Last month, the news of the Perodua Axia car, which was offered at a price of RM22,000 apiece, made it the cheapest car on the market right now. Today it's our turn to review the Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN800C which is slightly more expensive than the Perodua Axia.
What do you get on a TV that costs more than a luxury car? Is it worth it? What are the disadvantages? And we try to answer the question of what is the best TV size for home use. All of this will be answered in the full review below.
SPECIFICATIONS
Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN800C
75-inch Screen Size
Resolution 7,680 x 4,320 pixels (100Hz)
Neo QLED panel
8K Quantum Processor Neural Processor
GPU?
RAM ?GB RAM
5GB storage
Operating System Tizen Smart TV OS
HDR Yes / HDR10+
Maximum Description 2000 nits
Audio 70W, 4.2.2 Dolby Atmos
I/O 4x HDMI 2.1, 3x USB-A 2.0, 1x USB-C, RF, Optical Audio
DTTV Yes/DVB-T2
Bixby Virtual Assistant
Internet LAN/ WiFi 6E
Bluetooth BT 5.2
Chromecast Yes
AirPlay 2 Yes
Size 1668.3 x 1023.8 x 286.4 mm (with base)
Weight 43.7 kg (with base)
Sale Price RM 26,999
DESIGN
The QN800C model we are reviewing is 75″ which is a mid-range model. Samsung offers the QN700C with a 65″ screen and the QN900C with an 85″ screen. Only the screen size is different and the components and features offered are the same. The screen has a thin bezel with a metal body panel surrounding the 75″ panel from the Neo QLED family.
Neo QLED is the latest panel offered by Samsung to consumers and is seen as a better alternative to the aging LED and OLED which has the issue of burning pixels if the TV displays a static image for a long period of time.
From the front, there is no difference between the QN800C and the Samsung S95B that Aksiz recently reviewed. The body is thin when viewed from the side and we feel it is only as thick as a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. This makes it look great especially if you plan to hang it on the wall using the VESA mount (400x400mm). No issue it will pop out to extremes.
This thin body is achieved because the main components of the QN800C are placed in a separately connected One Connect box. In normal mode the One Connect is connected to a special plate on the back of the iron base that comes with every purchase of the QN800C. If you hang it on the wall, only one thin cable needs to be connected to the back of the TV and it is then connected to the One Connect box.
One Connect box
On the One Connect there is a DVB-T2 digital TV decoder, 4X HDMI 2.1, 3X USB-A 2.0, 1X USB-C, 1X RJ45 LAN and 1X RF antenna connection. The box can then be placed up to 2 meters from the TV using the included cable. For those who don't like to see tangled cables, this One Connect system makes it easy to hide various power and HDMI wires.
The TV base is an "L" shaped metal type with a thin lining. This is our favorite site design because various accessories such as soundbars, consoles, satellite TV decoders and Apple TV can be placed under the TV without any space constraints.
The space between the legs and the bottom of the TV is 110mm high which is big enough to place a soundbar, PlayStation 4, Astro Ultra Box decoder, Internet modem, Apple TV 4K and Mac Mini. Even so there is still not enough space for a PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X console.
Internet support is via LAN or WiFi 6E. This is another necessary feature because to ensure that 8K HDR content can be streamed smoothly, fast internet is required. Various other accessories can be connected with bluetooth 5.2 tether.
USE AND VISUAL QUALITY
The visual quality is very satisfying. The Neo QLED 8K panel on the QN800C displays a very sharp image, realistic colors and a description that can burn the retina of the eye as it reaches 2000 nits. What you want to watch on the QN800C it can display brilliantly.
All major streaming platforms are supported with a dynamic HDR10+ system. Yes we know some want Dolby Vision but Samsung has repeatedly said they will stick with HDR10+ as they have been a supporter of this format since the beginning. Although not Dolby Vision, a vivid image can still be enjoyed. We still feel Dolby Vision is the more cinematic format but even without it HDR10+ is still useful.
There is no significant ghosting issue even when watching fast-paced action scenes or in gaming sessions. We will touch on gaming performance in more depth in a separate segment below. Samsung also includes a Filmmaker Mode feature for those who want to make sure the movies they watch are in the right format. In this mode the colors will not be raised to extremes and the frame rate is limited to 24 FPS.
The screen panel that has an anti-glare layer helps a lot, especially during the day. Nevertheless the Neo QLED panel has pretty good viewing angles and there are no issues seeing what's on the screen.
The issue may be that the displayed black color is not as opaque as can be seen on an OLED panel. A slight blooming effect can also be seen because the Neo QLED panel still needs an LED light source on the back unlike OLED. But we feel that these two "issues" are too small when viewed from the overall capabilities of this panel.
We can say for the best visuals, watch native 8K content like the one on YouTube. 4K and 1080p content can be displayed well but can see upscale effects such as color banding on colors and significant noise effects. This will only be resolved when there are more and more platforms offering 8K content. 720P and below content unfortunately still appears broken due to technological barriers at this time.
GAMING
Screen performance for gaming is the best we've ever seen on a TV that arrived at the our lab. Four HDM 2.1 inputs allow four consoles/PCs to be connected directly to the TV at 4K 120Hz resolution. We were able to test the QN800C with Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. As advertised the visuals on these two consoles can be enjoyed at this high resolution and frame rate.
There is a dedicated gaming hub that allows ultra-wide screen ratios, modes for different games (FPS, MMO, racing etc) to be accessed, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro and reducing input lag can be controlled locally. There is GeForce Now streaming support but we did not have time to test it as we are not a Yes 5G customer and Samsung Malaysia itself confirmed that it does not officially support this feature in Malaysia.
Gaming hub dashboard
AUDIO QUALITY
Speakers with 4.4.2 channels and 70W output support Dolby Atmos and DTS TruSurround. The output audio quality is very good. Probably the best we've heard since starting television reviews.
Audio feels alive with voices being heard clearly even in noisy scenes. The bass bang is also good but less strong because there is no separate subwoofer system. The effect of Dolby Atmos in our opinion is not very good with the audio that should be coming from above not noticeable in some of the movies we watched.
We then added the QN800C to a Samsung HW-Q800C soundbar. As a result, more stable audio can be enjoyed. When paired with their own soundbar, Dolby Atmos audio can be used wirelessly. More importantly, installation is easy and both the soundbar and TV speakers can work simultaneously with the Q-Symphony feature.
TIZEN SMART TV OS
Tizen Smart TV OS is the most dominant operating system due to Samsung's sizable stake in the world smart TV market. Therefore, various important applications can be downloaded through the application store. By default YouTube, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar and Prime Video are already installed.
Other apps like Apple TV, Astro, HBO Go, Curiosity Stream, Nebula, iQiyi, Viu, Twitch, TikTok, WeTV, Sooka, Spotify, Apple Music and more can be downloaded. Everything worked without issue throughout the two-week review period.
There is even Google Meet support for those who want to use the QN800C as a teleconference TV. Users are given the option of using a Samsung smartphone as a camera or connecting a Logitech webcam to the USB-C port.
Our previous issue with Tizen OS was that it felt quite slow with lag issues if many apps were running in the background. We only noticed this issue on the first day the TV was activated. After that the application can be launched quickly and accessed using the multitasking feature without major issues. It is smoother when compared to our experience using Chromecast with Google TV. There is no information about the Neural Quantum Processor 8K used or the RAM size. What is listed is 4GB of storage only.
The Multi View screen with three inputs is displayed and the contents of the phone are broadcast
Because it's a Samsung TV, it works well when paired with the Samsung ecosystem. For example Samsung DeX wirelessly can be used complete with Multi View. With Multi View, up to four inputs such as one from YoTube, Netflix, Spotify and another from a Samsung Galaxy smartphone can be displayed simultaneously on the screen. Users can arrange the size of the screen, and the position of each screen when using this picture-in-picture mode.
For Samsung SmartThings users, various internet of things (IoT) devices can be controlled directly from the QN800C. For example with Bixby voice commands, a Routine can be programmed.
The hub shows the connections that the QN800C can make
Say the voice command “Movie Time” is programmed, the QN800C will continue to open Netflix with Filmmaker Mode, the living room lights are turned off, the curtains are closed and the air conditioning system goes into silent mode. Because SmartThings also supports the Matter standard now, other IoT devices can also be controlled directly from the QN800C.
Another feature included is Ambient Mode which displays animations on the TV screen when it is not being used as a TV. A prominent artwork image can also be displayed as a screensaver in this mode.
Ambient Mode
For users of the Apple ecosystem, AirPlay 2 can also be used to broadcast MacBook, iPhone and iPad content directly on the TV. For those with a Microsoft 365 account, direct computer to PC streaming is also possible. In other words, the QN800C is not only excellent as an entertainment and gaming center at home but can also be used for work for those who are given the freedom of WFH.
REMOTE CONTROL
The remote control is a Smart Remote type that can control not only the QN800C but other accessories connected to the TV. It is small in size with a minimal number of buttons. The four quick shortcuts are for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar and Samsung Internet web browser.
Smart Remote is very easy to use because it is intuitive. All icon labels are easy to understand. Its specialty is that it does not require AAA batteries. Instead it has a built-in that can be charged using a USB-C cable, sunlight and radio waves at home. Since the review, we have never been given a low battery warning.
CONCLUSION
The Samsung Neo QLED 8K QN800C is the best TV we have reviewed so far because of its solid visuals, very satisfying audio, excellent gaming support, useful additional features and paired with a beautiful design. It is as close as possible to visual perfection for those who want a big TV at home.
The downside is that there is no Dolby Vision and the Neo QLED panel is still not as good as the OLED panel in our opinion. More opaque blacks and more vivid colors still favor the OLED panel. The only TV we put above the QN800C is The Wall which is 146″ and is sold at a price of RM1.23 million.
With a selling price starting at RM22,699, it is indeed not a TV for the poor. But the QN800C is like an exotic race car. In order to enjoy the visual quality of the benchmark and combined with advanced additional features, you really need to spend more.
Pro
A screen large enough to provide a movie-like experience at home.
The visual quality is very good, the description reaches 2000 nits.
HDR10+ support.
Dolby Atmos audio support.
Samsung ecosystem support through Tizen Smart TV OS.
Satisfying I/O options such as 4x HDMI 2.1.
Cons
No Dolby Vision support.
Requires Samsung device and SmartThings user to take full advantage.
The price is comparable to a car.