Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
To try to better understand how long a TV should last, we're running 100 TVs through an accelerated longevity test for the next two years. We've just posted our 1-year video update with our latest findings on temporary image retention, burn-in, and more!

Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.8
Review updated Feb 16, 2022 at 04:04 pm
Latest change: Retest Feb 13, 2024 at 11:44 am
Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED Picture
7.7
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.1
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.2
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.0
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.8
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.1
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.8
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.7
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Samsung Q80B [Q80, Q80BD] QLED

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED is a mid-range LED TV. It replaces the popular Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED from 2020. However, it's not one of Samsung's best-performing TVs anymore because it sits below the Neo QLED models in their 2021 lineup. It's also different from past Samsung TVs because it uses an IPS-like panel that has wide viewing angles, which comes at the cost of a low contrast ratio. It has a local dimming feature to improve the dark room performance, but it performs terribly, and it's not a good choice for use in dark rooms. It comes with Tizen OS as its built-in smart platform, which is easy to use and has a bunch of apps available to download. It also has many gaming features that Samsung is known for, like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, variable refresh rate (VRR) support, and a 120Hz panel.

Our Verdict

7.7 Mixed Usage

The Samsung Q80A is a good TV for most uses. It's great for watching TV shows and sports because it has wide viewing angles, great for wide seating areas. It also gets bright enough to fight glare in a well-lit room. It's good for SDR or HDR gaming as it has variable refresh rate (VRR) support and HDMI 2.1 bandwidth for high-frame-rate gaming. However, it doesn't perform well in dark rooms because of its low contrast ratio and mediocre local dimming. It's also only decent for watching movies, and the local dimming causes blooming around bright objects.

Pros
  • High brightness in SDR and HDR.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • 120Hz panel and VRR support.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio makes blacks look gray.
  • Mediocre local dimming feature.
7.1 Movies

The Samsung Q80A is decent for watching movies. It doesn't have any issues upscaling lower-resolution content, and it removes 24p judder from any source, which helps with the appearance of motion in movies. Sadly, though, it has an IPS-like panel with a low contrast ratio, and its local dimming feature is mediocre, so blacks look gray in the dark with blooming around bright objects.

Pros
  • Upscales lower-resolution content without any issues.
  • Automatically removes 24p judder.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio makes blacks look gray.
  • Mediocre local dimming feature.
8.2 TV Shows

The Samsung Q80A is great for watching TV shows. You won't have any issues watching shows in bright rooms because it has good reflection handling, and it gets bright enough to fight glare. It also has wide viewing angles if you want to watch content with the entire family in a wide seating arrangement. Lastly, it doesn't have any problem upscaling low-resolution content from SD and HD channels.

Pros
  • Upscales lower-resolution content without any issues.
  • High brightness in SDR and HDR.
  • Wide viewing angles.
Cons
  • Our unit has uniformity issues.
8.0 Sports

The Samsung Q80A is great for watching sports. Fast-moving objects in sports look smooth thanks to the quick response time. It has wide viewing angles if you want to use it in a wide seating area as everyone will see an accurate image, and it gets bright enough to fight glare if you have a few lights around. Sadly, our unit has some uniformity issues that get distracting in sports with large areas of bright colors, like hockey or basketball.

Pros
  • Good reflection handling.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Quick response time results in smooth motion.
Cons
  • Our unit has uniformity issues.
7.8 Video Games

The Samsung Q80A is good for playing video games. It has many gaming-friendly features as you can play 4k games up to 120 fps from the PS5 and Xbox Series X thanks to the HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. It also has a quick response time for smooth motion, low input lag, and VRR support to reduce screen tearing. Sadly, it's not a good choice for dark room gaming as its IPS-like panel has a low contrast ratio, so blacks look gray.

Pros
  • Quick response time results in smooth motion.
  • 120Hz panel and VRR support.
  • Very low input lag.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio makes blacks look gray.
  • Mediocre local dimming feature.
7.1 HDR Movies

The Samsung Q80A is decent for watching HDR movies, but it's not ideal. It displays a wide color gamut and has great HDR peak brightness, so highlights pop and colors are vivid. However, it has limited dark room performance as it has a low native contrast ratio, and the local dimming feature fails to improve the picture quality in dark scenes. There's also blooming around bright objects, which could get distracting.

Pros
  • High brightness in SDR and HDR.
  • Displays wide color gamut.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio makes blacks look gray.
  • Mediocre local dimming feature.
7.8 HDR Gaming

The Samsung Q80A is good for HDR gaming, mainly thanks to its good gaming performance. It has gaming features like HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and VRR support, meaning you can take full advantage of the newest gaming consoles. Even though it displays a wide HDR color gamut and has great peak brightness, HDR content doesn't look the best in dark rooms. It has a mediocre contrast ratio, and the local dimming feature causes blooming around bright objects.

Pros
  • Quick response time results in smooth motion.
  • 120Hz panel and VRR support.
  • Displays wide color gamut.
Cons
  • Low contrast ratio makes blacks look gray.
  • Mediocre local dimming feature.
8.7 PC Monitor

The Samsung Q80A is excellent to use as a PC monitor. It performs well in a bright room because it gets bright enough to fight glare and has good reflection handling. It also has wide viewing angles, so the image remains accurate at the edges if you sit close or need to use it in a meeting room with a wide seating area. Additionally, text looks sharp because it displays chroma 4:4:4 with most signals, which helps with text clarity.

Pros
  • High brightness in SDR and HDR.
  • Wide viewing angles.
  • Very low input lag.
  • Displays proper chroma 4:4:4.
Cons
  • Our unit has uniformity issues.
  • 7.7 Mixed Usage
  • 7.1 Movies
  • 8.2 TV Shows
  • 8.0 Sports
  • 7.8 Video Games
  • 7.1 HDR Movies
  • 7.8 HDR Gaming
  • 8.7 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Feb 13, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  2. Updated Dec 05, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  3. Updated Oct 12, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  4. Updated Aug 09, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  5. Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  6. Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  7. Updated Feb 06, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  8. Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  9. Updated Aug 04, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.8, adding a new box for PQ EOTF tracking and updating our Color Volume and Color Gamut tests to better reflect real world usage. You can see our full changelog here.
  10. Updated Jul 14, 2022: Updated to Test Bench 1.7 with an updated HDR Brightness test that better reflects real world usage. We've also split the console compatibility boxes into separate PS5 Compatibility and Xbox Series X|S Compatibility tests. You can see our full changelog here.
  11. Updated Feb 16, 2022: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
  12. Updated Apr 13, 2021: Review published.
  13. Updated Apr 08, 2021: Early access published.
  14. Updated Mar 22, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  15. Updated Mar 19, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  16. Updated Mar 10, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 55 inch Samsung Q80A variant, and for the most part, the results are also valid for the 65 inch and the 75 inch models in North America. The 50 inch and 85 inch variants have VA panels, so they perform differently. The Costco version is known as the Q8BA and the Q8DA, depending on the size. There are similar models available outside the United States that aren't exactly like this one, and because Samsung's European lineup is slightly different, the results only apply to the North American Q80A.

Size Panel Type US Model Short Model Code Refresh Rate
50" VA QN50Q80AAFXZA QN50Q80A 60Hz
55" ADS QN55Q80AAFXZA QN55Q80A 120Hz
65" ADS QN65Q80AAFXZA QN65Q80A 120Hz
75" ADS QN75Q80AAFXZA QN75Q80A 120Hz
85" VA QN85Q80AAFXZA QN85Q80A 120Hz

If someone comes across a different type of panel or their Samsung Q80A doesn't correspond to the review, let us know, and we'll update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between units.

Our unit of the Q80A was manufactured in February 2021; you can see the label here.

Compared To Other TVs

The Samsung Q80A is a good overall TV, but it has some drawbacks. It's a step down from its predecessor, the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED, since its ADS panel has a low contrast ratio, bad black uniformity, and mediocre local dimming. If you aren't going to take advantage of its gaming features, there are cheaper or similarly-priced options with better dark room performance, like the Sony X90J or Hisense U8G.

Also see our recommendations for the best Samsung TVs, the best 4k TVs, and the best TVs for watching sports.

Sony X90J
50" 55" 65" 75"

The Sony X90J and the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED are quite different because they don't use the same panel type. The Sony uses a VA panel with a much higher contrast ratio, making it better suited for dark rooms, and the Samsung uses an IPS-like panel with much wider viewing angles. They both have a full-array local dimming feature, but the Sony's performs better because it doesn't cause uniformity issues like the Samsung's. On the flip side, the Samsung has a wider color gamut and gets brighter overall. It also has lower input lag and it supports FreeSync, which the Sony doesn't.

Samsung Q80B [Q80, Q80BD] QLED
50" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED and the Samsung Q80B QLED are very similar overall, but there are a few differences. The Q80A gets brighter in HDR to deliver a more impactful HDR experience, but the Q80B performs better in dark rooms because there's less blooming around bright objects, although its local dimming feature is still mediocre. However, the local dimming in Game Mode is better on the Q80B than the Q80A. Also, the Q80B has HDMI 2.1 bandwidth on all four of its HDMI ports, as opposed to just one on the Q80A, meaning you can connect multiple HDMI 2.1 devices.

Samsung Q70/Q70A QLED
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED and the Samsung Q70/Q70A QLED are good TVs with different panel types. The Q80A has an ADS panel, which has much wider viewing angles. It also gets significantly brighter in HDR, so highlights stand out the way they should. However, the Q70A has a VA panel with a much better contrast ratio and improved black uniformity. Even though the Q80A has a full-array local dimming feature, which the Q70A doesn't have, the Q70A is better for dark room viewing due to its higher contrast.

Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED
49" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED replaces the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED in name, but they use different panel types and have different strengths and weaknesses. The QN80A has an ADS panel that has wider viewing angles. It also gets much brighter, especially in HDR in Game Mode. On the other, the Q80T has a VA panel with a much better contrast ratio and better local dimming for an improved dark room experience. The Q80T also has much better reflection handling.

Samsung QN85B QLED
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung QN85B QLED is much better than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED. The QN85B has a much better local dimming feature and a higher contrast ratio, so it looks better in a dark room, with more uniform blacks and less blooming around bright objects in darker scenes. The QN85B is also brighter, so bright highlights in HDR stand out better, and it can better overcome glare in bright rooms.

LG C1 OLED
48" 55" 65" 77" 83"

The LG C1 OLED is better overall than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED. The LG's OLED panel produces much deeper blacks because it has a near-infinite contrast, and there's no blooming around bright objects. The Samsung has an LED panel that gets much brighter, and it's immune to burn-in. Even though the Samsung has an IPS-like panel with wide viewing angles, the viewing angles are still better on the LG. They have the same gaming features with VRR support, but motion looks better on the LG due to the quick response time.

Samsung Q90/Q90T QLED
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung Q90/Q90T QLED is significantly better overall than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED. The Q90T has a much higher contrast ratio and delivers better HDR performance because it has a better local dimming feature and gets brighter in HDR to make highlights pop. They each have many of the same gaming features and performance, but the Q90T is G-SYNC compatible, which the Q80A isn't.

Samsung QN90A QLED
43" 50" 55" 65" 75" 85" 98"

The Samsung QN90A QLED is much better than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED. They use different panel types, so the VA panel on the QN90A has a higher contrast, and the Q80A has wider viewing angles thanks to its IPS panel, but the viewing angles are still decent on the QN90A. The QN90A uses Mini LED backlighting, providing a better local dimming feature and allowing it to get brighter, especially in HDR, so highlights pop more.

Samsung QN85A QLED
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung QN85A QLED is better overall than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED. The QN85A sits higher up in the lineup and uses Mini LED as its backlighting, which the Q80A doesn't. Even though they each use the same ADS panel type, the QN85A is better for dark room viewing because it has a better local dimming feature that improves the contrast. The QN85A also gets much brighter, especially in HDR, and it has better reflection handling, so it's a better choice for use in a well-lit room.

Samsung AU8000
43" 50" 55" 60" 65" 70" 75" 85"

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED is better than the Samsung AU8000. The Q80A has much higher peak brightness in SDR, so it overcomes glare better in a bright room, and its wider viewing angle makes it the better choice for watching TV with friends. The Q80A looks much better in a dark room thanks to its local dimming feature, so blacks are deeper than on the AU8000. The Q80A also has much higher HDR peak brightness, a wider color gamut, and better color volume, so HDR content has more vibrant and lifelike colors, and highlights really standout. Finally, the Q80A is better for gaming as it has a faster response time, VRR support, HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and the ability to play games in up to 4k @ 120Hz.

LG NANO90 2020
55" 65" 75" 86"

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED and the LG NANO90 2020 are good TVs with similar panel types. The Samsung has an ADS panel, while the LG has an IPS; they each behave similarly with wide viewing angles and a low contrast ratio. The Samsung gets significantly brighter, making it a better choice for well-lit rooms or watching HDR content. Each TV has a 120Hz panel with HDMI 2.1 support, a quick response time, and low input lag for gaming, so they're very similar overall.

LG NANO90 2021
55" 65" 75" 86"

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED and the LG NANO90 2021 are good TVs with similar panel types. They each have IPS-like panels with wide viewing angles coming at the cost of low contrast. The Samsung is a better choice for use in well-lit rooms because it gets much brighter, but the LG has better reflection handling. They each have similar gaming features with a 120Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 support, but the LG works with G-SYNC, which the Samsung doesn't.

Sony X900H
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Sony X900H is better than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED, mainly because they have different panels. The Sony's VA panel has a higher contrast ratio that lets it display deep blacks, and the local dimming feature is also better. However, the Samsung has an IPS-like panel with wider viewing angles. It also gets brighter, especially in HDR, and it has a few more gaming features like FreeSync support.

LG NANO85 2021
50" 55" 65" 75" 86"

The Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED is better overall than the LG NANO85 2021. They each have similar panel types, and the Samsung TV delivers better picture quality. It gets significantly brighter and has better reflection handling. Even though the dark room performance on either TV isn't good, the Samsung has a full-array local dimming feature, while the LG is edge-lit, so the local dimming is less distracting on the Samsung. They have the same gaming features, but the Samsung TV has lower input lag for a more responsive feel.

LG GX OLED
55" 65" 77"

The LG GX OLED is a much better TV than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED mainly because they have different panel types. The LG has an OLED panel that provides a near-infinite contrast ratio for perfect blacks. It also has wider viewing angles, and it's better for gaming because it has a near-instant response time. However, the Samsung gets much brighter, so it's a better choice for well-lit rooms, and it doesn't suffer from the risk of permanent burn-in like OLEDs do.

Sony X91J
85"

The Sony X91J is a bit better overall than the Samsung Q80/Q80A QLED, but they use different panel types. The Sony is only available in an 85 inch size and has a VA panel, while the Samsung is available from 55 to 85 inches. The 55 inch model we tested has an IPS panel, but the 85 inch variant has a VA panel and performs differently. The VA panel on the Sony provides better contrast and the local dimming feature results in less blooming, but the IPS panel on the Samsung has wider viewing angles. The Samsung gets brighter and has better reflection handling, so it's a better choice for well-lit rooms.

+ Show more

Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Samsung Q80A has a sleek yet simple design. It looks very similar to 2020's Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED with its center-mounted stand. The back panel is textured plastic, and there are tracks for cable management. Overall, it looks like a premium TV and will look good in most setups.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures
Design
Stand

The square-based stand is typical of high-end Samsung TVs, and it supports the TV well.

Footprint of the 55 inch stand: 15.4" x 10.3".

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 200x200

The back of the Samsung Q80A looks like other Samsung models. It has textured plastic, and there are tracks for cable management. You can also remove the back of the stand to run cables through it. The inputs are side-facing, so they're easy to access with the TV wall-mounted.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.35" (0.9 cm)
Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.44" (6.2 cm)

The panel itself is thin, but because the power plug sticks out, you'll need spacers with your mounting bracket so you can mount it properly.

8.5
Design
Build Quality

The Samsung Q80A's build quality is excellent. It wobbles a bit, but it's not too noticeable. It's mainly plastic, which still feels solid, and there isn't any noticeable flex. Unfortunately, the unit tested has three pixels that display purple during a dark scene (see Black Uniformity). We've seen other people online experience the same thing, but this is a quality control issue, so your experience will be different.

Picture Quality
6.6
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,449 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
1,560 : 1

The Samsung Q80A has a low contrast ratio, which is typical of ADS panels, and it's not anywhere close to the contrast of VA panels. The contrast with local dimming enabled is lower than expected because the local dimming turns on all the zones in the checkerboard pattern, which results in this low contrast ratio. It displays deeper blacks in real content with large areas of dark colors, but if there are a lot of bright areas, like in the checkerboard, blacks won't be as deep. With a full-white and full-black screen, it has a contrast of 12,390:1. The native contrast varies a bit between individual units, but it won't be much higher for an IPS-like panel. Note that the 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels, meaning they have better contrast.

8.7
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
653 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
597 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
858 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
785 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
583 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
520 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
590 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
836 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
778 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
581 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
519 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.028

The Samsung Q80A has excellent SDR brightness. Although its brightness varies based on different content, it easily gets bright enough to combat glare.

These results are from after calibration in the 'Movie' Picture Mode with Local Dimming on 'High', Color Tone set to 'Warm 2', and Brightness at its max.

If you want an even brighter image and don't care about image accuracy, then set Contrast Enhancer to 'High' and Color Tone to 'Warm 1'. It reaches 910 cd/m² in the 10% window with these settings.

6.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

The Samsung Q80A has a mediocre local dimming feature. There are 50 medium-sized zones, and it crushes blacks, causing a loss of details in scenes with shadows, and small highlights don't pop, like in a starfield. There's also visible blooming around bright objects, and the screen doesn't look uniform as entire horizontal zones light up at times. There's noticeable blooming around subtitles, and it gets worse when viewed at an angle, which is distracting. The dimming zones are slow to turn off when there are fast-moving objects, but it also turns on zones prematurely, so overall, objects don't transition between zones well. Overall, its performance is disappointing compared to the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED, and it doesn't improve the picture quality in dark scenes.

5.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming In Game Mode
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

The local dimming in Game Mode is poor. It's similar to outside of Game Mode, except the entire screen seems to light up more, meaning blacks look even more gray. There's less blooming, but that's because entire zones light up when there's a bright object on the screen. Small highlights are actually over-brightened now, to the point where they lose details. Zone transitions are still visible, although it's better than outside of Game Mode.

8.0
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/m²)
494 cd/m²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/m²)
489 cd/m²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/m²)
204 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
902 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
931 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
809 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
598 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
567 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
874 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
913 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
805 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
597 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
566 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.029

The Samsung Q80A has great HDR brightness. Small highlights really stand out, but large areas are less bright due to the Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL). The EOTF follows the target fairly well, but most scenes are brighter than they should be.

These HDR brightness results are from before calibration in the 'Movie HDR' Picture Mode with Brightness and Contrast at max, Local Dimming set to 'High', Color Tone set to 'Warm 2', and with all other image processing options disabled.

If you want to make HDR even brighter, set Contrast Enhancer to 'High' and ST.2084 to '+3'. This results in a noticeably brighter image, as you can see in this EOTF.

7.7
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Hallway Lights (~1950 cd/m²)
458 cd/m²
Yellow Skyscraper (~700 cd/m²)
381 cd/m²
Landscape Pool (~300 cd/m²)
202 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
833 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
922 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
836 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
625 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
540 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
817 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
908 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
831 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
625 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
540 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.059

The HDR brightness in Game Mode is very good. It's a bit more dim than outside of Game Mode, and small highlights are significantly less brighter due to its local dimming. The EOTF does a better job at following the target PQ curve, except some bright scenes are still over-brightened.

This was measured with Game Mode enabled, Brightness at its max, Local Dimming on 'High', Color Gamut set to 'Auto', Color Tone to 'Warm 2', and Dynamic Black Equalizer to '2'. Picture Clarity was also left disabled.

6.9
Picture Quality
PQ EOTF Tracking
600 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0299
1000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0298
4000 Nit Tracking Delta
0.0168
8.2
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.109
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.112
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.087
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.105

The gradient handling is great. There's a bit of banding, but it's limited to dark grays and greens, so not everyone will notice it in scenes with gradients, like sunsets. Setting Noise Reduction to 'Auto' does a good job at removing any banding, but that comes at the cost of losing details with high-quality content, but it smooths out gradients with low-quality content.

6.8
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
4.746%
50% DSE
0.208%
5% Std. Dev.
0.580%
5% DSE
0.115%

The Samsung Q80A has okay uniformity. The edges are visibly darker, and there's dirty screen effect in the center. It can get distracting with large areas of bright colors, like while watching sports or using it as a PC monitor. Uniformity is much improved in near-dark scenes, but as mentioned in the Build Quality section, you can see the dead pixels on an all-black screen. However, it's just an issue when displaying black, as you don't see it with the 50% gray image. Uniformity varies between units, but it's unlikely it will be significantly better than this.

4.6
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.193%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
5.207%

The Samsung Q80A has bad black uniformity. With local dimming disabled, the entire screen looks blue, there's backlight bleed along the edges, and there's noticeable clouding throughout. With local dimming enabled, entire horizontal zones are lit up around the center cross, meaning the screen is actually less uniform. This varies a bit between units, but not significantly.

You can visibly see the dead pixels in these photos. There are two below the center cross on the right side, and the other one, while less visible, is directly below the left arm of the cross. It's a quality control issue, so your experience will be different. If you notice the same thing, let us know.

7.9
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
38°
Color Shift
60°
Brightness Loss
38°
Black Level Raise
70°
Gamma Shift
47°

This TV has wide viewing angles, which is normal from an ADS panel. Although you may notice the screen is darker when viewing at an angle, the image remains accurate, and it's good for wide seating arrangements. Note that the 50 and 85 inch models have VA panels, so they have worse viewing angles.

7.5
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Semi-gloss
Total Reflections
5.1%
Indirect Reflections
0.2%
Calculated Direct Reflections
4.9%

The Samsung Q80A has good reflection handling. Unlike other high-end Samsung TVs, it has a semi-gloss finish. It results in more reflected light; it's good enough for a room with a few light sources, but you shouldn't put it opposite a window with direct sunlight.

6.4
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
4.38
Color dE
3.36
Gamma
2.07
Color Temperature
7,154 K
Picture Mode
Movie
Color Temp Setting
Warm 2
Gamma Setting
2.2

The out-of-the-box accuracy is unremarkable. White balance and most colors are inaccurate, but it's hard to notice for most people. Color temperature is on the cold side, resulting in a blue tint. Sadly, gamma does a bad job at following the target as most bright scenes are too bright.

9.5
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.40
Color dE
1.04
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,516 K
White Balance Calibration
20 point
Color Calibration
Yes

After calibration, accuracy is incredible. Any remaining inaccuracies aren't noticeable to the naked eye. Color temperature is extremely close to the 6500K target, and gamma does a much better job at following the 2.2 target.

You can see the recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

480p content like DVDs is upscaled without any issues.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

The Samsung Q80A upscales 720p content like cable TV well.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

This TV displays 1080p content almost as good as native 4k.

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

The Samsung Q80A displays native 4k content perfectly and without any issues.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input

This is a 4k TV that can't display an 8k signal. If you want an 8k TV, then check out the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Subpixel Layout
RGB
Type LED
Sub-Type
IPS

Like the Samsung QN85A QLED, this TV uses an Advanced Super Dimension Switch (ADS) panel. It's an IPS-type panel with many of the same characteristics, but it's technically different. It has an RGB subpixel layout, which is different from the BGR layout on most VA panels like the Samsung Q70/Q70A QLED. Although this doesn't affect picture quality, it renders text more clearly when using it as a PC monitor.

7.7
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
86.00%
DCI P3 uv
92.45%
Rec 2020 xy
62.22%
Rec 2020 uv
68.99%

The Samsung Q80A has a very good color gamut. It has excellent coverage of the commonly-used DCI P3 color space, but it has more limited coverage of the wider Rec. 2020. This means it's not very future-proof as more content is produced in the Rec. 2020 color space instead of DCI P3 because Rec. 2020 can display a wider range of colors.

7.9
Picture Quality
Color Volume
1,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
78.8%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
34.0%
White Luminance
902 cd/m²
Red Luminance
144 cd/m²
Green Luminance
497 cd/m²
Blue Luminance
48 cd/m²
Cyan Luminance
555 cd/m²
Magenta Luminance
193 cd/m²
Yellow Luminance
824 cd/m²

The color volume is decent. Due to its low contrast ratio, it can't display dark colors, but it displays bright colors well, thanks to its high peak brightness.

10
Picture Quality
Temporary Image Retention
IR after 0 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 2 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 4 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 6 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 8 min recovery
0.00%
IR after 10 min recovery
0.00%

There are no signs of temporary image retention. This may vary between units, but it's rarely an issue on modern TVs.

10
Picture Quality
Permanent Burn-In Risk
Permanent Burn-In Risk
No

Although some IPS-like panels can suffer from temporary image retention, this doesn't appear to be permanent as seen in the long-term test.

Motion
8.2
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
4.4 ms
100% Response Time
11.3 ms

The Samsung Q80A has a great response time. For the most part, motion looks smooth, but there's some motion blur in dark transitions due to overshoot. This is very similar to the Samsung QN85A QLED.

9.9
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
960 Hz

The Samsung Q80A uses Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to dim the backlight, but it flickers at such a high frequency of 960Hz in 'Movie' mode that most people won't notice it. However, it flickers at 120Hz in the 'Dynamic', 'Standard', 'Filmmaker', and 'Natural' Picture Modes. It also flickers at 120Hz with Picture Clarity set to 'Auto', and it can go down to 60Hz with LED Clear Motion enabled. Normally, it flickers at 120Hz with Game Mode enabled, but it still flickers at 960Hz on this TV. It's likely a bug that may be fixed in a firmware update, and it flickers at 120Hz with Game Motion Plus enabled.

10
Motion
Black Frame Insertion (BFI)
Optional BFI
Yes
Min Flicker For 60 fps
60 Hz
60Hz For 60 fps
Yes
120Hz For 120 fps
Yes
Min Flicker for 60 fps in Game Mode
60 Hz

The Samsung Q80A has an optional backlight strobing feature to try to reduce motion blur, known as black frame insertion. It flickers at 120Hz or 60Hz, depending on the setting you're using. Unfortunately, it creates image duplication that can get distracting. Keep in mind that the BFI score is based on its flickering abilities and not its actual performance.

Motion
Motion Interpolation
Motion Interpolation (30 fps)
Yes
Motion Interpolation (60 fps)
Yes

There's a motion interpolation feature known as the 'Soap Opera Effect'. It doesn't look that good overall as there are artifacts in fast-moving scenes, which is distracting.

7.0
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
30.4 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
4.4 ms

Due to the quick response time, lower-frame rate content can appear to stutter as each frame is held on longer. You can try enabling the motion interpolation feature if it bothers you.

10
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

The Samsung Q80A automatically removes judder from all sources, and there aren't any settings you need to enable.

9.4
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz (except 50")
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Unknown
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC Compatible
No
4k VRR Maximum
120 Hz
4k VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
1080p VRR Maximum
120 Hz
1080p VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
1440p VRR Maximum
120 Hz
1440p VRR Minimum
< 20 Hz
VRR Supported Connectors
HDMI

The Samsung Q80A has native FreeSync support to reduce screen tearing. It automatically works with a compatible device when in Game Mode. However, the G-SYNC doesn't work as there's constant tearing, and if you need something with G-SYNC compatibility, then look into the LG NANO90 2021.

Note: The 50 inch model is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, so it has a narrow VRR range, and you won't be able to play high-frame-rate games.

Inputs
9.7
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
9.0 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
84.4 ms
1080p @ 120Hz
5.1 ms
1080p @ 144Hz
N/A
1440p @ 60Hz
9.0 ms
1440p @ 120Hz
5.2 ms
1440p @ 144Hz
N/A
4k @ 60Hz
9.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
9.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
9.5 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
70.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
20.5 ms
4k @ 120Hz
5.3 ms
4k @ 144Hz
N/A
8k @ 60Hz
N/A

The Samsung Q80A's input lag is incredibly low. It stays low no matter the resolution and refresh rate you're gaming at, which is great. It increases with Game Motion Plus enabled, but it's still low enough for most people. If you're using the TV as a PC monitor and want the lowest input lag, simply enable Game Mode.

We couldn't properly measure the input lag with VRR enabled, which we experienced with other TVs, and we're looking into the issue. That said, we don't expect the input lag to significantly increase with VRR enabled.

9.6
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 144Hz
No
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 144Hz
No
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
Resolution 4k
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
4k @ 120Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 144Hz
No
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
No
8k @ 60Hz
No

The Samsung Q80A displays all common resolutions up to 4k @ 120Hz. If you're using it as a monitor, it displays chroma 4:4:4 at 1080p and 4k, but it can't with 1440p content. This helps it display clear and legible text while you're using it as a PC monitor. If you want it to display chroma 4:4:4, use HDMI 4, which supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth, and label the input as 'PC'.

Inputs
PS5 Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
PS5 doesn't output 1440p
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes

The Samsung Q80A doesn't have any issues displaying games from either the PS5 or Xbox Series X. It supports Auto Low Latency Mode, which means it automatically switches into Game Mode to provide the lowest input lag possible when a game from a compatible device is launched.

New to Samsung TVs in 2021 is a 'Game Bar' feature that lets you see useful information like the current frame rate and VRR status. You need to hold the Play/Pause button on your remote for a few seconds. You can see what it looks like here.

Inputs
Xbox Series X|S Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
HDR
Yes
VRR
Yes
Inputs
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
Yes
Dolby Vision
No
HLG
Yes
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1 Class Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 4)
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
ATSC Tuner
1.0
USB 3.0
No
Variable Analog Audio Out No
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

HDMI 4 is the only input that supports HDMI 2.1 bandwidth. This is disappointing if you need to connect more than one HDMI 2.1 device, but luckily, HDMI 3 still supports eARC, meaning you can connect your console and receiver to different inputs.

Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
USB 2
Digital Optical Audio Out 1
Analog Audio Out 3.5mm 0
Analog Audio Out RCA 0
Component In 0
Composite In 0
Tuner (Cable/Ant) 1
Ethernet 1
DisplayPort 0
IR In 0
SD/SDHC 0
Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC
Yes (HDMI 3)
eARC support
Yes
Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
Yes
DTS:X via DTS-HD MA via eARC
No
5.1 Dolby Digital via ARC
Yes
5.1 DTS via ARC
No
5.1 Dolby Digital via Optical
Yes
5.1 DTS via Optical
No

The Samsung Q80A supports Dolby audio formats, including Dolby Atmos via TrueHD through eARC, but you can't use it to pass DTS:X and DTS audio formats to a receiver. You'll need to ensure your content's audio is Dolby for the best sound experience possible.

Sound Quality
7.3
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
67.27 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.77 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
4.19 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
5.67 dB
Max
89.9 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
3.44 dB

The Samsung Q80A has a decent frequency response. It has a fairly well-balanced sound profile and gets pretty loud. It has better bass than some other TVs, but it doesn't deliver the true rumbling sound a dedicated subwoofer would.

7.4
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.131
Weighted THD @ Max
0.491
IMD @ 80
1.00%
IMD @ Max
4.16%

The distortion performance is decent. The total harmonic distortion is a bit audible when playing at its max volume, but it depends on the content, and not everyone will hear it.

Smart Features
8.5
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Tizen
Version 2021
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Very Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
2 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
7 s
Advanced Options
Many

The updated 2021 Tizen OS interface is easy-to-use and feels smoother than previous versions. The TV didn't provide any bugs during testing.

0
Smart Features
Ad-Free
Ads
Yes
Opt-out
No
Suggested Content in Home
Yes
Opt-out of Suggested Content
No

There are ads on the home page and app store, and there's no way to disable them. They're not always present, so it's difficult to get a photo of them. You can see the ads on the Samsung QN90A QLED here.

8.5
Smart Features
Apps and Features
App Selection
Great
App Smoothness
Average
Cast Capable
Yes
USB Drive Playback
Yes
USB Drive HDR Playback
Yes
HDR in Netflix
Yes
HDR in YouTube
Yes

Samsung's app store has a large number of streaming apps available, and they run smoothly.

8.5
Smart Features
Remote
Size
Small
Voice Control
Many Features
CEC Menu Control
Yes
Other Smart Features
Yes
Remote App Samsung SmartThings

Samsung's 2021 QLED models have a redesigned remote compared to the one from 2020. It has a different physical design with new brushed plastic, but the layout and quick-access buttons remain the same. It also doesn't require disposable batteries as you can either charge it through a USB-C cable, which isn't included, or with its solar panel on the back. The built-in voice control allows you to open apps, change inputs and settings, but you can't search for specific content in apps.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's one button underneath the Samsung branding in the center to change volume, channels, source, and turn the TV On/Off.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote
  • User guides

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 61 W
Power Consumption (Max) 195 W
Firmware 1054