The QN900D 65” 8K QLED TV is the latest in Samsung’s Neo TV lineup. Featuring the latest NQ8 AIGen3 processor, the QN900D is designed to push the boundaries of what we can expect from upscaling video technology. Packed with the newest colour and picture technology, not to mention a host of quality-of-life features, the QN900D aims to set the gold standard for what to expect from an 8K Smart TV.
Leveraging every square inch of surface real estate, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D features a near-bezel-less “Infinity Air” design. With no visible light indicators or buttons, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D is the definition of design minimalism. The only other visible component when viewed from the front is the TV base which, likewise, takes up as small amount of space as possible while still providing stability for the TV.
The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D is also incredibly thin for a 65” TV. Weighing only 21.6kg without the stand, it is one of the lighter 65” TVs on the market. From a design perspective, Samsung seems to be riding the line between the aforementioned design minimalism and structural stability. The result of managing this design tension is a TV that is incredibly light and thin but does raise concerns about overall stability and durability.
“The QN900D aims to set the gold standard for what to expect from an 8K Smart TV.”
This becomes most prevalent when assembling the TV. After removing it from the packaging and handling the TV unit without the stand, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D flexes quite easily. Even when working with a partner to assemble the unit, there is concern that the panel would break merely from handling it.
This is due to the thin nature of the design coupled with the sheer size of the unit. The result is that the backplane feels flimsy. Unfortunately, even with the base attached, the TV still manages to feel unstable on flat surfaces. Thankfully, it supports wall mounting and thanks to its relatively lightweight, it is easy to mount, creating a much more secure setting for the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D.
As for the rest of the assembly, it is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle initially as the instructions lack any discernible wording to communicate attaching the base, smart center and clips to the TV. This leaves you to lean hard into the old adage “If at first you don’t succeed, watch a youtube video”. Thankfully the assembly only works one way and once assembled feels securely attached.
Once assembled and powered on for the first time, the built-in Tizen OS takes you through a relatively painless setup and welcomes you to your new Samsung TV experience. From here, you’ll be introduced to Samsung’s impressive lineup of built-in features and settings. Everything for AI speakers linked to Cloud Game streaming is handled from within the Tizen OS, which is one of the most sophisticated Smart TV OS systems I’ve worked with.
Every software feature works incredibly well, and if you are already set up in the Samsung Echo system, you will find integrations with many of Samsung’s other software suites, including SmartThings, Samsung Daily, and Q-Symphony. My only critique of the system is that while it’s sophisticated, it is a bit complicated to use. Menus feel a bit overwhelming to navigate, and less technical users will most likely struggle to change even the simplest settings, let alone navigate to apps and features. It’s a bit of a learning curve for those coming from less robust Smart TV operating systems.
While all of these features are excellent (albeit a bit hard to navigate at first) it’s the picture quality that stands out the most with this new line of QLED TVs. Powered by the NQ8 AI Gen3 processor, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D offers some of the best 8K upscaling I’ve seen. Leveraging 512 AI neural networks, the QN900D can upscale almost any source and present it in nearly full 8K resolution and colour depth.
“Powered by the NQ8 AI Gen3 processor, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D offers some of the best 8K upscaling I’ve seen.”
For those new to the concept of 512 neural networks in essence it is the measurement of how many computational processes can be managed by a single instruction. In layman’s terms, it measures how complex or large of a workload a process can handle. In the case of AI learning, 512 neural network processing is the latest and fastest processing capability on the market for consumer use.
In real-world testing, 4K and even 1080p video is scaled up to present at near 8K resolutions on the 65” screen. The result is stunning. Videos appear sharper and more vibrant than their 4K counterpart with the upscaling happening in realtime. When coupled with the aforementioned ultra-thin, minimalist design, the result is an immersive, rich viewing experience for the user.
Upscaling resolution is only one way that the new processor helps improve picture quality. The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D also scales up Standard Dynamic Range content to nearly High Dynamic Range content. Again, the result is a brighter, more vibrant viewing experience across the board. I was quite impressed at how well it handled this upscaling, both the SDR and resolution, with all content looking much better despite the source.
As for HDR support the QN900D comes with adaptive HDR 10+. In testing, it worked quite well and added to the already beautiful content being displayed. Samsung also includes what they refer to as Ultimate 8K Dimming Pro. This was a new feature experience for me and one I’d not tested previously. With 8K Dimming Pro, the AI continuously scans the current content, breaks it into separate zones and adjusts the brightness and darkness levels to help create a more immersive experience.
In theory, it’s a great idea. In most settings with most content, it worked quite well with a few notable exceptions. In scenes that were noticeably darker such as night shots, the Dimming Pro seemed to overcompensate resulting in an overzealous amount of dimming, making it difficult to see what was happening on screen. Thankfully you can adjust the local dimming in the system settings which does seem to help with the resulting image. This is worth noting as the default setting can feel a bit aggressive. While not a major issue it can catch you off guard if it’s your first time experiencing this feature. Despite those few extreme moments, the 8K Dimming Pro worked fairly well.
Things get even more interesting when it comes to gaming. The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and offers some nice quality-of-life features. With reduced screen tearing and stuttering, console gaming looks amazing on the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D. AMD Freesync is an incredible addition to the TV’s feature set and when added to the AI scaling creates some of the best low-latency console gaming I’ve experienced to date.
“The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D supports AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and offers some of the best low-latency console gaming I’ve experienced to date.”
On the note of gaming, Samsung has worked to leverage its AI to help improve the overall gaming experience further with its automatic settings optimization. This system can, on many titles, optimize the settings automatically to allow for the best visual experience possible. In practical testing, the QN900D simply took care of it automatically. It worked without any needed input from me.
Cloud gaming is also supported with the ability to link an Xbox controller directly to the TV. This worked exceptionally well and with a few setup prompts, I was able to easily jump into any of my Xbox Pass Cloud titles instantly. As for performance, other than a couple of slightly slower render times throughout the two-hour test, the whole experience was smooth and performed well.
As for resolution and refresh support for both games and content, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D supports 8K 120Hz refresh with up to 240Hz at 4K. This translates to buttery smooth performance for your favourite consoles and even PC’s. Both the Xbox Series S and my gaming PC looked beautiful on the QN900D in testing.
The audio experience with the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D is interesting. From an audio features perspective, Samsung has held nothing back. With Dolby Atmos, 360 Audio, Adaptive Sound, Q-Syphony and Active Voice amplifying, all natively supported, the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D has an impressive audio features list. The 90W speaker system is likewise one of the better ones I’ve seen on a TV. In testing, while it does sound much better than most TVs on the market, it still manages to sound like a TV speaker. While offering a more rounded and fuller audio profile, the speakers still lack the powerful low-end frequencies that would help fill out the mix.
This is a minor critique, however, as the aforementioned features make the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D sound loads better than other TVs. The combination of Dolby Atmos and 360 audio, for instance, helps create an immersive listening experience, while the active voice amplifier helps isolate and boost dialogue in both content and games. It’s an impressive suite of audio tools that are only slightly hampered by the aforementioned speakers. Overall, though, the audio produced by the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D is far superior to most TVs in its class.
The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN900D 65” TV offers an incredibly beautiful and immersive viewing experience. Some design concerns, such as a convoluted menu system and a zealous dimming system, are a few things to be aware of when considering this TV. However, the Neo QLED 8K’s powerful AI upscaling technology, along with the always top-notch QLED panel, make the QN900D one of the best 8K TVs available on the market.
