Best QLED TVs

2022/11

The Samsung Neo QLED QN90A is this year’s 4K flagship and the best QLED TV 2021 in our listing. The novel Mini LED backlight allows the TV to become much brighter than the competition and reach a peak brightness of 1800 nits. The built-in VA panel allows the TV to produce a contrast ratio of 26000:1 as well as a deep, even black. The actually narrow viewing angle has also been taken care of and an Ultra Viewing Angle layer has been installed, which has significantly widened the viewing angle.

However, it has to be said that the QN95A artificially brightens HDR content, which is especially noticeable negatively in thriller or horror movies. The dark scenes are displayed much brighter, which does not create the right atmosphere.

The QLED also cuts a good figure in the gaming sector and has everything you could want for the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X consoles. HDMI 2.1, ALLM, VRR with FreeSync Premium Pro as well as HDMI Forum VRR. Even a G-Sync compatibility is present and Samsung has developed interesting features especially for gamers, such as a Game Bar or the Panorama mode. However, since Samsung still relies on HDR10+ instead of Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision gaming is not possible with the QLED on the Xbox Series X.

Even though the One Connect Box is really practical, it unfortunately also has a downside. When gaming with new consoles, picture and sound dropouts can still occur. However, Samsung is aware of this problem and it could be fixed by an update in the future.

The smart features do not have to hide either and Tizen 6.0 still runs smoothly and can be controlled intuitively. You do not have to do without anything regarding apps and the solar-powered remote control makes the TV increasingly sustainable. Furthermore, both voice assistants are available and Apple devices are also supported.

The Chinese manufacturer offers a great price-performance ratio and also convinces with great features that are sometimes even denied to high-end models. This is also the case with the Hisense U8G. It has a contrast ratio of 7900:1, a peak brightness of 1600 nits and Dolby Vision as well as HDR10+ that can put many other QLEDs far behind when it comes to picture performance. Unfortunately, the viewing angle is quite narrow due to the VA panel.

With great motion handling and surprisingly good gaming features, the U8G is also great for gaming. HDMI 2.1, VRR via FreeSync, HDMI Forum and a G-Sync compatibility lack nothing to put the latest consoles through their paces. Furthermore, even retro consoles can be connected without problems or adapters.

If you are looking for the best 8K QLED, you should take a look at the Samsung Neo QLED QN900A. Compared to the QN95A, there is hardly any change, and if there is, the 4K model even performs better. However, the 8K TV impresses with its higher resolution, even though there is hardly any real content and the difference is only noticed by a few.

With a contrast of 20400:1 and a peak brightness of 1650 nits, the QN900A can not only get very bright, but also display bright highlights great. The Mini LED backlighting gives the TV even more dimming zones, making HDR content look just great.

The only downer here is the lack of Dolby Vision. The wide viewing angle allows the whole family to enjoy movies and series together. Gamers can also enjoy great performance, as HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM and good motion handling are present.

Different manufacturer, different name for a similar technology. The Sony X95J also has an LED display, but uses the quite similar Triluminos technology to optimize the colors of the picture. This results in a very natural, true-color image, which will amaze home theater fans in particular.

The contrast of the VA panel is significantly lower at 4050:1, but the Full Array Local Dimming does a good job here. In addition, the XR processor, which was also installed in the OLED models, offers great performance, excellent picture optimization and good upscaling. Furthermore, the TV features Dolby Vision, which ensures dynamic picture optimization.

While the motion handling is excellent on the Sony X95J, the TV can’t quite convince gamers. It does have HDMI 2.1 ports, making 4K@120Hz possible, but other features are missing to really enjoy the new consoles to the fullest. A VRR is completely missing, even though an update is promised again and again. Furthermore, there is no real ALLM, but only an Auto Picture Mode, which only really works with the PlayStation 5.

An expensive but superior alternative is the Sony Z9J Master Series, whose 8K resolution definitely takes a back seat here. Hardly any other TV can compete with its great image processing. Although it “only” offers a contrast ratio of 5000:1 with comparatively few dimming zones, Sony’s image processing is so good that there are hardly any picture errors like Blooming. Sony is also known for displaying the most natural picture thanks to the XR Triluminos Pro technology. With the Z9J, you definitely get a high-end device in your home, which will especially inspire home cinema fans.

The Z9J is only suitable for gaming to a limited extent, since it does not offer VRR and there are much better and more affordable devices in this respect. Whether you need the 8K resolution is up to you. However, it is a fact that there is hardly any real content for it and often no difference between 4K and 8K is noticed.