Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K vs Sony A95L

The Samsung QN900D television demonstrates its high capabilities in light production in synthetic tests without any issues – 1400 nits is truly an impressive figure. It also showcased these capabilities in the first scene from the film "Life of Pi," where we see a brilliant burst of the rising sun. However, due to problems with the dimming algorithm, some issues can be noticed here. In the test scenes from "Sicario 2" and the second scene from "Life of Pi," these values are no longer as high and amount to around 500-600 nits. While this may not be the worst result among Mini LED televisions, one could expect more given the price of the television. Nonetheless, the television deserves praise for covering a wide colour gamut of DCP P3 at 96%. Although there are technologies offering higher values, this result is still satisfactory.

Sony A95L offers an incredible HDR effect, achieving an impressive brightness level of 1500 nits in scenes such as those from Life of Pi or Sicario 2. These results are truly remarkable – the bright elements in these films practically come to life on the screen, providing the viewer with immersive visual experiences. The only thing that can be noticed is minor issues with maintaining brightness in a scene from The Meg, where the entire scene is flooded with light. However, this is a natural effect associated with OLED technology. The wide coverage of the BT.2020 colour palette at 89% also deserves high praise, placing A95L Sony among the top televisions in terms of colour reproduction. All this is made possible by the QD-OLED panel from Samsung Displays.

The television QN900D offers a Filmmaker mode that has been created with the intention of watching films in the most natural way possible, however, this mode is not without certain flaws. For HD content, the white balance shows a dominance of red and blue colours, causing the image to take on pink hues. In contrast, for 4K HDR content, the situation is the opposite – the decrease in blue and red levels warms up scenes and shifts colours towards yellow tones. This is confirmed by Color Checker tests, which clearly show that colour samples are veering in this direction.

As for brightness and the associated contrast, the gamma is significantly impaired. The biggest issue is a noticeable jump at the beginning of the graph, which indicates that dark details are excessively brightened, resulting in a loss of depth in the darkest areas of the image – this is due to local dimming. For 4K HDR materials, the EOTF curve looks quite good, however, it remains below the reference level, impacting the overall dynamics of the image.

The best factory mode for colour reproduction in the Sony A95L is IMAX Enhanced. This mode appears to be well calibrated at first glance, but upon closer examination, several areas requiring improvement can be identified. Firstly, the white balance for both SDR content and 4K HDR is affected by an excess of blue and red, leading to a subtle pinkish hue, particularly noticeable on neutral tones. As a result, skin tones are distorted, impacting the realism of the displayed image. This is clearly visible in the comparison image below. Additionally, the Colour Checker test confirms the presence of these errors – colour samples often deviate from their reference values, indicating some inconsistencies in the factory colour reproduction of the A95L Sony. Maximum deltaE error values reach up to 5.8, which is a clear indicator that colours are not always reproduced as precisely as they should be.

Regarding brightness characteristics, gamma for HD/SDR content is generally quite accurate, maintaining an appropriate balance between brightness and contrast. Unfortunately, a significant jump is visible at the end of the graph, leading to a strong brightening of the image when the screen is entirely flooded with white. This can make scenes with a very bright background, such as snowy landscapes or bright daylight, appear too harsh and lose detail. For HDR content, the EOTF curve, which controls luminance, is slightly boosted compared to reference values. This, in turn, causes the image to appear somewhat brighter than it should, which can affect the viewing of more subtle details in the darker parts of the frame.

After calibration, the Filmmaker mode can indeed be called worthy of its name. The white balance for both HD and 4K HDR content has been significantly improved, making colours more natural and consistent. The image has gained in realism, and pink hues in HD content have been effectively eliminated, as has the yellowish glow in 4K HDR content. Thanks to calibration, the television now offers much better colour reproduction, positively affecting the viewing experience.

As for brightness, the situation with gamma is now quite the opposite – at the beginning of the graph, there is a noticeable drop, making the darkest details harder to discern. The EOTF curve for 4K HDR content has remained largely unchanged and is still below the reference level, meaning the television still struggles to maintain proper brightness. This is related to the aggressive dimming algorithm that affects the overall brightness of the image. You can see how the television fights to maintain high brightness or perfect black.

Despite the limitations associated with local dimming, the Samsung QN900D has improved colour reproduction quality, as confirmed by the Color Checker test results – the colour samples are now much closer to the targets, making the image more natural and pleasing to the eye.

Sony A95L offers excellent tools for professional screen calibration, which allows users to unlock the maximum potential of the IMAX Enhanced mode. We utilised these tools to achieve a picture quality that will satisfy even the most demanding viewers. After calibration, the white balance for both 4K HDR and SDR content looks simply superb – almost perfect. The Colour Checker test confirmed that deltaE errors do not exceed the value of "2", which means that colour reproduction is incredibly accurate, and any deviations are practically unnoticeable to the human eye.

Calibration also brought significant improvements in terms of brightness – gamma is now perfectly balanced, eliminating the previous issue of excessive lightening in scenes with very bright backgrounds. As a result, even the most vibrant moments, such as snowy landscapes or intense daytime scenes, appear natural, without any risk of overexposure. The EOTF curve, responsible for controlling luminance in HDR content, has also been improved – it now reaches reference levels, both in synthetic tests and during practical movie watching.

As a result of the calibration, A95L Sony offers outstanding experiences, whether you are watching content from regular television or your favourite films. Every detail is reproduced exactly as the creators intended – without unnecessary brightening, with perfectly rendered colours and appropriate depth. This demonstrates that this television, after professional tuning, is capable of competing with the best screens on the market, delivering a picture that truly delights.

The fluidity of tonal transitions in lower-quality materials is impressive – the Noise Reduction feature effectively smooths tonal transitions while eliminating film grain. Although the removal of grain is not always desirable, the overall final effect looks very aesthetically pleasing, particularly for those who prefer a cleaner image.

When it comes to upscaling, or image scaling, QN900D shows the enormous potential of the new processor with AI technology. Images and materials in lower resolution are upscaled while preserving many details – for example, a photo of a model looks fantastic, free of unnecessary jagged edges, and the branches in the background are not overly jagged.

The tonal transition smoothing feature in Sony A95L works really well and is worth noting. We recommend setting it to "Medium" because at this level, you achieve the perfect compromise – no artifacts appear, and the image looks incredibly natural and pleasing to the eye. As a result, the transitions between different shades are smooth while maintaining the detail of the scenes, which further enhances the viewing comfort.

When it comes to upscaling, you can see the full power of the XR processor here. Sony A95L handled our test material featuring a model exceptionally well – the image is remarkably clear, there are no excessive jagged edges, and details in the background are perfectly preserved. The XR processor effectively improves low resolution, delivering very good results that allow you to enjoy materials in almost high quality, even if their source is not ideal.

Samsung QN900D is currently the fastest television in the world – literally. A refresh rate of 240 Hz in 4K resolution is an incredible value that PC gamers will surely appreciate. As for cinema fans, they will not be disappointed either – Samsung offers a 10-step clarity scale in the picture settings, allowing for image adjustments. We can choose whether the television should provide a smoother, theatrical effect at the highest settings, or a more cinematic experience, with visible frames, at the lowest settings.

Sony A95L is a television that should satisfy both gamers and cinema lovers. When it comes to watching films, this model is equipped with the Motionflow feature, which allows you to precisely adjust whether you want the image to be more "cinematic," like in traditional cinema, or exceptionally smooth, like in cinema-style TVs. The "Smoothness" slider lets you regulate the level of fluidity – from subtle changes to a more noticeable effect, while the "Clarity" slider is responsible for reducing flicker and artifacts, helping to achieve a more natural and clear motion. As for gaming and watching sports, the A95L Sony television offers a refresh rate of 120 Hz, making every dynamic action look incredibly smooth. Gamers will appreciate the lack of blur, while sports fans will see every movement in full clarity. Overall, the television performs excellently – both with fast-paced games and emotionally charged film sequences.

Samsung QN900D is a television that offers excellent compatibility with consoles and a range of features that gamers will appreciate. It has 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, although unfortunately without the full bandwidth of 48 Gb/s. Nevertheless, for the average user, this is more than sufficient. Additionally, the television supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which means a smoother image and no screen tearing during dynamic gameplay. The G-Sync and FreeSync technologies also deserve attention, as they ensure optimal cooperation with consoles and computers equipped with the appropriate graphics cards, minimizing stuttering and providing a smooth image.

One of the unique features available only in Samsung televisions is the Xbox Game Pass app, which allows for game streaming without the need for a console. This is a very convenient solution that lets you enjoy your favourite games without the need to purchase additional hardware. Furthermore, the QN900D has a Game Bar – a special panel that enables quick access to game-related settings, making the configuration of game mode fast and intuitive.

Another interesting feature is a function called Auto Motion Plus Game, which is a special motion smoothing mode that can increase the frame rate (operating at a maximum for a 4K@60Hz signal). Importantly, this does not cause a significant increase in input lag, allowing the player to enjoy both greater image smoothness. All these features make the Samsung QN900D an excellent choice for those looking for a gaming television with the highest possible specifications.

Sony A95L is a television that will truly satisfy gamers, thanks to several key features that set it apart from the competition. To start with, the 120 Hz refresh rate – this is something everyone who loves fast action games, racing, or dynamic shooters will appreciate. As a result, the image is exceptionally smooth, and the gameplay is more satisfying, without annoying stuttering. The A95L Sony also has an ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, which automatically engages low latency mode when we turn on the console. What does this mean? Above all, faster response on the screen, which in games where every second matters is simply invaluable. Additionally, there’s VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), which adjusts the image refresh rate to the number of frames generated by the console. The effect? No tearing of the image, and everything looks smooth and cohesive – even with variable FPS.

It is worth mentioning the support for Dolby Vision with low input lag in games – something we don’t often encounter in televisions, and here we have it onboard. Thanks to this, the image in games that support HDR is incredibly vibrant, with rich colours and excellent contrast. Both the brightest and darkest details are visible, making everything look as the game creators intended. And then there's the "Game Bar" – a small but very practical feature. With it, we have all the most important gaming-related settings at our fingertips, such as VRR or latency information. There’s no need to interrupt gameplay to adjust parameters – everything is right at hand.

However, it should be remembered that the A95L offers only two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 ports, one of which is designated for eARC. This may pose a limitation if we plan to connect multiple devices – for instance, a next-gen console and a soundbar simultaneously. In such a case, the eARC occupying one of those ports can be somewhat problematic, blocking the possibility of connecting a second console.