Samsung’s first 8K TV Samsung OLED TV Q900R. Impresses with strong brightness and excellent contrast, but the resolution is the lowest here
33 million pixels, a processor with artificial intelligence to improve the image quality and such a high setting that creates a sense of depth in the scenes. That’s what Samsung promises Q900R, the first 8K TV to be sold in all markets. With QLED technology and sizes from 65 to 98 inches, it can cost more than a luxury sedan.
But is it worth spending between $ 23,000 and $ 300,000 on an 8K TV? Does it make a difference, in practice, to have four times more pixels than a 4K? And do these artificial intelligence features really work? I watched dozens of hours of content on Samsung’s 8K TV for a month and count my impressions in the next few minutes.
Samsung Q900R 8K TV Samsung OLED TV
Design, connections
The Samsung OLED TV Q900R is a block of pixels. Instead of adopting a thin design that starts at the top and becomes thicker at the base. Samsung has decided to make a completely flat housing. That’s why the Q900R looks chubby than it really is. In practice, it takes up about the same space of a 4K TV equivalent, only it is a bit heavier, with 30 kg in the 65-inch version, which required extra strength at installation time.
The workmanship is of excellent quality, with beveled edges, metal feet and a discreet texture on the back, which is very peculiar: there is so much space there that Samsung decided to put a compartment for you to store the base. Of course, the feet are being used in a TV placed on a bookshelf, but at least do not get lost out there for those who put the TV on the wall.
One of the good features of the Samsung OLED 8K Q900R TV is the One Connect, which eliminates the mess of cables and centralizes all connections in an external box with a glossy black finish which is great to leave visible dust. A semi-transparent wire runs from the screen to One Connect, where you find the power input, four HDMI ports, three USB, optical audio output, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and the coaxial for the open TV antenna.
Remote control
The remote has a beautiful silver finish, but does the same service model that comes with Samsung’s premium 4K TVs, with a microphone for voice commands, compact size and infrared to control other devices, such as pay-TV decoder. While not having LG Smart Magic gestures in the air, it is quite functional and one of the best on the market.
Samsung Q900R 8K TV Samsung OLED TV
Image quality
I will start by analyzing the image quality without regard to the resolution. The Q900R is Samsung’s most sophisticated TV in 2019 and of course, I had high expectations for brightness, contrast, colors, viewing angle and other factors. And all expectations were well met.
The brightness of the Samsung OLED 8K Q900R TV is one of the strongest I’ve ever seen. Even in a brightly lit environment, the panel can deliver a clear image. In HDR movies, screen quality is very clear. Remember that the model I tested, 65 inches, has lower brightness: this is a TV with HDR3000, while larger versions have HDR4000. I have my caveats with these marketing names, but it’s good to highlight the difference.
But what struck me was the angle of view: even looking at the TV at 45º, you can hardly notice any color loss or brightness. For a VA-like panel, Samsung did a great job – the Ultra Viewing Angle really works. Although not an IPS, this is a television that can offer a great experience even in the largest living room.
The black level is very good and the contrast pleases, but the local dimming technology (local dimming) is very aggressive for my taste, even adjusting the settings for a smoother level. The TV works well in most scenes, but it makes the screen very dark in credit scenes, starlit night skies, or space movies. I can understand the need to show a black deep to impress the critics of the LCD, but Samsung seems to have a heavy hand.
In synthetic tests, I did not notice any relevant defects in the image. Black uniformity is good, dirty screen effect is not noticeable and color gradients have shown a good range. For gamers on duty, the input lag in 4K in-game mode was no more than 17 milliseconds, which makes the TV very good for gaming.
Okay, but what about 8K?
As soon as I installed the TV, I asked Instagram if people had any questions about the Q900R. By far the main questions were: do you have 8K content to watch? Can you see the difference between a 4K TV and an 8K? If I put 4K or Full HD content, is it bad on 8K TV? The answer tends to “no” for all questions.
Media companies have already started producing 8K content, but they are not yet widely available, even for the lack of a good medium: there is no way to get 8K through the open TV signal or pay-TV satellites. in operation, and most internet connections are not good enough to support 1 GB of video streaming every two minutes.
Yes, you might find 8K videos on YouTube. But I noticed that the YouTube app shows the Full HD interface and plays the 4K content at its maximum. This limit may be removed in a future software update, but apart from Samsung’s sample videos, which are designed to impress and show all of the TV’s capabilities, I couldn’t watch any other native 8K content. If you are looking at this review ten years later, in 2029, when 8K is something more normal, I apologize.
In addition, the 4K to 8K difference is less noticeable than in the transition from Full HD to 4K. The main advantage of having a higher resolution is that you can get closer to the TV and still not see any individual pixels. So a 65-inch 8K TV looked great even though it was only two meters away from the screen – a 4K would look just fine, a Full HD would be terrible.
Since you can install a larger TV in a smaller space, people tend to buy oversized 8K TVs (so 65 inches is the Q900R’s smallest option). If you buy a 65-inch 4K TV today, you might be happier with an 82-inch 8K model in a few years in the same living room.
Ok, but what about the whole story of artificial intelligence processor and machine learning that improves content with lower resolutions? It does work, but it is not a change from water to wine. First, because the source must have a minimum of quality: it is no use passing Chaves and thinking that the TV will show your Madruga’s hat in high definition. Second, you can only see the improvement in more specific scenes.
In very detailed 4K content, the Q900R does an excellent job of upscaling to 8K. Texts benefit most noticeably from technology: they are sharper, with no hard edges or artificial effects. But overall, I only noticed a difference comparing a 4K TV and an 8K side by side.
Anyway, it’s good to know that 4K movies and series are always the same or better than if they were playing on a native 4K TV; It’s not like you’re losing quality with upscaling.
Samsung Q900R 8K TV Samsung OLED TV
Sound quality
The base of the Q900R leaves a very spacious gap under the TV. And that has one very obvious reason: you will want to install a soundbar here. The sound isn’t bad, but it’s pretty average, the kind I’d expect on a mid-range TV, not a premium model of over $ 20,000 with the latest technologies on the market. Samsung itself has delivered better audio on past-generation QLED 4K TVs.
On the Q900R, with the adaptive sound feature turned on, the midrange is clear and clean, which makes the voices very well defined without any uncomfortable peaks. By contrast, the range of bass is very limited: you can hear the beats, but without any impact. And the volume of the TV is not the highest either, so those with a larger living room should be disappointed.
But, as they go on base and the price of tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars already suggest, there is no way to leave a TV with this picture quality without a dedicated sound system.
Samsung Q900R 8K TV Samsung OLED TV
Smart TV software and functions
The operating system of Samsung OLED Q900R tv is Tizen in its full version. All menu animations are present, navigation is very smooth and applications load quickly. The custom icons for Apple TV, the Nintendo Switch and various other devices are here, showing a level of caution that I don’t see so often on TVs.
The most popular streaming services like YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video come pre-installed. In the app store, you can find Globoplay, Globosat Play, Tidal, Fox, Spotify and more. The programs are well developed and integrate with the TV’s bottom menu, allowing you to access specific content before you even open the app.
Like Samsung’s other 2019 TVs, the Q900R comes with native support. For AirPlay 2, which is good news for anyone who wants to play content from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. And as part of their partnership with Apple. The Apple TV app comes preinstalled, with movies and series to rent and buy. Beginning in November 2019, this should serve as a hub for the Apple TV + streaming service.
Samsung’s own capabilities include SmartThings, which centralizes your home’s smart devices. (such as light bulbs, washer, and dryers, refrigerators and security cameras); and Room Mode. Which works as an alternative to the black screen, showing images that match the room decor when you’re not watching anything. It’s cool for specific niches – I particularly prefer saving energy.
Worth it?
It’s hard to find a negative point on the Samsung OLED 8K Q900R TV. On the other hand, it is also difficult to find a rational reason to buy Q900R. It is quite obvious that this is not a TV for normal people like me, you and all those. Who comes into a store and ask the price of things. It’s a TV for early adopters – who know they are paying dearly, who know that the next generations will be much more mature. But who wants the latest technology before everyone else.
For these people, what I can say is that Q900R is the best TV I’ve tested so far. But not exactly because of the resolution, but because Samsung has focused on panel quality. And image processing – just the local dimming isn’t the best I’ve ever seen, but the full package is quite interesting. That is, if the Q900R were a 4K TV, the verdict would be very positive.
But because it’s an 8K TV, I feel like I’m paying a lot more for something that doesn’t make much of a difference in practice. The 65-inch Samsung OLED 8K Q900R TV comes out for $ 23,000, while the immediately lower model inside Samsung. The Q80R 4K costs $ 13,000 in the same size. At 75 inches, the difference is smaller but still significant: $ 23,000 on the Q80R, $ 33,000 on the Q900R. Nor will I comment on the $ 299,999 Q900R 98 inch; We are talking about more feasible things.
Is there a future for 8K? Probably yes, but in the high-end segment. Most people should keep buying 4K for many years to come.
Have 8K content to view? Not yet, but someone has to take the first step.
Is it worth buying an 8K? Today, rationally, no. It’s better to spend a lot less money on buying a great 4K TV.
What if you have infinite money? In that case, it’s hard to regret it.
Samsung Q900R 8K TV Samsung OLED TV
???? PROS
- A simple remote control that controls anything
- Sober design and quality workmanship
- Excellent image, strong brightness and good contrast
- The viewing angle is great. Is that a VA panel anyway?
- Samsung keeps doing well in software
???? CONS
- Price soundbar to account
- Aggressive local dimming even after adjustments
- Very expensive. Like a lot. Same
Samsung Q900R 8K TV Samsung OLED TV
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Model: Samsung QN65Q900R
Panel Size: 64.5 inches (164 cm)
Resolution: 7680×4320 pixels
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
Panel Type: VA LCD
Supported Imaging Technologies: HDR (HDR3000), HDR10 +, HLG
Speaker power: 4x 10 watts + 2x 10 watts (subwoofers)
Supported Audio Technologies: Dolby Digital Plus
Operating System: Tizen 4.0
Power consumption: 370 watts (maximum), 220 watts (typical), 0.4 watt (minimum)
Video Inputs: 1 HDMI 2.1, 3 HDMI 2.0 (ARC, HDMI-CEC), 2 RF, Component Video
Audio outputs: 1 digital optical audio output
Other connections: 3 USB 2.0, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet
Dimensions (width x height x depth): 145.3×83.6×3.55 cm (without base) and 145.3x90x30.5 cm (with base)
Weight: 29.5 kg (without base), 30.5 kg (with base)
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