The Hisense AX5125H is a 5.1.2-channel soundbar system comprising four units – a soundbar, a subwoofer and two satellite speakers.
Compared to the best soundbars, the Hisense AX5125H has somewhat basic features, with only Bluetooth connectivity for music streaming as opposed to the Wi-Fi streaming you’ll find on the similarly priced Sonos Beam and Bose Smart Soundbar 600. However, unlike those soundbars, the AX5125H provides a ‘real’ surround sound experience with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X compatibility out of the box as opposed to requiring optional speakers at an additional cost.
The AX5125H takes a no-frills approach, and it shows. But for a budget soundbar, the AX5125H’s sound is impressive, providing plenty of punch, clarity and immersion. Dolby Atmos and surround effects are accurately reproduced, speech is crystal clear and bass is weighty yet controlled. Even streamed music sounds good despite being limited to Bluetooth quality. For an affordable system, the Hisense AX5125H rivals some of the cheaper examples of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars.
Its main bar may be a little on the wider side, but the AX5125H’s sub and rear speakers have a compact design – ideal for those looking to minimize the impact of external boxes. Its materials and build quality aren’t the most premium, but both are better than expected thanks to stylish metal grilles and a reassuringly solid feel. The provided remote feels every bit cheap, however.
The Hisense AX5125H's simple plug-and-play approach makes setup a breeze. Those who like a good app for control and settings adjustments will be disappointed as one isn’t available, leaving all control to the provided remote. But for those looking for simplicity, the AX5125H provides.
For a 5.1.2-channel speaker array with nine speakers across four units, including two up-firing drivers for Atmos, the AX5125H is an incredible value at under $350 / £350 / AU$450. Those looking for a soundbar with all the bells and whistles may want to look elsewhere, But, if you’re after a soundbar that’s going to add plenty of oomph to your TV plus real surround immersion on a budget, look no further than the AX5125H.
The Hisense AX5125H's main soundbar provides excellent speech clarity (Image credit: Future)
Hisense AX5125H review: Price & release date
Release date: 2023
Price at release: $449 / £499 / AU$599
Price at time of writing: $299 / £349 / AU$449
The Hisense AX5125H is a 5.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos soundbar system that comes with a main soundbar, subwoofer and two satellite speakers. Upon its release in 2023, the AX5125H sold for $399 / £499 / AU$599. At that price, it was in a similar price range to the Sony HT-S2000, one of the best budget soundbars on the market.
Since its release, prices for the AX5125H have dropped, and at the time of writing, we’re seeing it available for as low as $299 / £349 / AU$449 – again in line with the Sony HT-S2000’s current prices.
Hisense AX5125H review: Specs
The Hisense AX5125H's connections include not only HDMI but also a 3.5mm AUX input (Image credit: Future)
Hisense AX5125H review: Features
5.1.2-channel configuration
Dolby Atmos and DTS:X compatible
Bluetooth-only streaming
Featuring nine speakers across four ‘boxes’, the Hisense AX5125H offers a 5.1.2-channel speaker array and supports the Dolby Atmos and DTS:X formats, along with the Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio formats.
The AX5125H has seven preset ‘AI EQ’ sound modes such as Movie and Night, and includes an AI mode that analyzes content to improve the sound. Unlike soundbars from brands such as Sonos, Bose and Sony, the AX5125H does not have a companion app or any kind of EQ customization, instead relying on basic Bass and Treble adjustments with the provided remote control.
The AX5125H has two HDMI ports (one with eARC), plus optical digital, 3.5mm AUX, and USB connections. There’s no built-in Wi-Fi, but Bluetooth version 5.3 is provided for music streaming.
Some of the AX5125H’s budget and mid-range rivals such as the Sonos Ray, Sonos Beam and Bose Smart Soundbar 600 provide Wi-Fi connectivity and app features such as EQ. On the other hand, you are getting a more complete surround package out of the box with the AX5125H.
Features score: 4/5
The Hisense AX5125H soundbar with sub and two rear speakers: 9 speakers and 5.1.2 channels across four units (Image credit: Future)
Hisense AX5125H review: Sound quality
‘Real’ Dolby Atmos sound
Punchy, dynamic performance
Small satellite speakers can get overwhelmed
Watching Star Wars: A New Hope on Disney Plus, the effectiveness of the surround sound was immediately apparent during the final attack run on the Death Star. The screeching TIE fighters and roaring rear engines sounded like they were coming from all around thanks to the Hisense’s effective Dolby Atmos delivery, led by the main soundbar’s up-firing speakers. The soundstage was surprisingly wide, and it gave all aspects of the soundtrack room to breathe. Dialogue was crystal clear, and the horn-heavy score, explosions and gunfire were all presented with equal importance.
Switching to The Batman on 4K Blu-ray, the opening crime scene section demonstrated the AX5125H’s subtleties. Dialogue was impressive, and the low hum of the officers' voices, camera clicks, and even the stretching of Batman’s leather suit were all easily distinguishable and accurately placed.
Moving to the chaotic batmobile car chase, the same punchy power and balance I heard in Star Wars was present, and the driving rain showcased the AX5125H’s Atmos chops.
Music listening was also enjoyable with the AX5125H, despite the streaming quality being limited to Bluetooth. Whatever genre I threw at it, the AX5125H obliged. The pounding drums, bassy synths and gravelly vocals of Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing in the Dark were all well-handled. Thelonius Monk’s Japanese Folk Song demonstrated the AX5125H’s ability to convey all frequencies, with the twinkling piano keys and sharp sax balancing well with the smooth drums and double bass. Finally, listening to Caroline Polachek’s Welcome To My Island, her soaring vocals could be pushed to high volumes with no strain.
The Hisense AX5125H is not all perfect, as its smaller satellite speakers could sometimes get overwhelmed reproducing surround effects. Even so, its performance was meaty and even feisty.
Sound quality score: 4.5/5
The Hisense AX5125H's sub provides plenty of powerful bass in a fairly compact size (Image credit: Future)
Hisense AX5125H review: Design
Compact subwoofer and rear speakers
Decent build quality
Front LED display
The Hisense AX5125H’s main soundbar measures 36.2 x 18.8 x 3.5-inches (920 x 478 x 90mm), the subwoofer 8.5 x 12.3 x 11.9-inches (210.5 x 310 x 300mm) and the satellites 3.6 x 5.7 x 4.3-inches (90.1 x 140.5 x 110mm).
Build quality is mixed, though the grilles for each speaker are the kind of black mesh metal you’d expect to find on more premium units. It also features a front LED display. There is an option to dim and brighten the LED display to four levels, plus turn it off completely to prevent distractions.
The provided remote is basic but serviceable, with Bass and Treble EQ buttons and a dedicated button to cycle through the sound presets.
Design score: 4/5
The Hisense AX5125H's supplied remote is basic and feels a bit cheap, but is simple to use (Image credit: Future)
Hisense AX5125H review: Usability & setup
TwoHDMI ports
Easy, basic setup
No app support
Setup of the Hisense AX5125H is easy. Once I connected the main soundbar to a TV using its HDMI eARC port, I then connected the wireless sub and satellite speakers by pressing the pairing button on each unit and all were connected and ready to go. Once paired, there was no need to pair again on the next usage even when I unplugged them.
With no companion app, everything is controlled using the provided remote (or your TV remote using HDMI-CEC).
The AX5125H’s front alphanumeric display gives clear feedback from input commands and adjustments without any need to rely on the blinking LEDs you find on some soundbars such as the Sonos Beam and Ray. Although obscured somewhat by the soundbar’s grille, it’s still a welcome feature.
Usability & setup score: 4.5/5
Despite the fairly small size, the Hisense AX5125H's satellite speakers (one shown next to the AX5125H's supplied remote) provide excellent immersion (Image credit: Future)
Hisense AX5125H review: Value
Full soundbar package for a budget price
Good performance for the money
Lacks premium features such as Wi-Fi
At roughly $349 / £349 / AU$449 for a complete surround package with two up-firing speakers, the Hisense AX5125H provides excellent value. Despite missing some features such as Wi-Fi connectivity and a companion app for EQ control, the system’s performance more than makes up for the omission.
At this price range, there is budget competition from Bose, Sonos, and Sony, but crucially, these will be all-in-one bars that don’t provide the full surround sound experience you get from the AX5125H. Yes, it may not rival more premium soundbars, but the sound quality it provides is nothing short of impressive for the price.
Value score: 4.5/5
Should I buy the Hisense AX5125H?
Buy it if...
Don't but it if...
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The Hisense AX5125H in our testing room, connected to a Hisense U6N TV (Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Hisense AX5125H
Tested with a variety of sources
Connected to a Hisense U6N TV
Dolby Atmos, surround and stereo sound tested
I tested the Hisense AX5125H connected to a Hisense U6N TV, and although Hisense-specific features were on offer, testing was done without these turned on.
After cycling through the different AI EQ modes, including News, Night and more, I opted for Movie, which was the most accurate and immersive. After this, I tested the AX5125H with a variety of sources, including broadcast TV, mainly testing lower-resolution speech and signals, and 4K Blu-ray and Disney Plus for Dolby Atmos and surround playback.
I next tested music streaming from Spotify and Tidal using Bluetooth, playing reference tracks from multiple genres that I have used to test soundbars, headphones and speakers in the past.
At first glance, it's hard to see any real differences between the JMGO N1S Ultra and the older JMGO N1 Ultra in terms of physical design. They both look very similar, with the main projection unit sitting on top of the solid gimbal. This gimbal design, while simple, is incredibly useful when setting up and positioning the projector, enabling fast adjustments to fit a wall space or screen. What's more, like the N1, the N1S features outstanding instantaneous autofocus and keystone adjustment, which ensures the projection adjusts perfectly to the projection surface.
One of the features that makes the N1, and now the N1S, a great choice is its size, weight, and design. Like many of the best portable projectors we've tested, it is small enough to make it easily transportable, especially with the foam hard case that it ships with. This means that this is one of the few projectors with brightness, colour accuracy, and portability, making it a great solution for both home and business.
When it comes to the all-important updates to the projector, most hinge on the brightness, with the beam jumping from 2200 CVIA lumens to 3000 ANSI lumens. This essentially makes it a better choice than the majority of other projectors for use in daylit rooms and if you need a portable projector for presentations.
The next update is to the processor. The N1S Ultra is equipped with the MediaTek MT9679 processor, upgraded from the N1 Ultra's MT9669. This change in processor brings smoother interaction as you go through the applications and enables a more instant reaction speed when using the remote, as well as ensuring that all high-resolution footage plays back smoothly.
As with the previous projector, the operating system is based on Android, although this time, it utilises Google Home rather than Android, with the Bonfire OS being used as the base. While this is the same as the OS used by the N1, there have been some tweaks, and those improvements mean that many of the more jerky interactions noted with the N1 have now been ironed out. As the N1S utilises Google Home rather than Android TV, native Netflix support is now added without having to rely on a TV stick.
Alongside these updates, there are several smaller enhancements, with the image optimisation taking a step up, a greater projection range, and wider support for external 3D content. Colour accuracy and BT.2020 are also noted as having been enhanced. However, at a price, the new projector is expensive when compared with many of the best 4K projectors from better-known rivals, and it'll be down to that increased projection brightness, audio, and ease of use to see if it can truly compete in an increasingly crowded field.
JMGO N1S Ultra 4K: Price & availability
The final price of the N1S has yet to be announced, but with the N1 retailing widely for $2299, this new projector will likely be available for around $2500. It will be available directly from JMGO or through Amazon.com.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Value: 4.5/5
JMGO N1S Ultra 4K: Specs
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
JMGO N1S Ultra 4K: Design & features
Great aesthetics
Stunning design
Simple to use
The N1S's design follows the same lines as the rest of the JMGO line, giving the grey and matte metallic exterior a stylish and simple look. While the design is very simple, details such as the venting at the back and along the sides of the projector allow for plenty of cooling, which also means it runs extremely quietly, even over extended periods.
One of the key features of the JMGO is the gimbal, which enables you to tilt through 135º and rotate through a full 360º, which gives you loads of versatility when positioning. Another really nice feature of the stand is that they have incorporated the power supply socket into it, which means that as you tilt the projector, there is no strain put on this cable. However, when it comes to the HDMI, USB, and audio ports, these all remain in the more common location on the back of the projector unit itself. This is fine if you're using Google Home and the integrated apps to view content, and of course, you can cast directly from your PC if you're using the projector for presentations.
The projector's design instantly highlights a huge advantage over many other projectors for business use. Firstly, the EPP portable packaging acts as a decent protective carry case for the device with a carry handle, making it easy to stack and transport. Then, the gimbal design means that it's easy to position and adjust without the need to hunt around for books or other objects to adjust the height correctly.
The big feature of this style of the projector is, as ever, the autofocus, keystone correction, and colour adjustment. Here, the AF is instant and fast, and likewise, the keystoning catches up with any adjustments made quickly within seconds. While all projectors of note feature auto keystoning, this example is one of the better I've seen, easily avoiding objects and adjusting to all sizes and shapes while still enabling a high-quality picture to be projected.
Overall, when it comes to design, this is one of the most flexible out there, with absolute ease of use at its heart. This is one projector that you can just pop down on a desktop or meeting table, tilt the head to the screen or wall you want your projection to display, and the projector sorts out the rest while you can prepare for what comes next.
At home, this ease of use is just as useful. It means that the projector doesn't always have to stay out, perched on a shelf and carefully set up for movie night. Instead, the projector can quickly be packed away and then set up in less than a minute, and it's ready to go. What's more, if you're still looking for a decent position in the middle of the room to place the projector, then that's not an issue. Pop it on a side table, and the keystone will adjust accordingly, although there are limits!
Design & features: 4.5/5
JMGO N1S Ultra 4K: picture quality
Wide BT.2020 colour space
Google Home is fast and intuative
Starting with the setup, after powering up the projector, you then have to run through the Google Home setup, tie it in with your Google Home account, and then run through the various screens and options. The whole process takes about five minutes, and if you already have the Google Home app set up, then that process should be fast and trouble-free.
Once you get to the main Google Home screen, you should see the main apps along with any that you downloaded through the setup process. A nice touch here is that Netflix is now a standard part of the installation and, as such, is fully integrated without any additional messing around.
When it comes to screen quality, as the projector makes the adjustments automatically, there's no need to make any corrections. However, if you did want to, there are no options to do this. If the keystone looks wrong, then it's because the position is beyond the point of adjustment, and to correct it, you'll need to move the projector. Through the test, the N1S auto adjustment feature was spot on, allowing the vast majority of locations to be adjusted without issue. If there were an issue, then a slight shift to the side would enable the projector to find its place and correct the image.
When used in a living room against a large, clear, open wall, the projector's performance is excellent, with a clear, crisp image and excellent sound coming from the small internal speakers. However, with DYNAUDIO, DTS HD, and Dolby Audio, there are plenty of enhancements to the audio quality that enable the projector to pack a decent volume and audio clarity when needed.
On location in a lecture theatre, studio, and village hall, the projector's flexibility really starts to come into its own. The ease of setup and use is only a small part of a larger setup process: Simply plug in, direct at the screen, and it's ready to go. What's more, the small size and lack of a loud fan keeping everything cool make this an instantly excellent choice for anyone travelling around giving presentations or talks of any type.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
While the N1 and the N1S seem very similar in specifications and design at first glance, a couple of updates make a big difference. The first is the brightness, which boosts the picture quality, both in daylight and at night. The colours look vibrant, and there's plenty of tone and detail. Watching TV or movies in HD looks great, but switching to 4K, the quality of the projection is outstanding.
If you don't have a projection screen, there's no need to worry. There's plenty of adjustment over the colour temperature or hue of the image, and as long as your walls are only subtly toned, you should be able to adjust the image quality to suit. One issue we did find with the image adjustment was that the contrast adjustment could be a little overly harsh, quickly highlighting burnout. However, when used with reservation, the adjustments enable you to fine-tune any preset options. The visual presets under the picture mode give a good selection of options, with Standard and Vivid being good for most TV, the Movie mode taking things down a notch to give everything a cinematic look, while the Game mode reduces the latency for more reactive gameplay.
The one mode of real interest here is the Office Picture mode, which helps to balance presentations for a screencast and helps to resolve the definition of text on the screen to great effect. This picture mode, along with the fine-tuning and the ability to select Ultra Brightness, makes this a versatile choice for all sorts of locations. The Ultra Brightness does exactly what it says, boosting the overall projection brightness. While this is good, you can see an instant influence of blue on the colours, which again can be compensated for with a slight tweak of the colour temperature under the advanced settings.
From watching movies where the resolution, colour, and tone make the image look hyper-realistic to watching TV, the smooth refresh rate, resolution, and brightness come together to create an engaging and absorbing projection.
Likewise, playing games through an HDMI connection from a mini PC for the test proved that the low latency gaming mode was enough to feel like the projection was in real-time, and there was no noticeable lag in the gameplay. The colour and contrast, as well as the refresh rate, kept up with the action, and again, this projector put in a great performance.
This projector really excelled over others, however, with the overall ease of use in different locations. With a projection screen, things are easy—set up the screen with the projector a few feet back, and the projector is essentially advanced enough to do the rest for you. Cast or plug directly into your projector, and you can get on with the details of the presentation without needing to delve into the technology. It's all very easy, especially with the autofocus and keystone.
Picture quality: 5/5
JMGO N1S Ultra 4K: Value
Rear-panel inputs include one HDMI 2.1 and two HDMI 2.0 inputs, one with eARC (Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Price on a par with similar models
Fully integrated Google Home and Netflix
Superb audio quality
At $2,500, the N1S is at the higher end of the scale for this size and brightness of projection. However, for that money, you get one of the brightest and most portable models out there. You also get a projector that is essentially no fuss and easy to use; you literally place it and switch it on, and the rest is just like using a standard TV or monitor for presentation.
While this does sit at the upper end of the price bracket, its ease of use can be invaluable, especially for businesses. Once you add in the lightweight, portable case, the solid build quality, and the integrated gimbal design, a few other projectors come close to this for all-in-one ease of use, which suddenly makes sense of the slightly higher price tag.
Value: 4/5
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Should I buy the JMGO N1S Ultra 4K?
While the N1S looks similar to the N1, there have been a few major updates to the inner workings that make what was already a great projector that much better. The first step forward is the increase in brightness, making this a better option for anyone who needs a powerful projector that can be used easily in different locations with minimal fuss.
The second is the speed of interaction, with the faster internal processor able to handle requests faster and also enable one of the swiftest autofocus and keystone features out there.
Then there's the gimbal system, which, while it remains the same as the N1, is actually a major selling point and makes this one of the easiest projectors on the market to position accurately. Although its design is simple, it will save you time not having to find books to alter the angle or fiddle around with screw legs which will inevitably fall out.
These upgrades all back up what a very proficient projector is with excellent colour, tone, and brightness. Combined with the 4K resolution, it will give your movies, TV shows, or presentations a hyper-real look. The system's base on Google Home means that it's easy to use and fast to update. Now that Netflix is part of the mix without needing to mess around with additional downloads and workarounds that plague some other projectors, it simply feels complete.
As a projector to use at home, this is a great choice. The relatively compact size makes it easy to position and pack away when needed, although you are paying a price premium. This really comes into its own as a portable solution that you can take with you and use for presentations. The clarity and quality of colour are exceptional and well worth the investment.
(Image credit: Alastair Jennings)
Buy it if...
Don’t buy it if…
Also consider...
Epson LS800 The Epson LS800 uses a 3LCD laser light source to beam a stunningly bright 4,000 lumens image. This makes it a great option for daytime sports viewing and it also has good built-in sound.
The first thing to know about the LG Z3 OLED TV is its price: £7,999/$9,999 for a 77-inch screen size. While such a cost puts LG’s 8K OLED TV beyond the reach of most households, it doesn’t stop the Z3 from being not just one of the best OLED TVs, but stellar enough with its performance to make real inroads into the tough job of justifying such a 4K TV-busting price.
For starters, looking at the LG Z3 OLED TV, it's hard to overstate the jaw-dropping precision, detail and clarity you get when over 33 million self-emissive pixels produce their own light and color completely independently of their neighbours. Many people who have spent time with the best 8K TVs compare it to looking through a window rather than watching TV, but that experience is particularly acute when the pixels are combined with the pixel-level light control that only OLED technology can currently deliver (without spending six figures on a monster micro-LED display).
Unlike its 88-inch sibling, the 77-inch Z3 uses LG’s brightness-boosting Micro Lens Array technology, which adds more intensity to OLED’s light control advantage and, in conjunction with a much-improved new picture processor, opens up a wider but still beautifully natural and nuanced colour range. LG’s 8K monster delivers extraordinary big-screen gaming performance, too.
Its audio isn’t as potent as its pictures, and nothing – except a massive discount – gets around that hefty price. But the AV world would undoubtedly be a sadder, duller place without LG’s no-compromise, envelope-pushing 8K beast.
Along with 8K resolution, the LG Z3 brings all the regular picture benefits of OLED TV tech such as powerful contrast (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Price and release date
Release date: March 10, 2024
77-inch: £7,999 / $9,999 (around AU$15,000)
88-inch: £24,999 / $24,999 (around AU$37,600)
When the 77-inch version of the Z3, the LG OLED77Z3, first launched, LG told us it wasn’t scheduled to go on sale in the US, while a search of UK and Australian retailers found it selling for a life savings-draining £14,999 in the UK and $15,999 in Australia. As we were in the process of writing and publishing this review, though, things changed pretty radically. First, the 77-inch Z3 suddenly appeared for sale in the US – priced at a relatively reasonable $9,999. Then it started showing up on many UK retailer sites costing just £7,999 – an overnight cut of almost 50% – while disappearing from Australian retailers.
All of this is a bit confusing, but the happy upshot is that for UK and US buyers the 77-inch Z3 is now a lot more approachable than it used to be. That’s not to say, of course, that it’s suddenly a mass market proposition. It still costs £3,500/$5,500 more than the 77-inch version of LG’s current flagship LG G4 4K OLED TV. It’s also the case that Samsung’s flagship 75-inch 8K TV, the Samsung QN900D, costs £1,500 less than the OLED77Z3. So it remains the case that going 8K costs more than sticking with 4K – especially in the OLED world. As I’ll discuss in the Value section later, though, the Z3 is just about unique enough to make its price at least feel appropriate.
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Specs
The LG Z3's side-mounted connections include four HDMI 2.1 ports (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Features
8K OLED screen
MLA brightness-boosting technology
Comprehensive gaming support
As you’d hope for a 77-inch TV that costs £7,999 / $9,999, the OLED77Z3 is packed with cutting-edge features. Starting, of course, with that all-important 8K (7680x4320) resolution.
Some may question its importance, I guess, given that genuine 8K content remains extremely hard to find. However, one or two 8K green shoots are forming out there –including the ability to film your own 8K content on some of the latest smartphones, and hints of potential 8K gaming developments.
Some also argue that 8K doesn’t actually deliver a perceptible picture quality difference over the 4K resolution of the best TVs.
However, fitting so many pixels into a 77-inch screen delivers a much smaller pixel pitch than you get with a 4K resolution – and I’ve witnessed before how much this can improve your viewing experience, albeit more in areas such as depth of field, object three-dimensionality and noiseless immediacy than mere sharpness and detail.
Even better for the LG Z3’s usefulness in today’s limited 8K content world, 4K sources can look amazing on it too thanks to the power of the TV’s AI-infused Alpha 9 Gen 6 picture processor. Anyone who thinks upscaling is still the ugly mess it was when the first HDTVs rocked up a couple of decades ago is in for a shock if they get a chance to see how effectively the Z3 can add millions of extra pixels to 4K sources in real time.
Not all 8K TVs boast processing as potent as the LG Z3's, of course. But in this case, the idea that 8K TVs have no current purpose just doesn’t hold up. I’ll come back to this more in the picture performance section.
The 8K resolution gets extra weight in the Z3’s case, too, because it’s delivered by an OLED TV, where every single pixel creates its own light, contributing that bit more potential precision to the 8K experience. The difficulties associated with fitting so many self-illuminating pixels into a 77-inch screen likely impact production yield rates – hence the high price. But the fact that the screen’s lighting is as refined as its pixel count is a key attraction for well-heeled videophiles to ponder.
Happily, the challenges associated with fitting so many OLED pixels into the Z3’s screen hasn’t stopped LG from also fitting this flagship TV with its new Micro Lens Array technology (though not its 88-inch sibling, which has a standard OLED panel). Part of LG’s so-called ‘Brightness Booster Max’ functionality, MLA tech places thousands of tiny mirrors behind the screen to focus the light forward more directly, improving the TV’s brightness without putting more strain on OLED’s organic components.
My measurements revealed a peak brightness from the 77-inch Z3 on a 10% HDR window of almost 1,000 nits and just over 1,000 nits on a 2% HDR window. These numbers are up on LG’s previous Z2 8K OLED range, as I’d expect with MLA in play. They’re only up by between 10 and 15%, though, whereas using MLA technology has increased the peak brightness of the LG G3 and G4 4K TVs to more than 1,400 nits – more like a 25-30% increase over their non-MLA predecessors.
I can’t say for sure why MLA hasn’t had such a dazzling effect on the 77-inch Z3 I tested, but I suspect it has something to do with the EU’s latest round of TV energy consumption regulations.
As ever with a premium LG TV, the Z3’s HDR support encompasses the HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision formats, but not the HDR10+ format developed as a rival for Dolby Vision. Its connections are headed up by four full 48Gbps bandwidth HDMI ports capable of handling 8K signals at 60Hz and 4K signals at 120Hz.
Features Score: 5/5
The LG Z3 lets you look at nature in all its 'unpixellated' glory (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Picture quality
Stunning detail and sharpness
Awesome contrast
Almost unbelievably good upscaling
To make it absolutely clear just how much the Z3 should be considered a TV of today rather than some potentially distant 8K tomorrow, let’s first focus on its remarkably good 8K upscaling.
The addition of AI to the picture processing world has transformed how well high-resolution TVs can upgrade lower-resolution sources in real time, and this transformation is no more obvious than in the way the LG Z3 converts 4K to its screen’s native 8K pixel count.
The results are pretty much flawless, in fact, resulting in pictures that look sharper, denser and more immediate than they do in their 4K original form. Even more amazingly, the Alpha 9 AI 8K Gen6 processor manages to add the literally millions of pixels required to turn 4K into 8K without exaggerating any noise or grain a source image may contain. It’s arguably this ability to distinguish between noise and ‘real’ picture information when deciding which pixels to add to the image that LG’s latest processor that most goes beyond anything we’ve seen before from the legendary OLED brand.
There’s no obvious lag, over-enthusiastic object edge enhancement or general softness to the 8K upscale, either. On the contrary, it achieves just the sort of three-dimensional, depth-enhanced look associated with a true 8K experience. So to reiterate this point for anyone nodding off at the back, the LG Z3 can make a difference to your AV life right now.
This is not to say that the Z3’s pictures aren’t even better with native 8K, of course. My trusty 8K demo reel of splendid creatures and amazing landscapes by the video gurus at Spears & Munsil looks nothing short of mesmerisingly real. It’s as if the TV has disappeared and a hole has opened up in your wall through which you can literally look directly out on the majesty of nature in all its ‘unpixellated’ glory.
This feels especially true in the Z3’s case because of OLED’s self-emissive nature. Having pixel-level light control working with so many pixels at such a fine pitch delivers a peerless degree of local contrast that feeds into an unprecedented sense of precision and sharpness. that I haven’t seen before. And this peerless local light control feeds into a supremely balanced, ultra-refined and seemingly more expansive colour palette courtesy of LG’s latest panel and processor.
So while the LG Z3’s 4K upscaler makes it relevant as a truly premium performer today, its native 8K performance confirms its arguably peerless readiness for the potential video format of tomorrow.
On top of its resolution joys, the Z3 delivers the other picture strengths OLED is renowned for, such as the ability to combine inkily deep and neutral black tones with peak white picture details even just a pixel apart without any compromise. This results in neither any light ‘blooming’ around stand-out bright objects nor any obvious reduction in the brightness of those same stand-out bright objects to avoid blooming.
The resulting intensity with HDR images makes the 77-inch LG Z3 appear brighter than its measured luminance values would lead you to expect.
You can also watch the Z3 from almost any angle without any loss of contrast or colour saturation unlike most LCD TVs. And LG’s latest 8K motion processor does an excellent job in its ‘Cinematic Movement’ mode of gently massaging away the harsh, resolution-reducing look that judder can otherwise cause during 24 frames a second film presentations.
There are only a couple of negative points I can muster about the LG Z3’s picture. First, while it copes extremely well with good quality HD sources, heavily compressed HD and really all standard definition sources can end up looking a bit soft and artificial despite the stellar efforts of the new processor. Second, while its use of light is insanely precise, it isn’t as outright bright as either premium LCD TVs or some premium 4K OLEDs – especially when it comes to HDR images that flood the whole screen with brightness.
This latter issue is a surprise given that the 77-inch Z3 uses MLA technology – though to reiterate this point, the extra light precision and local contrast control the 8K array of self-emissive pixels delivers does make the screen appear brighter than it actually is.
Picture quality score: 5/5
The LG Z3's remote control (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Sound quality
Virtual 9.1.2-channel upmixer
60W 4.2-channel speaker system
Wireless Dolby Atmos and WOW Orchestra support
Tucked away behind the 77-inch LG Z3’s epic screen is a 4.2-channel speaker set up powered by a promising 60W of claimed power. LG’s latest Alpha 9 Gen 6 processor is able to up-mix any source to a virtual 9.1.2 presentation, and to top things off the TV supports both lossless transmission of Dolby Atmos sound to compatible LG soundbars and LG’s Wow Orchestra feature, where the speakers in the TV join forces with the soundbar to create a wider soundstage.
All these audio features only add up to a mixed bag of sound performance, though. On the upside, the AI upmixer option does a startlingly good job of taking limited-channel audio tracks, even plain stereo, and remixing their details into a much larger soundstage. Details are cast far and wide and are spaced around so artfully – including being given a sense of verticality – that it’s sometimes hard to believe you’re not listening to a native Dolby Atmos mix.
The remix helps the soundstage appear even bigger than the king-sized screen, making it more immersive – a feeling enhanced by the speakers being sensitive enough to pick out lots of detail without making anything sound harsh or exaggerated. Bass impact is diminished by LG Z3’s upmixer, though, leaving soundtracks feeling a bit thin – so much so that action movie fans might prefer to turn the upmixer off, despite its other strengths.
There also isn’t enough power available to the audio system to deliver the sort of volumes and raw impact with action movie soundtracks that pictures as big and resplendent as those the 77-inch Z3’s screen delivers deserve to be partnered by. Finally, while the sound can spread beyond the TV’s sides, it doesn’t enjoy much forward impact, typically seeming more like it’s happening behind the screen rather than around your seating position.
Sound quality score: 3.5/5
The LG Z3's support feet are a bit spindly for an otherwise premium TV (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Design
Distinctive and attractive ‘strata’ rear design
Ships with feet this year
Designed for wall mounting
As with LG’s previous 8K TVs, the Z3 features a so-called Gallery design that’s intended to look particularly good when hung on a wall. So its bezel is slim and enjoys a premium finish, build quality is excellent throughout, and the rear angles in steeply from the screen’s edges so the TV looks unusually thin from all but the most extreme viewing angles.
That doesn’t mean, though, that the LG Z3 doesn’t also cater to people who’d rather place the TV on a stand. It ships with a pair of feet and features a very distinctive high gloss, almost mirrored rear finish together with comprehensive cable management features. In other words, LG is happy for its flagship TV to be admired from any angle.
While it’s nice to now find feet included rather than them being an optional extra, they are a bit spindly and basic for a TV that looks so premium in other ways. Also, while the 77-inch LG Z3 tries to create the illusion of being very slim around the back, in reality, it sticks out quite a long way when it’s hung on your wall.
Design score: 4/5
The LG Z3's webOS 23 smart interface supports multiple user profiles (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Smart TV and menus
webOS 23 smart system
Voice control support
Support for multiple user profiles
Smart features on the Z3 are provided by LG’s 2023 WebOS platform. This delivers a rich landscape of apps covering all the most important global streaming services – including in the UK all of the main terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps, as well as the Freeview Play app that brings all these terrestrial broadcaster services together in an easy to browse ‘umbrella’ interface.
The webOS interface can be upgraded to the latest webOS version, too, and while I still have fond memories of the old webOS system that used to superimpose its content over the picture rather than the interface taking over the whole screen as it does now, LG has continued to refine the home screen’s layout and content options to a point where the new approach is finally starting to win me over.
LG's extensive and effective voice control support also means you don’t even have to engage with the menus that much if you’d rather not. Plus, there’s now support for multiple user profiles so that different members of your household can establish their own personal OS ‘space’, complete with personal content recommendations and even personal preference picture settings.
Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5
the Z3 features a Gallery design that’s intended to look particularly good when hung on a wall. (Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Gaming
4K 120Hz support on all HDMIs
AMD Freesync and Nvidia G-Sync support
13.5ms input lag in Game mode
The LG Z3 is as spectacular a gaming display as I’ve seen. Its sheer size, for starters, lets you become immersed in gaming worlds more than any small monitor ever could.
This is especially true as the Z3’s upscaler arguably works even more effectively with 4K and HD games than it does with video, making the likes of Viking-era England in Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and modern-day Mexico in Forza Horizon 5 even more irresistibly beautiful places to hang out. Here again, you get an 8K boost without necessarily needing an 8K source.
The TV’s ultra-high resolution, extreme contrast and peerlessly precise lighting really help to enhance the sense of depth and three-dimensionality of first and third-person games too, while colours look gorgeously vivid and clean, but also subtly shaded and refined.
The HDR gaming support extends to a dedicated Dolby Vision game mode, meaning you can enjoy the most dynamic HDR gaming format without having to put up with high input lag. Talking of input lag, in its fastest Game mode the LG Z3 takes just 13.5ms to render images received at its inputs.
The Z3 is capable of taking in 4K 120Hz signals across all four of its HDMI ports, too, meaning dedicated gamers can attach a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and gaming PC simultaneously with no compromise to performance. If you manage to find a PC capable of outputting 8K resolution games at 60Hz, the Z3 will support those too.
The comprehensive approach to gaming extends to support for variable refresh rates that takes in official support for both the AMD Freesync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync formats as well as the standard HDMI-based system. There’s support for HDMI 2.1’s Auto Low Latency Mode switching as well, and gamers can call up a dedicated Game Dashboard menu that provides access to a range of gaming features plus information on the incoming gaming signals.
I guess ultra-competitive gamers might prefer a much smaller screen than the LG Z3’s so they can take the whole image in at a glance more swiftly. Anyone who prefers games not totally built on reaction times, though, or who prefers immersion to milliseconds of responsiveness won’t be able to tear their eyes away from the Z3’s gaming glories.
Gaming score: 5/5
(Image credit: Future)
LG Z3 OLED TV review: Value
Retails for £7,999 / $9,999
Offers a unique set of features
Dazzling performance – but you may still need a soundbar
This is the trickiest part of the review for the 77-inch LG Z3. Dropping essentially £8K/$10K on a TV is clearly not something most households will be able to do. Plus, you can buy 75 and 77-inch 4K OLED and 8K LCD TVs for far less. Even Samsung’s flagship 75-inch 8K LCD TV, the excellent QN900D, only costs £6,499.
If you do happen to have the requisite pile of cash lying around, though, it is worth pointing out that the LG Z3, which combines 8K resolution with an OLED display that enables every single one of its pixels to be illuminated by its own light independent of its neighbours, is a unique proposition. One, moreover, that results in unprecedentedly precise and immersive pictures.
Value score: 3.5/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the LG Z3 OLED TV?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if…
Also consider...
How I tested the LG Z3 OLED TV
(Image credit: Future)
Tested over 10 days
Tested with 4K Blu-rays, streams from multiple platforms, Freeview HD broadcasts, and HD Blu-rays
Reviewed in light and dark room conditions, from multiple viewing angles and distances
The 77-inch LG Z3 was tested in a dark dedicated test room, as well as being used for multiple days as a regular living room TV, with all the varied light conditions and sources regular day to day TV use brings.
The dark test room sessions involved feeding the TV our 8K showreel from Spears & Munsil, and a series of 4K Blu-ray and 4K HDR stream sequences that we’ve learned are particularly good at highlighting any strengths and weaknesses a screen may display.
The native 8K demo reel mostly features HDR images of lovely vistas and animal close-ups, while the 4K discs most used for this ‘stress testing’ phase of the review are the first of Andy Muschietti’s recent It films (which features a tricky mix of deliberately exaggerated extremely dark and extremely bright, colourful sequences) and the stunning looking (and sounding) Top Gun: Maverick.
During its living room life, the LG Z3 was presented with everything from grubby standard-definition digital broadcasts from both the TV’s own tuner and a Sky Q box, HD feeds from those same sources, as well as 4K HDR Sky Sports feeds and 4K streams from multiple streaming platforms including Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.
Gaming plays a big part in the LG Z3’s appeal, meanwhile, so I made sure I spent far too long checking it out while playing Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla and Forza Horizon 5.
The Sony Bravia 9 is the company’s flagship TV for 2024. TV tech followers were taken aback when the company announced earlier this year that a mini-LED model would be its new flagship, a position traditionally reserved for the best OLED TVs like the Sony A95L. However, in subsequent demonstrations, Sony showed off its new XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance tech, exclusive to the Bravia 9, and it became clear why it made a jump to mini-LED.
Sony’s Bravia 9 is intended to follow in the footsteps of the company’s new BVM-HX3110 professional monitor, used when shows are being created, which bumps peak brightness up to 4,000 nits – that compares to the previous pro monitor's 1,000 nits. The BVM-HX3110 gives creators an option to produce movies and TV shows with a wider dynamic range – something they expect to see happen as the new monitor gets deployed in studios. And while the Bravia 9 can't hit the same brightness peaks as Sony’s pro monitor, it allows for programs developed with these super-bright highlights in mind to be accurately displayed using HDR tone mapping tech developed for the BVM-HX3110. That's Sony's claim, anyway.
That’s not to say the Bravia 9 isn’t sufficiently bright – it surpassed its high-end competition among the best TVs in our measurements and is significantly brighter than last year’s Sony X95L mini-LED model. Equally importantly, it has highly refined local dimming, delivering OLED-like black depth and powerful HDR highlights with almost none of the backlight blooming effects mini-LED TVs typically suffer from. This benefits movies most, though the Bravia 9 also has an effective anti-reflective screen coating and a wide viewing angle feature that, combined with its high brightness, make it one of the best TVs for sport.
The Bravia 9’s excellent audio features also rank it among the best TVs for sound, too. Its built-in 2.2.2-channel speaker system supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and it uses tweeters built into the sides and top of the TV’s frame for accurate sound placement and spatial audio rendering. An Acoustic Center Sync feature also lets it be used as a center channel speaker with a compatible Sony soundbar or the company’s Bravia Theater Quad wireless speaker system.
Sony’s “One Slate” design for the Bravia 9 gives it a sleek yet substantial look and incorporates four-way support feet to accommodate a range of furniture and soundbar placement options. The TV also comes with Sony’s new Eco Remote, which forgoes batteries for USB-C charging.
The TV’s Google TV smart interface is a reliable option for streaming and offers a good level of customization plus integration with smart home protocols from Google, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. It also supports hands-free voice commands and wireless streaming from devices via Apple AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in.
Gaming features are solid on the Bravia 9, with 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM support as well as Sony’s Game Menu for making quick gaming-related adjustments. The TV is “Perfect for PlayStation 5,” with optimal picture settings for gaming automatically activated when a PS5 console is connected. The one key drawback for gaming is that the Bravia 9 only features two HDMI 2.1 ports compared to the four HDMI 2.1 ports found on other premium TVs.
While the $2,999 price of the 65-inch Sony Bravia 9 I tested may seem high, it’s less than what you’ll pay for other premium TVs in the same screen size. Given the level of performance and features on offer, it is a relative bargain on the high-end TV scene.
The Bravia 9's substantial aluminum frame. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 review: Price and release date
Release date: May 2024
65-inch: $2,999
75-inch: $3,499 / £4,499 / AU$6,995
85-inch: $4,799 / £4,999/ AU$7,995
The Sony Bravia 9 series was released in May 2024 in the US in 65-, 75-, and 85-inch screen sizes. It is Sony’s flagship mini-LED TV for 2024 and is followed in the lineup by the Sony Bravia 7 series mini-LED models, which additionally feature a 55-inch screen size.
Bravia 9 series TVs are limited to a 75-inch and 85-inch screen size in the UK and Australia.
The price may seem steep, but it's not out of line with other flagship mini-LED models – the Samsung QN90D 65-inch costs $2,699, for example. On the OLED side, the Samsung S95D costs $3,399.
Sony Bravia 9 review: Specs
Sony Bravia 9 review: Benchmark results
The Bravia 9's side-mounted connections include two HDMI 2.1 ports and an ATSC 3.0 tuner input. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 TV review: Features
XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance
Wide viewing angle and anti-reflection screen
Special features for PlayStation 5
As the flagship TV in Sony’s 2024 lineup, the Bravia 9 is unsurprisingly packed with premium features. XR Backlight Master Drive with High Peak Luminance is Sony’s name for the Bravia 9’s exclusive backlight tech, and it uses a highly miniaturized, 22-bit driver that allows for a greater number of mini-LED modules to be deployed in the backlight and increased local dimming zones along with it (325% more than last year’s flagship Sony X95L mini-LED TV, according to Sony). Along with this sheer boost in backlight horsepower, the Bravia 9 also features a new algorithm that allows for more refined local dimming in the backlight to eliminate light bleeding effects.
Sony’s top XR processor is used in the Bravia 9, and with it comes features such as XR Clear Image 4K upscaling for HD and lower-resolution content and XR Motion Clarity to reduce motion blur and judder. X-Wide Angle helps pictures retain uniform contrast and color even when viewing from off-center seats, and X-Anti Reflection reduces screen glare during daytime viewing or when using overhead lights. The Bravia 9 is also IMAX Enhanced certified (supported by Disney Plus) and features an Amazon Prime Video picture mode.
Sony TVs typically rank high for sound and the Bravia 9’s sound-enhancing features go well beyond what you find in most TVs. The main one is Acoustic Multi Audio+, which uses tweeters in the sides and top surface of the TV to provide spacious and naturally positioned sound. Other features let the Bravia 9 be paired with an external Sony soundbar or speaker system for a more immersive experience, including Acoustic Center Sync, which lets it be used as a center channel speaker, and 360 Spatial Sound Mapping, a processing mode that creates “phantom speakers” between physical ones in the system.
Like other Sony TVs, the Bravia 9 runs Google TV for its smart interface and it supports Google Assistant either through the remote control’s mic or the far-field mic provided on the TV. Both AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in are supported for wireless streaming from phones or tablets. All major streaming apps are included in Google TV and there’s a Sony Pictures Core app to stream Sony Pictures Studios movies at a bit-rate equivalent to Blu-ray disc (provided your internet connection is sufficiently robust).
Gaming features on the Bravia 9 include 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM support on two HDMI 2.1 ports and Dolby Vision Gaming. Like other Sony TVs with a native 120Hz display, the Bravia 9 is “Perfect for PlayStation 5,” with Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode features, along with an onscreen game menu for making quick gaming-related adjustments.
Features Score: 4.5/5
Google TV's "ambient" mode gives you a range of nature and abstract images to display when the Bravia 9 is not in use. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 review: Picture quality
Powerful brightness and contrast
Refined local dimming
Prime Video Calibrated picture mode
Sony is touting the Bravia 9 as its brightest TV yet, and my measurements bear that out. It measured 2,280 nits in Standard mode on a 10% white window test pattern with HDR, and 1,871 nits in Movie mode. Full-screen brightness is also excellent, with the Bravia 9 measuring 708 nits on a white 100% pattern in Standard mode and 495 nits in Movie mode. To put those numbers in context, the Samsung QN900D, that company’s more expensive flagship 8K TV, had a peak light output of 1,979 nits on a 10% window when I measured it and 528 nits on a fullscreen pattern.
The brightness of the best OLED TVs has come a long way over the past year or two, but they still lag behind the Bravia 9. Samsung’s flagship S95D OLED, for example, managed a peak light output in Standard mode of 1,868 nits when we tested it and 327 nits on a fullscreen pattern. Those are excellent numbers for any TV, and having seen the the S95D in person, I can confirm that it is a fantastic-looking set – just one not as bright as the Bravia 9.
Coverage of the UHDA-P3 color gamut – the one used for mastering 4K HDR movies for disc and streaming – on the Bravia 9 was 95.8%, while BT.2020 coverage was 77.6%. Those results are roughly equivalent to what I measured on the Samsung QN900D, while the Samsung S95D beat both with full P3 coverage and 87.9% BT.2020 coverage. Grayscale and color point accuracy in Movie mode averaged out to 4.7 and 3.6, respectively. Those results are both above the accuracy threshold we expect high-end TVs to clock in under, though Sony’s 20-point white balance and color adjustments enabled me to dial averages back to 1.3 for grayscale and 2.6 for color – so while it was a tiny beat weak out of the box, it was excellent with a bit of tinkering.
Movies on the Sony Pictures Core app provide a Blu-ray-like streaming bit rate. (Image credit: Future)
Okay, enough numbers – how did movies and TV shows look on the Bravia 9? Watching Ripley on Netflix, the TV’s high peak brightness let the play of light on water take on an extra level of sheen, while clouds in the black and white images showed a strikingly rich range of gray tones. Blacks also looked deep and shadowy images had plenty of above-black detail.
The Trinity test in Oppenheimer is a good sequence for testing black depth and local dimming performance, and I was highly impressed by the Bravia 9’s performance here. Lamps surrounding the compound in the nighttime shots cut through the blackness powerfully with no discernable blooming effects. When the bomb is eventually detonated, the resulting massive plume of flames looked vivid and bright and carried a rich palette of orange and red hues.
Checking out the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark 4K Blu-ray for further confirmation of the Bravia 9’s local dimming prowess, I watched the part of the demonstration material section that showcases high-contrast images. White highlights in a shot of a Ferris wheel at night looked detailed with no light bleed into the black background. That’s something I typically see on OLED TVs, but mini-LED sets almost always show some degree of light bleed – until now. An aerial shot of a city at night also displayed powerful contrast between deep shadows and bright highlights, and the fine gradation of in-between tones fleshed out architectural detail in the buildings.
The Sony Bravia 9 has a new Prime Video Calibrated picture mode that automatically kicks in when you stream video from Amazon’s service and can be switched off in the TV’s menus. I got mixed results when comparing this to my own calibration of the TV’s Movie mode. Scenes from The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power looked warmer and darker with Prime Video Calibrated mode active, while a live Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals baseball game came off as cooler and brighter (but generally fantastic in either mode – the Bravia 9, with its high brightness and anti-reflection screen, is a great TV for watching sports). Fortunately, it’s easy to toggle the mode on and off via a small menu at the corner of the screen that lets you see the full picture in the background.
Picture quality score: 5/5
Sony's new rechargeable Eco Remote uses a USB-C connection to power up. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 review: Sound quality
2.2.2-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system
Enhanced features with Sony soundbars and speakers
Impressive overall sound
Sony calls the Bravia 9’s built-in 2.2.2-channel, 70-watt audio system "Acoustic Multi-Audio+," and in this case, that means the TV has “Frame” tweeters positioned in the left and right sides of its frame, and “Beam” tweeters located at the top. There is also 3D Surround Upscaling for non-Atmos or DTS:X soundtracks and a feature called Voice Zoom 3 that uses AI to recognize and isolate dialogue so it can be boosted separately from the rest of the soundtrack for enhanced voice clarity.
Other audio features can be unlocked when the Bravia 9 is paired with a Sony soundbar or speaker system. Acoustic Center Sync lets you connect a soundbar or speakers to the TV so the TV can be used as the center channel speaker in the system. And 360 Spatial Sound Mapping creates “phantom” speakers between the physical ones for enhanced immersion. Voice Zoom 3 can also be used when the TV is connected to an external audio system, with the built-in speakers tasked with carrying – and boosting – the dialogue level.
The sound quality of the Bravia 9’s built-in speakers was well above average. When I watched a scene from Top Gun: Maverick where Maverick first addresses his class of pilots as the team leader, the dialogue was clear and full-bodied and it seemed to be coming directly from the mouths of characters on-screen. Acoustic Multi-Audio+ also created a good sense of spaciousness, with sound effects extending well off from the top and sides of the TV itself.
Few TVs are capable of deep bass, and the same applies to the Bravia 9. Fortunately, Sony also sent me its Bravia Home Theater Quad wireless speaker system ($2,499) and SA-SW5 wireless subwoofer ($699) to test with the Bravia 9. With the Theater Quad’s wireless control box plugged into the TV so the Bravia 9 could be used as the 4.1.4 system’s center channel speaker (thus making it a 5.1.4-channel system), there was bass a-plenty and Dolby Atmos effects were powerfully conveyed. More to the point for this review, the Bravia 9 integrated perfectly with the external audio system, delivering smooth and seamless sound.
Sound quality score: 4.5/5
The Bravia 9's four-way stand can easily accommodate a soundbar, if you choose. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 review: Design
Aluminum pedestal stand
Magic Remote with point-and-click capability
Hands-free voice control option
The Bravia 9’s “One Slate” design gives it a monolithic look, with the TV’s dark aluminum frame blending in cleanly with any surface it's set upon. Sony’s four-way support feet can be used for a range of installation configurations, including both flat and elevated heights, and narrow or wide positions to accommodate a soundbar. Removable covers are provided to conceal wires on the TV for a clutter-free look, further enhancing the One Slate design concept.
Connections on the Bravia 9 include four HDMI ports (two of which are HDMI 2.1), optical digital audio out, and an RF antenna port for the TV’s ATSC 3.0 digital TV tuner. There are also two USB type-A and RS-232 and IR control ports.
Sony says the Bravia 9’s rechargeable Eco Remote is made from 79.7% recycled plastic. It has a slim design, premium feel, and backlit keypad, and is charged using an included USB-C cable.
Design score: 5/5
The Bravia 9's main Google TV interface. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 TV review: Smart TV and menus
Google TV with hands-free voice assistant
AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in support
Wide array of picture and audio settings
Google TV is Sony’s smart TV platform of choice, and is a good one by any measure. Any streaming app you could ask for is available, along with the ability to customize the placement of apps in the main “For You” home screen. When you’re signed in with a Google account, the For You view will show content recommendations based on your viewing and Google search history, and you can use Google Assistant for hands-free voice commands by turning on the built-in mic via a control switch located alongside the TV’s inputs.
Other smart TV features include a Live TV grid that shows free steaming channels and broadcast TV ones pulled in from an antenna by the TV’s built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner (US-only). Both AirPlay 2 and Chromecast built-in are supported, and the TV also works with Amazon Alexa devices and supports Apple Homekit. A new Sony TV feature for 2024 is the Eco Dashboard, which gives a comprehensive overview of the TV’s power savings settings and can display a detailed graph showing your power consumption over time in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
A fairly huge number of picture and audio settings are available on the Sony Bravia 9, some of which can be quickly accessed on a quick screen by pressing the wrench icon button on the remote control. The Settings option takes you to a more detailed menu for configuring picture, audio, smart TV, and system settings. The picture menu provides a wide range of options for adjusting contrast, black levels, and HDR handling, including Gradation and Brightness Preferred options for HDR tone mapping.
I found it necessary to visit the Motionflow settings in the Motion menu when watching movies in Dolby Vision, which by default get motion smoothing in the TV’s Dolby Vision Bright and Dark modes. (Future models will hopefully feature the Dolby Vision Filmmaker mode featured in the LG C4 OLED.)
Smart TV & menus score: 4.5/5
A pop-up Game Menu is used to make quick gaming-related picture adjustments. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 review: Gaming
2x HDMI ports with 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM
Auto HDR tone mapping and game genre picture modes
17ms input lag is higher than other premium TVs
The Sony Bravia 9 has good suite of gaming features, including support for 4K 120Hz, VRR, and ALLM. That support is only available on two of its four HDMI ports, however, which makes it difficult for gamers with both Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 consoles to get the highest quality gaming experience when a soundbar is also connected to the TV – though at least with this TV, you might not need a soundbar.
Like other Sony TVs with a 120Hz refresh rate, the Bravia 9 is Perfect for PlayStation 5, with Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode features kicking in when a PS5 console is detected. It also has Sony’s Game Menu, which lets you easily adjust gaming-related settings such as picture mode, black equalizer, and picture size, as well as select crosshair type. The Bravia 9 also supports 4K Dolby Vision gaming.
I measured input lag on the Bravia 9 at 17ms using a Leo Bodnar 4K meter. That level should be fine for most console gaming, but other premium TVs we’ve recently tested measured under 10ms on the same test.
Gaming score: 4/5
The Bravia 9's Live TV guide incorporates free streaming and broadcast TV channels. (Image credit: Future)
Sony Bravia 9 review: Value
Picture quality helps justify the price
Costs less than other premium TV options
Not the greatest choice for gamers
At $2,999 for the 65-inch version I tested (and with the 75-inch model that's available globally costing $3,499 / £4,499 / AU$6,995) the Sony Bravia 9 is undoubtedly a pricey TV option. But the 8K Samsung QN900D mini-LED and Samsung S95D OLED, perhaps its closest TV rivals when it comes to performance, are priced at $4,999 and $3,399, respectively, making the Bravia 9 something of a high-end TV bargain.
Samsung’s flagship 8K TV offers excellent picture detail, along with high brightness and refined local dimming. Its flagship OLED offers an equally compelling and nearly as bright picture, plus a highly effective anti-glare screen coating for daytime viewing. Both those TVs are also better options for serious gaming than the Bravia 9.
Does the Bravia 9’s compellingly bright, refined picture justify its price tag? As I said, when considered in a high-end TV context, Sony’s flagship TV is something of a bargain. You could spend less on a mid-range OLED or a cheaper mini-LED TV with the same screen size, but if you happen to see the Bravia 9 in action, you may not be as happy with those alternatives.
Value score: 4/5
(Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Sony Bravia 9 TV?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if…
Also consider...
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Sony Bravia 9 TV
Tested over the course of two weeks
Measurements were made using Calman color calibration software
A full calibration was made before proceeding with subjective tests
When I test TVs, I first spend a few days or even weeks using it for casual viewing to assess the out-of-box picture presets and get familiar with its smart TV menu and picture adjustments. I next select the most accurate preset (usually Filmmaker Mode, Movie or Cinema) and measure grayscale and color accuracy using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software. The resulting measurements provide Delta-E values (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what’s shown on-screen) for each category, and allow for an assessment of the TV’s overall accuracy.
Along with those tests, I make measurements of peak light output (recorded in nits) for both standard high-definition and 4K high dynamic range using 10% and 100% white window patterns. Coverage of DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color space is also measured, with the results providing a sense of how faithfully the TV can render the extended color range in ultra high-definition sources.
For the Sony Bravia 9, I used the Calman ISF workflow, along with the TV’s advanced picture menu settings, to calibrate its image in Movie mode for best accuracy. I also watched a range of reference scenes on 4K Blu-ray discs to assess the TV’s performance, along with 4K HDR shows and movies streamed from the Max, Netflix, and Sony Pictures Core services.
The Samsung QN800D is the entry-level set in the company’s 8K Neo QLED range, offering 8K resolution at a slightly more affordable price than the flagship Samsung QN900D. It’s still a pricey TV, however, with the 65-inch model I tested currently selling for $3,499 / £3,499 / AU$4,799 – a higher price than most premium 4K TVs.
Samsung makes some of the best TVs and consistently flies the 8K flag as other brands move away from the technology. Based on the performance of the QN800D, it may be justified to fly that flag.
The QN800D’s picture quality is nothing short of impressive, mainly due to the exceptional 8K AI upscaling and Real Depth Enhancer Pro features of the TV’s NQ8 AI Gen2 Processor. These add incredible depth and refined detail to any textures, and the picture also has rich contrast and impressive black levels for a mini-LED TV. There is some minor backlight blooming and reflections can occur in harsh lighting conditions, but those are the only drawbacks of an otherwise phenomenal picture.
Gaming features are plentiful with the QN800D, with its four HDMI 2.1 ports kitted out with all the bells and whistles we look for in the best gaming TVs. The QN800D supports 4K up to 165Hz,8K up to 60Hz, VRR including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and comes with Samsung’s useful Gaming Hub. Gaming performance is excellent, feeling smooth and seamless even in the most intense of FPS games, and with the TV’s 8K AI upscaling, graphically beautiful as well.
Sound quality is an area where the QN800D stumbles compared to the rest of its performance. A 4.2.2-channel speaker array provides exceptional tracking of on-screen action and dialogue is crisp and clear, but the QN800D’s lean bass means it can’t compete with some of the best TVs for sound such as the Sony A80L and Panasonic MZ2000. As such, it will be worth pairing the QN800D with one of the best soundbars to compliment its picture quality.
The QN800D uses Samsung’s ‘Infinity One’ design for a sleek, slim appearance with a near bezel-less look that allows the impeccable picture to be the star of the show. It also comes with Samsung’s One Connect Box to house all external source connections, making the QN800D perfect for wall mounting. It does come with a premium metal stand, but be warned, it can be a little fiddly to fit on.
There’s no getting around the fact that the QN800D is a premium-priced TV, with many flagship 4K models, including some of the best OLED TVs, selling for significantly less while still offering many of the same great features. There’s also a lack of 8K media to make full use of the QN800D’s high resolution. But the QN800D’s impressive 8K upscaling breathes extra life into every source it’s given, especially 4K movies with HDR. If you can stretch your budget for it you won’t be let down. I may have been skeptical about 8K TVs before, but the QN800D has made me a believer.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens shows the QN800D's bold colors and highlights. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Prices & release date
Release date: April 2024
65-inch: $3,499 / £3,499 / AU$4,799
75-inch: $4,499 / £4,499 / AU$6,499
85-inch: $5,999 / £6,999 / AU$8.999
The Samsung QN800D is the entry-level 8K Neo QLED model for 2024 and sits below the flagship Samsung QN900D. It is available in 65-, 75- and 85-inch sizes and was released in April 2024.
Since its release, we have seen some offers and reductions on the QN800D in its various sizes. The 65-inch model I tested has seen roughly $200 off, with as much as £500 off in the UK for the 85-inch model, though it still carries a high price tag across the board.
Samsung QN800D review: Specs
Samsung QN800D review: Benchmark results
The Slim One Connect Box handles all external connections to keep things tidy. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Features
NQ8 AI Gen2 Processor with 8K AI Upscaling Pro
4.2.2-channel speaker array
One Connect Box
The Samsung QN800D uses the NQ8 AI Gen2 Processor, which boasts features such as 8K AI Upscaling Pro to upscale 4K images with up to 84% of the resolution of native 8K (according to Samsung). It also has Real Depth Enhancer Pro and Adaptive Picture, both of which use AI technology to analyze the picture and the surrounding environment to enhance images. The QN800D can display native 8K video, but there are no broadcast or home video 8K options outside of YouTube.
Like all Samsung TVs, the QN800D supports the HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats, but not Dolby Vision.
For gaming, the QN800D is equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to 165Hz refresh rate at 4K, 60Hz at 8K, VRR (including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), ALLM and HGiG. It also features Samsung’s Gaming Hub that locates everything gaming-related in one handy location, including cloud-based gaming apps from Xbox, Luna, Nvidia GeForce Now and more.
The QN800D comes with the One Connect Box Slim, which houses all connections and links to the TV with a One Connect cable. This design keeps cables tidy, especially for wall-mount installations. Along with its four HDMI 2.1 ports, connections include optical digital audio out, an ATSC 3.0 tuner (US-only) and aerial and satellite connections for the UK, and three USB ports including USB-C.
For audio, the QN800D has a built-in 4.2.2 channel speaker array with 70W of power and support for Dolby Atmos. It also supports AI features such as Adaptive Sound Pro and Active Voice Amplifier Pro, which analyze the scene and viewing environment to optimize sound. The QN800D supports Q Symphony, which combines the TV’s audio output with compatible Samsung soundbars when connected.
The QN800D uses Samsung’s own Tizen smart TV platform, which appears largely unchanged for 2024 except for a new ‘recommended for you’ section that recommends movies and TV shows based on your past viewing. There is also a new 'Recent' window that lets you easily jump back into a movie or TV show you were recently watching.
Features score: 5 / 5
The Samsung QN800D's 8K upscaling results in some incredible picture detail. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Picture quality
Exceptional picture detail
Effective 8K upscaling
Minor reflections and backlight blooming
With he 65-inch QN800D’s picture presets in their default settings, peak brightness measured 1,045 nits measured on a 10% HDR window in Standard mode, and 1,126 nits in Filmmaker Mode.
Those results don't match up to the flagship Samsung QN900D, which clocked in at 1,979 nits on a 10% window in Filmmaker Mode when we tested it. It also isn’t as bright as the Samsung S95D QD-OLED, which gave a result of 1,868 nits peak brightness in Standard mode. But the QN800D did have excellent full-screen brightness results, measuring 626 and 528 nits in Standard and Filmmaker Mode respectively, and such high full-screen brightness makes it ideal for daytime viewing and sports.
When tested in our lab in varying lighting conditions, including harsh overhead lights, there were some mirror-like reflections on the QN800D’s screen, but they weren’t too distracting, and brighter images weren't an issue at all.
After cycling through picture presets, Filmmaker Mode was the most accurate. Standard will suit people looking for a brighter image, although textures don’t look as natural in that mode as in Filmmaker.
Upscaling on the QN800D is incredibly effective. Starting with broadcast TV viewing, in both standard (SD) and high-definition (HD), images looked crisp and clean. Even SD TV shows didn’t have the common fuzzy texture issue that regular LED TVs suffer from.
Moving onto a 4K stream of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on Disney Plus, the characters’ facial features were incredibly detailed, with Real Depth Enhancer Pro adding even greater refinement for a lifelike appearance. The throne room fight scene features lots of red tones and the QN800D displayed them in a bold, vibrant fashion, with lightsabers in particular taking on a shimmering brightness. When I measured the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color gamut coverage using Portrait Displays’ Calman software, it gave results of 69% and 94% respectively. Those numbers were lower than expected, but didn’t take away from the QN800D’s impressive color rendition.
Demo footage from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc revealed all the QN800D’s strengths. The outstanding level of detail demonstrated itself once again, with forest landscapes and sunsets on sea horizons looking incredibly realistic and animals appearing true to life. The 8K upscaling added an extra layer to these images that I’d seen so many times on 4K sets but importantly didn’t over-sharpen the textures for a fake-looking style.
Close-up studio images with fully black backgrounds demonstrated the QN800D’s superb contrast and black levels, with the bright objects well-balanced against the dark backgrounds. Some backlight blooming was visible, but it was minor. Scenes of a Ferris wheel and city skyscape at night also showcased the QN800D’s excellent local dimming, revealing only the slightest hint of backlight blooming once again.
Moving onto a 4K Blu-ray of The Batman, the QN800D displayed deep blacks and excellent shadow detail. In a scene where Batman walks down a gloomy hallway lit only by bright wall lamps, the QN800D kept the gloomy, grainy tone of the film while maintaining superb backlight control for spectacular contrast with only minor blooming. Once again, detail was impeccable with a close-up shot of Batman showing stubble I hadn’t noticed before on a 4K screen.
Motion handling on the QN800D was effective. Viewing the opening test flight sequence in Top Gun: Maverick, the long, panning shot that follows the Darkstar jet showed minimal judder even with motion controls turned off, although motion smoothing controls can be adjusted if you wish.
I decided to test the QN800D’s intelligence mode settings (its Adaptive Picture) which adjust brightness and color based on lighting conditions. In Optimized mode, I found that textures in Top Gun: Maverick were too sharp, taking away their natural look. An Eye Comfort mode adapts the color temperature based on the scene (cooler for bright, warmer for dark) to reduce eye strain, but unfortunately, this once again made textures too sharp. Thankfully these settings are switched off by default, allowing the more effective AI features to do their work.
Despite some backlight blooming and occasional screen reflections, the QN800D has an impressive picture overall, with outstanding detail, incredible 8K upscaling and spectacular color and contrast.
Picture quality score: 5 / 5
Part of the Samsung QN800D's 4.2.2 channel speaker configuration. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Sound quality
4.2.2 channel speaker configuration
OTS+ (Object Tracking Sound Plus)
AI Adaptive Sound Pro
The QN800D has a 70W, 4.2.2 channel speaker system that supports Dolby Atmos. I found dialog to be clear across all sources, whether it was broadcast TV news or action-filled movie sequences. The TV’s Object Tracking Sound Plus feature is incredibly effective, with the sound closely following the action on screen. During the batmobile chase in The Batman, each screeching tire, explosion or crunch was naturally placed, and in Top Gun: Maverick, jets soaring in all directions were easy to follow.
Bass on the QN800D was solid enough, though it sounded thinner than the surround effects and dialog. Compared with other sets, there were only two sound presets: Standard and Amplify. Amplify provided the most accurate sound profile and was the mode I used for testing. In some instances, Atmos reproduction wasn’t the most effective, with the rain in the batmobile chase scene from The Batman being barely noticeable. In Top Gun: Maverick, however, there was a sense of spaciousness during any flight sequences.
The QN800D’s Adaptive Sound mode was more trebly and surround-focused, sacrificing the already lean bass. Adaptive Voice Pro as expected prioritized speech above all else and although effective in some scenarios, it wasn’t the best for movies.
Sound on the QN800D will be perfectly fine for most and is impressive in some areas, but this TV could benefit from one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars to complement its fantastic picture quality.
Sound quality score: 4 / 5
The Samsung QN800D's stand feels premium but might be tricky to install for some people. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Design
Slim One Connect Box
Infinity slim design
Fiddly stand installation
The QN800D has a premium ‘Infinity One’ design, with a solid, silver, metal frame and a trim bezel that allows the picture to become the main focus without any borders. It also measures a razor-thin 0.7 inches (17.2mm) without its stand.
An external One Connect Box houses all inputs, with a single cable connecting to the QN800D. It's a good design that keeps cables from sources tidy and is especially useful for people looking to wall-mount.
The QN800D also comes with a weighty, black metal stand that feels suitably sturdy and gives the TV a floating appearance when viewed front on. However, it’s worth noting that the stand was very fiddly to install, with me and a colleague needing to hold the stand in place while trying to line up and tighten the screws. Make sure you have another person with you when installing this TV.
Samsung’s SolarCell remote draws power from surrounding light and can also be charged using USB-C, making it significantly more eco-friendly than remotes with disposable batteries. Although on the minimal side, with settings, volume and app shortcut buttons for Netflix, Disney Plus and Prime Video making up the majority of buttons, it should suit most people.
Design score: 4.5 / 5
Tizen's 2024 version focuses on customization and personalization. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Smart TV & menus
Tizen smart TV platform
Different portals for Gaming, Daily and more
Customization options
The QN800D uses Samsung’s Tizen system as a smart TV platform. Although its overall design remains largely unchanged from 2023, there have been updates for 2024.
The home menu is now split into three categories: For You, which bases recommendations on apps and viewing history; Live, showing live TV; and Apps, which displays your installed apps. Navigation is easy enough across any of these menus, but For You is likely to be the most used.
There are also several ‘portals’ that can be accessed, with each housing a different category. Daily+ aims to be a day-to-day portal, encompassing apps such as Samsung Health, workout tracking and a video calling app. There is also Ambient, for displaying artworks and images, and Gaming Hub for everything gaming.
There are plenty of picture settings to play with for those who like to tweak and experiment and these are all easily accessible, allowing for high levels of customization. A fair amount of sound settings are provided as well, but as stated above, Standard and Amplify are the only sound presets.
Smart TV & menus score: 4 / 5
Gaming features and performance are incredibly strong on the Samsung QN800D. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Gaming
Four HDMI 2.1 ports
Gaming Hub
Low 9.8ms input lag
The QN800D is equipped with all the gaming features you would need, including 4K 165Hz and 8K 60Hz refresh rate, VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and ALLM across all four HDMI 2.1 ports. The Gaming Hub portal houses everything gaming in one handy location, including links to popular live Twitch streams and cloud-based gaming apps including Xbox, Luna, Nvidia GeForce Now and more.
With Battlefield V on Xbox Series X, the gameplay felt incredibly smooth and free of any screen judder or tearing, and switching between targets in a vast landscape on a desert mission was seamless and easy. This is probably due in part to the QN800D’s ultra-low input lag, which I measured at 9.8ms using the Leo Bodnar HDMI 4K input lag tester – a number that rivals many of the best 120Hz TVs.
Graphically, the QN800D is extremely impressive. Using the same phenomenal 8K upscaling it does for movies, every detail in Battlefield V was amplified – the large desert landscapes took on a realistic look and the intricate details of the various weapons were more pronounced. The QN800D added depth to every aspect of the game, and I could adjust its game-related settings on the fly to enhance things even further by calling up the onscreen game menu.
Gaming score: 5 / 5
The Samsung SolarCell remote is a more eco-friendly approach to remote controls. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung QN800D review: Value
Very pricey compared to 4K models
Unique 8K features
Limited 8K content
With the QN800D being an 8K TV (even a mid-range one by 8K standards) it unfortunately carries a high price tag. For the 65-inch model I tested, you’ll pay $3,499 / £3,499 / AU$4,799. To put that in perspective, you can buy the Samsung QN90D (Samsung’s upper mid-range 4K Neo QLED), which has many of the same gaming and smart features as the QN800D, in a 65-inch size for $2,699 / £2,399 / AU$3,995.
The QN800D does offer unique features compared to 4K models, most notably the 8K AI upscaling and the NQ8 Gen2 AI Processor. However, there are no real 8K sources outside of YouTube to make use of the QN800D’s native 8K display But if you can stretch your budget to make use of the 8K upscaling and processing chops the QN800D provides, I’d recommend it. Just keep in mind that you can buy a mid-range 4K OLED TV such as Samsung’s own S90C and one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars for a good deal less.
Value score: 3.5 / 5
The Samsung QN800D shows off its spectacular contrast and image detail. (Image credit: Future)
Should I buy the Samsung QN800D?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
(Image credit: Future)
How I tested the Samsung QN800D
Tested in lab with varying light conditions
Tested using a variety of SDR and HDR sources
Measurements made using Portrait Displays' Calman software
I tested the Samsung QN800D in our lab, which allows me to view in conditions including harsh overhead lighting, dimmed lighting, and pitch black to test a TV's handling of reflections and the effectiveness of its backlight.
After an initial run-in period with some casual viewing to determine the most accurate picture mode, I then tested the QN800D using standard and high-definition broadcast TV, 4K Blu-ray, and 4K streaming apps such as Disney Plus and Prime Video, using reference scenes from TV shows and movies that I regularly use fo testing.
To test the QN800D's picture, I looked at contrast, color, brightness, backlight control, and motion. I also evaluated its sound quality, checking for object placement, speech clarity, bass levels and virtual surround sound delivery.
For objective testing, I used specialized equipment including a test pattern generator, colorimeter and Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software. I tested the QN800D (like all TVs) for SDR and HDR brightness, grayscale and color accuracy, and color gamut coverage.
For gaming performance, I used an Xbox Series X to test gaming features, graphics and overall quality. I also measured the QN800D's input lag using the Leo Bodnar HDMI 4K Input lag tester.
The LG QNED91T, the company's flagship 4K model in its mini-LED ‘QNED’ range, is a TV with mixed performance. It’s stacked with smart and gaming features that will keep many people happy, but the picture and sound quality are inconsistent, succeeding in some areas, but failing in other crucial ones. It’s worth noting that in the US, this TV is called the LG QNED90 and comes with a pair of feet instead of a central pedestal stand.
Priced at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$2,995 for the 65-inch version I tested, this is roughly in the same category as many other mini-LED sets of this size, meaning the QNED91T has plenty of competition.
Picture quality is the most inconsistent aspect of the QNED91T. It has fantastic picture detail and colors that stand out in brighter scenes, but poor backlight control results in blooming issues that are especially visible in darker scenes. Off-center viewing also results in faded contrast and even more obvious backlight blooming. Unfortunately, this keeps the QNED91T from fulfilling its true potential, falling short of some of the best TVs such as the Samsung QN90C, another mini-LED model.
Audio quality on the QNED91T is again mixed, with meaty bass and clear dialogue having to coexist with average virtual surround sound performance and an uneven sound balance. The TV’s AI Sound Pro mode can improve the balance but sacrifices bass performance in turn. Some may find the QNED91T’s built-in sound adequate, but most would benefit from adding one of the best soundbars.
Design-wise, LG took a simple approach with the QNED91T, favoring functionality over looks. Its bulky weight makes it feel reassuringly solid but adds a more old-school appearance. That’s not necessarily bad, but it’s something for those who place design high up in their list of requirements to bear in mind.
LG’s smart webOS smartTV platform continues to be one of the best. The version on the QNED91T, webOS 24, presents a sleek home menu with plenty of opportunities for customization and organization, and it’s both visually appealing and user-friendly. Not much has changed since last year’s webOS 23. There are new features such as an AI Chatbot and customizable profiles, though the latter feature is currently only available in the US.
The QNED91T is a great performer when it comes to gaming, and has all the gaming bells and whistles you could need. Gameplay is smooth and responsive in any situation. But the QNED91T is sadly held back from greatness by the same picture issues that plague it with movies and, despite valiant effort, won't find itself amongst the best 120Hz TVs.
Although it has some great features, the QNED91T's picture quality issues are hard to overlook. It thrives in some settings, but ultimately there’s too much inconsistency for the QNED91T to rank among the best TVs.
The LG QNED91T has excellent picture detail. (Image credit: Future)
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Prices & release date
Released May 2024
65-inch: $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$2,995
75-inch: $2,399 / £2,499 / AU$3,995
86-inch: $3,299 / £3,799 / AU$5,445
The LG QNED91T (QNED90 2024 series in the US) is LG’s flagship 4K mini-LED model for 2024, with the LG QNED99 8K TV serving as the overall flagship. Available from May 2024, the LG QNED91T comes in three sizes: 65-, 75- and 86-inch. The LG QNED91T’s pricing puts it in competition with mini-LED TVs such as the Sony X95L (its 2023 flagship) and the Hisense U9N (its 2024 flagship).
We’ve already seen price drops as much as 20% on the QNED91T across multiple sites. Whether these discounts are permanent or will disappear remains to be seen.
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Specs
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Benchmark results
The LG QNED91T's connection panel, with four HDMI 2.1 ports (Image credit: Future)
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Features
Built-in with LG’s a8 AI Processor 4K
Mini-LED backlight with LG’s NanoCell layer
Dolby Vision support
Serving as the flagship QNED, which combines a mini-LED backlight with LG’s quantum dot NanoCell technology, the LG QNED91T aims to deliver bold brightness and color while maintaining good contrast – something it does with mixed results.
The QNED91T features LG’s a8 AI Processor, the same found in other 2024 models including the LG B4 and LG QNED87/85, that aims to emulate the performance of last year’s LG C3, particularly in terms of brightness – which it achieves.
The a8 AI Processor enables features for AI Picture Pro, including AI Super Upscaling and Dynamic Tone Mapping, and AI Sound Pro, including Virtual Surround and AI Clear Sound. It’s also responsible for AI Picture Wizard, which helps you create your preferred picture settings. This is done by choosing your favorite images from a group of different types such as bright landscape, sunset, nighttime and more, which Ai Picture Wizard uses to create your personalized setting.
For HDR, the QNED91T supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG formats, but not HDR10+.
The QNED91T is well stocked with gaming features, with four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 120Hz, VRR including AMD Freesync, and ALLM and HGiG support. It also features LG’s Game Optimizer, which activates the optimum settings for gaming and allows customization of gaming settings on the fly such as black level, genre and more.
Audio is provided by a 2.2 speaker system totaling 40W of power with support for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. While it's not the most mind-blowing of speaker configurations, it provides sufficient punch and there are several preset sound modes including AI Sound Pro.
The QNED91T comes with the latest iteration of LG’s smart TV platform, webOS 24. While there haven’t been any major changes, the home page has been redesigned. It still has Quick Cards, which enable you to organize apps into categories such as Music, Sports, Games and more. It also supports all major apps including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus as well as Freeview Play and its apps in the UK such as BBC iPlayer and ITVX.
New features in webOS 24 include an AI Chatbot assistant and the ability to create up to 10 profiles that store each user’s settings and personalized TV and movie recommendations. LG has also committed to five years’ worth of updates on select TVs, including the QNED91T, meaning the latest iteration of webOS will appear via a firmware update for the next five years.
Feautres score: 4.5 / 5
The LG QNED91T's colors and textures are highlights, though picture quality is inconsistent. (Image credit: Future)
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Picture quality
Excellent detail and bold colors
Backlight blooming issues
Limited viewing angle
The LG QNED91T faces much competition in the mini-LED TV category from the likes of Samsung, Sony, TCL and Hisense, with the latter two providing more budget-friendly options. Sadly, it falls short of some of its major rivals.
Mini-LED TVs tend to excel at brightness and the QNED91T on the surface has a bright picture, particularly when displaying HDR images. When I measured it on a 10% HDR white window, the results were 1,274 nits and 1,132 nits in Standard and Filmmaker Mode respectively. It also yielded 671 and 601 nits respectively in those modes when I measured a 100% full-screen HDR white window. Those are good numbers overall, but they fail to match the likes of the Samsung QN90C, Sony X95L and Hisense U8K.
After some casual viewing with both HD and 4K HDR sources and cycling through the various picture presets, I established that the most accurate picture mode was Filmmaker Mode, although Standard and Cinema are two alternatives that deliver a brighter image.
First starting with broadcast TV, the QNED91T did an effective job of upscaling, but lower-resolution pictures still had a comparatively fuzzy appearance. HD broadcast TV had cleaner textures overall with good contrast and color, and when viewed in Standard mode, a brighter look as well.
Moving onto 4K HDR movies with Filmmaker Mode’s default settings active, the QNED91T demonstrated excellent image detail in faces and clothing when watching Top Gun: Maverick. This impressive detail carried over to demo footage on the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark Blu-ray. Rocky landscapes and forests had refined edges and a good sense of depth. Studio shots of owls and lizards again showed realistic detail, with feathers and scales having a 3D-like quality.
The QNED91T also excelled when it came to color. Viewing the throne room lightsaber sequence in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, streamed through Disney Plus, the vibrant reds carried plenty of vivid punch and never looked overblown. Lightsabers took on a bold, glossy sheen that showcased the QNED91T’s HDR highlights. Turning back to Spears & Munsil, green trees and blue skies popped off the screen.
When measuring the QNED91T’s UHDA-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut coverage using Portrait Displays’ Calman calibration software, the QNED91T yielded 96% and 72.2% respectively. Those are both good results so it’s no surprise colors in 4K HDR programs looked good. Color accuracy Delta E values averaged out to 1.1 (we typically look for below 3) in Filmmaker Mode, which is an outstanding result.
When viewing both the opening Darkstar flight sequence in Top Gun: Maverick and the Batmobile chase sequence in The Batman, the QNED91T demonstrated excellent motion handling, even in Filmmaker Mode with all motion settings turned off. Quick panning shots and long left-to-right sequences showed little to no sign of judder or stutter and motion was incredibly smooth.
The Batman is also where the QNED91T started to show weaknesses in the picture department. Black levels were decent in some cases and contrast was rich enough, but when viewing dark scenes such as the first crime scene investigation, backlight blooming was very apparent. Lights in the darkened hallway had a clouding effect that changed the deep, black shadows to a dark gray.
Changing the Local Dimming, set to Low by default, to High in the TV’s Brightness settings reduced some backlight blooming issues. But this also resulted in some black crush, with objects in dark scenes such as the bat symbol on Batman’s chest in The Batman starting to disappear. Even then, some backlight blooming was still present.
An issue that some mini-LED TVs suffer from is poor viewing angles, although models such as the Samsung QN90C and Sony X95L have features to improve this. Unfortunately, viewing angles were an issue with the LG QNED91T. When viewed off-axis, backlight blooming, particularly in dark scenes, became apparent, with large, blocky squares of the backlight shining through at extreme angles. Contrast and color saturation also faded when the TV was viewed from off-center seats.
Finally, although I didn’t expect the LG to beat the Samsung S95D’s OLED Glare Free screen or the anti-reflection features of its more premium mini-LED sets, I expected the QNED91T to handle reflections better than it did. Under harsh lighting conditions in our testing lab, mirror-like reflections were an issue, which made darker scenes very difficult to see. And with the overhead lights dimmed, other light sources in the room were still reflected on the TV’s screen.
Picture quality score: 3.5 / 5
The LG QNED91T suffers from reflections, even when displaying bright HDR images. (Image credit: Future)
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Sound quality
Decent bass levels
Clear dialogue
Average virtual surround sound
With a 40W, 2.2 speaker configuration and Dolby Atmos/DTS support, the QNED91T has perfectly adequate built-in audio, though it lacks the sound prowess of rivals such as the Sony X95L. The QNED91T’s speakers may suit some, but generally one of the best soundbars would be an improvement.
I found Cinema with its warmer profile to be the best sound preset. The QNED91T displayed strong dialogue clarity across most movies and TV shows I watched, from broadcast TV to intense action movie sequences. During the chaotic Batmobile chase in The Batman, speech came through clearly despite loud background noise and a driving score.
Bass was another highlight, aided by the Cinema sound preset’s warm profile and the QNED91T’s deeper design. Even with the QNED91T’s relatively average power, the rumble of the Batmobile from The Batman and jets in Top Gun: Maverick had plenty of heft and weight.
Despite Dolby Atmos support, I found the QNED91t’s effects processing to be average. Some effects were present, such as screeching wheels in the Batmobile chase in the Batman but the pounding rain was missing altogether. And in Top Gun: Maverick, background effects from within the cockpit were lost behind the rumble of the engines.
With AI Sound Pro active, the overall volume and surround sound effects were heightened, but I found dialogue to be on the harsher side and bass reduced. While some may prefer this brightening of the mix, I preferred the Cinema sound preset.
Sound quality score: 3.5 / 5
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Design
The LG QNED91T comes with reassuringly solid stand in the UK. (Image credit: Future)
Solid, central stand (on model tested in UK)
Chunkier than other TVs
Somewhat old-school, basic look
The QNED91T has somewhat of an old-school design, with a deeper-than-average body and matte gray appearance on the back that harks back to older LCD models. It isn’t the deepest TV on the market (look at the Panasonic MZ2000 for that) but it's still surprisingly chunky. The bezel is trim, however, giving the picture nearly the full scale of the screen.
With a central, metal stand (on the 65-inch version I tested in the UK), the QNED91T feels reassuringly solid and sturdy. However, it’s worth noting that this is a weighty TV at around 35 kg with the stand attached. In the US, the QNED90 comes with support feet and while I can’t comment on their appearance, the TV itself weighs in at 69.2 lbs with its feet attached.
Connections are housed in a rear panel and feature four HDMI 2.1 and three USB ports, optical digital audio, and an RF for broadcast and satellite TV. The QNED91 also has Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities as expected.
Like most LG TVs, the QNED91T comes with LG’s Magic Remote. This has a central wheel and arrows for scrolling and navigation, or its pointer can be used instead. It also has a built-in mic for voice control and quick access options for apps including Netflix and Prime Video.
Design score: 4 / 5
webOS 24 has a tidier home screen menu and is still incredibly user-friendly. (Image credit: Future)
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Smart TV & menus
LG’s webOS 24 smart TV platform
Quick Cards for app organization
Home menu trimmed down from previous generation
The QNED91T features webOS 24, the latest iteration of LG’s smart TV platform. The home menu has been trimmed down and tidied compared to previous versions, with a smaller top banner allowing more space for apps and tailored recommendations. All in all, it’s a welcome redesign.
Carrying over last year’s Quick Cards, which lets apps be organized by category such as Music and Office, there is the introduction of a more refined Sports card and an an Accessibility feature. The Sports card features the useful My Team function that allows you to receive live updates, scores and recommended videos based on your chosen team from sports such as baseball, basketball, soccer, American football and more. Accessibility includes the AI Chatbot, which can be used to diagnose and solve technical issues such as ‘The screen is too dark’ or ‘The volume is too low’. I found it effective enough, brightening the screen when asked, but it did seem on the basic side.
LG's webOS 24 continues to be amongst the best smart TV platforms for settings and menus, with the Quick Menu providing an easy way to change important settings such as picture and sound modes without having to navigate away from the screen. There are also plenty of advanced adjustments for those who like to play with picture and sound settings.
Smart TV & menus: 4.5 / 5
Gaming performance on the LG QNED91T is good, but games suffer the same picture quality issues as movies. (Image credit: Future)
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Gaming
Four HDMI 2.1 ports
LG Game Optimizer
Picture still affected by backlight blooming
The QNED91T has a good stock of gaming features across its four HDMI 2.1 ports, including 4K 120Hz, VRR with AMD FreeSync support, ALLM and HGiG. LG’s Game Optimizer also provides the best settings for gaming and allows adjustment on the go using an easy to access and navigate menu.
Playing Battlefield V on Xbox Series X felt smooth and responsive on the QNED91T. When in graphically intense battle sequences or when quickly scoping across landscapes to spot enemies, I saw no signs of tearing, stuttering or judder. Setting the game genre to FPS on the Game Optimizer enhanced this further by smoothing out quick camera cuts.
When I measured the QNED91T’s input lag using the Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI input lag tester, it gave a result of 15ms at 4K 60Hz. Although still an acceptable result, that’s higher than what you typically find on the best gaming TVs.
For graphics, the QNED91T excelled and suffered in the same areas as it did with movies. Colors in brighter sequences were still vibrant and punchy, and textures were clear on every part of the weapon and surrounding environment. But backlight blooming was still an issue, and that meant night missions in Battlefield V took on a gray rather than a black tone, and lamps within a stealth mission had a halo around them that bled into the night sky overhead.
Gaming score: 4 / 5
The LG QNED91T as always comes with LG's Magic Remote. (Image credit: Future)
LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T review: Value
Competitive mini-LED market
Good range of smart features
Inconsistent picture affects value
The QNED91T is priced at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$2,995 for the 65-inch version I tested, though there are price reductions available (up to 20% off in some cases). At that price, there is plenty of new TV competition in 2024 such as the 65-inch Hisense U8N, which is priced at $1,499 / £1,799 / AU$2,795 (although we’ve seen it as low as $1,099 in the US). And there’s also the Samsung QN90D, though it's priced at a much more premium $2,699 / £2,699 / AU$3,995 for the 65-inch model.
Despite a good list of smart and gaming features, it’s tough to overlook that the QNED91T’s picture is similar to a budget TV due to its backlight blooming and viewing angle issues. It’s also tough to overlook that 2023 TVs such as the Hisense U8K and Sony X95L offer better performance and are available for less.
Value score: 3 / 5
The LG QNED91T's backlight blooming is more visible when the picture is viewed from an angle. (Image credit: Future)
Should you buy the LG QNED90T/91T?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
Also consider...
The LG QNED91T with testing equipment, including Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software to record measurements. (Image credit: Future)
How I tested the LG QNED90T/LG QNED91T
Tested using SDR and HDR sources
Tested in a lab with varying lighting conditions
Measurements taken using Portrait Displays' Calman Calibration software
After some initial causal viewing, I determined the LG's Filmmaker Mode picture preset was the most accurate. I used this for my subjective testing and for measurements using specialized equipment.
For subjective testing, I viewed both lower-resolution and high-definition broadcast TV, and HDR sources such as 4K Blu-ray. I used reference scenes from several movies to test for black levels, contrast, color, motion and more. I also used these same reference scenes to test the QNED91T's built-in audio performance.
To test gaming performance, I used an Xbox Series X and used Battlefield V, looking for smoothness of gameplay while analyzing graphics quality. I also used a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester to test the QNED91T's input lag.
For objective testing I used specialized equipment including a test pattern generator, colorimeter and Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software to record the results. I tested SDR and HDR brightness levels, color and grayscale accuracy and color gamut coverage.
The LG S95TR soundbar system fresh out of the box (Image credit: Future)
I’ll cut to the chase: The LG S95TR is a fantastic soundbar system. In fact, it might be among the best soundbars available right now. And that’s without considering its first-party feature set when paired with certain LG TVs – something I’ll touch on but won’t dive into too deeply.
Overall, there’s very little to dislike about the LG S95TR. Just about everything that keeps it from being perfect, besides its high price, is due to how basic the LED display is or the fact that some features require opening the app. Having to reach for the phone to turn on “Night Time” mode is a bit of an inconvenience, especially when that setting could have been made available on the remote, for instance.
However, the positives here far outweigh the cons. Even though this is a 9.1.5-channel system, for example, setup and even calibration were about as streamlined as it can get when multiple units are involved. And the feature set is about as deep as one could expect from a system competing with the best Dolby Atmos soundbars. None of that matters if the sound quality isn’t there, but the LG S95TR delivers in that regard as well with its immersive, engrossing, and engaging audio.
In the grand scheme of things, the LG S95TR’s $1,499 / AU$1,699 (about £1,200) price is actually not bad when compared to the competition. And if you were to buy a separate Dolby Atmos speaker system with one of the best AV receivers, you would spend even more. So, despite the high asking price, the S95TR’s cost does seem reasonable when you put it in perspective.
Whether the LG S95TR is for you will depend on your needs. If you’re working with a small room or setup, this system is probably too much for you. You might be happy with something that only costs a couple hundred dollars. However, if you want to match the convenience of a soundbar system with the immersive performance of a true home theater speaker setup, you can’t go wrong here.
The LG S95TR's front panel LED display provides insufficient visual feedback, forcing you to rely on the app for settings and adjustments (Image credit: Future)
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Price & release date
Released in March 2024 (US and Australia)
$1,499.99 / AU$1,699.01 (about £1,200)
As part of LG’s 2024 AV lineup, the LG S95TR is fairly new. It isn’t even available yet in the UK, where the previous generation, the S95QR, is still on offer for £1,699. However, those in the US and Australia can get it right away as of May 2024 for $1,499.99 / AU$1,699.01 (about £1,200).
Considering that the LG S95TR is a 9.1.5-channel system, its price tag is not as exorbitant as it might seem. After all, a regular home theater audio setup can get much more expensive when you take into account the need for at least five quality speakers, a subwoofer, and an AV receiver. And, that’s even before accounting for the upward-firing Dolby Atmos speakers (the “5” in 9.1.5).
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Specs
Dual HDMI 2.1 ports with 4K 120Hz support are provided on the soundbar (Image credit: Future)
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Features
Some features meant specifically for LG TVs
Wi-Fi streaming and voice assistant support
AI Room Calibration is a revelation
Let’s first discuss the LG S95TR features that owners of the LG B4, LG C4, and LG G4 Series OLED TVs may enjoy. These include WOW Orchestra (uses the TV’s built-in speakers in conjunction with the soundbar system for an even fuller sound), WOW Interface (lets you use one remote for both the TV and soundbar, with setup available on the TV), and WOWCAST (lets you pair the soundbar with the LG TV wirelessly). I didn’t have access to an LG TV during my review and could not dig into those features. But even so, I found the LG S95TR soundbar still very feature-filled.
For instance, even if you can’t take advantage of WOWCAST, the rear speakers and subwoofer still pair wirelessly to the soundbar. So, outside of the power cables, the only wire you’ll see is the HDMI or optical cable connecting the soundbar to the TV.
The LG S95TR is also plenty room-filling without WOW Orchestra. Not only do you get full surround sound, but five upward firing speakers that work with both Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. It should also be noted that you can listen to stereo content as if it’s in surround sound. That’s not to say that the soundbar’s processing will remix the music so that a saxophone (if you listen to music with a saxophone) only comes from the back left speaker, but, you will get an immersive sound presentation.
Some other critical features include Wi-Fi streaming so you can play music from your favorite streaming service without having to use a lower-quality Bluetooth connection (though you can do that as well). You can also use Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control.
My favorite feature, however, is LG’s Advanced AI Room Calibration. Speaker placement is critical for getting good sound, and a feature that can adjust how sound is projected based on speaker placement is key, especially when one of your rear speakers is literally sitting on an old chest. It’s a quick process as well that is available through the app.
My neighbor’s favorite feature, though they don’t know it, is the Night Time mode, also only available in the app. This feature makes everything sound a bit flatter as the audio gets compressed to keep sound peaks from getting too loud. It’s a useful feature for when you’re worried about waking someone up when watching a movie late at night.
Features score: 5 / 5
The LG S95TR's rear-channel speakers feature up-firing drivers for immersive Dolby Atmos sound (Image credit: Future)
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Performance
Clear sound, even at low volume
Very good Dolby Atmos immersion
Slightly forward mid-range response
With 810 watts of power, the LG S95TR has more than enough volume on tap. Loudness doesn’t necessarily equal good sound, but thankfully the LG S95TR sounds very good.
When testing, I watched movies and shows including Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, Shogūn, and Psych, and listened to plenty of music. Also during testing, I used different audio modes including the AI mode from the room calibration feature.
When watching Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, the LG S95TR was in Cinema mode. Not only did I feel the rumble from the subwoofer every time there was some low-end information, but it came through clearly (some cheaper soundbar subs often produce a flabby bass response). And the same held even when I lowered the volume.
In fact, I did a lot of listening on this soundbar at a lower volume. Why? Because at lower volumes, TV audio is often uneven and tinny with some sound getting swallowed up. But the LG S95TR soundbar reproduced everything in a way that I could have the volume just above audible and still make out every sound and nuance.
The system’s surround and Dolby Atmos capabilities are very robust. Shogūn has a lot of dialogue inside traditional Japanese homes overlooking gardens. Watching it, I at first wasn’t sure if I was hearing anything, but when I put my ears to the rear speakers, I realized that there actually was a lot going on because I heard the ambient sounds of a garden and pond. The ambient sound also had a sense of dimension thanks to the upward-firing Atmos drivers in the rear speakers.
Night Time mode was effective in that if flattened the sound (it’s compressing the audio after all) but in a way that made everything still very audible. I had no issues hearing anything even with the feature on and the volume low. Compared to similar modes on TVs when using the TV’s built-in speakers, the S95TR’s Night Time mode was superior.
Lastly, the LG S95TR’s stereo up-mixing is a treat when listening to music. You still get a stereo image, but all of the speaker drivers on the soundbar and rear speakers are engaged. It’s not as detailed as what you would hear with audiophile speakers, but unless you’re deep down that rabbit hole, you’ll be very happy. As far as its overall frequency response, LG’s soundbar has a slightly forward mid-range, and it’s a profile that lends itself better to audio from movies, TV shows, and games.
Performance score: 5 / 5
LG's wireless subwoofer adds real low-end rumble to soundtracks (Image credit: Future)
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Design
Discreet and mostly wireless design
LED indicators don’t provide enough information
Many features and controls require app
The LG S95TR soundbar’s looks aren’t going to wow anyone. It looks like a basic matte black soundbar with a subwoofer and two slightly strange-looking wedge-shaped rear speakers, all with some extra upward-facing grilles (well, except the sub). But even though it doesn’t have the mid-century chic of a Bang & Olufsen soundbar, which would cost almost twice the price, it fits in discreetly enough – something helped out by the wireless subwoofer and rear speakers.
However, any complaints I have about the LG S95TR will be in this section. Three LED indicator lights near the right side of the soundbar take the place of an LED display. You’ll see a red light when you power down, some green lights when adjusting the volume, and three blinking white lights when trying to pair with a Bluetooth source. Considering how many features are on hand here, there just isn’t enough information on the soundbar that's visible at a glance.
The remote, for instance, has a button to toggle through different sound modes such as Cinema, Music,Game, etc. But not only do you not know which mode you’re on, but you don’t know which one you’re switching to just by looking at the soundbar or remote, and the same goes for the volume level.
The only way to get that information is to download, pair, and open LG’s control app – my second bone of contention. The app itself is perfectly fine. However, some features, such as Night Time mode are only available in the app, when they could have had their own button on the included remote control. Overall, these are far from dealbreakers, but they still are little annoyances.
As far as ports go, the selection is pretty minimal, with two HDMI ports (one with eARC), a USB port, and an optical digital input. The HDMI ports at least support 4K 120Hz and HDR10 passthrough, something PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X gamers will appreciate.
Design score: 4 / 5
LG's packaging for the S95TR is mercifully free of styrofoam, using mostly recyclable paper and cardboard (Image credit: Future)
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Setup & usability
System is well packaged
Setup is quick and easy
App is intuitive to use
The LG S95TR is a soundbar system and not just an all-in-one soundbar, so getting it out of the box is somewhat overwhelming. The box is big, but that’s partially because of how well-packaged everything is. I also appreciate that LG didn’t use styrofoam for its packaging.
Once everything is unboxed, you need to scope out where to place the rear speakers and plug in the various speakers in the order specified in the manual. Interestingly, when I first plugged everything in, the soundbar announced via a voice prompt that the rear speakers were on the wrong sides. Plugging everything in took five or ten minutes, which is quite convenient compared to a standard home theater system.
With everything set up, using the system is very easy. With the soundbar connected to the HDMI ARC port, I could use my TV’s remote to control volume. The app is also very easy and intuitive from adjusting volume, switching modes and sources, to setting up the various features. You can even manually adjust sound settings per speaker, which is a nice touch.
Setup & usability score: 5 / 5
Three up-firing Atmos drivers are located on the LG S95TR's top surface, with the center driver also helping to elevate dialogue to screen-level (Image credit: Future)
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Value
Pricey
Reasonable compared to high-end competition
Stiff competition from Samsung and JBL
Although the LG S95TR is pretty expensive, this is a 9.1.5-channel system, so you’re getting much more than just a soundbar. If you want detailed sound with some dimension but don’t care about a true surround sound experience, you can get a standalone soundbar and save money. Even the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, which is still relatively pricey at £899 / $899 / AU$1499, will set you back much less (and take up less space).
Of course, if you want the rumble of a subwoofer and real surround sound – basically, the home theater experience – you’re going to have to spend more. For instance, the flagship Samsung HW-Q990D, a 11.1.4-channel soundbar system, retails for even more than the LG at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995.
Or consider the JBL Bar 1300X with its rechargeable rear speakers. At $1,699 / £1,299 / around AU$2,570, it also costs just a little more than the LG system but doesn’t have 4K 120Hz HDMI passthrough for gaming.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the LG S95TR Soundbar?
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
LG S95TR Soundbar review: Also consider
How I tested the LG S95TR Soundbar
(Image credit: Future)
I used the LG S95TR Soundbar for a few weeks
Tested with both TV, movies, and music
I used the LG S95TR Soundbar regularly for a few weeks with TV, movies, and music. I compared it to just my TV’s speakers alone, listened to the different sound modes, and tested the various features.
As expressed in the review, this is a powerful, immersive system that delivers a true home theater experience in a convenient soundbar package.
I’ve tested a lot of tech gear over the years from laptops to keyboards and speakers, and use my expertise to give an honest, fair, and informed opinion on any product I test.
TCL recently launched its full TV lineup for 2024, and the range includes mini-LED models as large as 115 inches, a screen size that makes them a viable replacement for a projector in a home theater system.
The step-down model from that 115-inch flagship is the TCL QM851G series. These are available in 65- to 98-inch screen sizes and have a specified brightness of up to 5,000 nits and 5,000 local dimming zones. Those are impressive specs, especially considering that the best TVs, even mini-LED models like the QM851G, generally max out at around 2,000 nits brightness and have a significantly lower number of local dimming zones.
TCL showed its full TV range at an event in NYC timed with the launch, and as part of that event, I was allowed time to do hands-on testing of an 85-inch version of the QM851G. The TV provided was a pre-production unit, and only its Vivid picture mode was approved by the company for measurements. Nevertheless, my testing session gave me a good sense of the TV’s overall performance, and I could also confirm some of TCL’s specs for the QM851G series.
The new TCL TVs use the Google TV smart TV system for streaming (Image credit: Future)
I’ll get into those testing details momentarily, but first some general information about the TCL QM851G series. TCL’s top mini-LED TVs for 2024 feature the company’s AiPQ Ultra processor that provides 65,000 levels of granular control over local dimming among other picture-enhancing features. They also feature a display panel with an Ultra-Wide-Angle Lens for even light distribution and Optical Distance Reduction technology to minimize backlight blooming effects by reducing the space between the backlight and the reflector.
TCL QM851G series TVs have a native 120Hz display panel and two HDMI 2.1 inputs with support for up to 144Hz VRR and FreeSync Premium Pro. A Game Accelerator 240 feature allows for 240 VRR gaming at 1080p resolution and there’s a Game mode to reduce latency. For sound, there’s an Onkyo-designed 2.1.2-channel speaker system with up-firing Dolby Atmos drivers, and the TVs also feature an ATSC 3.0 next-gen TV tuner and Wi-Fi 6 for streaming.
HDR support on the QM851G series includes Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG, and the TVs are IMAX Enhanced certified. As with other TCL TVs, the Google TV platform is used for streaming and smart home integration.
Pricing for the QM851G series is as follows:
65QM851G:$1999.99 (around £1,600 / AU$3,000)
75QM851G: $2699.99 (around £2,150 / AU$4,100)
85QM851G $3999.99 (around £3,200 / AU$6,000)
98QM851G: $7999.99 (around £6,400 / AU$12,100)
The 85- and 98-inch QM851G series TVs have support feet with adjustable height, while the 65- and 75-inch versions use a pedestal stand.
Highlights in images with HDR, such as this sun setting on a lake, looked powerfully bright and refined on the TCL QM851G (Image credit: Future)
Picture Performance
With only the TCL 85QM851G’s Vivid picture mode approved (it was the only mode finalized at the time), there was no point in making color measurements since the Vivid mode on TVs is typically the least accurate picture preset. I was able to test HDR brightness, however, and here TCL’s TV just about met spec. Measured using a white window test pattern covering 10% of the screen area, the 85QM851G’s peak brightness was 4,793 nits and it measured 705 nits with a full-screen pattern.
To put those numbers into context, a Samsung QN900D 8K TV I recently reviewed measured 1,870 and 470 nits on the same tests. My measurements of the Samsung TV were taken in the set’s Filmmaker mode, however, which doesn’t always provide the same high brightness levels as Vivid mode. Even so, assuming the TCL 85QM851G can come close to its Vivid mode brightness when in Movie mode, it will be the brightest TV I’ve yet tested.
The TCL QM851G's precise local dimming gave challenging images such as this feather on a black background a clean look that was free of backlight "blooming" (Image credit: Future)
It may not have been fully approved by TCL for testing at the time, but the 85QM851G’s Movie picture mode nonetheless looked very accurate. Checking out the demonstration section from the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc, images of landscapes and flowers had excellent color saturation and detail. In shots with bright objects against a black background, the TV’s outstanding local dimming ensured the image was free of backlight “blooming” effects, and I noted the same result when watching a starfield motion test pattern designed to test local dimming.
When I next watched scenes from the James Bond film No Time to Die, the TCL 85QM851G’s high brightness in Movie mode gave images a bold and punchy look, with dark scenes showing plentiful shadow detail and HDR highlights popping on the screen. One scene I use to test motion handling showed a high level of judder and blur as Bond walked across a hilltop cemetery, but the issue could be fixed by using the TV’s Custom judder and blur settings.
Aside from the judder, the only possible shortcoming I saw on the 85QM851G was a degree of color and contrast fade when viewing from an off-center position. The fading effect was mild, however, and isn’t likely to be seen on an expansive 85-inch screen.
Sound performance
The TCL 85QM851G’s 2.1.2-channel speaker system delivered solid audio quality during my test, with the TV’s up-firing speaker drivers creating a sense of spaciousness with Dolby Atmos soundtracks. Adjustable-height feet make it easy to add the best soundbars to the TV for enhanced audio performance, and TCL has also launched 5.1.2 and 7.1.4-channel Dolby Atmos soundbars along with its new TVs. Those new soundbar systems, the Q75H ($899) and Q85H ($999) are surprisingly affordable given their capabilities and will be available this summer.
The TCL QM851G's full-featured remote control (Image credit: Future)
With its super-bright picture and excellent local dimming, TCL’s QM851G series TV will likely provide strong competition for premium mini-LED TVs from Samsung and Sony. And although $4,000 may sound like a lot to pay for a TV, an 85-inch mini-LED model for that price is actually a great value. The only better one I can think of is the QM851G's 98-inch version at $7,999. I’ll have more to say about the TCL QM851G series after I get a full production unit in for review, though it’s unlikely to be a 98-inch one!
Hisense just announced its new Hisense U9N series mini-LED TVs, and as part of that announcement, the company invited reviewers, myself included, to spend quality hands-on time with a pre-production 75-inch version of the U9N at a launch event in New York.
The Hisense U9N series TVs slot between the company’s flagship ULED X series and the new U8N series (review coming soon) TVs, and incorporate technology from the ULED X lineup. Specifically, they use Hisense’s Hi-View Engine X picture processing and a mini-LED backlight with up to 5,300 local dimming zones. That’s a strikingly high number, even among the best TVs that use mini-LED – the Hisense U8K, in contrast, topped out at around 1,000 local dimming zones.
As you might expect, the premium tech packaged in the U9N series comes with a price boost over the U8N series, with the 75-inch version selling for $2,999 (around £2,400 / AU$ 4,530) and $3,999 (around £3,200 / AU$ 6,050) for the 85-inch version. (Compare that to the $1,999 pricing for the 75-inch Hisense U8N.) Hisense plans to ship both models this summer, and they will be sold at Best Buy and Amazon.
The Hisense U9N features substantial side-firing speakers, as shown here. (Image credit: Future)
The U9N series also has a premium design that aligns closely with the ULED X series TVs. That includes an aluminum bezel and side-mounted speakers, with the latter providing the left and right channels for the TV’s built-in 4.1.2 Dolby Atmos speaker system, which gets up to 82 watts of power (on the 85-inch model).
Picture-enhancing features of the U9N series include Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ high dynamic range support, and IMAX Enhanced and Filmmaker Mode presets. An ultra-wide viewing angle feature ensures that picture quality is maintained when viewing from off-center seats and the screen also has an anti-glare coating to reduce reflections.
On the gaming front, the U9N series supports a 144Hz refresh rate, VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Dolby Vision gaming.
The Google TV platform handles smart features and streaming and there’s an ATSC 3.0 tuner for receiving next-gen digital TV broadcasts.
The U9N's off-axis viewing performance is excellent as demonstrated by this color test pattern shown straight on and at an extreme angle. (Image credit: Future)
Picture Performance
Along with its massive dimming zone count, Hisense has made dramatic brightness claims for its U9N series and the other new Hisense TVs announced for 2024. With the TV in its Filmmaker Mode picture preset, I measured around 3,000 nits peak brightness on a 10% white window pattern – a result that bests even the new Samsung QN900D flagship 8K TV, which measured around 2,400 nits on the same test. Dramatically high brightness confirmed!
Brightness with a fullscreen white test pattern in the same mode was 600 nits, a result that also bests Samsung’s flagship TV. On other tests, the 75-inch U9N managed a very impressive 99.3% coverage of the UHDA-P3 color gamut and 82% of the BT.2020 color gamut, and a measured input lag of 15.2ms when in Game mode. That level of input lag isn’t the best we’ve measured – some of the best gaming TVs clock in under 10ms – but it’s still considered good enough.
Along with its stellar measured performance, the QN9 has excellent off-axis uniformity. Looking at a pattern from the Spears & Munsil Ultra HD Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc designed to test off-axis performance, the TV’s ultra-wide viewing angle feature ensured that color and contrast were perfectly uniform even at a far off-center viewing position.
Although this picture exaggerates the effect, screen reflections could be seen on the U9N with overhead lights on. (Image credit: Future)
With 5,300 local dimming zones, you’d expect to see detailed reproduction of shadows in dark scenes, and the UN9 didn’t disappoint. Watching the scene in Dune: Part One where Paul Atreides is tested by the Reverend Mother (Question: “What’s in the box?” Answer: “Pain”), backgrounds in the dim environment had a high level of clarity, and the mesh covering her face was a deep, solid black tone.
While I didn’t notice anything off with movies, I did note some “black blotching’ effects on a starfield test pattern on the Spears & Munsil disc designed to test local dimming performance. Basically, with local dimming switched off, I could see plenty of stars in the pattern, and when switched to the Filmmaker Mode’s default High setting, large patches of stars disappeared. Hisense told me the issue is something they had also noted, however, and it will be fixed before the UN9 ships this summer.
Turning to No Time to Die, another demo 4K Blu-ray and one that I use to test motion handling, there was a high level of motion judder in a shot where the camera pans across a cemetery on a craggy hillside. Adjusting both the Custom Judder and Blur settings in the Motion Clarity menu to +4 remedied the issue, and it only added a very slight amount of “motion smoothing” to the image.
Although the U9N is touted as having an anti-glare screen, I could see a fair amount of screen reflections when I turned on the overhead lights in the room I tested it in. It certainly wasn’t the worst instance of this I’ve encountered, but having seen the new Samsung S95D OLED TV’s Glare-Free technology in action, which proved completely immune to room lighting, I’m starting to have higher expectations for glare-reduction tech.
Sound performance
Most high-end TVs now arrive with built-in 4.1.2 Dolby Atmos speaker systems, which use actual upfiring speaker drivers on the TV’s top edge rather than virtual processing to deliver Dolby Atmos soundtracks. Hisense’s U9N managed to play loud during the action scenes in both Dune and No Time to Die without sounding overly strained and there was good bass and dialogue clarity. Built-in TV speakers typically aren’t a match for the best soundbars, but anyone wanting spacious Dolby Atmos sound from a TV alone will not be disappointed with the U9N’s performance.
The Hisense U9N comes with a much improved new remote control with a backlit keypad. (Image credit: Future)
Mini-LED to the max
The Hisense U9N’s high brightness and impressive local dimming make it a hot prospect to land among the best TVs of 2024. And even though the 75-inch model’s $2,999 price could be considered high for a TV, it’s still quite reasonable compared to the mini-LED competition – it's lower than the 75-inch Samsung QN90D, for example, which costs $3,299.
Does the Hisense U9N leave room for improvement? Its motion handling isn’t the best, and when I measured it in Filmmaker Mode, both gamma and white balance were less accurate than what I usually expect from a premium TV. Even so, I walked away from my encounter with the U9N impressed, and could see it making serious waves this summer once it arrives.
The Samsung HW-Q990D follows in the footsteps of one of the best soundbars in recent years, the Samsung HW-Q990C, but adds gaming features including 4K 120Hz and VRR pass-through, along with a more refined and controlled sound profile.
Filled to the brim with features, the Q990D offers plenty of settings for those who like to experiment. AI enhancements including Adaptive Sound and SpaceFit allow the Q990D to analyze sources and the viewing environment to create the best possible experience. Alongside these, the new gaming features enable users to get the most from their PS5 or Xbox Series X. And for those with a Samsung TV, there’s also Q-Symphony and a wireless Dolby Atmos option.
Carrying 22 speakers across four units, with an 11.1.4 channel configuration, the Q990D confirms Samsung's continued domination of the soundbar market, especially when it comes to immersive Dolby Atmos sound. But, it’s not just immersive sound where it succeeds, as bass levels are punchy yet refined and trebles and mids can breathe easy over the bass. The Q990D also serves as an excellent music streaming option whether over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, with its wide soundstage giving every aspect of a song the space it needs.
Although on the bulkier side, the Q990D feels every bit its premium price thanks to its solid build quality, and it has a sleek, modern look. The main soundbar’s size may be an issue for some and its front LED display is not the most user-friendly, but for many, it will beat the mess of cables you get with a wired home theater setup.
With a variety of control options including a supplied remote and the Samsung SmartThings app, the Q990D is easy to use and tailor settings to how you like. Initial setup is a breeze, making it simple to get great sound.
The Q990D may be a premium soundbar, and there are cheaper options such as last year’s Samsung Q990C and this year’s Samsung HW-Q930D, but neither of those carries the full range of features or the performance found in the Q990D. Although pricey, it delivers the best Dolby Atmos soundbar experience you can get today.
The Samsung HW-Q990D comprises a soundbar, subwoofer and two surrounds, with 11.1.4 channels across 22 speakers. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Price & release date
Release date - March 2024
Price - $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995
The Samsung HW-Q990D is Samsung’s flagship Dolby Atmos soundbar for 2024. Released at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995, the Q990D is a premium soundbar package.
For context, that’s roughly $400 more than the JBL Bar 1300X, an older soundbar that includes wireless rear speakers and a powerful subwoofer, but is roughly $500 more than the most widely available Sonos home theater package, which features the Sonos Arc, Sonos Sub (Gen 3) and a pair of Sonos Era 100s as rears.
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Specs
The Samsung HW-Q990D (connected to the Samsung S95D TV) now has gaming features including 120Hz and VRR. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Features
11.1.4 speaker channels
HDMI 2.1 with 4K 120Hz support
Wireless Dolby Atmos
The Samsung Q990D has many of the same features as its impressive predecessor, the Samsung HW-Q990C, including 11.1.4 speaker channels and 22 speakers spread across the four units (soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers).
One new feature is HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming, with both HDMI inputs supporting 4K120Hz and VRR. Both HDMI ports also pass through HDR10+ and Dolby Vision HDR formats.
Supported sound formats include Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, Dolby 5.1, Dolby Digital Plus and Dolby TrueHD.
The Q990D is stacked with sound-enhancing features including Adaptive Sound, which analyzes what you’re watching and intelligently adjusts audio levels; SpaceFit Sound Pro, which analyzes your environment and tunes the Q990D’s audio output for the space; and Game Mode Pro, which tailors directional sound to optimal levels when gaming.
Wi-Fi streaming on the Q990D supports hi-res audio formats including ALAC, FLAC and WAV and also Dolby Atmos music tracks found on streaming services such as Apple Music and Tidal. Speaking of streaming, there is also Spotify and Tidal Connect support.
There are some Samsung-exclusive enhancements alongside these features (meaning they only work with compatible Samsung TVs). The first is Q-Symphony, where the Q990D works with the speakers of a Samsung TV to boost sound even further. The next is wireless Dolby Atmos, where a Samsung TV can stream Dolby Atmos soundtracks - albeit a compressed version - to the Q990D.
Last is Tap Sound, where you tap your Samsung smartphone on the Q990D and it starts playing the music you’re streaming.
Control options include a hardware remote control and the Samsung SmartThings app. With the app, you can make EQ adjustments, activate voice and bass enhancement, and select Night Mode, which adjusts the sound to a suitable level for late-night viewing or listening. The app also isn’t just for the Q990D, but can control any compatible Samsung product.
Features score: 5 / 5
The Samsung HW-Q990D main soundbar (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Performance
Exceptional immersive sound
Powerful, yet detailed audio
Impressive gaming performance
For years, Samsung’s flagship soundbars have continually impressed, serving as a pinnacle of what a soundbar-based home theater audio system is capable of, and the Q990D continues this trend.
With 22 speakers across the four units, including four height channels, in an 11.1.4 channel configuration, the Q990D creates an outstanding immersive experience, with expert reproduction of Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks and real surround sound.
Watching Star Wars: A New Hope on Disney Plus, the final attack and ensuing space battle involving the Death Star was every bit as cinematic as it should be. As X-Wings and Tie Fighters shot across the screen from every angle, the direction of the soaring engines glided across the speakers impeccably and John Williams’ iconic score in the rear speakers kept the tension high without drowning out other effects. Dialogue was crisp and clear, cutting through the densely packed mix of engines, lasers and music. Watching this, I truly felt like I was in the cockpit, as the iconic screech of the Tie Fighter passed over my head.
Although immersive sound is where the Q990D succeeded the most, bass levels from the weighty subwoofer also impressed. The rumble of the Batmobile’s engine in The Batman during the Penguin car chase sounded meaty with plenty of low-end punch. On previous Q990 generations, the bass could get carried away on occasion, but the Q990D’s bass feels more nuanced and controlled - dynamic but without overwhelming the rest of the mix.
Even when watching movies with a stereo soundtrack such as The Amazing Spider-Man on DVD, the Q990D boosted the sound through upmixing and gave more oomph to every fight sequence and web swing through NYC.
Other parts of the audio mix are well-balanced on the Q990D. High notes come across without being too shrill whilst mids sit comfortably where they should in the mix, with everything combining to create a full, detailed sound.
Although it’s not as impressive with music as with movies, the Q990D is still a triumph. When I streamed tracks from Tidal and Spotify in uncompressed hi-res and compressed formats respectively, the Q990D did a good job of balancing instruments and handled every genre well. Listening to Tears for Fears’ Everybody Wants To Rule The World, the bass and drums sounded punchy, and the trebles of the synths and guitars sliced through evenly.
Listening to Dolby Atmos music tracks via Tidal, the Q990D again showed its prowess. Thelonius Monk’s Monk’s Dream (Take 8) spread out across the Q990D’s speakers, with every instrument given equal room to breathe - from the twinkling piano to the bright sax and the warm bass notes.
Sometimes the mix would sound forced on these Dolby Atmos tracks, with some instruments pushing a little too hard. But the Q990D generally continued to shine and even tracks streamed over lower quality Bluetooth sounded good.
The Q990D was connected to a Samsung S95D TV during my testing, with Samsung-centric features such as Q Symphony available. And while this did provide an extra layer to the sound, adding a greater sense of space and power, the Q990D gave a great cinematic experience without it.
As for gaming performance, when playing Battlefield V with an Xbox Series X, gaming was smooth, as switching between targets felt easy and the action suitably pacy.
The most surprising element of the Q990D’s gaming performance was the low 9.2ms input lag time, meaning its HDMI pass-through didn’t add any latency. For those needing 4K 120Hz, VRR and low input lag for their console, the Q990D can provide.
Performance score: 5 / 5
The Samsung HW-Q990D's front display isn't the easiest to read... (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Design
Solid, premium design
Front display isn’t easiest to read
Slightly wider than a 55-inch TV
The Q990D comprises four units: a soundbar, subwoofer and two rear speakers. The subwoofer is sizable and hefty, but its wireless connection allows it to be placed anywhere in the room (as long as there’s a mains socket nearby to plug in for power). The rear speakers, meanwhile, have a compact yet sleek design.
The soundbar itself measures 1309.0 x 595.0 x 277.0 mm, making it slightly longer than a 55-inch TV (which roughly measures 1200mm). At 595mm, it isn’t the tallest soundbar, but could still cut off the bottom of a lot of TVs. The soundbar is also weighty, although that demonstrates its premium quality.
The soundbar and rear speakers sport a gray/navy matte finish that gives them a minimalist, modern appearance. A mesh grille on the soundbar’s front makes it quite difficult to see what input you’re using and other information provided on the front panel LED display, however.
Design score: 4 / 5
The Samsung HW-Q990D can be controlled with the above supplied remote, the Samsung SmartThings app or your TV remote via HDMI-CEC. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Setup & usability
HDMI eARC connection to TV
Wireless connection between units
Remote or SmartThings app for control
With four separate, wireless units, setting up the Q990D seems like it would be daunting, but the Q990D makes setup almost effortless. Once all units are plugged in and the soundbar is connected to the TV by HDMI eARC, the subwoofer and rear speakers connect by simply pressing a button on the back and you’re ready to go.
You can either use the supplied remote or the Samsung SmartThings app for control, with adjustments for boosting voice, bass and more. The Q990D can also be controlled via the TV remote using HDMI-CEC. Finally, there are control buttons and an LED display on top of the soundbar.
For those looking to optimize audio based on their room’s layout, there is also the SpaceFit Pro calibration system, which can be performed during initial setup or on the fly using the SmartThings app.
Setup & usability score: 4.5 / 5
The Samsung HW-Q990D is pricey, but you get an entire Atmos experience across four units. (Image credit: Future)
Samsung HW-Q990D review: Value
Premium price
Best home theater soundbar option
Samsung Q990C still available
Priced at $1,799 / £1,699 / AU$1,995, the Q990D is a premium soundbar. And although its features and excellent all-around performance justify the price, it is no doubt going to push some people’s budgets.
The Samsung HW-Q990C, the Q990D’s predecessor, is still available and sells at a reduced price that’s only going to fall further - I’ve seen it selling for roughly $400 / £600 cheaper than the Q990D. It does miss out on the Q990D’s gaming features, but if they’re not relevant to you, the Q990C is fine. Another option is the Samsung HW-Q930D, the step-down model from the Q990D which comes with fewer channels and features.
Still, in terms of features and performance, the Q990D offers a Dolby Atmos home theater experience no other soundbar can offer. To beat it, you’d need to look at full AV setups that don’t allow for the same tidy installation or ease of use.
Value score: 4 / 5
Should I buy the Samsung HW-Q990D?
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Samsung HW-Q990D review: Also consider
How I tested the Samsung HW-Q990D
(Image credit: Future)
Connected to the Samsung S95D
Tested with variety of sources
Both surround sound and stereo sound tested
To test the Samsung HW-Q990D soundbar, I connected it to the Samsung S95D - the flagship 2024 OLED TV from Samsung. The majority of testing was done with Q-Symphony and any other Samsung-centric features turned off to see how the Q990D would fare if connected to sets from other brands.
After some run-in time, I selected reference scenes from both streaming and 4K Blu-ray to test spatial sound, mainly Dolby Atmos. I then used lower-resolution sources such as DVD to test the Q990D on its handling of non-surround movie audio. I analyzed the Q990D's spatial sound but also bass, trebles, mids, and dialogue clarity.
After this, I streamed music through both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to test the Q990D's music playback quality. I played hi-res audio and Atmos music tracks from Tidal and lossy quality tracks via Bluetooth from Spotify.
