Samsung QN990F vs Xiaomi S Pro 2026

The Samsung QN990F belongs to the bright televisions and this is immediately evident in the tests. In measurements, it achieved around 1300 nits, which in practice allows you to enjoy movies as their creators intended. Bright scenes have the right impact, lights shine, and the feeling is truly cinematic. In standard test patterns, sequences number 1, 3, and 5 performed the best – there the brightness remained around 800-1000 nits, and the image looked very natural. In more challenging segments, it could drop to about 600 nits, but still the level remained sufficient for details to be well visible. However, it should be added that with such highly contrasted shots, the halo effect returns – the same one we mentioned regarding the blacks. Bright elements can leave a glow on dark backgrounds, and this is immediately noticeable. Since we are dealing with a QLED, the color palette is expanded and the colors look impressive. The problem is that with such a flagship model, we expected better numbers. 91% coverage of DCI-P3 and about 67% BT.2020 are results that can be considered solid, but not outstanding. This results in a vibrant and attractive picture; however, competition in this and lower price segments can show even more.

When it comes to HDR quality, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is undoubtedly a really bright TV. On our synthetic measurement charts, we were able to generate a peak brightness of around 1400 nits. This is not only a very good result but even spectacular, considering the price of this model. However, as we always repeat, for our editorial team, measurements and experiences from the content we watch every day—movies and series—are more important. So let's analyze how Xiaomi handles film material. Unfortunately, the result is somewhat mixed. When very bright scenes appear on the screen, the S Pro 2026 truly shows its full potential and can achieve real brightness of 800-1000 nits on bright elements. Moreover, even smaller objects can "burn" the eyes— in scenes from the movie Sicario 2, small metallic elements of the helicopter were really bright. The problem is this—and here the story comes full circle back to our assessment of contrast—that in such scenes, we cannot count on absolutely cinematic black. In our opinion, this compromise is too significant; high visibility of details in bright areas should not come at the expense of such a substantial boost in black levels. And even though the HDR effect itself can be striking here, it is important to remember that when very difficult, mixed scenes appear on the screen, we may feel a slight disappointment. Exactly the one we mentioned in the previous paragraph regarding dimming issues in HDR mode. On a positive note, it is worth adding that the S Pro 2026 is equipped with an additional PFS filter (which works similarly to a QLED layer), effectively broadening the color palette coverage. As a result, measurements showed a DCI-P3 color gamut coverage of up to 94%. This gives us the confidence that in most colorful scenes, the image will look rich and appropriately saturated.

We tested the QN990F in Filmmaker mode, which is the best available right out of the box. Right from the start, we noticed several significant errors. The biggest issue was with white balance. Due to too little blue and also incorrect proportions between red and blue, the image – especially in scenes with a lot of white – appeared too yellow and at times even orange. On the Color Checker palette, these errors didn't look dramatic as they hovered around a value of 4, but in everyday viewing, especially with strong whites, they were most noticeable. We also noticed issues with brightness management – the television had difficulty maintaining details in the smallest parts of the image, mainly due to the way it controls the backlight zones. Fortunately, Samsung offers a lot of room for adjustment when it comes to setting corrections. We know that with proper calibration, you can definitely get a lot more out of this screen.

Of course, we conducted all our measurements in "Film" mode, which is usually the best and most accurate choice you get straight out of the box. And we have to say it bluntly: even though this is the best mode, it is still very far from ideal. First of all, the television has a clear tendency to give the image a cool, bluish tint – this is due to a poorly set white balance. Additionally, there is a problem with how the S Pro 2026 manages its brightness right after being taken out of the box, which results in an overly bright image. These two flaws contribute to really huge colorimetric errors (Delta E). In HDR content, they were able to exceed our expected error scale of "10" (meaning values close to 20). For reference – the threshold of perceivable error by the human eye is a Delta E value of around 3. Results at the level of 20 mean that the image significantly deviates from what the director intended.

After performing calibration, we managed to bring the white balance into order and eliminate the previous deficiencies in blue tones. As a result, the image no longer appeared as if it had a slightly yellowish filter – whites are cleaner, and the overall presentation looks much more natural. We also managed to some extent to tame the brightness characteristic in HDR content. The television now handles maintaining details in blacks significantly better and does not lose them as much as before. However, when we look at the EOTF curve and how the QN990F reproduces brightness in films, it is evident that it still tends to emphasize details in dark scenes more strongly. This is a characteristic feature of Mini-LED technology, and more specifically, how it is managed by the QN990F, which is practically impossible to completely eliminate. Nevertheless, after calibration, the image looks much more natural, primarily due to the correct exposure of white light. The final effect is definitely more pleasant to receive and closer to what we expect from a flagship television.

So how does the S Pro 2026 perform after our calibration treatment? We must admit that after calibration, the television becomes a really pleasant device for watching everyday content. As you can see in the graphs, we managed to bring both white balance and gamma values to nearly perfection in HD (SDR) material. Most importantly, the colorimetric errors have become practically invisible to the human eye. In this scenario, the S Pro 2026 is simply a great television that, after professional calibration, can provide a lot of enjoyment while watching. However, it is worth noting clearly – our efforts helped little in 4K HDR mode. Despite calibration, the television still interprets the image rather strongly "in its own way," which is clearly seen in the measurement of the EOTF curve (luminance tracking). It's a bit of a shame, because this shows that the problem lies not in the panel itself, but in the software. Underdeveloped image management algorithms in HDR content can, unfortunately, disqualify this television for many more discerning users.

The QN990F deserves the highest praise for its upscaling. The processor responsible for "pulling up" classic TV to 8K resolution performs quite well. While watching content in a 576p signal, we had no illusions that we would suddenly see a marketing-style miracle where the image magically transforms into crystal-clear 8K. Nevertheless, the final effect was surprisingly good; the image looked clean and clear. It's just unfortunate that the TV, like most Samsung models, has an overscan issue, which slightly cuts off the edges of the screen on the left side.

Regarding image processing, Samsung provides a feature called "noise reduction," which in theory should improve tonal transitions in older materials, where they are usually more noticeable. Unfortunately, we felt quite disappointed here. The feature works poorly – it struggles with unwanted bands and can even introduce its own artifacts. On the plus side, the TV does not eliminate film grain when using this feature, but in practice, that's little consolation since the noise reduction itself proves to be practically useless.

Let's start with the issue we addressed in the previous paragraph: can a TV even fix the problem of poor tonal transitions in dark scenes? Theoretically, yes – in the menu, we find a feature with the promising name "Color Contour Removal." Well, "theoretically." Unfortunately, in practice, this setting – regardless of which of the three power levels is selected – yielded absolutely no real results. So we have a feature that, in practice, only exists in the menu. Moving on to the quality of upscaling (scaling the image from a lower resolution to 4K), unfortunately, we have more bad news for you. The S Pro 2026 handles this task very poorly. Interestingly, the phenomenon of "overscan" (slight image cropping) is not a big issue here. The problem is that the TV simply displays a very raw, unprocessed image. Its attempt to upscale the signal to a higher resolution looks simply poor and lacks any "smart" enhancement. There is no denying it – the whole digital image processing is the true Achilles' heel of this model.

The QN990F can easily be called one of the fastest televisions in the world. In 4K mode, it can display images at a frequency of up to 240 Hz, which until now has been more associated with gaming monitors than with televisions in the living room. However, in everyday viewing, what matters more is how it handles 8K signals at 120 Hz – and it performs very well here too. Motion remains smooth, and the television manages without a hitch even with the most demanding content. Additionally, there is a motion smoother, called "Picture Clarity." With it, you can adjust the image to your own preferences – leave a slight cinematic stutter or switch to maximum smoothness, which works great, for instance, in sports broadcasts.

On paper, the specification of the S Pro 2026 looks impressive. The television is equipped with a native 144 Hz panel, capable of displaying images up to 288 Hz in a dedicated gaming mode. These are amazing results, but what interested us the most, in the context of everyday use, was how the television handles motion blur and how the image looks at 120 Hz. After all, this is the frequency used today by consoles like PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and it is desired by sports fans. Generally speaking, the panel "holds up." The matrix is fast enough to meet these challenges, and objects displayed at native 120Hz fluidity are shown correctly. As for the software, the television is equipped with a motion smoothing system, but with a key caveat – it only works for input signals up to 60 Hz. This means it is mainly suitable for classic television, movies, and series. Thanks to this, we can adjust the fluidity of the image to our own preferences – from a very smooth, "theatrical" approach to setting the slider to "zero" and maintaining a fully cinematic character.

It must be said directly – the QN990F is one of those TVs that screams it was designed with gamers in mind. Samsung has been developing its gaming solutions for years, but here we have a true package. Sure, the lack of Dolby Vision support in games is a downside that will always come up in discussions. However, apart from that, the list of features is truly impressive. To start, we have Game Bar – a handy menu that allows you to quickly check and change game-related settings. You can see, for example, VRR is turned on, the frame rate, or the aspect ratio settings. It's like a small "dashboard," allowing you not to dig deep into the menu to make adjustments. Speaking of VRR: yes, variable refresh rate is present here and works flawlessly. Additionally, there's ALLM, which automatically switches the TV to game mode as soon as the console is turned on. These may seem like small details, but together they make using the QN990F simply convenient and hassle-free.

However, the number of ports makes the biggest impression. Four wireless HDMI 2.1 ports are already great news because you don't have to choose whether to connect the console, the receiver, or maybe even the PC. There's plenty of room here for everything. And if we add an additional micro HDMI (which we recommend connecting directly to consoles), hidden in the housing, we practically have five inputs in full 2.1 standard. Add to that support for high refresh rates – 120 Hz in 8K or even 240 Hz in 4K – and we get a TV that not only keeps up with the new consoles but also feels ready for consoles that are yet to come.

For gamers, the Xiaomi S Pro 2026 is, on paper, an almost ideal proposition. It is equipped with two HDMI 2.1 ports, allowing us to unlock (although these options are somewhat hidden in the menu) the full suite of features: ALLM, VRR, and, crucially, the ability to work in 4K at 144 Hz. This last feature should particularly please owners of powerful PCs. The TV also has something akin to a gaming panel – and while it’s hard to call it a full-fledged "Game Bar," it does its job by displaying key information. It’s just a shame that in its default form, it covers a relatively large part of the screen.

However, our biggest issue with this model concerns how the S Pro 2026 handles gaming in HDR mode. To put it bluntly: it doesn’t handle it well. Due to the poorly implemented HGiG function (the HDR tone mapping standard for games), during the initial HDR calibration on the console, it’s very easy to "blow out" the image. If someone is unaware of this software flaw and follows the on-screen instructions, they will simply set the image incorrectly, with burnt-out details in bright areas. Another major problem is the Dolby Vision mode for gaming. While it does work, it generates such a high input lag that it becomes noticeable in dynamic titles. (All our latency measurements can be checked in the paragraph below). In summary: generally, it’s a really good screen for gamers, but with one small caveat. We would rather avoid HDR mode on it – unless we decide to manually adjust the brightness bar on the console "by eye," completely ignoring the instructions from the console's pictogram.