Michał Stekla
The first tests of the flagship Samsung QN990F television – a wireless and matte screen in one! The first tests of Samsung's most advanced television for 2025 – the QN990F – have appeared online. This is the direct successor to the QN900D model, which was considered by many to be the benchmark of quality among 8K televisions, although in practice it often performed worse than most high-end 4K models.
In the new flagship, we will find two major innovations:
The Wireless One Connect Box, which allows only one nearly invisible power cable to connect to the screen.
A matte panel, which is a solution that Samsung has started to promote intensively in its top models – from the lifestyle The Frame, through OLEDs, to 8K televisions.
Do the innovations come hand in hand with image quality? What has changed compared to its predecessor and are we still talking about the most "high-end" LCD television on the market? We review the initial data and share our insights!
Another designer déjà vu
The first glance at the Samsung QN990F and... we get the impression that we have seen this somewhere before. And it's no wonder – this year's flagship almost entirely replicates the style of its predecessor. Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not. In an era when manufacturers are approaching changes in design more cautiously, Samsung also opts for proven elegance. The minimalist, bezel-less construction, the screen that almost blends into the frame, and the distinctive, mirrored stand that gives the impression of the television floating above the furniture – all of this creates the impression of a true piece of functional art.
However, the biggest novelty in this “familiar” shape is the completely wireless One Connect module. We only connect the power to the television, and the rest – decoders, consoles, soundbars – is linked to a separate box that can be discreetly hidden anywhere in the room. Sounds like a dream come true for aesthetics? Yes, but with such luxury comes a certain price and some limitations – about which we will talk shortly.
Brighter than ever – but not without compromises
If we had to point out the greatest improvement compared to last year's QN900D model, it would be brightness. According to measurements from Rtings, the new QN990F can, under ideal conditions, exceed the barrier of 2000 nits, making it one of the brightest, if not the brightest TV with 8K resolution. This is a result about 500 nits better than its predecessor, which we tested for you last year.
Unfortunately, as is often the case this year, there have been some compromises. The higher brightness comes with a slight degradation in contrast. It is not a change that is immediately noticeable, but a trained eye will see that the depth of black and light separation have slightly suffered compared to the QN900D.
What is happening with tonal transitions in 2025?
Another noticeable deterioration compared to its predecessor is unfortunately the quality of the tonal transitions. Honestly? We don't know what the manufacturers are doing with this aspect this year. First LG with issues in the G5 and C5 models, and now – unfortunately – also Samsung.
In the case of QN990F, the biggest difficulties arise with transitions from light to dark tones, especially on grey gradients transitioning to white. There is visible characteristic banding, which spoils the impression of natural gradation and can be noticeable in more demanding scenes, e.g. in a bright sky or on skin in strong light.
Gaming monster... but with one "but"
QN990F is a device that can confidently be called a gaming monster. Samsung has equipped it with everything you could expect from a top-tier gaming television – 120 Hz support at 8K resolution (yes, really!), support for cloud gaming via Xbox Cloud Gaming, GameBar, and a proprietary motion smoother. The problem is that the new, wireless One Connect module... complicates things a bit.
Due to the completely wireless image transmission, the signal delay (input lag) has clearly increased. We're not talking about a disaster here, as it’s still acceptable values for an average gamer. But for more dynamic productions or those playing esports titles – it could be noticeable and annoying.
Fortunately, Samsung anticipated this scenario and... included a classic cable in the kit, allowing you to connect One Connect as in older models – via cable. Suddenly, the entire problem with input lag disappears. So if you dream of full power and a gaming edge, you will have to choose: aesthetics or responsiveness?
In our opinion, One Connect was and still is such a clever and aesthetically pleasing solution in its wired version that its new, wireless version is more of a technological gimmick than a real necessity. But perhaps that’s exactly what QN990F is about? It’s a television that aspires to the title of the most luxurious and innovative, so it’s full of features that could be dropped into a drawer labelled "premium gadget". Wireless image, matte panel, gaming in 8K, everything looks and sounds impressive. The only question is, how much of this novelty is the future and how much is simply a display of strength and technological superiority from Samsung.
But hey – the first 8K 120 Hz television is something that will still be recorded in history. Even if it requires a computer from NASA. 😉
Matte screen – Samsung's new standard?
In the case of the QN990F, Samsung has once again opted for a matte anti-reflective coating, which we are already familiar with from models such as The Frame, QN90F, and S95F. This is a total novelty in the 8K segment and a clear signal that the brand strongly believes in the "matting" of its flagship screens. And one can hardly blame them – the coating works brilliantly. Light reflections are minimal, even in a very sunlit room. For many users, this will be a huge advantage – no more seeing the window, lamp, or one's own silhouette in the black of the television.
But as is often the case – something for something. The matte screen also has its compromises. In very bright surroundings, the image may appear less saturated, less "vivid" than on classic, glossy panels. The colours lack the same depth, and the contrast may seem slightly flattened.
Is this a direction that will prove to be correct? Samsung is clearly playing this one card and consistently introducing matte finishes in most of its top models. We will know the answer in a year when the market sums up its choices and the first sales results show whether consumers really want screens free from reflections – even at the cost of a certain loss of "glow".
Similar to last year's QN900D, the QN990F uses a VA matrix, which naturally may raise some concerns, after all, this type of panel has been associated with quite limited viewing angles for years. Fortunately, Samsung continues its tried-and-tested strategy and has also applied an additional layer to enhance image quality when viewed from the side. The effect is very similar to what the QN900D offered - or perhaps even a little better.
Samsung QN990F – A futuristic gadget with class
It's hard not to get the impression that the QN990F is a television of the "everything at once" kind. Excellent brightness, a designer shape, the world's first 8K support at 120 Hz and an entirely new, wireless version of the One Connect box – this television practically screams: "look, I'm modern!". But the question is: do we really need this?
The truth is that 8K is still more of a curiosity than a real necessity. There is practically no content in this resolution, and to play in 8K at 120 frames, you really need a very expensive computer. On top of that – even though the One Connect box works wirelessly – the television itself still needs a power supply. And if we're concerned about low latency in gaming, it's best to... revert to the classic One Connect cable and connect everything as in older models. Well, something for something.
Samsung is the only company still developing the 8K segment and doing so in an accessible way – compared to the competition. But accessible does not mean cheap. The QN990F promises to be classy equipment, but also for a select few. For those who enjoy technological gadgets, value uniqueness, and want to have the "best television in the neighbourhood" – even if its full potential will be a long time coming.
Source: rtings.com, own compilation
