Samsung 98-inch QN90F 4K Smart TV review – once you go big you’ll never go back

We’ve always had a “go big or go home” attitude when it comes to televisions and once you go there there’s no turning back. That’s how we felt when we took a look at Samsung’s 98-inch Neo QLED QN90F 4K smart TV.

We’re no strangers to big screens – in our home theatre we have 150-inch screen for our 4K projector.

But for daily use the 98-inch Samsung TV is something you can easily get used to.

We don’t think in the history of TV sales in Australia that many people who purchase a large screen TV have ever complained that it’s too big.

We often recommend to our readers to go for larger screen sizes and to a person they’re all glad they did.

Well now you can go even bigger with Samsung’s 98-inch Neo QLED 4K smart TV.

And it’s the perfect time of year to consider it with the NRL and AFL finals on our doorstep.

Be honest, watching sport on a big screen TV is one of life’s luxury’s right beside watching movies on a screen of this size.

The scale of the screen and your distance from the screen gives you the same feeling of being in a cinema and truly reinforces the desire for big-screen entertainment.

Samsung has brought that home with this new 98-inch model.

And it’s powered by AI – more specifically the companies impressive Vision AI that transforms the video and audio experience and takes it to a whole new level.

The TV is powered by the NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor and has a 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 with a native 100Hz refresh rate.

Also onboard is a Supersized Picture Enhancer that’s powered through the processor.

Being able to produce a great picture on a screen of this size takes some work.

Stretching an image over 98-inches could result in a loss of detail but the Supersize Picture Enhancer uses AI to upscale the image, reduce noise and maintain the sharpness and black levels so the detail is comparable to the detail you’d see on a smaller screen.

Samsung has extended its brilliant Glare Free technology to its 98-inch smart TV.

Having a much larger screen makes it a bigger target for reflections and we’re pleased to say that the Glare Free worked brilliantly.

We set the TV up in our open plan living area which has a lot of large windows and lots of light.

But even at the height of the day it did not intrude in our viewing one bit. We were able to focus on the movies, sport and TV shows we were enjoying.

One thing’s for certain, Samsung dedicated as much technology to this larger screen TV as it does for the smaller TV’s in the range.

This includes Neo Quantum HDR+ which really makes content pop in 4K and shows the range of the display which can show remarkable detail no matter how bright or dark the screen happens to be.

But one thing to note – and this is not really a dealbreaker – there is no Dolby Vision support with the QN90F but the HDR10+ and the Auto HDR Remastering Pro does make up the difference.

One of the technologies it helps improve the clarity is the Quantum Matrix Technology plus which takes control of the Quantum Mini LED backlights and delivers precise control to deliver stunning detail and black levels.

Colour Booster Pro also comes into play and leverages the powerful AI processor to intelligently optimise colour expression to make each frame warmer and more vivid.

When all these things come together you see Samsung’s signature high picture quality.

And let us tell you – on a 98-inch TV you appreciate that even more.

The Samsung TV is also Pantone-validated which means it has high colour fidelity that reflects the accurate expression of 2140 Pantone colours and 110 newly added skin tone shades so you are assured you’re enjoying a natural and true-to-life experience

Now we know people buying this 98-inch TV will likely be sports fans and there is a feature that they will love.

It’s the AI Motion Enhancer Pro which leverages the AI processor to smooth out fast motion with objects and text.

It really makes a huge difference to watching live sport and other fast-paced content like action movies.

One area where the TV deserves a lot of credit is the audio quality.

Right out of the box the Samsung 98-inch TV office Dolby Atmos so you’re getting a decent surround sound experience.

There’s also Object Tracking through the eight speakers placed around the edges of the screen so you can track the motion across the screen.

And with the screen the speed you can really hear the separation for a nice multidirectional audio experience.

But if you decide to add a Samsung soundbar you will be rewarded with an incredible synchronised sound experience coming from both the TV and the sound bar with QSymphony.

We think a TV of this size would not only be attractive to sports fans but also gamers as well.

Players can enjoy motion accelerator 165Hz variable refresh rate so you can enjoy crisp graphics at high speeds.

The TV also has HDMI 2.1 compatibility so you’re getting ultra-high bandwidth through compatible devices to keep you in for ahead of your opponents.

The Samsung TV is built on AMD Freesync core technology which goes a long way to reduce screen tear and juddering while providing a brilliant HDR gaming experience so you enjoy all the picture quality benefits along with high level and smooth gameplay.

When AI Auto Game mode is activated the TV can detect the type of game you’re playing and optimise the settings on the fly without you having to lift a finger.

But if you do want take control you can easily access the Game Bar and navigate the settings to play the game exactly how you want to.

The TV is running the One UI Tizen operating system which places everything you need at your fingertips including your sources and your favourite streaming services.

And you’ll also receive seven years of OS upgrades at no extra cost so you can enjoy all the latest features for years to come.

The TV also has SmartThings on board which makes it more than just a television – it’s also your smart home hub that allows you to monitor other devices and do things like monitoring electricity usage, controlling your lighting and being notified when the washing is complete.

One cool feature we unlocked with SmartThings was gesture control through the Samsung Galaxy watch.

This means you can use hand gestures to pause and play your content and pinch to select an option.

The Samsung 98-inch Neo QLED QN90F 4K smart TV with Vision AI is available now and priced at $8,999.

VERDICT

The Samsung 98-inch Neo QLED QN90F 4K smart TV delivers a stunning big screen TV experience that will magnify your appreciation for the truly remarkable picture and audio quality to make watching sport and movies and playing games an unforgettable experience.