Assessment of Samsung QN990F: Abundance in Finishing Touches, Insufficient Reward
The Samsung QN990F, a premium 8K TV with a QLED panel and mini LED backlight, offers more than adequate brightness for daytime use in a bright room. With its sleek, near bezel-less design and excellent HDR contrast, it promises an immersive viewing experience. However, the journey to achieving this ideal is not without its challenges.
Out of the box, the QN990F's HDR picture is warm, and may require adjustment of the Blue gain. The HDR picture score is 7/10, which is respectable but not exceptional. The HDR contrast is excellent, but there is some visible blooming around super bright objects on a very dark background.
The QN990F's SDR picture quality is hit and miss. On one hand, the SDR picture is bright and has outstanding reflection handling, thanks to its matte anti-glare coating that delivers some of the best reflection handling on the market today. On the other hand, the black uniformity and out-of-the-box color accuracy are disappointing, considering the premium price tag. The SDR color accuracy measured at an average delta E of 3.46.
Samsung offers a tool to calibrate the display using a phone, but the improvement in color accuracy was not satisfactory during testing.
The QN990F's audio is loud enough to fill the room and supports Dolby Atmos for immersive cinematic viewing. It features a 6.2.4CH setup that provides 90 watts of crisp built-in audio. The audio quality is pretty good for a premium television, but it may not be enough for some users, and a soundbar or surround system might be recommended. The audio score is 8/10.
The QN990F's interface is cluttered and unintuitive, with Samsung's Tizen OS being far from intuitive. The TV has only one built-in input, a single Micro HDMI. Wireless One Connect, an external box that requires its own power supply, introduces a huge amount of lag between the external device and the television.
The Samsung QN990F does not support Dolby Vision, which may impact its HDR handling. It is available for purchase at various retailers, including Amazon, BrandsMart USA, and Tech For Less, with prices ranging from $4385 to $6500 for the 75-inch AI Upscaling Pro Glare Free configuration.
Despite its shortcomings, the Samsung QN990F is a TV that caters to a specific consumer group. Tech-savvy users seeking flexible and modular TV setups without relying on built-in complex features would find value in the QN990F, as it allows for the use of external add-on modules connected via peer-to-peer Wi-Fi for device simplification.
In conclusion, the Samsung QN990F offers a promising viewing experience with its sleek design, excellent HDR contrast, and outstanding reflection handling. However, its cluttered interface, lack of Dolby Vision support, and less than satisfactory color accuracy may deter some potential buyers. As always, it's essential to weigh the pros and cons before making a purchase decision.
