Samsung QN90C Neo QLED

Great TVs really do come in small packages. I’ve been watching the 43-inch Samsung QN90C NeoQLED 4K TV for a few weeks and I can’t believe the picture quality this TV has. It can reach such deep, rich black tones and such bright colours that if I had to describe it in a few words I’d say it was a QLED that looks like an OLED. While I’ve never had a TV smaller than 55 inches before, I think 43 inches is the perfect size for a bedroom, office, or garage. It’s also available in larger sizes, and if this model is any indication, the picture quality would be absolutely stunning on a bigger screen.

Here’s a look at what I thought of the Samsung QN90C NeoQLED TV.

Features on Samsung QN90C NeoQLED TV

Samsung NeoQLED QN90C 4K TV

The Samsung QN90C NeoQLED is a very thin, very light TV that comes packaged with a stand. It weighs 9.4 kg (20.72 lbs). The stand resembles a computer monitor stand and you’ll need a screwdriver to attach it. The 43-inch model is the smallest size in the QN90C lineup, and you can also choose it in 50, 55, 65, 75, and 85 inch sizes.

  • 43 inch 4K QLED TV with Mini LED backlight
  • Neo Quantum HDR+ for vivid colour and exceptional brightness and Auto HDR Remastering for improved SDR content
  • 4K Neural Quantum Processor is AI-powered to upscale your content
  • Anti-Glare coating and Ultra Viewing Angle Technology
  • Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound+
  • Samsung Gaming Hub lets you play your favourite games in one location without the need for a console
  • 120Hz native refresh rate with up to 144Hz and 9.7 milliseconds input lag
  • Real Depth Enhancer and Pantone Validated Colour
  • Smart Hub organizes your streaming content and Smart Things connects you to your smart home devices
  • 4 HDMI ports, 2 USB, and an Ethernet port
  • Solar cell remote control stays charged for months

Testing out Samsung QN90C NeoQLED

Samsung QN90C Neo QLED stand

It’s hard not to be impressed by the Samsung QN90C NeoQLED TV. When you tap the remote the TV slides open and you’re presented with a bright screen packed with a ton of streaming and live TV choices. There is a menu on the left that lists a few of your TV options including search, ambient, game, media, connected devices, and settings.

NeoSlim design

Samsung solar cell remote

This TV is very thin and there is a very small frame around IT that lets you enjoy the full size of the screen. Samsung calls the design NeoSlim. It’s the type of TV you can mount on the wall and use as a photo frame when you’re not watching, and I would definitely opt for a wall mount over the included stand. A wall mount would look more elegant and be more functional, and I’m a little leery about the durability of the stand. While I like the minimalist design, I was a bit nervous about knocking the stand and having it fall over. The TV is so light it doesn’t seem like it weighs it down enough to hold it in place if you bump it.

The QN90C has an anti-reflective coating that’s very effective. If you’re watching with your curtains open and you have bright light shining through the windows, it’s minimized when you’re watching. Sometimes, when scrolling through the menus, I could see light from the window reflecting on the screen, but when I started watching a movie or a TV show, it disappeared or was dimmed enough that it didn’t interfere with watching.

This TV also comes with the new Samsung SolarCell remote control. It has a small solar strip on the back so it can recharge via sunlight and the design is part of Samsung’s sustainability plan. If you ever run out of battery power you can also plug it in via USB-C.

Picture quality on Samsung QN90C NeoQLED

I spent a few weeks binging Netflix and Disney+ on the Samsung QN90C. The best way to describe the picture quality is to say that, if someone put me in front of the TV and I didn’t know anything about it, I would have a hard time determining whether or not it’s an OLED. One of the reasons I say that is the high contrast. I know a NeoQLED can’t achieve true black the way an OLED can and Mini-LEDs aren’t capable of turning off and on individually like OLED, but this TV can produce blacks that are so deep and dark you might struggle to tell the difference. At night, in a dark room without any light shining in, the screen looks pitch black.

QLED TVs with Mini-LED backlight are great for rooms without a lot of natural light. My house is shaded by trees so I need the brightest TV possible in every room. The default brightness on this TV was more than enough for a room without natural light, and even when I turned on the lights and watched with the curtains open it was still very bright.

The QN90C has a 4K Neural Quantum Processor that’s AI-powered to upscale everything you watch, and it has Neo Quantum HDR+ to brighten images, Real Depth Enhancer to make images more realistic, and Pantone Validated Colour so colours look bright and natural no matter what you’re watching. Colour is very sharp and natural, and in some cases, I thought it was so vivid I wanted to dial the brightness down a bit.

No matter what I watched on this TV, it looked better than on my own TV. Whether I was watching old YouTube videos I uploaded of my kids, black and white TV shows, or my favourite Marvel movies on Disney+, everything had sharp detail and cinematic colour. I watched a few IMAX-enhanced videos on Disney+ and Netflix and they looked spectacular too. The picture quality on this TV is so fantastic I didn’t even think about the fact that it was only 43 inches.

Samsung Gaming Hub and Neo Quantum HDR+

Samsung Gaming Hub

I’ve talked about the Samsung Gaming Hub in other reviews but I’m even more impressed with it now that I’ve linked it up to my Xbox Game Pass account. All you need is a controller and a good Internet connection and you can stream all of your Xbox games without plugging in your console. There are other platforms you can stream too including Amazon Luna, GeForce Now, and Utomik. The Gaming Hub also has videos so you can watch Twitch broadcasts and other gaming content.

This TV is amazing for gaming, and Neo Quantum HDR+ adds detail and brightness to dark games. My go-to game for testing out a new TV is always Red Dead Redemption, and I thought the TV really brought a natural quality to the game. Dark scenes and shadows are more detailed than I’ve seen on other TVs. The TV also has 120Hz native refresh rate with the option to enhance it to 144Hz in game mode and a minimal 9.7 milliseconds lag. With a console plugged in it’s fast enough to keep up with the most intense action games and you don’t experience blur or delay between controller and game.

If you’re going to connect your controller to the TV and stream games, my suggestion is to plug in the TV via Ethernet and maintain a close position to the TV. It takes a lot of bandwidth to load and stream the games, and while we have a very fast 5G network we use to connect our TVs we had a much smoother experience after we plugged in. I also tried to use an older Xbox controller that didn’t maintain a strong Bluetooth connection so there was a lot of lag between the controller and the TV. Any lag we experienced disappeared as soon as I added my PS5 controller.

Sound quality on Samsung NeoQLED

Samsung NeoQLED QN90C

There are two different sound modes on the Samsung QN90C—Standard and Amplify. I thought the sound was great considering the size of the screen and how thin it is. When watching movies I kept the volume at 30 and in Amplify mode. Dialogue was very clear, and it felt like it was coming from a center speaker. This TV uses Object Tracking Sound technology to optimize sound and send it to your TV’s speakers in a way that makes it feel as though it’s moving with the action. It’s not as precise as a set of home theatre speakers or a sound bar, but it gives the TV great quality. It’s a good feature when you’re using the TV in your bedroom and you don’t want to add a sound bar or speakers.

The sound quality was loud enough to send my cats running when I put on a cat video. Nothing gets them in front of a TV faster than the sound of birds, and as you can see in the photos, my buddy Apollo made himself comfortable while he watched a few hours of squirrel videos.

Should you choose the Samsung QN90C NeoQLED?

Samsung QN90C 4K TV review

If you’re looking for a second TV in a smaller size, the 43-inch Samsung QN90C NeoQLED is hard to beat. After using it for a few weeks it would be an easy choice for my bedroom. I’ve been firm in my decision to upgrade to an OLED for my next living room TV, but now I’m wondering if I have to. In my opinion, the QN90C gives you an OLED-quality picture that’s brighter and more vivid than most OLEDs, but it can still reach those deep black tones you really want for movies and gaming.

Samsung Gaming Hub is such a great addition to Samsung’s Smart Hub, and it’s nice that I can pick up a controller and game without plugging in a console. For streaming TV and movies, you can access all of your favourite apps on a smart screen that’s easy to navigate. I also love how Samsung SmartThings is integrated with this TV. I was pretty surprised when I was watching and my TV popped up a notification that my range had finished preheating. All of the smart devices you add to SmartThings can be accessed on your TV.

I am always impressed by Samsung TVs, and they just keep getting better and better. You can find the Samsung QN90C NeoQLED 4K TV in 43 inches as well larger sizes at Best Buy right now.

Shelly Wutke
Shelly Wutke
Editor TV & Home Theatre
I'm a Vancouver freelancer and tech enthusiast. When I'm not writing you'll find me on my farm with my alpacas, chickens, and honeybees. Visit my website Survivemag
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695 COMMENTS

  1. we have such long winters and would be nice to have a big screen to watch my favourite shows with the slim features and picture quality

  4. Lots of windows in my home, with lots of sunlight. I learned this TV has Anti-Glare coating and Ultra Viewing Angle Technology. Amazing picture quality!! We watch TV about 3 to 4 hours a day.

  5. It depends on the season (less in the summer, more in the winter), but on average our household probably watches 2 hours of TV per day.

    One thing I learned about the QN90C is that it has an anti-reflective coating which ultra viewing angle technology!

  6. I’d say 3-4 hours of TV a day.

    I learned that the QN90C has a 4K Neural Quantum Processor that’s AI-powered to upscale everything you watch. Which is pretty darn cool. I would love to see how it does watching my old TV shows that are in 480p.

  9. One thing I learned about this TV is the SolarCell remote control which means less charging for the remote. My family probably spent 4-5 hours per day watching TV since my mother’s injury and watching TV is the most action you can get when you stay home.

  12. I learned that this TV has Pantone Validated Colour so colours look bright and natural. My family watches 8 hours of TV daily.

  13. I watch tv shows, play games but also use my tv as a computer screen, so I must easily average up to 5 hours per day very easily. I like the two different sound modes on the Samsung QN90C and that like it seems like the sound is coming from a center speaker.

  15. i watch maybe 6-7 hours of tv / week.

    I learned about the AI upscalling; i knew certain blu ray drives could do it, but not a tv !

  16. I learned the Samsung SolarCell remote control can recharge via sunlight..what a great feature!
    Our family watches about 5 hours of TV per day! Sports would bring this total WAY up!

  17. I watch/listen to the tv approx 5 hours a day. what I learned about this tv is that the QN90C has an anti-reflective coating that’s very effective. If you’re watching with your curtains open and you have bright light shining through the windows, it’s minimized when you’re watching.

  18. I learned that this TV has Neo Quantum HDR+ to brighten images so it’ll look better in a large room.
    We typically watch about 2-3 hours a day.

  19. There are many of us in the household and the tv spends almost as much time on as it does off.
    I have a large bright family room and the anti-reflective coating would be ideal for this room.

  20. 43 inch is perfect for my bedroom and would replace my now ancient KU7000. I’m usually good for 4 hours of TV per day…

  21. Learned about its great anti reflective capabilities which is something we could definitely use. I’d say at least 40 hrs of tv get watched in our household (but only about 8 – 10 by me!)

  23. We generally watch about 4 hours of TV a day.
    I learned that the QN90C has an anti-reflective coating that’s very effective which would be very good for me as my current TV is near a window and during the day the sun can create some glare on the TV.

  26. I learned that QLED TVs with Mini-LED backlight are great for rooms without a lot of natural light. I don’t watch a lot of tv, maybe 12 hours a week? Of course that can change according to the time of year. I will watch much more during NHL playoffs.

  28. We watch 3 hours of TV per day and maybe 4 hours on the weekend. And I was surprised this TV can work as a monitor for gaming with decent back colouring.

  29. I learned that Samsung has a sustainability initiative and it is supported by having a remote that can be recharged by solar energy. We probably watch between 2-4 hours of tv per day.

  30. i learned that it has great anti reflective capabilities which is good for me because my current TV is near big windows that face South

    I usually spend 2-3 hours watching tv and sometimes 2 hours playing games

  31. I learned from Shelly’s review that the picture quality had deep, rich black tones and such bright colours which is amazing. Our home watches about 5 hours of tv each day.

  36. We have our tv on for at least 10 hours, even if we are not sitting in front of it we usually have it on as background noise. I learned that the QN90C has an anti-reflective coating which is awesome since my livingroom is so bright

  37. The Anti-Glare coating feature is perfect for any bright room in my home so I can enjoy my 3-4 hours of binge watching.

  38. About 15 hours a day get watched in my home between all my family members. I learned about the Anti-Glare coating and Ultra Viewing Angle Technology which will give you the ultimate viewing experience.

  39. There is a lot of TV in my household, probably nearing 6 to 7 hours each day. I learned that this particular TV is great in bright rooms which is something I could use with a large west-facing window

  43. We watch about 60 to 100 hours of tv a week in my home depending on sports schedules and series releases. I learned that 4K Neural Quantum Processor is AI-powered and that fascinates me

  44. Love the Smart Hub feature. I’d say around 4-5 hours a day (average) get watched! Maybe more in the weekend.

  45. I believe on average our family spends about 3-4 hours a day watching TV. From youtube to Apple TV+ to Crunchyroll to Amazon Prime. hehe

    I learned that this TV comes with the new Samsung SolarCell remote control which has a small solar strip on the back so it can recharge via sunlight and the design is part of Samsung’s sustainability plan. Love being environmental friendly

  46. “this TV can produce blacks that are so deep and dark you might struggle to tell the difference. At night, in a dark room without any light shining in, the screen looks pitch black.” Having a screen that can do that can really immerse you into whatever show/movie you’re watching.

    We probably watch 1-2 hours of television a night.

  48. I learned that the QN90C has an anti-reflective coating that makes it great in bright rooms!

    We watch 4-5 hours of tv per day 🙂

  50. I learned that all you need is a controller and a good Internet connection and you can stream all of your Xbox games without plugging in your console

    My family spends at least 2-3 hours a day watching TV!

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