Alright, let’s talk. You and me, two people who live and breathe television. We’re not just looking for a screen; we’re searching for a window. A window into Westeros, a portal to a galaxy far, far away, a time machine to the 1960s ad agencies of Madison Avenue. That’s why this Samsung Qn90d Review isn’t just about specs and numbers. It’s about whether this new flagship Neo QLED can truly honor the art we love. Is this just another incremental upgrade, or is it the new king of the living room? Grab your remote, let’s dive in.
The Heart of the Matter: How Good is the QN90D’s Picture?
The first thing you notice when you fire up the QN90D is the sheer, unapologetic brightness. We’re talking about a level of luminance that makes other TVs look like they’re having a bad day. This is the power of Mini LED technology, which crams thousands of tiny LEDs into the backlight, controlled with a precision that’s getting eerily close to its arch-rival, OLED.
Blazing Brightness and Dazzling HDR
This TV is practically made for High Dynamic Range (HDR) content. I threw the final season of Succession at it, and the sun-drenched scenes in Tuscany were breathtaking. The specular highlights—the glint of light off a wine glass, the shimmer on the water—pop with an intensity that feels incredibly real. It’s the kind of detail that directors and cinematographers fight for. Where a lesser TV might “clip” these highlights into a flat white, the QN90D renders them with texture and depth.
“The goal of modern display technology isn’t just to show you an image; it’s to replicate the experience of light itself. The QN90D’s command over its luminance is a significant step in that direction,” notes television technology analyst, Dr. Eleanor Vance.
The Black Level Conundrum
Now, for the big question that keeps TV nerds up at night: what about the blacks? OLED has long been the champion here, with its perfect, inky blacks. The QN90D, with its sophisticated local dimming, puts up a hell of a fight. In a moderately lit room, the black bars on a widescreen movie are impressively dark. Watching the shadowy corridors of the Nostromo in Alien, there was a palpable sense of dread that only deep blacks can deliver.
However, in a completely dark room, you can occasionally spot a tiny bit of “blooming”—a faint halo of light around a very bright object on a dark background, like subtitles or a starfield. Is it a dealbreaker? Honestly, for 95% of viewing, absolutely not. It’s a minor trade-off for getting that spectacular, room-illuminating brightness that OLEDs simply can’t match. This makes the QN90D an absolute beast for daytime viewing or in bright living rooms where other TVs would look washed out.
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The NPU Brains: Is AI Upscaling Just a Gimmick?
Samsung is making a lot of noise about its new NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor, and I was skeptical. AI is the buzzword of the year, right? But I have to admit, the upscaling on this thing is seriously impressive.
I tested it with an old DVD-quality episode of The Sopranos. It’s a show that was never meant for 4K. The processor intelligently sharpened character outlines, reduced noise in the grainy, dark scenes at the Bada Bing, and added perceived detail without making it look artificial. It’s like having a master film restorer working in real-time inside your TV. This is a game-changer if you have a library of older content or watch a lot of standard cable or streaming services that don’t always hit that pristine 4K mark.
Built for Battle: A Deep Dive into Gaming on the QN90D
Okay, gamers, pull up a chair. This is where the Samsung QN90D review gets really exciting for you. This TV isn’t just good for gaming; it feels like it was forged in the fires of Mount Doom specifically for it.
- Speed Demon: With support for up to a 144Hz refresh rate, motion is unbelievably smooth. Playing a frantic round of Call of Duty on a compatible PC felt incredibly responsive.
- No More Tearing: Full support for FreeSync Premium Pro means screen tearing is a thing of the past. Your gameplay remains fluid and artifact-free, just as the developers intended.
- Game Bar: Samsung’s on-screen Game Bar is a godsend. You can quickly check your FPS, adjust HDR settings for gaming, and enable features like a virtual aim point without ever leaving the game.
- Low Input Lag: The input lag is exceptionally low, meaning the time between you pressing a button and seeing the action on screen is virtually instantaneous.
Whether you’re exploring the vast world of Elden Ring or engaged in a fast-paced shooter, the QN90D performs like a high-end gaming monitor, but on a massive, glorious scale. The bright, punchy HDR also makes game worlds come alive in a way that’s hard to describe until you’ve seen it.
Sound and Smarts: The Full Living Room Experience
Let’s be real: no TV’s built-in speakers are going to replace a dedicated soundbar or surround sound system. That said, the QN90D’s Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+) is a noticeable step up from standard TV audio. It uses speakers placed around the TV to create a sound that seems to follow the action on screen. A car driving from left to right will sound like it’s actually moving across your living room. It’s a neat trick that adds a layer of immersion.
The Tizen smart TV platform is fast and snappy, with all the major apps you’d expect. My only gripe, and it’s a common one, is the amount of ad-supported content pushed on the home screen. It’s a bit cluttered, but navigation is quick enough that it doesn’t become a major frustration.
Samsung QN90D vs. The Competition: Mini LED’s Big Fight
So, how does the QN90D stack up?
| Feature | Samsung QN90D (Mini LED) | LG G4 (OLED) | Samsung QN90C (2023 Model) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peak Brightness | Exceptional. King of bright rooms. | Very good, but can’t match Mini LED. | Excellent, but QN90D is slightly improved. |
| Black Levels | Excellent, with minor blooming possible. | Perfect. Pixel-level control. | Very similar to QN90D. |
| Gaming | Top-tier. Up to 144Hz, great features. | Top-tier. Instant response time. | Top-tier. Up to 120Hz (or 144Hz on smaller sizes). |
| Use Case | Versatile. Shines in bright/mixed lighting. | Best for dark room, home theater viewing. | A fantastic value if found on sale. |
| Burn-in Risk | None. | Very low, but a theoretical possibility. | None. |
Essentially, the choice between the QN90D and an OLED like the LG G4 comes down to your room. If you have a light-controlled movie cave, the perfect blacks of OLED are intoxicating. But for the vast majority of people with windows and lamps, the QN90D’s incredible brightness, stunning HDR performance, and immunity to burn-in make it the more practical and, in many ways, more versatile choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Samsung QN90D worth the upgrade from the QN90C?
If you already own the QN90C, the QN90D is an incremental, not a revolutionary, upgrade. The biggest improvement is the new AI processor, which does offer noticeably better upscaling. For new buyers, the QN90D is the clear choice, but QN90C owners can probably wait a year.
Does the Samsung QN90D have a burn-in risk?
No. As a Mini LED TV, the QN90D uses an LCD panel with a backlight, a technology that is not susceptible to the permanent image retention, or “burn-in,” that can theoretically affect OLED screens.
What is the best picture mode for watching movies on the QN90D?
For the most accurate picture that reflects the director’s intent, you should use “Filmmaker Mode.” It disables most of the extra processing and motion smoothing to deliver a pure, cinematic image.
Is the anti-glare screen on the QN90D effective?
Yes, it’s one of the best in the business. The anti-reflection filter on the QN90D does an excellent job of diffusing reflections from windows and lights, making it an ideal choice for bright rooms.
Can you connect a PC to the Samsung QN90D for gaming?
Absolutely. With its HDMI 2.1 ports and support for refresh rates up to 144Hz, the QN90D is one of the best TVs you can buy to use as a massive, high-performance PC gaming monitor.
The Final Takeaway
After spending a lot of time with this TV, my final Samsung QN90D review is overwhelmingly positive. It’s a technological powerhouse that manages to serve the art of television beautifully. It’s a brilliant, versatile screen that excels at everything from gritty, dark dramas and blockbuster movies to fast-paced, competitive gaming.
While OLED may still hold the crown for absolute black-level purity in a pitch-black room, the QN90D is the undisputed champion for the real world—the world of living rooms with windows, ambient light, and varied content. It delivers an image so bright, vibrant, and dynamic that it’s impossible not to be impressed. This isn’t just a television; it’s a statement. And it’s a statement that says the future of your favorite shows is looking incredibly bright. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few more episodes to get lost in. What are you watching tonight?