As I carefully unboxed the 75" Samsung QN900D 8K TV and set it up in home, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement mixed with a healthy dose of curiosity. For years, the discussion surrounding 8K TVs has been dominated by a singular question: where's the native 8K content? However, as I powered on the QN900D and began exploring its capabilities, it became clear that perhaps we've been approaching this topic from the wrong angle.
The QN900D, with its state-of-the-art processing and advanced 8K AI Upscaling Pro technology, presents a compelling argument that the true value of an 8K TV lies not just in the availability of native 8K content, but in how it can elevate the viewing experience of any content, regardless of its original resolution. This shift in perspective opens up a world of possibilities, as the QN900D showcases the potential of 8K displays with advanced processing to deliver astonishingly lifelike visuals and unparalleled detail from any source.
The Samsung QN900D is a strong entry in the world of premium 8K televisions. With its sleek, minimalist design, the TV seamlessly blends into any home theater setup, while its advanced Mini-LED panel technology and powerful NQ8 AI Gen3 processor deliver unrivaled picture quality. The 8K resolution, coupled with Samsung's state-of-the-art AI upscaling, ensures that every frame is bursting with detail and clarity, regardless of the source material. The QN900D's Tizen operating system is responsive and feature packed, has a comprehensive app ecosystem and an updated SmartThings integration. Gamers will appreciate the new "AI Auto Game Mode," which optimizes settings based on the genre of the game being played. While the built-in speakers may lack deep bass, the overall audio performance is impressive for such a thin TV. The Samsung QN900D is a testament to the company's commitment to innovation and is, without a doubt, deserving of our Editor's Choice Award.
The Samsung QN900D is a great looking TV. The ultra-thin bezel, which Samsung calls the "Infinity Air Design," creates an immersive viewing experience that draws you into the content. The bezel is so thin that it virtually disappears at normal viewing distances.
The sleek, silver metallic trim adds a touch of sophistication to the TV's overall aesthetic, while the perforations along the edges serve a functional purpose by housing the TV's impressive Object Tracking Sound Pro system. This innovative audio technology allows sound to be projected from multiple points around the screen, creating a more immersive and realistic soundstage that matches the action on the display.
The QN900D's slim profile is made possible by the One Connect box, which houses all the connections and processing components, keeping the display itself remarkably thin. This external box connects to the TV via a single, nearly-invisible cable, ensuring a clean and clutter-free setup. The One Connect box can be placed discreetly out of sight, further enhancing the TV's minimalist appeal.
For those who prefer a wall-mounted installation, the QN900D's slim design allows it to sit flush against the wall, creating a sleek and seamless appearance that complements any room décor. The TV's built-in ambient mode can even display artwork or photos when not in use, transforming the display into a stylish design element in your living space.
Alternatively, the QN900D comes with a striking mirror-finish stand that creates the illusion of the TV floating in mid-air. This innovative stand design not only adds a touch of modern elegance to the TV but also serves a practical purpose by providing a convenient location to store the One Connect box. The stand features a dedicated compartment in the back that neatly houses the One Connect box, keeping cables hidden and maintaining the TV's clean, minimalist look.
It's worth noting that the stand seems to tilt the screen backward ever so slightly. While this may not be noticeable to everyone and does not significantly impact the viewing experience, those who are particularly sensitive to screen alignment may prefer to wall-mount the TV to ensure a perfectly level display.
The NQ8 AI Gen3 processor is the powerhouse behind the QN900D's exceptional picture quality. With double the NPU speed of its predecessor and 512 neural networks analyzing content, the NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor optimizes every frame in real-time.
The processor's AI-powered upscaling transforms lower-resolution content, like 720p or 1080p, to near-4K quality. Watching "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" on DVD showcased the NQ8's ability to enhance details and reduce noise, resulting in stunningly crisp visuals.
Auto HDR Remastering is another game-changing feature, using deep learning to apply HDR effects to SDR content scene-by-scene. Testing this with "Seinfeld" revealed improved vibrancy, contrast, and depth, making the classic sitcom feel more contemporary.
The NQ8 AI Gen3 processor also enables AI Motion Enhancer Pro, which uses advanced algorithms to optimize fast-moving content for crystal-clear action. During a Formula 1 race, the technology expertly handled the high-speed cars, delivering smooth, blur-free motion that kept me engaged in the heart-pounding excitement.
Additionally, the processor's intelligent local dimming and tone mapping ensure optimal brightness, contrast, and detail in every scene. Watching "Interstellar" in 4K HDR, the QN900D delivered exceptional contrast and shadow detail, even in challenging sequences like the tesseract scene.
The QN900D's 8K resolution is undoubtedly impressive, but simply having a high pixel count doesn't guarantee a stunning picture. Fortunately, Samsung has ensured that every aspect of the QN900D's panel technology works in harmony to deliver an unparalleled viewing experience.
Contrast is a key area where the QN900D truly shines. The Quantum Matrix Technology Pro Mini LED backlighting, which appears unchanged from last year, and advanced local dimming controls work together to produce remarkably deep, almost OLED-like blacks at one end of the spectrum, while also delivering incredibly bright, punchy highlights that surpass even the best OLED TVs. This exceptional contrast performance helps to bring out the finest details in 8K content, making the most of the TV's high resolution. Fortunately, blooming was also practically non-existant.
Moreover, the QN900D's ability to control its light output with impressive precision for an LCD TV further enhances the sense of depth and detail, particularly in the intricate elements that make 8K content so captivating. During a screening of "Planet Earth 8K", I was mesmerized by the TV's ability to render the delicate patterns on an alligator's snout and the impressive detail present in the numerous panoramas.
The QN900D's color performance is equally impressive, keeping pace with the screen's brightness and resolution to deliver a truly lifelike image. Samsung's Quantum Dot technology allows the TV to maintain excellent color saturation even at high brightness levels, resulting in an outstanding color volume that brings every scene to life. The TV can reproduce a billion shades of color with remarkable accuracy, ensuring that every hue, from vibrant primaries to subtle skin tones, looks natural and true-to-life.
Watching "The Wizard of Oz" in 8K showcased the QN900D's color prowess, with the film's iconic transition from sepia to technicolor looking more breathtaking than ever. The rich, vibrant hues of the Emerald City and the Yellow Brick Road popped off the screen, while the TV's impressive contrast and local dimming preserved the finest details in both the brightest and darkest areas of the image.
The QN900D's consistent vibrancy, superior brightness, and ground-breaking upscaling system set it apart from its predecessor, the QN900C, and cement its position as one of the most impressive LCD TVs on the market. The extra brightness, in particular, is crucial for making the most of HDR content, allowing the TV to deliver a more impactful and immersive viewing experience.
Just as Tesla revolutionized the automotive industry with its focus on software, Samsung's Tizen operating system is transforming the TV experience. The latest iteration of Tizen on the QN900D is a significant leap forward in terms of responsiveness, customization, and features. The user interface is snappy and intuitive, with personalized profiles that offer tailored content recommendations and a "for you" section that aggregates favorites from all your subscribed services. The TV's far-field microphones enable hands-free voice control using Alexa or Bixby, allowing you to effortlessly search for content, adjust settings, and perform general queries without reaching for the remote.
One underappreciated feature is the QN900D's compatibility with USB webcams, which opens up a world of possibilities for gesture based control, video communication and remote services. By connecting a camera, you can enjoy large-screen video calls with friends and family, attend virtual appointments with doctors or veterinarians, and even use the Samsung Health app to monitor your form during workouts.
The QN900D's SmartThings integration has also received a major upgrade, transforming the TV into a powerful smart home hub. The new Now Plus dashboard provides an at-a-glance view of your connected devices, while the Map View interface offers an interactive 3D layout of your home, allowing you to control devices directly from your TV screen.
The QN900D is a dream come true for gamers, with four HDMI 2.1 ports, each supporting 4K 120Hz, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). These features ensure that the TV can keep up with the latest gaming consoles and high-end gaming PCs, delivering smooth, tear-free gameplay with minimal input lag, which measures at 2.0 ms in game mode.
However, the real game-changer is the QN900D's innovative 'AI Auto Game Mode.' This intelligent feature uses AI processing to detect the genre of the game being played and automatically optimizes the picture and sound settings accordingly. By leveraging AI to read the game title text on the screen and match it to the appropriate genre in its database, the TV can provide the ideal visual and audio experience for each game.
For instance, when playing a fast-paced first-person shooter like "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3," the QN900D will instantly switch to 'FPS' mode, prioritizing low input lag and high responsiveness. On the other hand, when playing a sports game like "FIFA 24," the TV will enter 'Sports' mode, enhancing motion clarity and color vibrancy to make the action on the pitch feel more lifelike. This intelligent adaptation ensures that gamers always have the best possible experience without needing to manually adjust settings for each game.
To further enhance the gaming experience, the QN900D features a dedicated gaming hub that provides access to most major game streaming services, such as Amazon Luna, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Xbox Game Pass. With the TV's built-in Wi-Fi 6E support and Bluetooth connectivity for pairing a controller, gamers can enjoy the best possible cloud gaming experience, provided they have a compatible router.
To put the QN900D through its paces, I curated a diverse selection of content spanning various resolutions and genres. Starting with native 8K footage from YouTube, I was utterly captivated by the TV's ability to render the most minute details with breathtaking clarity. From the intricate patterns on a butterfly's wings to individual blades of grass swaying in the breeze, the QN900D brought these images to life in a way that felt almost hyper-realistic.
Next, I turned to one of my favorite 4K Blu-rays, "Blade Runner 2049." The QN900D's upscaling prowess was on full display as it expertly analyzed and enhanced every frame, producing an image that was nearly indistinguishable from native 8K content. The neon-drenched cityscapes of future Los Angeles were rendered with incredible depth and vibrancy, while the film's darker scenes showcased the TV's impressive contrast and local dimming capabilities.
To further test the QN900D's upscaling chops, I revisited a classic film from my collection, "The Shawshank Redemption," on standard Blu-ray. I was astonished by how well the TV handled the 1080p source material, breathing new life into the film with enhanced detail and clarity. The prison's drab, gray walls exhibited a newfound texture, while facial features and clothing details were remarkably well-defined.
Of course, no evaluation would be complete without putting the QN900D's gaming performance to the test. I connected my PlayStation 5 and loaded up "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart." The TV automatically detected the console and activated 'AI Auto Game Mode,' optimizing the picture and sound settings for the game's genre. The result was nothing short of spectacular - the vibrant, colorful worlds of the game leaped off the screen with incredible vivacity, while the TV's low input lag and VRR support ensured a smooth, responsive gaming experience.
While the QN900D's audio performance was generally impressive for such a thin TV, with the Object Tracking Sound system creating a convincing sense of directionality, I did notice that the built-in speakers lacked deep bass response. Explosions and low-frequency effects felt a bit thin, but this is an understandable compromise given the TV's slim profile. For those seeking a more immersive audio experience, pairing the QN900D with a dedicated soundbar or home theater system would be recommended.
After extensive testing and evaluation, it's clear that the Samsung QN900D 8K TV is a groundbreaking device that pushes the boundaries of home entertainment technology. Rendering moot the current scarcity of native 8K content, the QN900D's advanced AI upscaling Pro ensures that viewers can enjoy the benefits of 8K resolution with their existing content.
The TV's sleek design, intuitive Tizen operating system, and expanding ecosystem of smart features make it a pleasure to use and showcase Samsung's commitment to software innovation. Gamers will be particularly thrilled with the QN900D's exceptional performance, thanks to its complete refresh rate support, miniscule input lag, and support for gaming services and Wi-Fi 6E.
While the QN900D's price may be steep and its built-in speakers may not satisfy hardcore audiophiles, the TV's overall quality and future-proof technology make it a worthwhile investment for those seeking the best possible viewing experience.
In recognition of its outstanding performance and features, we confidently award the Samsung QN900D our Editor's Choice Award. This TV represents the pinnacle of home entertainment technology and sets a new standard for excellence in the industry.
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