Samsung's Q70 QLED HDTV Is Simply Amazing (With One Big Catch)

June 19, 2020 Topic: Technology Blog Brand: Techland Tags: SamsungTechnologyQLEDOLEDHDTV4K8K

Samsung's Q70 QLED HDTV Is Simply Amazing (With One Big Catch)

Be aware that the wide-angle viewing, though, falls a bit short of the Q80 model.

If you have a desire to dip your toes into the waters of QLED HDTVs, Samsung’s 65-inch Q70 Series would be a great place to start.

Sporting a reasonable price tag of $1,400, know that the Q70 is much cheaper than its OLED TV rivals—which can easily get into the $2K or $3K range. Despite the smaller investment, you’ll still be getting yourself arguably the planet’s second-best panel.

Even with the wide proliferation of OLED TVs currently on the market, Samsung is doubling down on its QLED technology—and, not surprisingly, it has gained a loyal following among tech-savvy consumers.

Samsung is so confident in this particular venture that it has decided to halt the production of traditional LCD displays by the end of the year. Not to be outdone, Samsung has committed $11 billion over the next five years on a new factory in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, that will focus chiefly on QD-OLED hybrids, which will cull the best tech strengths from both QLED and OLED panels.

The Q70 provides outstanding overall image quality with plenty-deep black levels. The high light output and full-array local dimming also work wonderfully well, so you’ll surely enjoy the lively and accurate colors. The set’s robust video processing is a welcomed boon for hardcore gamers and lovers of intense action films.

You’ll also be blessed with a true 120Hz panel, which does improve the TV’s overall motion performance, and know that it fully supports HDR content in HDR10 and HDR10+ formats.

Be aware that the wide-angle viewing, though, falls a bit short of the Q80 model, so if you have wider or wraparound seating arrangements, make sure to take note of that. And if you find yourself often watching TV during the daytime or in a bright room, the Q70 really does an honorable job in taking care of those annoying glares and reflections.

For the Q70 and other QLED models, Samsung employs its own built-in digital assistant Bixby—although many users have shared their frustrations with this feature. Bixby, unfortunately, doesn’t come close to the skills of Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, which can be found on rivals from LG to Sony. Keep in mind that the 2019 and later versions, though, will be able to respond to voice commands issued via Alexa and Google Assistant smart speakers.

The design of the Q70 is classic Samsung. The panel is as thin as you can get for a QLED TV right now and it does exude a slick and refined look. The legs, however, are set quite far apart, so if you’re using a TV stand or a table, make sure that it is long enough. This set also allows you to hide cables by running them through the legs.

Ethen Kim Lieser is a Minneapolis-based Science and Tech Editor who has held posts at Google, The Korea Herald, Lincoln Journal Star, AsianWeek and Arirang TV. Follow or contact him on LinkedIn.