Samsung QN95D Neo QLED 4K TV Review
CES has come and gone, leaving a trail of excitement predominantly around Samsung’s QD-OLEDs and 8K TVs, which understandably captured most of the headlines. Amidst these new models, one product that quietly stood out, yet didn’t receive as much spotlight, is the QN95D.
The QN95D series is available for purchase through the Samsung custom install channel - but, if interested in a Neo QLED 4K option that can be purchased directly from Samsung, the QN90D is a great choice to consider.
Specifications
The QN95D is Samsung's flagship 4K QLED TV for 2024 and will be offered in screen sizes of 65, 75, and 85 inches. It’s priced at (add in prices when available). The QN95D features a VA panel enhanced by a quantum dot filter and is illuminated by a MiniLED backlight that supports 1,344 individual dimming zones. This year introduces the new NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor in the QN95D, quadrupling the AI performance seen in last year's models. A feature of this new processor is the Real Depth Enhancer Pro, aimed at refining the details in the foreground, which is typically the main area of focus in any viewing scenario.
The QN95D is compatible with several HDR formats, such as HDR10+, HDR, and HLG. However, it's important to note the QN95D does not include Dolby Vision HDR compatibility, which is how it’s been in previous years. On the gaming front, the QN95D includes features such as Motion Xcelerator 144Hz and Game Motion Plus which helps with smooth and crisp visuals for a fast-paced gaming experience. The TV also supports AMD Freesync Premium Pro and the Samsung Gaming Hub.
Design
Looking at the back of the TV, the QN95D boasts a 70W 4.2.2 speaker setup, with features such as Adaptive Voice Amplifier Pro and Object Tracking Sound + as well as Q-Symphony, a feature that will play sound from your soundbar and your TV speakers at the same time. Building on its predecessor, the QN95C, the QN95D continues to shy away from Samsung's external One Connect box with ports that are fitted into the TV. These ports include four HDMI 2.1, one of which includes eARC, a LAN port, two USB 2.0 ports, an optical audio out, and wireless connectivity options such as Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi.
Incorporating the One Connect Box directly into the TV, the Samsung QN95D boasts a sleek and thin profile that exudes a premium aesthetic one would expect from a high-end model. The design is further accentuated by an ultra-thin bezel and a matte metal strip that wraps around all four edges to complement the metal base.
The Samsung Eco Remote features a slim, user-friendly design. This rectangular remote includes a solar charging panel on the back and has smooth, rounded edges that fits comfortably in your hand. Looking at the top, there's a circular navigation pad with power, voice, and settings buttons that surround a pinhole microphone.
Below the pad are volume and channel rockers, as well as a play/pause, home, and back button. Below all of that, there are dedicated buttons for Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Netflix, and Samsung TV Plus. The remote also includes a USB-C connector for wired charging.
Smart Features
This year, Samsung has refreshed its Tizen-based smart platform with several updates. As always, it includes support for the SmartThings Hub and Matter, enabling users to manage compatible smart home devices directly from their TVs. The platform emphasizes content, offering personalized recommendations for each family member through integration with Samsung Account IDs. It tracks each user's viewing history and preferences to suggest similar content they might enjoy.
Samsung TV Plus is the company's complimentary ad-supported streaming service and also received a facelift with a new user interface. This update introduces a redesigned home screen that displays available and popular content, adds more categories, and promotes content discovery. Connection to a user's Samsung Account ID allows for improved content suggestions.
The updated platform also introduces Samsung Daily+, which integrates more closely with Samsung Health, and an updated Game Bar 4.0 that displays gaming metrics like Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR).
Turning our attention to Samsung's SmartThings app, it provides a user-friendly calibration tool named 'Smart Calibration Pro’ and is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. This feature adjusts the screen to match its specific surroundings, requiring very little effort from the user. Once completed, the calibrated settings are applied to your Movie profile, clearly indicated with "Calibrated" so you can easily recognize the adjusted settings. Navigating through the menus on the Samsung interface feels snappy, offering a user experience that's on par with Google TV. This ensures users can effortlessly browse content, settings, and apps without any noticeable delay.
Picture Quality
This TV’s picture quality is impressive straight out of the box and requires very few adjustments for an enjoyable viewing experience. Simply selecting a picture mode that suits your viewing preference such as Filmmaker or Movie modes for a more authentic visual experience, or the Standard mode for a bit more vibrancy is all you need to do.
The impact of HDR content on this display is immediately noticeable, bringing scenes to life with a high level of brightness and clarity. For instance, the first battle scene in "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts," where Optimus battles Scourge, showcases the TV's capability to render flames and gunfire with dynamic brightness, peaking at an impressive 1,812 nits in Movie mode without clipping any details.
For HDR Tone Mapping, opting for 'Static' aligns closely with the original vision of the content creator's intent. Meanwhile, switching to 'Active' enhances the highlights, making the overall picture appear brighter and more vivid, catering to those who prefer an extra boost to their viewing experience.
The backlight control on the QN95D is impressive. It minimizes blooming and haloing to almost imperceptible levels in dark scenes. Thanks to the Mini LED backlight, the TV achieves great contrast by treating black levels to near-inky levels of depth.
When watching "Alien: Covenant," the black levels in space shots are impressively deep considering this is not an OLED panel. Although there's a hint of blooming around constellations or in pitch-black scenes with a singular bright object, it's hardly noticeable unless you're specifically looking for it. For the most part, when you're immersed in the movie, these minor details won't detract from your viewing experience.
Shifting the focus to color performance, this TV reveals subtleties and variations in colors that some other Mini LEDs in a similar price range tend to miss. "Thor: Love and Thunder" serves as a vibrant showcase for this capability, with the film's bright colors on the costumes to the landscapes in Thor's encounter with Zeus. While in Filmmaker mode, the QN95D measures 94% of the DCI-P3 color space. Detail levels are constantly high, and this display squeezes every last drop of performance out of the 4K Blu-ray.
The upscaling performance of this model marks a slight advancement over its predecessor, the QN95C. Viewing "We're The Millers" in HD, the detail from the characters' skin textures to the clothing is subtly improved. The outcome is an upscaled image that is bright, colorful, clear, and crisp. Even standard-definition content appears better this year, especially when streaming through services like YouTube TV.
Sound Quality
The rear-mounted speakers deliver a sound that is both clean and clear, though they may fall slightly short in weight and impact for action movie sequences. However, Samsung's Object-Tracking Sound+ function compensates by accurately tracking and positioning sounds. As always, I always recommend complimenting the TV with either a Samsung soundbar for the Q-Symphony feature or a dedicated speaker system.
Gaming
This TV, which maintains the gaming performance of last year's models, excels with a 144Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for gaming. Hooking up my PS5 and playing "Gran Turismo 7" offers a pleasant experience, with the added brightness and 4K resolution at 120Hz resulting in a sharp visual with smooth action. With game mode activated, I observed a low input lag of just 6.2ms which is better than most TVs I’ve tested. Just make sure to use this setting when gaming or your input latency will significantly increase.
Conclusion
If you're in the market for a 4K QLED TV that performs exceptionally well in bright rooms for everyday TV, films, and HDR content, whether it's streamed or played from a disc, the QN95D has a lot to offer. It stands out with its vibrant display, sharp contrasts, and suitability for a variety of viewing conditions. For gamers, this TV combines great image quality in well-lit environments with strong gaming features and capabilities, making it a compelling choice for both entertainment and gaming needs. Given its array of benefits and strong performance across different uses, it's no surprise that the QN95D has been named an AVS Top Choice for 2024.
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Extremely low input lag | No Dolby Vision support |
Excellent peak brightness | Premium Pricing |
Improved image processing |
FAQ
What is the difference between OLED and QLED TVs?
OLED TVs produce true blacks and offer superior contrast by enabling individual pixels to emit light or turn off completely. QLED TVs use quantum dots and an LED backlight and excel in brightness and color volume, making them ideal for well-lit rooms and less prone to burn-in than OLEDs.
What does color volume mean for a TV?
Color volume measures the range of colors a TV can show across various levels of brightness. A TV with high color volume is crucial for displaying a wide array of colors, ensuring that, especially in HDR content, highlights are rendered vividly and true to the creator's intent.
What is Burn-in?
Burn-in is a permanent display flaw resulting from prolonged exposure to static images. It is not a concern with QLED technology, as it safeguards the screen against such damage. This defect can occur in TV displays after displaying the same image or scene for extended durations, sometimes in as short as an hour.
