Need Help Upgrading Ancient TV

Hawking

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Hello all,

I'm looking for some advice on getting a tv. I'll be using it through a PS4 Pro to play games & movies. But i do plan on getting a PS5 in the future. Likely next year, so would prefer to future proof.
It would be used in a dark environment, only me, so narrow viewing angles are fine. I also like to play fighting games, so input delays are valuable.

X90J 50' & 55' panels, are there any differences between them? Both VA panels?

Looking online, I've read that the Samsung QN94A is brighter in dark scenes than the Sony X90J, altering the original source quite a lot in the pictures i've seen (Samsung QN95A / QN90A 'Neo QLED' review). But the QN94A is supposed to perform better overall, and has faster input delay.

Prices I can get:

Sony X90J 50' £850, 55' £900 (offer until 1 Nov)
Samsung QN94A 50' £1029
Sony XH9505 55' £850 (unsure if can get in stock)

Is the QN94A worth the price difference?

After researching the various models on rtings.com, I was interested in the Hisense U8G series, but I then found out that the EU models are wholly inferior to the NA models they reviewed which was a big shame.

Are any of the QLED Hisense 4K tv's offered over here any good?

The Sony XH9505 doesn't have 120hz 4k support nor 2.1 hdmi. Are the cons still worth it for a gamer?

Do you suggest waiting for Black Friday or are these deals as good as it'll get?

Many thanks.
 
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The X90J is a lower tier TV than the other models, Sony do the X95J which is comparable, but starts at 65" this year.

The X95J is the new XH9505, so this year Sony decide to stop producing their highest range LCD TVs smaller than 65".

Therefore I'd suggest the Sony 55XH9505, or wait for the price of the 55" QN9xA model(s) to come down. The reason the 50" QN94A is so expensive right now is because 1. Its a new TV, and usually now new TV prices are still high and 2. Its practically the only higher end TV from 2021 ranges. 3. Smaller TVs tend not to be as good value as larger models.
X90J 50' & 55' panels, are there any differences between them? Both VA panels?
Both are VA, but they use different panel vendors. The panel vendor that makes the 50" are known to have better native black levels, but more black smearing. Whereas the vendor that makes the 55" have worse black levels, but less black smearing.
 
Both are VA, but they use different panel vendors. The panel vendor that makes the 50" are known to have better native black levels, but more black smearing. Whereas the vendor that makes the 55" have worse black levels, but less black smearing.
I don't know if it's as black and white as you describe. Panel manufactures produce various different panels, revisions and offer improvements. TV manufactures also use different ones over time. The 55'' XH90 came with a SDC panel and the 55'' X90J comes with a CSOT panel with less dark smearing apparently. With the 50'' X90J you're probably referring to Innolux, but even then you still have to take my first argument into account. Aside from that it also uses an AUO panel and we simply don't know how it would perform against a similar one from Innolux found in the QN9xA for example.
 
I don't know if it's as black and white as you describe. Panel manufactures produce various different panels, revisions and offer improvements. TV manufactures also use different ones over time. The 55'' XH90 came with a SDC panel and the 55'' X90J comes with a CSOT panel with less dark smearing apparently. With the 50'' X90J you're probably referring to Innolux, but even then you still have to take my first argument into account. Aside from that it also uses an AUO panel and we simply don't know how it would perform against a similar one from Innolux found in the QN9xA for example.
Innolux panels for years have had the traits I describe, they always have the best native black levels, but also are always slower closer to black than others.
 
The X90J is a lower tier TV than the other models, Sony do the X95J which is comparable, but starts at 65" this year.

The X95J is the new XH9505, so this year Sony decide to stop producing their highest range LCD TVs smaller than 65".

Therefore I'd suggest the Sony 55XH9505, or wait for the price of the 55" QN9xA model(s) to come down. The reason the 50" QN94A is so expensive right now is because 1. Its a new TV, and usually now new TV prices are still high and 2. Its practically the only higher end TV from 2021 ranges. 3. Smaller TVs tend not to be as good value as larger models.
Thank you for your advice. Thinking about it more, I don't have the budget to upgrade again next year, so It's best for me to wait for better prices on the QN94A.

About the QN94A. Are the 50'' and 55'' panels the same? The QN90 model is not the same globally! @abaggie Is the 50'' not a VA panel?

Both are VA, but they use different panel vendors. The panel vendor that makes the 50" are known to have better native black levels, but more black smearing. Whereas the vendor that makes the 55" have worse black levels, but less black smearing.
Thanks for the info. How would I choose which one is more preferred? If it helps, it would be used in a bedroom in a mostly dark environment.

Edit: Ignore bottom question please. I understand what you mean now.
 
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Panel info curtesy of @abaggie:
 
Panel info curtesy of @abaggie:
Wow that's insanely in depth. Thank you, and also to @abaggie.

''The ADS QN90A and VA QN9xA offer similar brightness which means brightness seems pretty consistent across the board. Samsung's Quantum HDR rating offers a pretty decent classification, but they are best case scenario and a bit exaggerated. Only the 50 inch QN9xA falls short brightness wise and sits closer to the Q80A than its advertised number.''

Are the 50'' brightness levels really bad compared to 55'' for e.g.? Because that's the size i was planning to get. Does it not come close to 2000 nits?

How does the 50'' brightness levels sit compared to the Sony X90J? Because one of the big pros of the QN94A was it's superior brightness levels.

Thank you for all of your time so far.
 
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Wow that's insanely in depth. Thank you, and also to @abaggie.



Are the 50'' brightness levels really bad compared to 55'' for e.g.? Because that's the size i was planning to get. Does it not come close to 2000 nits?

How does the 50'' brightness levels sit compared to the Sony X90J? Because one of the big pros of the QN94A was it's superior brightness levels.

Thank you for all of your time so far.
Its very typical for smaller TVs to have lower brightness, means it won't be as impactful with HDR.
Generally 1000 nits is a good starting figure for brightness in a small window, I think it falls just short at around 900. The larger model should reach over 1500 which is a good figure if you want HDR to be most impressive.

Need to look at OLED to get the same TVs at 48" to 55" I guess.
 
Its very typical for smaller TVs to have lower brightness, means it won't be as impactful with HDR.
Generally 1000 nits is a good starting figure for brightness in a small window, I think it falls just short at around 900. The larger model should reach over 1500 which is a good figure if you want HDR to be most impressive.

Need to look at OLED to get the same TVs at 48" to 55" I guess.
Thanks for that. That settles it. I'll wait until the 55" drops in price and get one of them.
 
Wow that's insanely in depth. Thank you, and also to @abaggie.

Are the 50'' brightness levels really bad compared to 55'' for e.g.? Because that's the size i was planning to get. Does it not come close to 2000 nits?

How does the 50'' brightness levels sit compared to the Sony X90J? Because one of the big pros of the QN94A was it's superior brightness levels.

Thank you for all of your time so far.
According to Samsung it should peak at 1500 nits. Based on that info they should have named it the 50QN85A in the first place. However, a Korean preview topped out at 850 nits and Stephen Withers measured 750 nits. So it doesn't get as bright as the QN85A which means brightness will be closer to the Q80A. HDR content will look better than the latter due to much better dimming/higher contrast.

The Sony 49XH95 reached 800 nits and the 49XG90 728 nits. You could say the 50X90J is the successor to the XG90 as the XH95 was higher-end. That said the XF90 (XG90) was brighter than XH90/X90J, so I expect the 50X90J to peak around 620 nits. Also even the 49XH95 came with only 24 dimming zones, so the 448 zones in the 50QN9xA are a massive improvement.
 
According to Samsung it should peak at 1500 nits. Based on that info they should have named it the 50QN85A in the first place. However, a Korean preview topped out at 850 nits and Stephen Withers measured 750 nits. So it doesn't get as bright as the QN85A which means brightness will be closer to the Q80A. HDR content will look better than the latter due to much better dimming/higher contrast.

The Sony 49XH95 reached 800 nits and the 49XG90 728 nits. You could say the 50X90J is the successor to the XG90 as the XH95 was higher-end. That said the XF90 (XG90) was brighter than XH90/X90J, so I expect the 50X90J to peak around 620 nits. Also even the 49XH95 came with only 24 dimming zones, so the 448 zones in the 50QN9xA are a massive improvement.
Thanks for that. I really appreciate all the info.

Do you have any similar info & comparisons about the 55" QN94A & 55" X90J models?

Those are also two models I've now been contemplating.

Many thanks.
 
Thanks for that. I really appreciate all the info.

Do you have any info about the 55" QN94A & 55" X90J models?

Those are also two models I've now been contemplating.

Many thanks.
Samsung QN90A QLED vs Sony X90J Side-by-Side TV Comparison is a good starting point. X90J is the same globally. QN94A would be the US QN90A or the QN95A performance wise. You should compare it to the X95J/XH95, but overall they still aren't as good. That said one might prefer Sony as they value accuracy above vivid and colorful.
 
Samsung QN90A QLED vs Sony X90J Side-by-Side TV Comparison is a good starting point. X90J is the same globally. QN94A would be the US QN90A or the QN95A performance wise. You should compare it to the X95J/XH95, but overall they still aren't as good. That said one might prefer Sony as they value accuracy above vivid and colorful.
Thanks. Do you know the numbers for the brightness levels for the 55'' Sony X90J?

That's my dilemma. I was leaning towards the QN94A, but I game a lot, and both Vincents HDTVTest, and flatpanelshd reviews have criticised it's poor motion handling, and HDR performance in game mode, which would be my most used setting. But it does have much lower input lag than X90J & native vrr, which it's unsure (still?) as to whether X90J will have competent vrr.

But X90J also doesn't have the best game mode either. Flatpanelshd reporting ''In HDR 'Game' mode, X90J scales back its zone dimming system to ensure to lowest possible lag, which negatively affects HDR picture quality and contrast in general.''

Corncerningly, I have also read that there's a major fault with a 1cm line running down the middle of the screen with units. Someone had it replaced 3 times, and got the same fault each time. They said that Samsung told them that the fault is ''where the 4 panels of mini LEDs at the back join, the mini LEDs are giving out the same amount of light, making it extra bright creating the thick 1cm line running top to bottom''. They said that Samsung blamed the pandemic for lack of time to properly quality check.

Then there's the DSE risks, and I'm wondering if it's worth the risk. Do you know if the Sony X90J has any DSE risks?

Lastly, because the TV will be mostly used in a dark bedroom setting, I'm wondering if the QN94A will be too bright. Isn't it meant to work best in a well lit room?

It's extremely difficult to pick. There's not a clear choice I feel.
 
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X90J is not a true HDR TV in my opinion, it doesn't reach bright enough levels to pack a punch. Its more comparable to the Samsung Q80A than some of the higher end Samsung's discussed here.

Sony have stopped making the X95J smaller than 65", which is really the TV to compare to those, not the X90J.

If you are lucky you may find last years XH9505 which they sold as small as 49", this will be a better overall TV than the X90J. Despite being older and lacking HDMI 2.1 it can reach around 1500 nits of peak brightness like the X95J.

You get horror stories about every TV, doesn't mean you'll get a bad one.

DSE tends to be better with Sony, they do have Vignetting in the corners more than Samsung though.

Too bright doesn't really exist, you can turn down the backlight on all TVs. See this about brightness:
 
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X90J is not a true HDR TV in my opinion, it doesn't reach bright enough levels to pack a punch. Its more comparable to the Samsung Q80A than some of the higher end Samsung's discussed here.

Sony have stopped making the X95J smaller than 65", which is really the TV to compare to those, not the X90J.

If you are lucky you may find last years XH9505 which they sold as small as 49", this will be a better overall TV than the X90J. Despite being older and lacking HDMI 2.1 it can reach around 1500 nits of peak brightness like the X95J.

You get horror stories about every TV, doesn't mean you'll get a bad one.

DSE tends to be better with Sony, they do have Vignetting in the corners more than Samsung though.

Too bright doesn't really exist, you can turn down the backlight on all TVs. See this about brightness:

Thanks. I watched that video, and it immediately puts any brightness concerns to bed.

Yeah I would, but the 2.1 hdmi and other features are too important. I wouldn't be able to upgrade next year again also.

I'm really grateful for the info about the X90J, because I would've assumed it had good HDR because of Sony's brand.

Taking everything into account about the X90J; because the 50'' QN9xA is downgraded, & brightness levels being reduced to ~800 nits, would you say the 55'' X90J is better? Because they're both around the same price right now.

I'm thinking the best choice would be to wait until the 55'' Qn9xA comes down closer in price to 1k.

I only mention the defects because I would be purchasing online, so im just a little concerned with delivery.
 
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I still think the Samsung is the better TV, even at 50" but I can certainly see why someone may choose the X90J instead at that size. Brightness is certainly more closely matched, but the Sony will still be dimmer.

Its certainly a better idea going bigger and waiting for the prices of larger TVs to come down a bit, there's more value in TVs that can get brighter because they will handle more HDR titles without adjustment, or the picture not looking right.

Most people seem to purchase online now, you're protected. If there's a defect its just a matter of arranging a return inside the return window. Generally TV deliveries are very good, and the haulage companies employed by retailers know how to correctly move them.
 
I still think the Samsung is the better TV, even at 50" but I can certainly see why someone may choose the X90J instead at that size. Brightness is certainly more closely matched, but the Sony will still be dimmer.

Its certainly a better idea going bigger and waiting for the prices of larger TVs to come down a bit, there's more value in TVs that can get brighter because they will handle more HDR titles without adjustment, or the picture not looking right.

Most people seem to purchase online now, you're protected. If there's a defect its just a matter of arranging a return inside the return window. Generally TV deliveries are very good, and the haulage companies employed by retailers know how to correctly move them.
It's reassuring to hear that deliveries are generally fine.

Thanks for all of your advice and time. I'll sit tight until black friday, and see what deals are around on the 55 QN9xA.
 
@Dodgexander Hi there! Hope you are well. (For reference with the models, I am in the UK)

I recently upgraded to the 55" QN94A from a 55" Q80A as with the latter I had trouble with DSE and had a bright line going down the right hand side of it.

I just want to check something as I've heard conflicting reports elsewhere in other forums
1. Does my 55-QN94A have a VA panel?
2. Did my previous 55-Q80A also have a VA panel or an IPS/ADS?

Many thanks
 
@Dodgexander Hi there! Hope you are well. (For reference with the models, I am in the UK)

I recently upgraded to the 55" QN94A from a 55" Q80A as with the latter I had trouble with DSE and had a bright line going down the right hand side of it.

I just want to check something as I've heard conflicting reports elsewhere in other forums
1. Does my 55-QN94A have a VA panel?
2. Did my previous 55-Q80A also have a VA panel or an IPS/ADS?

Many thanks
They both use VA type panels in Europe.
 
@Dodgexander Hi there! If I may, would be great to have a moment of your time please.

On RicherSounds, the 55'' QN94A has been £1300 all week. But from today I think, they're now throwing in a Samsung HW-S61A soundbar for free with purchases.

The best price i've seen previously was last month, I remember Seven Oaks doing the 55'' QN94A for £1200.

Do you think this is the best offer we'll see for Black Friday?

Just wondering if I should go for it now, or wait some more.
 
Usually, the bundles are a sign of better discounts to come without the bundled item but it may not be BF, but later. If you want the soundbar or you want to sell it on separately then it represents a good deal but otherwise you are probably best waiting. Eventually it should be closer to 1k, whether that be BF, Xmas or next year around march-june ish.
 
Usually, the bundles are a sign of better discounts to come without the bundled item but it may not be BF, but later. If you want the soundbar or you want to sell it on separately then it represents a good deal but otherwise you are probably best waiting. Eventually it should be closer to 1k, whether that be BF, Xmas or next year around march-june ish.
Appreciate the advice. Cheers!
 
@Dodgexander Had a delivery last week. Do you know what this strange white residue is at the back of the tv? It arrived covered in it. I've never seen it on anything else before. I've also spotted some white spots that resemble mold. I haven't tried to clean it in case it's harmful or I use something that may cause damage. This can't be right surely?
 

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That's really odd, be careful because it could be mold. Almost like its been kept in damp storage or something. Does the TV function okay, and can you clean it off?
 
As above or it's been a display model.

I wouldn't be happy with that.
 

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