Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D vs Samsung Neo QLED QN85D / QNX1D

The brightness that the Samsung Q70D can offer is at a fairly average level, although it cannot be said that the HDR effect will be unnoticeable. Any brightness above 400 nits allows for a clear distinction between SDR and HDR materials. As was the case in the paragraph about contrast and black levels, this time we can observe that the first scene, featuring a bright sun and a dark foreground, possesses the lowest luminance among the measured ones. The result, which can be considered very good for this price range and class of display, is the latter. In a scene where we see a large light source filling a significant part of the frame, the brightness of the television is at its highest, reaching nearly 500 nits. It is worth noting the quite low coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, which occasionally results in noticeable gaps in the colour palette. Additionally, users can enjoy rich colours and high precision in shade reproduction, making movie screenings a special experience. It is also worth noting that the Q70D Samsung panel performs excellently in eliminating blur during dynamic action scenes, which enhances the viewing comfort of sports broadcasts or games.

Samsung QN85D leaves us with mixed feelings regarding HDR quality. It can shine in synthetic brightness tests, achieving up to 1000 nits – which makes scenes like those from the film 'The Meg' or the beginning of 'Life of Pi', where the screen is entirely bright, look truly impressive. However, in practice, the device has its limitations – especially when smaller bright elements appear on the screen. In such moments, brightness noticeably drops, and the HDR effect loses its impact. At brightness levels around 200-300 nits, the magic of HDR simply fades away, failing to deliver spectacular effects. However, it's not the case that the television completely disappoints – a DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of 95% is quite decent, although it does not stand out against the best competitors. Colours are well-reproduced, but it's clear that HDR could make a bigger impression if brightness were better controlled.

The best factory mode on the Samsung Q70D is "Filmmaker," and it was this mode that we used during all our tests. Before calibration, it had several flaws that effectively prevented it from conveying the director's intentions. In both SDR and HDR materials, the white balance was dominated by red and green. As a result, there was a characteristic yellow tint on the image, causing white to appear yellowed and resulting in skin tones that were noticeably too warm. The lowered gamma in standard colour gamut materials resulted in a significant drop in contrast, which was already not the highest. This caused detail in the blacks to be accentuated but also led to overexposure in brighter scenes. The EOTF curve, in this case, proved to be much better and only brightened those scenes with relatively low luminance. This was perfectly evident in the section where we measured the television's maximum brightness in HDR materials. At that point, the frame from the film "Billy Lynn" was unnaturally bright and lacking in depth.

Samsung QN85D TV has been tested in the best available mode – Filmmaker. Although one might expect that its name suggests a mode perfectly tailored for films, it unfortunately has several significant issues.

In terms of white balance for HD content, there is a clear dominance of red and blue, which causes the entire image to take on a pinkish hue – this is also confirmed by Colour Checker tests. This effect disrupts the naturalness of skin tones and many other elements, particularly noticeable in more challenging scenes. Initially, the white balance for 4K HDR content seems correct, but at the end of the graph, there is a significant spike in blue shades, which impacts the final image quality, making the colours appear unnatural.

The gamma brightness characteristics are also not ideal – although it generally stays close to the reference values, there is a slight drop below the 2.4 level, which can affect the perceived depth of shadows. The EOTF curve responsible for 4K content does not present itself any better. There is a noticeable boost relative to the reference curve, which leads to excessive brightening of the image in some areas, thereby losing the cinematic quality that the Filmmaker mode should provide. Although it might initially seem that the effect is cinematic, unfortunately, the number of errors in colour and brightness reproduction is too significant to call it flawless.

Fortunately, Samsung provides a wide range of calibration tools in all its televisions, including 2-point and 20-point grey scale adjustment as well as advanced CMS. This allowed us to significantly improve the quality of SDR and HDR content. The vast majority of errors have been corrected, and the image that the Samsung Q70D now generates is definitely closer to the reference. Higher deltaE errors in wide dynamic range content are primarily due to the display's insufficient luminance.

After professional calibration of the Filmmaker mode on the Samsung QN85D television, a significant improvement is noticeable, especially for HD/SDR content. The white balance has been completely stripped of serious errors, and the brightness characteristics for this type of content have been significantly adjusted, allowing for a more natural and realistic image. Television, YouTube movies, and other HD materials now look much better, with appropriately balanced colours and without the excessive hues that previously spoiled the viewing experience.

However, the biggest issues concern 4K HDR content. Despite the calibration, it's difficult to speak of a serious improvement in white balance – the differences are cosmetic rather than crucial. Brightness, which is governed by the EOTF curve, appears to be set in line with the reference level in synthetic tests at first glance, but has its limitations during actual usage in films. When we analyse the EOTF curve in real film scenes, it becomes apparent how the television struggles to maintain brightness consistency. The effect is that mixed scenes still have lifted darkest elements, leading to exaggerated contrasts, while completely dark scenes remain too dark, negatively affecting the visibility of details.

The function responsible for improving gradation has been named "Noise Reduction" in the menu. As we have confirmed, it is worth enabling, as it has a positive effect on tonal transitions. More importantly, it does not negatively affect the film grain or the fine details, which the competition sometimes "blesses" us with.

The image scaling on Samsung Q70D should be rated as average. The manufacturer does not intend to artificially sharpen the image, but rather to leave it naturally softened.

When checking the smoothness of tonal transitions in low-resolution materials on the Samsung QN85D television, it is worth noting the noise reduction feature, which significantly improves problematic tonal transitions. On the other hand, this feature also has its downsides – it removes film grain, which is an important element of many productions, giving them authenticity, and it can also soften the image. This may appeal to those who prefer a more smoothed image; however, for lovers of the authentic look of films, using this feature should be considered carefully.

As for image scaling, the television performs very well. The model's figure is presented correctly, without noticeable distortions, and the branches in the background do not have excessive artificial sharpness, which is often a problem when scaling lower resolution materials. You can see the high capabilities of the image processor, which can effectively process lower quality materials, ensuring good final quality.

Samsung Q70D is the first model in the manufacturer's portfolio featuring a 120Hz panel. Consequently, its motion smoothing functions are more advanced than those in lower-tier models. Within the menu, we find three functions responsible for improving smoothness: "Motion Blur Reduction," "Judder Reduction," and "Clear Motion (LED)." We will discuss the third one later. The first function is responsible for sharpness in motion, while the second adjusts the level of smoothing. The smoother in Samsung Q70D performs satisfactorily, and each setting brings noticeable changes. Therefore, those who dislike the characteristic juddering in films or are avid sports viewers will be able to achieve a personalised level of smoothing. In the picture, we present a setting with slight smoothing, without the soap opera effect.

The panel used in Samsung Q70D features a fairly good response time for this type of display. Of course, it won't be as sharp as a proverbial razor, but at this price, it is a recommendable choice for all kinds of sports.

Samsung QN85D TV is equipped with a 120 Hz refresh rate panel, which should satisfy both gamers and sports fans by providing a smooth and dynamic picture. There are options to enhance fluidity, such as the motion blur and judder reduction feature, which allows for precise adjustment of motion smoothness on a 10-point scale. Motion blur reduction increases the sharpness of fast-moving objects, making action scenes clearer, while judder reduction smooths movement, eliminating the "stuttering" effect. Smearing is generally well controlled, although there are occasional minor shortcomings that may be visible in more demanding scenes, particularly when an object moves against a dark background. Additionally, the TV offers a BFI (Black Frame Insertion) feature at 60 Hz, which can significantly improve the experience of motion fluidity, although at the cost of image flicker, which may be bothersome to some users.

The tested television is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports. Interestingly, all of them have a bandwidth of 40 Gbps; however, during the conducted tests, we did not find any negative effects related to this state of affairs. Moreover, and more importantly, Samsung Q70D supports all functions resulting from the aforementioned standard. This news will surely please all gamers, as it means that whether using a console or a PC, we can count on the highest possible comfort during gameplay. Given the typical absence of HDR Dolby Vision for this manufacturer, it is significant that the HGIG mode has been correctly implemented and there is no issue with setting the calibration checkerboard. We particularly note that Samsung, as the only manufacturer, allows gameplay with the smoothener turned on, without significant degradation. This means that titles running at 30 fps will be perceived like those with native 60 frames per second.

Samsung, as one of the first manufacturers, introduced the Game Bar to its televisions, which it has consistently refined since then. It contains all the necessary information regarding gameplay parameters that we can change "on the fly".

To summarise: Samsung Q70D performs excellently both with a console and a computer. All functions worked perfectly and there were no issues with them. The ability to enable the smoothener without a significant increase in input lag is a true game changer.

The Samsung QN85D television is an excellent choice for gamers, offering a wide range of features that enhance the gaming experience and make it even more exciting. With a refresh rate of 120 Hz, the image is incredibly smooth, which is crucial during dynamic scenes in action games. The television also features low input lag, ensuring that reactions to the player's commands are nearly instantaneous, translating to better control over the character and events on the screen.

In addition, the QN85D Samsung supports VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) technologies, which optimise image fluidity and reduce delays by automatically adjusting the television to meet the needs of gamers. Furthermore, the Xbox app allows access to cloud gaming without the need for a console, which is a significant advantage for those who want to enjoy their favourite titles without additional hardware – a solution that sets Samsung televisions apart.

The Auto Motion Plus Game feature is another element worth highlighting. This motion smoother creates the impression of a higher frame rate – as a result, games running at 30 fps appear smoother, resembling gameplay at 45 fps, while games at 60 Hz come close to 90 Hz. Most importantly, this feature does not introduce significant lag, ensuring that the gaming experience remains undisturbed. This allows players to enjoy a smoother image without compromising on responsiveness.