Tag Archives: Tizen

Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) Review: The Flagship 4K Experience

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While there are a lot of new launches in the budget and mid-range television segments all the time, the premium space tends to see a handful of big launches every year from major brands such as Samsung, Sony, and LG, to name a few. Specifications and types of screens might be different across the major brands, and I’ve typically found that OLED and quantum dot televisions offer the most impressive performance, with each excelling in its own specific ways. Samsung, in particular, has placed its focus on its top-of-the-line Neo QLED TVs in India.

The Samsung QN90A series of Neo QLED TVs is the current flagship Ultra-HD television line from the company, and I’m reviewing the 55-inch QN90A television here. Priced at 1,75,990 in India, the Samsung 55QN90A offers a combination of sleek design, premium specifications and features, and a promise of flagship-level performance. Is this the best 55-inch Ultra-HD television you can buy right now? Find out in this review.

The Samsung Neo QLED TV 55QN90A runs on the company’s Tizen software for televisions

 

Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) design and specifications

Most large-screen televisions might be slim at the edges, but have a significant bulge at the middle of the back where the majority of the components are housed. The Samsung 55QN90A is considerably different in this regard, with the entire back of the TV just marginally thicker than the edges, which makes for a simple, clean look. You won’t often be looking at the back of the TV in ordinary use, but this profile will make all the difference when it comes to positioning, be it on a wall or even when using its table mount.

The TV has a 55-inch Ultra-HD (3840×2160-pixel) quantum-dot LED-backlit screen, with slim borders all around. The Samsung logo and on-device control panel are near the right corner, rather than at the centre, as is usually the case. This TV weighs nearly 22kg with the stand attached; it’s a heavy unit despite the slim body.

It is possible to have the Samsung Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV wall-mounted, thanks to its standard 200x200mm VESA compatibility. A wall-mount kit isn’t included in the box, and I was unable to install my own wall-mount hooks onto the TV due to a mismatch with bolts; I had to stand-mount this TV for my review instead. You can, of course, have the TV officially installed by Samsung, which will provide the correct wall-mount kit and equipment.

The included stand mount attaches to the centre of the bottom of the TV, with a single curved slab of metal holding the TV in place on the table. This is particularly useful if you don’t have a large table to place the Samsung Neo QLED TV on, and I found the stand to be very secure and stable. The slim profile of the TV means that accessing the ports might be a bit difficult if it’s wall-mounted, but I was able to quickly and easily reach all ports and inputs with the TV on its stand.

The Ultra-HD 55QN90A TV supports HDR10+ high dynamic range content

 

The Samsung Neo QLED TV 55QN90A has plenty of connectivity options, covering most useful requirements. There are four HDMI ports (one supports eARC); two USB ports; a single digital optical audio output; an Ethernet port for wired Internet connectivity; a single composite AV input to be used with a three-to-one adapter; and an antenna socket. There is no headphone jack, but the TV does support Bluetooth 5.2 for audio and Wi-Fi for wireless Internet connectivity.

Other specifications include high dynamic range support up to the HDR10+ format, micro-dimming, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby 5.1 audio, and a 60W 4.2.2-channel speaker setup. There is also auto low-latency mode for gaming, support for AMD Freesync Premium Pro, and a peak refresh rate of 120Hz at 4K. The TV is powered by Samsung’s Neo Quantum Processor 4K, and boasts of what the company calls QuantumHDR 32X / 24X encoding which is said to enhance the quality of HDR10+ content.

Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) remote and features

TV remotes may have gone from large, button-filled blocks to sleek, minimalist slabs, but the basic idea has been generally simple. With the Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED TV 55QN90A, the remote sees a bit of a reimagining. Although the basic functionality is still in place, what makes this remote interesting is the fact that it’s solar powered, with a small solar panel at the back to top up the in-built battery. There is also a USB Type-C port for charging, in case you run out of power on a cloudy day.

The remote was ready to go and powered up as soon as I unpacked it, and I didn’t have to charge it at all during my time with the Samsung 55QN90A TV; there is no way to check the battery level, though. Otherwise, it’s a sleek remote with just a handful of buttons including a d-pad for navigation and playback controls, a volume rocker, a programme rocker, home and back buttons, and hotkeys for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Samsung’s TV Plus streaming service, among others. Pressing down on the rocker mutes the volume, but there is no quick way to access the TV settings. This needs to be done by pressing the home button and navigating to the settings through the interface.

The remote of the 55QN90A TV is solar powered, with a solar panel to charge the built-in battery

 

Other key features include support for Apple AirPlay and casting, Tap View for screen mirroring from supported Samsung smartphones, and support for voice assistants including Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Samsung’s own Bixby. There are also some software-based features such as Multi-View and Ambient Mode, which I’ll explain in a bit more detail in the next section.

Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) software and interface

Samsung uses its Tizen operating system extensively across product categories, and the 55QN90A TV runs the latest version of this software for televisions. It has what can be termed a ‘floating’ software interface. Unlike Android TV which takes over the screen entirely, the interface is a floating bar of sorts, which works as an overlay above whatever source, app, or content is active.

Pressing the home button on the remote is the key to navigating anywhere within the Tizen interface; it pulls up the app drawer and core feature list to start with, and then lets you navigate to important points such as the settings menu, source selection menu, app store, and content rows with curated lists of movies and TV shows.

It’s simple enough to get around, and supports most major apps including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Disney+ Hotstar, and Apple TV. Many popular Indian streaming services also have apps available, such as Zee5, Sony Liv, and Voot.

All apps that I used were able to play Ultra-HD and HDR content natively, and they were well optimised for use with a remote. Also worth mentioning is Samsung TV Plus, a channel-based streaming service made for the company’s TVs, which plays programmed content in ‘channel’ form, including some Indian music, news, and general entertainment channels.

Adjusting settings is a slightly more complicated process than on many TVs, since the Samsung 55QN90A doesn’t give you quick access. You have to navigate through the interface to reach the settings, but once there, there are quick toggles for basic picture, sound and general settings, as well as a more extensive full list that lets you set up the TV to your liking. On the whole, Samsung’s Tizen interface isn’t quite as extensively stocked with apps as Android TV, but offers plenty of variety and ease of use.

Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) performance

The television segment in India has options across price categories, and if you’re looking purely from a specifications point of view, it’s possible to get a good 55-inch Ultra-HD HDR smart TV for under Rs. 40,000. That said, premium televisions such as the Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) do have takers, even despite their high prices. Although undeniably expensive for a 55-inch television at Rs. 1,75,990, the Samsung 55QN90A is among the best high-end televisions you can buy right now, when it comes to performance and the viewing experience.

Although OLED TVs are considered to be the best among the popular screen technologies right now, Samsung has managed to do a lot with its QLED TVs to the point that they’re as good, if not better in some situations, than a good OLED TV from a brand such as LG or Sony. The Samsung 55QN90A offers up a bright and vibrant picture, punchy yet accurate colours, good sharpness, and black levels that are about as good as you can expect from a non-OLED TV.

Black levels on the 55QN90A, while not quite as deep as you’d see on an OLED TV, are excellent nonetheless

 

Although Samsung televisions in India don’t support Dolby Vision yet, Samsung’s hardware and approach to HDR make even HDR10+ content look practically as good as Dolby Vision content on a premium television such as the LG 48CX. I watched varied content across resolutions and formats, including Clarkson’s Farm and The Grand Tour: Lochdown on Amazon Prime Video, Schumacher, The Last Dance, and Our Planet on Netflix, and various video clips on YouTube.

Starting with an episode of Our Planet, the high-quality HDR footage looked absolutely stunning on the Samsung Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV, reproducing all the various colours of nature with a capable level of accuracy and sharpness. The picture was bright, detailed, and entirely unfazed by sunlight from a nearby window; whether in a bright or dark room, the Samsung 55QN90A provided a consistently good picture.

At times, I found the picture too bright and had to change the picture mode to tone things down. However, even at its brightest setting, the Samsung 55QN90A didn’t appear washed-out or flawed. It was simply a matter of my eyes not being comfortable with that level of bright white light, and this TV is easily among the brightest and most capable premium Ultra-HD televisions you can buy right now.

Flowing water and the quick movements of birds and animals in Our Planet were capably handled by the Samsung TV, with barely any hints of artefacts or any other flaws in the picture. Indeed, the lack of Dolby Vision support on this TV didn’t seem to matter at all – the Samsung 55QN90A, with its carefully tuned HDR10+ optimisation, produced as good a picture with high-quality HDR content as I’ve seen on competing options in the premium segment.

Amazon Prime Video has a large collection of HDR10+ content, and I watched an episode of Jack Ryan, various episodes of Clarkson’s Farm, and The Grand Tour: Lochdown to compare performance with content on Netflix. Although not quite as impressive-looking as Our Planet when it came to brightness, these shows captured the essence of HDR, offering a reasonably bright, detailed, and colour-accurate picture. Clarkson’s Farm, in particular, looked attractive and vibrant, despite the otherwise plain looks of this show and its simple, rural English setting.

Even with non-HDR Ultra-HD content, the Samsung TV still performed well

 

Black levels on the Samsung Neo QLED TV 55QN90A are excellent for a QLED TV, thanks to effective micro-dimming and excellent contrast. While it wasn’t quite as impressive as the pixel-specific dimming that an OLED TV can offer, the Samsung Neo QLED TV made for good interplay between bright and dark scenes in the same frame, particularly when watching HDR content.

Standard dynamic range Ultra-HD content looked decent on the Samsung Neo QLED TV 55QN90A, with only the brightness and contrast levels feeling a bit toned down; the picture remained sharp and enjoyable to watch, with good motion handling and reasonably decent colours.

The Last Dance, which is available in Ultra-HD but regularly transitions between low-res footage from the 90s and sharper current footage, was handled well. Motion and detail during the fast-paced basketball game scenes looked good, on the whole. This was the case even with Schumacher, although the interview scenes were in full-HD and thus looked a bit less sharp, but still suitably detailed thanks to good upscaling.

Natively low-resolution content, including various children’s videos on YouTube, looked considerably less impressive, but this has more to do with the TV’s excellent performance with high-resolution viewing. This is often the case with premium big-screen TVs, and definitely applies to the Samsung 55QN90A; this is a TV meant for high-quality Ultra-HD…

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Revisión del monitor inteligente Samsung Ultra-HD M7 de 32 pulgadas (LS32AM700UW): productividad y entretenimiento combinados

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Los televisores y los monitores a menudo se usan indistintamente debido a su hardware similar, pero no es frecuente que se encuentre con un producto que pueda servir tanto para la productividad como para el entretenimiento con la misma competencia. El diseño y las especificaciones básicas de los monitores a menudo se centran en la productividad, con paneles brillantes, nítidos y de alta resolución, pero de tamaño modesto. Sin embargo, el nuevo monitor ‘inteligente’ de Samsung parece ser igualmente cómodo si desea ver Netflix después de terminar su trabajo del día.

Con un precio oficial de Rs. 33,499 en la India, el Samsung Ultra-HD Smart Monitor M7 de 32 pulgadas es promocionado por la compañía como una pantalla ‘hazlo todo’. Como sugiere el nombre, es un monitor de 32 pulgadas enfocado en la productividad para el trabajo, con un panel LED HDR Ultra-HD (3840×2160 píxeles), además de una funcionalidad inteligente que significa que también puede usarlo como televisor. Esto podría ser adecuado para cualquier persona con un espacio muy limitado, que quiera una sola unidad que pueda funcionar cómodamente como monitor y como televisor inteligente. ¿Es este el monitor de 32 pulgadas más versátil que puedes comprar en este momento? Descúbrelo en esta revisión.

El Samsung Smart Monitor M7 tiene una pantalla Ultra-HD de 32 pulgadas con una relación de aspecto de 16:9

Samsung 32 pulgadas Ultra-HD Smart Monitor M7 (LS32AM700UW) diseño y especificaciones

Aunque hay muchos monitores Ultra-HD con un tamaño de pantalla de 32 pulgadas, los televisores de este tamaño con esta resolución son extremadamente raros. Naturalmente, esto se debe a la necesidad de nitidez y precisión con un monitor al que te sentarías mucho más cerca que un televisor. El monitor Samsung M7 de 32 pulgadas está diseñado para usarse principalmente con una computadora, pero sus características y especificaciones lo hacen ideal para servir también como televisor.

El monitor Samsung M7 de 32 pulgadas tiene una pantalla LCD con retroiluminación LED de alineación vertical (VA) Ultra-HD (3840×2160 píxeles), con la relación 16:9 que se ve en prácticamente todos los televisores modernos. La pantalla tiene un nivel de brillo típico de alrededor de 250 nits, una frecuencia de actualización máxima de 60 Hz, un tiempo de respuesta de 8 ms y soporte para contenido de alto rango dinámico hasta el formato HDR10. Estas especificaciones no suelen ser adecuadas para juegos de nivel entusiasta; el monitor se utiliza mejor para la productividad diaria, como una pantalla grande para reemplazar o complementar la más pequeña de su computadora portátil. Por supuesto, la resolución y la compatibilidad con HDR también lo hacen adecuado para el uso ocasional de la televisión.

Cuando se trata de diseño, el monitor Samsung M7 de 32 pulgadas es simple y discreto, manteniendo el foco en la pantalla. Tiene bordes delgados alrededor, un pequeño logotipo de Samsung en la parte inferior, un perfil delgado y solo algunos puertos y entradas en la parte posterior. Para la conectividad, el monitor Samsung M7 cuenta con Wi-Fi 5 y Bluetooth 4.2. Hay dos entradas HDMI 2.0 (una admite ARC); un concentrador USB 2.0 integrado con dos puertos tipo A (y uno más para funciones de servicio); un puerto USB tipo C; y una entrada de alimentación para el cable de alimentación incluido.

La conectividad USB tipo C es particularmente interesante y versátil aquí, ya que permite una potencia de hasta 65 W, datos y una señal de visualización. Puede usar el monitor para alimentar una computadora portátil o un teléfono inteligente usando el puerto, con el cable adecuado. Los puertos USB tipo A se pueden usar para alimentar dispositivos y también para reproducir contenido en el televisor desde un dispositivo de almacenamiento.

Se incluye un control remoto con el monitor Samsung M7, que es necesario para controlar la interfaz inteligente y otras funciones

El paquete de venta incluye un soporte montado en el centro que eleva la pantalla del monitor Samsung M7 unos 10 cm. Aunque el monitor permanece firmemente en su lugar con el soporte, noté que se balanceaba un poco debido a mi ventilador de techo. Esto no fue molesto para mí, pero los movimientos leves constantes pueden ser un problema para muchos. También puede montar el monitor en la pared, si lo prefiere, pero no se incluye un kit de montaje en la pared en la caja.

El monitor inteligente Samsung M7 pesa 6,5 ​​kg con el soporte adjunto. En la caja se incluyen un cable de alimentación de 1,5 m, un cable HDMI y un control remoto. Dado que esto también está destinado a ser utilizado como un televisor, el monitor Samsung M7 tiene parlantes incorporados, aunque la salida no se menciona y la interfaz de usuario no admite directamente los principales formatos de audio.

Características y software del monitor inteligente Samsung Ultra-HD M7 de 32 pulgadas (LS32AM700UW)

Como sugiere el nombre, el Samsung Ultra-HD Smart Monitor M7 de 32 pulgadas es una pantalla “inteligente”, con su propia interfaz de software y acceso a aplicaciones. El monitor funciona con el sistema operativo Tizen de Samsung, que da acceso a una serie de aplicaciones y juegos, incluidos los principales servicios de transmisión como Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, Apple TV y varios otros enfocados en contenido en idioma indio. Cuando no se usa como pantalla para su computadora, el monitor puede funcionar como un televisor inteligente capaz.

Por supuesto, puede simplemente transmitir medios y contenido desde una computadora conectada, pero la conectividad inteligente agrega versatilidad y facilidad de uso; simplemente relájese al final de la jornada laboral y utilícelo con un control remoto, como lo haría con un televisor.

Otras características clave incluyen opciones de conectividad móvil como Apple AirPlay 2, Wireless DeX de Samsung para usar con sus teléfonos inteligentes y tabletas, y aplicaciones de Office 365 cuando se usan con una suscripción activa. Si solo usa aplicaciones de Office, almacenamiento en la nube y un navegador web, ni siquiera necesita conectar una PC al monitor Samsung M7; esto se puede utilizar como una terminal para su trabajo. Dicho esto, tales casos de uso serían limitados y de nicho, ya que probablemente también tenga su computadora a mano.

Los servicios de transmisión más populares tienen aplicaciones disponibles para el monitor Samsung M7, incluidos Netflix y Amazon Prime Video

El monitor tiene soporte para Bixby y Google Assistant. También hay un cambio de fuente automático, que cambia a un dispositivo recién conectado cuando está enchufado. El Asistente de Google funcionó bien en el monitor, con la misma funcionalidad que he visto en la mayoría de los televisores inteligentes.

AirPlay fue particularmente útil para mí en el monitor Samsung M7, ya que pude usarlo tanto para duplicar de forma inalámbrica la pantalla de mi MacBook Air como para ver rápidamente contenido en el monitor M7 mientras usaba mi iPhone 12 mini (Revisión) como controlador. La función funcionó bien para mí, se activó en segundos y sin caídas ni inestabilidad en la conexión.

De manera útil, el monitor Samsung M7 incluye un control remoto con el que puede controlar todos los aspectos del dispositivo. El control remoto tiene un d-pad para navegación, un botón de micrófono para invocar el asistente de voz, botones de navegación y reproducción, controles de volumen y canal, y teclas de acceso rápido para Netflix, Amazon Prime Video y el navegador web. Todas las aplicaciones admiten de forma nativa hasta contenido Ultra-HD HDR10, y la compatibilidad con AirPlay 2 significa que puede conectarse de forma inalámbrica a dispositivos Apple.

Rendimiento del monitor inteligente Samsung Ultra-HD M7 (LS32AM700UW) de 32 pulgadas

La mayoría de los monitores usan HDMI para la conectividad con los dispositivos de origen, y realmente podría usar cualquier monitor como televisor simplemente conectando un dispositivo de transmisión o un decodificador. Sin embargo, gracias a su sistema operativo incorporado y la capacidad de funcionar como un dispositivo independiente con conectividad a Internet independiente, el Samsung M7 es perfecto para usarlo como un televisor de 32 pulgadas después de las horas de trabajo.

Tenía el Samsung M7 instalado en el escritorio de trabajo de mi casa, principalmente para usarlo como monitor de computadora para esta revisión. Se colocó a aproximadamente 1 m de distancia de mí y directamente detrás de mi MacBook Air. Para la conectividad, usé un cable HDMI a Mini DisplayPort la mayor parte del tiempo, pero ocasionalmente también usé AirPlay.

Tenía la pantalla optimizada para usarla como monitor; Obtuve una señal Full-HD (1920×1080 píxeles) en el monitor en ambos casos, debido a las limitaciones de AirPlay 1 y el cable Mini DisplayPort. Para probar las capacidades Ultra-HD del Samsung M7, confié en el contenido de Netflix, Amazon Prime Video y Apple TV+.

De hecho, el Samsung M7 funciona mejor como monitor para su computadora portátil y, a pesar de que estaba limitado a Full-HD, el monitor mejoró significativamente mi productividad diaria. Encontré que la imagen era nítida y clara desde una distancia de visualización de alrededor de 1-1,25 m, lo que me permitió leer claramente el texto contra fondos de todos los colores y también ver las imágenes con claridad.

El monitor Samsung M7 funciona con el sistema operativo Tizen, que también se ve en los televisores inteligentes Samsung

Pude usar todo el espacio de la pantalla de manera óptima para escribir, editar imágenes, navegar por Internet y mirar videos ocasionalmente. Los colores se representaron con precisión, el movimiento fue limpio y sin artefactos, y el tamaño de la pantalla en sí marcó la diferencia para mejorar mi trabajo y productividad.

Al cambiar a la interfaz de usuario inteligente, fue una experiencia única para mí ver los típicos programas de televisión y películas en streaming en una pantalla de 32 pulgadas con resolución Ultra-HD. Aunque el contenido Ultra-HD se disfruta mejor en pantallas más grandes a las distancias típicas de visualización de TV, vi el contenido de transmisión en el monitor M7 a la misma distancia que lo usaba para trabajar mientras estaba sentado en mi escritorio.

Ver episodios de Somebody Feed Phil en Ultra-HD y Parks and Recreation en Full-HD en el monitor Samsung M7 fue una experiencia interesante; ya que estaba mirando desde mucho más cerca de lo que normalmente hubiera colocado un televisor de 32 pulgadas, la pantalla no parecía demasiado pequeña, y tampoco ejercía demasiada tensión en mis ojos. Los colores con contenido de rango dinámico estándar parecían un poco aburridos, pero el contenido HDR se veía mejor a pesar del bajo brillo máximo, y la nitidez del contenido Ultra-HD era prominente y fácil de distinguir.

La calidad del sonido en el Samsung Smart Monitor M7 no es particularmente especial, o incluso algo más que ordinario. Sin embargo, encontré muy útil tener un sistema de parlantes incorporado en el monitor, y era considerablemente más alto que los parlantes de mi computadora portátil. A volúmenes de moderados a altos, el sonido es más que capaz de manejar las funciones regulares de la computadora, aunque es posible que desee usar buenos auriculares si está escuchando música. Para ver la televisión a una distancia de entre 1 y 1,5 m de la pantalla, el sonido era casi adecuado.

Veredicto

Los televisores y los monitores generalmente se consideran categorías de productos separadas, pero el Samsung Smart Monitor M7 es un gran ejemplo de cómo estos pueden fusionarse en uno solo. Aunque está posicionado y funciona mejor como monitor, el Samsung M7 funciona bien como televisor para verlo ocasionalmente. También es un raro ejemplo de una pantalla Ultra-HD de 32 pulgadas que puede transmitir directa y eficientemente desde fuentes como Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar y Apple TV.

Con un precio de Rs. Con un precio de 33,499 en India, el monitor Samsung M7 es un poco caro para lo que se ofrece, y la calidad del sonido es normal en el mejor de los casos para ver televisión. Sin embargo, estos son pequeños inconvenientes en un dispositivo que, por lo demás, es excelente en lo que hace; Si está buscando un monitor enfocado en la productividad y el entretenimiento, o incluso un televisor Ultra-HD de 32 pulgadas, vale la pena considerar el Samsung M7, y podría ser particularmente útil en espacios pequeños donde desea combinar ambas funciones en una sola. dispositivo.

¿Es el Samsung Galaxy S21+ el buque insignia perfecto para la mayoría de los indios? Hablamos de esto en Orbital, el podcast de Gadgets 360. Orbital está disponible en Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify y dondequiera que obtenga sus podcasts.

Los enlaces de afiliados pueden generarse automáticamente; consulte nuestra declaración de ética para obtener más detalles.

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Samsung 55-inch QN95B Neo QLED Ultra-HD Mini LED TV Review: The Futuristic Flagship TV

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Modern flat-panel televisions typically slot into one of three common categories – LED, quantum-dot LED, and OLED, with standard LED TVs being the most affordable and OLED TVs usually being the most expensive. Recently, a few brands including TCL, LG, and Samsung have introduced a fourth category in India – Mini LED. This panel type is a middle ground between the affordability and brightness of LED models, and the colour and contrast levels that OLED panels offer.

The product I’m reviewing today is the current flagship Ultra-HD television from Samsung, the QN95B Neo QLED TV, which combines Samsung’s expertise in quantum-dot technology with the modernity of Mini LED technology. Priced at Rs. 2,14,990 in India, the 55-inch Samsung QN95B Neo QLED Ultra-HD TV is a modern marvel in many ways, including its use of quantum dot technology, Mini LED backlighting, and its uniquely slim design. There is also support for high dynamic range up to the HDR10+ format, and Dolby Atmos audio with a 70W speaker system. Is this the best flagship 55-inch television you can buy right now? Find out in this review.

The Samsung 55QN95B TV runs on the Tizen operating system for televisions, which has a particular focus on the Samsung TV Plus streaming service

 

Samsung 55-inch QN95B Neo QLED TV design and specifications

The Samsung QN95B Neo QLED is one of the company’s flagship Ultra-HD TV ranges in India, and you can choose between two sizes, 55 inches and 65 inches. Samsung sent me the 55-inch variant for review, which is priced at Rs. 2,14,990 in India. This places it firmly in the premium category, going up against flagship options from brands such as LG and Sony, covering various display technologies including quantum-dot LED and OLED.

What sets the Samsung QN95B series apart from much of the competition is the use of Mini LED backlighting, combined with the company’s highly-rated QLED quantum-dot technology. Mini LED technology uses much smaller LEDs for backlighting, allowing for more, smaller local dimming zones, and a promise of reduced backlight bleeding effects. This precision backlighting comes close to what OLED technology offers. It also has the distinct advantage of much higher peak brightness; the Samsung QN95B has a claimed peak brightness of 2,000 nits.

There’s more to the Samsung QN95B television that aims to justify its premium pricing, particularly how this TV looks. The main body of the TV is completely flat, with a uniform thickness that allows it to maintain a low profile when wall mounted, with barely any gap between the screen and the wall on all sides. The back of the TV has just two ports, for the One Connect cable (more on that in a bit), and one USB Type-C port for a webcam (which is an optional purchase, priced at Rs. 8,900). All eight drivers of the 4.2.2-channel speaker system are also at the back.

You can also table-mount the Samsung QN95B television, using the centre-positioned stand included in the box. The stand is very heavy at around 8kg, and feels solidly built to be able to safely hold up the screen. I had the Samsung QN95B TV wall-mounted for my review, using my own VESA kit. Samsung states that the TV weighs around 16.1kg without its stand, which is quite heavy for a 55-inch television, especially this one given its slim proportions.

The screen unit is, quite literally, just the screen of the Samsung 55-inch QN95B television; the ‘brains’ of the TV is the One Connect box that comes with it. This box connects to the screen, sending both power and audio-visual signals to the screen and its 4.2.2-channel speaker system. The single cable that connects the two is transparent and thin for easy concealment, and is about 1m long. This allows for easy access to the ports and sockets, and is the reason for the screen unit being so slim.

The One Connect box connects to your mains power supply and has four HDMI 2.1 ports (one supports HDMI eARC), three USB Type-A ports, an RF In cable socket, an Ethernet port, and a digital optical audio output (Toslink). The box also handles wireless connectivity over dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.2, and interfaces with the remote. This flat box can be positioned anywhere near the TV, although it is a bit large and will need some space on a flat surface such as a TV furniture unit.

The design of the Samsung QN95B TV is particularly impressive, with a slim form factor that leaves little space between the TV and the wall

 

The Samsung QN95B Neo QLED TV has a native refresh rate of 100Hz, variable refresh rate of 144Hz (under certain conditions when used for gaming), and a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels for its 55-inch screen. The TV uses Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor 4K, and supports high dynamic range content up to the HDR10+ format and Dolby Atmos audio (but not Dolby Vision). The 4.2.2-channel sound system has two top-firing speakers to simulate overhead channels, and has a rated output of 70W.

Samsung 55-inch QN95B Neo QLED TV remote and features

The Samsung 55-inch QN95B Neo QLED TV is fairly well-equipped when it comes to the remote and features. The remote is unique for its solar charging capability, with a small solar panel on the back to keep the rechargeable internal battery going. Usefully, there is also a USB Type-C port for urgent, quicker charging when needed. That said, The remote was sufficiently charged straight out of the box and didn’t need to be charged over USB at all during my review.

The remote itself is compact and somewhat minimalistic when it comes to buttons; there is no number pad and no dedicated playback controls, but there is a D-pad for navigation, hotkeys for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and Samsung TV Plus, and a few others.

You can use the remote’s microphone to give voice commands to the voice assistant of your choice, and you can also directly access the settings from any screen on the TV. I quite liked the remote and didn’t have any trouble with it during my review, apart from the markings on the buttons being a bit hard to read in the dark and the tactile feel of the buttons not really helping either.

If you have any Samsung smart appliances that are compatible with the company’s SmartThings framework, you can control them directly from the TV. Other features include EyeComfort mode which adjusts brightness and colour levels according to time of day and ambient light, support for multiple voice assistants including Google Assistant, Alexa, and Samsung’s own Bixby, Multi View for mirroring your smartphone screen while simultaneously watching content on the TV (from select apps and services), and more.

There is no Google Chromecast functionality, but you do get Apple AirPlay 2 on the Samsung QN95B Neo QLED TV, which worked well for me. I was able to use AirPlay to mirror my iPhone screen on a part of the TV screen, while using select apps such as Samsung TV Plus or YouTube for the Multi View feature.

The remote of the Samsung 55QN95B has a solar panel for charging, but also can be charged quickly with USB Type-C

 

Gaming-focused features such as a 144Hz variable refresh rate, auto low-latency mode, and support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro make this TV reasonably well suited for use with modern gaming consoles. There is also Object Tracking Sound which claims to create a realistic soundstage according to what’s on screen, and Q-Symphony, which allows the TV’s speakers to work in conjunction with compatible audio systems.

Samsung 55-inch QN95B Neo QLED TV software and interface

Samsung continues to use its own Tizen software for its televisions, but the QN95B Neo QLED TV sees significant changes in the user interface compared to earlier Samsung TVs. This includes a much more content-focused UI with viewing recommendations from various apps and services. This is similar to Xiaomi’s approach with PatchWall, although Samsung’s curation and layout feel a bit cluttered and awkward in comparison.

A key focus point of the interface is Samsung TV Plus, a free streaming service that comes preinstalled on the television. This service has a linear TV programming format, with over 60 channels including Discovery, TLC, and Boomberg. The content on these channels is scheduled, and is streamed using the TV’s Internet connection.

However, the user interface tends to put this service front and centre, including starting up the most recently viewed channel immediately in a small preview box when this TV is turned on, which can be annoying and disturbing if the volume was left at a high level. There is also a lot of emphasis on free movies and TV shows from various streaming services, but you will need each one’s app to be installed, and in some cases, you’ll need to register and sign in.

All of this aside, the core functionality of the user interface is decent enough, and it’s easy enough to switch between connected source devices. Apps are easy to access as well thanks to a dedicated row on the home screen, and the app marketplace has various options for popular streaming services, games, and other apps. The settings menus are a bit complicated to navigate, but the TV offers plenty of options for customisation and tweaking. The UI isn’t quite the best among the various options available right now, but it’s entirely functional and usable.

The Samsung 55QN95B Neo QLED TV supports HDR up to the HDR10+ format

 

Samsung 55-inch QN95B Neo QLED TV performance

Before I get into the performance section of this review, it’s worth noting that we are aware of reports that Samsung has reportedly been caught cheating on certain TV tests carried out by reviewers; the QN95B TV is itself the subject of allegations brought up by FlatpanelsHD in its review. However, our testing process does not involve the specific tests that the Samsung QN95B TV is alleged to detect and manipulate, and we have no reason to believe that the television sent to us for this review is not a standard retail unit.

The Samsung 55-inch QN95B is a modern flagship that delivers the kind of performance you would expect from a television priced at over Rs. 2,00,000. The quantum-dot Mini LED screen provided a bright, vibrant picture with most of my viewing, and this TV was able to use its careful calibration and technical capabilities to deliver flagship-grade HDR performance even with HDR10+.

I tested the Samsung 55QN95B with a variety of content across resolutions and dynamic ranges, and as is usually the case with high-end models, this TV was optimised for Ultra-HD HDR content. Apart from obvious differences in sharpness, parameters such as motion handling, colour accuracy, and brightness were all visibly better with high-quality content.

Perhaps the best experience I had with the Samsung 55-inch QN95B TV was watching Spider-Man: No Way Home in Ultra-HD HDR with Dolby Atmos through the Apple TV streaming service. Everything including the sharpness, colours, and detail levels were expectedly good, but the brightness of this television with good HDR content was what truly stood out. Even after ensuring that this TV wasn’t artificially boosting brightness levels, its picture was still visibly brighter and more vibrant than most other competing options I’ve had a chance to see or review.

The bright colours of this superhero movie were a treat to watch, and looked on point throughout, thanks to the effective and powerful backlighting provided by the superior micro-dimming ability of the Mini LED tech and the quantum-dot filter. I found black levels to be practically as good for regular viewing as what I’ve seen on high-end OLED TVs. I also found blooming and light bleed issues to be handled well on the Samsung QN95B Neo QLED TV, with very little light spillover visible even in bright scenes.

The brightness was, on occasion, a bit too much, particularly in dark rooms. Changes in brightness were quite visible and sometimes a bit sudden. However, this TV does have a mode that allows it to adapt to light conditions, and this largely worked well for me. This mode can also boost brightness during the daytime, making it possible to quite easily and conveniently watch TV even with bright daylight shining in the room. Although a dark room undoubtedly made for the best viewing experience, this TV didn’t deviate too much in performance even when the room was well lit.

The Samsung One Connect Box powers the TV screen, and also holds all the ports and inputs for the device

 

Although Dolby Vision HDR is said to be technically superior to Samsung’s…

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