Samsung Neo QLED QN85D / QNX1D vs LG NANO82T6B

The HDR performance of the Samsung QN85D is a mixed bag. While it excels in synthetic luminance tests, reaching up to 1000 nits, and delivers impressive results in scenes with full-screen brightness – like in The Meg or the opening of Life of Pi – the limitations become apparent when smaller bright elements are introduced. In these cases, the brightness level noticeably dips, weakening the HDR effect and reducing its impact. When brightness hovers around 200-300 nits, the immersive “wow factor” of HDR tends to diminish, and visuals lose some of their intended brilliance.

That said, the QN85D still manages to deliver decent colour quality, covering 95% of the DCI-P3 colour space, which, while respectable, doesn’t set it apart from its top competitors. Colours appear accurate and vibrant, but the HDR experience could be more compelling if the brightness was consistently well-balanced across various content types.

The brightness of the LG NANO82T is rather average, especially compared to other TVs in a similar price range. With a peak brightness of approximately 280 nits, it falls short of many competitors offering levels exceeding 400-500 nits. This limitation impacts the viewing experience, particularly for HDR content. Bright areas of the image may lack definition, and the HDR effect fails to deliver the dramatic impact expected from higher-end displays, making the overall image less striking in well-lit scenes.

The Samsung QN85D, when tested in Filmmaker Mode, falls short of expectations for film accuracy due to several notable issues in colour and brightness reproduction. In HD content, the white balance is skewed by an excess of red and blue, causing a pinkish tint across the image. This effect, confirmed by Colour Checker tests, impacts the realism of skin tones and other details, becoming particularly distracting in complex scenes.

For 4K HDR content, while the white balance intially appears accurate, there is a pronounced shift towards blue tones at the upper end of the spectrum. This deviation results in colours that lack natural appeal, subtly detracting from the viewing experience. The gamma, although close to the standard reference, slightly dips below the ideal 2.4 level, reducing shadow depth. Moreover, the EOTF curve for 4K content is noticeably elevated above the reference line, leading to excessive brightness in certain image areas. This undermines the cinematic look Filmmaker Mode aims to deliver, creating a visual experience that feels over-bright rather than authentically nuanced.

In summary, while Filmmaker Mode on the QN85D initially presents a cinematic effect, the inaccuracies in colour balance and brightness are too significant to achieve the true-to-source quality that the mode promises.

The colour reproduction in the LG NANO82T in Filmmaker mode, while the best factory setting available, does have flaws. The primary issue lies in white balance, where measurements reveal a drop in the level of blue. This shifts towards yellow hues, making the image warmer than intended. Such deviations prevent natural colour reproduction, especially in scenes with white or neutral backgrounds. For instance, in Star Wars, where numerous elements should appear white, the colours deviate noticeably. The Color Checker test corroborates this, showing some shades "escaping" into others, further highlighting the lack of accurate colour rendering.

In terms of contrast, the gamma graph analysis showed a drop to 2.1, falling short of the optimal 2.4. This leads to darker parts of the image appearing brighter, reducing depth and dynamism. Additionally, the EOTF curve, which governs brightness reproduction, shows a slight spike at the start. This can result in an excessive brightness boost in the brightest areas, causing a loss of detail in very bright scenes.

After professional calibration of the Samsung QN85D’s Filmmaker Mode, there's a noticeable enhancement in HD/SDR content quality. The calibration eliminates major issues with white balance, and adjustments to the brightness characteristics result in a more natural and lifelike picture. Regular HD content, like television broadcasts and YouTube videos, now benefits from well-balanced colours, free from the distracting hues that previously impacted image quality.

However, challenges remain with 4K HDR content. Despite calibration, improvements in white balance for HDR are minor, and more cosmetic than transformative. The EOTF curve initially aligns with reference standards in test conditions, but the television struggles to maintain consistent brightness during film scenes. As a result, dark elements appear overly boosted in mixed scenes, creating excessive contrast. In fully dark scenes, the image often becomes too dim, obscuring finer details and diminishing the overall viewing experience. This inconsistency in brightness affects the depth and accuracy of HDR performance, especially in more challenging scenes.

After calibration, the colour reproduction in SDR content on the LG NANO82T is impressive. The white balance has been effectively corrected, resulting in natural, balanced tones across various scenes. Gamma adjustments ensure more precise rendering of details in shadows and bright areas, enhancing the viewing experience. These improvements allow the television to perform well in everyday use, delivering solid colour accuracy and well-balanced images in SDR mode.

Unfortunately, the situation with HDR content is less satisfactory. The TV lacks support for a wide colour gamut, limiting the depth and richness that HDR can achieve. The EOTF curve deviates from the ideal, leading to overemphasis on details in brighter areas. This causes noticeable colour reproduction errors, as confirmed by Colour Checker tests. Additionally, the panel's low brightness further hampers HDR image quality, diminishing dynamic range effects and causing colours to appear washed out.

Overall, the TV significantly improves after calibration, particularly in SDR mode. The enhancements to white balance and gamma elevate image quality, offering more natural and cohesive colour reproduction. Compared to its pre-calibration state, the difference is evident, and the television now performs noticeably better in standard dynamic range scenarios.

When assessing the fluidity of tonal transitions in low-resolution materials on the Samsung QN85D, it's important to consider the noise reduction feature, which significantly improves problematic tonal transitions. However, this feature also has its drawbacks – it removes film grain, a crucial element in many productions that adds authenticity, and it can also soften the image. While this may appeal to those who prefer a smoother image, film enthusiasts who favour the authentic look of films may want to use this feature sparingly.

In terms of 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 suffer from excessive artificial sharpness, a common issue when scaling lower-resolution content. The high capabilities of the image processor are evident, as it effectively handles lower-quality materials, ensuring a high-quality final image.

The LG NANO82T features a "Smooth Gradation" option for handling tonal transitions in low-quality materials. The "Low" setting improves the most problematic transitions, providing a noticeable and helpful enhancement. However, the "High" setting, while further smoothing tonal transitions, sacrifices some detail in the process. This can be a compromise that not all viewers will appreciate.

The image scaling on the LG NANO82T has some limitations, particularly when displaying lower-resolution content. The TV applies a subtle artificial sharpening, which makes the image appear sharper, but this effect is mainly due to artificial contours. Some users may find this beneficial, as it highlights details more prominently, but for others who prefer a more natural image, it may appear overly processed and artificial. This is a subjective preference that varies from viewer to viewer.

The Samsung QN85D’s display boasts a 120 Hz refresh rate, which should satisfy both gamers and sports enthusiasts, providing a smooth and dynamic viewing experience. There are options for further improving fluidity, including a blur and judder reduction feature that allows precise adjustment of motion smoothness on a 10-point scale. Blur reduction enhances the sharpness of fast-moving objects, making action scenes clearer, while judder reduction smooths motion to eliminate the "stuttering" effect. Ghosting is generally well-controlled, although minor drawbacks may be noticeable in more demanding scenes, particularly when an object moves against a dark background. Additionally, the television features a BFI (Black Frame Insertion) option at a 60 Hz frequency, which can significantly enhance motion smoothness, although it comes with the potential downside of flicker, which may be bothersome for some viewers.

LG televisions, including the NANO82T, come with an interesting motion smoother called TruMotion providing users with control over the quality of films they watch. The TruMotion feature allows adjustment of the motion fluidity on a 10-point scale, offering a personalised visual experience.

However, when it comes to more dynamic content, such as games or action films, the performance falls short. With its 60Hz panel and relatively slow pixel response, motion fluidity is less than ideal. This results in noticeable trailing and less smooth playback during fast-paced scenes.

Overall, the LG NANO82T is a good option for those who primarily watch movies and prefer more subdued content. Viewers who prioritise fast, dynamic motion, may prefer an alternative model.

The Samsung QN85D is an excellent choice for gamers, offering a wide range of features that elevate gameplay quality and make it even more immersive. With a 120 Hz refresh rate, the image remains incredibly smooth, crucial during fast-paced action scenes in games. The TV also boasts low input lag, making player responses to commands almost instantaneous, enhancing control over characters and events on screen. Additionally, the Samsung QN85D supports VRR (variable refresh rate) and ALLM (auto low latency mode) technologies, optimising image fluidity and reducing lag by automatically adjusting the TV to meet gamers' needs.

The Xbox app, which enables cloud gaming without requiring a console, is another significant advantage, offering a seamless gaming experience without the need for additional hardware – a feature that sets Samsung TVs apart. The Auto Motion Plus Game feature is another notable addition. This motion smoother simulates a higher frame rate, making 30 fps games appear smoother, akin to 45 fps, while games at 60 Hz are upgraded to a 90 Hz experience. Most importantly, this feature does not introduce significant lag, ensuring the comfort of gameplay remains intact. It allows gamers to enjoy a smoother image without compromising responsiveness.

When playing on the console, the LG NANO82T offers several features that can enhance the gaming experience, though it also has some limitations. Notably, the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature stands out, automatically adjusting picture settings to switch the television to low latency mode, which is especially beneficial for gamers requiring quick reactions. Another advantage is the support for HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group), ensuring HDR games are displayed as intended by the creators and providing vibrant and realistic visuals. These features contribute to a solid gaming experience, but there are some drawbacks, particularly in fast-paced scenes.

The LG NANO82T has limitations when it comes to advanced gaming features. It lacks support for variable refresh rate (VRR), which affects gameplay smoothness, especially in more dynamic games. The TV's 60Hz panel restricts the ability to use higher refresh rates, a significant downside for gamers seeking smoother gameplay at higher resolutions. Additionally, the absence of G-Sync technology limits image synchronisation, potentially leading to tearing and stuttering during gameplay.

These limitations mean that while the LG NANO82T offers a good gaming experience for casual gamers, it may not meet the expectations of more demanding players seeking advanced features and maximum image fluidity.

These shortcomings may mean that the LG NANO82T does not meet the expectations of the most demanding gamers looking for advanced features and the highest image fluidity.