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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 Q900TS 8k QLED TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.6
Reviewed Feb 05, 2021 at 10:05 am
Latest change: Retest Sep 11, 2024 at 03:26 pm
Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED Picture
8.1
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.0
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
8.2
Sports
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.4
Video Games
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.9
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
8.5
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED

The Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED is one of three 8k TVs in Samsung's 2020 lineup. While 8k is still something of a novelty with very little native content, this is still a great all-around TV that performs well in both dark and well-lit rooms. It has a decent contrast ratio, lower than typical for a VA panel, but a good local dimming feature helps it produce deeper blacks. The lower contrast is a result of Samsung's 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer, which attempts to improve the viewing angles of VA panels. Unfortunately, that's not the case here, as the TV has disappointing viewing angles that make the image look washed out from the side. On the upside, it has an amazing response time and an optional Black Frame Insertion feature, making motion look smooth in fast-moving scenes. There's also FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR) support, but it doesn't work fully. It includes an HDMI 2.1 port and can support a 4k @ 120Hz or 8k @ 60Hz signal, but neither of these works with 'Game' mode, which is unfortunate if you want to use this TV for next-gen consoles.

Our Verdict

8.1 Mixed Usage

The Samsung Q900TS is great for mixed usage. It's great for movies thanks to its good black uniformity and local dimming, which greatly improves its contrast ratio. It also performs well in sunny rooms since it gets bright enough to overcome glare. It also has no problem upscaling cable TV or Blu-ray movies. HDR content pops thanks to its wide color gamut and high peak brightness. Unfortunately, its viewing angles are disappointingly narrow, so it's not as well-suited to wide seating arrangements. That said, gamers should appreciate the fast response time, low input lag, and FreeSync support.

Pros
  • Gets very bright.
  • Excellent reflection handling.
  • Fast response time.
Cons
  • 'Ultra Viewing Angle' doesn't improve viewing angles.
  • Contrast ratio is only decent.
8.0 Movies

The Samsung Q900TS is great for watching movies. It performs well in dark rooms thanks to its full-array local dimming and black uniformity, but its contrast ratio is lower than expected. It has no problem upscaling 1080p content like Blu-rays, although it doesn't display 4k content perfectly. There's a fair bit of stuttering as a result of its fast response time, but it can remove 24p judder from any source.

Pros
  • Good local dimming.
  • Can upscale Blu-rays without issue.
  • Removes 24p judder from any source.
Cons
  • Contrast ratio is only decent.
  • Stuttering with low resolution content.
8.1 TV Shows

The Samsung Q900TS is great for watching TV shows during the day. It can get very bright and has excellent reflection handling, although the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer creates a rainbow-tinted effect when there are bright lights directly facing the screen, which some may find distracting. Despite the addition of the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' technology, the TV has disappointingly narrow viewing angles.

Pros
  • Gets very bright.
  • Excellent reflection handling.
  • No issues upscaling lower resolution content like cable or DVD.
Cons
  • Rainbow-like effect when bright lights shine directly on screen.
  • 'Ultra Viewing Angle' doesn't improve viewing angles.
8.2 Sports

The Samsung Q900TS is great for watching sports. It has excellent reflection handling and high peak brightness, so it's well-suited to bright rooms. It also has an amazing response time, resulting in smooth motion, which is great for fast-moving sports. Unfortunately, it has narrow viewing angles, causing the image to look washed out from the side, so it's not well-suited to watching the game with a large group.

Pros
  • Gets very bright.
  • Excellent reflection handling.
  • Fast response time.
Cons
  • 'Ultra Viewing Angle' doesn't improve viewing angles.
  • Noticeable 'dirty screen effect.'
8.4 Video Games

The Samsung Q900TS is an excellent TV for playing video games. Its amazing response time makes motion look clear and it has an incredibly low input lag, so gaming feels responsive. Its contrast ratio is only decent, so it's not as well-suited to dark room gaming. It has native FreeSync support, but it's not compatible with G-SYNC and the VRR doesn't work with 1440p resolution. Unfortunately, 'Game' mode doesn't work with 4k @ 120Hz or 8k @ 60Hz.

Pros
  • Fast response time.
  • Supports FreeSync.
  • Incredibly low input lag.
Cons
  • VRR doesn't work in 1440p.
  • Doesn't support 4k @ 120Hz or 8k @ 60Hz in 'Game' mode.
7.9 HDR Movies

The Samsung Q900TS is very good for watching movies in HDR. It gets bright enough to make highlights in HDR content pop and it has a wide color gamut. However, its native contrast ratio is only decent, lower than a typical VA panel. Thankfully, it has good local dimming that greatly improves dark room performance. While it supports HDR10+, it doesn't support Dolby Vision.

Pros
  • Good local dimming.
  • Bright enough for HDR.
  • Wide color gamut.
Cons
  • Contrast ratio is only decent.
  • Doesn't support Dolby Vision.
8.3 HDR Gaming

The Samsung Q900TS is excellent for HDR gaming. It has an incredibly low input lag in HDR, making for a responsive gaming experience. It also has a fast response time and supports FreeSync VRR, although the VRR doesn't work in 1440p. Also, 'Game' mode doesn't work in 4k @ 120Hz or 8k @ 60Hz. Still, games look as they should in HDR thanks to the TV's wide color gamut and high peak brightness, although the contrast ratio is lower than expected.

Pros
  • Fast response time.
  • Bright enough for HDR.
  • Incredibly low input lag.
Cons
  • VRR doesn't work in 1440p.
  • Doesn't support 4k @ 120Hz or 8k @ 60Hz in 'Game' mode.
8.5 PC Monitor

The Samsung Q900TS is an impressive TV for use as a PC monitor. It has an incredibly low input lag, creating a responsive desktop experience, and a fast response time. It also supports chroma 4:4:4. which is important for displaying text properly. Unfortunately, it has disappointing viewing angles, despite the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer, so the edges of the screen may look washed out when sitting up close.

Pros
  • Excellent reflection handling.
  • Displays proper chroma 4:4:4.
  • Incredibly low input lag.
Cons
  • 'Ultra Viewing Angle' doesn't improve viewing angles.
  • 8.1 Mixed Usage
  • 8.0 Movies
  • 8.1 TV Shows
  • 8.2 Sports
  • 8.4 Video Games
  • 7.9 HDR Movies
  • 8.3 HDR Gaming
  • 8.5 PC Monitor
  1. Updated Sep 11, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  2. Updated Jul 17, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  3. Updated May 02, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  4. Updated Feb 13, 2024: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  5. Updated Dec 05, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  6. Updated Oct 12, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  7. Updated Aug 09, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  8. Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  9. Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  10. Updated Feb 27, 2023: The brightness changed between our initial measurements for the accelerated longevity test and the two-month update due to an automatic firmware update.
  11. Updated Feb 06, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  12. Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  13. Updated Aug 04, 2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.
  14. Updated Jun 03, 2021: Corrected a broken link in the Interface section of the review.
  15. Updated May 19, 2021: Updated the PS5's software and confirmed the TV now supports 4k @ 120Hz in HDR from it.
  16. Updated Mar 05, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.6.
  17. Updated Feb 08, 2021: Updated 'Gray Uniformity' to explain uniformity issues caused by backlight.
  18. Updated Feb 05, 2021: Review published.
  19. Updated Feb 01, 2021: Early access published.
  20. Updated Jan 21, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  21. Updated Jan 20, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  22. Updated Jan 13, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
  23. Updated Jan 06, 2021: The product has won our suggestion poll, so we'll buy and test it soon.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

We tested the 65 inch Samsung Q900TS (QN65Q900TSFXZA), also sometimes referred to as the Q900T. For the most part, we expect our results to be valid for the 75 inch (QN75Q900TSFXZA) and 85 inch (QN85Q900TSFXZA) variants. This TV is nearly identical to the Samsung Q950TS, except the latter only comes in 85 inch size in the US and it comes with a One Connect box. In Germany, the model numbers for the 8k QLEDs start at Q700T and skip over Q900T, so the closest equivalent is the Q950TS.

Size US Canada UK Italy Germany
65" QN65Q900TSFXZA QN65Q900TSFXZC QE65Q900TSUXXU QE65Q900TSTXZT QE65Q950TSTXZG
75" QN75Q900TSFXZA QN75Q900TSFXZC QE75Q900TSUXXU QE75Q900TSTXZT QE75Q950TSTXZG
85" QN85Q900TSFXZA QN85Q900TSFXZC QE85Q950TSTXZG

If someone comes across a different type of panel or their Samsung Q900TS doesn't correspond to our review, let us know, and we will update the review. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, may vary between individual units.

Our unit was manufactured in August 2020. You can see the label here.

Compared To Other TVs

The Samsung Q900TS is a great TV overall with high-end features like VRR support and an HDMI 2.1 port. While 8k TVs are still relatively new, it stands out among competitors because of its sleek 'infinity' screen design. That said, for its price, there are better 4k TVs out there. For more options, check out our recommendations for the best QLED TVs, the best 65 inch TVs, and the best TVs.

Samsung Q900/Q900R 8k QLED
55" 65" 75" 82"

The Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED is the successor to the Samsung Q900/Q900R 8k QLED, and they perform very similarly overall, although the Q900TS has a few notable improvements. The biggest difference is in design, as the Q900TS has 'infinity' bezels that make the screen look virtually borderless. It also supports eARC for enhanced audio passthrough and has a lower input lag. That said, the Q900R has much wider viewing angles, so it's better suited to wide seating arrangements.

Samsung QN800A 8k QLED
65" 75" 85"

The Samsung QN800A 8k QLED and the Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED are both great TVs. Even though the QN800A uses Mini LED as its backlighting, the Q900TS has a better full-array local dimming feature to display deep blacks. It also has a quicker response time than the QN800A, so motion looks smooth. However, the QN800A gets much brighter, especially in HDR 'Game Mode', and it has wider viewing angles that make it better suited for wide seating arrangements.

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

The Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED and the Samsung Q90/Q90T QLED are both high-end QLED TVs with a lot of great features and performance in the same ballpark. That said, the Q90T offers better value for the price. It has a higher native contrast ratio and much better viewing angles than the Q900TS. While both have fast response times and FreeSync VRR support, the Q90T is also compatible with G-SYNC. The biggest difference is that the Q90T is a 4k TV and the Q900TS is 8k, but since there's still very little 8k content, the value of 8k at this point is questionable.

Samsung Q800T 8k QLED
65" 75" 82"

The Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED and the Samsung Q800T 8k QLED perform quite similarly overall. The biggest difference is in design. The Q900TS has a virtually bezel-less design and the screen sits at a 3 degree backward tilt, but both are very sleek-looking TVs. Performance-wise, the Q900TS has a faster response time overall, and between the units we tested, it has much better color accuracy out-of-the-box. If you have a wide seating arrangement, the Q800T has better viewing angles.

LG CX OLED
48" 55" 65" 77"

The Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED and the LG CX OLED are very different TVs that use different panel technologies and have different resolutions. While the Samsung supports 8k, there's still very little 8k content, so the LG offers better picture quality at a lower price. The LG can produce perfect blacks and has a near-instantaneous response time. Although there is a risk of permanent burn-in with the LG, it shouldn't be a problem if you watch varied content.

LG GX OLED
55" 65" 77"

The Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED and the LG GX OLED are very different TVs with different panels and resolutions, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. The LG can produce perfect blacks by turning pixels off individually, making it ideal for dark room viewing. It also has a near-instantaneous response time, making motion look clear. However, it doesn't get very bright, so the Samsung may be better for well-lit environments. While the LG can't support an 8k signal like the Samsung, there's still very little native 8k content, so its value is arguable given the performance advantages of the OLED. 

Samsung QN900A 8k QLED
65" 75" 85"

The Samsung QN900A 8k QLED replaces the Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED in Samsung's 2021 lineup. While the QN900A improves upon the Q900TS in some ways, it also falls short in other ways. One of the biggest differences is that QN900A uses Mini LED backlighting, making it even more disappointing that its local dimming performs worse than local dimming on the Q900TS. That said, the QN900A gets brighter in SDR and 'Game Mode', and has more ports that support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.

+ Show more

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Samsung Q900TS has a virtually borderless design with extremely thin bezels to make it look as if it's floating in the air. The stand is centered, and the TV is designed to sit at a slight backward angle. Overall, it's a very sleekly-designed TV that should look fantastic in any living room.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures

The brightness of this TV increased considerably between our initial measurements and the second-month measurements due to an automatic firmware update.

Design
Stand

The stand supports the TV well but there's some slight wobble front to back. Its made of plastic, which feels a bit cheaper than the metal stand on the Samsung Q800T QLED.

Footprint of the stand: 10.4" x 12.6"

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x300

The back of the TV is textured plastic. There are tracks along the back and down the stand for cable management.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.04" (0.1 cm)

The Samsung Q900TS has extremely thin borders. Viewed from a distance, the TV gives the impression of having a completely borderless screen.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 0.98" (2.5 cm)

The TV is very thin and sits at an angle by design.

9.0
Design
Build Quality

The Samsung Q900TS feels remarkably well-built. It's made of solid plastic and feels sturdy, with little flex and no obvious gaps or issues. There's some slight wobble back and forth, but it shouldn't be an issue.

Picture Quality
7.5
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,594 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
14,248 : 1

The Samsung Q900TS has a decent contrast ratio. Its native contrast is much lower than expected from a VA panel, as a result of the added 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer meant to improve viewing angles at the expense of contrast. Thankfully, the local dimming feature improves the contrast immensely, so it can still produce deep blacks.

8.5
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
575 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
821 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
1,003 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
861 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
541 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
315 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
789 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
954 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
826 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
538 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
310 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.062

SDR brightness is excellent, although it varies quite a bit with content. It's exceptionally bright with small highlights and gets dimmer with larger areas. It should perform well in bright rooms.

We measured the peak brightness after calibration using the 'Movie' Picture Mode with the Color Tone set to 'Warm2', Brightness set to 'Max', and Local Dimming set to 'High'.

If you want the brightest image possible, we achieved 1323 cd/m² using the 'Dynamic' Picture Mode with default settings and Local Dimming set to 'High'.

7.5
Picture Quality
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

Update 08/04/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

The Samsung Q900TS uses a full-array local dimming feature. The local dimming is good but has some issues. Most notably, there's quite a bit of black crush, as small details like stars are almost completely crushed and then gradually pop back in. That said, there's not too much blooming around bright objects and subtitles look okay for the most part. However, there's a noticeable ripple as the dimming zones turn on around subtitles. As with the Samsung Q800T QLED, transitions between zones are very visible, creating a 'golf ball effect' that's noticeable with the small circle spinning in our test pattern. That said, these issues are much less noticeable with real content.

We tested local dimming on High.

6.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming In Game Mode
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

Update 08/04/2021: Added the real content local dimming videos.

8.8
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Real Scene Highlight
1,377 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
1,093 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
1,218 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
839 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
540 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
341 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
1,022 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
1,133 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
815 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
534 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
333 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.069

HDR brightness is amazing. It gets bright enough for highlights in HDR content to pop. As with SDR, there's some variation in brightness across content.

We measured the HDR peak brightness before calibration using the 'Movie' Picture Mode with Local Dimming set to ‘High’, Brightness at ‘Max’, Contrast at ‘Max’, and Picture Clarity set to ‘Off’.

If you want the brightest image possible, use 'Dynamic' Picture Mode with default settings and Local Dimming set to 'High'. We were able to get 2740 cd/m² in the 10% window using these settings.

6.2
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Real Scene Highlight
362 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
631 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
1,008 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
595 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
445 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
354 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
613 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
355 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
589 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
445 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
353 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.038
7.7
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
2.669%
50% DSE
0.186%
5% Std. Dev.
0.530%
5% DSE
0.071%

The Samsung Q900TS has good gray uniformity, but this can vary between units. The screen is noticeably darker around the corners, and there's some slight dirty screen effect, which may be noticeable during sports games with large bright areas taking up the screen. Uniformity is much better with darker images.

We experienced a bug while testing, where the backlight bled through noticeably if left on a static screen, most notably on a 5% gray slide but sometimes with actual content as well. You can see that here.

Note: We also experienced an issue with the backlight in the same area we noticed the backlight bleed, where a section of the backlight turned off and left black spots on the screen. This went away on its own, though, and we weren't able to recreate the issue after it happened the first time.

Additionally, note that the backlight on this TV is always visible, similar to the Samsung Q800T QLED, which causes uniformity issues that aren't reflected in our scoring. In particular, the dirty screen effect in real usage looks worse than it appears in our test photo. You can see a photo here that has been edited to replicate the effect as it appears in real life.

7.6
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
1.332%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
0.566%

Black uniformity is good, although this can vary between units. There's some visible clouding throughout the screen with Local Dimming disabled. When enabled, the black uniformity is significantly improved, though there's still some noticeable blooming around bright objects.

5.7
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
26°
Color Shift
25°
Brightness Loss
47°
Black Level Raise
23°
Gamma Shift
14°

The viewing angles are disappointing, especially considering it has the added 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer. The color quickly begins to wash out as you move off-center, so it's not suggested for wide seating arrangements. We tested the viewing angle twice, once with Local Dimming set to 'Low' to test for color, and again with Local Dimming disabled to test for lightness, black level, and gamma.

8.9
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Glossy
Total Reflections
2.2%
Indirect Reflections
1.5%
Calculated Direct Reflections
0.8%

The Samsung Q900TS has excellent reflection handling. The glossy coating does a good job of diffusing direct light reflections, although the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer causes intense lighting to scatter and create a rainbow-colored ripple effect.

8.3
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
2.48
Color dE
2.01
Gamma
2.13
Color Temperature
6,404 K
Picture Mode
Movie
Color Temp Setting
Warm 2
Gamma Setting
2.2

Before calibration, the accuracy is impressive. There are very few noticeable inaccuracies with colors and shades of gray, but the gamma doesn't really follow the curve, so scenes appear brighter than they should. The color temperature is slightly warmer than the 6,500K target, but it's still very close. Note that out-of-the-box accuracy may vary between units.

9.2
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
1.03
Color dE
1.06
Gamma
2.21
Color Temperature
6,322 K
White Balance Calibration
20 point
Color Calibration
Yes

After calibration, accuracy is fantastic. The color temperature is slightly warmer, so there may be a bit of red/yellow tint, but colors and shades of gray have improved. Gamma follows the target much more closely. Any remaining accuracies shouldn't be noticeable without a colorimeter.

You can see our recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

The Samsung Q900TS upscales 480p content, like DVDs, without any issues.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

The TV upscales 720p content, like from cable boxes, well.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

The Samsung Q900TS displays 1080p content, like Blu-rays, without issues.

9.5
Picture Quality
4k Input

There's some cross-hatching with 4k content, meaning you can see the mesh-like pattern of the pixels, but it's hard to notice.

9.5
Picture Quality
8k Input

The Samsung Q900TS shows a bit of dithering with 8k content, most visible in shadows, but it shouldn't be noticeable unless you're sitting really close.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA

The Samsung Q900TS uses a BGR subpixel layout, which can affect the way text is rendered when using the TV as a PC monitor. You can read more about it here. The pixels look blurry due to the extra 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer.

8.2
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
91.55%
DCI P3 uv
94.35%
Rec 2020 xy
67.61%
Rec 2020 uv
73.62%

The Samsung Q900TS has a great color gamut that's wide enough for HDR content. It has nearly full coverage of the DCI P3 color space used in most HDR content and decent coverage of the wider Rec. 2020 color space.

The EOTF is a bit higher than the target, causing scenes to appear brighter than they should, until it rolls off near the TV's max brightness. In 'Game' mode, the EOTF is slightly farther off the target and rolls off quicker. If you find HDR too dim, set Contrast Enhancer to 'High', ST.2084 to ‘Max’, and Shadow Details to 'Max', which results in a noticeably brighter image, as you can see in this EOTF.

7.7
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
87.8%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
53.1%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
65.6%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
39.8%

The color volume on the Samsung Q900TS is good. It can display dark colors well, but like many LED TVs, it struggles with bright blues.

7.7
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.123
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.107
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.110
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.123

The TV has good gradient handling. There's some banding in reds and greens and a little in grays as well, but it's not especially noticeable. Setting Noise Reduction to 'Auto' seems to help smooth out the gradients.

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 on the TV we tested, although this can vary between individual units.

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

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

Motion
8.8
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
3.0 ms
100% Response Time
8.8 ms

The Samsung Q900TS has an excellent response time, though there's some overshoot in the 0-20% transition, causing some motion smearing in dark scenes. Overall, there isn't much blur trail behind moving objects, and motion looks smooth.

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

This TV uses Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight. In 'Movie' mode, it flickers at 960Hz, which shouldn't be noticeable. In all other picture modes, or if you enable Picture Clarity settings, it flickers at 120Hz.

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 Q900TS has a Black Frame Insertion feature to help reduce motion blur. To reduce the flicker to 60Hz, set LED Clear Motion to 'On', and for 120Hz, set Picture Clarity to 'On'. In 'Game' mode, enabling LED Clear Motion with Game Motion Plus reduces the flicker from 120Hz to 60Hz. Note that the BFI score is based on what flicker it's capable of, and not how well it actually performs.

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

The Samsung Q900TS can interpolate lower frame rate content up to 120fps. To enable motion interpolation (also known as the 'Soap Opera Effect'), you can adjust the Blur Reduction and Judder Reduction settings.

6.5
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
32.9 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
7.9 ms

Due to the TV's fast response time, there's some noticeable stuttering with 24fps content, but less so with 60fps content.

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 Q900TS can remove 24p judder from any source, as long as Picture Clarity is set to 'Custom' with sliders set to '0'.

8.2
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Unknown
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
N/A
1440p VRR Minimum
N/A
VRR Supported Connectors
HDMI

The TV supports FreeSync variable refresh rate (VRR), although the screen flashes intermittently when using FreeSync. Unfortunately, it's not G-SYNC compatible, and 1440p doesn't work with VRR as it defaults to 4k instead of staying in 1440p.

Inputs
9.7
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
10.2 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
78.8 ms
1440p @ 60Hz
9.9 ms
4k @ 60Hz
10.0 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
10.3 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
10.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
62.1 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
29.9 ms
8k @ 60Hz
16.6 ms
1080p @ 120Hz
5.7 ms
1440p @ 120Hz
5.7 ms
4k @ 120Hz
6.6 ms
1080p with Variable Refresh Rate
6.5 ms
1440p with VRR
N/A
4k with VRR
N/A
8k with VRR
N/A

The Samsung Q900TS has a remarkably low input lag. We tried to measure the input lag in 'Game' mode, but it appears that 'Game' mode doesn't work in 8k @ 60Hz or 4k @ 120Hz as the Input Signal Plus setting becomes grayed out. We tested the input lag for these using 'PC' mode and 'Blu-ray' mode, but the results for the 'Blu-ray' mode test in 4k @ 120Hz were unusable since it kept switching between two different input lag speeds. We also couldn't get usable data while testing the input lag at 4k with VRR enabled.

If you have this TV and can overcome these or other issues, let us know in the discussions.

10
Inputs
Supported Resolutions
Resolution 8k
1080p @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
1080p @ 120Hz
Yes (native support)
1440p @ 60Hz
Yes (native support)
1440p @ 120Hz
Yes (native support)
4k @ 60Hz
Yes
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
Yes
4k @ 120Hz
Yes (native support)
8k @ 30Hz or 24Hz
Yes
8k @ 60Hz
Yes

The Samsung Q900TS supports all common resolutions. However, it doesn't support 4k @ 120Hz or 8k @ 60Hz in 'Game' mode, which may be an issue if you plan to use this TV for next-gen consoles. It can display proper chroma 4:4:4, which is important for text clarity. To enable this, set the input label to 'PC' and enable Input Signal Plus.

Inputs
Advanced Console Compatibility
Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 120Hz
Yes
PS5, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
PS5, 1440p @ 120Hz
PS5 can't do 1440p
PS5, 1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
PS5, Variable Refresh Rate
PS5 can't do VRR yet
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz + HDR
Yes
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 120Hz
Yes
Xbox Series X, 4k @ 60Hz + HDR
Yes
Xbox Series X, 1440p @ 120Hz
Yes
Xbox Series X, 1080p @ 120Hz
Yes
Xbox Series X, Variable Refresh Rate
Yes

Update 05/19/2021: After a PS5 software update, Samsung TVs can now display 4k @ 120Hz in HDR.

The Samsung Q900TS supports any signal up to 4k @ 120Hz from either the PS5 or Xbox Series X. However, we don't test for 8k signals from the consoles.

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)
USB 3.0
No
Variable Analog Audio Out No
Wi-Fi Support Yes (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)

If you want a similar TV with more HDMI 2.1 ports, consider the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED.

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

This TV supports eARC, allowing you to pass high-quality audio to a receiver over an HDMI connection. To use it, set eARC to 'Auto' and set Output to 'Passthrough'.

Sound Quality
6.4
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
100.79 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.95 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
5.02 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
6.27 dB
Max
91.6 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
4.82 dB

The frequency response is not bad. It can't produce a very rumbly bass, but the overall sound profile is fairly balanced, resulting in clear dialogue. It gets quite loud, so volume shouldn't be an issue in most environments. There's also a digital room correction feature.

6.8
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.819
Weighted THD @ Max
10.689
IMD @ 80
0.87%
IMD @ Max
1.19%

The Samsung Q900TS has okay distortion performance. There's audible distortion at moderate listening levels, which gets much worse at max volume. However, distortion depends on the content, and some people may not hear it.

Smart Features
8.0
Smart Features
Interface
Smart OS Tizen
Version 2020
Ease of Use
Easy
Smoothness
Very Smooth
Time Taken to Select YouTube
2 s
Time Taken to Change Backlight
6 s
Advanced Options
Many

The TV runs on Samsung's Tizen OS, which is smooth and user-friendly for the most part.

We did experience a few bugs while testing the TV. For instance, we heard some coil whine and experienced random screen flickering, which you can see here.

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 screen and app store, and there's no way to opt-out of 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 a wide selection of app available to download.

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

The Samsung Q900TS comes with Samsung's OneRemote, which automatically detects and controls compatible connected devices. It also has a voice control button that can perform basic commands like changing channels or inputs, and it has quick access buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, and Samsung TV Plus. It comes in a premium-looking metal finish.

Smart Features
TV Controls

The TV's controls are located on the bottom right side. It lets you change channels, volume, inputs, and settings, navigate the home menu, and turn the power On/Off.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote (with batteries)
  • User manual
Not shown:
  • Power cable

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 170 W
Power Consumption (Max) 401 W
Firmware 1422

The TV gets hot with use. Note that it can actually surpass the 'max' power consumption shown here, as the TV drew 600 watts when we tested the peak HDR brightness in the 10% window while using the 'Dynamic' Picture Mode.