Samsung QLED Q80D vs LG QNED80A6A (VA)

Direct comparison

Q80D

Available screen sizes: 50”55”65”75”85”

Available screen sizes: 50”55”75”

Panel type: LCD VA

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: Tizen

Model year: 2024

Complete the survey to find out the result

Panel type: LCD VA

Resolution: 3840x2160

System: WebOS

Model year: 2025

Complete the survey to find out the result

Overall rating

7.2

6.2

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    6.8

    6.3

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    6.7

    6.5

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    6.6

    5.5

  • Gaming on console

    8.7

    7.0

  • TV as a computer monitor

    7.6

    5.8

  • Watching in bright light

    6.0

    4.4

  • Utility functions

    8.0

    6.8

  • Apps

    9.3

    9.1

  • Sound quality

    6.6

    6.0

Advantages

  • Great choice for gamers - lots of functionality, low input lag, 120Hz

  • High brightness of the panel - good performance during the day

  • Good blacks and contrast - VA panel with local dimming

  • Excellent tonal transitions

  • Advanced "Tizen" smart system

  • Pleasant sound from the built-in speakers

  • High native contrast (over 6000:1) providing deep blacks in movies

  • Excellent colour saturation (DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage above 90%) thanks to PFS technology (QNED).

  • Good detail reproduction in HDR

  • Outstanding WebOS 25 system – fast, intuitive, and guaranteed updates

  • Magic Remote included – cursor control

  • Effective upscaling and smoothing function for tonal transitions

  • Decent features for gamers (VRR, ALLM, HGiG), despite the 60Hz panel

  • Low input lag

  • Smooth tonal transitions – no visible "steps" in colour gradients

  • Good readability of fonts when connected to PC (sharp text).

Disadvantages

No like
  • Average viewing angles

  • No recording function

  • No DTS (may hinder connection to home theatre)

  • Narrow viewing angles – the image loses quality when viewed from the side

  • Aggressive local dimming – in difficult scenes, it causes visible blooming.

  • 60Hz panel

  • No support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+

  • Average brightness

  • Flat sound lacking bass – a soundbar is recommended

Our verdict

Samsung Q80D is a very versatile television. It’s definitely a piece of equipment that can easily adapt to the needs of both gamers and those looking for a device for everyday viewing. As for the former - namely gamers. Thanks to HDMI 2.1 support, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and low input lag, it makes playing on console or PC pure pleasure. Additionally, the Game Bar feature allows for quick adjustments without the need to exit the game – a small thing, but it makes a difference. It’s also worth mentioning a fantastic feature in the form of an efficient motion smoother that works well in games. It gives the impression that playing on such a television adds a few FPS, thus providing an advantage in the game. During everyday use, the Q80D performs very well too. The Tizen system offers access to popular apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+, so nothing is lacking here. The high brightness of the screen ensures that the television performs very well even in well-lit rooms. A nice and interesting addition is the solar remote, which not only does not require battery replacements but also allows control of other devices (e.g. set-top boxes, consoles, soundbars). When it comes to picture quality, the Q80D has a lot to offer. Although it lacks Dolby Vision support, after calibration, the colours look fantastic, and the contrast and black level thanks to FALD technology (full array local dimming) impressed us greatly, considering the television's segment. Thanks to the VA panel enhanced with quantum dots (QLED), the colours on the Q80D can look truly excellent. Watching movies or series in the evening is a real pleasure – especially if we care about good details. However, there are little things that might be bothersome. The lack of a recording feature is a certain limitation, although it may not be a problem for everyone. Another obvious issue will be its viewing angles. These are typical results for this type of panel, so one must reckon with the fact that at the cost of great blacks, the Q80D simply performs average when looked at from the side. Nevertheless, the Samsung Q80D is a great television that performs well in every situation. It offers excellent picture quality, many useful features, and solid build quality for its price range. A few minor shortcomings, however, do not take away its charm, as overall it’s a model that will comfortably meet the expectations of most users – both those who game on consoles and those who simply enjoy evening screenings with good visuals.

Looking at the QNED80A in the VA version as a whole, we are dealing with a television that has a very specific character. It's a piece of equipment that movie lovers seeking savings will appreciate, as long as... they accept certain shortcomings. We get really solid blacks and contrast here, but we pay for it with narrow viewing angles. There's no denying it: this is a TV for those who have their favourite spot in the middle of the couch. Of course, you can feel some budget cuts here – the 60Hz panel or edge dimming, which sometimes struggles with difficult scenes, are elements that remind you that this isn't the highest tier of televisions. However, LG cleverly makes up for these hardware shortcomings with excellent software. It's quite surprising how well this TV handles pulling out details in HDR or upscaling lower quality cable materials – the processor does a great job here, making the picture look more expensive than it is in reality. If we add to that the great WebOS system and gaming features that, despite the lack of 120Hz, manage to deliver, we get a very successful screen for home cinema. It requires some understanding, but in return, it rewards you with a really vibrant image at an affordable price.

TV appearance

HDMI inputs
0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps)
3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1
Other inputs
Outputs
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
Network Interfaces
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality
Good
Good
Stand type
Central
Legs
Bezel color
Graphite
Graphite
Stand
Fixed
Fixed
Flat design
Yes
Yes
Accessories
Stand
Stand

Contrast and black detail

6.7/10

6.3/10

Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 100 (10 x 10)

Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 6 (1 x 6)

Contrast:

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Contrast and black detail

Result

37,350:1

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Contrast and black detail

Result

8,850:1

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Contrast and black detail

Result

20,350:1

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Contrast and black detail

Result

4,300:1

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Contrast and black detail

Result

3,800:1

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Contrast and black detail

Result

24,550:1

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Contrast and black detail

Result

7,900:1

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Contrast and black detail

Result

22,150:1

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Contrast and black detail

Result

6,700:1

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Contrast and black detail

Result

5,550:1

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

Check the visibility of bright lights on a dark background. Mini-LEDs often struggle with this. The photo does not compare black levels – that’s what the video below is for.

The video accurately shows differences in contrast and black levels between TVs, as well as potential issues: halo around bright objects or Mini-LED zone operation visible as brightness jumps.

The Samsung Q80D television is equipped with a VA panel, which immediately affects the difference in contrast and black reproduction compared to IPS panels. VA panels offer significantly better contrast and deeper blacks, while IPS panels have better viewing angles but poorer contrast. For the 55" model, the television has 100 local dimming zones, and it should be noted that this number may vary depending on the screen size. Thanks to local dimming, blacks look good, but it's worth mentioning that the algorithm of this technology, combined with a limited number of zones, can sometimes go a bit "haywire." Bright objects can be dimmed to achieve better blacks. During testing in a scene from the film Oblivion, the lights merged into one blot, regardless of the dimming settings, showing the limitations of this technology. In the movie Sicario 2, large dimming zones were particularly noticeable, for example, with small helicopter lights, indicating how large the areas controlled by a single dimming zone are. Despite these imperfections, the local dimming technology still offers significantly better picture quality than televisions without this feature or with edge lighting. With the ability to completely turn off individual zones, the television can provide a noticeable boost in brightness in selected areas, which can give the image a cinematic effect, especially in dark rooms.

The model we tested, with a diagonal of 55 inches, is equipped with a VA-type panel. Here’s the great news: this is a huge advantage over the IPS version if you care about deep blacks and a vivid image. Our measurements showed that in typical movie scenes, the native contrast is really solid, exceeding values around 6000:1. In practice, this means that black is black, not grey, which works very well for occasional evening viewing and is not irritating. However, there are moments when our measuring devices indicated contrast levels over 20 000:1. Where does such a leap come from? The LG QNED80A is equipped with a Local Dimming system. However, this is an edge-lit system. This means that the TV can dim vertical strips of backlighting where the image is supposed to be dark. In theory, this sounds great and indeed allows for "better numbers" in tables than in a classic LCD screen. Unfortunately, practice can be brutal. The use of edge dimming is a double-edged sword that can disrupt the viewing experience in challenging scenes. An ideal example is the scene with the helicopter in the film Sicario 2. When there is a lot of black on the screen and small, bright points, the dimming system starts to operate very aggressively and... not very precisely. You can clearly see how entire vertical strips of the screen brighten and dim, trying to keep up with the object. Instead of deep blacks, we then see blooming, which simply looks bad and strongly distracts from the plot. Although the dimming system improves measurable contrast, in everyday use – especially with the lights off – its aggressive operation can be annoying. Often, a better option may be to... turn off this feature or set it to minimum, to enjoy stable, natural blacks from the VA panel itself.

HDR effect quality

5.8/10

4.6/10

Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
HDR10, HLG
Color gamut coverage
DCI P3: 93.0%, Bt.2020: 73.0%
DCI P3: 93.4%, Bt.2020: 73.1%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Brightness measurement

Result

927 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Brightness measurement

Result

423 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Brightness measurement

Result

612 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Brightness measurement

Result

242 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q80D Brightness measurement

Result

856 nit

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Brightness measurement

Result

354 nit

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Brightness measurement

Result

335 nit

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Brightness measurement

Result

354 nit

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Brightness measurement

Result

301 nit

Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) Brightness measurement

Result

271 nit

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

The photos show two HDR10 movies. 'Pan' is one of the brightest productions ever made, while 'Billy Lynn' (soldier) has brightness typical of streaming (Netflix, Prime, HBO MAX). Notice the intensity of effects and detail in whites.

Static HDR10

The photos present the visibility of white details in various HDR formats. They do not show brightness differences between TVs (these can be compared in the previous gallery).

HDR luminance chart:

LG QNED80A6A (VA)

Samsung QLED Q80D

In the context of HDR, the Samsung Q80D television, as expected, achieves very positive brightness results in the tested movie scenes, where the frame is filled with light, reaching values from 600 to 900 nits, allowing for a great juiciness of the image. Such results enable the user to feel the difference between HDR and SDR quality. Unfortunately, problems arise in situations where small light effects occur against a dark background. In such cases (e.g., the 4th test screen from the film Sicario 2), a noticeable drop in brightness is observed, which is caused by the large size of the dimming zones used here. This limitation, combined with the dimming algorithm, affects how the television handles small bright elements on a dark background. At that point, we may experience an undesired lack of brightness, and the HDR effect resembles that of SDR.

Let's talk now about how this TV shines. If you’re expecting dazzling light effects, we need to cool your enthusiasm. The LG QNED80A is a moderately bright television. Our measurements in most film scenes indicated values around 350-400 nits. That’s not enough to speak of a full, cinematic HDR experience and the feeling of that famous “high dynamic range” that flagship products offer. However, brightness is not everything. Although the QNED80A is not a “light monster,” it makes up for it in another key category: colours. This is where PFS technology comes into play, which LG marketers hide under the name QNED/NanoCell. With this trick, the TV offers a significantly wider colour palette than classic LCD constructions. In our tests, the coverage of the cinematic DCI-P3 palette reached a solid 93-94%. What does that mean for you? That even at lower brightness, when watching films in HDR, the colours will be vibrant, deep, and properly saturated. The image is not washed out but juicy, which is a significant advantage in this price range.

Factory color reproduction

6.8/10

4.4/10

This gallery shows how colors change after professional TV calibration. If you notice the difference, we recommend ordering this service at SkalibrujTV.com.

Factory Mode

After calibration

This gallery shows how colors change after professional TV calibration. If you notice the difference, we recommend ordering this service at SkalibrujTV.com.

Factory Mode

After calibration

In "Filmmaker" mode, which is the best choice right out of the box, the Samsung Q80D television shows solid colour reproduction. For SDR content, a noticeable drop at the start of the gamma curve suggests that details in dark scenes may be less clear, affecting the overall viewing experience. Regarding white balance in SDR content, while generally correct, significant drops in blue at screen coverage above 70% can result in less natural shades in both bright and dark scenes. Users may notice that some blue elements in the image may appear less vibrant, and the overall colour will have a warmer hue.

In HDR content, the EOTF curve being above the reference line for most of the time indicates that the television may struggle to accurately reproduce brightness and details in the brighter parts of the image, which can be detrimental for the viewer. It is also worth noting the significant drop at the start of this chart, indicating that the television has difficulty reproducing brightness in the darker parts of the image, as seen in the contrast and black test, where several scenes were unable to show the full capabilities of the television’s brightness. In terms of its white balance, the initially good performance on the graph is promising, but the steep decline in red, coupled with a significant increase in blue, can lead to inaccuracies in reproducing some skin tones and other key colours. This phenomenon may be noticeable to viewers in scenes where colour details are crucial.

It might seem that since the QNED80A is one model, it should offer the same picture regardless of the version. However, practice shows something completely different. Analyzing the variant with the VA panel in the best factory setting – that is, in Filmmaker Mode – we noticed a specific characteristic. This TV "out of the box" delivers a picture with a clear dominance of red and a deficiency of blue. Overall, it is very warm, almost hot. Many users might describe it as an "overly cinematic" picture, leaning towards sepia. Additionally, there is the issue of gamma curve – the TV has a tendency to slightly and artificially brighten scenes (gamma is too low), which causes the picture to lose some of its plasticity. The good news is that these are not panel errors, but merely software issues. As always in our tests, we performed professional calibration, which completely eliminated these drawbacks, restoring natural white balance and correct saturation.

Color reproduction after calibration

8.1/10

7.5/10

The photos show how movies look on the TV. Pay attention to black detail visibility, colors, and shadow tint.

The photos show how movies look on the TV. Pay attention to black detail visibility, colors, and shadow tint.

The movie mode after calibration looks significantly better than the one you see right out of the box. Samsung offers an advanced range of calibration tools in its televisions. Among them are 2- and 20-point greyscale adjustment and CMS (Color Management System). Both in HDR and SDR mode, white balance has improved significantly, although there are slight errors at the end of the graph for HDR content. Contrast has also been greatly improved, and the gamma curve responsible for SDR shows better results. However, when it comes to HDR, the EOTF curve on the television appears to be at an ideal level at first glance. However, when we dig a bit deeper and enable the EOTF graph while watching films, we may notice that all the lines of the curve are above the reference line. You could even say that the television is "cheating" when playing film material. Such a situation, where the EOTF curve is above the reference line, causes the screen – although it may appear brighter, which some users might find appealing – to lose detail in the darker parts of the image. In practice, this means that in scenes with a lot of shadows or dark elements, the television is unable to accurately render the details that should be visible.

Was it worth spending time on calibration? Definitely yes. We managed to tame the initial, overly warm white balance and, most importantly, correct the gamma curve. The television stopped artificially brightening scenes, resulting in a deeper image. The biggest gains are visible in SDR content, such as when watching regular television, YouTube, or playing games without HDR. Here, the QNED80A shows its class – colour reproduction errors (DeltaE) fell below a value of 2. In technical terms, this means the errors are essentially invisible to the human eye. The image in everyday use has simply become very attractive, natural, and correct. The difficulties start with HDR content. Although we managed to improve the white balance, the EOTF curve (responsible for brightness at various levels) shows that the television still "interprets" the image in its own way. This results from the nature of the edge-lit backlighting with local dimming and the fact that LG gives the calibrator very little control over this parameter. In short: the television struggles to hide its hardware shortcomings, sometimes ignoring our commands. Nevertheless, the final image is significantly more accurate and pleasant to view than the factory settings, even if it still lacks a bit compared to studio perfection.

Smoothness of tonal transitions

8.8/10

9.2/10

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

These are selected scenes that show smooth tonal transitions from one color to another. If you see distinct banding, it’s the TV panel’s fault.

The tonal gradation on the Samsung Q80D television is excellent and can be considered one of its strong points. Even in the most demanding scenes from the films we tested, it performs superbly. Any potential issues with smoothing transitions in colours are minimal and subtle. The average viewer is unlikely to notice them, which translates to an overall positive visual experience in everyday use.

We've also got excellent news for those sensitive to digital artifacts. Regardless of which version of the panel you get, the LG QNED80A excels at gradation, or the smooth blending of colours. In this price range, it's common to see ugly, separated bands instead of a smooth transition (e.g., from bright sky blue to navy). Here, this problem hardly exists. In our tests, both in very bright parts of the image (like sunsets) and in challenging, dark shades of grey, the picture remained uniform and natural. We didn't notice the annoying effect of "banding" or distinct lines connecting colours.

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

7/10

7/10

Image without overscan on the SD signal
OK
OK
Smooth transition function
OK
OK

Smooth transition function

The match photo shows how the TV smooths weak tonal transitions in low-quality video.

Image scaling SD (576i)

The model photo shows how it handles upscaling of SD material.

Samsung Q80D performs very well with low-quality materials. The noise reduction works on the principle of gentle gradation, making it very effective in smoothing out unwanted image disturbances. Unfortunately, this same effectiveness also causes it to blur elements that shouldn't be smoothed, such as film grain. For those who prioritise a plastic, smooth image, this can be seen as a significant advantage, especially with lower-quality content.

In terms of image scaling, Samsung Q80D stands out positively in this aspect, significantly enhancing the viewing comfort. The TV handles the conversion of lower-resolution materials, improving their quality and details. For example, in the attached image featuring a model, there are no visible artefacts or excessive fraying of branches, which demonstrates advanced image processing technology.

In this category, the QNED80A turns out to be a true "dark horse". It's a fantastic, affordable television for those who often watch lower quality content – for example, from traditional cable TV. The processor used here handles upscaling incredibly well, enhancing low resolutions to native 4K. The image after processing is natural, smooth, and most importantly – it is not overly jagged or artificially sharpened. In the menu, we also find a dedicated option for smoothing tonal transitions in low-quality content. This feature works really effectively, eliminating the annoying "banding" of colours during heavy video compression. However, we must remain vigilant. Remember, we are not dealing with the top-tier processor known from flagship OLED models. In more challenging scenes, the system might struggle and introduce minor artefacts or distortions. Nevertheless, it's definitely worth giving this feature a chance, because in the majority of cases, the quality improvement is visible to the naked eye.

Blur and motion smoothness

7.3/10

4.8/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel
120Hz
60Hz
Film motion smoothing option
OK
OK
Blur reduction option
OK
No
BFI function 60Hz
Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
No
BFI function 120Hz
No
No
Brightness drop with BFI
69%
-%

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

Image flickers in this mode

The Samsung Q80D television stands out very positively in terms of motion fluidity and minimizing blur, mainly due to the 120Hz panel and above-average panel response time. Users have two options for adjusting fluidity: "Motion Smoothing," which allows for adjustments in a 10-step scale, and "Blur Reduction," particularly effective at higher refresh rates, improving the sharpness of fast-moving objects. In the UFO test, there is no blurring behind the moving object, and the image is not cloned forward, indicating the absence of an overshoot effect.

We move on to a topic that may be crucial for many. Unfortunately, here we must point out the biggest "Achilles' heel" of the QNED80A model. This television is equipped with a panel that has a native refresh rate of 60Hz. There’s no denying it – at this price, we were hoping for more as we know that Chinese manufacturers can offer 120Hz screens for similar money. Due to this parameter, dynamic scenes in sports or fast-paced games are not the strongest point of this screen. Fortunately, LG has equipped the television with a proven smoothing system called TruMotion. It works quite well with film material (24 frames). We suggest playing around with the De-Judder slider – from our experience, setting it in the range of 2-4 provides the best compromise: motion becomes smoother, yet still looks natural, without the artificial "television theatre" effect.

Console compatibility and gaming features

9.5/10

6/10

  • ALLM
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR
    Yes
    Yes
  • VRR range
    48 - 120Hz
    48 - 60Hz
  • Dolby Vision Game Mode
    No
    No
  • Correct implementation of HGIG
    Yes
    Yes
  • 1080p@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • 1440p@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • 4K@120Hz
    Yes
    No
  • Game bar
    Yes
    Yes

The Samsung Q80D TV is a real gem for gamers. It is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, which is a rarity, especially in this price range. This allows users to enjoy features such as ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and 120Hz at 4K resolution. These features ensure smoothness and responsiveness of the image, which is a key aspect during dynamic gameplay. The TV also supports HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), enabling optimal HDR content display in games. Additionally, it comes with a Game Bar, providing quick access to gaming settings. Users with Nvidia graphics cards will also be pleased with the implementation of G-Sync. This feature eliminates stuttering and screen tearing. The only downside is the lack of support for Dolby Vision, which may be disappointing for users looking for that HDR format. It's also worth mentioning that since 2022, thanks to the collaboration with Microsoft, Samsung TVs offer the Xbox Game Pass app, allowing for cloud gaming. This is an added bonus for gamers who want to take advantage of a wide library of games without needing a console.

Since we've already established that the QNED80A is a 60Hz TV, we must say it straight: we won't be gaming here at 120 frames per second at any resolution. Does this disqualify the device in the eyes of gamers? Not necessarily, especially for those "casual" players. LG decided to sweeten this technical limitation by packing in quite a few useful features. We have support for VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) in the range of 48-60Hz and an automatic game mode ALLM, which instantly reduces input lag upon detecting a console. We manage all of this via a very convenient, purple Game Optimizer menu (Player Panel), which has become LG's hallmark. The manufacturer deserves big points for consistency regarding HDR. Although the TV does not support Dolby Vision in games on Xbox consoles, LG adds a well-implemented HGiG standard. Thanks to this, even on a screen with moderate brightness, playing in HDR is clear, and the details in shadows and highlights are accurately rendered, rather than being "clipped".

Input lag

9.8/10

9.8/10

SDR

1080p60
18 ms
15 ms
1080p120
9 ms
2160p60
18 ms
15 ms
2160p120
9 ms

HDR

2160p60
16 ms
14 ms
2160p120
8 ms
4320p60

Dolby Vision

2160p60 DV
2160p120 DV

What more can I say, the input lag at this level is simply outstanding. It's hard to achieve a better result that will satisfy gamers! The television performed excellently at every tested resolution and refresh rate, both in SDR and HDR.

At the end of the gaming section, let's take a look at how quickly the TV responds to our commands. The input lag measured by us in the QNED80A model is approximately 15 ms (at 60Hz signal). These may not be values that will revolutionise the market or amaze professional e-sports players fighting for every millisecond. However, for the typical console gamer, this result is more than sufficient. During gameplay testing, we did not experience any annoying "float" of the reticle or delay between pressing the button on the controller and the reaction on the screen. The entertainment is smooth and comfortable, and that is the most important thing in home gaming.

Compatibility with PC

7.6/10

5.8/10

Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate)
Yes
Yes
Font clarity
Very Good
Good
Readability of dark text and shapes
Average
Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate)
9ms
15ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement
BGR
BGR
Max refresh rate
120Hz
60Hz
G-Sync
Yes
No

The photo shows the legibility of small fonts. Ideally, lines should be the same thickness on both light and dark text, with minimal pixel gaps.

Samsung Q80D performs well as a computer monitor. With support for chroma 4:4:4 (only works in "Game" mode), text on the screen is sharp and readable, which is very important for those who want to work on such a TV with text documents or spreadsheets. One of the biggest advantages of this model is its exceptionally low input lag in “PC” mode, which is only 9 ms. This is a reference-level result that ensures smoothness and responsiveness, which is crucial for both gamers and video editing professionals. The only thing we can nitpick is that there is a certain issue with font rendering on dark backgrounds. When we zoom in on the tested font image, we notice that the horizontal lines are darker compared to the vertical ones. This means that the sub-pixels in the TV do not fully illuminate in this case. This could be due to an oversight by the manufacturer regarding the optimisation of the algorithm responsible for displaying thin lines, which affects the quality of details in text rendering on dark backgrounds. Nevertheless, Samsung Q80D is a very good choice as a PC monitor.

Is the QNED80A suitable for connecting a computer? For the version with a VA panel, the answer is: absolutely. If you plan to use this TV as a massive monitor for work, you won’t be disappointed. The readability of the fonts is very high – text is sharp, clear, and doesn’t strain the eyes, which isn’t always a given with large screens. Added to that is the low input lag we mentioned earlier. This makes mouse work precise, and you won’t feel that characteristic “floating” of the cursor. Of course, due to the 60Hz refresh rate, it’s not the ideal gear for e-sports players on PC, but for text work, browsing the web, or occasional strategy gaming, it will perform brilliantly.

Viewing angles

3/10

3.2/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees
82%
76%

Samsung Q80D, equipped with a VA panel, unfortunately doesn't perform well with viewing angles. When we watch the screen at a 45-degree angle, there is a noticeable loss of brightness. The image becomes less sharp, which can be problematic if we plan to watch TV from different spots in the room. However, the VA panel has its advantages. When we look directly at the screen, black is deep and well-saturated. Moreover, even at an angle, dark colours retain their depth, which is rare for this type of panel.

Deciding on the VA panel version, you need to be aware of a certain compromise. You get great blacks and contrast, but you pay for it with narrow viewing angles. This is a typical feature of this technology, and the QNED80A is no exception. If you sit perfectly straight in front of the screen, the picture will be brilliant. However, simply moving to the side of the sofa or stepping away to the kitchenette will reveal image degradation. Colours begin to lose their saturation, becoming washed out, and the deep black that we praised starts to grey. Therefore, this variant of the television is best suited for those who have their favourite spot in the middle of the sofa and rarely watch TV in a large group spread out across the living room.

Daytime performance

6/10

4.4/10

Panel finish
Satin
Satin
Reflection suppression
Average
Decent
Black levels during daytime
Good
Good

Panel brightness

LG QNED80A6A (VA): 280 cd/m2

Samsung QLED Q80D: 550 cd/m2

The Samsung Q80D television stands out with very good brightness, averaging 550 nits, which is an impressive result, especially as it maintains this brightness across the entire surface of the screen. As a result, the picture is sharp and clearly visible even in bright rooms, which is a big plus when watching television during the day. However, despite the matte coating on the panel, the television struggles somewhat with glare suppression. In bright lighting conditions, unwanted reflections can occur, which may disrupt viewing comfort. This is particularly noticeable when there are light sources in the room that directly hit the screen.

How does the QNED80A perform when we don’t have the curtains drawn? Let’s be clear: it’s not the brightest TV on the market, so if your living room resembles a glasshouse at noon, this screen may struggle against the intense sunlight. For extremely challenging lighting conditions, we would suggest looking for something with higher brightness (e.g. Mini LED). However, the TV excels in another way – the type of coating used on the panel. The manufacturer has opted for a satin finish (semi-matte). This is a great decision. Unlike glossy coatings that act like mirrors, this coating effectively dampens and diffuses light reflections. As a result, in typical, moderate lighting conditions, a lamp beside it or a window to the side won’t be distracting, and the viewing experience will remain enjoyable.

Panel details

Backlight Type
QLED
Mini-LED PFS LED
Software version during testing
1106
33.21.62
Image processor

Subpixel Structure:

Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:

Review Samsung QLED Q80D TV Panel details
Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) TV Panel details

Samsung QLED Q80D

LG QNED80A6A (VA)

TV features

8/10

6.8/10

  • HDMI inputs
    0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
    3 x HDMI 2.0, 0 x HDMI 2.1
  • Outputs
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
    Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
  • Network Interfaces
    Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
    Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
  • TV reception
    DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
    DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C

Classic features:

  • Recording to USB (terrestrial TV)
    No
    No
  • Recording programming
    No
    No
  • Picture in Picture (PiP)
    Yes
    No
  • RF remote control (no need to aim)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Backlit remote control
    No
    No
  • Teletext
    Yes
    Yes
  • Audio only mode
    Yes
    Yes
  • Bluetooth headphones support
    Yes
    Yes
  • Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio
    Yes
    Yes

Smart features:

  • AirPlay
    Yes
    Yes
  • Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Voice search
    Yes
    Yes
  • Voice search in native language
    Yes
    Yes
  • Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse
    Yes
    Yes
Review Samsung QLED Q80D TV features
Review Samsung QLED Q80D TV features
Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) TV features
Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) TV features
Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) TV features
Review LG QNED80A6A (VA) TV features

The Samsung Q80D television offers a range of features that significantly enhance user comfort. The Tizen system is an advanced platform that provides users with an intuitive and smooth experience. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, navigating through apps and settings is quick and easy. Tizen supports a rich set of applications, including popular streaming services, allowing access to a wide range of entertainment content without the need for additional devices, and a new feature for 2024 is support for the Polish language. It's also worth mentioning the solar remote control, which is not only eco-friendly but also convenient for everyday use. The solar cell remote can easily control other devices such as home theatres, set-top boxes (e.g., Canal+), or gaming consoles, which is quite a challenge for other manufacturers. Returning to the console, Samsung Q80D offers several features that gamers may appreciate. Firstly, the television supports VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) technology, which enables smoother game display, eliminating issues like tearing and stuttering. Additionally, with low input lag, reactions in games are quick and precise. The Samsung Q80D is also equipped with a Game Bar feature, which allows quick access to key gaming settings without the need to exit the game. From this interface, we can check and adjust parameters like VRR, input lag, frames per second (FPS), as well as screen ratios and sound settings. This means gamers can continuously optimise their experience by adjusting settings according to their current gaming needs. The television supports AirPlay, allowing easy content sharing from Apple devices, and enables connection to various Bluetooth devices such as mice or headphones, increasing its versatility. The only downside is the lack of USB recording support and the fact that the Q80D unfortunately does not support the DTS sound format. This means that if we have content encoded in this format, the device will not be able to properly play back the audio track. This could pose a problem for those using Blu-ray discs or media files that often utilise DTS to provide high-quality surround sound. To achieve complete audio experiences, it may be necessary to use an external player or soundbar that supports this format.

Smart TV System and WebOS

A major plus for LG TVs – even those in the lower or mid-price range – is that the manufacturer does not treat them "shabbily" regarding software. The QNED80A runs on the latest version of the WebOS system, which performed excellently during our tests. The interface operated smoothly, responded quickly to commands, and most importantly – was very intuitive. Much of the credit goes to the famous Magic Remote control, which acts like a computer mouse – we control the cursor on the screen with wrist movements. However, there’s a surprise in store for you. In the 2025 model, the controller underwent quite a drastic transformation. It has been minimised and slimmed down. Modern users are likely to appreciate this change, as the remote fits nicely in the hand and looks more "premium". However, traditionalists may feel disappointed – miniaturisation has come at a cost, including the removal of the classic numerical keypad, which may make quickly selecting channels more difficult.

Classic Functions and Multimedia

When it comes to so-called classic functions, the QNED80A does not attempt to be a revolutionary device. It is simply solid equipment that does what it was designed to do. There are no hidden "gizmos" here, but we also didn’t feel like anything was missing. The traditional Teletext works flawlessly, and the wireless connectivity modules (like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi) are stable and quickly pair with external devices, such as headphones or a soundbar. In this regard, the TV doesn’t throw any obstacles in our way – it functions as we expect, not standing out in any particular way from the competition, but also not giving us any reasons to complain.

Apps

9.3/10

9.1/10

OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
No
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
HBO_MAX
No
Kodi
OK
Apple_music
OK
Eleven_sports
OK
Xbox Game Pass
OK
GeForce Now!
OK
Amazon Luna
OK
Boosteroid
No
Steam Link
OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
No
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
OK
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
HBO_MAX
No
Kodi
OK
Apple_music
No
Eleven_sports
OK
Xbox Game Pass
OK
GeForce Now!
OK
Amazon Luna
OK
Boosteroid
No
Steam Link

Playing files from USB

9.1/10

8.2/10

Supported photo formats:

JPEG
Yes
Yes
HEIC
No
No
PNG
No
Yes
GIF
No
No
WebP
No
No
TIFF
No
No
BMP
Yes
Yes
SVG
No
No

Maximum photo resolution:

4 Mpix
Yes
Yes
6 Mpix
Yes
Yes
8 Mpix
Yes
Yes
10 Mpix
Yes
Yes
12 Mpix
Yes
Yes
16 Mpix
Yes
Yes
20 Mpix
Yes
No
24 Mpix
Yes
No
28 Mpix
Yes
No
32 Mpix
Yes
Yes

The built-in player in the Samsung Q80D television is definitely one of its strong points. It handles almost all video and audio files that we tested exceptionally well. The only exceptions are the Dolby Vision format, which is not surprising, and less common codecs. On the plus side, it supports Polish characters and offers the ability to customise font colours. On the downside, the TV struggles a bit with photo formats, as it only supports JPEG among the popular ones, while lacking support for formats like PNG or Apple HEIC.

How does the QNED80A perform as a home multimedia centre? After connecting an external drive or USB stick, the television effortlessly recognises and plays the vast majority of popular video and audio formats. One can confidently say that in everyday use, you will rarely encounter a file that refuses to play. However, we must point out a certain catch resulting from the software architecture. WebOS is a closed system. What does this mean for you? It means that if the built-in player cannot handle some exotic format, we do not have a "lifebuoy." We cannot just go to the store and download an external application like VLC that "plays everything," as is the case with Android or Google TV. The specific shortcomings we managed to identify mainly concern graphic files. The television does not support the HEIC format, which is a standard in Apple devices (iPhone/iPad). Photos with very high resolution (in the range of 20-28 Mpix) also proved problematic – when trying to open them, the system often faltered. It is worth keeping this in mind if you plan to view holiday photos directly from the drive.

Sound

6.6/10

6/10

  • Maximum volume
    -
    81dB
  • Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby True HD 7.1
    Yes
    No
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
    Yes
    Yes
  • Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
    Yes
    No
  • DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
    No
    No
  • DTS-HD Master Audio
    No
    No

The Samsung Q80D television is equipped with a decent audio system with a power of 40W in a 2.2 configuration, providing quite good sound experiences. This system supports all popular Dolby codecs, allowing for the use of advanced audio formats during movie watching or gaming. However, it is worth noting one drawback: the television does not support DTS functionality. Nonetheless, the lack of this feature can be bypassed by connecting an external audio system, which can significantly improve sound quality and provide a more immersive audio experience. Additionally, Samsung offers a wide portfolio of soundbars that can be integrated with the television, as well as the Q-Symphony system, which allows for sound synchronization between the television and soundbar.

When it comes to audio, the LG QNED80A doesn't try to enchant us. It simply performs like... a typical flat-screen TV. The built-in speaker system with a total power of 20W isn't the strongest aspect of this set. If you're expecting a cinematic punch or depth known from pricier models equipped with subwoofers, you'll feel a bit shortchanged. There's simply a lack of bass here, and the sound is quite flat. However, we must give this model credit in one aspect: clarity of transmission. When scenes based on conversations appear on the screen, the QNED80A handles it quite well. Dialogues are clear, separated, and – importantly – undistorted. There’s no crackling effect at higher volumes. It's sufficient for everyday TV, but for films, we definitely recommend purchasing at least a basic soundbar.

Sound Quality Test

No sound test video

Acoustic Measurements

No acoustic data

81dBC (Max)

75dBC