Samsung has a dilemma and it’s a wonderful position to be in: on one hand they have their new OLED TV, while on the other hand they have their QN900C Neo QLED 8K Smart TV, with both delivering an ultimate TV viewing experience.The big question is which is best, and above all is Samsung’s new OLED TV offering as good as LG’s OLED TV offering? Or is Neo QLED technology the way to go?
Samsung is the #1 TV brand in the world, and they got there by pioneering the premium TV market and that was only achieved because they have been able to develop cutting edge entertainment technology.
This year Samsung is heading into LG territory with a new OLED TV, and this has rattled their competitors.
As it was pointed out to me last month by one of LG’s most senior TV executives, LG has been making OLED TVs for 10 years and Samsung is the new kid on the block with OLED TV technology.
Not quite, Samsung actually manufacture a truckload of OLED display panels for Apple and other brands for use in iPhones, iPads, and notebooks, and at one stage in the past they did enter the OLED TV market.
I reviewed their 85″ QN900C Neo QLED 8K Smart TV in the suite of a leading Sydney Hotel where the surroundings matched the quality that this TV delivers.
For me the issue of TV quality is not just about the display, what I look for is processor performance and the power that a top end processor, similar to what is built into the Samsung QNC900C 8K TV, is able to deliver for a top end entertainment experience, where sound output, viewing experience and streaming quality are delivered seamlessly.
As for display quality and the viewing experience this TV’s display quality hits you straight between the eyes, near edge-to-edge picture with virtually no bezel or border around the TV and 7,680 x 4,320 resolution at 200HZ, there is also no glare which is often found on cheaper TVs.
It started with plasma TVs, when the true test of the quality of a plasma TV was the colour black.
In 2023 nothing has changed with the new Samsung 2023 TV delivering a rich black scaling due to the backlighting and the combination of powerful processing technology that is able to clearly distinguish the different levels of black from the dark greys to the deep rich blacks.
As for TV viewing, it doesn’t get much better.
Then there is the issue of multiple viewing from multiple angles; whether you are sitting smack centre on a couch, or to the side, this TV delivers wherever you are sitting.
This QLED TV also comes with built-in IoT Hub with Calm Onboarding feature that seamlessly syncs devices for easier control of not just Samsung devices but also third-party appliances and IoT devices for seamless connections.
Also built into this TV is an 8K Neural Quantum Processor that is able to upscale content, but as for 8K, that’s in the realms of ‘maybe in the future.’
Quantum Matrix Technology according to Samsung, powers up to 33 million pixels and delivers a billion colours.
They are powered by the in-house Neural Quantum Processor that delivers14-bit processing and “AI upscaling” to enhance the experience.
Both 8K and 4K TVs are bright and have good contrast levels – based on my experience with the preloaded content shown by Samsung.
The company also showcased 8K content shot on Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, where the colors looked lively.
Despite this, the upscaling built into this TV is as good as any upscaling we have seen in a TV and that’s most probably because the processor is able to manage the AI and the algorithms better than most other brands – with the exception of LG.
The primary objective of the Samsung upscale technology is to deliver an optimum picture experience with HD content able to be pushed up to 4K. You have to remember that the bulk of content on Netflix or Prime Video is in Full HD, when what you really want is an Ultra HD 4K experience.
This where Samsung delivers with content sharp and rich, the colour saturation is also well-balanced despite being enhanced sixteen times.
In Australia, one of the few organisations to deliver true 4K live content is Foxtel with their live AFL, NRL and motor sport events streamed to air in real time 4K.
When seen on the QNC900C OLED TV it is seriously impressive.
The underlying technology behind the display of the Samsung QNC900C OLED TV is Mini LEDs that were initially pioneered by TCL.
Samsung is using a Mini LED processor to produce the same brightness as a larger processor.
This miniaturised design allows for finer control of lighting levels, resulting a better viewing experience when there is a lot of light around a room, as is often found in Australia. This technology also results in better contrast, and richer blacks.
With this TV you have an abundance of choice when it comes to their Smart TV offering. The only problem is that Samsung is now pushing revenue collection a tad too far, with the South Korean Company now looking to stream their own content and advertising via their Smart Tizen app.
I invest in streaming because I don’t want advertising and while the Samsung smart TV offering delivers an abundance of content choice, the concept of yet more commercial advertising and marketing from a TV brand is a real turn off.
To get to the smart TV offering on the Samsung TV you need the Samsung remote, which just happens to be one of the best from any TV brand.
Apart from the solar self-charging, the Samsung remote is extremely easy to use.
For example, to access setting you simply scroll down the left menu bar. Then all you have to do is scroll to the sections you want and click a category such as sound.
For example, if you attach a sound bar via the HDMI Arc connector you simply scroll to ‘Sound’ and select the sound bar you have installed.
For this TV review Samsung had hooked up the impressive Q Series Home Theatre Soundbar Q990C.
The combination of this soundbar and the QN900C Neo QLED 8K Smart TV is an optimum solution for anyone who wants a top end entertainment solution.
All I had to do was to go into the sound settings and change the settings from just soundbar to a combination of TV sound and soundbar. It took seconds, with the soundbar recognising the combination to deliver an optimum sound experience utilising the TV speakers and output via the soundbar.
What you get is breathtaking realism of cinematic sound, right where you are sitting, it’s as if you are in the cockpit with Tom Cruise in the movie Maverick.
The inbuilt up firing speakers and True Dolby Atmos coupled with the soundbar actually delivers what Samsung describes as a larger-than-life audio experience. With this TV you can wirelessly transmit the Dolby Atmos signal to your compatible Samsung Soundbar for an immersive sound experience.
Conclusion
This is a pricey TV but when you think that it’s going to last for at least four years if not five, then the cost makes sense, because what you get is a true premium entertainment solution which, when combined with the Samsung Q Series Home Theatre Soundbar Q990C, gives you a solution that is hard to find with other brands.
The display is crisp sharp, and the colour saturation is so good you often see the makeup on actors’ faces.
As for looks, this TV will look stylish and cutting edge in any settings.
The let down is the Samsung Smart TV hunger for revenue with the content apps designed so that it’s easy for Samsung to stream marketing material.
If you can put up with this, this is the premium TV for you.
Rating 9/10
