The Samsung QN900C is the latest flagship Neo QLED TV from a brand that has dominated the 8K TV market over the last few years. While not significantly different from last year’s QN900B that’s hardly surprising given the previous generation was so good. This new model continues the trend of delivering cutting-edge images, and represents the apex of the brand’s 2023 line-up.
The Mini LED backlight is combined with Quantum Dot filters for brighter highlights, deeper blacks, and purer colours, while the latest 8K Neural Quantum Processor delivers class-leading scaling and image processing. A stylish design, One Connect box, immersive sound system, comprehensive smart platform, and extensive next-gen gaming features complete the package.
The Samsung QN900C comes in three screen sizes: the 65in Samsung QN900C, which costs £5,099/$5,000; the 75in QN900C reviewed here that retails for £6,799/$6,300; and the 85in QN900C, which is priced at £9,599.
Does its performance justify those eye-watering price tags? Here’s our full review.
Samsung/Pocket-lint
Samsung QN900C
Editor’s Choice
5/5
The Samsung QN900C continues the brand’s dominance of the 8K market by combining cutting-edge image processing and an incredibly bright Mini LED backlight. The resulting HDR is superb, with stunning highlights and deeply saturated colours. Awesome sound with Dolby Atmos, next-gen gaming features, and comprehensive smarts round out a future-proofed flagship 8K TV.
- Remarkable HDR performance
- Exceptional image processing
- Comprehensive smart features
- Fantastic audio with Atmos
- Perfect for next-gen gamers
- No Dolby Vision support
- Still very little 8K content of note
- Expensive
Design
- Infinity One design
- One Connect box
- Solar-powered remote control
- 4 x HDMI inputs with eARC; 3 x USB; Ethernet
- Wi-Fi; Bluetooth; AirPlay 2
The Samsung QN900C retains the company’s Infinity One design, with its sleek styling, bezel-less screen, and surprisingly slim chassis. The overall build quality is excellent, and there’s no denying this is a flagship TV that sits proudly at the top of the brand’s line-up for 2023.
The solid stand provides robust support while only requiring a narrow surface for installation, but there’s also the option of wall-mounting using Samsung’s Slim Fit or a standard VESA bracket. A single cable connecting the TV to the One Connect box makes for a tidy overall solution.
The One Connect box houses four HDMI inputs, one of which supports eARC. All are capable of handling 8K/60Hz, 4K/144Hz, VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (auto low-latency mode), making the QN900C ideal for next-gen gamers looking to get the most out of their new consoles.
There are also three USB ports (two 2.0 and one 3.0), twin tuners for terrestrial and satellite broadcasts, a CI slot, an optical digital output, and an Ethernet port. In terms of wireless connections, there’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and support for Apple AirPlay 2.
The solar-powered remote control is ergonomic and eco-friendly thanks to its rechargeable batteries, and the fact it’s made from recycled plastic. The layout is simple and intuitive, with direct access buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and Samsung TV Plus.
Features
- Mini LED backlight with 1,920 dimmable zones
- 8K Neural Quantum Processor
- Object Tracking Sound Pro
- 8K/60, 4K/144Hz and VRR gaming support
The Samsung QN900C offers a very similar set of features to last year, with a few minor tweaks here and there. However, the Mini LED backlight is basically the same, with 1,920 (60 x 32) independent zones controlled by Samsung’s class-leading local dimming system.
Once you add 14-bit contrast mapping that brings out greater detail in dark and bright scenes, plus Quantum Matrix Technology that controls the Mini LEDs, redirecting energy from darker parts of the picture to the brighter ones, you have a TV with stunning levels of dynamic range.
The 8K panel has over 33 million pixels, and thanks to Samsung’s AI-enhanced Neural Quantum 8K Processor the QN900C can utilise every single one to deliver images with remarkable levels of detail, along with scaling that squeezes the most of content, regardless of the original resolution.
The Filmmaker Mode offers an accurate setting for SDR and HDR, but if you fancy tweaking this accuracy without paying a pro, Samsung’s Smart Calibration app allows you to get even closer to the industry standards with the camera in your smartphone and a few simple test patterns.
The Tizen-powered smart system offers a useful Media section where you’ll find all the apps and connected devices, along with a curated Game section for streamed gaming apps and connected consoles. As with previous years, Samsung offers a comprehensive choice of video streaming apps, along with an expanded choice of channels on its free live-streaming TV Plus service.
There’s a full-house of smart assistants, with Bixby, Alexa and Google Assistant built-in. The QN900C can also access Siri using AirPlay 2, while the SmartThings app allows for quick and easy setup, plus a degree of control if you don’t fancy using the provided remotes or your voice.
The QN900C has an amazing sound system thanks to Object Tracking Sound Pro, which uses a 6.2.4-channel speaker array to deliver an open and immersive soundstage, with increased height, plenty of bass thanks to multiple woofers, clear dialogue, and 90W of powerful amplification.
The sonic processing moves the audio around the TV based on analysis of the on-screen action, creating a more engaging overall soundstage. Onboard Dolby Atmos decoding also combines with all these speakers to produce a genuinely immersive object-based audio experience.
Samsung’s SpaceFit sound tech optimises the audio by analysing the acoustic environment, while Q-symphony integrates the TV’s speakers with supporting Samsung soundbars. However, the built-in sonic capabilities are more than good enough for most TV viewing.
The QN900C supports 8K, and 4K up to a refresh rate of 144Hz if you use a PC, plus 120Hz for those with Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Variable refresh rates are also supported, thanks to the inclusion of AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and, although not officially listed, Nvidia G-Sync.
The Game Bar remains a useful feature, collating all the main game-related information and settings into one easy to understand and access location. It pops up when you first go into the Game Mode, but if you ever need it just hold down the play/pause button to bring it back up.
The Game Mode is very effective, with a measured input lag of just under 9ms, which is incredibly fast and ensures a responsive gaming experience. Of course, since this TV uses an LCD panel, there’s also no danger of screen burn – even after marathon gaming sessions.
Aside from those who can game at a resolution of 8K, there’s not much native content available, so Samsung plans to provide the opportunity to own 8K NFT content via the Ambient Hub – if that floats your boat – plus there will be an 8K YouTube preset within the user interface of the smart platform.
Performance
- HDR Support: HDR10; HLG; HDR10+ Adaptive
- Processing Engine: Neo Quantum 8K Processor with AI
- 95 per cent of DCI-P3 and 2,200nits of peak brightness
The Samsung QN900C is a first-class performer that delivers exceptional big-screen images, regardless of whether you’re watching SDR or HDR content. And thanks to the Filmmaker mode, these images are highly accurate, retaining the content creator’s original artistic intent.
Although there’s very little in the way of native 8K content, Samsung’s peerless image processing effectively employs the 33 million pixels in the panel to produce incredibly detailed big-screen images that look stunning regardless of the original resolution of the content.
The QN900C delivers deep blacks with almost no blooming around bright objects, even when watching HDR content. This is thanks to 1,920 (60 x 32) independent zones that are orchestrated by class-leading local dimming to produce impressive contrast that’s free of any crush or clipping.
This contrast expertise is enhanced by 14-bit mapping that brings out all the fine details in shadows just above black, while Quantum Matrix Technology adjusts the LEDs in conjunction with Shape Adaptive Light control, deepening blacks and boosting highlights where appropriate.
In Filmmaker Mode the QN900C is capable of delivering a peak HDR brightness of 2,200 nits on a 10 per cent window, and can hit over 532 nits on a full-field pattern, which is not only incredibly bright but also means HDR content graded at 1,000 nits requires almost no tone mapping at all.
When tone mapping is required, our tests revealed its accuracy, using the light output and AI-enhanced processing to produce impactful HDR images with precise specular highlights, nuanced colours, deep blacks and detailed shadows with content graded at 4,000 and 10,000 nits.
In Filmmaker Mode the QN900C reached 95 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour space, which isn’t quite as wide as Samsung claims. There’s support for high dynamic range in the form of HDR10, HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma), and HDR10+, but sadly Samsung still refuses to support Dolby Vision – the advanced HDR format used by Netflix and Disney+, among others.
Thankfully, the HDR images it is capable of are simply stunning, with bright and punchy highlights, deep blacks, and vibrant colours. The level of detail in 8K content is also remarkable, and with HDR any tone mapping that’s needed appears seamless.
The motion handling is also fantastic, and even with the Picture Clarity turned off in Filmmaker mode the QN900C delivers impressive movement. While best avoided for movies, TV dramas, and games, the motion features can be very useful when watching fast-paced sports action.
Whether SDR or HDR, the inherent accuracy results in natural colours and pure whites, while the superior processing and increased resolution delivers exceptional levels of clarity. The snowy landscapes of The Revenant are bursting with detail and really pop, but also manage to look natural too – the perfect balance.
The Revenant may be going for a realistic visual style, but The Greatest Showman definitely isn’t, with a deliberately exaggerated colour scheme that loks fantastic on the QN900C. The stage spotlights are blinding, and Jenny Lind’s dress dazzles during her show-stopping solo.
To test the Samsung QN900C, we used Portrait Displays Calman colour calibration software.
Verdict
The Samsung QN900C deservedly sits at the top of the brand’s range, boasting every cutting-edge technology it has to offer, and delivering a state-of-the-art performance with SDR and HDR content. If you can access 8K content all the better, but this TV makes any resolution look good.
This is thanks to AI-enhanced image processing that takes full advantage of all the pixels in the QN900C’s 8K panel, while the incredibly bright Mini LED backlight and 14-bit contrast mapping ensure you can enjoy some of the best and most accurate HDR seen outside a mastering suite.
An elegant design, great build quality, useful One Connect box, and top-drawer gaming features play their part. The Tizen smart TV system includes a comprehensive choice of streaming apps, and the audio quality is also excellent, thanks to Object Tracking Sound Pro and Dolby Atmos.
In fact the QN900C is hard to fault, aside from the lack of Dolby Vision support – but given this TV’s HDR prowess, it would offer limited benefits anyway. Otherwise this stunning range-topper is the perfect choice for any well-heeled TV fan looking to future-proof their home cinema set up – just as long as they’ve got a sizeable budget to pay for it.
