Samsung QN990F Neo QLED hands on — keeping 8K TVs alive (for now)

Samsung's cooking up a storm with its 2025 TV lineup and its most powerful spectacle yet is the flagship QN990F 8K Neo QLED TV.

It's no mean feat taking up the mantle after last year's QN900D Neo QLED TV, which we gave a perfect score — and I'm not sure the QN990F is up for the challenge. I spent a few hours with the TV at Samsung's Labs, and while it has some impressive technology at play, its upscaling and motion processing were less than ideal.

It's hard to say whether it's a blessing or a curse at this point, but AI is at the forefront of Samsung's strategy for 2025 and the flagship 8K Neo QLED leverages its most powerful AI chip yet.

Let's see how far its new design goes and if Samsung's 8K TVs are truly still all the rave.

Samsung QN990F 8K Neo QLED TV: Sizes, pricing and availability

Samsung is taking its flagship Neo QLED to the next level with a new 98-inch model. You'll still be able to purchase it in all the same sizes as last year, including 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch.

Samsung announced pricing of its QLED lineup in late March, but there are still some notable absentees, like the QN70F and QN85F. That being said, we at least got a full picture of the 8K range and one thing that might stand out is an astronomical $39,999 pricing on the new 98-inch size for the QN990F.

Samsung has added around $500 to last year's QN900D launch prices. The 65-inch QN900D launched at $4,999 (and you can get it today for just $3,499 on the Samsung shop), while the 65-inch QN990F is launching at $5,499. That's pricey, but you can expect some deals later in the year to bring that price down a bit.

At least you have the option of choosing between two different Neo QLED 8K models this year, including the flagship QN990F and the cheaper Samsung QN900F, which will blend lifestyle design into its chassis similar to The Frame.

You should be able to purchase either 8K set already, if you're so inclined. The 65-inch Samsung 8K QN900F is available at Best Buy. It's unclear when to expect the QN990F, though it should be hitting other retailers in the coming week.

Samsung QN990F 8K Neo QLED TV: Specs

Samsung QN990F 8K Neo QLED TV: Design

Like the QN900D, the new-and-improved QN990F 8K Neo QLED leverages Samsung's NQ8 Gen3 processor for all things picture performance, upscaling, and the like. The QN990F will also share in its predecessor's matte-finish anti-glare coating, which works well in toning down glare if you watch TV in a more ambient-lit environment.

Where it deviates from QN900D is in the use of Samsung's wireless One Connect Box, which houses all of the I/O, in addition to an improved sound system. This year's model will have a 6.4.4-channel speaker that offers a 120W output, adding just the right amount of oomph and extra surround sound against the QN900D's 90W and 6.2.4-channel audio.

You could potentially see the QN990F among the best gaming TVs, largely because it combines a 120Hz refresh rate with a full set of four HDMI 2.1 ports. The refresh rate can even be bumped up to 240Hz in 4K with Motion Xcelerator, making this display an ideal pick for PC gamers.

The QN990F 8K Neo QLED is also incredibly thin, much like Samsung's OLED lineup. At just 14mm thick, you could theoretically place it anywhere or set it up on the wall, which looks sleek thanks to its wireless One Connect Box.

Not much else has changed, though, in terms of design. While LG might be making some strides with a new remote on its 2025 range, Samsung is keeping the same remote, but adding a new AI button to the top. This will make AI search all the more streamlined for those who want it.

You'll see plenty more design changes on the QN900F, Samsung's other (and cheaper) 8K Neo QLED model this year that instead uses a metal frame-like bezel in an effort to mirror Samsung's lifestyle offerings. That set will, however, not come in a 98-inch model and will feature the NQ8 Gen2 processor instead of the QN8 Gen3.

Samsung QN990F 8K Neo QLED TV: Performance and features

There's a lot to love with the QN990F in terms of picture performance, but it's clear the best way to experience any kind of content is via a 4K Blu-ray or streaming in 4K. That said, you'll need to make sure you're paying for the best streaming services in 4K, which often costs more than HD streaming. 4K streaming will offer a better experience when shows and movies are upscaled to 8K.

The QN990F didn't handle 1080p content very well. I watched a variety of different movies in the lower resolution, including "The Dark Knight" in Blu-ray (1080p), "Den of Thieves 2" on Netflix (1080p), and "David Blaine Do Not Attempt" on Hulu (1080p). Both movies and the show had a lot of fuzziness and diminished upscaling performance, which doesn't bode well for general broadcast TV — especially sports — that come in over cable at 1080p.

Which leads me to my second point: poor motion processing. I noticed this mostly in 1080p content, but it did rear its head in select 4K shows and movies, where I saw some judder and blurriness in fast-moving objects.

There were also several issues with haloing, as seen in "Alien Romulus," which I watched in 4K on Disney Plus. There wasn't too much of a problem with fuzziness, but darker blacks, especially in wider space scenes, took a hit on the QN990F. This isn't something we'd see on the Samsung S95F OLED, which is shaping up to be one of the best OLED TVs.

After airing out the TV's dirty laundry, let me be a be a bit more positive here. One thing you won't have any complaints about is glare thanks to its anti-glare coating. I may not be a fan of how the matte finish looks, but it works as intended.

It's also got a far-improved sound system. We tested the 85-inch model in a somewhat larger room, but I never needed to raise the volume more than 20 levels (out of 100), which should highlight its raw power.

You'll also notice a slight variation in Tizen OS on the 8K system. It's a bit more zoomed in and looks a little cleaner over last year's software, which I appreciate. Navigating to the settings menu was also much smoother and faster, too.

Samsung QN990F 8K Neo QLED TV: Outlook

You might be wondering whatever happened to 8K TVs? It's a valid question that Samsung aims to answer with the QN990F QLED TV, one of its most powerful TVs yet.

But is it valid for every household? Not so much. Especially if you're primarily watching your content in 1080p (whether knowingly or unknowingly). Thankfully, almost all major streaming services offer 4K resolution for an additional monthly fee (and few if any have a wide selection of HDR10+ content to enjoy).

This is what makes the QN990F a tough sell, even if you have the money to spend on such a lavish offering. There's no question it's an incredible 8K TV, but with so many caveats, does the QN990F warrant its premium price tag? It's hard to tell at this stage.

We'll be putting Samsung's flagship 8K Neo QLED through our testing procedures in the coming weeks, so be sure to check back with us to see how it fares.

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