Samsung Q8FN QLED Series Smart TV Review & Comparison With Samsung NU7100 Series

Previously, we had review of 43″ sibling from Samsung 7100 Series. Samsung 7100 Series is our recommended UHD/4K Smart TV for that budget. Here is Samsung Q8FN QLED Series Smart TV Review & Comparison With Samsung 7100 Series. The difference of price is too significant. Samsung has offering in the between price tags for the other series such as NU7300, NU8000, NU8500 (curved). NU8000 is slightly better for watching movies in the dark. Probably you noticed a deterioration of experience of watching movies on older generation LED, LCD screens at dark for too much high contrast scenes. The peculiar feel of black shades, shocking sudden white scenes are somewhat addressed by the top end models. Matter is difference of display hardware. As the display is different technology, driver IC will be different.

You should have thought for the continuous improvement in display technologies & single board computer technologies. We are too much sure that within the next 5 years, all current UHD television sets will be outdated out of convergence, addition of sensors and emergence of 5G network. Wi-Fi may be towards challenge as connecting technology. Sony, Panasonic, Dell, Samsung or other companies do have separate display bussiness segment for the full professionals. We are talking about genuine “consumer grade” product. Professional displays has a return of investment. Professional displays have different support network.

Samsung Q8FN QLED Series Smart TV Review

Samsung Q8FN QLED series is good for semi-professional, professional works. We tested the 55″ sibling. It does come in more sizes including 75″. Good packaging, but not closest that of Apple’s quality of packaging. Unboxing over 43″ sets demands two persons and a carpet (or table) two screw the stands.

The build quality of the set is great, good quality plastic used and some real metal parts used. The frame is thin, around half inch wide at front, there is a gap between the frame and pixels of the display. Rear panel has four HDMI ports (one supports ARC), one coaxial connector, two USB ports, one ethernet port, one optical audio output, 3.5mm ports for A/V input from various old devices.

Does metal stand, metal bezel border cost how much extra? Questionable but none to answer. Samsung NU7100 series has 1 multi-functional button under the center of the TV, which better needs a mirror or glass surface to guess the location. Samsung Q8FN QLED series has 5 button at the same place practically pointing to use the remote control unit. That is usual design of these days. Back panel of Samsung Q8FN QLED is similar to Samsung 7100 series.

Samsung Q8FN series delivers excellent image quality, great HDR, great local dimming performance, almost perfect to handle motion blur and most importantly supports refresh rate up to 120Hz. Quantum-dot technology definitely delivers vibrant and accurate color. The difference of price between 55″ TV from NU7100 series and 55″ Q8FN QLED series is too obvious while watching own recorded movies and photos. Q8FN has full array direct backlighting.
Over and above the 2018 NU7100 series, there is Bixby, premium quality remote with voice control, beautiful stand and bezel, slightly improved version of Tizen OS and of course better image processing. There is a kind of moiré which Sony is infamous to create and image slightly loss sharpness.

Samsung’s ambient mode is a trick – using their app to take a picture of the TV’s surroundings can create an on-display wallpaper making as if the TV background is visible through & through. Is this feature made by engineers to fool the kids?

Comparison With Samsung NU7100 Series

Samsung Q8FN QLED Series cost higher for the excellent display with high refresh rate. Others are farce – metal stand, metal bezel border, 5 buttons on body, ambient mode, beautiful remote. You really need a wireless keyboard and mouse.

Conclusion

Obviously, quality of display offered by Q8FN will become common with time, NU7100 quality will become backdated, too cheap. Today, Samsung NU7100 series definitely better than the usual displays.
Samsung is a serious brand for computer displays since the CRT era. For their research & development, the extra cost of Q8FN QLED Series at present is obvious.

It really depends on you whether you’ll choose Samsung Q8FN QLED Series or Samsung NU7100 Series. You can really live with Samsung NU7100 Series, it is almost clone of Samsung Q8FN QLED Series outside the better display technology. Sadly just like for the smartphones, we can not just upgrade the display unit. Whether you’ll purchase Samsung Q8FN QLED Series now is about answering one question – do you need near the best display right today at this price? If you wait for few years, the price will fall. Unlike electronics of old days, sudden investment behind top range consumer electronics becoming worthless since the early 2000 era. No replacement parts available to repair 2000 era’s top range music system is common matter. Music CD not changed much, some old cassettes need player. Within 2 decades a costly device is non-functional, no official repair available. You or I can afford is not the matter. Matter is not entertaining the tendency of these companies to force us to throw 2 decades old stuffs.

I am personally in favour towards Samsung 7100 Series just because I told you my suspicion – televisions going to be bigger smartphones within 5 years with too many sensors. 5G will invite better video calls. The remote going to work like handset, hardware & software going to be more open source. It really depends on you whether you are willing to pay near double price for definite better display unit.

Broadcast engineering is the original mother of today’s electronics, computer. Television came to market before computer. It is nice to watch the convergence.