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Interestingly the Q90 doesn’t support HDMI 2.1, but can still do everything you’re likely to need. So there’s 4K at up to 120Hz, dynamic metadata (HDR10+), variable refresh rate (VRR), and an auto low latency mode (ALLM). The Q90 doesn’t currently support an enhanced audio return channel (eARC), but that isn’t necessary at the moment and could be added later. As ever with Samsung TVs, the 50QN90A supports neither Dolby Vision HDR nor Dolby Atmos sound. However, you do get HDR10+, Samsung’s home-grown rival for Dolby Vision which, like that rival, adds extra scene by scene image data to the video stream to help compatible TVs achieve punchier images. It remains a shame Dolby Vision is not supported, though, given how much Dolby Vision content there is these days. Especially now the latest Xbox consoles have embraced the format. Max light output HDR (high dynamic range) while displaying a live scene and white square taking up 60% of the screen (measured in Nits) There’s literally only one connection on the rear of the Q90, everything else is in the One Connect box. Here you’ll find four HDMI 2.0b inputs, three USB ports (two 2.0 and one 3.0), twin terrestrial and satellite tuners, a CI slot, an external link for auto calibration, an optical digital input and a LAN port for a wired connection (although there’s also built-in WiFi and Apple AirPlay).
Unlike Samsung’s higher-end Neo QLED models, the QN90A doesn’t come with a One Connect box, a handy accessory that functions as a connection hub for all your cabling. Instead, all the connection ports can be found at the rear of the TV, to the right as you face the screen. These all face sideways and are located 23cm from the edge of the panel. Samsung has equipped the Q95T with an updated version of its 4K chipset, the Quantum Processor 4K. The previous iteration appeared in its 2019 QLED lineup under the same name. The TV’s Tizen-based smart platform gives you access to all the major streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus as well as the usual UK catch-up apps. As for the UI of Tizen, it’s a pretty clean look. Pressing the home button brings up an overlay along the bottom of the screen with your frequently used apps and sources as well as the settings and Ambient Mode. Ambient Mode, more or less, is a lower power mode that helps the TV blend into its surrounding environment while retaining some key information – like the time – up on the screen. It’s been around for a few years now and is still an interior decorator’s dream come true.But while the Samsung loses a couple of battles to all OLEDs, it also does some things that no OLED can do. That punch and vibrancy makes the presentation endlessly exciting and engaging. Play the scene in which K meets Ana Stelline for the first time and the forest memory she’s creating is lush and verdant to a degree that only a QLED can manage. If you happen to add a recent Samsung soundbar to the 50QN90A, the two can join forces to deliver a larger, higher soundstage with even more accurately positioned vocals. The TV’s speakers are well-rounded enough to harmonise with those of the soundbar surprisingly well.
The Samsung QN90A Neo QLED TV is part of the Samsung 2021 TV lineup that also includes the Samsung QN85A, Samsung QN80A, Samsung Q70A and Samsung Q60A 4K QLED TVs as well the Samsung QN700A, Samsung QN800A and Samsung QN900A 8K TVs. It was unveiled at the virtual CES 2021 and became available in the US and UK a short time later. It’s currently unavailable in Australia, where instead you can get the similar QN85A. The Samsung QN90A is one of the most affordable entries in Samsung’s 2021 Neo QLED lineup and the first TV we’ve reviewed to incorporate Mini LED technology.That makes it all the more frustrating that Samsung has limited the reach of its superior 4K flagship, opting not to release in the US, and delaying its arrival in Australia. For anyone buying a new Samsung TV in those regions today, the QN90A is the best 4K option in this year's range, which isn't saying much.
We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.We tested the TV with the PS5's new variable refresh rate (VRR) feature and confirmed that it's working properly. Since the PS5 only supports HDMI Forum VRR, this also confirmed that the TV supports that type of VRR. As usual with Samsung’s QLEDs, there’s not a huge amount to do with the contrast, brightness and colour sliders to get the best out of this TV. Instead, the Contrast Enhancer, Shadow Detail and Local Dimming filters are the battleground. You can go for a more natural look by keeping the first and last of these in the Low or Off positions but it feels a bit like keeping a sports car out of top gear. This TV wants to run with its turbos on.
With all this content there’s a danger of information overload, so Samsung has wisely added a Universal Guide. This new feature is designed to collate all your favorite games, movies, sports, and streaming services into a single user-friendly interface. From the nightly news to a classic movie, the Quantum 4K Processor automatically adjusts the brightness and upscales everything you’re watching to 4K – no matter the original source. Remarkable contrast with HDR 2000 READ NEXT: LG C1 review: The best 4K OLED of the year Samsung QN95A Neo QLED: Price and competition This year Samsung has also added some machine learning to the TV’s audio, with the Intelligent Sound mode adjusting the audio depending on the environment and content. This gives the sound emanating from the TV more width and depth, and optimizes the speaker output to deliver an experience that is better defined and more immersive. Meanwhile, the Q95T’s anti-glare filter suppresses reflections in bright rooms better than any non-Samsung TV on the market today. The filter does occasionally create a rainbow reflection across the screen, though this is dependent on the angle of the external light source, and it only becomes really obvious when the TV is off.That said, Sony, Panasonic and Philips have all upped their game with forward-facing sound solutions that tend to offer better precision and good sound projection. While Samsung hasn’t gone down that route for the QN94A, it does seem to have responded to the challenge. The audio from this TV is a significant improvement on previous seasons. As soon as you turn on Intelligent Sound the audio bursts into life and when watching a football match the commentary remains clear but the crowd is far more enveloping. With a movie the music and effects are clearly defined, while dialogue remains focused on the screen. If you’re playing a game the processing places effects around the front of the room with precision. The Q95T is the top of the line Samsung 4K QLED TV for 2020. In addition to the 55in QE55Q95T model on test here, you can buy the Q95T in 65in, 75in and 85in variants. It has a VA-type LCD LED-lit panel with a 4K/UHD (3,840 x 2,160) resolution and uses quantum dot technology to achieve a higher brightness than standard LCD TVs. Joining the 50QN90A’s terrific contrast is some exceptionally high brightness for a small screen when showing full-screen bright HDR images. Only Sony is capable of getting even brighter than the 50QN90A in the mid-range/small screen market when it comes to the most intense HDR content – but those Sony sets don’t have Mini LED lighting on hand to keep dark scenes free of blooming. While you need to tweak a couple of things to get the best out of it, a well set up 50QN90A proves that Samsung’s Mini LED-driven Neo QLED technology is capable of elevating the brand’s TVs to new OLED-challenging performance heights even at a relatively mainstream size.
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