Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D

Q70D / Q74D / Q77D

Available screen sizes: 55”65”75”85”

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Panel type: LCD VA | Brand: SAMSUNG | Resolution: 3840x2160 | 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

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

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

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Contrast and black detail

Viewing mode Game mode

5.4/10

Viewing mode Game mode

Local dimming function: No

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

Contrast between the black background and the bright spotlight illuminating Jack. Scene from the movie Oblivion (Universal Pictures).

Result

2,450:1

Contrast between the glare on the chameleon's skin and the black near the edge of the screen below. Scene from the Spears&Munsil test disc.

Result

5,150:1

Contrast between the reflection on the helmet and the black on the black film strip. Scene from the movie Arrival (Paramount Pictures).

Result

6,550:1

Contrast between the actress's face and the black film strip at the top edge of the TV. Scene from the movie Gravity (Warner Bros. Pictures).

Result

5,850:1

Contrast between the colorful balloon and the black slice between the falling objects. Scene from the Pioneer Kuro test disc (2008).

Result

2,800:1

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

Viewing mode Game mode

5.2/10

Viewing mode Game mode

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

The measured point is the setting sun against a bright sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

433 nit

The measured point is the moon against a dark, starry sky. Scene from the movie Life of Pi (20th Century Fox).

Result

461 nit

The measured point is the flashlight on the rifle, which shines directly at the camera. Scene from the movie Gemini Man (Paramount Pictures).

Result

477 nit

The measured point is the tail light of a helicopter flying at night. This is a very small light point, the essence of the HDR effect. Scene from the movie Sicario 2: Soldado (Lionsgate).

Result

475 nit

The measured point is the sun visible directly between the clouds. The scene is very bright and should blind the viewer as in nature. Scene from the movie The Meg (Warner Bros. Pictures).

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)

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

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

Dynamic: HDR10+

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

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

7/10

Smooth transition function

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%

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):

Blur (BFI function enabled):

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

ALLM: Yes
VRR: Yes
VRR range: 48 - 120Hz
Dolby Vision Game Mode: No
Correct implementation of HGIG: Yes
1080p@120Hz: Yes
1440p@120Hz: Yes
4K@120Hz: Yes
Game bar: Yes

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.

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

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

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:

Panel uniformity:

Backlight Type: QLED

TV features

7.1/10

System operacyjny: Tizen
TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
Recording programming: No
Picture in Picture (PiP): Yes
Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
AirPlay: Yes
Voice search in native language: Yes
Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Possibility to connect Bluetooth headphones to the TV: Yes
Possibility to simultaneously use Bluetooth headphones and the TV speaker: Yes
Audio only mode: No
RF remote control (no need to aim at the screen): RF
Backlit remote control: No
Teletext: Yes

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

Video Photos Audio

9.1/10

Video Photos Audio

Maximum photo resolution:	Supported photo formats:
4 Mpix	JPEG
6 Mpix	HEIC
8 Mpix	PNG
10 Mpix	GIF
12 Mpix	WebP
16 Mpix	TIFF
20 Mpix	BMP
24 Mpix	SVG
28 Mpix
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

Sound

6.3/10

Subjective sound quality

Dolby Digital Plus 7.1

Dolby True HD 7.1

Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)

Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD

DTS:X in DTS-HD MA

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.

Samsung QLED Q70D / Q74D / Q77D

Our verdict

Advantages

Disadvantages

Competing TVs in this price range

TV appearance

Buy in the best price

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

TV efficiency during daytime

Details about the matrix

TV features

Playing files from USB

Apps

Sound