Note that the Samsung Q9FN is a different 2018 model, despite the similar name.
Our Verdict
Great TV for a mixed usage. The Q9F has great picture quality and is a versatile TV. It will work well with all usages unless they require a wide viewing angle.
- Very wide color gamut
- Low motion blur
- Gets bright
- Picture quality degrades at an angle
- Sub-par uniformity
The Q9F does well with movies. Its blacks are decently deep and its local dimming is capable of turning black letterbox bars completely off. Unfortunately, the local dimming doesn't do much to help the rest of the picture.
The Q9F does very well with TV shows. Its picture quality is great, and it gets bright enough for every normal viewing environment. It also has one of the best finishes to combat reflections.
Good TV for watching sports. The Q9F produces very little motion blur, making fast movements on screen very crisp and clear. Its viewing angle could be better though, so it's not the best for wide living rooms.
Great TV for video games. The Q9F's input lag is very low, and it produces an exceptionally low amount of motion blur for an LED TV. Games feel connected and responsive, and fast motion appears clear.
Great TV for HDR movies. The Q9F gets quite bright, and it can reproduce a very wide range of colors without issues with gradations in skies.
Great TV for HDR gaming. The Q9F's input lag remains low, regardless of the input. Combined with its excellent HDR capabilities, it makes for a great HDR gaming experience.
Decent PC monitor. While the Q9F's low input lag and motion blur are great for use with a computer, its narrow viewing angles cause it to be less suitable for use from up close.
Changelog
- Updated Mar 30, 2018: It was discovered that many 2017 Samsung TVs change their BFI frequency to 60 Hz when a lot of 60 Hz motion is detected on screen. The scores have been updated.
- Updated Mar 12, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
- Updated Jun 15, 2017: Review published.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the 65" (QN65Q9F) version AA01. For the most part, we expect our review to be valid for the 75" version (QN75Q9F).
If someone comes across a different type of panel or if their Samsung Q9 doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we will update the review.
| Size | Model | Model Short | US | Canada | UK/Europe |
| 65" | QN65Q9F | QN65Q9 | QN65Q9FAMFXZA | QN65Q9FAMFXZC | QE65Q9F |
| 75" | QN75Q9F | QN75Q9 | QN75Q9FAMFXZA | QN75Q9FAMFXZC | QE75Q9F |
Popular TV Comparisons
The Q9F is a very well performing LED TV, but it is very difficult to justify at its price range. Better TVs can be found for cheaper, some of them at a significantly larger size.
The Samsung Q7F/Q7 QLED 2017 and Samsung Q9F/Q9 QLED 2017 offer very similar performance. The Q9F is brighter than the Q7F in SDR and HDR. The Q7F has better gray uniformity, which is good for sports fans. The Q9F uses a different edge-lighting system, with the LEDs on the side of the TV. This allows the Q9F to turn off horizontal bars, good when watching widescreen movies.
The Sony Z9D is better than the Samsung Q9F/Q9 QLED 2017. The Sony Z9D has significantly better local dimming and a bit better black uniformity, which allows it to display deeper blacks in darker rooms, and this is great when watching movies or HDR content. Also, the Sony Z9D has marginally better SDR peak brightness, which is good if you watch TV shows in a brighter room. On the other hand, the Samsung Q9F has a better response time and a bit better input lag, which makes it very responsive, and you'll enjoy it if you play video games.
The Sony X900F is better than the Samsung Q9F/Q9 QLED 2017. The X900F has a much better local dimming feature and better black uniformity, great for dark room viewing. The Samsung Q9F has a more advanced black frame insertion feature which can clear up motion at the expense of some brightness and has lower input lag for gamers or for use as a monitor.
The Samsung Q9FN/Q9/Q9F QLED 2018 is much better than the Samsung Q9F/Q9 QLED 2017. The Q9FN has significantly improved dark room performance, thanks to the much better local dimming feature and much better black uniformity. The Q9FN is brighter with all types of content and has new features geared for gamers, including a variable refresh rate and auto game mode when used with a supported console or PC.
We buy and test dozens of TVs yearly, taking an objective, data-driven approach to deliver results you can trust. Our testing process is complex, with hundreds of individual tests that take over a week to complete. Most of our tests use specially designed test patterns that mimic real content, but we also use the same sources you have at home to ensure our results match the real-world experience. We use two main tools for our testing: a Colorimetry Research CR-100 colorimeter and a CR-250 spectroradiometer.
Test Results
Older Test Bench: This product has been tested using an older TV test methodology, before a major update. Some of the test results below aren't directly comparable with other TVs. Learn more
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