Ignacy Giżyński
The portal RTINGS published some time ago a test of the Samsung QN90F TV, thereby confirming the circulating rumours from the past few weeks: the TV division at Samsung Electronics is making significant cuts and trying to create more affordable televisions. The QN90F is a direct successor to our highly rated model QN90D/QN92D – one of the best 4K MiniLED TVs from last year. The main changes? This time Samsung has introduced a matte panel! Yes, you read that correctly – the matte finish is making its way to standard 4K models, not just the high-end 8K versions or lifestyle models like The Frame.
Samsung is consistently implementing this “innovation” in subsequent series – but has this change worked in favour of the QN90F? Let's check the initial test results together and see what the new representative of the Neo QLED series has gained and lost.
Matte panel – the biggest change in QN90F
The biggest and most noticeable change compared to its predecessor is the use of a new matte panel, very similar to the one we know from lifestyle models like The Frame or this year's Samsung OLEDs S95D and S95F. It's a special anti-reflective coating that brilliantly suppresses reflections of light, particularly point sources – from lamps, windows, or the sun. This is a great solution for those who can't stand the sight of their own lamp reflecting on the screen – the television looks much cleaner and clearer in bright rooms. But – as always – there are trade-offs.
As we have pointed out many times in our tests, the matte coating also has its downsides. In typical daytime use, colours can appear less saturated, and blacks may lose depth, particularly when watching on very bright days. It's a compromise that needs to be taken into account. You will have to decide what you prefer.
Contrast – still good, but... it's a clear step back
The next significant change in the QN90F unfortunately doesn't inspire much optimism. This time, we are dealing with something that can be linked to budget cuts and simplification of the construction – we're talking about reduced contrast due to a smaller number of local dimming zones.
To remind you – in our tests, last year's QN90D was able to achieve nearly infinite contrast in some scenes, comparable to OLEDs. Of course, we are still talking about MiniLEDs, so there were typical limitations, such as slightly lower brightness of very small, bright objects – but overall, the contrast was absolutely outstanding.
In the case of the QN90F, we unfortunately have to reckon with some downgrade. RTINGS indicates that while the contrast is still very good for an LCD TV with local dimming, it is clearly worse than its predecessor. Most users will probably still be satisfied – but if someone was hoping for a level close to that of an OLED or at least similar to its predecessor, they may unfortunately feel a slight disappointment.
QLED or not QLED? That is the question
Although the Samsung QN90F still belongs to the QLED family and thus utilises quantum dot technology, which theoretically should enhance saturation and colour range, unfortunately – in practice, it performs worse than its predecessor. The dots are there, but the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette is only around 85%, which – for a TV of this class – is a merely average result. In comparison: the QN90D achieved around 95%, and this means that this year's model has lost a whole 10 percentage points! For the average viewer, this may not be a dramatic difference, but those expecting to fully leverage HDR potential or looking for intense, vibrant colours – might feel a certain disappointment once again.
QN90F will likely be a hit for gamers!
Samsung QN90F, like most Samsung televisions, has been designed with gamers in mind. It features a panel with a refresh rate of up to 165 Hz! Of course, PC gamers will benefit the most from this feature, but it’s a nice update! Additionally, we have the well-known and loved motion smoother Motion Game Plus, which also works in games! In terms of responsiveness and speed, the QN90F looks really promising. It also comes with the Xbox Game Pass app, allowing for cloud gaming without a console and without installing games. All you need is a controller and a subscription, just like in other Samsung models from last year.
But – and here’s a little catch – the RTINGS team noticed some issues with contrast in “Game” mode. Blacks lose their depth, and the overall contrast seems noticeably weaker than in other modes. What does this mean? It's hard to say – perhaps Samsung will improve it with an update, or maybe it's just another limitation compared to its predecessor.
Samsung or was it worth it to cut?
Looking at the QN90F, it's hard not to get the impression that Samsung has intentionally "slimmed down" this model compared to its predecessor. Fewer dimming zones, lower contrast, weaker colour coverage – these are not random decisions. It's a pity, because the QN90D was one of the best MiniLEDs on the market, with parameters so good that it really competed even with OLEDs, at least for some customers.
And perhaps this is exactly where the problem lies. Last year, the QN90D often cost more than its OLED counterpart – the S90D model, and as we know: at a similar price, most people simply choose OLED. The QN90F therefore seems to be a step towards "complementarity" – it is meant to complement the offering rather than compete with its own OLEDs. It's also possible that Samsung is trying to better prepare for the growing offensive from brands like TCL and Hisense, which are aggressively entering the market with increasingly better (and cheaper) MiniLEDs. So, the QN90F may be a strategic response – a more accessible model, though less spectacular but with a unique matte panel.
Is this a good decision? It's hard to say. If the price is indeed more attractive than last year, the TV may find quite a few buyers. But if the differences in quality turn out to be too large and the price remains at the same level as the QN90D, customers may look to the competition from China.
In the meantime, we invite you to our market analysis of Samsung's clearance models (and more) – perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to snag a 2024 TV at an exceptionally attractive price!
