Samsung Q80T QLED TV
Samsung targets gamers with this low-latency stunner.
The Samsung Q80T QLED TV is the new jumping-on point if you want the cheapest full array backlight QLED TV in the brand’s 2020 line-up.
Strategically positioned just below the Q90T, with which it shares a number of advanced features, and above the edge-lit Q70T, the Q80T is the very definition of middle ground, but its performance is far from middling. And for its $3,339 price tag, you’d certainly hope so.
We tested the QE65Q80T size – though it’s also available in 49-inch, 55-inch, 75-inch and 85-inch models – and found it had bright peaky HDR, beautiful definition and wide colours. Make no mistake: the Samsung Q80T QLED TV looks every bit as pretty as you’d hope – while packing some surprises to boot.
Design
It’s inevitable that the Q80T, which features a FALD (Full Array Local Dimming) backlight, is not going to be the slimmest flatscreen on the shelves, but for most buyers the extra bulk is going to be worth it.
Samsung’s designers have gone some way to mitigating this extra depth by framing the panel with a ridiculously minimal bezel, creating the illusion that pictures are magically hanging in the air.
Connectivity is excellent, too, with four HDMIs that offer advanced and varying specifications. There’s 4K at 120fps support on HDMI 4, and eARC on input 3. The set can handle 4K at 60Hz (expected from PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X games), 2K at 120Hz, plus VRR (Variable Refresh rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). FreeSync support is included for PC AMD gamers too.
Rounding things out are two USB ports, digital optical audio out, Ethernet to support Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a Common Interface slot, for all those territories which require one. You almost certainly won’t need everything on offer, but it’s nice to have them in reserve.
The screen is bundled with two remote controls, one the usual button strewn offering most of us will gravitate to, the other a simplified pointer.
Smart TV (Tizen)
Samsung has made some revisions to its Tizen smart TV platform this year to improve usability. The launcher bar is a little smaller, allowing more apps to sit onscreen without a need to scroll. When