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We published new results of an investigative study on the long-term durability of TVs, revealing significant durability issues with popular edge-lit models. Read the full details here.

Samsung Q8FN/Q8/Q8F QLED 2018 TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Apr 26, 2018 at 11:36 am
Latest change: Test bench update May 21, 2020 at 08:51 am
Samsung Q8FN/Q8/Q8F QLED 2018 Picture
8.2
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.2
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.1
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.1
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.3
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.2
HDR Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.3
HDR Gaming
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.9
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Samsung Q80/Q80R QLED

The Samsung Q8F / Q8 is a 2018 QLED TV with great picture quality, especially in a bright room due to the high peak brightness and excellent reflection handling. It performs very well for any usage with great motion handling, an excellent response time, and very low input lag. Unfortunately, the image loses accuracy when viewed at an angle and the gray uniformity is only decent.

Note that this is a different TV to the 2017 QLEDs such as the Q7F and Q8C. The 2018 Q8FN is also called Q8F or Q8.

Our Verdict

8.2 Mixed Usage

Great TV for a wide range of usages. The Samsung Q8F can produce deep and uniform dark scenes when viewed in a dark room. Local dimming is also decent at reducing blooming and producing bright highlights. Motion handling is great, and the response time is fast so motion is clear. It isn't perfect though, as the image loses accuracy when viewed at an angle and some dirty screen is visible, especially when watching sports.

Pros
  • Excellent wide color gamut
  • Feels responsive due to low input lag
  • Great motion handling
Cons
  • Picture quality degrades at an angle
8.2 Movies

Excellent for watching movies in a dark room. Picture quality is great due to the high native contrast ratio and decent local dimming. Blacks also appear uniform, which is great. 24p movies from most sources are also shown without any judder, which is great.

8.1 TV Shows

Great for watching TV in a bright room. The whole screen can get bright, which combined with the reflection handling is excellent for overcoming glare even in very bright rooms. The smart platform is also very good for browsing Netflix or watching content on YouTube. Unfortunately, the picture loses accuracy at an angle.

8.1 Sports

Great TV for sports fans. The Samsung Q8 can get bright to overcome glare in a bright room, and reflection handling is excellent. Motion handling is great, so fast-paced content remains clear and detailed. Unfortunately, the best picture quality is reserved for those directly in front of the TV, so those with wide seating may be disappointed.

8.3 Video Games

Excellent for gamers. Input lag is low, so the TV feels responsive regardless of the input signal. Motion handling is also great due to the fast response time and ability to flicker the backlight to clear up motion. The TV also supports motion interpolation with low input lag in game mode, which is great for a smooth gaming experience.

8.2 HDR Movies

Excellent TV for HDR movies in a dark room. Picture quality is great, and the TV can produce deep dark scenes with the high native contrast ratio and decent local dimming. It can also produce very bright and vivid highlights due to the wide color gamut.

8.3 HDR Gaming

Excellent choice for HDR gaming. The Samsung Q8 has a low input lag and fast response time, so the TV feels responsive and fast motion is clear. Also, the TV supports HDR well with a high peak brightness and can produce bright highlights. The TV can also interpolate games while keeping a low input lag, which is great for smooth play.

7.9 PC Monitor

Great choice for a PC monitor. Picture quality is good. The TV supports chroma 4:4:4 for clear text across all backgrounds, and it has low input lag so the TV feels very responsive. It also has a low response time, so fast motion is clear. Unfortunately, the viewing angles are poor so the sides of the screen lose accuracy when viewed from up-close.

  • 8.2 Mixed Usage
  • 8.2 Movies
  • 8.1 TV Shows
  • 8.1 Sports
  • 8.3 Video Games
  • 8.2 HDR Movies
  • 8.3 HDR Gaming
  • 7.9 PC Monitor
  1. Updated May 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  2. Updated Feb 21, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  3. Updated Feb 28, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  4. Updated Jun 11, 2018: 1440p @ 120 Hz input lag has decreased as of firmware 1103. The review has been updated.
  5. Updated Jun 08, 2018: FreeSync has been tested and the scores have been updated.
  6. Updated May 23, 2018: Firmware version 1103 has added Freesync support. We are currently testing it and will update the review shortly.
  7. Updated Apr 26, 2018: Review published.
  8. Updated Apr 24, 2018: Early access published.
  9. Updated Apr 23, 2018: Our testers have started testing this product.
  10. Updated Apr 22, 2018: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  11. Updated Apr 04, 2018: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 55" (QN55Q8FN) version FA02. For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 65" version (QN65Q8FN) and 75" version (QN75Q8FN).

Size Model Model Short US Canada UK
55" QN55Q8FN QN55Q8 QN55Q8FNBFXZA QN55Q8FNBFXZC QE55Q8FNA
65" QN65Q8FN QN65Q8 QN65Q8FNBFXZA QN65Q8FNBFXZC QE65Q8FNA
75" QN75Q8FN QN75Q8 QN75Q8FNBFXZA QN75Q8FNBFXZC N/A
82" QN82Q8FN QN82Q8 QN82Q8FNBFXZA QN82Q8FNBFXZC N/A

In the EU, Samsung has released both a curved variant and the flat version of the Q8FN. Both of these are edge-lit TVs and will not feature Full-Array Local Dimming. While we will not be reviewing the EU variant, we expect the performance to more closely match that of the Q7FN.

If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Samsung Q8FN doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.

Update 07/06/2018: We estimate our 55" model to have 40 local dimming zones. There was initially a rumor that the 65" model has many more (240) however this doesn't appear to be true, so we do expect these larger sizes to offer similar dark scene performance.

Update 08/01/2018: Samsung has announced that they will begin selling the Q8DN in Europe. The Q8DN is the European equivalent of the U.S. model, including Full-Array Local Dimming.

Update 08/20/2018: Samsung has announced that they will be releasing an 82" model.

Compared To Other TVs

Comparison picture

Top left: LG  C8 (OLED55C8PUA). Bottom left: Sony X900F (XBR55X900F). Middle: Samsung Q8FN (QN55Q8FNBFXZA). Top right: Samsung Q8C (QN55Q8C). Bottom right: Sony A8 (XBR55A8F).  Unlike our other photographs, this picture wasn't taken under a controlled environment, so do not draw conclusions from it.

The Samsung Q8FN is a strong performer in both dark and bright rooms. It is great for any usage but comes at a very high price. See some of our comparisons below for how it compares to other TVs on the market. See our recommendations for the best TVs and the best smart TVs.

Samsung Q7FN/Q7/Q7F QLED 2018
55" 65" 75"

The Samsung Q8FN is a bit better than the Samsung Q7FN for most users, unless you want a cleaner wall mount installation with the One Connect box. The two TVs offer nearly identical picture quality, but the Samsung Q8FN has a better local dimming feature.

Samsung Q6FN/Q6/Q6F QLED 2018
49" 55" 65" 75" 82"

The Samsung Q8FN is better than the Samsung Q6FN. The Q8FN has better local dimming and can produce better blacks, which is great for movies in a dark room. It also has better reflection handling, so you can place it in a bright room with no issues. The Samsung Q8FN handles fast action and sports slightly better as it has a better response time.

Samsung Q9FN/Q9/Q9F QLED 2018
65" 75"

The Samsung Q9FN is slightly better than the Samsung Q8FN. The Q9FN has better dark room performance thanks to the better local dimming feature and better black uniformity. Overall performance is very similar between the two. The Samsung Q8FN doesn't use the One Connect box and all connections run to the back of the TV towards the side.

Samsung Q90/Q90R QLED
65" 75" 82"

The Samsung Q90/Q90R QLED is somewhat better than the Samsung Q8FN. The Samsung Q90R has a better local dimming implementation and delivers an overall better dark room performance. Also, the Samsung Q90R encompasses the new 'Ultra Viewing Angle' technology that maintains the image accurate for wider angles. The Samsung Q90R can display judder-free movies from any source and has a little lower input lag, which is great for video games.

Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED
49" 55" 65" 75" 82" 85"

The Samsung Q8FN/Q8/Q8F QLED 2018 has very similar performance to the Samsung Q70/Q70R QLED. The Q8FN has an antireflective filter that provides much better reflection handling in rooms with many light sources. The Q8FN has a slightly wider color gamut and can get a little brighter. The Q70R has a lower input lag which is better if you play a lot of video games.

Samsung Q80/Q80R QLED
55" 65" 75" 82"

The Samsung Q80R is somewhat better than the Samsung Q8FN. The Samsung Q80R has wider viewing angles thanks to the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer, so the image remains accurate when viewed from the side. The Samsung Q8FN, on the other hand, has better reflection handling, which is great if you place it in a room with many light sources. The Samsung Q80R has slightly better local dimming performance, which is great when you watch movies, and a slightly lower input lag, great for playing video games.

Samsung Q8C/Q8 QLED 2017
55" 65" 75"

The Samsung Q8FN 2018 QLED TV is better than the Samsung Q8C 2017 QLED TV. The Q8FN features a full array local dimming system that delivers a better dark room experience than with the Q8C's edge-lighting. The Q8FN is much brighter, good for overcoming glare in a bright room and has new features for gamers including VRR and Auto Low Latency Mode.

Sony X900F
49" 55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung Q8FN is slightly better than the Sony X900F. The Q8FN has better reflection handling, although the Sony X900F is brighter. The Samsung Q8FN is better for gaming, as it has lower input lag, and it supports FreeSync and automatic low latency mode. The Sony X900F has a better response time, so motion is clearer with less blur, but the Q8FN is excellent as well. While both TVs have an optional black frame insertion feature, the Q8FN can flicker at a lower frequency, which is good for content with a lower frame rate.

Samsung NU8000
49" 55" 65" 75" 82"

The Samsung Q8FN is better than the Samsung NU8000. The Samsung Q8FN has full array local dimming and can deliver a better dark room performance. Also, the Samsung Q8FN can handle reflections better, thus minimizing distractions.

LG C8 OLED
55" 65" 77"

The LG C8 is better than the Samsung Q8FN, unless the possibility of burn-in with an OLED TV concerns you. The C8 delivers perfect dark room performance with perfect blacks, as well as much wider viewing angles great for a large seating area, as well as perfect black uniformity and near-instantaneous response time. This comes at a cost, as the OLED panel is prone to temporary image retention and permanent burn-in. The Samsung Q8FN is brighter and doesn't experience image retention.

Vizio P Series 2018
55" 65" 75"

The Samsung Q8FN is somewhat better than the Vizio P Series 2018. The Q8FN has better reflection handling, so you can easily place it in a room with many lights without being distracted. On the other hand, the Vizio P Series 2018 has a slightly faster response time, so motion appears crisper. The Q8FN supports FreeSync VRR and low input lag with motion interpolation, which will please gamers.

LG B8 OLED
55" 65"

The LG B8 is better than the Samsung Q8FN for most people, unless burn-in is a concern. The LG B8 is an OLED TV with perfect blacks that delivers outstanding dark room performance. The LG is better for a room with a wide seating arrangement, as it has better viewing angles and can handle the reflections of multiple small light sources better. On the other hand, the Samsung Q8FN is more responsive to your actions due to the lower input lag, supports FreeSync VRR, and can get very bright to fight the glare of bright rooms.

Vizio P Series Quantum 2018
65"

The Vizio P Series Quantum is marginally better than the Samsung Q8FN. The P Series Quantum can get brighter in HDR. It has a faster response time so that fast-moving content has only a small blur trail, which is great for sports. The Samsung Q8FN supports FreeSync variable refresh rate and has some neat gaming features like motion interpolation with low input lag.

Sony X950G
55" 65" 75" 85"

The Samsung Q8FN is marginally better than the Sony X950G. The Samsung Q8FN has better reflection handling and better BFI implementation. Also, if you're a fan of gaming, the Samsung is loaded with gaming goodies like auto low latency, low input lag with motion interpolation in game mode, and FreeSync variable refresh rate support.

+ Show more

Video

Test Results

Design
9.0
Design
Style
Curved No

The design of the Samsung 2018 Q8 is great. It has a very modern look with sleek lines and a nice finish. The legs are solid and wide set, but they might not fit on some tables. It includes the same excellent cable management system found in the NU8000. The TV does not include the OneConnect box found on the higher-end Q9FN. The connections are all side-facing but in the TV frame, so it is difficult to reach the connections when the TV is wall-mounted.

Design
Stand

The stand is sleek and modern. The stand feels solid and well built. The legs are set far enough apart to put a soundbar directly in front of the screen, but they might not fit on some tables.

Footprint of the 55" TV Stand: 9.7" x 38.1"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 200x200

The back of the Q8FN is nearly identical to the NU8000. It has the same cable management system which works exceptionally well for guiding all of the cables either through the legs or through the bottom of the TV when wall-mounted.

The inputs are all inset into the back of the TV and are difficult to reach if wall mounted.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.51" (1.3 cm)

The frame of the TV is thin, there is a very small gap between the edge of the frame and the first pixels, but it is not noticeable.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 2.28" (5.8 cm)

Very uniform thickness, the TV is thicker than the LG OLEDs but still quite thin. It sits flush to the wall when wall mounted.

8.5
Design
Build Quality

Excellent build quality. There are no gaps in the construction. It is mostly plastic but there are some metal parts. It feels well built and solid. The back panel has a lot of flex in the middle where the VESA mounts are located, and the corners of the bezel are slightly cracked but this should not cause any issues.

Picture Quality
9.0
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
5,551 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
7,957 : 1

Excellent contrast ratio on the Samsung Q8F. It features a full array local dimming feature and is able to get very deep blacks. To measure the native contrast ratio without local dimming we had to disable it in the advanced service menu, as local dimming cannot be disabled in the standard menu.

7.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

Decent local dimming on the Q8FN, very similar to the Sony X900F. The Q8FN does not completely turn off zones that were far away from our test dot. The Q8FN has less visible blooming than the X900F, but the black levels are not as deep.

Update 01/08/2019: The Q8FN in Europe does not have a full array local dimming feature, but is instead edge-lit. Samsung has instead released the Q8DN, which has the same full array local dimming feature as the one we have tested.

8.6
Picture Quality
SDR Peak Brightness
SDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
543 cd/m²
SDR Peak 2% Window
803 cd/m²
SDR Peak 10% Window
1,397 cd/m²
SDR Peak 25% Window
754 cd/m²
SDR Peak 50% Window
614 cd/m²
SDR Peak 100% Window
555 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 2% Window
792 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 10% Window
1,341 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 25% Window
751 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 50% Window
613 cd/m²
SDR Sustained 100% Window
554 cd/m²
SDR ABL
0.048

Excellent peak brightness with SDR content. Highlights are very bright and stand out. The 2018 Q8FN is much brighter than last year's Q8C. Real scenes are not as bright as our test windows, but still bright enough for most rooms.

7.7
Picture Quality
HDR Peak Brightness
HDR Real Scene Peak Brightness
628 cd/m²
HDR Peak 2% Window
969 cd/m²
HDR Peak 10% Window
1,233 cd/m²
HDR Peak 25% Window
1,278 cd/m²
HDR Peak 50% Window
684 cd/m²
HDR Peak 100% Window
495 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 2% Window
946 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 10% Window
1,200 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 25% Window
1,258 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 50% Window
681 cd/m²
HDR Sustained 100% Window
493 cd/m²
HDR ABL
0.053

Very good brightness with HDR content. Small highlights are hitting the target 1000 cd/m² that HDR is mastered for. The screen brightness dips considerably with very bright scenes, but is still good for a bright room. Similar brightness to the LG C8, but with brighter highlights in very dark scenes, as shown by the small window tests.

Update 04/27/2018: The text has been edited for clarification.

7.1
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
3.354%
50% DSE
0.205%
5% Std. Dev.
1.155%
5% DSE
0.104%

Decent gray uniformity, but worse than last year's Q8. The sides of the Q8FN are darker than the rest of the screen, but this isn't as noticeable as when it is in the center. The center of the screen is not uniform, this will be noticeable when watching sports like hockey or football with large areas of uniform color in the center of the screen.

5.2
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
24°
Color Shift
16°
Brightness Loss
34°
Black Level Raise
13°
Gamma Shift
22°

The Samsung Q8 has a poor viewing angle, the picture quality degrades when viewed off angle. Blacks turn gray and colors shift even with a small angle. This TV is not a good choice for a room with side seating or even with a large couch. These results are typical of VA-type panels. OLED panels like the LG C7 have much better viewing angles.

8.1
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
0.855%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
0.834%

Great black uniformity. We disabled the local dimming feature in the hidden service menu to get an accurate test. Without local dimming there is some clouding visible around the cross, but dark room viewing should still be great for most people.

With local dimming on max there is less clouding around the cross. The full array local dimming is effective at turning off zones.

This is a significant improvement over the 2017 Q8F/C, as it was edge-lit and could not fully disable the dimming zones around the test cross, which causes lots of vertical blooming.

9.4
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Glossy
Total Reflections
1.2%
Indirect Reflections
0.3%
Calculated Direct Reflections
0.8%

The 2018 Q8FN has excellent reflection handling. Reflections are well defined but at a much lower intensity, as such there is much less glare. The anti-reflection coating gives reflections a slight purple tint, but this isn't really noticeable. This TV is excellent even for a very bright room.

7.0
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
3.34
Color dE
3.80
Gamma
2.30
Color Temperature
6,196 K
Picture Mode
Movie
Color Temp Setting
Warm 2
Gamma Setting
BT.1886 +2, Brightness +2

Sub-par color accuracy out of the box. The best settings pre-calibration are with the Movie picture mode. Even in this mode, the Gamma does not tracking our target, and both white balance and color dE are too high. The color temperature is too warm, colors are shifted with more of a red-yellowish tint.

Update 04/12/2019: This TV was incorrectly measured with Brightness +2, instead of at 0. This only has a small impact on the results (slightly dimmer dark scenes below about 30 IRE) and so we don't plan to retest it.

8.8
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.39
Color dE
2.83
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,476 K
White Balance Calibration
20 point
Color Calibration
Yes
Auto-Calibration Function
Yes

After calibrating on the Movie picture mode, with color temperature set to 'Warm1', white balance is corrected and the color temperature is much closer to our target. Gamma follows our target curve perfectly. The color space settings are not very useful and it was not possible to fully correct color accuracy, although it is good enough that most people won't notice.

You can see our recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

Upscaling of DVDs or classic game consoles is good. Edges are smooth without any loss of detail.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content like from a cable box is scaled well on the Samsung Q8, there is no obvious over softening or upscaling artifacts.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content from a Blu-ray player or non-4k game console looks good.

10
Picture Quality
4k Input

Native 4k content is played without any issues.

0
Picture Quality
8k Input
Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA
8.8
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
97.99%
DCI P3 uv
98.72%
Rec 2020 xy
74.08%
Rec 2020 uv
80.89%

Excellent wide color gamut. The Q8FN can display nearly 100% of the P3 color space, and has the highest Rec.2020 coverage we have ever seen, although it is very close to the 2017 Q9F.

The Movie mode follows the PQ curve almost perfectly until it rolls off at the TV's peak brightness. The Game EOTF curve also follows our input closely, which is good.

Update 04/26/2018: PC mode's EOTF also follows the target fairly well, although it is a little dimmer.

8.5
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
94.4%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
52.0%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
74.7%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
40.8%

The Samsung Q8F has outstanding color volume. Like other Samsung TVs, it can't produce deep, dark colors, and also can't produce overly saturated greens at a range of brightness levels. It is a definite improvement over the 2017 Q8C and the 2018 NU8000.

7.5
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.124
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.143
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.096
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.129

The Samsung Q8FN does a good job displaying our test gradient. There is some banding visible, especially in the darker colors.

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%

Like most Samsung TVs, there is no temporary image retention on the Q8FN.

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

We don't expect VA panels to experience burn-in, as the VA panel in our long-term test appears immune.

Motion
8.1
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
4.0 ms
100% Response Time
12.9 ms

The Q8FN has an excellent response time with very little overshoot. The left and right sides of the chart do not line up due to the local dimming feature.

7.9
Motion
Flicker-Free
Flicker-Free
No
PWM Dimming Frequency
480 Hz

The Q8FN uses PWM to dim the backlight, and it flickers regardless of backlight setting, even at 100%. The flicker changes considerably depending on settings. Normally, it flickers at 480 Hz, which shouldn't be noticeable and creates little motion duplication. This is much better than last year's Q8C, and almost as good as Sony's X900F.

When in 'Game Mode', or if 'Auto Motion Plus' is enabled, the backlight changes to a 120 Hz flicker which is more noticeable. When we sent a 1080p 120 Hz signal, the backlight changed to 360 Hz.

Here is a plot of the different backlight settings.

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

The Samsung Q8FN has an optional BFI mode called 'LED Clear Motion' that adjusts the flicker depending on the content to help motion appear more clear.

BFI on the Q8FN is able to flicker at a variety of frequencies, as low as 60Hz to help fluidity of motion with 60 fps content. Similarly to the NU8000, it is also available in 'Game Mode'.

When in 'Game Mode', or if 'Auto Motion Plus' is enabled, the backlight changes to a 120 Hz flicker, and with a 1080p 120 Hz signal it changed to 360 Hz. You can see a plot of the results here.

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

The Samsung 2018 Q8FN has a 120Hz panel, and can interpolate lower frame rate content up to 120 Hz. This helps motion appear much smoother, but it can sometimes get it wrong and cause motion artifacts. In scenes with lots of motion the TV stops interpolating, preferring to maintain quality similar to the LG C8. This effect can look strange to many people and is also known as the 'Soap Opera Effect'.

Interpolation is activated by setting 'Auto Motion Plus' to 'Custom'. The 'Judder Reduction' can be adjusted for low frame rate content, and the 'Blur Reduction' slider can be adjusted to help clear up motion on 60 fps content.

The flicker changes to 120 Hz when 'Auto Motion Plus' is enabled as seen here

7.3
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
28.8 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
3.8 ms

Each 24 fps frame is displayed for nearly half the cycle, which can make this type of content stutter, especially with wide panning shots. 60 fps content appears smooth and is a good improvement over the 2017 Q8.

8.9
Motion
24p Judder
Judder-Free 24p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60p
Yes
Judder-Free 24p via 60i
No
Judder-Free 24p via Native Apps
Yes

The Q8FN is almost always judder-free, but when playing 24p content through a streaming device at 60i, it was inconsistent. This result is unexpected, although we have similar results with other Samsungs we have tested. We will retest this with each firmware update. This will not be an issue for most people.

8.2
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Yes
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC Compatible
No
4k VRR Maximum
60 Hz
4k VRR Minimum
48 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 Q8FN does not support FreeSync from our Radeon RX 580 GPU. We tried multiple combinations of 'Game Mode', 'PC Mode' and different refresh rates but FreeSync was never detected as supported.

Update 05/23/2018: Firmware version 1103 has added Freesync support. We are currently testing it and will update the review shortly.

Update 06/08/2018: FreeSync has been tested and the score has been updated. FreeSync was supported from our Xbox One S and our Radeon RX 580 GPU, in 1080p, 1440p and 4k resolutions. FreeSync is activated by enabling the TV's Game mode and FreeSync settings; PC mode is not required. We tested in Ultimate mode because it has the widest range, and we only recommend Basic mode when you experience problems with Ultimate.

Inputs
8.2
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60 Hz
20.0 ms
1080p @ 60 Hz Outside Game Mode
73.0 ms
1440p @ 60 Hz
N/A
4k @ 60 Hz
19.7 ms
4k @ 60 Hz + 10 bit HDR
19.0 ms
4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
16.6 ms
4k @ 60 Hz Outside Game Mode
56.0 ms
4k @ 60 Hz With Interpolation
20.8 ms
8k @ 60 Hz
N/A
1080p @ 120 Hz
10.8 ms
1440p @ 120 Hz
10.0 ms
4k @ 120 Hz
N/A
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
6.5 ms
1440p with VRR
6.7 ms
4k with VRR
15.4 ms
8k with VRR
N/A
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes

1440p @ 120 Hz: 10.0 ms

Excellent low input lag across all input resolutions and refresh rates, as long as 'Game Mode' is activated. The 1080@120 Hz input lag is exceptionally low, which is great for Xbox One X gamers, as the Xbox One X will soon support 120Hz @ 1080p and at 1440p.

2018 Samsung TVs including the QLEDs and the NU8000 support 'Game Motion Plus', which interpolates lower frame rate games up to 120 Hz while in 'Game Mode'. This feature causes a small increase in input lag. When interpolating up to 60 Hz input lag is 20.8 ms, and when interpolating up to 120 Hz it is 26.6 ms. This is still low and most games should feel responsive.

The NU8000 and the Samsung 2018 QLEDs added support for Auto Game Mode. When it is enabled from the input menu, the TV will automatically switch to Game Mode when it detects a game being played on a console. We tested it on a PS4 and Xbox One S and it worked perfectly.

Update 06/08/2018: The input lag with VRR has been tested and added to the review.

Update 06/11/2018: 1440p @ 120 Hz performance has improved as of firmware version 1103. The 1440p @ 120 Hz input lag is now 10.0 ms, down from 25.0 ms.

8.8
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 4k
1080p @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120 Hz
Yes (native support)
1440p @ 60 Hz
No
1440p @ 120 Hz
Yes (native support)
4k @ 60 Hz
Yes
4k @ 60 Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120 Hz
No
8k @ 30 Hz or 24 Hz
No
8k @ 60 Hz
No

Most common resolutions and refresh rates are supported without issue. Like the NU8000, the Q8FN does not support 1440p@60Hz, and in PC mode with a 1440p@120Hz signal the TV does not display chroma 4:4:4 properly, as colors appear washed out.

Unlike last year's Q8C and other 2017 Samsungs the Q8FN supports 120Hz input.

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
Inputs Specifications
HDR10
Yes
HDR10+
Yes
Dolby Vision
No
HLG
Yes
3D
No
HDMI 2.0 Full Bandwidth
Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
HDMI 2.1
No
CEC Yes
HDCP 2.2 Yes (HDMI 1,2,3,4)
USB 3.0
No
Variable Analog Audio Out No
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

The Q8FN does not support DTS passthrough like the NU8000. This should not be an issue since most media provides both DTS and Dolby Digital sound streams.

Inputs
Audio Passthrough
ARC
Yes (HDMI 4)
eARC support
No
Dolby Atmos via TrueHD via eARC
No
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
Sound Quality
6.3
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
75.51 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
4.28 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
4.85 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.73 dB
Max
85.5 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
4.05 dB

The frequency response of of the Q8FN is below-average. Low-frequency extension (LFE) is at 76Hz, which is quite decent for a TV. This means that this TV will be able to produce some punch and kick, but no thump or rumble in the bass range. The response above the TV's LFE is decently flat and well-balanced, but because this TV doesn't have a room correction system, it wasn't able to remove the modes of our test room around 200Hz. The Max SPL of 85.5dB is above-average, but may not be enough for loud environments.

7.2
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.717
Weighted THD @ Max
0.951
IMD @ 80
0.65%
IMD @ Max
1.39%

The Samsung Q8 has a decent distortion performance. The overall THD response is elevated, especially in the bass range. Also, there is very little difference between the amount of THD produced at 80dB SPL compared to max volume, which is good, but this TV doesn't get very loud.

Smart Features
7.5
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Tizen
Version 2018
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Not Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
3 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
7 s
Advanced Options
Many

The interface of the Q8FN is well organized and intuitive. The interface is inconsistent, occasionally dropping frames on animations. The 2018 Q8FN and NU8000 are worse than last year's models.

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

Like all Samsung TVs, the Q8FN has ads throughout the home menu, as well as suggested content within the app store. They are not always there, and there is no option to disable them.

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 one of the widest selections of apps, although not quite as many as the Google Play Store on Sony TVs.

The Samsung Q8 features a new Ambient Mode, which allows you to customize what the TV displays when it is inactive. There are options to display a clock, the current weather, photos, etc...

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

The remote is the same as the one found with the NU8000. It provides basic access to the most common functions, but for more advanced options you have to either navigate the menu or use Samsung's Bixby voice assistant.

The voice assistant works well, but is not as advanced as LG's. It can change inputs, open apps, or answer basic questions ("How's the weather in Montreal?"), but it cannot search within apps or do wider content searches.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There is a cluster of six buttons located underneath the center of the TV. They provide quick access to basic functions, including power, changing channels, volume control, and input control.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Manual
  • Remote
  • VESA Mount Spacers
  • Batteries
  • 60.5" Power cable

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 50 W
Power Consumption (Max) 150 W
Firmware 1056