Post-pandemic movie theater revenue has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. Among the reasons is the rising cost of living and the pandemic making it more comfortable for many to watch movies at home. Sales of TVs with screen sizes over 65″ are soaring, aided by streaming platforms that offer new movies just a few months after they are released in theaters.
I'm among the elitist group who still feel that cinemas offer the best viewing experience. But if I had to build a home theater, would I use the Samsung Neo QLED QN990F as one of the first components purchased? In this review I will explain to you.
SPECIFICATIONS
Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN990F
Screen Size 75-inch
Resolution 7,680 x 4,320 pixels (100Hz)
Neo QLED Panel
NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor
GPU ?
RAM ?GB RAM
Storage ?GB
Operating System Tizen Smart TV OS
HDR Yes / HDR10+
Maximum Description 1680 nit
Audio 90W, 6.2.4 Dolby Atmos
I/O 4x HDMI 2.1
3x USB-A 2.0
1x USB-C
RF
LAN
Optical Audio
DTTV Yes/DVB-T2
Bixby Virtual Assistant
Internet LAN/ WiFi 6E
Bluetooth Bluetooth 5.3
Chromecast Yes
AirPlay 2 Yes
Size 1,655.2 x 1,018.5 x 283.8 (with base)
Weight 40.4 kg (with base)
Sale Price RM 26,999
DESIGN
This reviewed QN990F model is 75″ which is the smallest model offered with Samsung also offering the QN990F with an 85″ screen option. The Neo QLED screen used has a bezel that when viewed from a distance appears to have no bezel at all. It gives the illusion of a screen floating in the air.
There is a Glare Free layer that reduces light reflection. A big issue with screens at home is that light from lights and windows can cause glare. The anti-glare technology used on the Galaxy S25 Ultra smartphone is now also used on Samsung's premium TVs.
The Neo QLED panel still requires a backlight so it is thicker compared to the OLED TVs also sold by Samsung. But the Neo QLED has the advantage that there will be no burn-in issues that occur with OLED panels.
Wireless One Connect Box
The body is still quite thin because it uses the Wireless One Connect Box which is connected wirelessly. This TV box can be placed within 10 meters of the TV. With this new system, tangled cables for consoles, satellite TV boxes and other accessories can be better hidden.
On the One Connect box there is a DVB-T2 digital TV decoder, 4X HDMI 2.1, 3X USB-A 2.0, 1X USB-C, 1X RJ45 LAN and 1X RF antenna connection. The only USB-C port on the One Connect is not for accessories but for the 45W charger power cable. It is a power plug that can also be used to charge smartphones.
The TV stand is from Infinity Air in the shape of the letter “L” with a thin lining part. This is a practical stand design because various accessories such as soundbar, console, satellite TV decoder and Apple TV can be placed under the TV without any space constraints.
For those who choose to hang the TV, this stand can be removed and the VESA mount (400x300mm) on the back can be used. Internet support is via LAN or WiFi 6E. A fast internet connection is necessary to enable 8K HDR content to be streamed smoothly. Various other accessories can be connected with Bluetooth 5.3 tethering.
USAGE AND VISUAL QUALITY
The Neo QLED 8K panel on the QN990F displays very sharp images, realistic colors and details that can burn the retina of the eye because it reaches almost 1700 nits. Even from close range, the screen does not look broken because of the 8K resolution used.
All major streaming platforms are supported with the HDR10+ system. As far as I know, Netflix and Prime Video are two platforms that support HDR10+ on this TV. Apple TV still insists on only supporting Dolby Vision.
For years, many have asked for Dolby Vision to be supported but Samsung has remained with HDR10+ because they have been among the supporters of this format since the beginning. Even though it is not Dolby Vision, the vivid image can still be enjoyed.
There is no ghosting issue even when watching fast-paced action scenes or in gaming sessions. Samsung also includes the Filmmaker Mode feature for those who want to ensure that the movie they are watching is in the proper format. In this mode, the colors will not be increased to extremes and the frame rate is limited to 24 FPS.
There is also an AI Mode that adjusts the image quality based on the content being watched but I feel that this mode is half-baked. In Netflix, fast-paced action scenes suddenly have significant ghosting that makes it look blurry as if the Motion Blur effect is activated. When it is turned off, the issue disappears. I have not found any situations where AI Mode needs to be used because the mode simply causes visual problems.
The screen panel with anti-glare coating helps a lot, especially during the day. The Neo QLED panel has excellent viewing angles because no matter what angle you watch it from, the visuals will be clear. The blooming issue that I noticed on the previous Q900A also did not recur. In three years, there have been improvements to the Neo QLED backlight system that have resolved this issue.
To really see the capabilities of this TV, you need to watch native 8K content from YouTube. 4K and 1080p content can be displayed well but you can see the upscale effects such as color banding on colors and a little noise. Samsung is getting better at improving video quality but the truth is that it is still not the same as native 8K.
This leads to the next issue, which is that even though Samsung has been marketing 8K TVs since 2018, the only platform that supports 8K is still YouTube in Malaysia. It feels like the potential of the QN990F is not being fully utilized. The only advantage of this panel is that on TVs larger than 65″, 4K resolution is no longer sufficient.
I reviewed the 100″ HiSense U7K TV last year and the displayed image appeared broken when sitting about 5 feet from the TV. It’s true that 8K streaming isn’t much, but 8K resolution is a must on the QN990F with a 75″ screen.
GAMING
The screen performance for gaming is also the best as the TV comes with 4X HDMI 2.1 inputs allowing four consoles/PCs to be connected with 8K 120Hz or 4K 240Hz resolution. I was able to test the QN990F with Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 Pro and the 120Hz support worked as advertised.
Black Myth Wukong
There is a Game Bar to change the ultra-wide screen ratio (PC only), modes for different games (FPS, MMO, racing etc.) are accessible, VRR, Game Motion Plus, FreeSync Premium Pro (only via direct connection to the TV and not One Connect) and input lag reduction can be controlled locally.
Gaming Bar
AUDIO QUALITY
Speakers with 6.2.4 channels and 90W output support Dolby Atmos, DTS TruSurround and Eclipsa Audio. Eclipsa is a new format developed by Samsung and Google as an alternative to Dolby Atmos. At this point, only YouTube supports Eclipsa. The audio quality produced is very good for a built-in speaker system.
The audio feels alive with voices that can be heard clearly even in noisy scenes. The bass thump is also good but not strong because there is no separate subwoofer speaker. The Dolby Atmos effect in our opinion is not very good with the audio that should come from above not noticeable in some of the movies we watched.
The TV supports the Q-Symphony audio system which allows connection with a Samsung soundbar. When activated, the TV and soundbar speakers operate simultaneously to offer more comprehensive audio. I matched it with the Samsung Soundbar Q990F which was reviewed a few weeks ago and it is indeed a symphony full of cacophony that makes what you watch really come alive as if it were right in front of your eyes.
TIZEN SMART TV OS
Tizen Smart TV OS is the most dominant operating system due to Samsung's large hold on the global smart TV market. Therefore, various important applications can be downloaded through the app store. By default, YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar and Prime Video are already installed.
Other applications such as Apple TV, Astro, HBO MaxNebula, iQiyi, , Viu, Twitch, TikTok, WeTV, Sooka, Spotify, Apple Music and many more can be downloaded. Everything worked without issues during the two-week review period. Tizen is an operating system that has been established for a long time so there was no issue of no applications for the streaming platform you want to use.
A frequently heard issue about Tizen OS before is the time lag issue if many applications are launched in the background. On the QN990F, this issue does not arise and various features can run smoothly. The interface is responsive with commands given either via the remote control or using the smartphone application.
There is even a third option which is to use Bixby voice commands completely. Bixby can not only control various features such as opening applications, changing audio volume levels and switching inputs, it can also be used to ask about the weather outside.
The QN990F is not just a TV but a smart home hub. With Bixby I can control my washing machine, CCTV cameras, air conditioners, ovens and various connected devices (IoT) connected to the SmartThings system.
Because it's a Samsung TV, it works well when paired with the Samsung ecosystem. For example, Samsung DeX can be used wirelessly complete with Multi View. With Multi View, up to four inputs such as one from YouTube, Netflix, Spotify and another from a Samsung Galaxy smartphone can be displayed simultaneously on the screen. Users can arrange the screen size, and position of each screen when using this picture-in-picture mode.
For Galaxy device owners, the phone can be accessed directly from the TV. A useful feature is accessing the Gallery directly from the TV to view photos taken.
Art Mode
Another feature included is Ambient Mode which displays animations on the TV screen when it is not being used as a TV. Images of famous artworks can also be displayed as screensavers in this mode. There is also Art Mode which displays famous paintings as background images. This mode is clearly borrowed from The Frame series.
Not stopping here, if you want a more random image, the Samsung Vision AI feature can generate background images by choosing from several available promos. Every day up to 10 new backgrounds can be generated.
For Apple ecosystem users, AirPlay 2 can also be used to stream MacBook, iPhone and iPad content directly to the TV. In conclusion, the QN990F is not only excellent as a home entertainment and gaming center but can also be used to control various devices under the Samsung ecosystem.
REMOTE CONTROL
The remote control is a Smart Remote type that can control not only the QN990F but other accessories connected to the TV. It is small in size with a minimalist number of buttons. Four quick shortcuts are for Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and the Samsung Internet web browser. The Disney+ button is no longer included in the Malaysian market because it is not compatible with Disney+ Hotstar.
The Smart Remote is very easy to use because it is intuitive. All icon labels are easy to understand. It does not require AAA batteries because it has a built-in battery that can be charged using a USB-C cable, sunlight and radio waves at home. This remote control has proven to be long-lasting because I have a similar remote control from the QN880C that I have been using for the past 2 years and has never been charged even once.
CONCLUSION
The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN990F is the best TV we have reviewed so far because of its solid visuals, very satisfying audio, the best gaming support, useful additional features and matched with a beautiful design. It is as close to visual perfection as possible for those who want a large TV at home.
The disadvantages are the lack of Dolby Vision and the Tizen OS displays ads quite prominently every time the TV's main hub is accessed. The selling price starts at RM 27,999 for the 75″ model and RM 39,999 for the 85″ model. It is indeed expensive but to enjoy the cutting-edge visual quality and also matched with the latest additional features, you really need to spend more.
Pros
A screen large enough to provide a cinema-like experience at home.
Excellent visual quality with a brightness of almost 1700 nits.
HDR10+ support.
Dolby Atmos audio support.
Samsung ecosystem support via Tizen Smart TV OS.
Satisfactory I/O options such as 4x HDMI 2.1.
Wireless One Connect Box provides a tangle-free wireless connection.
Cons
No Dolby Vision support.
Requires Samsung device and SmartThings user to take full advantage.
Huge ads on Tizen OS dashboard.