Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K vs Hisense UR8S

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.

UR8S is a slightly higher-end Mini-LED, so you could expect a lot in terms of brightness. And indeed, on a synthetic test pattern the peak brightness reached around 2200 nits. That's a very good result, but as always what matters more is what the TV does in normal film scenes. Here the results are a bit more uneven. In bright scenes with a lot of light on screen, the UR8S can deliver really strong HDR. Brightness then reaches about 1500 nits, so the image is very intense and has a lot of punch. It's worse with small bright elements on a dark background. The TV noticeably dims them to maintain good blacks and avoid excessive blooming. As a result, things like single stars or tiny specular highlights can be only around 200 nits. And here HDR is no longer as impressive. So the local dimming algorithm works effectively, but it comes at a cost, sometimes it simply sacrifices the brightness of small details too much in favor of contrast.

Colors

With RGB Mini-LED TVs, colors should be evaluated a bit differently than usual. If we look solely at the panel's capabilities, the UR8S performs great. We measured about 94% coverage of BT.2020 and practically full DCI-P3. These are among the highest values currently found in LCD TVs, and this is where the potential of RGB backlighting is most apparent. The problem is that this potential isn't always used in real scenes. When we ran the same measurements on patterns with an overlaid film background, the saturation of some colors dropped noticeably. Individual zones can't always control the three RGB components as precisely when the scene becomes more complex. This is most noticeable with blue and magenta. In simple test patterns they can look very strong, but in tougher scenes samples of those colors clearly shrink. So the UR8S has enormous potential, but the TV can't always make full use of it.

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.

For evaluating out-of-the-box colors we used Filmmaker mode, which is supposed to show the image as close as possible to how the material was intended. Looking at white balance alone, the UR8S does quite well. There is no strong color cast that immediately jumps out, although as brightness increases a bit too much blue and red appear while green becomes deficient. Color errors therefore show up in measurements, but the image itself does not look bad.

We have far bigger reservations about how the UR8S manages image brightness. In SDR the gamma stays around 1.9 to 2.0 for most of the range instead of the target 2.4. In practice this simply means the image is too bright, especially in the midtones. Shadows are lifted too much, so the image loses some depth. A similar trend is visible in HDR. The EOTF curve sits above the reference value for a large portion of the range, so the UR8S again brightens the image more than it should. This is not a matter of the TV lacking brightness; it has plenty of it. The issue is how it manages that brightness. As a result, HDR material can look very striking, but not always exactly as it should.

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.

Hisense offers quite a few calibration options, and in SDR you can achieve a really good result with them. After calibration, the white balance is practically uniform across the entire range, and color errors drop to very low values. The UR8S can be adjusted very precisely here. HDR looks a bit different. The white balance itself can also be noticeably improved, although at the highest brightness levels larger deviations start to appear. What's most interesting, however, is the behavior of the EOTF curve. Even after it is properly set on test patterns, the UR8S can still interpret brightness its own way during movie playback. Depending on the scene, parts of the image are slightly brightened while others are darkened compared to how they should look. This shows that the algorithms responsible for backlight control have a fairly large impact on the final image. So calibration can greatly improve colors, but we can't completely "turn off" the way the UR8S manages brightness in HDR.

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.

A major advantage of the UR8S is its MediaTek Pentonic 800 processor, and digital image processing is one of this model’s strengths. The TV handles smoothing tonal transitions very well, especially with lower-quality sources. The feature responsible for this effect works effectively without overly interfering with the picture. Even at the medium setting it can noticeably reduce visible banding and unevenness without heavily blurring details. Upscaling also performs very well. Lower-resolution content is displayed cleanly, edges look natural, and the image isn’t overly sharpened. The UR8S simply copes very well with weaker signals, and in that respect it’s one of its clear strengths.

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 UR8S is equipped with a panel that has a native 180 Hz refresh rate, so it already offers great potential for smooth motion. The panel itself performs really well, though some limitations typical of VA panels are still visible. Smearing is relatively low for this type of screen, but with faster motion (especially on darker backgrounds) it can still be noticed, particularly when compared with the same image on OLED TVs.

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.

In terms of gamer features the UR8S performs really well. The TV supports practically everything you’d expect from a modern console or PC display. It offers ALLM, VRR, and 4K at 120 Hz. It also supports Dolby Vision in game mode, so when using an Xbox Series X you don’t have to give up that HDR format. PC gamers get even more options. The panel can run at 4K/180 Hz, and dropping to Full HD can raise the refresh rate up to 330 Hz. There’s also a Game Bar that lets you quickly view key information and change gaming-related settings. The only clear shortcoming is a proper implementation of HGiG. With it enabled the TV still interferes with HDR brightness mapping, so we don’t get the effect intended by that standard. Aside from that, the UR8S is very well prepared for both consoles and a powerful PC.