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Does every TV advertised as Mini LED actually offer the advantages of that technology? Controversy around the Samsung M70H and M80H models has again drawn the attention of the industry press. RTINGS tests found the sets lack hardware local dimming, and their teardowns have raised further doubts about the LEDs used. The matter is serious enough that rival TCL has decided to sue Samsung in the United States.
Mini LED without local dimming? Tests reveal a problem
Mini LED TVs are mainly associated with a large number of small LEDs and local dimming, which allows independent control of the brightness of different areas of the screen. That makes it possible to achieve deeper blacks and better contrast.
However, the Samsung M70H and M80H do not offer that solution. This is confirmed by RTINGS tests and the manufacturer's documentation, which describes the "Supreme Mini LED Dimming" feature as a software-based technology.
A teardown of the M80H carried out by the AP Tech channel revealed a backlight based on two rows of LEDs, rather than an extensive grid of independently controlled zones. This limits the potential to improve contrast and HDR picture quality.
TCL sues Samsung. Are these just ordinary LED TVs?
The controversy isn't entirely new. Back in late August 2026 TCL filed a lawsuit against Samsung in the United States. The company accuses the rival of misleading customers by marketing M-series models as Mini LED TVs.
According to TCL, the LEDs used measure about 0.5 mm, which calls into question the legitimacy of that labelling. Samsung disagrees with the allegations and says it will defend its products.
It's worth emphasising that the absence of local dimming has been confirmed, while the classification of the diodes themselves remains disputed.
Does the Mini LED label guarantee a better picture?
The issue has once again drawn the attention of industry media, including FlatpanelsHD, which on 12 November revisited the test results and findings regarding the TVs' design.
The controversy shows that the Mini LED label alone does not guarantee high picture quality. What matters is whether the set has hardware local dimming and how effectively the backlight is controlled.
Importantly, the problem concerns the specific M70H and M80H models, not all Samsung TVs. More advanced Neo QLED sets offer hardware local dimming.
Before buying, it's worth checking a panel's actual capabilities rather than relying solely on the manufacturer's labelling.
Sources: FlatpanelsHD, PRAD, Reuters, RTINGS
