Samsung Neo QLED QN85D 75"

The Samsung QN85D's Mini-LED panel is a knockout for contrast and color, but its built-in audio ranks dead last in our database. Gaming is a highlight with a 120Hz panel and VRR, landing in the 79th percentile. Find it for under a grand, pair it with a soundbar, and you've got a killer setup, just don't expect top-tier HDR.

The Mini-LED backlight with local dimming is the star here. The Quantum Matrix tech delivers precise lighting control, and it shows in the contrast. Blacks are inky, and highlights pop without the blooming you'd see on a standard LED. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor uses 20 specialized networks to upscale content to 4K, and it does a solid job. Motion Xcelerator Turbo keeps the native 60Hz panel feeling smooth at 120Hz, which is great for gaming. We measured gaming performance in the 79th percentile, meaning it's well above average for consoles and PCs alike.

Where it stumbles is HDR. The Neo Quantum HDR is supposed to adjust contrast scene by scene, but it lands in the 34th percentile, which is mediocre. In real terms, you might notice some crushed shadows or less impactful specular highlights compared to a top-tier set like the Sony BRAVIA 9. The Real Depth Enhancer is a neat trick that boosts foreground contrast to add a sense of 3D, but it can't fully compensate for the HDR limitations. For SDR content and gaming, this thing is a champ. For the best HDR movie experience, there are stronger options.

Stacked against the Sony BRAVIA 9 K85XR90, the Samsung loses the HDR battle badly. Sony's set is a top-performer for high dynamic range, while the QN85D is just mediocre. The LG G5 Series OLED will give you perfect blacks and better viewing angles, but you'll pay a premium and lose the brightness advantage of Mini-LED. The Hisense U7 Series 75U75QG is a scrappy competitor that often undercuts the Samsung on price while offering surprisingly good picture quality, making it a real threat for budget-conscious buyers. If you want the best HDR and motion for sports, look at the Sony. If you want the best overall picture and don't mind the cost, go OLED. The Samsung's sweet spot is as a bright, feature-packed gaming and SDR movie hub.

Pricing on this set is all over the map, with a spread of $3,275 across vendors. You can snag it for as low as $686, which is an absolute steal for a 75-inch Mini-LED TV with this feature set. At that price, the value proposition is incredible, even when you factor in the cost of a decent soundbar to fix the audio. At the higher end near $3,961, you're creeping into OLED territory, and the value argument falls apart. Shop around, because the deal you get drastically changes the verdict here.

The Samsung QN85D lands in our database with a display score in the 86th percentile, and honestly, the Mini-LED panel backs that up. You're getting 100% color volume and the kind of deep blacks that used to be OLED territory, all driven by the NQ4 AI Gen2 processor. The 120Hz panel with VRR and ALLM makes it a strong pick for gamers, landing in the 79th percentile for gaming. But the audio is a real letdown, sitting dead last in our rankings, so you'll want to budget for a soundbar right out of the gate.

At 75 inches, this is a statement piece that weighs in at a hefty 38.5kg. The Tizen smart platform is well above average, and connectivity is a standout with four HDMI 2.1 ports. Users are overwhelmingly happy, giving it a 4.6 out of 5 across over a thousand reviews. The main gripe we see is some slight motion lag during fast sports, which tracks with the HDR performance falling behind the pack at the 34th percentile. It's a fantastic living room centerpiece, just don't expect it to blow you away with its built-in sound.

If you're a cinephile who prioritizes the best possible HDR experience, this isn't your TV. The HDR performance is in the 34th percentile, which is mediocre, and you'll get much better dynamic range and specular highlight detail from a Sony BRAVIA 9 or an LG OLED. Sports fans sensitive to motion handling might also be frustrated by the slight lag some users report. And if you're planning to rely on built-in TV speakers, just walk away, the audio is the worst in our database.

The Samsung QN85D is a tale of two TVs. The display itself is a winner, with Mini-LED contrast and color that make games and 4K content look fantastic. The smart platform is snappy, and the connectivity is top-notch. But the audio is the worst we've seen, and the HDR performance is a genuine weak spot. With a 4.6-star user rating, most buyers are clearly thrilled, and if you can find it at the lower end of its massive price range, it's an easy recommendation for gamers and mixed-use households. Just don't forget to add a soundbar to your cart.