Verdict
A lineament - pile Mini LED with a bright and colorful performance , the Samsung QN90D is a strong candidate if you observe in a brightly illumine way . Gamers will enjoy the premium features , the smart interface is stretch with plenty of entertainment options and the design is telling . The sound quality is just ok , catch angles are n’t the best , and to sound like a low record , it would be nice if Samsung supported Dolby Vision .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Despite Samsung ’s recent conversion toOLED , LCD LED TVs have always been its bread and butter and the QN90D is another showcase of what it can do .
The QN90D is the step - down exemplar from Samsung ’s flagshipQN95D , which was award five stars . It lose a few features and the taper is turned down in terms of performance , but it ’s also less expensive .
GivenBlack Fridayisn’t far off , should you strike the purchase button even before the holiday sale come around ? record on to find out .
Availability
The QN90D theoretical account is wide available wherever Samsung sells boob tube . Sizes start at 43 - inches and halt at 98 - inch , though for the UK and Germany the openhanded size is 85 - inches .
At the time of reappraisal , this sizing – 55 - inches – costs £ 1799 / $ 1999 / € 2499 / CA$2399 / AU$2999 , though discount rate have brought the QE55QN90D to £ 1199 in the UK .
The 43- and 50 - inch model feature the OTS Lite auditory sensation system that ’s made of forcible and virtual speakers , and the viewing slant tech is downgraded to Samsung ’s ‘ Wide ’ version .
Design
The QN90D is like infinite other Samsung TVs I ’ve run into over the years : its slender , well build , with minimalist looks that sharpen oculus on the projection screen .
The depth of the screen is 26 millimeter and the rear panel does n’t sport the bulge that afflictsOLED TVs . The blind features anti - reflection applied science to help cope with ambient luminance .
You could wall - mount but the QN90D does n’t embark with the One Connect box that funnels video / sound recording and force to the sieve – all the connections and top executive provision are in the display , which mean you ’ll have cable hang back from the screen .
Assembling the television set is quicker than Samsung ’s more expensive example which are often just too complicated . The hexagonal stand is modest enough to agree on smaller pieces of AV article of furniture and comes with slots to funnel cable through to make the rear sphere tidier .
The QN90D is a television built up to Samsung ’s usual high standards – you wo n’t find any faulting with how it looks or the lineament of its grammatical construction .
Operating System
Samsung ’s Tizen port is separated into three independent sections : For You , Live , and Apps . old interpretation of Tizen had been slow but the ’ 24 variant is stable , antiphonal and speedier .
sort into three sections has encouraged Samsung to go full send in terms of content . recommendation are patently free-base on your usage but none of it look individualised to me .
For You is your own personal orbit with recent source you ’ve used ( it annoys that the most late input autoplays ) , a row of apps ( braggy SVOD apps shoulder - to - shoulder joint with the UK catch - up and on - requirement apps ) ; follow by rows slew and curated content that relates to flick , TV , and game .
There is some customisation possible by edit the ‘ Continue Watching ’ rows though Samsung hides it towards the bottom of the home screen door .
Live is where live programme and FAST transmission channel can be find ; principally throughSamsung TV Plus , of which there is a goggle box usher to flick through .
Tizen seeks to be more of an synergistic hub , so there ’s the Samsung Gaming Hub home to cloud play apps from Xbox , Amazon , Utomik , Boosteroid and others . you may add your own control ( or utilise your phone ) and there ’s a music player ( though a link up Spotify account ) .
Daily+ section is a hub for smart connected twist , health apps , and workspace areas . If you ’ve got impertinent machine in the home , they can be wangle through SmartThings . If you desire to use the TV screen to remotely connect to a PC or Mac , you could do that as well .
Ambient mode volunteer wallpaper or nontextual matter that appear when the TV is in standby musical mode . There are AI Generative Wallpaper options , and if you roll in the hay K - pop , there ’s an intact app ( vlibrary ) devoted to it .
The ‘ Connected Devices ’ and the ‘ preferences ’ computer menu are still tucked away down towards the bottom in the side menu for exchange to other germ or change preferences . The remotes are the same ace Samsung ’s been packaging for years : a little zapper with fewer button and a bigger one with all the button . I opt the smaller one – it ’s nicer to use .
Features
The QE55QN90D have Samsung ’s NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor , which uses 20 AI neural internet to optimise brightness , good , contrast , upscaling , and movement . There ’s noDolby Visionsupport though , with HDR modes lie in ofHLG , HDR10 , andHDR10 + Adaptive/ Gaming formats with theFilmmaker modepreset .
There are eight speakers arranged in a 4.2.2 transmission channel readiness - up with 60W of power . The OTS+ sound system track audio around the screen door , and also supports Dolby Atmos , though do n’t look the level of immersion you ’d get from the best environment speech sound system . The Q - Symphony system that links the TV ’s speaker unit with compatible Samsung soundbars is also usable .
The QN90D doubles up as a capable gaming monitor too . There ’s 4K/120Hz backing , though the screen ’s instrument panel is only 100Hz so there ’s a degree of processing affect . Refresh rate up to 144Hz are supported , andALLM , VRR ( AMD FreeSync Premium Pro ) , and the HGiG measure are also covered .
The Auto AI Game mode recognises what you ’re playing and switches to more appropriate preferences . Super Ultra encompassing Game View adopts a widescreen presentation is useable too
I assess stimulant lag at 10.1ms , which puts the QN90D among the fastest for rotational latency . At higher refresh rate the input signal lag is less , but if you are n’t fussed about latency the Game Motion Plus mode ups the latency but smooths out the image .
All four HDMI inputs reinforcement theHDMI 2.1standard , and other ports include two USB , Ethernet , digital ocular out , CI Slot , and two RF inputs for telluric and satellite video . Wirelessly there ’s Wi - Fi 6E , AirPlay 2 , and Bluetooth 5.2 .
There ’s desegregation with Samsung ’s SmartThings , and voice ascendency includes the Bixby spokesperson assistant and Alexa integration . Samsung’sown Knox securityhelps to keep your data point safe if you ’re connected to the TV through the SmartThings ’ app .
Picture Quality
Peak brightness in the QN90D ’s received mode is 1511 nits on a 5 % HDR window . Its Movie style registers at 2217 nit on the same window patch . This is a level of functioning higher than the most expensiveOLED telecasting , and makes the QN90D a effective choice for those who learn TV during the mean solar day or in a brightly - lit elbow room .
I count around 504 dimming zone ( though I may be off ) , and although that number is dwarfed by the Hisense 65U8N ’s 1600 zones , in terms of luminance and black levels , the QN90D is more precise and sport deeper blacks , which goes to show that it ’s not about having the high number but what you do with it that counts .
That level of brightness prey into the television set ’s colorful performance , although sat side - by - side with an OLED TV it ’s not always obvious . The QN90D ’s colour intensity ( brightness level of a colour ) is lighter and sometimes less saturated than an organic light-emitting diode , but that reveal the variety of dark glasses and musical note the QN90D is capable of . A slight issue is the violent / pinkish note to skintones that does n’t face as instinctive .
Still , white tones are clean and hopeful in a TV series such as Andor , and compared to the Hisense U8N , the QN90D provides more intensity level and vibrancy to colours , as well as a strong sense of demarcation thanks to its improved black levels and more precise highlights .
trace item – the point story in the grim parts of the image – are skilful than the Panasonic Z90A out of the box , meaning more item can be interpret but this arguably total at the cost of true blackamoor . Dark scene in Doctor Sleep ( HDR10 + ) are n’t as firm as I ’d like and can sometimes seem a picayune grey – the scene where Rose the Hat chatter Abra ’s bedroom have blacks that could go deep still .
The QN90D ’s Mini LED backlight ca n’t absolve it ofbloomingeither , which happens with both HDR and SDR depicted object . It happens frequently throughout Civil War and Disney ’s Soul , but subtitles can also do flimsy flash , and off - bloc viewing makes flower more seeable too .
I ’d also make the event that the Samsung QN90D ’s local dimming arrangement can be too distracting .
In darker scenes , the Samsung QN90D has a trend to over - brighten a typeface or an object with both HDR and SDR content . At times it ’s thin but it looks less innate in some scene from Civil War . Other times there are weird patches of brightness , which happened in Dune ( Blu - ray , the yellowish parts in the image below ) as well as a flow of Veronica Mars ( Prime Video ) .
Playing with the Contrast Enhancer setting does n’t always facilitate – sometimes it ’s just ripe and other times it ’s too powerful . clip ( red of contingent in the brightest parts of the image ) with HDR10 contentedness is also visible , although it ’s best manage here than on theHisense U8N.
The photo I ’ve included from Civil War with the floodlights exaggerate it ( my camera ca n’t capture all the dynamic ambit ) but you get the picture . Arguably havingDolby Visionwould avail …
Its Movie andFilmmaker modes are odd ones too . The brown filter you normally get with picture palace mode is completely gone , and it relieve oneself skintones appear a little categoric and lacking in lovingness . But at the same time , colour on the QN90D flavor purer and arguably look more ‘ natural ’ . I ca n’t quite decide if I care it or not but the QN90D ’s movie mode lack that cinematic feel .
Upscaling is impregnable aside from the local dimming issues observe above . Blu - irradiation of Iron Man 3 and Dune : Part One are presented flawlessly and brightly with varied coloring , though in the television ’s film mode it again lack that cinematic flavor and does n’t feature the same level of plug a Panasonic Z90A offers . It ’s also right to change the Picture Clarity motion options to off as pan / tilting shots look muzzy with HD result .
With a DVD of Unbreakable and Game of Thrones , the Samsung QN90D ’s upscaling is good . There are n’t any jagged boundary to the Christian Bible on a black screen in the prologue of Unbreakable , there ’s a strong storey of detail ( for a DVD ) in the close ups of actors face , though the Panasonic Z90A finds more point ( both shadow and fine ) than the QN90D.
Again the Samsung is perhaps a little too shiny and detail time a little and there are a few odd artefacts noted , such as when Bruce Willis ’ David puts his face next to the window and part of his face seems to judder while the other half stays still .
Viewing slant from this IPS panel are n’t the good either , which surprises me look at that the QE55QN90D amount with Samsung ’s Ultra Wide Viewing Angle applied science . Blooming is an event but more elusive is that colours look washed out not too far off - axis . You ’ll want to seat more or less head on for the skilful execution .
Samsung ’s motion processing has been fantabulous with its8 K TVs , but I find it less supporting on its 4 K TVs . While the QN90D lack the AI smarting of the 8 K television receiver , its motion execution is better than I recall older sets being .
With Picture Clarity set to Auto there ’s judder and edges reckon gentle , along with randomness and blurriness . I would n’t recommend that setting to set out with , nor would I recommend it with lower answer content .
The Custom mount is adept , and I determine I do n’t have to make any alterations to the nonpayment preferences . There ’s less disturbance , blurriness of softness ; the Soap Opera Effect that take a shit program take care less natural is not present . It ’s a dear try than late years .
Sound Quality
Given the slimness of the screen , expectations are n’t with child for audio , and the Samsung QN90D errs on fine . It ’s limited when confronted with a lot of noise in Civil War ( big crowds , tankful creep through Washington D.C ’s streets ) , and when an explosion go off it lacks the impact of aPhilips OLED809 .
But dialogue is cleared and lifelike - sounding , and sound effect / dialogue are well positioned on projection screen , to the sides and even up above thanks to Samsung ’s built - in OTS+ scheme that chase and places where auditory sensation are on CRT screen .
The nonpayment Standard choice is rather meek , but Amplify impart dialogue and desktop detail a hike – you get a good sentiency of what ’s happen with more weight given to dialogue , and a dynamism that yield scenes energy that ’s miss in the received mode .
It ’s a telly that can go aloud but in its Amplify mood there ’s a never-ending distortion with bass lumbering scenes in a films like 1917 and Civil War , which takes away from the immersion of the scene . The battle of Washington D.C. in Civil War offers solid levels of clarity and detail – it never descends into a soup of unintelligible haphazardness – but this sound system is lack punch and power . A soundbar ought to go with the QN90D.
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Should you buy it?
The QN90D ’s high luminousness and anti - reflection technology will look practiced in a brightly - light room than an OLED
Though the QN90D is brighter than most OLEDs , black levels and contrast are n’t as good . It ’s deserving conceive the slightly more expensivePhilips OLED809
Final Thoughts
Samsung has favoured gamy brightness with its TVs for year , and there are upper side and downsides to this approach – it ’s a case of how much you ’re willing to compromise to get the good stuff .
The variety show of colour , brightness and line is stiff ; as is the upscaling and the movement processing is honest ( though not as good as others ) . There ’s a vast bit of features that ’ll invoke to a wide range of people with the Tizen voguish port , gaming feature , plus its Ambient mode , which will appeal to more fooling user .
What mars the performance is the wallop of bloom , clipping , some below average look at Angle and the set ’s sometimes over - zealous local dimming . The audio character is all right and would be helped with a sound organisation .
The terms for the Samsung QN90D is dropping tight , down from £ 1799 to often less than £ 1000 . It ’s a up to TV , and if you watch television in a brightly lit way and are willing to forgive its local dimming quirks , it ’s available at an outstanding price .
Alternatives ? You ’ve got a few . ThePhilips 55OLED809is one to have a close looking at ( I ’ve try the 65 - in size ) , and LG ’s OLED55C4 is around the same price ; and there ’s Samsung ’s ownQ80D , which does n’t feature the same Mini LED backlight or brightness or theQE55QN95D , which does ( 65 - inch manakin reviewed ) .
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We test every telly we review thoroughly over an extended period of time . We employ industry standard run to compare feature in good order . We ’ll always evidence you what we find . We never , ever , accept money to review a intersection .
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FAQs
There ’s no One Connect support for either the QN90D or QN95D. All the connection are inside the boob tube .
