Just because a TV is small by today’s expansive standards doesn’t mean it has to be boring. Take the 50-inch Samsung QE50QN90A for example: this relatively compact screen delivers a premium picture and sound performance that rivals the best of its larger counterparts. It's a true testament that great things often come in smaller packages, offering high-quality entertainment without taking up too much space in your room.

Price

Are you in the market for top-tier electronics but want to ensure you're getting the best value for your money? Our latest models offer cutting-edge technology and design without compromising on affordability. Dive into a world where quality meets cost-effectiveness.

The QE50QN90A sits at the higher end of the current 50-inch TV price range. In many places, it costs more than LG’s 48-inch OLED48C1 OLED TV, which is certainly a tough competition to go up against.

This high price makes you wonder if it's worth paying so much for a relatively smaller TV when larger options are available for less. However, we typically – well, almost always – recommend choosing quality over size, and the QE50QN90A is packed with quality. Considering Samsung’s innovative Neo QLED technology utilized in this model, one might even see the QE50QN90A as a great value for its price.

Design

Experience an exquisite blend of elegance and functionality with our latest design. Every curve and line has been thoughtfully crafted to ensure a seamless user experience while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing look. This iteration brings a refreshing take on modern design principles, ensuring that it not only looks good but also serves you better.

Attention to detail: From the premium materials used to the meticulous craftsmanship, every element has been scrutinized to perfection. Our goal is to provide you with a product that exudes quality and reliability.

Form meets function: Each design choice has been made to enhance usability without compromising on style. The result is a product that is both practical and beautiful, setting a new standard in design innovation.

Stay ahead of the curve with our cutting-edge design, where form and function come together in perfect harmony.

The QE50QN90A unquestionably looks and feels like a premium TV. Its chassis is incredibly thin around the screen and out the back, almost making you wonder if Samsung has switched to OLED technology. However, the QE50QN90A is still a high-quality LCD TV, boasting a premium direct LED lighting system situated right behind the screen, and it features a built-in ‘Object Tracking Sound’ (OTS) audio system for immersive sound.

Despite the slim rear, the build quality is robust, complemented by a heavy-duty, centrally placed desktop stand.

The crisp and clean deep grey finish adds a touch of elegance, while Samsung’s Ambient Mode offers a unique feature: it displays a digitized painting or photograph on the screen in a special low power mode, preventing that 50-inch black hole effect when the TV is not in use.

A particularly cool design element is that the QE50QN90A comes with two remote controls. One is a more traditional remote with many buttons but a somewhat plasticky feel. The other is a smaller, slimmer device with fewer buttons and a solar panel on its back, which eliminates the need to constantly replace its batteries.

Features

The big story with the QE50QN90A is its use of Samsung’s Neo QLED technology. This essentially describes the combination of Samsung’s Quantum Dot color and Mini LED technologies. The former delivers a wider potential color gamut than regular LCD color filters, while the latter replaces the usual meaty LED backlights with much smaller LEDs, enhancing picture quality.

Using much smaller LEDs means you can fit many more of them into the same screen area. This allows for more granular, localized control over the TV’s picture quality. With the 50QN90A, the Mini LED array is driven by an advanced local dimming zone solution powered by Samsung’s latest Neo Quantum 4K processor.

When we say ‘advanced local dimming zone solution,’ we mean it. Remarkably, the QE50QN90A can simultaneously deliver different light levels from 448 separate LED zones. For context, Sony’s 50-inch XBR-50X90J LCD TV uses just 24 local dimming zones.

The result of this precise light control should be more contrast, peak brightness, and a wider color range – essential attributes for high dynamic range pictures.

The 50QN90A uses a VA panel type, with Samsung’s Wide Angle technology to retain color and contrast better when viewed off-axis. Note that other screen sizes in the QN90A range might use IPS-type LCD panels, which may exhibit inferior contrast. Do not assume the 50QN90A’s picture performance is representative of other sets in the range.

The 50QN90A’s connections are built into the TV rather than integrated into an external One Connect box. They include four HDMIs, three USBs, and the usual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth options. One of the HDMIs supports eARC for passing lossless Dolby Atmos audio to a capable soundbar or AVR. HDMI 4 supports the latest gaming features like 4K at 120Hz, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode).

The VRR support even extends to AMD’s FreeSync Premium Pro system, which includes color, brightness, and backlight control. However, it's worth noting that only one HDMI supports 4K/120Hz and VRR, while some competitors, like LG’s OLED48C1 TV, offer four.

As is typical with Samsung TVs, the 50QN90A does not support Dolby Vision HDR or Dolby Atmos sound. However, you do get HDR10+, Samsung’s alternative to Dolby Vision that also adds extra scene-by-scene image data to enhance picture quality. It's a pity Dolby Vision isn’t supported, given its wide availability, especially with the latest Xbox consoles.

Samsung compensates for the lack of Dolby Atmos decoding with an Object Tracking Sound (OTS) system that uses speakers placed around the TV’s frame to create a larger soundstage and more accurate sound placement.

Smart features on the 50QN90A come via Samsung’s Tizen-based Eden platform, known for its compact, customizable, and intelligent interface. It supports control by Bixby, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. The platform includes all the main streaming apps along with plenty of niche options. The only significant omission is Freeview Play, although Samsung provides all the main UK terrestrial broadcaster catch-up apps individually.

Picture

Discovering the perfect picture quality can be akin to finding a hidden gem. Our mission is to guide you through this journey, ensuring you land on the best choices available.

Experience Unmatched Clarity

Step into a world of breathtaking visuals. Our expertise helps you identify the equipment that delivers crystal-clear images and vibrant colors, making your viewing experience truly immersive.

Top Recommendations

We've curated a list of the most outstanding options in the market today:

• Product 1: Ensures stunning resolution and unmatched sharpness.

• Product 2: Offers true-to-life color accuracy and depth.

• Product 3: Features cutting-edge technology for a seamless display.

Each recommendation has been tested rigorously to meet the highest standards, giving you confidence in your decision-making process.

Why Quality Matters

Investing in superior picture quality not only enhances your viewing pleasure but also ensures longevity and better returns on your investment. Remember, it's not just about what you see, but how you see it.

Let us help you view the world in high definition.

The Samsung Neo QLED TVs we’ve tested recently, including the 50QN90A, showcase the stunning potential of mini LED lighting. This innovation dramatically enhances the contrast capabilities of LCD TVs.

The black level response is impressively deep, mimicking the richness and natural look of OLED screens, offering dark scenes with an almost unmatched realism. These vibrant black tones are accentuated by bright highlights, achieving this balance without the common backlight blooming or clouding issues.

The clear distinction between the darkest and brightest parts of the display is reminiscent of OLED technology, making it easier to get lost in the content you’re watching.

While blooming is slightly more noticeable from wider angles, it’s still minimal compared to typical LCD screens.

Adding to the 50QN90A’s exceptional contrast is its high brightness level for a small-screen TV, especially when displaying full-screen HDR images. Sony competes in brightness in this segment, but lacks the Mini LED advantage that the 50QN90A leverages to maintain dark scene clarity without blooming.

The brightness and contrast synergy of the 50QN90A effectively unlocks the full spectrum of the QLED color system, producing saturated and vivid colors that make competing models appear dull and lackluster by comparison.

The Samsung 50QN90A emerges as a top contender for gamers, boasting a remarkably low input lag time of 9.2ms in its Game mode, even while limiting some contrast and color enhancement technologies. Whether you're diving into the latest video game or watching your favorite movie, this display offers unparalleled image quality, embracing the screen’s native 4K resolution despite its compact 50-inch size. Unlike older Samsung models, this sharpness looks natural and well-balanced, even with default settings and without noise reduction—especially beneficial when viewing native 4K content.

Samsung's expertise in sharpness extends to its upscaling capabilities, particularly for sub-4K content. With enhanced AI technology, the upscaling is impressive and continues to evolve, effectively minimizing compression or color noise that may be present in HD sources. However, very grainy sources can appear overly fizzy, which noise reduction options can mitigate but at the cost of occasionally softer images. Thankfully, this is rarely an issue with cleaner HD content, where the 50QN90A’s upscaling truly shines.

Out of the box, motion handling on the 50QN90A can be a bit of a letdown, with the default motion processing creating unwanted effects like flickering and blurring around fast-moving objects. A simple solution is to switch to the Custom motion setting and adjust the judder and blur components to around three or four.

Despite the smart processing power of Samsung’s latest processor, it’s surprising that motion handling isn't optimized without manually tweaking the settings.

There are a couple of other minor issues to note. The default Standard picture preset can cause an excessive loss of shadow detail in darker scenes unless the Shadow Detail setting is adjusted. Overdoing this adjustment, however, can have a negative impact on the brightness of the brighter areas in the picture. Another point is that Samsung's desire to prevent backlight clouding and blooming can sometimes reduce the intensity of bright highlights against dark backgrounds. This is an area where OLED technology still has the edge. The best way to address this on the 50QN90A is by using the Movie or Filmmaker Mode presets, though this may come at the expense of some color vibrancy and black depth.

While future refinements in Samsung’s Neo QLED panel technology and picture settings are anticipated, the bottom line is that with a bit of adjustment, the 50QN90A delivers consistently spectacular images. It’s especially impressive for film and gaming enthusiasts who prefer watching in a dimly lit environment.

Sound

Discovering the perfect sound system can be a game-changer for your audio experience. Whether you're a passionate music lover or a movie enthusiast, the quality of sound significantly enhances your enjoyment.

It's essential to choose a sound system that delivers crisp, clear, and immersive audio. Look for features like surround sound capabilities, deep bass, and crystal-clear trebles to ensure a well-rounded listening experience.

Key Considerations

• Quality of Drivers: The type and quality of drivers in your speakers can make a huge difference in sound output.

• Room Acoustics: The design and acoustics of the room where you'll place your system play a crucial role in sound quality.

• Compatibility: Ensure your sound system is compatible with your current devices for a seamless experience.

By focusing on these important factors, you'll be well on your way to enjoying a superior audio experience. Whether you’re setting up a home theater or just enhancing your music sessions, investing in high-quality audio equipment is worth every penny.

For more tips and reviews on the latest sound systems, visit our homepage.

The 50QN90A's speakers deliver an impressive audio experience, distinctly spreading sound well beyond the TV’s frame. The sound is well-rounded with a substantial bass depth that balances the clear midrange and clean treble.

Notably, specific effects like voices, gunshots, and engine rumbles are accurately placed on and off the screen, enhancing the spatial audio experience. Though it lacks a Dolby Atmos decoder, the 50QN90A sounds more spatial than many TVs that do, especially on larger screen sizes.

Pairing the 50QN90A with a recent Samsung soundbar elevates the audio experience further. This combination creates a larger, higher soundstage with precisely positioned vocals, and the TV’s speakers harmonize surprisingly well with the soundbar.

Despite the powerful sound output of the 50QN90A, it sometimes struggles to maintain its peak performance during dense and loud soundtracks. Additionally, most of its soundstage doesn’t project forward into your room; instead, everything seems to stay at the screen level or behind it.

Our Verdict

Setting up the Samsung 50QN90A to its optimal settings can enhance your viewing experience significantly. With the innovative Mini LED-driven Neo QLED technology, Samsung has created a TV that challenges the performance of OLED, delivering impressive visuals even in a mainstream 50-inch size.