Samsung Neo QLED QN95D vs TCL C655 Pro

Samsung QN95D handles HDR exceptionally well, achieving a peak brightness of around 2000 nits. In the tested movie scenes, where the screen is fully lit, the television provides intense and realistic representation of HDR content, significantly enhancing the visual experience. Nevertheless, similar to contrast, the dimming algorithm may sometimes show limitations. Despite the considerable number of Mini LED zones, the television does not surprise the user with incredible brightness. For instance, in scenes from the film "Life of Pi," where a bright moon appears against a dark background, and in excerpts from "Sicario 2," where a strong light effect occurs on a dark background, the television displays very poor results. At such moments, the television attempts to reduce the halo effect by darkening the image to a level reminiscent of SDR quality. As a result, blacks appear deep and uniform, but this comes at the cost of losing some detail in bright areas. It is a compromise aimed at maintaining the best possible quality of black, although it simultaneously causes the image to lose a bit of its dynamism. Despite certain flaws in the operation of the local dimming algorithm, this television 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.

In the HDR effect quality category, the television TCL 655 PRO demonstrates decent capabilities, achieving a peak brightness of 550 nits. This allows for enjoyment of the HDR effects, which is particularly evident in scenes such as the first from the film Life of Pi or the last frame from The Meg. Nevertheless, the limited number of dimming zones causes some issues. While in bright scenes the television performs better than its lower model, in more demanding scenes, such as the second and fourth scenes from Sicario 2, it struggles. The dimming algorithm aims to achieve deep blacks, but at the cost of brightness – resulting in a drop in brightness of even half during those moments. In these more challenging scenes with small elements, it is hard to find any praise, and the HDR effect resembles more of an SDR. Regardless, the colour gamut coverage deserves commendation, which, like in the version without the PRO suffix, is at a very good level.

In the category of factory colour reproduction, the television Samsung QN95D was tested in Filmmaker mode, which offers the best settings from the manufacturer. Nevertheless, it is not entirely free from flaws. In the case of HD content, there is a noticeable colour deviation, particularly in white balance, where the red colour clearly dominates the graph. The situation improves with 4K HDR content; however, there are still significant drops in blue colour reproduction. These effects can be observed in a scene from the film "Star Wars," where the protagonist is depicted in overly warm tones.

As for contrast, we can observe an initial large jump on the gamma graph, indicating that the television effectively highlights the brighter parts of the image. However, at the end of the graph, we notice a distinct drop, which may mean that in darker tones, details can be lost. Such a shape of the gamma curve can affect the way users perceive dark scenes, where some details may become too blurred or too dark, causing the image to lose clarity. It is also worth noting the curve responsible for brightness (EOTF), which is quite correct, except for the initial drop.

Although Samsung QN95D boasts impressive parameters and advanced technologies to deserve the title of one of the best televisions on the market, it requires certain adjustments in colour reproduction and contrast to fully utilise its potential.

Each of our television tests is conducted in film mode, which usually offers the best colour reproduction. Nonetheless, even this mode is not free from issues, as we noted in the model TCL 655 PRO.

In the case of HD content, the white balance distinctly shifts towards red, and this effect becomes particularly noticeable in a scene from Star Wars, where the white elements of the scenery take on a pink hue. For 4K HDR material, the situation is better, but there is a noticeable tendency to excessively emphasise the colour blue. As a result, the picture may appear artificially sharp, which proves to be uncomfortable for the eye over a longer period. The brightness characteristics also leave much to be desired. The Gamma graph indicates serious difficulties with excessive brightening, causing the overall presentation to appear washed out. Additionally, the EOTF curve reveals significant problems with reproducing very small elements – they are overly dimmed, as we detailed in the paragraph concerning HDR effects.

After calibration, the picture on the Samsung QN95D television achieves truly impressive results. The white balance is perfectly aligned, and error readings rarely exceed 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 hues excellently. The contrast has also improved significantly, and the gamma curve is more stable, resulting in better visibility of details in both 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, details in the blacks can still be lost in more extreme cases – this is due to an aggressive dimming algorithm.

Nevertheless, these minor imperfections do not detract from the overall picture quality. After calibration, the Samsung QN95D impresses with its visual quality, offering an exceptional experience that will certainly satisfy anyone looking for a top-tier television.

After calibrating the television TCL 655 PRO, a noticeable improvement in white balance is evident, where the tendency for the screen to have an excessive pink hue has been completely eliminated, which was previously visible in the factory mode. The image has taken on more natural tones, especially in white and light elements, positively affecting the overall perception of the picture. Regarding brightness characteristics, the Gamma chart has also improved – the screen is no longer overly bright, which previously made the image appear washed out. However, there are still some issues with the EOTF curve, which are difficult to eliminate due to the design of the television and its limited number of backlight zones. These limitations prevent achieving perfect results in this regard. Nevertheless, despite this minor flaw, the overall effect after calibration is truly outstanding, providing high picture quality and very good colour reproduction.

The Samsung QN95D television handles tonal transitions even in lower quality materials, thanks to the noise reduction feature employed, which functions like a gentle gradation. This feature is extremely effective, smoothing out the image and eliminating unwanted noise while significantly improving the quality of the displayed material. However, as is often the case, too much effectiveness can lead to unintended side effects. In some materials, this feature may also blur elements that should remain sharp, such as film grain.

Despite this, the television performs well in the context of image scaling, eliminating larger jagged edges. In a scene where branches are visible, they are not excessively artificially sharpened, allowing 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 (such as regular terrestrial television) is the fact that we have a slightly cropped image – this is caused by the so-called overscan, which cannot be turned off.

The TCL 655 PRO television performs quite well with tonal transitions in lower quality materials. The "Gradual Smoothing" function at a low setting effectively smooths out tonal transitions, but this comes at the expense of losing some important details, such as the texture of objects. One positive aspect is that it does not negatively affect film grain, which helps maintain the natural appearance of the image.

In the context of digital processing, the television adds artificial sharpness. This may appeal to users who prefer a more vivid image. However, those who like a softer, subtler look may find this a drawback. Additionally, a downside is the cropping of the image due to overscan, which limits the field of view and trims the edges of the frame. This can be problematic in certain scenes - for example, news tickers.

The panel in Samsung QN95 performs very well in terms of motion blur and smoothness of movement. With a refresh rate of 120 Hz and features for reducing blur and judder, the picture settings can be customised to personal preferences, whether for watching films or for dynamic sports broadcasts. The user has the option to adjust the smoothness of the image on a 10-point scale – from a more frame-like appearance reminiscent of traditional film to a smooth, almost theatrical effect, which works particularly well for sports transmissions.

The TCL C655 PRO television is equipped with a 4K panel with a refresh rate of 60 Hz, making it best suited for watching films. Additionally, the "Flicker Reduction" feature allows users to adjust the smoothness of the image, giving them the choice between a smoother motion and a cinematic, frame-by-frame effect. Moreover, the television performs well with lower resolution materials, such as Full HD and 2K, offering a refresh rate of 120 Hz, which will certainly appeal to gamers who can enjoy a smoother picture at the expense of lower resolution.

Samsung QN95D offers quite a few features that gamers will appreciate. First and foremost, the television supports variable refresh rate (VRR), which allows for smoother gameplay, eliminating issues with tearing, especially during dynamic scenes. We also find the auto low latency mode (ALLM) feature, which automatically switches the television to low latency mode when it detects a connected console or computer, ensuring more responsive controls.

Furthermore, the QN95D Samsung has a game 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 picture is exceptionally smooth, significantly enhancing the experience of fast-paced 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 adjustments of picture and parameters to suit user preferences without the need to interrupt gameplay.

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

The TCL C655 PRO television offers an almost perfect set of features for gamers, supporting all the key technologies that significantly enhance the gaming experience. The ALLM feature automatically switches the television to low latency mode, resulting in improved responsiveness and minimal signal delay – particularly important in dynamic titles. VRR synchronises the screen refresh rate with the number of frames generated by the console, eliminating screen tearing and thus guaranteeing smoother gameplay.

Support for Dolby Vision in gaming mode allows for more detailed colour and contrast reproduction in games that support this format, while the Game Bar provides quick access to essential settings such as response time and latency level. Unfortunately, the model does not support 4K resolution at 120 Hz, which may disappoint the most demanding gamers. However, for those willing to forgo 4K, support for Full HD and 2K at 120 Hz delivers exceptionally smooth visuals, presenting an attractive alternative for enthusiasts of higher refresh rates.