First, right here’s a fast reminder about what’s new for this mannequin this yr.
This can be the thinnest 8K TV I’ve seen. Skinny remains to be in, although it looks as if we’re a bit extra forgiving of thicker TVs if the image efficiency is there.
We hope this interprets to is even higher upscaling and cleanup of low-bit-depth content material.
However actually, a lot of what’s new will not be stuff I might actually dig into a lot on this brief journey. We’re speaking a few refreshed Tizen good TV OS, together with a brand new Well being App, new SmartThings implementations, and a brand new Knox Safety chip, which lastly makes this Sensible TV as safe as your telephone. That is extra vital than ever.
The QN900D additionally will get Samsung’s all-new NQA AI Gen 3 processor, which options an on-chip AI engine that’s twice as quick as earlier than and sports activities eight instances the neural networks. What we hope this interprets to is even higher upscaling and cleanup of low-bit-depth content material just like the stuff you get from quite a lot of streaming providers, together with Samsung’s personal TV Plus. Apparently, the brand new processor does a greater job of taking low-resolution content material and upscaling it to 4K earlier than lastly scaling that as much as 8K for show on the TV’s 8K panel. That’s essential, as a result of it’s getting that low-resolution content material as much as the 4K stage that’s tremendous laborious. Upscaling 4K to 8K isn’t almost as powerful, and Samsung mastered that artwork some time in the past.
For sports activities followers, the brand new AI processor (we talked with Samsung about it again at CES) is reportedly good sufficient to acknowledge a ball — like a soccer ball, soccer, tennis ball, and even one thing as small as a golf ball — and apply some readability to that ball, even because it strikes rapidly. Anybody who has watched golf on YouTube is aware of the tiny ball is commonly a large number because it travels throughout the display screen. That’s as a result of there’s little or no image data for that little object, and so it comes throughout as a nondescript white mass on the display screen. I’ve excessive hopes for this new processor, and that’s undoubtedly one thing I’m going to scrutinize within the full evaluate.
I must also point out that the QN900D can do as much as a 240HZ variable refresh fee for gaming, which is large. I haven’t checked the supply decision limitations on that or precisely how Samsung is pulling that off, however I’ll be diving into that within the full evaluate as properly.
The way it appears to be like
What I can let you know proper now, although, is that Samsung’s upscaling has taken a notable leap ahead. I examined some low-resolution and low bit-rate streaming content material on this TV and was mighty impressed. Samsung has closed the hole with Sony round upscaling and movement decision, to the purpose that it’s going to be a decent race this yr.
As for measurements, right here’s what I’ve thus far. The QN900D appears to be like extraordinarily good in its Filmmaker mode, each for SDR and HDR.
Errors had been properly beneath the seen threshold throughout an entire suite of exams. The white stability and shade accuracy had been wonderful, and the TV didn’t overly brighten something on this mode, which is nice as a result of meaning Samsung is honoring the accuracy that Filmmaker mode is supposed to supply.
However in order for you this TV to over-brighten issues a bit, it positive will. And I believe that’s going to make quite a lot of people completely satisfied after they watch darkish HDR content material — as a result of it can make that darkish content material simpler to see in a room apart from one which’s pitch black.
It’s potential Samsung lowered backlight anomalies on the expense of only a bit extra brightness.
Talking of brightness: The QN900D got here by at 2400 nits peak white from a ten% window (extra on that in a second). Extra spectacular was the QN900D’s HDR shade accuracy. Typically, this goes out the window, even with TVs which have spectacular SDR shade accuracy. However the QN900D actually held it collectively, even when it was reaching for the celebrities with far-out BT.2020 colours.
As for the TV’s native dimming system, I noticed lightning-quick backlight dimming, which meant that when white caption textual content disappeared or transitioned off a black letterbox bar, little or no bloom was left behind.
The truth is, blooming and halo impact had been fairly minimal. I didn’t rely zones, however the halo impact was minimal — even off-axis, which could be very spectacular. Whereas I don’t know the backlight rely and the zone rely for this TV, I can say that no matter Samsung has used, it’s very efficient.
Which will account for the TV’s maybe lower-than-hoped-for peak brightness measurements. It’s potential Samsung lowered backlight anomalies on the expense of only a bit extra brightness. I believe that was the best name. There’ll all the time be a trade-off between peak brightness and halo/blooming management after we’re speaking about LCD TVs.
Now, after I say “lower-than-hoped-for” peak brightness, I’m not speaking about my private hopes. Relatively, I believe there’s been some hope constructed up amongst TV fanatics that if TCL and Hisense are turning out 5,000- and 10,000-nit mini-LED TVs, one thing just like the QN900D would punch slightly increased within the brightness class.
Holy moly, does it get vibrant — nearly 800 nits full-screen white, which is nuts.
I don’t assume that ever was or ought to have been a foregone conclusion. First off, these sky-high flagships from Hisense and TCL are positive to price a mountain of cash — far more than the QN900D right here. Second, we don’t but understand how functionally beneficial that brightness goes to be.
So, don’t get hung up on these brightness numbers. The QN900D right here is not any slouch of a TV. Holy moly, does it get vibrant — nearly 800 nits full-screen white, which is nuts.
In the long run, I used to be very impressed with the QN900D. It’s vibrant, super-colorful, and delightfully correct in order for you it to be. Plus, it’s simply loaded with options, not like some other TV model on the market. It’s a dear TV, sure, however you positive do get rather a lot with it.
In an effort to supply much more with this TV, Samsung is working a short-term promotion whereby if you happen to pre-order the QN900D, you’ll get a free 65-inch TV together with it. Right here’s the QN900D pre-order web page with extra particulars if .
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