Samsung Neo QLED QN95D vs Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K

The Samsung QN95D excels in HDR performance, achieving an impressive peak brightness of approximately 2000 nits. In tested movie scenes with fully lit screens, the television delivers an intense and realistic representation of HDR content, significantly enhancing the viewing experience. However, as with its handling of contrast, the dimming algorithm occasionally reveals limitations.

Despite the large number of Mini LED zones, the television doesn’t consistently provide extraordinary brightness. For instance, in scenes from "Life of Pi," featuring a bright moon against a dark background, and excerpts from "Sicario 2," showcasing intense light effects on dark backdrops, the QN95D underperforms. In such instances, the television mitigates halo effects by dimming the image to a level closer to SDR quality. While this ensures deep and uniform blacks, it comes at the cost of losing some detail in bright areas. This compromise is intended to preserve black quality but can detract from the image’s dynamism.

Despite these occasional shortcomings in the local dimming algorithm, the QN95D deserves commendation for its wide coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. Thanks to the quantum dot coating, also known as QLED technology, the television produces vibrant and richly saturated colours, adding to its appeal for HDR content.

Under synthetic testing conditions, the television showcased its impressive light output, achieving 1400 nits, which is undeniably remarkable. This capability was also evident in the opening scene of Life of Pi, featuring a vibrant sunrise. However, due to certain dimming algorithm issues, some drawbacks are noticeable. For instance, in test scenes from Sicario 2 and the second scene of Life of Pi, the brightness levels dropped to an average of 500-600 nits. While this performance isn't poor by Mini LED standards, expectations were higher given the premium price of the TV. Nonetheless, the set should be commended for covering a wide colour gamut of DCI-P3 at around 96%. Although some technologies offer higher coverage, this is still a commendable result.

The Samsung QN95D was evaluated for factory colour reproduction in Filmmaker mode, which provides the manufacturer’s optimised settings. While this mode delivers good performance, it is not without shortcomings. For HD content, notable colour deviations were observed, particularly in white balance, where a red tint dominated the chart. Improvements were noted with 4K HDR content; however, significant deficiencies in blue colour reproduction persist. This is evident in scenes such as those from Star Wars, where the main character appears in tones that are warmer than intended.

Regarding contrast, the gamma chart reveals an initial steep rise, demonstrating the television’s capability to emphasise brighter image areas effectively. However, the chart also shows a clear dip at the lower end, suggesting a potential loss of detail in darker tones. This gamma curve shape could impact the clarity of dark scenes, where details may appear overly blurred or obscured. Additionally, the brightness curve (EOTF) was mostly accurate, aside from an initial drop.

Despite these minor issues, the QN95D boasts impressive features and cutting-edge technology that solidify its position as one of the top televisions on the market. However, refinements in colour accuracy and contrast are needed to maximise its potential fully.

The television includes a Filmmaker mode, intended to present films in the most authentic way possible, but it does come with some issues. For HD content, the white balance shows a dominance of red and blue, giving the image a pinkish hue. Conversely, for 4K HDR content, the levels of blue and red drop, resulting in a warming effect that shifts colours towards yellow tones. Colour Checker tests confirm this tendency, with colour samples visibly drifting in this direction.

In terms of brightness and contrast, the gamma is notably disrupted. The main issue is a marked spike at the start of the graph, indicating that dark details are excessively brightened, which reduces depth in the darkest parts of the image due to zone dimming. For 4K HDR content, the EOTF curve performs reasonably well but falls below the reference level, affecting the overall image dynamics.

After calibration, the Samsung QN95D delivers truly impressive results. The white balance is perfectly aligned, with error readings rarely exceeding 2, indicating faithful colour reproduction. Most samples from the Colour Checker test fall well within an acceptable error range, confirming the television's excellent performance in accurately displaying colours. Contrast has also improved significantly, and the gamma curve has become more stable, ensuring better visibility of details in both dark and bright scenes.

However, the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) curve still shows a slight divergence in film tests. While the television performs well in most scenarios, some details in black may still be lost in extreme cases due to the aggressive dimming algorithm.

Despite these minor imperfections, the overall image quality remains outstanding. After calibration, the Samsung QN95D impresses with its visual performance, offering an exceptional experience that will satisfy anyone seeking a top-tier television.

After calibration, the Filmmaker mode truly lives up to its name. The white balance for both HD and 4K HDR content has been significantly improved, resulting in more natural and consistent colours. The pink hues in HD content and the yellow tint in 4K HDR have been effectively eliminated, enhancing the realism of the image. As a result, the television now offers much better colour reproduction, positively impacting the overall viewing experience.

However, when it comes to brightness, the gamma curve now reveals a noticeable drop at the beginning, making the darkest details more difficult to discern. The EOTF curve for 4K HDR content remains largely unchanged and still falls short of the reference level, meaning the television continues to struggle with maintaining appropriate brightness. This issue is tied to the aggressive dimming algorithm, which affects overall brightness and black levels.

Despite the limitations associated with local dimming, the television has seen an improvement in colour reproduction quality. The Color Checker test results confirm that the colour samples are now much closer to the standards, resulting in a more natural and visually pleasing image.

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

Despite this, the television performs well in terms of image scaling, eliminating larger jagged edges. In a scene where branches are visible, they are not overly artificially sharpened, which allows for a natural look, and the model does not have an artificial outline. Overall, even in more challenging conditions, the footage is presented satisfactorily on the Samsung QN95D. The only downside when watching HD/SD content (such as regular terrestrial television) is the fact that the image is slightly cropped - this is caused by the so-called overscan, which cannot be turned off.

The smoothness of tonal transitions in lower-quality materials looks great – the Noise Reduction function effectively smooths tonal transitions while eliminating film grain. Although removing grain is not always desired, the final effect looks very aesthetic, especially for those who prefer a cleaner image.

As for upscaling, the Samsung QN900D demonstrates the enormous capabilities of the new AI technology processor. Photos and materials in lower resolution are upscaled while retaining many details – for example, a photo with a model looks great, devoid of unnecessary jagged edges, and the branches in the background are not overly aliased.

The Samsung QN95D panel excels in motion blur and fluidity, offering a 120 Hz refresh rate along with features designed to reduce blur and judder. This allows users to adjust the picture settings to their liking, whether for movie watching or dynamic sports broadcasts. The television provides a 10-point scale for adjusting image smoothness, ranging from a frame-like appearance reminiscent of traditional film to a smoother, more cinematic effect, which is especially beneficial for sports broadcasts. This level of customization enhances the viewing experience across various types of content.

The Samsung QN900D is currently the fastest television in the world – quite literally. With an impressive refresh rate of 240 Hz at 4K resolution, it offers a remarkable performance that PC gamers will undoubtedly appreciate. Movie enthusiasts will also find much to admire, as Samsung provides a 10-level scale in the picture clarity settings, allowing for extensive image customisation. Users can choose whether they want the television to deliver a smoother, more fluid effect at the highest settings, or a more cinematic experience with visible frames at the lowest settings.

The Samsung QN95D offers several features that gamers will appreciate. First, the TV supports a variable refresh rate (VRR), which eliminates screen tearing and provides smoother gameplay, especially in dynamic scenes. It also includes an automatic game mode (ALLM) that switches the TV to low latency mode when a connected console or computer is detected, resulting in more responsive controls.

Additionally, the QN95D has a game mode that reduces input lag to an impressively low level, which is vital for games where quick reflexes matter. With a high refresh rate of 120 Hz, the image remains exceptionally smooth, enhancing the experience of fast-paced action games and sports. The TV also supports G-Sync and FreeSync technologies, further improving gameplay and user comfort. An interesting addition is the 'Game Bar' – a special menu that provides easy access to all gaming-related settings, allowing users to quickly adjust the image and other parameters without interrupting gameplay.

While the Samsung QN95D does not support Dolby Vision, which is typical for Samsung models, it does feature HGiG functionality, ensuring that HDR games are displayed with the appropriate image quality in line with the creators' intentions.

The Samsung QN900D is excellent for console gaming, packed with features gamers will truly appreciate. It comes with 4 HDMI 2.1 ports, but they do not support the full 48 Gb/s bandwidth. However, for most users, this bandwidth is more than adequate. The TV also supports Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), which ensures smoother gameplay and eliminates screen tearing during fast-paced action. Features like G-Sync and FreeSync are also supported, enhancing compatibility with both consoles and PCs equipped with compatible graphics cards, helping to reduce stuttering and provide a smooth image.

A standout feature exclusive to Samsung is the Xbox Game Pass app, allowing users to stream games directly to the TV without needing an Xbox console. This is a very convenient option for gamers who want to enjoy their favourite games without purchasing additional hardware. The Samsung QN900D also features a Game Bar, which provides quick access to gaming-related settings, making it easy to configure the TV for optimal performance.

The Auto Motion Plus Game function offers a special motion smoothing mode that increases the frame rate (up to 4K@60Hz). Importantly, this does not raise input lag significantly, so players can enjoy smoother visuals without sacrificing responsiveness. With all these features, the Samsung QN900D is a top-tier choice for gamers seeking a television with the best possible specifications.