The Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED is packed with features that would make it fit for mixed-use, but users looking for a gaming or PC monitor will especially be drawn to it. With HDR10 & HDR10+ support, gamers and ardent movie watchers will enjoy HD viewing in all formats, and its VA panel guarantees ultra-wide viewing angles in large spaces. In addition, the Q80’s superior Object Tracking Sound feature, super-fast response times, variable refresh rate, 4K Quantum processor, and easy-to-use Tizen OS place it in good stead compared to previous models, but the lack of Dolby Vision and Freeview Play might be an issue to some.
Picture Quality
4K
- The expert testers at Rtings.com loved that the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED Smart TV has no problems displaying native 4K content, and this is primarily thanks to the 4K Quantum image processor on board. Like most of the best 70 Inch TVs in the market, the Q80 is well equipped to handle various refresh rates and will not give you any trouble when upscaling low-resolution content.
Colour
- According to most testers, the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED has sharp and accurate colors thanks to a wide color gamut. In addition, white balance, gamma, and color temperature all appear to be well-calibrated on the smart TV, thanks to excellent DCI P3 color space coverage.
Black
- The VA panel on the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED makes sure that black colors appear deep, and as reviewers found out, the full-array local dimming panel also results in significantly blacker blacks on the smart TV. However, bright images are also handled exceptionally well against a black background, even when brightness is at its maximum setting.
Brightness
- The Samsung Q80T QLED TV has a peak brightness that tops off at 1500 nits, which places it at the higher end of its category, and also significantly higher than that of the Samsung Q80/Q80A. Xbox series and PS 5 gamers will benefit significantly from using the Dynamic Black Equaliser to inject brightness into darker scenes, making gameplay more vivid.
Contrast
- Product reviewers noted the Samsung Q80T QLED’s high contrast ratio, but they also agreed that it is lower than what is typical for a VA panel. This is probably due to Samsung’s ‘Ultra Viewing Angle’ layer, which makes viewing angles on the smart TV better at the expense of the contrast ratio. However, local dimming does improve the contrast ratio to a reasonable extent, resulting in an improved darkroom viewing experience.
Dimming
- The Samsung Q80 impressed most of the reviewers at cnet.com with its local dimming feature, as it significantly improved the black levels & image quality, making it great for viewing in a dark room.
- Unfortunately, it doesn’t do much during game mode.
Gaming
- Gaming enthusiasts found the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED a great choice to play video games on, thanks to excellent response times, a game mode, auto low latency mode, minimal input lag, and wide viewing angles. In addition, the TV has a Game Picture Mode for the best calibration when gaming and a Game Motion Plus setting that reduces motion blur.
HDR
- The Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED’s ability to handle bright peak HDR content was highly praised by product testers, and this is mainly because of its wide color gamut. The only caveat they noted was the lack of Dolby Vision HDR support. On the flip side, the TV doesn’t register any issues when handling HDR movies in HDR10 and HDR10 Plus formats, meaning excellent image quality and vibrant color.
Motion
- The Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED does not struggle at all with motion handling thanks to a super-fast response time, so both fast-moving content and fast-moving game scenes appear pretty good, according to most reviewers.
Refresh
- Expert testers observed that screen tearing is kept to the absolute minimum on the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED smart TV due to support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technology and a 120Hz Refresh Rate. Reviewers found this to be quite good for gaming or watching fast-paced action movies in 4K resolution.
Response
- Most product testers had a hard time spotting any blur trail behind fast-moving objects on the Samsung Q80/Q80T TV screen, and this is due to its chart-topping response time of 10.1 ms.
- However, some reviewers noticed overshoot in some transitions, though this was attributed to having Motion Interpolation turned on.
Viewing Angle
- Reviewers lauded Samsung’s Ultra Viewing Angle layer on the Q80/Q80T QLED and noted how easy it made watching TV at different angles. This makes it perfect for viewing in a large space. In addition, the image accuracy stays maintained even when viewed from the side, and reflections in bright rooms are also handled pretty well.
Burn in
- Being a VA Panel, there’s no risk for the Samsung Q80T QLED to experience burn-in, as product testers found it pretty immune to that even over the long term.
Design
Stand
- Center-mounted on a pedestal-style stand, many reviewers found that the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED wobbles just a bit when nudged back and forth, but not to the extent that it would fall over too quickly. The TV stand is also made of metal and plastic and has a well-thought-out cable-management system that allows you to channel the power or HDMI ports through it.
Back
- Many reviewers also loved that the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED’s plastic back feels relatively smooth despite being rather plain, and this gives it a nice sleek look. The back is also configured to allow for VESA wall mounting and has side-facing inputs that are pretty easy to access even with the TV mounted on a wall.
Borders
- Measuring about 0.35cm, experts agree that the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED has relatively thin bezels, keeping it stylish and nice to look at, similar to the Samsung Q90/Q90T. You also won’t notice any gaps between where the bezels and pixels meet.
Thickness
- The Samsung Q80/Q80T was relatively thin for a QLED by most product testers, which significantly adds to its allure. The TV is about 2.2 inches thick, making it slightly wider than its predecessor, the Samsung Q70/Q70T.
Features
Tuner
- The Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED didn’t come with Samsungs’ One Connect Box, which, as product reviewers noted, is their native outboard input and tuner gadget.
- Unfortunately, it also doesn’t feature a Freeview Play tuner for UK users, and this ultimately shaved off a few points from its scoreboard.
Input
- Reviewers counted a total of 4 HDMI inputs, 2 USB ports, and 1 Digital Optical Audio Out on the Samsung Q80, and they’re all side-facing, making them very easy to access.
Remote
- The Q80’s sleek and slim OneRemote is relatively small in size, with support for voice control through its built-in microphone. There are shortcuts to the most popular streaming services on it, but what stood out to testers is the remote’s Ambient mode button, which displays artwork whenever you’re not watching TV.
Smart TV
App
- According to most reviewers, Samsung’s Tizen Smart TV OS offers a refreshing user interface, with smart features, easy access to plenty of apps, and smooth navigability. . You’ll also be able to play content from your USB stick, your mobile device, a cable TV subscription as well as other compatible connected devices. Mobile functionality is also possible through Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant, requiring a Samsung account login.
- The only con that experts pointed out was the inability to opt-out of ads.
Streaming
- The Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED allows you to access the Samsung app store, which is packed with a wide selection of streaming apps, so there shouldn’t be any problem finding one that’s specific to your chosen genre. HDR content can also be played back on Netflix & YouTube, so long as users have a reliable Internet connection.
Menu
- Like most Samsung TVs, there weren’t any complaints from testers about navigating the Q80’s menu since everything felt pretty intuitive and easy to get around. The menu is pretty smooth, but if you feel like you wouldn’t like to get through it adjusting all the settings, you can use the TV’s Intelligent Mode to adapt the brightness and sound to incoming content for general viewing.
Sound Quality
Audio
- Audio quality on the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED yielded mixed reactions from testers, with some noting it as well-balanced and others terming it as mid-fi at best. However, audio output is rated at 60W through two channels, which is good enough for the occasional movie night.
Bass
- Reviewers found that the bass from the Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED isn’t the room-shaking kind, but they were pleased that it doesn’t have the artificiality that is common in TVs with smaller drivers.
Soundstage
- The Samsung Q80/Q80T QLED features multi-directional drivers that allow it to create a soundstage that’s got amplified sonic height, where the sound spreads well across an open setting. In addition, the drivers fire up, down, and to the sides, yielding a much more cinematic audio experience.
