The Samsung 85-Inch TV QN90D 4K QLED Review: A New Standard for Large-Screen TVs

Strong picture quality and excellent gaming performance make Samsung’s QN90D top of the current 4K QLED TV pile. Still, it’s not the best choice on Samsung’s roster. After all, Samsung also produces 8K LED TVs like the QN900D and 4K OLED TVs akin to the S95D, an Editors’ Choice winner. Available in considerably more screen sizes ranging from 43 to 98 inches, priced at $2,699 for the 65-inch version we tested, the QN90D costs a bit less than the same-size S95D ($3,399.99) and half as much as the QN900D ($4,999). Though we advise the S95D for its higher picture quality and more elegant style, this is an attractive high-end TV if you want to splurge on the best.

Samsung 85-Inch QN90D 4K QLED TV Specs

Review Of Samsung QN90D Qled TV Review

Originally published in June 2023, the Samsung Q80C QLED TV falls in the upper-mid-range of Samsung’s QLED line above the Samsung Q70C and Q75C but below the Samsung Q85C and Samsung QN90C.

Since its release, prices have dropped dramatically; the 65-inch unit we tested today goes for roughly $1,199 at most stores, including Samsung’s own. Launching somewhat below its predecessor in the Q80B, the Q80C now stamps itself as quite the deal among QLED options. Thanks in significant part to its price-to-performance ratio, it is among the top 65-inch TVs and one of the most excellent Samsung TVs.

Samsung TV Models Current Pricing –

1. 50-inch Samsung Q80C TV (QN50Q80C) – $999 ($799 on clearance).
2. 55-inch Samsung Q80C TV (QN55Q80C) — $1,199 ($999 on sale)
3. $1,499 ($1,199 on sale) 65-inch Samsung Q80C TV (QN65Q80C)
4. 75-inch Samsung Q80C QLED TV (QN75Q80C) – $2,199 ($1,399 on sale).
5. 85-inch Samsung Q80C QLED TV (QN85Q80C) — $3,299 ($1,799 on sale)
6. 98-inch Samsung Q80C QLED TV (QN98Q80C) – $7,999 ($4,999 on sale).

From those searching for a smaller (and less expensive) 50-inch model to those who genuinely want larger TVs in the gigantic 98-inch configuration, the Q80C comes in a range of sizes that makes it perfect for nearly any consumer, as seen here. Should you be unclear about which ideal choice, you can always refer to our guide on which size TV you should purchase to acquire the model most suited to your requirements.

Design: Easy To Use And Understand

With a bezel-free screen bound by a thin dark grey metal band around the edge, the QN90D looks elegant and essential. Held up by a very slender neck on the rear, it rests on a broad hexagonal black metal base and creates the sense of a floating screen. Though the remote can also wirelessly connect to the TV via Bluetooth, the screen’s lower right corner has a little rectangular bump holding the sensor for the remote.

Unlike last year’s flagship QN95C (and the more recent 8K QN900D and S95D OLED), the QN90D features a regular sequence of ports on the right side of the TV instead of a separate OneConnect box that links to the screen via a single wire. Apart from the specified models, practically all TVs have this configuration; it is not less convenient than utilizing a OneConnect box unless you wish the elegance of only one cable flowing from the panel. Four HDMI ports (one eARC), two USB connections, one Ethernet port, an optical audio output, an antenna/cable connector, and a 3.5mm EX-Link port for integrating the QN90D into a home theatre system face right on the rear of the TV.

Operating System: Tizen OS

Like all of Samsung’s TVs, the Tizen smart TV OS drives the QN90D. Though its design is annoying, it has many functionalities. It supports all extensive streaming services—Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Crunchyroll, Disney+, Max, Netflix, Twitch, and YouTube. The platform supports Apple AirPlay for streaming video from your iPad, iPhone, or Mac and Miracast/WiDi for linking your Windows PC to an external display. Thanks to the far-field microphone array of the TV, Amazon Alexa is also built-in, and you can use the voice assistant hands-free.

Trying to set several variables and switch between sources outside the smart TV’s apps causes frustration. Standard visual settings are hidden beneath a few more layers of menus than most other TVs, and even switching to an HDMI device requires some menu diving until the interface decides to place the item on the recent sources bar. The remote does not include an input button.

Performance: Excellent color accuracy and contrast

The 4K Samsung QN90D TV runs a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports high dynamic range (HDR) content in hybrid log gamma (HLG), HDR10, and HDR10+; while practically every other TV maker supports Dolby Vision, Samsung keeps ignoring it. For audio, though, it backs Dolby Atmos. It lacks ATSC 3.0 for over-the-air 1080p and 4K but features an ATSC 1.0 tuner for live broadcasts.

We evaluate TVs with Calman software from Portrait Displays, a Klein K-10A colorimeter, and a Murideo SIX-G signal generator. The Q90D shows a peak brightness of 247 nits with a full-screen white field and 236 nits with an 18% white field using an SDR source in Movie mode with all settings on default.

Peak brightness leaps to 618 nits with a full-screen white field and 1,253 nits with an 18% white field on an HDR source. This is a bit less bright than the QN95C’s levels (805 nits full-screen, 1,420 nits 18%), which itself is a little darker than the previous year’s QN90B (1,700 nits 18%), and far dimmer than the Hisense U8K (2, 114 nits 18%). Still, it’s pretty brilliant, far above the 1,000-nit threshold at which most HDR footage is mastered.

Samsung Q80c LED TV: Audio

The Q80C’s sound is highly moving even though it provides just 40W of power built on a 2.2-channel system. The Q80C requires no additional oomph when other TVs fall flat and call for adding one of the top soundbars.  It also has Dolby Atmos capabilities, even though I skipped Dolby Vision, which provides extra bass and clarity as needed. Since most TVs fall into this category, sound never was a big problem on the Q80C, which is a beautiful delight.

Samsung Q80c Qled TV: Applications And Interface

The Q80C operates on the Tizen Smart TV interface, the same as every other Samsung TV. It resembles LG’s in-house webOS system in that it features a top rail devoted to your tastes in apps and inputs and a sizable main ad feed at the top of the main page.  Tizen gets the job done, unlike the cherished Google TV system. It is mainly designed to fulfil most users’ demands and includes plenty of customizing to simplify content curation; specific complex photo settings are buried deep in the menus and have particular pain points.

The Bottom Line

When local dimming is set to “High,” the Samsung QN90D is a terrific TV with a unique local dimming function that provides outstanding contrast and incredible black uniformity. Still, the 2023 Samsung QN85C QLED is precisely as impressive, albeit that model has an ADS panel instead of the VA of the QN85D, offering the earlier model a far wider viewing angle at the expense of reduced contrast. As incredible as this TV is, ultimately, models from companies like Hisense and TCL outpace it since both the Hisense U8K and the TCL QM8 provide more excellent overall performance at a lower cost.