Samsung QN90D Review: Is This 4K 144Hz TV Worth the Budget?

Harry Williams

New member

First Impressions​

The Samsung QN90D is identical style-wise to last year'sSamsung QN90C/QN90CD QLED. It has a simplistic design with thin bezels and uses a centrally mounted stand. It looks like a premium TV overall.
The back of the TV has a nice textured design. There are grooves that can be used to guide wires into the TV's stand to help withcable management. Unfortunately, the inputs are housed in a recessed cutout, making them hard to access when the TV is mounted flush to the wall.
The Samsung QN90D has great build quality. The border and stand are made of metal, and the rest of the TV is plastic. However, the TV has some weight to it, making it feel solidly built. Unfortunately, the back panel has a lot of flex, and the area around the VESA mounting points bulges out enough that you have to press it in to make the body flush with the mounting points.

Introduce​

Parameter
Samsung QN90D​
Picture​
SamsungQN90D.jpg
Reference Price​
$1497.99​
Model Year​
2024​
Specific Uses​
Entertainment​
Built-In Media​
User Manual, Power Cable, Remote​
Highlight
Display Size: 65 inches
Technology: Neo QLED 4K
Lighting: Quantum Matrix with Mini LEDs
HDR: Neo Quantum HDR+
Audio: Dolby Atmos, Object Tracking Sound+
Refresh Rate: 120Hz
Motion Technology: Motion Xcelerator
Operating System: Samsung Tizen
Voice Assistants: Google Assistant, Alexa

System​

Parameter
Samsung QN90D​
Operating System​
Samsung Tizen​
Internet Applications​
Netflix, HBO Max, Prime Video, Alexa, hulu, Google Assistant, Disney+, Apple TV, YouTube, Web Browser​
Controller Type​
Remote Control​
Control Method​
Remote​
System Experience
The Samsung QN90D offers a solid performance with the 2024 Tizen OS, providing a fast and user-friendly interface. However, it does exhibit some issues, such as occasional input label glitches and random color oversaturation, both of which can be resolved with power cycling. The presence of ads in the interface, while partially manageable, may detract from the overall user experience for some. On a positive note, the TV boasts a wide range of apps, making content access convenient, and supports casting from mobile devices and USB playback. Overall, while the QN90D has its drawbacks, it remains a capable and versatile television.

Display​

Parameter
Samsung QN90D​
Aspect Ratio​
16:9​
Display Technology​
QLED​
Screen Finish​
Flat​
Has Color Screen​
Yes​
Resolution​
4K​
Refresh Rate​
120 Hz​
HDR Format​
HDR10/HDR10+/Hybrid Log Gamma​
Backlight Technology​
Mini-LED​
Backlight Setting​
Ultimate UHD Dimming​
Picture Enhancement​
NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor​
Motion Enhancement​
Motion Xcelerator 144Hz​
Viewing Experience
The Samsung QN90D delivers impressive performance, particularly in contrast, thanks to its effective local dimming feature that produces deep blacks in dark environments. While its native contrast ratio is average, the local dimming significantly enhances its capability to handle bright highlights alongside darker scenes. The TV shows decent blooming performance, although there is some noticeable blooming around bright objects against black backgrounds.

Color performance is strong with a wide color gamut, but certain colors, particularly greens and cyans, fall short in saturation. Gray uniformity is decent, with some issues evident in large areas of uniform color, while black uniformity is excellent with minimal blooming. Viewing angles are not ideal for wider seating arrangements due to color shifting and brightness loss as one moves off-center. On the plus side, the TV excels in reflection handling, effectively minimizing distractions from ambient light.

Overall, the Samsung QN90D is a solid choice for those seeking a TV with great contrast and reflection handling, although it may not meet the expectations for color accuracy and viewing angles in larger setups.

Audio​

Parameter
Samsung QN90D​
Surround Sound​
Dolby Atmos​
Audio Input​
HDMI​
Speaker Description​
4.2.2CH​
Audio Experience
Overall Impression: The TV delivers a well-balanced sound profile with clear dialogue, making it suitable for everyday viewing. While it can achieve high volume levels, the sound quality starts to falter at maximum volume, with noticeable distortion and an unbalanced audio experience. Bass response is lacking, which may affect the overall sound experience for users seeking deeper audio.

Features​

Parameter
Samsung QN90D​
Compatible Devices​
Smartphone​
Water Resistance​
Not Water Resistant​
Tuner Type​
ATSC/ClearQAM​
D x W x H​
10.7"D x 56.9"W x 35.1"H​
Mount Standard​
400 x 300 mm​
Other Features​
Built-In Speaker, Ultra Viewing Angle, Film Mode, Neo Quantum HDR+, Motion Xcelerator 144Hz, Works with Google Assistant and Alexa, Quantum Matrix Technology, Gaming Hub​
Motion Smoothing
The Samsung QN90D TV offers a mixed performance in terms of motion handling and picture quality. While it excels in response time, minimizing blur during fast-moving scenes, it does exhibit noticeable black smearing when transitioning from dark states. The content smoothing feature preserves detail but struggles with macro blocking in low-bitrate content. The use of pulse-width modulation for backlight dimming introduces flicker, which varies across different picture modes and may be bothersome for sensitive viewers. Although it has an optional motion interpolation feature that enhances clarity in slower scenes, it falls short in faster scenes, leading to artifacts and haloing. Overall, the QN90D has strengths in detail preservation and response time, but its limitations in motion handling and flicker may affect the viewing experience for some users.

Connectivity​

Parameter
Samsung QN90D​
Connectivity Technology​
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB, Ethernet, HDMI​
Bluetooth Version​
5.2​
Wireless Technology​
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi​
Usb Ports​
2​
HDMI Ports​
4​
Connector Type​
USB, HDMI​
Sharing Direction​
TV to Mobile, Mobile to TV​
Hardware Interface​
HDMI​
Connecting TV
The Samsung QN90D TV is designed with gamers in mind, offering an incredibly responsive experience thanks to its low input lag in Game Mode. It fully supports the advanced features of the PS5, including 1440p at 120Hz and 4K at 120Hz, alongside HDMI Forum VRR and Auto Low Latency Mode for seamless performance. With all four HDMI ports supporting the full 48Gbps bandwidth of HDMI 2.1, it accommodates multiple high-bandwidth devices effectively.

However, it lacks Dolby Vision support, opting instead for HDR10+, which is not as widely adopted. Additionally, the absence of ATSC 3.0 for 4K over-the-air broadcasts may be a drawback for some users. On the audio front, the TV includes eARC support for high-quality audio transmission but does not support common DTS formats. Overall, the QN90D stands out for its gaming capabilities but has limitations in HDR and audio format support.

User Feedback​

Pros
• Fantastic picture quality
• Excellent screen quality with no dead or stuck pixels
• Easy setup and app loading
• Great 4K streaming experience
• Multi-functional with AI Optimization feature
• Customizable picture settings

Cons
• Horrible sound quality, requiring an additional sound bar
• Some users have reported issues with clouding and overall reliability

Overall Impression
The 50" Neo QLED TV from Samsung impresses with its stunning picture quality and user-friendly setup, making it a strong contender in the 4K TV market. However, potential buyers should be aware of the sound quality issues that may necessitate further investment in audio equipment. Despite some reliability concerns, this TV offers a visually captivating experience that is hard to match.
 
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