Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D

Q70D / Q74D / Q77D

Info

Available screen sizes: 55”65”75”85”

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Main photo

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Panel technology: LCD VA Brand: SAMSUNG Resolution: 3840x2160 Operating system: Tizen Model year: 2024

Our verdict

6.8

Overall rating

Samsung Q70D performed in the test just as it should for its category – very well. The strongest points of the television are undoubtedly its efficiency when using a console and the colour reproduction after undergoing the calibration process. The former will certainly not allow gamers to remain indifferent to the range of benefits that Samsung Q70D can offer, and there are indeed many, including this almost exclusive feature for the manufacturer’s units – the ability to smooth out gameplay while maintaining a reasonable input lag, which allows titles running at 30 fps to perform like those at native 60 frames per second. In the context of gaming, one cannot forget the well-implemented HGIG mode, which, when correctly set up, is on par with games using Dolby Vision. One should also not overlook the ease of pairing the television with the Canal+ decoder, which is not such an obvious advantage, but we know that many people struggle with this issue. Staying on the topic of television, it must be acknowledged that the Samsung Q70D offers very good brightness in SDR materials for its price range, making daytime viewing more than comfortable. A downside for the tested television has to be the lack of Dolby Vision, which would have greatly enhanced the maximum brightness of the Samsung Q70D. One should also not overlook the construction flaws of the device, which may (though not necessarily) lead to light bleed, which can be noticed in dark conditions on less bright scenes. What cannot be taken away from Samsung Q70D is the fact that it features one of the better motion smoothing technologies in its price range, which works excellently in the context of sports events or fast-paced action scenes. The system that operates the television runs very smoothly, and the only complaint one might have is the lack of the Tidal app. In summary, the Samsung Q70D is a good continuation of the manufacturer's seventh series, which year after year gains – both in quality and popularity.

Advantages

  • Excellent performance with consoles and computers

  • Colour reproduction after calibration

  • Very good performance in sports - advanced motion smoothing system

  • Smooth and trouble-free operation of the Tizen system

  • Very good tonal transition quality in this budget

Disadvantages

No like
  • Possible noticeable light leaks

  • Dolby Vision support not available

  • Movies and series in UHD quality

    6.0

  • Classic TV, YouTube

    6.0

  • Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)

    6.5

  • Gaming on console

    8.7

  • TV as a computer monitor

    8.0

  • Watching in bright light

    5.4

  • Utility functions

    7.1

  • Apps

    9.3

  • Sound quality

    6.3

Competing TVs in this price range

Sony Bravia 9 (XR90) 75”

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LG OLED G4 77”

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Samsung OLED S95D 77”

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Sony A95L 77”

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LG OLED C4 77”

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LG 55 B4 77”

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Samsung OLED S90D / S94D (WRGB OLED) 77”

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Sony Bravia 7 (XR70) 75”

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Philips OLED909 77”

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Samsung Neo QLED QN95D 75”

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TV appearance

HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (40Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Appearance of the TV Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Appearance of the TV Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Appearance of the TV Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Appearance of the TV Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Appearance of the TV Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Appearance of the TV Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Appearance of the TV

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Contrast and black detail

5.4/10

Local dimming function: No

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Contrast and black detail

Result

2,450:1

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Contrast and black detail

Result

5,150:1

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Contrast and black detail

Result

6,550:1

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Contrast and black detail

Result

5,850:1

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Contrast and black detail

Result

2,800:1

Visibility of details in the lights:

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Visibility of details in the lights

Samsung Q70D and its related models, such as Q77D and Q74D, utilise a VA panel, which in itself should provide decent contrast. Typically, it is several times higher than in IPS/ADS screens that are not equipped with an advanced local dimming system. The contrast results, as you can see, are quite varied, which is caused by the non-uniformity of the panel. Therefore, at times we can achieve good contrast, whereas at other times it is significantly degraded, but generally fairly consistent, not counting light leakage. Let’s take a look at the film scenes we prepared from the films "Oblivion" and "Revenant". As we can see, in the first one, the lights are well separated from each other, which is a positive phenomenon, as visibility of details in the whites in further tests should be equally good. What stands out the most here is the unusual over-sharpening of smoke visible under the light and the navy black in the background. In the frame from the second film, the first thing that stands out is the uneven backlighting of our scene. It was quite significant and heavily affected the perceived image. Nevertheless, the details in the film were well visible.

Halo effect and black detail visibility:

HDR effect quality

5.2/10

Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG Color gamut coverage: DCI P3: 92.2%, Bt.2020: 68.7%

Luminance measurements in HDR:

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Brightness measurement

Result

433 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Brightness measurement

Result

461 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Brightness measurement

Result

477 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Brightness measurement

Result

475 nit

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Brightness measurement

Result

490 nit

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.

Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Scene from movie PAN

Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Scene from movie Billy Lynn

To deeply assess the televisions in our tests, we prepared two diverse scenes aimed at conveying different aspects of good picture quality. The first one, from the film "Mr", featuring light effects reaching up to 2800 nits, performed very well. The functioning of the dynamic tone mapping feature is clearly perceptible, which means that light effects outside the range of the television did not "kill" it. While some detail loss in the clouds is noticeable here and there, such a result cannot be deemed bad. The same cannot be said for the film "Billy Lynn", which looked completely different from intended. The scene is significantly brightened and lacks its suspense, and more importantly, deep contrast. There's also a considerable loss in colour saturation here, particularly in skin tones.

HDR luminance chart:

The tone mapping function in films worked quite well; however, it is worth testing it in one more challenging scenario, namely in scenes with a lot of white and details. This time, it did not cope as smoothly as before and failed to recover the details. Naturally, the situation changes when a HDR signal supported by dynamic metadata is introduced, which does not have this issue and is able to show us all the details that were previously inaccessible. Another problem with the television, which became particularly evident in this case, is the unevenness of the backlighting, resulting in grey patches on a uniform background.

Static HDR10

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Static HDR 10

Dynamic: HDR10+

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Dynamic HDR 10+

Factory color reproduction

6.1/10

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.

Color reproduction after calibration

8.1/10

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.

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Color reproduction before calibration
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

6.9/10

Considering how important lighting is in films and series, the overlapping structures and the fluidity of tonal transitions constitute an extremely significant element in assessing the quality of the image. The colour grading in the tested television stands at a fairly decent level. It cannot be said to be outstanding, but it is also not bad. We assess it as adequate. Brighter scenes perform best here, showing the least amount of stuttering. In scenes recorded in darker settings, slight deficiencies in grading can already be noticed, although this is not an issue that would cause discomfort while watching. This may be disrupted by the bleed of the backlighting, which is clearly visible in the last image.

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

7/10

OK Smooth transition function

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Smooth transition function

No Image without overscan on the SD signal

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Image without overscan on the SD signal

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.

Blur and motion smoothness

7.4/10

Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 120Hz

Film motion smoothing option: Yes

Blur reduction option: Yes

BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)

BFI function 120Hz: No

Brightness drop with BFI: 30%

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Blur and motion smoothness

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.

Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate)
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate)
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate)

Blur (BFI function enabled):

Image flickers in this mode

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Image flickers in this mode
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Image flickers in this mode
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Image flickers in this mode

In the context of motion fluidity, it is worth mentioning the BFI (Black Frame Insertion) technology, which involves inserting a black frame between frames of the film. Its purpose is to "reset" the retina of the eye, thus enhancing image sharpness. The manufacturer decided to implement this solution, which, however, did not turn out well, as we are faced with a significant decrease in brightness and strong flickering. It is also worth noting that this feature, in the case of 50Hz materials, exhibits specific image wavering. Therefore, we do not recommend using this feature.

Console compatibility and gaming features

9.5/10

  • Yes ALLM: Yes
  • Yes VRR: Yes
  • Yes VRR range: 48 - 120Hz
  • No Dolby Vision Game Mode: No
  • Yes Correct implementation of HGIG: Yes
  • Yes 1080p@120Hz: Yes
  • Yes 1440p@120Hz: Yes
  • Yes 4K@120Hz: Yes
  • Yes Game bar: Yes
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Console compatibility and gaming features
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Console compatibility and gaming features

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.

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Console compatibility and gaming features
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

10/10

The latency results in Samsung Q70D are at a high level, regardless of the signal or resolution. All gamers will certainly appreciate the manufacturer's efforts, which allow for a game running in 4K 120 Hz with HDR to have a mere 7 ms latency, which is virtually unnoticeable even in online games. It is worth adding that the lag with the smoothness enhancer switched on increases by about twice, which still means very comfortable gaming in this case.

SDR HDR Dolby Vision
1080p60: 13 ms 2160p60: 13 ms
1080p120: 7 ms 2160p120: 7 ms
2160p60: 13 ms
2160p120: 7 ms

Compatibility with PC

8/10

Chroma 444 (maximum resolution and refresh rate): Yes

Font clarity: Very Good

Readability of dark text and shapes: Average

Input lag in PC mode (4K, maximum refresh rate): 13ms

Max refresh rate: 120Hz

G-Sync: Yes

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Compatibility with PC

After connecting the television to the computer and wanting to use it as a monitor, we can expect a low input lag of 13 ms, which is practically unnoticeable along the mouse-screen-eye line. Thanks to the correct implementation of chroma 4:4:4, the readability of fonts is at a high level, so one can confidently connect the Samsung Q70D to the computer as a monitor and anticipate comfortable work with text.

The subpixel arrangement is BGR, which does not negatively impact the use of the television as a monitor. However, since operating systems are not adapted to such a subpixel format, this may cause slightly less clear outlines. Nevertheless, this is practically negligible and only a handful of people may notice it.

Viewing angles

2.9/10

Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 71%

Due to the VA panel, the performance of the Samsung Q70D in terms of viewing angles is its Achilles' heel. Even a slight shift from the axis results in a significant loss of contrast and a substantial degradation of colours.

TV efficiency during daytime

5.4/10

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV efficiency during daytime
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV efficiency during daytime

Matrix coating: Satin

Reflection suppression: Average

Black levels during daytime: Good

The satin finish of the panel in the Q70D allows for quite good performance in a strongly sunlit room. It is worth noting that the reflections do not extend beyond their source, thus not spilling over onto the rest of the panel. We also commend the maximum brightness of the television in SDR materials, which is 450 nits, allowing for comfortable content consumption during the day.

Matrix brightness

Average luminance SDR

Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D: 449 cd/m2

Details about the matrix

Software version during testing: T-NKM2DDEUC-1053.2

Subpixel Structure:

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV details about the matrix

Panel uniformity:

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV details about the matrix

Backlight Type: QLED

TV features

7.1/10

  • System operacyjny: Tizen

  • TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C

  • No Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
  • No Recording programming: No
  • Yes Picture in Picture (PiP): Yes
  • Yes Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
  • Yes AirPlay: Yes
  • Yes Voice search in native language: Yes
  • Yes Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
  • Yes Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
  • Yes Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
  • No Audio only mode: No
  • Yes RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
  • No Backlit remote control: No
  • Yes Teletext: Yes
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV features
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV features
Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV features Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D TV features

The operation of the Samsung Q70D is powered by the proprietary Tizen system. It is quite a well-known software, as the manufacturer has been developing it in its televisions for a really long time. Its main advantage is smooth performance and the absence of significant stutters, which we can confirm through conducted tests. The greatest downside, however, is its closed nature. Although the app store is quite extensive, we are still at the mercy of the manufacturer. Therefore, we will not be able to install missing items, even from a pendrive. A perfect example of this is this year's discontinuation of support for the Tidal app. On the other hand, a benefit, especially for users of Apple equipment, is the implementation of AirPlay, which allows for easy mirroring of content from a device to the television. Fortunately, Samsung has also provided the option to connect a keyboard and mouse for much quicker navigation through the television's menu. It is worth mentioning that the manufacturer has luckily included a remote that connects via Bluetooth this year, which often did not occur in the past. The Tizen system has one more advantage. It integrates very well with external devices such as the NC+ decoder or soundbars. The connection process is very quick and does not require any special skills.

In summary: The Tizen system is very smoothly functioning software, which is certainly a strong advantage of the television. Although more advanced users may complain about the lack of at least KODI, the rest will be satisfied.

Playing files from USB

9.1/10

Review Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D Playing files from USB
Maximum photo resolution:Supported photo formats:
Yes 4 Mpix
Yes JPEG
Yes 6 Mpix
No HEIC
Yes 8 Mpix
No PNG
Yes 10 Mpix
No GIF
Yes 12 Mpix
No WebP
Yes 16 Mpix
No TIFF
Yes 20 Mpix
Yes BMP
Yes 24 Mpix
No SVG
Yes 28 Mpix
Yes 32 Mpix

The built-in player Samsung Q70D is one of its major advantages. It handled almost all video and audio files prepared for the testing process excellently. The only exceptions in this regard are, of course, the Dolby Vision format (which is not surprising) and less popular codecs. Additionally, credit should be given for the support of Polish characters and the ability to change font colours. However, it performs worse with photo formats, as it only supports JPEG among the popular ones. There is definitely a lack of formats such as PNG or Apple's HEIC.

Apps

9.3/10

OK
Disney_Plus
OK
Amazon_Prime_Video
OK
Viaplay
OK
Player_TVN
OK
Polsat_Box_Go
OK
Canal_Plus_Online
OK
TVP_VOD
OK
Apple_TV_Plus
OK
SkyShowtime
OK
Rakuten
OK
CDA_Premium_Browser
OK
Spotify
No
Tidal
OK
Netflix
OK
YouTube
OK
MAX
No
Kodi

Sound

6.3/10

6.3/10

Subjective sound quality

Yes Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Yes Dolby True HD 7.1

Yes Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Yes Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

No DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

No DTS-HD Master Audio

The built-in audio system Samsung Q70D, due to its slim design, is not among the most outstanding. The overall sound is fairly balanced, although we wouldn't advise increasing the volume above 2/4 of the scale. However, if we have a home cinema system, a number of codecs await us, notably featuring the most important ones, namely DTS-HD Master Audio and Dolby Atmos.

  • Quantum Dot Technology: Quantum Dot technology provides 100% colour intensity, offering a billion perfect hues regardless of brightness levels.

  • Quantum Processor 4K: An advanced processor using artificial intelligence optimises image and sound quality in real-time, delivering exceptional visual experiences.

  • 4K AI Upscaling: Image upscaling technology to a resolution close to 4K, ensuring that even lower quality content looks better on a large screen.

  • Motion Xcelerator 120Hz: A feature ensuring smooth motion with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, ideal for dynamic sports scenes and video games.

  • Dual LED: Backlighting technology with warm and cool LED diodes, which adjusts the colour tone to the displayed content, offering a more realistic image with deeper contrast.

  • Quantum HDR: Support for HDR technology, which highlights details and enhances contrast, allowing for deep blacks and bright details in every scene.

  • Samsung Smart TV Tizen: An intuitive operating system offering access to a wide range of apps and streaming services, such as Netflix, YouTube, and TVP Sport.

  • Design AirSlim: A slim and elegant design that perfectly complements modern interiors, minimising the gap between the television and the wall.

  • Gaming Features: Support for FreeSync Premium Pro technology, low input lag, and 4 HDMI 2.1 ports ensure smooth and responsive gameplay without delays or stutters.

  • Samsung Knox Security: A platform that protects your passwords and sensitive data from malware and information leaks.

Samsung Q70D test shows that the television offers clear dialogues and solid bass tones, which will please most users. Moreover, in the model Q74D, the spatial sound is automatically adjusted to the size of the room, making every film more immersive.

One of the distinguishing features of the Samsung Q70D in tests is the speed of the applications, which load almost instantly, eliminating frustrating delays. Additionally, users can take advantage of the built-in voice assistant, simplifying navigation and content search.