The Samsung Neo QLED 55QN90A: A Premium TV Experience, But Is It Worth the Price?
In the world of high-end televisions, where every pixel matters and visual fidelity reigns supreme, the battle for supremacy is fierce. While budget and mid-range segments see a constant flurry of new releases, the premium space usually witnesses a handful of major launches each year, spearheaded by giants like Samsung, Sony, and LG. While OLED and quantum dot technologies often steal the show, each excelling in its own way, Samsung has staked its claim with its flagship Neo QLED series.
The Samsung QN90A line is the current reigning champion in Samsung’s Ultra-HD television arsenal, and today we’re diving deep into the 55-inch QN90A model. With a price tag of Rs. 1,75,990 in India, the Samsung 55QN90A promises a sleek design, premium features, and flagship-level performance. But does it truly deliver on its promises and become the reigning king of 55-inch Ultra-HD televisions? Read on to find out.
Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) Design and Specifications
Most large-screen televisions opt for a sleek design at the edges, only to betray the illusion with a sizable bulge at the rear, housing the bulk of its components. The Samsung 55QN90A, however, breaks this mold with a remarkably slim profile, a mere fraction thicker than its edges, creating an uncluttered and minimalist aesthetic. This design choice plays a significant role, particularly when positioning the TV on a wall or even utilizing its table mount.
The TV boasts a 55-inch Ultra-HD (3840×2160-pixel) quantum-dot LED-backlit screen with slender borders surrounding it. Instead of the typical centrally positioned logo, the Samsung logo and on-device control panel reside near the right corner, adding a subtle touch of asymmetry. Despite its slim chassis, the TV weighs a hefty 22kg with the stand attached.
For wall mounting, the Samsung Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV leverages standard 200x200mm VESA compatibility. However, a wall-mount kit is not included in the box, and I was unable to install my own wall-mount hooks due to a bolt mismatch. As a result, I had to rely on the stand mount for this review. Of course, you can always opt for Samsung’s official installation service, which will provide the appropriate wall-mount kit and equipment.
The included stand mount attaches to the center of the TV’s bottom, featuring a single curved metal slab that securely holds the TV in place. This design is especially helpful if you lack a large table, and I found it exceptionally stable. The TV’s slender profile might pose a minor challenge for accessing ports when wall-mounted, but the stand mount offered easy access to all ports and inputs.
The Samsung Neo QLED TV 55QN90A is equipped with a comprehensive array of connectivity options, catering to most needs:
- Four HDMI ports (one supports eARC)
- Two USB ports
- One digital optical audio output
- An Ethernet port for wired internet connectivity
- One composite AV input
- An antenna socket
While a headphone jack is absent, the TV supports Bluetooth 5.2 for audio and Wi-Fi for wireless internet connectivity.
Beyond connectivity, the TV also supports HDR10+ high dynamic range content, micro-dimming, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby 5.1 audio, and a 60W 4.2.2-channel speaker setup. Gaming features include auto low-latency mode, support for AMD Freesync Premium Pro, and a peak refresh rate of 120Hz at 4K. The TV’s brains are powered by Samsung’s Neo Quantum Processor 4K, and it boasts of QuantumHDR 32X / 24X encoding which is said to enhance the quality of HDR10+ content.
Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) Remote and Features
TV remotes have undergone a transformation, shedding their chunky, button-laden designs for sleek, minimalist slabs. But the Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED TV 55QN90A takes a bold step further, presenting a reimagined remote that’s not just stylish but innovative.
While the core functionality remains intuitive, what sets this remote apart is its solar-powered nature. A small solar panel on the back continuously charges the internal battery. To eliminate any concerns about cloudy days, a USB Type-C port is included for charging as well.
Upon unpacking, the remote was instantly ready to go, powered up, and remained fully charged throughout my review period. However, there’s no indicator to check the battery level.
The remote itself is sleek and boasts a minimal button layout:
- D-pad for navigation and playback controls
- Volume rocker
- Program rocker
- Home and back buttons
- Hotkeys for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Samsung’s TV Plus streaming service, and others
Pressing down on the rocker mutes the volume, but there’s no quick shortcut to access TV settings. You’ll need to press the home button and navigate through the interface to reach them.
Other notable features include:
- Support for Apple AirPlay and casting
- Tap View for screen mirroring from supported Samsung smartphones
- Support for voice assistants like Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Samsung’s Bixby
Software-based features like Multi-View and Ambient Mode enhance the user experience and provide additional functionality. We’ll delve into those features in the next section.
Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) Software and Interface
Samsung’s widely-used Tizen operating system takes center stage in the 55QN90A TV, running its latest version for televisions. It presents a unique “floating" software interface, unlike Android TV which consumes the entire screen. The Tizen interface acts as a floating bar overlaying whatever source, app, or content is currently active.
Navigating through the Tizen interface is simple. Pressing the home button on the remote brings up the app drawer and core feature list, granting access to settings, source selection, app store, and content rows with curated lists of movies and TV shows.
The interface supports most major streaming apps:
- Netflix
- Amazon Prime Video
- YouTube
- Disney+ Hotstar
- Apple TV
Popular Indian streaming services are also available:
- Zee5
- Sony Liv
- Voot
All apps I tested were able to play Ultra-HD and HDR content natively and were well-optimized for remote control. Samsung TV Plus, a channel-based streaming service exclusive to Samsung TVs, is worth mentioning. It delivers programmed content in a channel format, including Indian music, news, and general entertainment channels.
Adjusting settings requires a slightly more involved process compared to many other TVs as the Samsung 55QN90A doesn’t offer quick access. You’ll need to navigate through the interface to reach settings, but once there, you can find quick toggles for basic picture, sound, and general settings. A more comprehensive full list allows you to meticulously configure the TV to your liking.
While Tizen’s app library might not be as extensive as Android TV, it still offers a wide selection and is easy to use.
Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) Performance
The Indian television market caters to a diverse range of budgets. From a purely specifications perspective, you can acquire a decent 55-inch Ultra-HD HDR smart TV for under Rs. 40,000. However, premium televisions like the Samsung 55-inch Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV (55QN90A) still hold a strong appeal despite their hefty price tags.
Even though the Samsung 55QN90A might be considered expensive at Rs. 1,75,990 for a 55-inch television, it undoubtedly stands as one of the best high-end TVs available today, delivering an exceptional viewing experience and top-notch performance.
While OLED TVs currently reign supreme in terms of popular screen technologies, Samsung has made considerable strides with its QLED TVs, making them equally, or even superior, in some cases, to good OLED TVs from brands like LG or Sony. The Samsung 55QN90A delivers a picture that’s vibrant and bright, with punchy yet accurate colors, impressive sharpness, and black levels as good as you can expect from a non-OLED TV.
Although Samsung televisions in India lack Dolby Vision support, Samsung’s hardware and HDR approach render even HDR10+ content virtually as impressive as Dolby Vision content on premium TVs like the LG 48CX.
To gauge its performance, I watched a diverse array of content across various resolutions and formats:
- Clarkson’s Farm and The Grand Tour: Lochdown on Amazon Prime Video
- Schumacher, The Last Dance, and Our Planet on Netflix
- Various video clips on YouTube
Starting with an episode of "Our Planet," the high-quality HDR footage was nothing short of breathtaking on the Samsung Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV. The TV flawlessly reproduced every hue and shade of nature with exceptional accuracy and sharpness. The picture was bright, richly detailed, and remained unfazed by sunlight from a nearby window.
Whether in a well-lit or dim room, the Samsung 55QN90A consistently delivered a top-notch picture.
While I occasionally found the picture too bright, requiring a switch to a different picture mode for more subtle tones, even at its brightest setting, the Samsung 55QN90A didn’t exhibit any signs of being washed out or flawed. It simply reflected my preference for reduced brightness, and this TV remains one of the brightest and most capable premium Ultra-HD televisions on the market.
The Samsung TV effortlessly handled the fluid movements of water and the rapid motions of birds and animals in “Our Planet," with barely any noticeable artifacts or other picture imperfections.
Interestingly, the absence of Dolby Vision support didn’t detract from the viewing experience. The Samsung 55QN90A, thanks to its finely tuned HDR10+ optimization, produced equally impressive visuals with high-quality HDR content compared to its rivals in the premium segment.
Amazon Prime Video offers a vast library of HDR10+ content, and I delved into an episode of "Jack Ryan," various episodes of "Clarkson’s Farm," and "The Grand Tour: Lochdown" to compare performance with Netflix content. While not as visually striking as "Our Planet" in brightness, these shows still truly captured the essence of HDR, providing a notably bright, detailed, and color-accurate picture. “Clarkson’s Farm," in particular, looked captivating and vibrant, despite the show’s simplistic rural English setting.
Black levels on the Samsung Neo QLED TV 55QN90A are exceptional for a QLED TV, facilitated by effective micro-dimming and excellent contrast. While not as captivating as the pixel-specific dimming found on OLED TVs, the Samsung Neo QLED TV handled the interplay between bright and dark scenes within the same frame remarkably well, especially when viewing HDR content.
Standard dynamic range Ultra-HD content also looked decent on the Samsung Neo QLED TV 55QN90A, with only brightness and contrast levels feeling slightly toned down. The picture remained sharp and enjoyable to watch, with good motion handling and reasonably decent colors.
“The Last Dance," available in Ultra-HD and featuring transitions between low-res footage from the 90s and sharper current footage, was handled flawlessly. Motion and detail in the fast-paced basketball game scenes looked impressive overall. The same held true for “Schumacher," albeit the interview scenes, being in full-HD, appeared slightly less sharp. Still, the overall detail was satisfactory thanks to the TV’s effective upscaling.
Natively low-resolution content, including various children’s videos on YouTube, was considerably less impressive. However, this was more a reflection of the TV’s exceptional performance with higher-resolution content. This is often the case with premium big-screen TVs and definitely applies to the Samsung 55QN90A. This TV is designed and optimized for high-quality Ultra-HD content.
The Samsung 55QN90A boasts a loud audio output thanks to its 60W speaker system. However, despite the multi-driver setup, the sound quality wasn’t outstanding. While decent for a TV’s built-in speaker system, it didn’t quite match the screen’s quality.
Audio remained clean at moderate volumes, and voices were clear even at low volumes. However, the TV didn’t infuse any excitement into other audio elements, especially compared to options like the OnePlus TV Q1 Pro which offered significantly more impressive audio performance. The lack of support for advanced audio formats like Dolby Atmos is also a letdown. You might want to consider pairing this TV with a good soundbar or speaker system to complement its visual prowess.
Verdict
As a leading television manufacturer worldwide, Samsung’s mastery is evident in the Neo QLED Ultra-HD Smart TV 55QN90A. While it commands a premium price of Rs. 1,75,990, it stands out as one of the best premium Ultra-HD televisions currently available. The Samsung 55QN90A delivers exceptional picture quality, robust software and features, and a unique and innovative solar-powered remote, setting it apart from the competition.
While sound quality falls slightly short compared to the picture quality, the lack of Dolby Atmos support, and minor quirks in the software and remote (like the absence of quick settings access) are worth noting. However, the overall experience is exceptional, to say the least. Consider exploring options like the LG CX series and Sony A80J or X90J as well, but the Samsung 55QN90A undoubtedly earns my recommendation among televisions priced under Rs. 2,00,000.
