00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:04 The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED TV has almost everything
00:08 you'd expect from a premium 4K mini LED TV--
00:11 outstanding HDR brightness, a good selection of sizes,
00:14 consistent upscaling, ample support for a variety
00:17 of content, and more.
00:18 It might not be as inherently exciting as the company's QD
00:21 OLED innovations.
00:22 The Samsung S95C still holds the top spot
00:25 as the best TV we've tested this year.
00:28 But you should watch this entire Samsung QN90C Neo QLED TV
00:32 review to see how it stacks up.
00:34 Let's go take a closer look.
00:35 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:41 Powered by Samsung's mini LED panel,
00:43 the QN90C promises excellent performance
00:45 across the top genres.
00:47 For those who aren't familiar, mini LED backlighting
00:49 provides high levels of brightness
00:51 while maintaining realistic color
00:52 and gradations of luminance.
00:54 But mini LED performance will cost you.
00:56 This 65-inch configuration has an MSRP of $2,799.
01:01 There is a very good selection of sizes
01:03 to choose from, starting at 43 inches to 50, 55, 65 inch, 75,
01:09 and 85 inches.
01:10 The QN90C is rather standard looking.
01:12 It more or less continues the slim, minimalistic design
01:15 you'll find on most current Samsung TVs.
01:18 That said, the central stand doesn't offer as much stability
01:20 as I typically expect.
01:22 Samsung transitioned to a new base design
01:24 that uses less space, but that seems to come at a cost.
01:27 Luckily, you can mount the TV to a wall
01:29 with the standard VESA mount.
01:31 Though it doesn't have Samsung's One Connect box that
01:33 helps with cable management, the QN90C
01:35 has four HDMI 2.1 ports located on the back.
01:39 These ports support peripheral features
01:41 like eARC, auto low latency mode,
01:43 and variable refresh rate.
01:45 Some of these settings are leveraged
01:46 by the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles,
01:49 which is a plus if you plan to make this set your next gaming
01:51 TV.
01:52 Speaking of gaming, let's dig into the benchmark,
01:54 starting with a measured 2.1 millisecond lag time.
01:57 That's pretty much the best we see for TVs.
02:00 Similarly, this TV's brightness is truly best in class,
02:03 measuring nearly 1,900 nits with HDR content and a 10% window.
02:07 For comparison, this year's LG C3 OLED TV
02:10 had just over 800 nits in the same window,
02:13 demonstrating the difference between mini LED and OLED
02:16 capabilities.
02:18 The QN90C scored as expected in terms of color accuracy
02:21 and color reproduction.
02:23 It tested a delta E of 2.2, with closer to zero being best,
02:26 while covering over 99% of the REC 709 color space.
02:30 These might not matter much to the average eye,
02:32 but they're definitely important to check, especially
02:34 for premium models like this.
02:37 As for what you can actually see,
02:38 the Samsung Neural Quantum Processor 4K
02:41 powers the TV's HD and SD upscaling.
02:44 Watching Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse,
02:45 this picture's sophistication seriously impressed me.
02:48 As Miles Morales and Peter Parker
02:50 swung through the autumn trees escaping Dr. Olivia Octavius,
02:53 the subtle contrast between orange and red and yellow
02:56 maintained realism despite the film's comic book feel.
02:59 The scene looked crisp, catching even the most minor moments
03:02 in Miles' progression of learning how to swing.
03:04 Recalling last year's QN95B model,
03:07 the only anecdotal shortcoming I noticed
03:09 when testing was some noticeable blooming and struggles
03:11 with off-angle viewing.
03:13 The QN90C made some apparent improvements to both,
03:15 with much better light control and wider viewing angles.
03:18 Still, no Dolby Vision support is a setback
03:21 for fans of the popular format.
03:23 You do get Dolby Atmos audio
03:25 when you pair an Atmos soundbar,
03:26 which I definitely recommend,
03:27 not because this TV's native audio is bad,
03:30 but because of Samsung's Q-Symphony feature
03:32 that combines the TV's native speakers
03:34 with a soundbar for a fuller soundscape.
03:37 I'll quickly touch on the Smart TV interface.
03:39 Having tested several Samsung TVs over recent years,
03:42 I'm familiar with the mostly unchanged platform.
03:45 The home screen features customizable tiles for content
03:48 and channels to suit your watching preferences
03:50 and preferred apps.
03:51 There's even some good free content.
03:53 I think people are seriously sleeping on Samsung TV+.
03:56 Of course, you control this all with the remote.
03:58 It's easy to use, but with the sparse button array,
04:01 you'll end up navigating additional menus
04:03 to change settings and inputs.
04:04 That said, the dedicated launchers for Samsung TV+,
04:07 Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video
04:10 are helpful if you use these services often.
04:13 But my favorite thing about this remote
04:15 is that it's rechargeable in not one, but two ways.
04:18 The solar panel on the back uses ambient lighting
04:20 to reserve power, while a USB-C port offers a quick charge
04:23 rather than replacing batteries.
04:25 And that's my overview of the Samsung QN90C Neo QLED TV.
04:34 I go into more of the test results and features
04:36 in my written review on tomsguide.com,
04:38 so be sure to check that out.
04:39 But my takeaway to know here is that despite Samsung's
04:42 growing push into OLED technology,
04:44 the QN90C is one of the top sets we've seen this year.
04:47 It's among the best QLED TVs to hit our bench hands down.
04:51 Fantastic brightness and great off-angle viewing
04:53 are performance highlights, while the rechargeable remote
04:56 and versatile interface are the things
04:58 I think you'll appreciate.
05:00 Drop a comment letting me know which TV
05:02 we should review next on this channel.
05:03 And don't forget to keep up with us on social,
05:05 Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @tomsguide.
05:09 And as always, I'm @katekosich.
05:11 Thanks for watching, I'll catch you next time.
05:13 you
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