Samsung Neo QLED QN90B Review | Smart TV Gamer of Respect

For those searching for the latest 2022 Samsung Neo QLED QN90B review, here it is. We have taken out time to look at the features, specs, and pictures of the new smart TV. The Samsung Neo QLED QN90B is Samsung’s flagship 4K TV with Mini LED for the year 2022. It is the direct successor of the QN90A, but it brings an important differential to stand out in the market in relation to its sister: the promise of being a gamer TV. with features to please both console and PC gamers.

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It may seem beaten when a company surrounds a product with gamer promises, but the Neo QLED QN90B was designed for this audience. The 43” and 50” TV models come with a 144Hz refresh rate, plus four HDMI 2.1 ports and a host of cool features in the Tizen system.

But, after all, can it please both console and PC audiences? And for media consumption, is it good? I tested the Neo QLED QN90B and I tell you all my impressions in the next paragraphs!

The QN90B didn’t mess with the winning team and kept the QN90A’s right design. It’s sober, with a black back cover and aluminum bottom side, and extremely thin for the category, is more than 50% thinner than the 2020 model Q80T.

Samsung’s smart TV has virtually no bump on the back, which is quite impressive given the amount of features and technologies on board. The most protruding region is where both the support and the base fit.

Regarding these pieces, we have what you expect from a premium TV: they are resistant and show firmness. The shape of the metallic base seems strange at first, but I liked it for leaving the standard look with two feet.

Even though there is no risk of falling, the fact that the support is only central causes a poor distribution of weight, consequently swaying. It’s not a problem if you keep the TV in a place without too much danger, though.

Unfortunately, while the QN90B is premium and minimalist, there’s no cable organizer here. The connections are all exposed on the left side, which is a shame.

Ports and Connections

Speaking of connectivity, the Neo QLED QN90B has what virtually every console gamer dreams of, four HDMI 2.1 inputs. For those who are not familiar with the version, it is the most recent and present in the new PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X.

With the combination, it will be possible to enjoy games, as long as they are compatible, of course, with 4K resolution at up to 120 Hz, an unprecedented feat of this generation of video games. But HDMI 2.1 also enables 144 Hz on PCs, if your graphics card is good enough to handle the speed.

In addition to our Samsung Neo QLED QN90B review, one of the HDMI 2.1 ports has eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel) technology, an improved version of the well-known ARC (Audio Return Channel), which basically allows TVs, signal receivers, video games, and other devices to access more advanced audio standards, like Dolby Atmos and the like.

Samsung’s gamer TV also has two USB-A ports, an Ethernet for a network cable, and an antenna for cable TV.

“The Samsung Neo QLED QN90B 4K doesn’t change much in design compared to the QN90A. It’s just as thin as its predecessor, and the base is elegant.

SolarCell remote control

The Neo QLED QN90B’s remote control is the same as the QN90A, which Samsung calls the SolarCell. “Solar” because it can be recharged by solar energy or your home’s own ambient light. But there’s also a USB-C port if you want to use a cell phone charger.

The initiative, obviously, has a focus on sustainability, as it abandons AAA batteries, still widely used in the market. In addition, the control itself was made from “almost a third of recyclable plastic”.

With the exception of the ecological proposal, Samsung’s remote control doesn’t stand out much. It’s thin, light, and ergonomic, and has most of the buttons you’re likely to use every day, like quick access to Netflix, GloboPlay, voice assistant, and volume and channel controllers.

There’s also a dedicated button for the Samsung TV Plus service, which few people know about, but it offers free access to several channels of news, sports, entertainment, and more — there aren’t many known channels, so it shouldn’t fall to the taste of the crowd.

What I missed, but got used to after a while, was quick access to settings. Other than that, it’s a great controller.

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Screen

The main feature of a TV is the screen, and Samsung makes that very clear in its flagship 4K Mini LED TV family for 2022. The Neo QLED QN90B we tested was the 50-inch one, but it can be found, still, in the options of 43″, 55″, and 65″.

The highlight, of course, goes to the LCD panel with Mini LED technology. In short, this solution is an evolution of the traditional LED, which we still see quite often on TVs, tablets, and other devices.

The main change is in the reduction of the already small diodes that emit light from the LED — hence the name Mini LED. With this, the promise is to offer better levels of brightness and contrast in brighter scenes compared to the common LED, in addition to darkening the black tones.

As we are still talking about a technology that needs a light source, unlike OLED which has pixels that turn on and off individually to form color, black is still not 100%, but it is very close to that of an OLED.

Overall, the QN90B’s image quality is excellent. The brightness is extremely strong, as well as the contrast is intense. 4K resolution is another highlight in media consumption, however, again, it doesn’t offer a much superior image compared to the QN90A or other Mini LED TVs on the market.

Watching movies and series on this TV is an amazing experience, especially if the content supports HDR10+. But the lack of a Dolby Vision support remains one of the main absences, which is a shame because other competing TVs already have the standard.

A positive point of Mini LED technology over OLED, on the other hand, is that there is no risk of screen burn-in when individual pixels burn out. That is, you sacrifice a little black level to have a TV without the danger of suffering from burn-in.

As with the QN90A, which suffered from a noticeable leakage of light in content with lower lighting, the so-called “blooming”, the QN90B also has this “defect”, but with much less intensity. Nothing that detracts from the experience.

For gamers, Samsung’s TV strategy is to be a good option for both console and PC players. That’s why the QN90B has a refresh rate of 144 Hz in the 43 and 50-inch models — the one we tested —, focused on computer use and medium and small apartments.

The larger models have “only” a 120 Hz refresh rate. But they are aimed at home use, more familiar, with streaming and entertainment. And yes, you will be able to get the most out of your PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S|X, or any other console available today.

Samsung says you can also use the Neo QLED QN90B as a monitor. It is possible, but I only recommend using it on the 43-inch model and if you have a very wide office desk. Another possibility is if you can hang it on the wall, as your view won’t be too close to the TV. In the larger versions, the best use is even in a room.

“The QN90B’s 4K resolution Mini LED screen is excellent. The brightness and contrast are very intense, and the black levels are very close to those of the OLED. Also, the 144 Hz on the “smaller” models makes the model a good choice of monitor.”

Operating system and gaming features

The Neo QLED QN90B comes with the Tizen operating system. Honestly, with Samsung’s partnership with Google, I wish South Korean TVs had already come with Google TV instead of Tizen, but it’s not a problem as the OS is still one of the best these days.

I have nothing to complain about Tizen. It has support for basically all streaming services like Netflix, Globoplay, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Max. The Star+, which was absent from the QN90A, is also present here, which is a great addition.

Visually, the interface hasn’t changed that much from older TVs. This means that it has very familiar navigation, without any “barriers” to reach an option, for example.

And, as it is a premium TV, fluidity is one of the highlights. Switching between apps is extremely fast and smooth, and the menus are far less cluttered than other interfaces, like LG’s WebOS.

The QN90B even supports Alexa, Google Assistant, and Bixby voice assistants — in case you still want to give it a chance. With this, you can also control other smart devices in your home on Samsung’s own SmartThings platform.

As the TV focuses on games, there is a fully dedicated space for gamers. You’ll know when you’re at it when the quick menu changes to a futuristic theme, aka “Cyberpunk 2077”.

I found the look cheesy, but at least it’s interesting and offers some configuration options to give the game a boost, such as image mode and low latency. You can also change the screen format from 16:9 to 21:9 or 32:9.

But the news that I found most interesting was the announcement of the arrival of the Xbox application to run games via Cloud Gaming. In short, whoever subscribes to Game Pass and buys the Neo QLED QN90B will be able to run the titles via Cloud Gaming directly from the TV, without the need for a console or installation. The launch takes place on June 30th.

Sound

In terms of sound, 40W speakers are quite common and basically make the purchase of a soundbar mandatory. Even with Dolby Atmos support, the hardware scattered around the thin TV doesn’t reproduce bass very well, leaving the experience, shall we say, dull.

But it’s not just negative reviews that surround the sound department of the Neo QLED QN90B. The sound is well defined, has decent mids and highs, and even at higher volumes, they don’t burst or corrupt the frequencies. Overall it’s nice, but below its category.

Even “knowing” this limitation in sound, Samsung sent us the soundbar HW-Q600B to test together with the Neo QLED QN90B. It is the best companion for your TV because, in addition to having great sound quality, it has a lot of integration with the model.

Direct competitors

The Neo QLED QN90B has as a competitor the QNED90, from LG. Her most “basic” model is 65 inches and costs about R$10,000. The LG TV also has a 4K resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate, in addition to Mini LED technology and support for HDR10+ and Dolby Vision standards.

However, Samsung’s TV wins when it comes to connections, as it has four HDMI 2.1, while the QNED90 only has two. In my opinion, Tizen OS is also better than WebOS.

Another competitor of the Neo QLED QN90B is Samsung’s own QN90A. There aren’t any major changes that warrant the upgrade, so if you already own the QN90A or find it for less, buy it.

Is the Samsung Neo QLED QN90B 4K worth buying?

The Samsung Neo QLED QN90B is a great Mini LED TV that delivers on its promise of delivering really useful features for those who want to play games with excellent picture quality.

Of course, the extremely bright and defined screen draws a lot of attention, but it is also worth mentioning the 144 Hz refresh rate, which allows you to use it as a monitor, and the arrival of the Xbox app to the Gaming Hub for Game Pass subscribers. play via the cloud.

Some points that could have improved on the 2022 flagship were left out, such as support for Dolby Vision. It makes no sense that Samsung’s flagship Mini LED TV still doesn’t support the technology. The sound system could also be better, although the company would have to increase its thickness.

Overall it’s a decent set and one of the best Mini LED TVs on the market. It’s worth it if you want to enter or continue in the Samsung ecosystem — in addition to, of course, having the money to invest in a smart TV of this category, which will not be small.