Compare: Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D vs Samsung Neo QLED QN95D

Samsung Q70D performed in the test exactly as it should for its price range – very competently. The strongest aspects of the television are certainly its performance when using a console and colour reproduction after the calibration process. The former will undoubtedly catch the attention of gamers with a range of conveniences that Samsung Q70D can offer, and there are quite a few, including that which is almost exclusive to the manufacturer's units – the ability to smooth out gameplay while still maintaining reasonable input lag, allowing titles running at 30 fps to perform like those at native 60 frames per second. In the context of gaming, one cannot forget the well-implemented HGIG mode, which, when set correctly, is on par with games using Dolby Vision. We must also acknowledge the easy pairing of the television with the Canal+ decoder, which is not such an obvious advantage, but we know that many people experience issues with this. Staying on the topic of television, it must be noted that the Samsung Q70D offers very good brightness in SDR content for its price range, making daytime viewing more than comfortable. A downside for the tested television is the lack of Dolby Vision, which would have significantly enhanced performance at the maximum brightness of the Samsung Q70D. The device's construction flaws should not be overlooked, as they may (though not necessarily) lead to light bleed that can be noticed in dark situations during dimly lit scenes. What cannot be taken away from the Samsung Q70D is the fact that it features one of the better motion smoothers in its price bracket, which works excellently for sports events or fast-paced action scenes. The system responsible for the television's operation runs very smoothly, and the only thing we can criticise it for is the absence of the Tidal app. In summary, the Samsung Q70D represents a good continuation of the manufacturer's seventh series, which year after year is gaining – firstly, in quality, and secondly, in popularity.

Samsung QN95D instantly impressed us. Right from the start, we felt that the Tizen system is intuitive and quick. Quick access to streaming apps like PrimeVideo, Netflix, or MAX, along with the ability to integrate with the SmartThings ecosystem, makes using the television simply convenient. The solar remote is a clever solution – eco-friendly and practical as it allows control of other devices like a decoder (e.g. Canal+) or a soundbar. While watching movies and series, we quickly noticed the significant difference made by MiniLED technology. Thanks to the precisely functioning backlight zones, the image gained incredible depth – as confirmed by our contrast tests. The blacks are truly deep, and bright scenes using HDR stand out with excellent detail despite the absence of Dolby Vision. Additionally, high brightness combined with an anti-reflective coating enables comfortable viewing even in a sunlit room. When we played on this television, we immediately appreciated the low input lag and smooth image. The 144 Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 support guaranteed dynamic and responsive gameplay, regardless of the game. All these features made every gaming session pure pleasure, especially in dynamic titles where precision and lack of delays matter. In terms of design – worth mentioning for this television – the QN95D looks simply fantastic. The slim body, solid central stand, and Ambient Mode, which allows the screen to blend into the room's decor, lend it elegance. The included camera is an interesting addition that can be useful during video calls or when using interactive apps – like personal training through the Daily+ tab. However, let's be honest, for such an expensive piece of equipment, it wasn't without a few downsides. The lack of a recording function and support for DTS:X audio format may be a problem for users looking for that feature. Nevertheless, the Samsung QN95D is a television that combines exceptional picture quality, functionality, and elegant design. The MiniLED backlight makes a real difference here, especially if we care about deep blacks, high contrast, and excellent brightness. This device is suitable for film screenings, dynamic gameplay, and everyday TV watching.

Samsung Q70D and its related models, such as Q77D and Q74D, use a VA panel, which should inherently provide decent contrast. Typically, it is several times higher than that of IPS/ADS screens that do not come equipped with an advanced local dimming system. As you can see, contrast results are quite varied, which is caused by the unevenness of the panel. Therefore, we might sometimes get good contrast, and other times it can be significantly worsened, but generally, it remains fairly consistent, aside from light bleed. Let’s take a look at the film scenes we prepared from "Oblivion" and "Revenant." As we can see, in the first one, the lights are well separated, which is a positive phenomenon, as the visibility of details in bright areas in further tests should be equally good. What stands out the most here is the unusual oversharpening of the smoke visible under the light and the navy black in the background. In the frame from the second film, the first thing that stands out is the unevenness of the backlighting of our piece. This was significant and strongly affected the perceived image. Nonetheless, the details in the film were well visible.

Samsung QN95D is a television that certainly catches the eye thanks to its use of a VA panel and innovative Mini LED backlighting. This model stands out with an impressive count of 1344 local dimming zones, providing an exceptional level of contrast and depth of black. It's worth noting that the number of backlighting zones can vary depending on the screen size — in larger models, these zones naturally increase, allowing for even better performance in terms of contrast and black levels. Mini LED, with smaller diodes, allows for more precise backlight control, significantly enhancing the quality of the displayed image. The tested 55-inch model excels at reproducing details, and its ability to adjust brightness in different parts of the screen results in a phenomenal visual effect. During our tests, Samsung QN95D on the test pattern from the film "Oblivion" surprised us with results that could compete with OLED televisions, offering nearly reference-level contrast. However, how does the television perform in more challenging conditions? In more demanding scenes, the local dimming algorithm may exhibit certain imperfections. In some cases, small bright elements on a dark background may lose a lot of brightness, which we noticed during tests with the Pioneer Kuro test disc. Additionally, when we take a closer look (e.g., a scene from the film Sicario 2), certain flaws become apparent. The television sometimes struggles with brightness optimisation — in some scenes, it dims elements too much, while in others, it brightens the screen too intensely. These phenomena can be noticeable enough to draw the viewer's attention, especially in demanding night scenes. However, if we do not pay too much attention to the mentioned imperfections, Samsung QN95D proves to be one of the best choices in terms of black depth among displays with MiniLED technology.

The brightness that the Samsung Q70D can offer is at a rather average level, although it cannot be said that the HDR effect will not be noticeable. Any brightness above 400 nits allows for a clear distinction between SDR and HDR content. As was the case in the paragraph about contrast and black levels, we can also observe here that the first scene, featuring a bright sunny sky and a darker foreground, has the lowest luminance of those measured. The result, which can be considered very good for this price range and display class, is that one. In a scene where we see a large light source filling a significant portion of the frame, the brightness of the TV is at its highest, reaching nearly 500 nits. However, it is worth noting the rather low coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, which sometimes results in noticeable shortcomings in the colour reproduction. Additionally, users can enjoy rich colours and high precision in rendering shades, making movie screenings a unique experience. It is also worth mentioning that the Q70D Samsung panel performs excellently in eliminating blur during dynamic action scenes, which enhances the viewing comfort of sports broadcasts or games.

Samsung QN95D handles HDR exceptionally well, achieving peak brightness around 2000 nits. In tested movie scenes where the screen is fully illuminated, the TV delivers intense and realistic HDR content reproduction, significantly enhancing the quality of visual experiences. However, similar to the contrast, the dimming algorithm can sometimes exhibit limitations. Despite a significant number of Mini LED zones, the TV won’t amaze users with incredible lighting. For example, in scenes from "Life of Pi," where a bright moon appears against a dark background, and in segments of "Sicario 2," featuring intense lighting effects on a dark backdrop, the TV shows very poor performance. During such moments, the TV attempts to reduce the halo effect by dimming the image to a level reminiscent of SDR quality. This results in deep and uniform blacks, but at the cost of losing some details in bright areas. It’s a compromise aimed at maintaining the best possible black quality, although it does make the image lose some of its dynamism. Despite some flaws in the local dimming algorithm's performance, this TV deserves praise for its wide coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. This is made possible by the use of a quantum dot coating, also known as QLED technology, which allows for vibrant and rich colours.

The best factory mode in Samsung Q70D is "Filmmaker," and it was this mode that we used during all our tests. Before the calibration process, it had several flaws that effectively hindered the presentation of the director's intentions. In both SDR and HDR material, the white balance was dominated by red and green colours. As a result, there was a characteristic yellow tint on the image, which caused whites to appear yellowed and skin tones to be noticeably too warm. The reduced gamma in standard colour palette materials caused a significant drop in contrast, which was already not the highest. This led to the highlighting of details in the blacks, but also to clipping in brighter scenes. In this case, the EOTF curve proved to be much better and only brightened those scenes with quite low luminance. This was clearly visible in the section where we measured the maximum brightness of the television in HDR materials. At that time, a shot from the film "Billy Lynn" appeared unnaturally bright and lacking depth.

In the category of factory colour reproduction, the Samsung QN95D television has been tested in Filmmaker mode, which offers the best settings from the manufacturer. However, it is not entirely free of flaws. For HD content, there is a significant colour discrepancy, particularly in the white balance, where the red colour clearly dominates the graph. The situation improves with 4K HDR content, but there are still significant drops in blue colour reproduction. These effects can be observed in a scene from the film "Star Wars," where the main character is rendered in overly warm tones.

In terms of contrast, the gamma graph shows a large initial spike, indicating that the television effectively highlights the brighter parts of the image. However, at the end of the graph, we notice a significant drop, which may mean that details may be lost in darker tones. This shape of the gamma curve can affect how users perceive dark scenes, where some details may become too blurred or too dark, causing the image to lose clarity. It's also worth noting the curve corresponding to brightness (EOTF), which is quite correct, except for the initial drop.

Although the Samsung QN95D boasts impressive specifications and advanced technologies to earn the title of one of the best televisions on the market, it requires some improvements in colour reproduction and contrast to fully realise its potential.

Fortunately, Samsung provides a wide range of calibration tools in all its TVs, including 2- and 20-point grey scale adjustments and advanced CMS. As a result, we were able to significantly improve the quality of SDR and HDR content. The vast majority of errors have been corrected, and the image that the Samsung Q70D now delivers is definitely much closer to the reference. Higher deltaE errors in wide dynamic range content primarily result from the display's insufficient luminance.

After calibration, the picture on the Samsung QN95D television achieves truly impressive results. The white balance is perfectly balanced, and error readings rarely exceed a value of 2, which means that colours are displayed very accurately. Most samples from the Color Checker test fall within an acceptable error range, confirming that the television reproduces colours excellently. The contrast has also improved significantly, and the gamma curve is more stable, leading to better visibility of details in dark and bright scenes. However, it is worth noting the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) curve, which shows some discrepancies in film tests. Although the television performs well in most scenes, in more extreme cases, details in black can still be lost - this is due to an aggressive dimming algorithm.

Nevertheless, these minor imperfections do not diminish the overall picture quality. After calibration, the Samsung QN95D delights with its visual quality, offering an exceptional experience that will certainly please anyone looking for a top-of-the-line television.

Considering how important lighting is in films and series, the overlapping structures and fluidity of tonal transitions constitute an extremely significant element in assessing image quality. The colour grading on the tested television is at quite a decent level. It cannot be said that it is outstanding, but it is not bad either. We assess it as acceptable. Brighter scenes perform best here, demonstrating the least amount of choppiness. In scenes recorded in darker settings, slight shortcomings in grading can already be noticeable, although it is not an issue that would cause discomfort while watching. This may be disturbed by the leaking backlight, which is clearly visible in the last image.

The smoothness of tonal transitions is one of the strongest aspects of the Samsung QN95D television, which received a very high rating in this category. Such results are rarely found in televisions that offer such high brightness. Thanks to the precise operation of the matrix, tonal transitions are exceptionally smooth and natural. The only noticeable shortcomings may be minor flaws in the black areas; however, they are subtle enough that most users will likely not notice them. This makes the Samsung QN95D an excellent choice for those who value image quality and detail, especially in scenes with complex lighting.

The function responsible for improving gradation is named "Noise Reduction" in the menu. As we have confirmed, it is worth enabling as it has a beneficial impact on tonal transitions. More importantly, it does not negatively affect film grain or fine details, which sometimes the competition "offers" us.

The image scaling on Samsung Q70D should be rated as average. The manufacturer does not aim to artificially sharpen the image, but rather to keep it naturally softened.

The Samsung QN95D television handles tonal transitions well, even in lower-quality materials, thanks to the noise reduction feature, which acts like a gentle gradient. This feature is incredibly effective, smoothly rendering the image and eliminating unwanted noise while significantly improving the quality of the displayed content. However, as is often the case, excessive effectiveness can lead to unintended side effects. In some materials, this feature can also blur elements that should remain sharp, such as film grain.

Despite this, the television performs well in terms of image scaling, eliminating larger jaggedness in the picture. In a scene where branches are visible, they are not overly artificially sharpened, which allows for a natural appearance, and the model does not have an artificial outline. Overall, this means that even in more challenging conditions, the film material presents itself satisfactorily on the Samsung QN95D. The only downside when watching HD/SD content (like regular terrestrial television) is that we have a slightly cropped image - this is caused by the so-called overscan, which cannot be turned off.

Samsung Q70D is the first model in the manufacturer's portfolio with a 120Hz panel. As a result, its motion smoothing features are more advanced than those in lower-tier models. In the menu, we find three functions responsible for improving fluidity. They are "Blur Reduction," "Judder Reduction," and "Clear Motion (LED)." We'll discuss the third one later. The first function enhances sharpness in motion, while the second adjusts the level of smoothing. The smoothness enhancer in Samsung Q70D works satisfactorily, and each setting makes a noticeable difference. Therefore, those who dislike the characteristic stuttering of films or who passionately watch sports will be able to achieve their preferred level of smoothness. In the image, we present a setting with slight smoothing, without the soap opera effect.

The panel used in Samsung Q70D has a fairly good response time for this type of display. Of course, it won't deliver an image as sharp as a proverbial razor, but at this price point, it is a recommended choice for all kinds of sports.

The panel in Samsung QN95 performs very well in terms of motion blur and fluidity. With a refresh rate of 120 Hz and features that reduce blur and jitter, users can adjust the picture settings to their personal preferences, whether for watching films or dynamic sports broadcasts. Users have the ability to customise the motion smoothness on a 10-point scale – from a more frame-like appearance, reminiscent of traditional film, to a smooth, almost theatrical effect that works especially well in sports broadcasts.

The tested television is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports. Interestingly, all of them have a bandwidth of 40 Gbps; however, during the testing process, we did not observe any negative effects associated with this situation. More importantly, Samsung Q70D supports all features stemming from the aforementioned standard. This news will surely delight all gamers, as it means that whether using a console or a PC, we can expect the highest possible comfort during gameplay. Given the standard absence of Dolby Vision HDR for this manufacturer, it is significant that the HGIG mode has been implemented correctly and there are no issues with setting up the calibration chessboard. We particularly note that Samsung is the only manufacturer to allow gaming with the smoothness enhancer switched on, without significant degradation. This means that titles running at 30 fps will be perceived like those with native 60 frames per second.

Samsung, as one of the first manufacturers, introduced the Game Bar to its televisions, which has since been consistently refined. It contains all the necessary information regarding gameplay parameters that we can change "on the fly".

In summary: Samsung Q70D will perform excellently both with consoles and with computers. All functions worked brilliantly, and there were no issues with them. The ability to enable the smoothness enhancer without significant increases in input lag is a true gamechanger.

Samsung QN95D offers a fair bit of features that gamers will appreciate. First and foremost, the television supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which allows for smoother gameplay by eliminating screen tearing issues, especially during dynamic scenes. There's also the Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which automatically switches the TV to low latency mode when it detects a connected console or computer, providing more responsive control.

Additionally, the QN95D Samsung has a gaming mode that reduces input lag to a very low level, which is crucial in games where reflexes play an important role. With a high refresh rate of 120 Hz, the image is exceptionally smooth, significantly impacting the experience of dynamic action games and sports productions. The television also supports G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, which further enhance gameplay smoothness and improve user comfort. An interesting addition is the 'Game Bar' – a special menu that provides quick access to all game-related settings, allowing easy adjustment of the image and parameters to the user's preferences without the need to pause the gameplay.

Although the Samsung QN95D does not support Dolby Vision – which is quite obvious for Samsung TVs – it does offer the HGiG feature, which ensures appropriate image quality in HDR games, in line with the creators' vision.

Results of latency on the Samsung Q70D are at a high level, regardless of the signal or resolution. All gamers will certainly appreciate the manufacturer's efforts, which allow a game running in 4K 120 Hz with HDR to have only 7 ms of latency, which is practically unnoticeable even in online gaming. It's worth adding that lag with the motion smoother turned on roughly doubles, which still means very comfortable gaming in this case.

QN95D Samsung stands out with excellent results in terms of input lag, achieving values below 15 ms. This is an impressive result that is independent of resolution or refresh rate. With such low latency, gamers can enjoy the lightning-fast response of the television to their commands, which is crucial in dynamic games. Whether playing 4K titles at 120 Hz or games at a lower resolution, the QN95D provides exceptional gameplay fluidity and precise motion rendering. This level of responsiveness makes the television an ideal choice for any avid gamer.

After connecting the television to the computer and wishing to use it as a monitor, we can expect a low input lag of 13 ms, which is practically unnoticeable on the mouse-screen-eye line. Thanks to the correct implementation of chroma 4:4:4, the readability of fonts is at a high level, so you can confidently connect Samsung Q70D to your computer as a monitor and expect a comfortable experience with text.

The subpixel layout is BGR, which does not negatively affect the use of the television as a monitor. However, as operating systems are not adapted to this type of subpixel format, it may cause slightly less distinct contours. This is, however, something practically negligible, and only a handful of people may notice it.

In the category of PC collaboration, the Samsung QN95D TV stands out with high performance, offering 4:4:4 chroma support and impressively low input lag. With these features, users can enjoy fluidity and responsiveness, making it an ideal choice for office work or everyday applications. However, one noticeable issue is the poor visibility of horizontal lines on a dark background. On the test board to the right, you can see how the letters resemble vertical lines, which can be somewhat frustrating. Nevertheless, the TV generally provides good collaboration with computers, and users can expect comfortable handling with daily tasks.

Due to the VA panel, the performance of Samsung Q70D in terms of viewing angles is its Achilles' heel. Even a slight shift off-axis leads to a significant loss of contrast and a substantial degradation of colours.

In the case of TVs with VA panels, you can usually expect limited viewing angles; however, QN95D Samsung surprises in this category. Thanks to the applied coating that widens the viewing angles, the TV offers truly good performance, which is rarely seen in devices with this type of panels. Although VA panels are not usually the best in this regard, in this model, the image remains clear and vibrant even when viewed from the side, making it a great choice for larger rooms and group viewing.

The satin finish of the panel in the Q70D allows for quite good performance in a well-lit room. It is worth noting that reflections do not spread beyond their source, and thus do not bleed onto the rest of the panel. We also commend the maximum brightness of the TV in SDR content, which is 450 nits, allowing for comfortable content consumption during the day.

In the category of daytime performance, QN95D Samsung, despite using a glossy panel, may struggle with highly visible reflections on the screen. As seen in the picture on the right, the lamp disperses to the left and right, which is a result of the anti-reflective coating. However, overall this coating performs very well when the television displays any colours outside of black, where reflections become more noticeable. It's worth emphasising that the television achieves very high brightness for SDR material, exceeding 650 nits, which ensures comfortable viewing even in bright rooms.

The operation of Samsung Q70D is managed by the proprietary Tizen system. This is fairly well-known software, as the manufacturer has been developing it in their TVs for quite a long time. Its main advantage is smooth operation and a lack of significant stutters, which we can confirm through conducted tests. The biggest downside, however, is its closed nature. Although the app store is quite extensive, we are still dependent on the grace or displeasure of the manufacturer. Therefore, we will not be able to install missing items, even from a USB drive. A perfect example of this is this year's discontinuation of support for the Tidal app. On the other hand, a benefit, especially for Apple device users, is the implementation of AirPlay functionality, which allows for easy screen mirroring from a device to the TV. Fortunately, Samsung also provided the option to connect a keyboard and mouse for much quicker navigation through the TV menu. It’s worth mentioning that the manufacturer has thankfully included a remote that connects via Bluetooth this year, which often wasn't the case in the past. The Tizen system has one more advantage. It integrates very well with external devices, such as the NC+ decoder or soundbars. The connection process is very quick and does not require special skills.

In summary: The Tizen system is very efficiently functioning software, which is certainly a strong advantage of the TV. While more advanced users may complain about the lack of something like KODI, the rest will be satisfied.

The Tizen system in Samsung televisions is characterised by its simplicity and speed of operation. The central point of the interface is the "Smart Hub", which allows quick access to the most important apps and recommended content, such as Netflix, YouTube, and Prime Video. Tizen also supports the Multi View feature, allowing simultaneous viewing of multiple image sources. Integration with AirPlay enables easy content sharing from Apple devices, as well as voice control in Polish. Users can control the television, search for content, and perform other operations using voice commands, which significantly simplifies everyday use of the device. One of the standout features of Samsung QN95D is the included Slim Fit camera, which offers functionality that goes beyond the standards of other models currently on the market. Thanks to the applied "POGO" connection, the camera can be easily connected directly to the television. It provides the opportunity to use video calls and personal training functions using the camera. This innovative approach opens up new possibilities for users in terms of interacting with their television.

It is also worth mentioning the solar remote, which is an eco-friendly solution – it does not require battery replacement as it charges with solar energy. This remote is also universal, allowing control of other devices, such as the Canal+ decoder, without the need for additional remotes. This is a significant convenience that enhances user comfort. Features dedicated to users of traditional television include picture-in-picture (PIP), which allows simultaneous viewing of two programs. However, the lack of a recording feature may be a disappointment for some users, as it could be considered a drawback.

The built-in player Samsung Q70D is a significant advantage. It handled nearly all video and audio files prepared for the testing process exceptionally well. The only exceptions in this regard are of course the Dolby Vision format (which is not surprising) and less popular codecs. Additionally, it is worth noting the support for Polish characters and the ability to change font colours as a positive aspect. However, it struggles more with photo formats, as it only supports JPEG among the popular ones. There's definitely a lack of formats like PNG or Apple's HEIC here.

The built-in player in the Samsung QN95D television is undoubtedly one of its stronger points. It handles almost all video and audio file formats we've tested exceptionally well. The exception is the lack of support for Dolby Vision, which aligns with Samsung's policy, as well as for less popular codecs. A big plus is the support for Polish characters in subtitles and the ability to customise font colours, which significantly improves the viewing comfort for content with subtitles. A downside may be the limited support for photo formats – the TV mainly supports JPEG, and lacks support for more advanced formats such as PNG or Apple HEIC.

The built-in audio system Samsung Q70D, due to its slim design, is not among the most outstanding. Overall, it's fairly balanced, although we wouldn't recommend cranking up the volume to levels higher than 2/4 of the scale. However, if we have a home theatre system, there is a range of codecs available, and we can enjoy the presence of the most important ones, namely DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos.

The sound on the Samsung QN95D is at a very good level thanks to the 4.2.2 system with a power of 70W. It delivers clear, crisp audio, and the bass is well balanced, making it suitable for both watching movies and gaming. The Dolby Atmos support adds a spatial effect, allowing for a fuller audio experience. However, it lacks support for DTS, which is a typical feature for Samsung TVs, but may be a downside for those attached to that format. Overall, the sound performs very well and should meet the needs of most users.

Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D vs Samsung Neo QLED QN95D

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound