SAMSUNG QN80F Review

Available screen sizes: 55”65”75”85”

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This TV was tested by:

Maciej Koper

Paweł Koper

Last updated::

8/5/2025 5:48:46 PM

The Q80 series has been regarded as a solid mid-range option in Samsung's lineup for years, but in 2025 it is undergoing a significant transformation. The QN80F is the first representative of this line to have received the NeoQLED moniker – which automatically raises the question: is this a genuine leap in quality, or just a cosmetic upgrade? Does the "Mini LED" backlighting really improve contrast compared to its predecessors? And can the QN80F confidently compete with the best televisions in its class?

We’ve tested it for you in a full review!

SAMSUNG QN80F - Our verdict

7.2

Overall rating

QN80F is the first in the history of Samsung's "eighty range" to feature Mini LED backlighting. And it does it really well. Although the number of dimming zones isn't staggering, the black levels are solid, and in combination with high brightness, it allows for a very decent picture in HDR content. Additionally, there's a 144 Hz panel that provides excellent motion fluidity, and the gaming features – VRR, ALLM, Game Motion Plus – make the QN80F an option truly designed for those gaming on consoles or PCs. The television operates quickly and responsively, and the Tizen system runs like lightning – whether you’re searching for apps or switching sources. Is there anything to nitpick? Of course, as always – there are shortcomings in the system (like USB recording), DTS support is absent, and Mini LED comes with its own limitations. But the QN80F is a fantastic everyday television – versatile, refined, and... with great price potential. Looking at the history of this series, we can expect that this "eighty" will still shake things up once it hits the first reasonable promotions. And then it could be virtually unbeatable at its price – especially if Samsung fixes the minor teething issues.

Advantages

Great black levels and contrast - VA panel combined with MINI-LED backlighting.
Excellent brightness - up to 1000 nits in HDR
Fast and responsive panel - 144 Hz
Robust support for gamers - 4xHDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM, GameBar, Game Motion Plus
Very good usability in daylight
Advanced Tizen operating system
Easy to use
PiP function

Disadvantages

No DTS format support – a limitation when connecting a home theatre system
No USB recording function
Relatively few dimming zones
Issues with the HGiG function (for gamers) – the update removed this option*

Movies and series in UHD quality

6.9
Classic TV, YouTube

6.8
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

6.8
Gaming on console

8.5
TV as a computer monitor

8.8
Watching in bright light

6.6
Utility functions

7.5
Apps

8.3
Sound quality

6.7

SAMSUNG QN80F - Competing TVs in this price range

7.8

LG OLED B5 55”

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LG OLED G5 55”

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Hisense U7Q PRO 55”

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Hisense U7Q 55”

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7.0

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Samsung The Frame 2025 (LS03F) 55”

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SAMSUNG S90F (WOLED) 55”

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Samsung U8000F (IPS) 55”

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PHILPS PUS9060 55”

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Philips PUS8500 55”

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SAMSUNG QN80F - TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

Build quality: Good

Stand type: Central

Kolor ramki: Graphite

Review SAMSUNG QN80F Appearance of the TV

Regulacja podstawy: stand-Fixed
Montaż na płasko: Yes
Akcesoria: accessories-Stand

Samsung QN80F is a TV that makes a very good impression at first glance. The sleek aluminium frame – or its quite successful imitation – gives the device an elegant and modern character. Although the TV itself isn't as ultra-slim as its cheaper cousin, the QN70F, its flat design allows it to be mounted completely flush with the wall, which many users will certainly appreciate. However, if we don't plan to mount the QN80F, the manufacturer includes feet – (or rather a central stand?) After applying the cover, they create one neat central leg. The whole thing looks tidy, although plastic dominates the back. It's not premium level, but nevertheless, the TV looks fresh and contemporary – especially from the front, where the screen is surrounded by a thin frame and nothing distracts attention.

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SAMSUNG QN80F - Contrast and black detail

Viewing mode Game mode

6.8/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Local dimming function: Yes, number of zones: 88 (8 x 11)

Review SAMSUNG QN80F Contrast and black detail

Result

34,100:1

Result

8,200:1

Result

32,500:1

Result

4,550:1

Result

3,800:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

QN80F is a representative of the Neo QLED series, meaning it is a television with Mini LED backlighting. Unlike its cheaper cousin, the QN70F model, the diodes here are placed directly behind the panel (instead of at the edges), which gives a solid advantage from the start when it comes to contrast control. In the 65-inch variant we tested, we counted 88 dimming zones – a result that may not be very impressive, but as it turned out, sufficient to achieve quite decent results.

In tests based on scenes from films such as Oblivion or The Meg, the QN80F performed well – blacks were deep, and the overall image consistency was eye-catching. However, in more demanding moments (e.g., scenes with a large number of bright details on a dark background), a halo effect appeared. This is where the limitation of the number of zones comes into play – bright elements could bleed around, and some details in dark areas became less visible. In one scene with a helicopter (The Meg), we even noticed slight brightness flickering, as if the television was trying its best to maintain visibility of the details at the expense of black depth.

However, these are not issues exclusive to this model – the halo effect or contrast drops in very complex scenes are something that most Mini LED televisions struggle with, even the more expensive ones. In its class, the QN80F still performs positively and offers noticeably better contrast than the QN70F model with edge lighting. For most users, this will be a level more than sufficient – although not perfect.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

SAMSUNG QN80F - HDR effect quality

Viewing mode Game mode

5.6/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 93.1%, Bt.2020: 72.3%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review SAMSUNG QN80F Brightness measurement

Result

799 nit

Result

533 nit

Result

717 nit

Result

245 nit

Result

656 nit

QN80F is quite a bright screen – in synthetic tests, it reached nearly 1000 nits, which allows for reasonable expectations of HDR content. And indeed, in many scenes, the TV can truly shine. Sequences with a lot of light – like shots from the movie Life of Pi or wide, bright surfaces in The Meg – look impressive. Brightness stays around 700 nits, which provides a solid effect, enough to feel the true "HDR magic." Unfortunately, not every scene looks this good. In content with small, bright details on a dark background, like in Sicario 2, the TV can struggle – it can significantly dim individual elements, sometimes to the point where they disappear from the image. This is a result of the limited number of dimming zones, forcing the device into compromises: either stick to inky blacks or sacrifice some detail. QN80F usually chooses the former. As a consolation, it offers quite decent coverage of a wide color palette – DCI-P3 at 93%. It's not the highest score on the market, but it's more than enough for most content on streaming platforms.

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

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

We conducted all tests on real films in the highest possible image quality. And it must be said straight out – the QN80F performed quite well. Despite some colour deviations and slightly lower colour saturation compared to reference screens, the television depicted even the most challenging scenes quite well, such as dynamic shots from films like Pan or Billy Lynn. There were moments when small elements could be slightly too dim or – conversely – slightly overexposed compared to the reference. But it's hard to expect perfection from equipment that is meant to compete in the mid-range class, rather than with mastering monitors. For this segment, the QN80F shows itself from a very solid side and should not disappoint you in everyday film watching.

HDR luminance chart:

Luminancja HDR

Luminance of RGB colors

Samsung QN80F supports two HDR formats: standard HDR10 and dynamic HDR10+. And while one might grimace at the lack of Dolby Vision – as it is the most recognised standard today – there’s no need to panic. More and more platforms and films support HDR10+, so we’re not doomed to watch everything in a ‘static’ version. Dynamic metadata really makes a difference – the TV adjusts brightness and contrast better for each scene, making challenging moments (e.g. a character in shadow against a bright sky) simply look more sensible. The test scene with horses is a great example – previously washed out, it now has depth and detail. Sure, Dolby Vision still has an advantage in availability, but with the rapid development of HDR10+, it’s hard to speak of a major shortcoming. The end result is very similar, and it simply looks good on the QN80F.

Static HDR10

Dynamic: HDR10+

SAMSUNG QN80F - Smoothness of tonal transitions

9/10

In this regard, the QN80F really delivers. Transitions between colours are smooth, nothing tears, and there are no annoying bands in the sky or strange spots in the shadows. Movie scenes in darker tones performed particularly well – and that's where most televisions start to struggle. If you really focus, you might notice slight banding in the brightest areas, but that's really stretching it. In everyday viewing, no one should have a problem with this. To put it simply: the tonal transitions are so good that you can forget about them – and just enjoy the movie.

Review SAMSUNG QN80F Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

7/10

Smooth transition function

Image without overscan on the SD signal

If you notice strange colour transitions or unwanted artefacts while watching lower quality materials – for example from YouTube – it's worth checking the settings and enabling the noise reduction feature. In our opinion, the best setting is at the 'medium' level – it effectively smooths out problematic colour transitions without overly blurring the entire image. However, it's important to know one thing: this option tends to remove film grain. If someone values preserving that effect (e.g., in older films), it's better to simply turn it off – regardless of the level, the grain always disappears.

Regarding resolution scaling (also known as upscaling), Samsung – as usual – performs very well in this area. The QN80F doesn't quite match the top models costing tens of thousands, but for its price class, it performs impressively. Materials of very poor quality (e.g., from SD television or older video files) are noticeably improved and look surprisingly decent. The only noticeable downside is the typical Samsung issue with overscan – which is a slight cropping of the image edges at very low resolutions, such as 576p.

SAMSUNG QN80F - Blur and motion smoothness

7.5/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 144Hz

Film motion smoothing option: Yes

Blur reduction option: Yes

BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)

BFI function 120Hz: No

Brightness drop with BFI: 69%

Review SAMSUNG QN80F Blur and motion smoothness

QN80F is truly a “fast” TV. The panel used offers a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, which in practice means that the screen keeps up with the action – whether we’re watching a movie, playing games, or browsing dynamic content online. The image doesn’t stutter, isn’t overly blurred, and everything simply looks smooth and pleasing to the eye. Of course, the manufacturer hasn’t forgotten about cinema fans – in the settings, we find an option to adjust motion smoothness, allowing us to tailor the effect to our own preferences. You can leave a more “frame-y” look (for those who enjoy the classic film vibe) or crank up the smoothness to a higher level to achieve a theatrical smoothing effect. Importantly, the choice is ours. Watching movies and playing on the QN80F is just plain fun.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

Image flickers in this mode

When it comes to motion blur, the QN80F performs quite decently. In everyday use, there isn't an excessively large trail following objects, even in faster scenes – like our test classic with the little green man. Of course, if we look at truly challenging segments (dark background + a bright, fast-moving element), the typical limitations of the VA panel start to become visible. However, it's fair to add that the QN80F doesn't perform worse than other LCD televisions in this class. If someone is particularly bothered by motion blur, Samsung offers the "Clear Motion LED" feature – which is classic BFI (black frame insertion). And although it theoretically improves motion clarity, in practice the image flickers quite a bit, and the edges become double. It's unlikely many will use this feature, but it's worth knowing that such an option exists – more as a curiosity than a real improvement.

SAMSUNG QN80F - Console compatibility and gaming features

8.2/10

ALLM: Yes
VRR: Yes
VRR range: 48 - 144Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode: No
Correct implementation of HGIG: No
1080p@120Hz: Yes
1440p@120Hz: Yes
4K@120Hz: Yes
Game bar: Yes

Samsung QN80F is a TV that delivers on almost every front when it comes to gaming. We have a 144 Hz panel, four fully-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports, support for gamers in the form of variable refresh rate (VRR), auto low latency mode (ALLM), and even one of the best-designed game bars on the market. The cherry on top is the motion smoother, which – as the only one in the world – works in games without significantly increasing input lag. Sounds like an almost perfect TV for gamers? And indeed, it’s almost that.

As usual, Samsung does not support Dolby Vision in gaming, but that’s no surprise anymore. However, what is much more surprising is that... the HGIG feature has disappeared – which is a system that allows a console (e.g. PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X) to precisely match HDR tone mapping to the capabilities of the TV. In the latest firmware update for the 2025 models, this option simply vanished. It looks more like a bug than a deliberate move, but it must be honestly noted that as of the writing of this review, the HGIG feature is simply absent.

And it’s this one missing feature that turns the QN80F from an almost perfect gaming TV into a “nearly” perfect device. It’s a pity – because everything else indicated that Samsung could once again set the bar very high in this generation.

SAMSUNG QN80F - Input lag

9.8/10

The QN80F doesn't disappoint when it comes to response time. The input lag for 120 Hz content drops below 10 ms, which can be considered an almost perfect result – it's hard to expect more in this class of televisions. Gaming is smooth, responsive, and without delays that could annoy even the most sensitive players. For 60 Hz material, the lag is higher, around 19 ms, but this is a completely natural phenomenon and still falls within comfortable limits.

SDR	HDR	Dolby Vision
1080p60: 19 ms	2160p60: 17 ms
1080p120: 9 ms	2160p120: 9 ms
2160p60: 19 ms
2160p120: 9 ms

SAMSUNG QN80F - Compatibility with PC

8.8/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Very Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Good

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 9ms

Matrix subpixel arrangement: BGR

Max refresh rate: 144Hz

G-Sync: Yes

Review SAMSUNG QN80F Compatibility with PC

Playing on the QN80F with a computer connected is pure delight. The television works seamlessly with NVIDIA graphics cards (thanks to G-Sync support) and AMD (thanks to FreeSync Premium), and the 144 Hz refresh rate only enhances comfort during fast-paced gaming. Everything works right away, without unnecessary fiddling with settings – just as it should.

When it comes to work, it's very good as well. The readability of fonts is high, and texts look sharp and clear. With very thin horizontal lines, you might notice slight imperfections or shadows, but honestly – you have to take a good look. Unless, like us, you sometimes like to examine the screen with a magnifying glass… then you might spot something 😉.

SAMSUNG QN80F - Viewing angles

3.1/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 81%

QN80F, like most TVs with a VA panel, isn't impressive in terms of viewing angles. Just tilt a bit to the side, and you'll notice a significant drop in brightness and lost colour saturation. The image loses its "depth" and "vividness", and darker scenes may appear slightly washed out. However, this is a typical characteristic of VA panels, which offer significantly better native contrast compared to IPS panels in return. In short: you win some, you lose some. If you're sitting directly in front of the screen – there won't be any issues. But when watching together in a larger group, it's worth keeping this in mind.

SAMSUNG QN80F - TV efficiency during daytime

6.6/10

Matrix coating: Satin

Reflection suppression: Good

Black levels during daytime: Very Good

QN80F is really a bright television. The average brightness in SDR material is around 550 nits, regardless of the scene, which practically means that you can comfortably watch content even in a well-lit room – and there’s no need to close the blinds every time we turn on a film. The new satin coating on the panel also deserves praise, as it handles glare much better compared to last year's QN80D. Reflections are less bothersome, and the screen maintains readability in various lighting conditions. It’s hard to nitpick here – the QN80F performs simply brilliantly during the day.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

SAMSUNG QN80F: 543 cd/m2

SAMSUNG QN80F - TV features

7.5/10

System: Tizen

System performance: Very Good

HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)

Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C

Classic features:

Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
Recording programming: No
Picture in Picture (PiP): Yes
RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
Backlit remote control: No
Teletext: Yes
Audio only mode: Yes
Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes

Smart features:

AirPlay: Yes
Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
Wyszukiwanie głosowe: Yes
Voice search in native language: Yes
Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes

SmartTV QN80F: Tizen

When it comes to smart features, the QN80F has nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary – Tizen is one of the richest operating systems in terms of functionality. We have voice search, AirPlay support, Miracast and all the major streaming platforms at our fingertips. But Samsung's real advantage reveals itself in the smart home – SmartThings. Not only can you sync light bulbs and vacuum robots, but you can also integrate devices from other manufacturers, thanks to support for the Matter standard. And suddenly it turns out that the QN80F can serve as a home command centre. There is just one "but" – Tizen is a closed system, so we might not find a few lesser-known apps. However, in practice, it still has everything that 99% of users need.

Classic TV features:

When it comes to classic features, it’s just as good – well, almost. The QN80F supports Picture-in-Picture, a rare but still useful PiP feature. We'll easily find EPG, the good old teletext (yes, it works!) and the ability to connect external devices via Bluetooth – whether it's headphones or a soundbar. Unfortunately, it lacks the option to record to USB from the built-in tuners. This is a small annoyance, especially since competitors in a similar price range are increasingly offering this feature. It may not be a must-have function, but since everything else works so well, it’s a shame it's missing that finishing touch.

SAMSUNG QN80F - Apps

8.3/10

SAMSUNG QN80F - Playing files from USB

Video Photos Audio

8.4/10

Video Photos Audio

Maximum photo resolution:	Supported photo formats:
4 Mpix	JPEG
6 Mpix	HEIC
8 Mpix	PNG
10 Mpix	GIF
12 Mpix	WebP
16 Mpix	TIFF
20 Mpix	BMP
24 Mpix	SVG
28 Mpix
32 Mpix

The built-in media player in the QN80F handles most popular video formats – from classic MP4 to more demanding containers. It may not be as versatile as VLC, but for home use, it’s more than sufficient. The situation is worse with photos – here, unfortunately, it’s quite limited. Support mainly includes the JPG format, but hey, at least that’s the most important one 👌. During our tests, there was also a minor issue with subtitles. The QN80F only handled the simple text format .txt – unfortunately, other, more advanced formats (like .srt or .sub) were not recognized.

SAMSUNG QN80F - Sound

6.7/10

Subjective sound quality

Supported codecs

(TV speakers)

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

Supported codecs

(external HDMI eARC audio)

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

DTS-HD Master Audio

For a TV of this class, the QN80F sounds surprisingly good. It supports the Dolby Atmos format, which is worth noting as this is still not obvious in many models in this range. Unlike the thinner QN70F, here you can even feel a slight bass – all thanks to the thicker casing, which simply provides more space for the sound to "breathe". It's perfectly adequate for everyday viewing and series, and with the right settings, you could even consider listening to music without the need to connect external equipment. But – as is the case with Samsung, there is unfortunately a lack of support for the DTS:X format, so if we are using audio devices that support this format, we will first need to connect them to the amplifier and only then to the TV.