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Samsung QN90C NEO QLED Series Review

Ryan Hansen Avatar
Updated Feb 22, 2024 10:54 AM

True Score

86
85
9

Experts

91
4,166

Consumers

Product Awards

GR Certified

Customer Favorite

Expert Rankings

The premium and versatile Samsung QN90C Neo QLED shines for movies, sports, and video games with its lifelike colors, high brightness, contrast, and nighttime clarity. Its quick response time and low input lag enhance immersion, but the slightly narrow viewing angle limits party viewing.

$748.95

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Table of Contents

Product Snapshot

Overview

The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED is a premium 4K TV released in 2023. Its size variants above 55” have ADS (IPS-like) panels with 120 Hz refresh rates, while the 43” and 50” variants have VA panels with 144 Hz refresh rates. Like the best TVs, it has four HDMI ports that support HDMI 2.1, variable refresh rates (VRR), HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos.

It uses the Neural Quantum Processor 4K for picture upscaling, is compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings app, and supports Alexa and Google Assistant integration, similar to the best 4K TVs. The small-sized remote has voice control for navigating the Tizen OS and shortcut buttons for popular streaming platforms. Along with a rechargeable battery (USB-C), the remote has a solar panel at the back.

Best For

  • 40-inch

  • 50-inch

  • Bright Room

  • Home Theater

  • LED

  • Samsung

  • Small

Consensus

ReasonS to Buy

  • Superb picture quality
    • This TV is superb for HDR movies, shows, sports, and gaming. Its vibrant and lifelike colors stem from its wide color gamut, and dark-scene viewing is accurate because of the deep blacks and high black uniformity (0.199% std. deviation).

  • High brightness and contrast
    • This TV is ideal for bright spaces with its impressive peak brightness of 1996 nits, among the highest we’ve tested, and it effectively handles reflections. Additionally, it offers superior nighttime viewing due to its exceptional contrast ratio of 83,200:1, also among the highest we’ve tested.

  • Low-tested response time and input lag
    • Fast-moving videos and games are clear thanks to the 5.2 ms response time, and gaming is responsive with the 10 ms input lag, which ranks in the top third of our tested TVs.

  • High refresh rate and VRR support
    • Visuals are smooth and stutter-free with a 120 Hz refresh rate, and there is no screen tearing because the VRR ranges from under 20 Hz to 120 Hz.

Reason to Avoid

  • Moderate viewing angle
    • The display is good for moderately wide seating, but since color washes out at 26°, moving a bit far from the center makes the colors appear faded.

  • Mild blooming
    • There is noticeable blooming during dark sequences, but it is not particularly distracting.

Samsung QN90C NEO QLED Series Specs

Backlight TypeBacklight TypeFull-Array
Display TypeLED
HDMI Inputs4
HDMI TypeHDMI TypeHDMI 2.1
HDR FormatHDR10+, HLG
HomeKit CompatibleHomeKit CompatibleNo
Max Resolution3840 x 2160 (4k)
Number of Audio ChannelsNumber of Audio Channels4.2.2
Panel TypePanel TypeNeo QLED
Refresh Rate120 Hz
Screen size43", 50", 55", 65", 75", 85"
Smart PlatformSmart PlatformTizen
Speaker OutputSpeaker Output60 watts
VRRVRRYes
Works WithWorks WithAmazon Alexa, Bixby, Bluetooth, Google Assistant, Remote Control, SmartThings, Wi-Fi

All Specs

Test Results

Color Gamut % (DCI P3 xy)93.335
Color Gamut % (DCI P3 uv)93.64
Color Gamut % (Rec 2020 xy)72.73
Color Gamut % (Rec 2020 uv)75.69
Color Gamut % (sRGB)98
Color Gamut % (Rec 709)99.77
Color Gamut % (BT.2020)73
Color Gamut % (Adobe RGB)79.1
Color Gamut % (BT.709)0
Contrast Ratio (x:1)83,200
SDR Brightness (nits)1,289
HDR Brightness (nits)1,923
Input Lag (ms)10
Response Time (ms)10.2
Color Washout (Degrees)26
Color Shift (Degrees)51
Brightness Loss (Degrees)32
Reflections (%)1.5
Low-Freq Extension (Hz)100.79
Freq Response StdDev @ 70db1.61
Freq Response StdDev @ 80db2.38
Weighted Total Harmonic Distortion @80db0.334
Intermodulation Distortion @80db0.31
EOTF (600 nit delta)0.0046
EOTF (1000 nit delta)0.0046
EOTF (4000 nit delta)0.0044

All Tests

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    Product Comparison

    Samsung QN90C NEO QLED Series Review

    True Score

    86
    89
    85
    88
    82

    Ranking

    #

    38

    /

    158

    #

    22

    /

    158

    #

    50

    /

    158

    #

    30

    /

    158

    #

    88

    /

    158

    Market Context

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED is a premium 4K TV released in 2023. Its size variants above 55” have ADS (IPS-like) panels with 120 Hz…

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED is a premium 4K TV released in 2023. Its size variants above 55” have ADS (IPS-like) panels with 120 Hz refresh rates, while the 43” and 50” variants have VA panels with 144 Hz refresh rates. Like the best TVs, it has four HDMI ports that support HDMI 2.1, variable refresh rates (VRR), HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos.

    It uses the Neural Quantum Processor 4K for picture upscaling, is compatible with Samsung’s SmartThings app, and supports Alexa and Google Assistant integration, similar to the best 4K TVs. The small-sized remote has voice control for navigating the Tizen OS and shortcut buttons for popular streaming platforms. Along with a rechargeable battery (USB-C), the remote has a solar panel at the back.

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED and Samsung QN85A QLED have excellent contrast ratios, but the QN85A’s 195,600:1 ratio (with local dimming on) is considerably more…

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED and Samsung QN85A QLED have excellent contrast ratios, but the QN85A’s 195,600:1 ratio (with local dimming on) is considerably more than the QN90C’s 83,200:1. The QN85A also has a wider viewing angle, with colors washing out at 38° compared to the QN90C’s 26° color washout. For a TV display with good viewing angles and incredible black uniformity, read our Samsung QN95B Neo QLED TV review.

     

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED and Samsung Q70/Q70T QLED have impressively low input lag. But the Q70T’s input lag of 5.5 ms for 4K at…

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED and Samsung Q70/Q70T QLED have impressively low input lag. But the Q70T’s input lag of 5.5 ms for 4K at 120 Hz marginally surpasses the QN90C’s 6.8 ms. Both the TVs have VRR and support 120 Hz refresh rates, but the QN90C’s 43” and 50” variants go up to 144 Hz. Check out our Samsung S95B OLED TV review for even lower input lag.

    The Samsung QN90C replaces the Samsung QN90B with improved reflection handling, a lower input lag, and higher contrast. But the QN90B has a faster response…

    The Samsung QN90C replaces the Samsung QN90B with improved reflection handling, a lower input lag, and higher contrast. But the QN90B has a faster response time (3.3 ms vs QN90C’s 5.2 ms) and a wider viewing angle (color washout at 29° vs QN90C’s 26°).

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED’s peak brightness of 1996 nits is much brighter than the TCL Q750G QLED TV’s 1008 nits. But although they both…

    The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED’s peak brightness of 1996 nits is much brighter than the TCL Q750G QLED TV’s 1008 nits. But although they both have wide color gamuts, the Q750G has a slightly wider DCI P3 coverage and greater black uniformity (0.430% vs 0.199% std. deviation). For another model from TCL, read our TCL 6 Series 8K Roku review.

    Backlight Type

    Full-Array

    Mini LED

    Edge

    Full-Array

    Full-Array

    Display Type

    LED

    QLED

    LED

    LED

    LED

    HDMI Inputs

    4

    1

    3

    4

    HDMI Type

    HDMI 2.1

    HDMI 2.1

    HDMI 2.1

    HDR Format

    HDR10+, HLG

    Yes

    Yes

    HDR10, HDR10+, HLG

    HDR10, HDR10+, HLG

    HomeKit Compatible

    No

    No

    No

    No

    Max Resolution

    3840 x 2160 (4k)

    3840 x 2160 (4k)

    3840 x 2160 (4k)

    3840 x 2160 (4k)

    3840 x 2160 (4k)

    Number of Audio Channels

    4.2.2

    7.1

    4.2.2

    Dig Deeper

    Samsung QN85A QLED Review →

    Samsung Q70/Q70T QLED Review →

    Samsung QN90B Neo QLED TV Review →

    TCL Q7 (Q750G) Series QLED TV Review →

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    Score Card

    E

    Expert Score

    85

    *.75

    We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores

    C

    Customer Score

    91

    *.25

    We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores

    True Score

    86

    Any product with a True Score above 80 is a Absolutely Fresh

    Expert Scores

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