Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K vs Philips PQS9011 / PQS9001 (The One 2026)

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.

Philips PQS9000 is a moderately bright TV; in our HDR scenes it reached roughly 450 to just over 500 nits. That's enough to notice a difference versus SDR. Sun reflections, lamps, and highlights have a bit more sparkle than on basic TVs, whose brightness often tops out around 300 nits. However, it’s not at a level where bright elements make a particularly strong impression. The biggest limitation remains contrast. Without local dimming, the TV raises the black level around a bright object when it brightens that object. That means there’s no clear separation between strong highlights and a dark background, and that contrast is what really shows off HDR. The PQS9000 offers more than the cheapest models, but despite decent brightness the effect stays fairly basic.

Colors

Philips deserves praise for the colors. Although the manufacturer labels this model QLED, a PFS phosphor is used here instead of quantum dots. That solution does not prevent good results, however. On test patterns and in measurements of film scenes we recorded about 94% DCI-P3 coverage and 75% BT.2020. For this class of TV that’s really good. In practice, it means the vast majority of colors used in HDR movies and series will have proper saturation. Lush greens and intense reds are not a major problem and add appeal to the picture. Limitations are easier to spot in some games and rarer content that uses the most saturated shades of the wide BT.2020 gamut. In those situations, displays with wider color coverage, such as SQD or RGB LED, can show more. In its price segment the PQS9000 has nothing to be ashamed of.

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.

Unfortunately, the PQS9000’s factory picture settings for Film mode need some fine-tuning. In SDR the biggest issue is an excess of red in the white balance, which makes whites, grays, and skin tones too warm, sometimes even slightly pink. On top of that, the gamma runs below the target across most of its range. The TV therefore brightens midtones and highlights, making the overall image look flatter than it should.

In HDR the white balance itself is much better. Aside from minor deviations, the components stay close to each other, so there isn’t the pronounced tint seen in SDR. However, the EOTF curve shows a slight brightening of parts of the image, and the biggest issue appears in measurements of the wide color gamut. Many hues deviate significantly from the reference, with errors reaching 8–9. So the good gamut coverage we praised earlier doesn’t mean the TV hits specific colors accurately. It can display a wide color range, but out of the box it doesn’t use it very precisely.

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.

Calibration brought a big improvement, especially in SDR material. We managed to even out the white balance and remove the previous color cast, and the Color Checker measurements now look really very good. Colors are much closer to what should be on the screen, so with regular TV or SDR movies we can be satisfied with the result. Unfortunately HDR somewhat spoils that outcome. On one hand it's limited by the panel's capabilities, since calibration won't improve contrast or replace local dimming. On the other hand there are color errors we couldn't correct because the CMS settings, that is color management, were grayed out and inactive. For that Philips loses points with us. White balance can be fine-tuned, but without access to wide color gamut controls you can't correct colors in HDR as effectively. It's a shame, because the SDR results show the potential is there, it's just not allowed to be fully used everywhere.

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 digital image processing in the Philips PQS9000 performs well, though we have a few reservations. The "Distortion Reduction" function helps smooth tonal transitions in lower-quality material, but it works quite unevenly. It can improve a section of the picture, only to, moments later and still within the same scene, seem to lose effectiveness and reintroduce banding between shades. A plus is that it doesn't remove film grain or fine noise, so the image retains its texture. We found the "Medium" setting worked best, and that's the one we recommend. The 4K upscaling itself is acceptable, though the picture is very soft. Edges are heavily smoothed, which may make the image feel less crisp to some viewers. In that case, it's worth slightly increasing the sharpness in the TV's menu, as this will make edges stand out more. Don't overdo the sharpness slider, however, or you may introduce artificial halos instead of improving the picture.

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.

In terms of motion handling, the Philips PQS9000 performs outstandingly for an LCD TV. It's not just the 144 Hz refresh rate, but above all how quickly the panel itself responds. At 120 Hz you can hardly see the typical trailing smears behind moving objects. What's especially pleasing is that this also applies to darker backgrounds, where many VA panels clearly struggle. Here motion remains clear, and Philips pleasantly surprised us in that regard. To adjust how motion is displayed there is the "Motion Style" function. It includes two sliders: "Smoothness" and "Blur Reduction," which let you tailor the effect to the content you're watching and your personal preferences. Our suggested settings are shown in the photo. Treat them as a starting point and try different levels of smoothing to see which you prefer.

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.

Gaming features

When it comes to gaming features, the Philips PQS9000 really has a lot to offer. Four HDMI 2.1 ports let you connect multiple devices without having to decide which one gets the full-capability port. Consoles can use 120 Hz in Full HD, 1440p and 4K, and a PC can also take advantage of 144 Hz at 4K or 240 Hz if you drop down to Full HD. There's also VRR, which matches the refresh rate to the frame rate and prevents screen tearing. Its range goes from 48–240 Hz, with the upper limit applying to Full HD mode.

ALLM is included, so the TV automatically switches into game mode, and HGiG works correctly, which is useful when setting up HDR on a console. There's also a Game Bar for quick access to settings and signal information. The list even includes Dolby Vision gaming, but that option is hard to enjoy because of very high latency. Apart from that caveat, the feature set is really solid.