With its new Neo QLED televisions, Samsung wants to place the screen at the heart of the connected home
Samsung has taken an important step forward with its new line of Neo QLED televisions. The Korean firm has not only taken care of the image quality by incorporating a Mini LED backlight. And haven’t forgotten that a good 2021 TV is now much more than just a screen limited to showing movies and series.
Because they get bigger and bigger and dictate the arrangement of our furniture, televisions are often the centerpiece of a living room. This is something Samsung had in mind when designing the televisions for its brand new Neo QLED range.
Already, because they offer excellent image quality – enabled by a Mini LED backlight combined with QLED – which does justice to the importance of this type of product. But also because they embed advanced features that allow these televisions to be much more than simple screens dedicated to the distribution of content. Finally, the very design of these televisions, while discreet, allows them to integrate a living room without swearing with the rest of the decoration.
Mini LED and QLED: the perfect match
Samsung has been incorporating QLED technology on its most high-end televisions for several years now. Behind this technology is in fact hiding a layer of nanocrystals (the famous quantum dots), located between the panel and the backlighting system. Thanks to this layer, QLED TVs are not only able to display a brighter picture, but also with a wider coverage of the color spectrum. The image is thus more vivid than on a traditional LCD television.
QLED technology is not new, but its association with a Mini LED backlight is quite recent. Mini LEDs replace the usual LEDs found in the backlighting system of LCD televisions. At Samsung, they are 40 times smaller, which mechanically allows a larger number to be placed. By multiplying these light sources, we then benefit from a more precise and locally more powerful backlighting. This fineness then makes it possible to obtain better contrasts, as well as better reproduction of the dynamic range.
In the end, by combining the Mini LED and the QLED, Samsung manages to take care of all the important characteristics of a high-end TV. The luminous peak can reach summits, the sharpness of the image is excellent and the color reproduction is pleasing to the eye.
Even smarter TVs
In recent years, television manufacturers considered that television was ultimately just a simple screen mainly used to broadcast the contents of the peripherals which were connected to it.
In 2021, things have changed. 2021 televisions like those in the Neo QLED range are now much smarter and more autonomous. Intelligent, because they now integrate an advanced processor: the Neo Quantum Processor (4K or 8K). The latter, supported by a touch of artificial intelligence, analyzes the image and its source (the Blu-ray player, the Netflix application) in order to optimize it without user intervention. It is therefore essential to generate a motion compensation engine whose objective is to cancel the impression of blur during fast scenes. The Neo Quantum Processor is also at the forefront of starting up theupscalling, this process capable of transforming, for example, a Full HD image into 4K, or even 4K into 8 K.
All this power is at the service of the features offered by Samsung Neo QLED televisions. They all ship the sixth version of Tizen, the operating system used by Samsung for these TVs.
Naturally, there are a large number of entertainment applications such as Netflix, MyCanal or even Disney +, to name but a few. But we also note the arrival of new uses and applications inspired by the current health situation. Neo QLED televisions are now able to use the Google Duo application: a webcam connected to USB allows you to make video calls directly from your sofa, in a more user-friendly setting.
The new remote control that recharges with solar energy also incorporates a microphone. Thanks to it, it becomes possible to control your TV but also all your home automation from voice commands. The Samsung Neo QLEDs are compatible with several voice assistants: the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Bixby.
A design combining finesse and discretion
Another advantage of the Mini LED is the bulk of the backlight. With smaller LEDs, this system is mechanically thinner. This is what allows Neo QLED televisions to reach impressive levels of finesse: 25 mm for 4K models, 15 mm for 8 K. Especially since the borders are very discreet, or almost non-existent on the QN900A model. which benefits from Samsung’s “infinity” design. Whether you decide to place the screen on a piece of furniture or against the wall, the footprint of these Neo QLED TVs is kept to a minimum.
Above all, Samsung had the good idea to integrate its nifty new One Connect ultra slim case to all of its Neo QLED televisions (except the QN85). All connections are made to this, not to the television. Thus, only the cable going to the box protrudes from the television, since it includes both the connectors and the power supply. Thanks to him, say goodbye to the jungle of cables hidden behind the screen. The One Connect includes among others four HDMI 2.1 ports, three USB ports, an Ethernet port and an optical output.
The summary of the entire Neo QLED range from Samsung
In total, four televisions make up Samsung’s new Neo QLED range. Each of the models differs mainly by the definition of the screen as well as the peak of brightness. However, a move upmarket makes it possible, among other things, to obtain better sound performances, as well as better treatment of reflections.
Samsung Neo QLED QN85A
- 4K display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Bright peak of 1500 nits
- No One Connect box, but an HDMI 2.1 port
- 60 watt speakers in a 2.2.2 configuration
Samsung Neo QLED QN95A
- 4K display with 120Hz refresh rate
- 2000 nits bright peak
- One Connect remote box
- 70 watt speakers in a 4.2.2 configuration
Samsung Neo QLED QN800A
- 8K display with 120Hz refresh rate
- 2000 nits bright peak
- Removable One Connect remote box (which can also be positioned on the back of the TV)
- 70 watt speakers in a 4.2.2 configuration
Samsung Neo QLED QN900A
- 8K display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Bright peak of 4000 nits
- Removable One Connect remote box (which can also be positioned on the back of the TV)
- Design « infinity »
- 80 watt speakers in a 6.2.2 configuration
