Samsung QN800D 8k Mini LED Neo QLED TV (QE75QN800D) review

When it comes to high-end screens, Samsung dominates the aspirational 8k market, and 2024 could be a banner year for the technology if the QN800D is any indicator.

At the brand’s recent World of Samsung trade event, Inside CI was given exclusive access to this new premium 8k model, and what we saw wowed us.

Positioned just below the range-topping QN900D, the QN800D is the successor to the brand’s QN800C - but there’s more than just a suffix change on offer.

Our sample was the 75-inch Mini LED model (65- and 85-inch models also available), which can be considered the new sweet spot for an 8k resolution panel like this. We enjoyed a hands-on with the screen in a well-appointed hotel suite, which seemed like the natural habitat for such a screen.

Designwise, the QN800D offers predictably clean lines, with a minimal bezel and central pedestal stand. It’s this that props up the separate One Connect tuner and interface box. It’s here that you’ll find four HDMI inputs, all of which offer high refresh rate support for games consoles and PCs.

In addition to eARC and ALLM, there’s VRR with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Nvidia G-Sync support.

At the heart of the QN800D is the brand’s second gen NQ8 AI processor. Built in Voice compatibility is limited to Amazon Alexa, with Samsung’s own Bixby chipping in when required.

As you might expect, the set runs Samsung’s Tizen operating system. This enjoys a few tweaks for 2024, mainly to improve navigation. There’s also a new operational dashboard for smart devices, like connected lights and security cameras, as well as health orientated applications.

For the UK, expect a standard Freeview tuner as well as a satellite option for those with a dish feed.

When it comes to picture performance, the QN800D looks goregous, and upscaling of HD and 4k sources is impressive. It delivers extremely colour rich Quantum Dot bolstered images, which don’t appear overly garish, as well as convincing near shadow detail. Contrast from this Mini LED display is very good indeed, with negligible blooming evident on the content I had to hand.

HDR compliance covers HDR10, HDR10+, HLG and HGiG - but Dolby Vision is still a no show. HDR highlights appear bright and peaky, with the screen having no difficulty at all delivering HDR streams from the likes of Netflix and Disney+. Off axis visual integrity is good.

The high contrast nighttime fight sequences in John Wick: Chapter 4 (UHD Blu-ray) displays a real dynamic snap. Shattering glass cabinets sparkled with fine detail and bright highlights. Textures and skin tones look utterly convincing, and motion is well handled.

Inevitably, its images lose subjective focus and punch when viewed in Filmmaker mode, but ultimately that’s going to be an issue of taste.

The set really lets rip in Dynamic mode, and colours pop; I can see this being the way to go with animations and fantasy fare - but there are caveats.

'The high contrast nighttime fight sequences in John Wick: Chapter 4 (UHD Blu-ray) displays a real dynamic snap. Shattering glass cabinets sparkled with fine detail and bright highlights...'

The opening montage of Top Gun: Maverick (UHD Blu-ray), in which fighter jets launch from an aircraft carrier, bathed in golden light, is quite telling. In Dynamic mode, the setting sun in this sequence is burnt out, but in Standard it becomes more clearly defined. The sun is also visible in Movie mode, although I noted some detail clipping.

I also noted some curious artefacts. In John Wick: Chapter 4, 56 minutes in, there were clear solarisation effects visible in most all picture modes. The solution to mitigate this appeared to be to turn off the Picture Clarity setting.

I also noted that when the set is put into its Intelligent mode, there’s a distinct upturn in peak brightness.

It’s working pointing out that this was an early sample of the QN800D, and I was working on it in a very limited time frame. So a full evaluation is yet to be made.

Audio provision is fine, with Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony both available. The speaker configuration on this model is 4.2.2, with both forward facing and up-high drivers, arranged in a standard OTS (Object Tracking Sound) arrangement. Total power output is 70w.

It’s fair to say that there’s no immediate need to add external hardware straight out of the box, as the TV sounds pretty darn good from the get-go. The nightclub fight sequence in John Wick: Chapter 4, with its frenetic sound steerage and deep repetitive bass lines, is well handled, although clearly there’s a limit to just how much boom a set this slim can produce.

During the audition, I felt the set should have gone louder, but the complaints from those sharing the audition space with me seemed to disagree. I suspect that the set’s delivery was so clean and distortion free that my natural inclination was to keep pushing the envelope.

Overall, we think that the Samsung QN800D looks like a compelling argument for upgrading to 8k. It delivers excellent results with 4k streams and UHD Blu-ray, and has an impressive out of the box audio performance. The 75-inch QN800D is priced at €5,699.