Samsung Q60A 4K UHD TV evaluation: Top-notch color and brightness for the money, however so-so dim ranges

There’s nothing like engaged on just a few entry-degree TV opinions to renew my admiration for Samsung’s QLED image quality. Even the first-rung Q60A QLED reviewed right here’s a breath of original air by comparability. Being edge-lit, the Q60A doesn’t disclose the same distinction or dim ranges as the company’s pricier array-lit and mini-LED QLEDs, however it’s nonetheless a mammoth step up when it involves color and sparkling detail.

Assemble and aspects

The mandatory display cowl abilities for the period of the Q60A is simplest marginally modified from my last test on the series, 2019’s Q60R. The $850, 55-trip class unit reviewed right here aspects the same unique 10-bit, 60Hz, 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) panel, though this one sports activities the company’s dual-LED abilities launched with last one year’s T-series, for a a miniature warmer color palette.

This evaluation is phase of TechHive’s coverage of the staunch natty TVs, the put you would possibly perchance get hang of opinions of the competition’s offerings, plus a buyer’s manual to the aspects you would possibly perchance presumably merely nonetheless luxuriate in in thoughts when purchasing for this style of product.

As talked about, edge lighting is employed, which plan no native zone dimming. Color is enhanced with quantum dots (It’s a QLED), and there’s a tight quantity of usable high brightness at spherical 450 nits. The test unit weighed in at spherical 38 kilos, and original for this one year, aspects high adjustable legs that don’t require screws—a boon for swiftly and straightforward setup. The VESA mount level is 200 x 200mm.

Samsung

The Q60A is moreover available in 43-, 50-, 60-, 70-, 75-trip, and 85-trip flavors, ranging in mark from $600 to $2,800. 

Samsung

The port array is ample for contemporary households, however you’ll want an HDMI adapter for legacy composite/element/audio tools. On board are three HDMI inputs (one supporting eARC), two USB ports that make stronger each and each mass media for playback and peripherals, a coax jack for cable and antenna utilize, optical SP/DIF, and ethernet.

Samsung supports HDR10 and HDR10+, to boot to HLG excessive dynamic differ video, though no longer Dolby Imaginative and prescient. Dolby Digital Plus audio is supported, though no longer Atmos. Enhance for that object-essentially essentially based spatial encompass sound codec starts with the Q70A. There’s a low-latency gaming mode, and extensive aspect ratio gaming is moreover that you just would possibly perchance deem of through Racy Ultrawide GameView. I usually sustain away from dealer-keep up a correspondence, however that one made me mumble.

Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung’s have Bixby digital assistants are supported, and the company gives its have curated announce in the manufacture of Samsung TV Plus. Additionally on board are keen Samsung aspects, corresponding to ambient mode, the put the display cowl mimics your wall through a describe you add, and the SmartThings IoT atmosphere.  

A ways off and interface

Samsung’s SmartHub interface is successfully-organized, gorgeous and on the total easy to navigate; on the opposite hand, it’s very inefficient—requiring a lot more clicks than any of the competition (Android TV, Roku, Vizio, WebOS) to salvage the put it is top to head. It moreover tends to omit issues, corresponding to the home row shortcut for the NAS box I stream movies from. On the opposite hand, the total mammoth streaming companies and products come in, and there’s a tight channel manual for cable, over-the-air, and Samsung-curated announce. 

The total factual user-interface facets are latest, including the most trendy streaming companies and products, channel manual, etc—it’s appropriate no longer up to a Roku or Vizio degree of sophistication when it involves finding it.

Samsung

From an industrial manufacture standpoint, Samsung’s remotes are effortlessly the most gorgeous on the market, and I in fact like the amount and channel make a selection rocker buttons. This latest TM2180E version forgoes disposable batteries for an inside Lithium Ion battery that’s charged throughout the dinky solar panel on the unit’s backplate. Accurate have in mind to position of living the remote facedown as usually as that you just would possibly perchance deem of, or alternatively, utilize the Style-C charging port on the bottom. 

All that continues to be is for Samsung to fabricate the melding of interface and remote less click-hungry. I’d be at liberty to sit down down down down with them to discuss about, though inspecting the competition would possibly perchance merely nonetheless show the company everything they want to know.

Efficiency

The Q60A’s image quality is classic Samsung; which plan it’s as factual as it will get for the abilities keen. There’s ample usable brightness for HDR, crucial functions are improbable, color is situation on (and a miniature warmer than the old abilities, thanks to the beforehand talked about Twin-LED lighting), and distinction and blacks are… as factual as you would possibly perchance question without issue backlighting or zone dimming. Better backlighting graces QLEDs starting with the subsequent step up—the Q70A.

Samsung

Processing is terribly factual. There’s efficient motion compensation (for 60Hz), minimal shimmer and moiré, and in unique it’s appropriate a extremely factual describe. Stamp that with quite lots of field cloth, I’ve stumbled on that decreasing the brightness on Samsung TVs makes for the next overall describe, and eliminates that “shot to video” function that occurs with some field cloth. 

Honest for the money

Samsung’s QLED image quality has spawned legions of fans, and the Q60A shows you why. It’s arguably supreme at school, even with edge-lighting. That talked about, the extra clicks required by Samsung’s remote and interface have standard me appropriate down to the level the put I’ll settle for a a miniature lower-quality describe in the title of ease of utilize; particularly, Roku. 

Even as you’re a QLED fan, I’m in a position to’t support thinking you would possibly perchance presumably merely want to step up to the Q70A the put you’ll salvage the brightness and heaps better distinction. On the Q60A’s mark level, examine it to the Hisense U8G, Sony’s X900H, and the TCL 6-Assortment.

• Samsung QN60A-series 4K UHD TV (55-trip class, mannequin QN5560A)

  This TV in actuality deserves another quarter famous particular person, as it delivers the next describe than most lower-mid-differ TVs. Quantum dots fabricate for factual color, and there is kind of lots of brightness

  Execs

  • Fair color and a total bunch high brightness
  • Honest video processing for a 60Hz TV
  • Battery-saving solar-rechargeable remote sustain an eye on

  Cons

  • Edge lighting ends in standard dim ranges
  • SmartHub interface and remote lack efficient synergy

Jon is a Juilliard-knowledgeable musician, weak x86/6800 programmer, and lengthy-time (leisurely 70s) pc enthusiast residing in the San Francisco bay home. [email protected]