The Samsung QN90A is Samsung's top 4K QLED model among Samsung TVs already released in North America for 2021, and marks the debut of Neo QLED featuring a Mini LED backlight. The new model is available in 55", 65", 75" and 85” screen sizes, all of which promise to deliver exceptional picture quality. This premium TV has the performance needed to deliver a thrilling home entertainment experience, whether it’s in the living room, media room, basement den or any other room. Neo QLED performs whether it's located in bright rooms, mixed lighting, or dark spaces.
The QN90A is a top choice for 4K gaming, video streaming, watching movies on ultra-HD Blu-ray, and even used as a giant PC monitor. Indeed, with its many gamer-friendly features, it is arguably the finest 4K gaming TV available. This TV also interfaces with your phone and is designed for ease of use. Thanks to its high performance and excellent design, the QN90A 4K Neo QLED earns an AVS Forum Top Choice 2020 award.
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Samsung's Neo QLED QN90A is a TV that gamers will love
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4K Neo QLED Picture Quality – Hands-On
I recently spent a day checking out the 65" 65QN90A, in a totally darkened room. During the session I was able to check out 4K movies and shows, as well as try the TV with both a Xbox Series X console and a gaming PC equipped with Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics. The RTX 30380 can deliver a true 4K gaming experience with refresh rates that leverage the QN90A’s ability to handle up to 4K/120 Hz video, even with games on their highest graphics settings.
Neo QLED encompasses an array of features that combine to create an extraordinary high-performance TV. In Samsung lingo, the QN90A offers ‘Quantum HDR 32X’ brightness and contrast thanks to ‘Quantum Matrix Technology’. The key enabling technology is the use of Mini LED that allows the FALD (full array local dimming) backlight to isolate areas of high brightness or deep darkness and render them without distracting artifacts like halos or clouding. The result works great and represents a level of maturity for FALD-LCD technology that allows it to maintain deep blacks while delivering an image that’s notable for its vivid, colorful brightness.
This Samsung delivers on the promise of the Ultra Viewing Angle feature, which ensures that viewers see a vibrant and contrasty picture wherever they sit. Even viewed from extreme side angles, the QN90A’s picture maintains a high level of fidelity. Another outstanding feature is the highly effective Anti-Reflection tech Samsung uses, it’s the best around and makes this TV a great choice for brighter spaces, like living rooms, where lamps or windows might otherwise create an on-screen distraction.
Samsung equipped the QN90A with its Neo Quantum Processor 4K chip, which handles many tasks including neural-network upscaling. With this Samsung you get advanced, adjustable picture processing — like noise reduction and detail retrieval — no matter the source. The Neo QLED QN90A produces a richer, more intense picture than you’ve seen from past QLEDs.
Unbeatable Gaming TV
Although the QN90A is excellent for many viewing applications, what it offers gamers — both console and PC — puts it in a league of its own. With 4K/120 Hz input, this TV can keep up with gaming monitors when it comes to delivering smooth, detailed 4K graphics. And for graphics cards that support it, this TV also offers FreeSync Premium Pro variable refresh rate compatibility. During my time with the TV, I checked out gameplay in Doom Eternal on a PC that was able to pump out exceptionally smooth 4K graphics at 120 Hz, and I have to give the credit where it’s due: 120 Hz obliterates any sense of lag, and also offers higher motion resolution that is most visible when you rapidly shift your point of view (i.e. turn your head).
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Pair the QN90A with an Xbox Series X for next-level 4K console gaming
With 60 Hz TVs, you see a bit of judder and things get a bit blurry or smeared. At 120 Hz, the image stays sharp and the movement has a much smoother appearance to it. Playing games on the QN90A is an absolute treat and I can’t think of any better display. I also has an Auto Game Mode function that incorporates ALLM (auto low latency mode).
With PC games, the QN90A also offers a Super Ultra Wide Game View mode that offers the expanded perspective of a 32:9 ratio. This is the same view you get with an ultra-wide gaming monitor, and you can even move the area where the TV shows the picture up and down the screen. In effect, you are getting both a 16:9 ratio 4K monitor and a 32:9 monitor in one device. 32:9 is not cropped, it is a genuinely wider viewpoint that can either offer more immersion (like in a driving game) or else a tactical advantage (you can see your enemy, they can’t see you). And since only half the screen’s pixels are used for Super Ultra Wide Game View (versus 16:9 4K) you’ll get faster frame rates out of your video card. Anyhow, it’s strictly optional but definitely one of the reasons this model Neo QLED is the Top Choice among gaming TVs.
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Game Mode Settings include Ultra Wide View 32:9 aspect ratio
Oh, and I played the Xbox Series X on the QN90A (mainly Forza Horizon 4) and it’s fair to say that it’s a compelling combo, with a level of detail that I have previously only associated with PC gaming, and thanks to the rich, vibrant picture of Neo QLED, it had a depth and realism that added a lot to the sense of being on a track.
Easy Smartphone Pairing
This TV offers super simple smartphone pairing and screen sharing. With zero setup, I pulled out my Galaxy S20 Ultra and within seconds I was sharing the content on the QN90A’s screen. With the quality achievable using today’s smartphone cameras. It’s a revelation to see how great smartphone captured photos and video look on a TV of this quality.
A New Solar Remote
Notable for 2021: The Samsung SolarCell Remote. As the name suggests, this remote is able to charge itself using solar when not in use, either rapidly by the sun or more slowly indoors. It can also be charged with USB. Samsung’s goal here is to reduce battery waste, but there’s also the benefit of the remote always being ready to use. As an additional nod to eco-friendliness., this remote is made from 24% recycled content.
Samsung Universal Guide and TV Plus
This Samsung is able to aggregate content with its Universal Guide feature. Rather than having to go through a bunch of separate apps to find what you are looking for, you can use Universal Guide to discover the content you seek.
While owners will undoubtedly use their QN90A Neo QLED to watch shows on favorite streaming apps, or cable, or OTA broadcasts, or movies, shows and concerts on disc, Samsung also delivers 150+ free channels with its Samsung TV Plus service. Simply put, when you plug in the TV and connect to the Internet, you get a ton of free content right away, built-in, with “no strings attached” says Samsung.
A TV That Focuses on Health
Samsung Health is built into the QN90A. When you add an (optional) webcam, it enables a fitness-oriented feature set that is able to offer interactive feedback by analyzing your form and offering tips when watching fitness-related content. It also communicates with the Samsung Health app. This is not just a TV for couch potatoes!
HDR10+ Adaptive
Get the most out of HDR10+ content with HDR10+ Adaptive. Working in conjunction with Filmmaker Mode, it adjusts the brightness of the picture based on ambient lighting. In the past, HDR only looked “right” when viewed in a darkened room, but with this feature the TV will compensate and viewers benefit from being able to see increased shadow detail and a natural tonality, even if enjoying HDR10+ in a bright space. As for content, Amazon HDR is all delivered on HDR10+, so there’s plenty to watch.
Even when you are not watching HDR10+ content, the QN90A uses a built-in light sensor to dynamically adapt to room lighting. When a dramatic shift in ambience occurs (for example, turning light on or off at night, or the transition from a daytime window-lit living room to evening indoor lighting, this TV adjusts not just the brightness, it also tweaks color balance.
HDMI and eARC
The QN90A is equipped with four HDMI ports, one of which (labeled Game) offers a high-bandwidth connection that supports 4K/120 Hz with 10-bit color and is designated for gaming. While it takes a powerful gaming PC to render graphics at that quality level, this is what makes the QN90A Neo QLED such a tremendous gaming TV.
OTS+ Sound
For 2021, Samsung improved upon its OTS Sound feature that debuted in 2020. OTS+ stands for Object Tracking Sound Plus, and it uses multiple speakers on the TV to render audio effects and dialog matching the position of what you see. OTS+ sound has the clear benefit of placing dialog in the center of the screen, where it belongs. Moreover, OTS+ Sound combines with compatible Samsung soundbars to create the even more enveloping Q Cinema sound by using all the speakers in both devices for maximum immersion.
Conclusion
With Neo QLED, Samsung's QN90A takes 4K QLED up a notch in overall performance. The Mini-LED backlight has a clear, positive impact on FALD performance and also screen uniformity. During my hands-on session, I was unable to spot any of the FALD-LCD flaws that I’ve seen in the past. The screen exhibits consistent illumination from edge to edge. If you seek a premium 4K TV that offer state-of-the-art features and performance, the 2021 Samsung QN90A Neo QLED offers a lot for the money, especially with the 85” version available for $4999.99, which is a TV that offers a compelling alternative to projection-based home theater systems.
Based on viewing real content, and especially how it handled gaming, both with lights on and in a darkened, controlled-light environment, it's apparent the QN90A 4K Neo QLED TV has the fidelity and features needed to make it an AVS Forum Top Choice for 2020.
The QN90A is a top choice for 4K gaming, video streaming, watching movies on ultra-HD Blu-ray, and even used as a giant PC monitor. Indeed, with its many gamer-friendly features, it is arguably the finest 4K gaming TV available. This TV also interfaces with your phone and is designed for ease of use. Thanks to its high performance and excellent design, the QN90A 4K Neo QLED earns an AVS Forum Top Choice 2020 award.
Samsung's Neo QLED QN90A is a TV that gamers will love
We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in this article. Learn more about how this works here.
4K Neo QLED Picture Quality – Hands-On
I recently spent a day checking out the 65" 65QN90A, in a totally darkened room. During the session I was able to check out 4K movies and shows, as well as try the TV with both a Xbox Series X console and a gaming PC equipped with Nvidia RTX 3080 graphics. The RTX 30380 can deliver a true 4K gaming experience with refresh rates that leverage the QN90A’s ability to handle up to 4K/120 Hz video, even with games on their highest graphics settings.
Neo QLED encompasses an array of features that combine to create an extraordinary high-performance TV. In Samsung lingo, the QN90A offers ‘Quantum HDR 32X’ brightness and contrast thanks to ‘Quantum Matrix Technology’. The key enabling technology is the use of Mini LED that allows the FALD (full array local dimming) backlight to isolate areas of high brightness or deep darkness and render them without distracting artifacts like halos or clouding. The result works great and represents a level of maturity for FALD-LCD technology that allows it to maintain deep blacks while delivering an image that’s notable for its vivid, colorful brightness.
This Samsung delivers on the promise of the Ultra Viewing Angle feature, which ensures that viewers see a vibrant and contrasty picture wherever they sit. Even viewed from extreme side angles, the QN90A’s picture maintains a high level of fidelity. Another outstanding feature is the highly effective Anti-Reflection tech Samsung uses, it’s the best around and makes this TV a great choice for brighter spaces, like living rooms, where lamps or windows might otherwise create an on-screen distraction.
Samsung equipped the QN90A with its Neo Quantum Processor 4K chip, which handles many tasks including neural-network upscaling. With this Samsung you get advanced, adjustable picture processing — like noise reduction and detail retrieval — no matter the source. The Neo QLED QN90A produces a richer, more intense picture than you’ve seen from past QLEDs.
Unbeatable Gaming TV
Although the QN90A is excellent for many viewing applications, what it offers gamers — both console and PC — puts it in a league of its own. With 4K/120 Hz input, this TV can keep up with gaming monitors when it comes to delivering smooth, detailed 4K graphics. And for graphics cards that support it, this TV also offers FreeSync Premium Pro variable refresh rate compatibility. During my time with the TV, I checked out gameplay in Doom Eternal on a PC that was able to pump out exceptionally smooth 4K graphics at 120 Hz, and I have to give the credit where it’s due: 120 Hz obliterates any sense of lag, and also offers higher motion resolution that is most visible when you rapidly shift your point of view (i.e. turn your head).
Pair the QN90A with an Xbox Series X for next-level 4K console gaming
With 60 Hz TVs, you see a bit of judder and things get a bit blurry or smeared. At 120 Hz, the image stays sharp and the movement has a much smoother appearance to it. Playing games on the QN90A is an absolute treat and I can’t think of any better display. I also has an Auto Game Mode function that incorporates ALLM (auto low latency mode).
With PC games, the QN90A also offers a Super Ultra Wide Game View mode that offers the expanded perspective of a 32:9 ratio. This is the same view you get with an ultra-wide gaming monitor, and you can even move the area where the TV shows the picture up and down the screen. In effect, you are getting both a 16:9 ratio 4K monitor and a 32:9 monitor in one device. 32:9 is not cropped, it is a genuinely wider viewpoint that can either offer more immersion (like in a driving game) or else a tactical advantage (you can see your enemy, they can’t see you). And since only half the screen’s pixels are used for Super Ultra Wide Game View (versus 16:9 4K) you’ll get faster frame rates out of your video card. Anyhow, it’s strictly optional but definitely one of the reasons this model Neo QLED is the Top Choice among gaming TVs.
Game Mode Settings include Ultra Wide View 32:9 aspect ratio
Oh, and I played the Xbox Series X on the QN90A (mainly Forza Horizon 4) and it’s fair to say that it’s a compelling combo, with a level of detail that I have previously only associated with PC gaming, and thanks to the rich, vibrant picture of Neo QLED, it had a depth and realism that added a lot to the sense of being on a track.
Easy Smartphone Pairing
This TV offers super simple smartphone pairing and screen sharing. With zero setup, I pulled out my Galaxy S20 Ultra and within seconds I was sharing the content on the QN90A’s screen. With the quality achievable using today’s smartphone cameras. It’s a revelation to see how great smartphone captured photos and video look on a TV of this quality.
A New Solar Remote
Notable for 2021: The Samsung SolarCell Remote. As the name suggests, this remote is able to charge itself using solar when not in use, either rapidly by the sun or more slowly indoors. It can also be charged with USB. Samsung’s goal here is to reduce battery waste, but there’s also the benefit of the remote always being ready to use. As an additional nod to eco-friendliness., this remote is made from 24% recycled content.
Samsung Universal Guide and TV Plus
This Samsung is able to aggregate content with its Universal Guide feature. Rather than having to go through a bunch of separate apps to find what you are looking for, you can use Universal Guide to discover the content you seek.
While owners will undoubtedly use their QN90A Neo QLED to watch shows on favorite streaming apps, or cable, or OTA broadcasts, or movies, shows and concerts on disc, Samsung also delivers 150+ free channels with its Samsung TV Plus service. Simply put, when you plug in the TV and connect to the Internet, you get a ton of free content right away, built-in, with “no strings attached” says Samsung.
A TV That Focuses on Health
Samsung Health is built into the QN90A. When you add an (optional) webcam, it enables a fitness-oriented feature set that is able to offer interactive feedback by analyzing your form and offering tips when watching fitness-related content. It also communicates with the Samsung Health app. This is not just a TV for couch potatoes!
HDR10+ Adaptive
Get the most out of HDR10+ content with HDR10+ Adaptive. Working in conjunction with Filmmaker Mode, it adjusts the brightness of the picture based on ambient lighting. In the past, HDR only looked “right” when viewed in a darkened room, but with this feature the TV will compensate and viewers benefit from being able to see increased shadow detail and a natural tonality, even if enjoying HDR10+ in a bright space. As for content, Amazon HDR is all delivered on HDR10+, so there’s plenty to watch.
Even when you are not watching HDR10+ content, the QN90A uses a built-in light sensor to dynamically adapt to room lighting. When a dramatic shift in ambience occurs (for example, turning light on or off at night, or the transition from a daytime window-lit living room to evening indoor lighting, this TV adjusts not just the brightness, it also tweaks color balance.
HDMI and eARC
The QN90A is equipped with four HDMI ports, one of which (labeled Game) offers a high-bandwidth connection that supports 4K/120 Hz with 10-bit color and is designated for gaming. While it takes a powerful gaming PC to render graphics at that quality level, this is what makes the QN90A Neo QLED such a tremendous gaming TV.
OTS+ Sound
For 2021, Samsung improved upon its OTS Sound feature that debuted in 2020. OTS+ stands for Object Tracking Sound Plus, and it uses multiple speakers on the TV to render audio effects and dialog matching the position of what you see. OTS+ sound has the clear benefit of placing dialog in the center of the screen, where it belongs. Moreover, OTS+ Sound combines with compatible Samsung soundbars to create the even more enveloping Q Cinema sound by using all the speakers in both devices for maximum immersion.
Conclusion
With Neo QLED, Samsung's QN90A takes 4K QLED up a notch in overall performance. The Mini-LED backlight has a clear, positive impact on FALD performance and also screen uniformity. During my hands-on session, I was unable to spot any of the FALD-LCD flaws that I’ve seen in the past. The screen exhibits consistent illumination from edge to edge. If you seek a premium 4K TV that offer state-of-the-art features and performance, the 2021 Samsung QN90A Neo QLED offers a lot for the money, especially with the 85” version available for $4999.99, which is a TV that offers a compelling alternative to projection-based home theater systems.
Based on viewing real content, and especially how it handled gaming, both with lights on and in a darkened, controlled-light environment, it's apparent the QN90A 4K Neo QLED TV has the fidelity and features needed to make it an AVS Forum Top Choice for 2020.
