There are some great TVs out there. If you’re on a budget, it’s worth looking into something from TCL or Hisense. If you’re willing to pay a bit, LG’s OLED range is known for its quality. But if you’re willing to truly shell out for an incredible viewing experience, then something like the Samsung QN900B could be in your future.
There’s no shortage of high-end tech here. With a 144Hz refresh rate, an 8K resolution, and Samsung’s much-loved quantum-dot image tech, watching anything on the Samsung QN900B is a treat.
But, to be fair, the TV also costs $5,000 for the 65-inch model, which is the model I’m reviewing — and you’ll pay up to $8,500 for a bigger model. At that price, you’ll want perfection. How close does the Samsung QN900B get to a perfect viewing experience in 2022? I’ve been using it for a while to find out.
Pros
- Great design
- Excellent contrast
- Solid audio
- Bright, vibrant image
Cons
- Ultra expensive
Samsung QN900B design and setup
As you would expect from a TV in this price range, the Samsung QN900B boasts a stunning, modern design. Before you get to admire that design, of course, you’ll need to set the TV up. Some TVs you can get away with setting up alone, but this is not one of them — the TV is a little fragile, and as such, you’ll want at least two people to set it up, making sure to closely follow the instructions and protect the front of the very slim display.
Setting the TV up will involve placing it carefully on a table, then screwing in the stand (in three different pieces) on the back. Then, you’ll pick it up and place it on your entertainment center. On the back of the TV’s stand is an area to place your One Connect box, which connects to the display itself, and has all your ports.
Speaking of ports, on this TV you’ll get four HDMI 2.1 ports and three USB ports for powering things like streaming devices. One of the HDMI ports serves as an eARC port, for connecting your soundbar or another external sound system.
Generally, the Samsung QN900B looks excellent. The stand is well-designed and modern, and the display itself is slim and stylish. It has extremely slim bezels around the screen, with a slightly thicker bezel along the bottom.
The remote control is sleek and stylish too. It’s scaled-back and easy to navigate, and you’ll never have to change the batteries thanks to the solar panel on the back and USB-C port on the bottom.
Samsung QN900B software
As you would expect, the Samsung QN900B comes with Samsung’s Tizen operating system, and it has been redesigned. Now, the software offers a new full-screen home page in place of the launcher bar at the bottom of the interface. The goal for Samsung is to better present content and recommendations.
The software is generally relatively easy to use and supports all the major streaming services out there — many of which come pre-installed. You’ll get support for Netflix, Apple TV+, HBO Max, and so on.
There are also a number of smart features under the hood. For example, the TV supports smart assistants like Bixby, Alexa, and Google Assistant, plus it supports wireless connectivity standards like AirPlay 2 and Google Cast. Of course, it also works with Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem.
Many will opt to use external streaming devices instead of relying on Samsung’s own interface, though keep in mind that most of those won’t support an 8K resolution — so you’ll only be getting a 4K image.
Samsung QN900B performance
The reason to buy the Samsung QN900B has little to do with the software — after all, you can get that software on cheaper Samsung TVs. Instead, the reason to buy this TV is for its image quality. Samsung has thrown everything at building this TV — you’ll get an 8K resolution, with Mini-LED backlighting, and Samsung’s QLED tech.
Now, a quick note. You probably don’t need an 8K TV, for 8K’s sake. There’s little 8K content, your internet connection may not be faster enough for 8K content, and depending on how far away you’re watching from, you may not even be able to tell the difference between 8K and 4K. But there are other reasons to buy this TV too — the fact is that Samsung has reserved some of its best tech for this TV, and you won’t be able to get it in a 4K option from the company.
The backlighting on this TV is excellent. Mini-LED tech has become the best way to get those true inky blacks without sacrificing brightness, and it seriously shows here. There’s no noticeable blooming to speak of here, and the TV is able to get incredibly bright — making for a great viewing experience in even brightly-lit environments. Colors are incredibly vibrant too, thanks to that quantum dot tech.
This TV isn’t just a great option for watching movies and TV shows — it’s a great option for gaming too. All four of the HDMI ports support HDMI 2.1, and games look incredible. That’s not to mention the Samsung Gaming Hub support in Tizen, which I think will become increasingly important.
Samsung QN900B audio
The TV even sounds pretty good. Out of the box, the speakers built into the TV don’t support standards like Dolby Atmos, but you can easily connect it to a sound system that does support Atmos.
If you don’t, however, the TV speakers still sound quite good. Samsung has built what it calls Object Tracking Pro into the TV, and that allows it to produce a better soundstage and increased height, through the range of speakers built into the back of the TV. Again, it won’t beat a dedicated sound system, but it’s far better than most built-in TV speakers.
Conclusions
The Samsung QN900B is the best LED TV that Samsung has ever built. It’s well-designed and offers good audio, to be sure, but even better is the fact that it offers an excellent image quality with awesome upscaling tech and a decent operating system. It’s expensive, to be sure, and you don’t really need an 8K resolution. But the TV really is one of the best options out there.
The competition
If you’re simply looking for an incredible Samsung QLED TV, then there are other options. For example, you could go for the Samsung Q90B, which offers many similarities to the QN900B, but has a 4K resolution and a much lower price tag.
Should I buy the Samsung QN900B 8K QLED TV?
Yes, but only if you want the best of the best and have the cash to burn.
