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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 QN900A 8k QLED TV Review

Tested using Methodology v1.6
Review updated May 07, 2021 at 09:54 am
Latest change: Retest Feb 13, 2024 at 11:44 am
Samsung QN900A 8k QLED Picture
8.1
Mixed Usage
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
7.7
Movies
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.4
TV Shows
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
8.3
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
7.8
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
8.7
PC Monitor
Value for price beaten by
: Not at the latest test bench
This TV was replaced by the Samsung QN900B 8k QLED

The Samsung QN900A 8k QLED is one of three 8k TVs released by Samsung in 2021, sitting at the very top of its Neo QLED lineup. Like other Neo QLEDs, it uses Mini LED backlighting that lets it reach very high levels of brightness. Unfortunately, it has just okay black uniformity and a very low native contrast ratio for a VA panel. While it's helped immensely by full-array local dimming, allowing the TV to produce deep blacks, the local dimming is only decent overall, with blooming around bright objects. On the bright side, glare shouldn't be an issue, and the reflection handling is excellent. It also has Samsung's 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer, so it has reasonably wide viewing angles compared to most other VA TVs. Gamers should also be pleased with its gaming performance, as it has a great response time, very low input lag, and variable refresh rate (VRR) support. While it's a great TV overall, it's underwhelming for an 8k TV with a hefty price tag and doesn't have the performance to match its exorbitant price.

Our Verdict

8.1 Mixed Usage

The Samsung QN900A is a great TV for mixed usage. It gets very bright, so it's well-suited for rooms with a lot of light. It has a low native contrast ratio, though, and while local dimming allows it to deliver deep blacks, there's also blooming, so it may not be the best choice for watching movies in a dark room. That said, it's great for gaming, with a great response time, low input lag, VRR support, and HDMI 2.1. HDR looks good thanks to its high HDR brightness, and it displays a wide color gamut.

Pros
  • Bright enough to overcome glare.
  • Great response time for smooth motion.
  • Reasonably wide viewing angles.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
7.7 Movies

The Samsung QN900A is good for watching movies. While it has a good contrast ratio, its native contrast is low for a VA panel, and it can only deliver deep blacks thanks to local dimming. However, the local dimming creates blooming and is especially noticeable with subtitles. On the upside, it upscales lower resolution content well and removes judder from any source.

Pros
  • Upscales lower resolution content well.
  • Automatically removes judder from any source.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
8.4 TV Shows

The Samsung QN900A is great for watching TV shows. It's great for watching in the daytime thanks to its high peak brightness and excellent reflection handling, so glare shouldn't be an issue. It also has reasonably wide viewing angles, so the image stays mostly accurate when viewed from the side. Finally, it has no issues upscaling lower resolution content like cable TV.

Pros
  • Bright enough to overcome glare.
  • Reasonably wide viewing angles.
  • Upscales lower resolution content well.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
8.3 Sports

The Samsung QN900A is great for sports. It has a great response time that makes motion look smooth and clear, and it gets very bright, so glare shouldn't be an issue in bright rooms. If you like watching sports with friends or family, its viewing angles are reasonably wide, so the image stays fairly accurate from the side. It also has good gray uniformity, but you may still notice a bit of dirty screen effect, which can be distracting during sports.

Pros
  • Bright enough to overcome glare.
  • Great response time for smooth motion.
  • Reasonably wide viewing angles.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
8.4 Video Games

The Samsung QN900A is an impressive gaming TV. It has a great response time for smooth motion and a low input lag that makes gaming feel responsive. It supports FreeSync and G-SYNC to reduce screen tearing, and it has two HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming up to 4k @ 120Hz. Unfortunately, its local dimming is only decent, resulting in blooming around bright objects.

Pros
  • Very low input lag.
  • Great response time for smooth motion.
  • VRR support.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
7.8 HDR Movies

The Samsung QN900A is good for watching movies in HDR. Its HDR brightness is outstanding, so it can really bring out highlights. It also has a wide color gamut. However, its contrast ratio is somewhat limited, and even though the local dimming is decent, there's still blooming. Our unit also has some black uniformity issues, but this can vary between units.

Pros
  • Bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR.
  • Upscales lower resolution content well.
  • Automatically removes judder from any source.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
  • Most scenes are brighter than they should be.
8.3 HDR Gaming

The Samsung QN900A is great for gaming in HDR. It has very little input lag, even in HDR, and its response time is great, resulting in smooth motion. It gets bright enough to bring out highlights and make HDR content pop. However, the local dimming feature produces blooming around bright objects. Its native contrast ratio is also very low for a VA panel.

Pros
  • Very low input lag.
  • Great response time for smooth motion.
  • VRR support.
  • Bright enough to make highlights pop in HDR.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
8.7 PC Monitor

The Samsung QN900A is excellent for use as a PC monitor. It has a great response time and a very low input lag, resulting in a responsive desktop experience. It can also display proper chroma 4:4:4, which is important for text clarity. Finally, it has reasonably wide viewing angles for a VA panel, so the screen shouldn't look too washed out at the edges when sitting up close.

Pros
  • Very low input lag.
  • Great response time for smooth motion.
  • Displays proper chroma 4:4:4.
  • Reasonably wide viewing angles.
Cons
  • Low native contrast ratio.
  • Local dimming results in blooming.
  • 8.1 Mixed Usage
  • 7.7 Movies
  • 8.4 TV Shows
  • 8.3 Sports
  • 8.4 Video Games
  • 7.8 HDR Movies
  • 8.3 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 Jul 06, 2023: We added a note to the Accelerated Longevity Test detailing a recent failure of this TV.
  6. Updated Jun 07, 2023: We uploaded the latest brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  7. Updated Apr 03, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for four months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  8. 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.
  9. Updated Feb 06, 2023: We uploaded the brightness measurements and uniformity photos after running the TV for two months in our Accelerated Longevity Test.
  10. Updated Nov 17, 2022: We uploaded the initial brightness measurements and uniformity photos for the Accelerated Longevity Test.
  11. Updated Feb 11, 2022: Upgraded the local dimming score after a firmware update.
  12. Updated Aug 17, 2021: We checked the response time results from our most recent retest again to make sure they were accurate.
  13. Updated Aug 02, 2021: We retested the picture quality and the response time with the latest firmware, version 1511.
  14. Updated May 07, 2021: An earlier version of this review incorrectly stated that we tested G-SYNC on an RX 6800. The text has been corrected.
  15. Updated May 07, 2021: Review published.
  16. Updated May 05, 2021: Early access published.
  17. Updated Apr 19, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  18. Updated Apr 19, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  19. Updated Mar 16, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
  20. Updated Mar 14, 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 QN900A (QN65QN900A), which is also available in 75 inch (QN75QN900A) and 85 inch (QN85QN900A) sizes. For the most part, we expect our results to be valid for those models as well. We expect the QN900A in Europe to perform similarly, but we don't know for sure because Samsung's lineup is a bit different in Europe. Note that the 75 and 85 inch models advertise 'Quantum HDR 64x' while the 65 inch is 'Quantum HDR 48x'. We don't know if that means the larger sizes get brighter, so if you have them, let us know how they peform.

Size  US  Canada  UK 
65" QN65QN900AFXZA QN65QN900AFXZC QE65QN900ATXXU
75" QN75QN900AFXZA QN75QN900AFXZC QE75QN900ATXXU
85" QN85QN900AFXZA QN85QN900AFXZC QE85QN900ATXXU

If you come across a different panel type or your QN900A doesn't correspond to our review, let us know and we'll update it. Note that some tests, like gray uniformity, can vary between units.

Our unit was manufactured in February 2021, and you can see the label here.

Compared To Other TVs

The Samsung QN900A is a great TV, but for the price you're paying, you'd expect it to have better native contrast and local dimming, especially considering its use of Mini LED technology. That and the fact that 8k still isn't really worth it means there are many 4k TVs out there that offer better value for less.

For more options, check out our recommendations for the best TVs, the best 4k gaming TVs, and the best OLED TVs.

Samsung QN800A 8k QLED
65" 75" 85"

The Samsung QN900A 8k QLED sits above the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED in Samsung's lineup. They're similar, but there are a few key differences. The QN900A has a slimmer construction with thinner bezels. It also has a better local dimming feature, but the QN800A gets a bit brighter overall in SDR and HDR and has a slightly faster response time.

Samsung QN900B 8k QLED
65" 75" 85"

The Samsung QN900B 8k QLED is a slight improvement over its predecessor, the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED. The QN900B has a higher max refresh rate, which is great for PC gamers, and it has a faster response time, so motion looks smoother with less blur around fast-moving objects.

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

The Samsung QN90A QLED and the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED are high-end TVs in Samsung's Neo QLED series, which use Mini LED backlighting. While the QN900A is an 8k TV with a price tag to match, the 4k QN90A performs better overall. The QN90A has a higher native contrast ratio and a better local dimming feature. It also gets even brighter in both SDR and HDR.

Samsung Q900TS 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.

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

The Samsung Q90/Q90T QLED and the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED are great TVs with similar features. While the Q90T can't display 8k like the QN900A, there still isn't enough 8k content to make it worth the upgrade. The Q90T has a better contrast ratio and better local dimming, so it can deliver deeper blacks. The QN900A does offer a bit more gaming features, though, with more ports that support HDMI 2.1 bandwidth.

LG CX OLED
48" 55" 65" 77"

The LG CX OLED is better than the Samsung QN900 8k QLED, although they use different panels. The Samsung has a VA panel, but its native contrast ratio is lower than typical, and it suffers from some distracting blooming. The LG, on the other hand, uses an OLED panel, so it has a near-infinite contrast ratio, resulting in deeper blacks with no visible blooming. While the LG can't display an 8k signal like the Samsung, there still isn't much 8k content.

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

The LG C1 OLED is very different from the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED since they use different panels. The Samsung is an 8k TV with a VA panel, while the LG is a 4k OLED. That said, 8k content still isn't widespread, so it's not worth the investment at this point. The LG also has a near-infinite contrast ratio, allowing it to produce deep blacks with no blooming, while the Samsung has a surprisingly low native contrast ratio and has some issues with blooming. All in all, the LG offers more value.

TCL 6 Series/R648 2021 8k QLED
65" 75"

The Samsung QN900A 8k QLED and the TCL 6 Series/R648 2021 8k QLED are both 8k TVs. They both feature Mini LED backlighting, and even though the local dimming feature on the Samsung does a better job at improving the contrast, they're both decent overall. The Samsung gets brighter in HDR, and it has wider viewing angles thanks to the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer. The Samsung also does a better job at upscaling 480p content, making it a better choice for watching DVDs.

Sony A90J OLED
55" 65" 83"

The Sony A90J OLED is better than the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED. While it can't display an 8k signal like the Samsung, there isn't much 8k content yet. Plus, the Sony is an OLED, so it has a near-infinite contrast ratio that can display perfect blacks with no blooming. The Samsung uses a VA panel but has low native contrast. While it's improved heavily by local dimming, the local dimming feature produces noticeable blooming. The biggest advantage of the Samsung is that it gets significantly brighter, so it's a little better suited to very bright rooms.

LG GX OLED
55" 65" 77"

The LG GX OLED and the Samsung QN900A 8k QLED are very different TVs, but the LG has a bit more to recommend. While the LG can't display an 8k signal like the Samsung, 8k still isn't quite worth it at this point, and the LG's OLED panel can produce perfect blacks and has a nearly instant response time. The Samsung has a surprisingly low native contrast ratio and has quite a bit of blooming. It does, however, get very bright, so it's better suited to very bright rooms.

LG QNED99 8k
65" 75" 86"

The Samsung QN900A 8k QLED is a bit better than the LG QNED99 8k. They use different panel types, so the Samsung has a higher contrast, but the LG has wider viewing angles instead. They each have Mini LED backlighting that's supposed to provide better control over the dimming zones, and they're both decent. The Samsung gets brighter, and it has more gaming features like VRR support. On the other hand, the LG doesn't show any upscaling issues that the Samsung does with 4k and 8k content, so it displays a perfect 8k image.

+ Show more

Video

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Curved No

The Samsung QN900A looks nearly identical to the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED. It has a slightly thinner profile and has an 'Infinity Screen' design, with barely-there bezels intended to create a more immersive viewing experience. Overall, it's a very sleek-looking TV.

Design
Accelerated Longevity Test
Uniformity Pictures

Unfortunately, the brightness of this TV decreased considerably between our initial measurements and the second month's measurements due to an automatic firmware update.

The TV completely failed in April. The issue was traced to a few failed capacitors on the main board. The main board was replaced in late May, and the TV is working properly again. It's been returned to the longevity test, but as it was offline for over a month, its runtime on the test is lower than the other TVs that have been running since the beginning of the test.

Design
Stand

The stand is centered and doesn't take up too much space, which is great if you want to place it on a smaller surface. It supports the TV well. The included One Connect box can attach to the back of the TV or the back of the stand, or you can place it elsewhere.

Footprint of the 65" stand: 14.2" x11.8" (or 13.4" with One Connect box)

Design
Back
Wall Mount VESA 400x300

The back is nearly identical to the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED, with a textured plastic back. There's a One Connect box for cable management. You can attach it to the back of the stand, the back of the TV, or place it elsewhere if you prefer.

Design
Borders
Borders 0.08" (0.2 cm)

The Samsung QN900A has virtually bezel-less borders, very similar to the Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED.

Design
Thickness
Max Thickness 0.63" (1.6 cm)

The Samsung QN900A is the thinnest TV we've tested, and it should look slim and sit flush against the wall if you wall-mount it.

9.0
Design
Build Quality

The Samsung QN900A feels incredibly well-built. There's a bit of wobble, but it's only slight and not bad given the 65 inch size. There's also a bit of flex on the back panel, especially around the VESA mount and vent area, but it feels very solid otherwise, and the premium materials, including the sleek metal frame, make it feel high-end.

Picture Quality
7.5
Picture Quality
Contrast
Native Contrast
1,658 : 1
Contrast with local dimming
20,392 : 1

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the contrast with the latest firmware, version 1511. Contrast with local dimming has improved significantly, increasing from 15043:1 to 20392:1.

The Samsung QN900A has a good contrast ratio overall, although its native contrast is very low for a VA panel, but this is similar to the other 8k Samsungs we've tested. It also has the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer, which improves viewing angles at the expense of contrast. Local dimming, however, significantly improves the contrast ratio, allowing it to deliver deep blacks. Note that contrast can vary a bit from unit to unit.

8.9
Picture Quality
SDR Brightness
Real Scene Peak Brightness
844 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
1,364 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
1,408 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
896 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
550 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
386 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
1,285 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
1,333 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
891 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
543 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
381 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.073

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the peak brightness with the latest firmware, version 1511. Small highlights and real scenes are significantly dimmer than before this update, but larger bright scenes are brighter. A few people have mentioned to us that the TV increases in brightness after a reset, so we also looked into that. We found that resetting the TV results in a very small increase in peak brightness, but it's minor and not noticeable.

The Samsung QN900A has excellent SDR brightness, although it's not quite as bright as the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED. It has a fairly aggressive ABL, so scenes with large areas of brightness are dimmed, as seen in the peak and sustained 100% windows. That said, it still hits around 800 to 900 nits with real scenes, so it should be more than bright enough to overcome glare in a bright room.

We measured SDR brightness after calibration, using the 'Movie' Picture Mode with Brightness at max, Color Tone set to 'Warm2', and Local Dimming on 'High'. We got the brightest possible image using these settings, which was 1725 nits in the peak 2% window.

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

Update 02/11/2022: After updating the firmware version to 1903, the local dimming received a score increase from 6 to 7. It slightly improves overall performance from the previous firmware version, but it's not a significant difference. There's less blooming, and it's less distracting, but there's still black crush, and the zone transition speed is still okay. The videos are also updated.

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the local dimming feature with the latest firmware, version 1511 and updated the local dimming videos. Local dimming is slightly better than before, as the algorithms seem to spread bright objects across more dimming zones, reducing the appearance of blooming slightly. Overall zone performance hasn't changed, though.

The Samsung QN900A has decent local dimming once you update it to its latest firmware. It's better than the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED but still produces some blooming around anything bright. It's even distracting with subtitles, where the blooming bleeds into the black bars. There's also some black crush, with smaller stars in our star field demo being crushed out, but it's not too bad overall. Zone transitions are a bit better than the QN800A but are still quite noticeable, depending on the scene. Like the QN800A, it uses Mini LED backlighting with 1344 dimming zones.

We tested local dimming on 'High'.

7.0
Picture Quality
Local Dimming In Game Mode
Local Dimming
Yes
Backlight
Full-Array

Update 02/11/2022: After updating the firmware version to 1903, the local dimming received a score increase from 6 to 7. It slightly improves overall performance from the previous firmware version, but it's not a significant difference. There's less blooming, and it's less distracting, but there's still black crush, and the zone transition speed is still okay. The videos are also updated.

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the local dimming feature with the latest firmware, version 1511 and updated the local dimming videos. There's a slight improvement in local dimming performance, as there's a bit less noticeable blooming. It appears that the algorithms are spreading blooming out across more zones than before.

In Game Mode, the local dimming performs about the same as it does with Game Mode disabled. The biggest difference is that the blooming is a bit less aggressive with actual content, but the zone transitions are slower. The local dimming makes everything a bit brighter overall than it does outside of Game Mode, so there's a bit less black crush, but you may still lose some small highlights. The differences, however, are minimal, which is why they have the same score.

8.9
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness
Real Scene Highlight
1,440 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
1,554 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
1,590 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
1,018 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
618 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
409 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
1,462 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
1,474 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
1,007 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
610 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
403 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.075

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the peak brightness with the latest firmware, version 1511. It's considerably brighter in real content, as well as most larger scenes, but small highlights aren't as bright as before. During our test runs with the new firmware we encountered issues with overheating, and had to break up our tests and let the TV cool down between each run. It overheated to the point that it started to impact picture quality.

The Samsung QN900A has superb HDR brightness. However, it's not as good overall as on the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED. It gets bright enough to bring out highlights in HDR content, but as with SDR, the ABL is really aggressive, causing the screen to dim when displaying large areas of brightness. Also, as shown in the EOTF, the overall brightness of scenes is a bit brighter than it should be.

We measured HDR brightness before calibration in the 'Movie HDR' Picture Mode with Brightness and Contrast at max, Color Tone set to 'Warm2', Local Dimming on 'High', and all other image processing disabled.

If you want to make HDR even brighter, you can set Contrast Enhancer to 'High' and ST.2084 to max, which results in this EOTF. The brightest possible image we recorded was 3133 nits. To hit that, we used the 'Dynamic HDR' mode with both Local Dimming and Contrast Enhancer set to 'High'.

8.7
Picture Quality
HDR Brightness In Game Mode
Real Scene Highlight
1,083 cd/m²
Peak 2% Window
1,642 cd/m²
Peak 10% Window
1,592 cd/m²
Peak 25% Window
1,034 cd/m²
Peak 50% Window
615 cd/m²
Peak 100% Window
401 cd/m²
Sustained 2% Window
1,544 cd/m²
Sustained 10% Window
1,497 cd/m²
Sustained 25% Window
1,019 cd/m²
Sustained 50% Window
608 cd/m²
Sustained 100% Window
394 cd/m²
Automatic Brightness Limiting (ABL)
0.078

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the peak brightness in Game Mode with the latest firmware, version 1511. All test slides increased in brightness a bit, and small highlights are considerably brighter, but real content is a bit dimmer than before. It's still not as bright as out of Game Mode, as real scenes show a brightness loss of about 400 cd/m² in Game mode.

In Game Mode, HDR brightness is about the same. There isn't a very noticeable difference, but it's slightly less bright overall, and it's dimmer especially in the 2% window compared with 'Movie' mode due to frame dimming.

We measured Game Mode HDR brightness with Game Mode enabled, Brightness and Contrast at max, Color Tone set to 'Warm2', Local Dimming on 'High', Color Gamut set to 'Auto', and all other image processing disabled.

7.8
Picture Quality
Gray Uniformity
50% Std. Dev.
2.282%
50% DSE
0.179%
5% Std. Dev.
0.968%
5% DSE
0.080%

The Samsung QN900A has good gray uniformity, although this can vary between units. The edges are noticeably darker, but there's not too much dirty screen effect in the center, which is great for watching sports. The uniformity is even better in near-dark scenes.

6.6
Picture Quality
Black Uniformity
Native Std. Dev.
2.337%
Std. Dev. w/ L.D.
0.306%

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the black uniformity with local dimming with the latest firmware, version 1511. The local dimming system does a better job dimming around the test cross, and there's not as much blooming.

Black uniformity is okay, mostly due to local dimming. Without local dimming, there's a lot of clouding throughout and blooming around the test cross. Thankfully, with local dimming enabled, the screen is much more uniform and black, but the blooming is more pronounced.

6.8
Picture Quality
Viewing Angle
Color Washout
36°
Color Shift
25°
Brightness Loss
47°
Black Level Raise
70°
Gamma Shift
17°

The Samsung QN900A has adequate viewing angles. The image stays mostly accurate as you move off-center, although it scores a bit lower than it actually performs because there's a fair amount of color shift. It's still better than typical for a VA panel thanks to Samsung's 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer.

8.9
Picture Quality
Reflections
Screen Finish
Glossy
Total Reflections
2.3%
Indirect Reflections
1.4%
Calculated Direct Reflections
0.9%

The Samsung QN900A has excellent reflection handling. It does well with direct light, but the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer creates a rainbow effect when light scatters across the screen that may be distracting.

6.7
Picture Quality
Pre Calibration
White Balance dE
4.80
Color dE
2.81
Gamma
1.96
Color Temperature
6,315 K
Picture Mode
Movie
Color Temp Setting
Warm 2
Gamma Setting
2.2

The Samsung QN900A has adequate accuracy out of the box, although this can vary from unit to unit. Most colors are fairly accurate, but the white balance is very off, and gamma doesn't follow the target at all, with scenes appearing brighter than they should. The color temperature is quite good, though, falling just a bit on the warmer side of our 6,500K target.

9.5
Picture Quality
Post Calibration
White Balance dE
0.34
Color dE
1.08
Gamma
2.20
Color Temperature
6,465 K
White Balance Calibration
20 point
Color Calibration
Yes

After calibration, accuracy is much better. Any remaining inaccuracies with colors or white balance shouldn't be spotted without a colorimeter. Gamma is nearly perfect, and the color temperature is even closer to our 6,500K target.

You can see our recommended settings here.

8.0
Picture Quality
480p Input

480p content, like DVDs, is upscaled well without obvious issues.

8.0
Picture Quality
720p Input

720p content, like cable TV, looks good with no issues.

9.0
Picture Quality
1080p Input

1080p content like Blu-ray is displayed well.

9.5
Picture Quality
4k Input

Similar to the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED, the QN900A can't display a pixel-perfect 4k image. There are some minor upscaling artifacts and some dithering in the shadows, although they're very hard to notice. This is expected, however, since it's not a native 4k TV.

9.5
Picture Quality
8k Input

Like some of the other 8k TVs we've tested, the Samsung QN900A can't display a perfect 8k image. There's some pixel dithering in the shadows, which is hard to see in the photo, but it's more noticeable in person, especially up close. If you want something that doesn't have any issues displaying native 8k content, then check out the LG QNED99 8k.

Picture Quality
Pixels
Type LED
Sub-Type
VA

The Samsung QN900A uses a BGR sub-pixel layout, which affects how text renders when using the TV as a PC monitor. You can read more about that here. The pixels look blurry due to the 'Ultra Viewing Angle' layer.

8.2
Picture Quality
Color Gamut
Wide Color Gamut
Yes
DCI P3 xy
93.63%
DCI P3 uv
96.01%
Rec 2020 xy
67.58%
Rec 2020 uv
70.84%

Update 08/02/2021: We remeasured the color gamut with the latest firmware, version 1511. Coverage of DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 has increased slightly, but it's not really a noticeable change.

The Samsung QN900A has a great color gamut, very similar to 2020's Samsung Q900TS 8k QLED. It's wide enough for HDR, with nearly full coverage of the DCI P3 color space used in most HDR content and decent coverage of the wider Rec. 2020.

7.7
Picture Quality
Color Volume
Normalized DCI P3 Coverage ITP
87.7%
10,000 cd/m² DCI P3 Coverage ITP
59.2%
Normalized Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
64.7%
10,000 cd/m² Rec 2020 Coverage ITP
43.4%

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the color volume with the latest firmware, version 1511. Color volume has improved a bit overall.

This TV has good color volume. It can display most colors in the DCI P3 color space at a wide range of luminance levels, but it's more limited when it comes to the Rec. 2020.

7.9
Picture Quality
Gradient
Color Depth
10 Bit
Red (Std. Dev.)
0.122
Green (Std. Dev.)
0.120
Blue (Std. Dev.)
0.090
Gray (Std. Dev.)
0.109

Gradients look very good on the Samsung QN900A. There's still some noticeable banding, though, especially in the reds and greens. If banding bothers you, setting Noise Reduction to 'Auto' can help smooth out gradients but may cause some loss of fine detail.

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%

The Samsung QN900A shows no signs of temporary image retention after displaying a high-contrast static image for 10 minutes. However, this can vary between units.

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
8.3
Motion
Response Time
80% Response Time
4.6 ms
100% Response Time
10.2 ms

Update 08/17/2021: We retested the response time with the latest firmware, version 1511, to make sure that our results were accurate. After a few sanity checks, we confirmed that the results are slightly better than our most recent retest but definitely worse than the original results.

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the response time with the latest firmware, version 1511. Unfortunately, it's significantly slower now, but still great.

The Samsung QN900A has a great response time, with minimal motion blur aside from some smearing in dark scenes.

Note: After posting our Early Access results, we noticed that the local dimming was interfering with our ability to read the results in the 0-100% transition, so we re-tested the TV's response time in Game Mode after disabling local dimming in the service menu. The above results are from this re-test.

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

The Samsung QN900A uses Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) to dim its backlight. Unlike previous Samsungs we've tested, the flicker seems to behave differently on this TV. In the 'Movie' Picture Mode, the flicker changes frequencies depending on the content and brightness level. At max brightness, there's no flicker. The dip in brightness you see in the chart is due to the TV's refresh rate. At lower brightness levels, it flickers at 960Hz when content is playing and 120Hz with static images. With Game Mode, it behaves the same way. That said, the changes in flicker frequency shouldn't be noticeable with real content, so we don't expect it to affect the viewer experience unless you're especially sensitive to flicker. In all other Picture Modes, 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 QN900A has an optional Black Frame Insertion feature that helps reduce motion blur by flickering the backlight. To set it to flicker at 60Hz, enabled LED Clear Motion in the Picture Clarity menu. For 120Hz, set Picture Clarity to 'Custom' but leave the Judder Reduction and Blur Reduction sliders at '0'. In Game Mode, enable LED Clear Motion in the Game Mode settings menu for 60Hz, and enable Game Motion Plus and leave the sliders at '0' for 120Hz. Note that our BFI scoring is based on whether it can flicker at 60Hz and 120Hz, and not how well it actually performs.

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

The Samsung QN900A can interpolate motion up to 120fps, which is also known as the 'Soap Opera Effect'. It works well in slower scenes, but busier action scenes cause artifacts to appear. To enable it, set Picture Clarity to 'Custom', and then adjust the Blur Reduction slider for 60fps content or the Judder Reduction slider for 30fps content.

6.8
Motion
Stutter
Frame Hold Time @ 24 fps
31.5 ms
Frame Hold Time @ 60 fps
6.5 ms

Update 08/02/2021: We retested the response time with the latest firmware, version 1511, and the stutter results have been updated accordingly. Since the response time has increased, there's less stutter.

Due to the TV's relatively fast response time, lower frame rate content can appear to stutter since each frame is held on for longer.

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

Like other Samsung TVs in 2021, the Samsung QN900A automatically removes judder from all sources, with no settings required.

9.4
Motion
Variable Refresh Rate
Native Refresh Rate
120 Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
HDMI Forum VRR
Unknown
FreeSync
Yes
G-SYNC Compatible
Yes
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

Update 05/07/2021: We mistakenly wrote that we tested G-SYNC on an AMD Radeon RX 6800, but that's not the case. We have since corrected the error and apologize for any confusion it may have caused.

The Samsung QN900A has native FreeSync support to reduce screen tearing, which we tested on an AMD Radeon RX 6800. We also tested the TV for G-SYNC, and it failed the pendulum demo at first but was tear-free while playing Destiny 2, similar to the other Samsungs we've tested in 2021. However, we found we could enable G-SYNC when using an NVIDIA RTX 3080, and we didn't see any tearing during the pendulum demo. While it appears to work, there was also a strange red flicker across the screen and a doubling of the bar moving across the screen, which you can just barely see here, though you have to look closely since it's difficult to make out.

Inputs
9.7
Inputs
Input Lag
1080p @ 60Hz
10.1 ms
1080p @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
101.1 ms
1440p @ 60Hz
10.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz
10.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz + 10-Bit HDR
10.4 ms
4k @ 60Hz @ 4:4:4
10.6 ms
4k @ 60Hz Outside Game Mode
76.2 ms
4k @ 60Hz With Interpolation
21.1 ms
8k @ 60Hz
10.6 ms
1080p @ 120Hz
5.8 ms
1440p @ 120Hz
5.9 ms
4k @ 120Hz
6.0 ms

The Samsung QN900A has very little input lag, as long as you're in Game Mode. Like other 2021 Samsungs, we couldn't measure the input lag with VRR enabled, but we don't expect it to have a significant impact. We're not sure if it's an issue with our testing or the TV's firmware, but we're looking into it.

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 QN900A supports all common resolutions up to 8k @ 60Hz. For proper chroma 4:4:4, change the input icon to 'PC' and make sure Input Signal Plus is enabled. Input Signal Plus also needs to be enabled to get full bandwidth signals.

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

The Samsung QN900A can display signals from both the PS5 and the Xbox Series X without issues. It also has an Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), automatically switching the TV into Game Mode when you launch a game from a compatible device. For it to work, enable Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) in the 'External Device Manager' and set Game Mode to 'Auto'.

There's a new 'Game Bar' feature on Samsung TVs in 2021. If you hold the Play/Pause button on the remote, it brings up the 'Game Bar' which shows you the VRR, current frame rate, or other useful gaming info.

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 1,2,3,4)
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)
Inputs
Input Photos
Inputs
Total Inputs
HDMI 4
USB 3
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

To enable eARC, set HDMI eARC Mode to 'Auto' and set Digital Output Audio to 'Passthrough'.

Sound Quality
6.9
Sound Quality
Frequency Response
Low-Frequency Extension
119.87 Hz
Std. Dev. @ 70
3.88 dB
Std. Dev. @ 80
3.47 dB
Std. Dev. @ Max
3.45 dB
Max
90.0 dB SPL
Dynamic Range Compression
4.41 dB

The Samsung QN900A has an okay frequency response, not too different from the Samsung QN800A 8k QLED. There's almost no punch to the bass, which is a little disappointing considering it has dedicated speakers on the back. That said, the sound profile is fairly balanced for clear dialogue, and it gets quite loud.

7.2
Sound Quality
Distortion
Weighted THD @ 80
0.481
Weighted THD @ Max
1.285
IMD @ 80
0.64%
IMD @ Max
2.27%

There's some distortion, but overall it sounds decent. It gets noticeably worse at its max volume. That said, distortion depends a lot on the content, and not everyone can 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
5 s
Advanced Options
Many

The Tizen OS feels nice and smooth in 2021, and it's fairly easy to use. We didn't experience any bugs while using it.

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

Unfortunately, the interface isn't ad-free, although we couldn't capture a photo of them. They appear in the home bar and the app store.

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

The app store has a lot of apps available to download, 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

The Samsung QN900A has the same Solar Cell remote as other Neo QLEDs in 2021. Instead of batteries, it uses solar energy, or it can charge through USB-C. It has app shortcut keys, and you can use voice commands to change inputs, open apps, and ask for info like the time or weather, but it can't search within apps.

Smart Features
TV Controls

There's a single button on the bottom right side of the TV, used to change volume, channels, inputs, and power the TV on/off.

Smart Features
In The Box

  • Remote
  • Power cable
  • 1x One Connect cable (short)
  • 1x One Connect cable (long)
  • 2x plastic covers for cable management
  • Feet for One Connect box
  • Mounting screws to attach One Connect box to back
  • User guides

Smart Features
Misc
Power Consumption 156 W
Power Consumption (Max) 331 W
Firmware 1012