Samsung Q60D review: a solid QLED TV under pressure by entry-level mini-LED TVs

DA Gadgets September 23, 2024 Televisions

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Samsung
Q60D:
Two
minute
review

The

Samsung
Q60D
is
a
budget
QLED
TV
that
delivers
good
picture
quality
and
gaming
performance
and
is
a
fine
entry-level
option
for
those
looking
to
save
money.
It’s
missing
some
key
features
and
faces
plenty
of
more
affordable
competition,
however,
so
it’s
not
going
to
beat
the

best
TVs
anytime
soon.

Picture
quality
on
the
Q60D
is
fairly
good
overall,
with
punchy
but
natural
colors
and
solid
contrast.
Detail
is
where
the
Q60D
shines,
with
crisp
textures
serving
as
the
Q60D’s
best
aspect.
With
a
QLED
panel
and
standard
LED
backlight,
black
levels
won’t
rival
those
of
the

best
OLED
TVs,
but
they
are
better
than
the

Amazon
Fire
TV
Omni
QLED,
another
affordable
QLED
TV.
There’s
some
motion
blur
when
watching
sport
and
shadow
detail
is
lacking
compared
to
sets
that
benefit
from
better
backlights,
but
the
picture
is
good
overall
for
a
TV
at
this
price.

The
Q60D
has
a
basic
2.0-channel,
20W
speaker
array.
Speech
is
clear
and
there’s
good
sound
placement
thanks
to
Samsung’s
OTS
Lite
feature,
but
the
sound
lacks
the
bass
heft
and
virtual
surround
you’ll
get
from
the

best
TVs
for
sound.
For
those
looking
to
use
it
for
more
than
casual
viewing,
I’d
recommend
one
of
the

best
soundbars.

Gaming
on
the
Q60D
is
fun
enough,
with
the
TV’s
decent
gaming
performance
helped
by
a
low
9.6ms
input
lag
time
and
a
clean
picture.
However,
with
no
support
for
120Hz
or
VRR,
it
lacks
key
features
of
the

best
gaming
TVs,
though
it
does
support
ALLM
and
has
Samsung’s
useful
Gaming
Hub.

The
Q60D
is
fairly
priced
for
what
it
offers
and
is
available
in
43-85-inch
screen
sizes
(a
32-inch
model
is
also
available
in
the
US).
However,
it
faces
competition
from
cheap
mini-LED
TVs
such
as
the

Hisense
U6N
and

Hisense
U7N,
and
the

TCL
C805
(in
the
UK),
all
of
which
benefit
from
more
gaming
features,
Dolby
Vision

HDR
support
and
mini-LED
backlights.

The
Samsung
Q60D
delivers
surprisingly
crisp
details.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Prices
&
release
date

Released
April
2024

32-inch:
$479.99

43-inch:
$529.99
/
£479

50-inch:
$599.99
/
£549

55-inch:
$749.99
/
£599
/
AU$1,195

65-inch
$799.99
/
£899
/
AU$1,495

75-inch:
$999.99
/
£1,299
/
AU$1,995

85-inch:
$1,699.99
/
£1,699
/
AU$2,995

The
Samsung
Q60D
is
the
entry-level
QLED
series
in
Samsung’s
2024
TV
range,
sitting
below
the
Q70D
and

Q80D.

Since
release,
Q60D
prices
have
fallen
across
every
screen
size
in
every
region
and
it’s
regularly
on
sale
both
through
Samsung
and
other
retailers.
We’ve
seen
the
50-inch
model
we
tested
for
as
low
as
£479
in
the
UK
–
more
than
£200
off
from
its
initial
£699.
In
the
US,
prices
have
dropped
roughly
$200
across
the
range.

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Specs

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Screen
type:

QLED

Refresh
rate:

60Hz

HDR
support:

HDR10+,
HDR10,
HLG

Audio
support:

N/A

Smart
TV:

Samsung
Tizen

HDMI
ports:

3x
HDMI
2.0

Built-in
tuner:

ATSC
1.0

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Benchmark
results

The
Samsung
Q60D
includes
three
HDMI
ports,
but
none
support
4K
120Hz
or
VRR.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Features

4K
QLED
‘Dual
LED’
panel

Tizen
smart
TV
platform

HDR10+
high
dynamic
range
support

The
Q60D
features
a
QLED
panel
that
uses
quantum
dot
tech
to
improve
brightness
and
color
detail
over
standard
LED
TVs.
It
also
features
what
Samsung
calls
‘Dual
LED’
tech,
which
aims
to
boost
contrast.
It
comes
with
Samsung’s
Quantum
Processor
Lite

4K
processor,
with
the
more
premium
NQ4
AI
Gen2
Processor
available
starting
in
the
step-up
Q80D
series.

As
with
all
Samsung
TVs,
the
Q60D
supports
the
HDR10+,
HDR10
and
HLG
high
dynamic
range
formats,
but
not
Dolby
Vision.
For
Dolby
Vision
support
in
a
similar
price
range,
look
to
the

Amazon
Omni
QLED.

For
sound,
the
Q60D
has
a
basic
2.0-channel
speaker
array
totaling
20W
of
power
and
features
a
‘Lite’
version
of
the
Object
Tracking
System
(OTS)
that
can
be
found
in
Samsung’s
more
premium
sets.
It
also
supports
Adaptive
Sound
and
the
Q
Symphony
feature
that
can
combine
the
TV’s
speakers
with
those
in
a
compatible
Samsung
soundbar.

For
gaming,
the
Q60D
comes
with
Samsung’s
Gaming
Hub,
with
support
for
Cloud
gaming
apps
from
Xbox,

Nvidia
GeForce
Now
and
more.
It
also
features
ALLM
but
does
not
support
4K
120Hz
or
VRR.

The
Q60D
uses
Samsung’s
Tizen
platform
for
its
smart
TV
interface.
Tizen
provides
access
to
popular
streaming
apps
such
as
Netflix,
Prime
Video
and
Disney
Plus.
In
the
UK,
it
also
supports
BBC
iPlayer,
ITVX,
Channel
4
and
Freeview
apps,
although
live
TV
services
are
handled
by
Samsung’s
own
TV
Plus
system
rather
than
Freeview.

Features
score:
4/5

The
Samsung
Q60D’s
contrast
is
richer
than
anticipated,
with
a
good
balance
between
light
and
dark
tones.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Picture
quality

Punchy
colors

Refined
detail

Middling
black
levels
and
contrast

When
measuring
peak
brightness,
the
50-inch
Q60D
yielded
results
of
417
nits
and
384
nits
in
Standard
and
Filmmaker
Modes
respectively
on
a
10%
HDR
white
window.
This
is
lower
than
the
rival
Amazon
Omni
QLED,
which
hit
531
nits
and
402
nits
in
its
same
picture
modes
on
the
same
tests,
though
it’s
worth
noting
the
Amazon
TV
was
a
65-inch
model.

Measuring
the
Q60D’s
HDR
color
gamut
coverage,
it
yielded
results
of
71%
and
92.9%
for
BT.2020
and
UHDA-P3
color
spaces
respectively
in
Filmmaker
Mode.
While
those
are
not
the
best
results,
they
are
still
decent
for
a
budget
TV
and
actually
put
it
in
line
with
mini-LED
sets
such
as
the

Samsung
QN85D
and

Hisense
U6N.

The
Q60D
did
a
decent
job
displaying
standard-definition
images
on
its
50-inch
screen,
though
it’s
likely
that
textures
would
be
fuzzier
on
larger
screen
sizes.
High-definition
content
fared
better,
showing
clearer-looking
textures.

Moving
onto
4K
HDR
sources,
I
first
viewed
a
stream
of

Star
Wars:
The
Last
Jedi
on
Disney
Plus
to
test
the
Q60D’s
colors.
In
the
throne
room
fight
scene,
which
is
filled
with
bright
reds,
the
Q60D
displayed
plenty
of
punch
while
also
maintaining
a
natural
look.
And
in
the
opening
race
sequence
of

Ready
Player
One,
colors
were
vivid,
even
though
they
lacked
some
of
the
same
brightness
I’ve
seen
on
more
premium
TVs.

The
Samsung
Q60D
thrives
with
bright
images.

(Image
credit:
Future)

The
Batman
is
a
challenging
movie
for
many
TVs
due
to
its
numerous
dark
scenes.
Viewed
with
regular
room
lighting,
the
Q60D
demonstrated
good
contrast
throughout
and
decent
enough
black
levels,
especially
for
a
QLED
set.
In
the
opening
crime
scene,
there
was
good
shadow
detail
with
no
black
crush.
Light
sources,
such
as
lamps,
were
balanced
well
within
the
scene’s
dimly
lit
surroundings.

Viewing
this
same
scene
in
darker
lighting
conditions,
blacks
took
on
more
of
a
gray
look
with
a
cloudy
wash
over
the
whole
screen.
However,
black
levels
were
still
better
than
expected
and
better
than
those
of
the
Amazon
Omni
QLED.

Viewing
black-and-white
scenes
in

Oppenheimer,
the
Q60D
did
a
better
job
displaying
the
film’s
wide
range
of
brighter
whites
and
grays
over
the
black
tones.

The
Q60D
demonstrated
refined-looking
textures
and
details.
In
scenes
from

The
Batman
and

Top
Gun:
Maverick,
facial
features
were
clearly
defined,
and
details
in
clothing
also
had
a
more
realistic
look
than
I
anticipated
for
a
budget
QLED
TV.
Watching
demo
footage
from
the

Spears
&
Munsil
UHD
Benchmark
Blu-ray,
details
in
landscapes,
cityscapes
and
close-up
shots
of
animals
looked
authentic
throughout.

When
I
watched
an
HD
stream
of
a
Soccer
game
on
Prime
Video,
the
Q60D
delivered
acceptable
motion
handling.
I
found
that
setting
judder
reduction
in
the
motion
section
of
the
picture
settings
to
a
lower
amount,
say
2
or
3,
was
better
than
having
it
set
to
full,
though
some
may
prefer
the
smoother
processing.
Regardless,
there
was
still
some
judder
and
blur
present
due
to
the
TV’s
60Hz
panel.
If
you’re
a
sports
fan,
you’ll
be
better
off
looking
at
the

best
TVs
for
sport,
such
as
the
Samsung
QN90D.

The
Q60D’s
motion
handling
with
movies
was
much
better.
Watching

Top
Gun:
Maverick,
it
did
a
solid
job
with
the
quick
panning
shots
and
tumbling
cameras
during
the
training
missions
and
Darkstar
opening
scene.
There
was
still
occasional
judder,
but
it
didn’t
detract
from
the
viewing
experience.

Picture
quality
score:
4/5

The
Samsung
Q60D
suffers
from
limited
built-in
sound,
as
heard
when
watching

La
La
Land.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Sound
quality

Clear
speech

Good
directional
sound

Limited
bass
and
soundstage

The
Q60D
has
a
2.0-channel
speaker
array
with
20W
of
power.
It
supports
Object
Tracking
Sound
Lite
(OTS
Lite)
and
Adaptive
Sound,
a
feature
that
changes
volume
based
on
an
analysis
of
the
content
being
displayed.
It
also
has
Q
Symphony,
a
feature
that
combines
the
Q60D’s
built-in
speakers
with
those
in
compatible
Samsung
soundbars
for
an
enhanced
audio
presentation.
There
are
two
sound
presets,
Standard
and
Amplify,
with
Amplify
being
the
best
overall
and
the
one
I
used
during
testing.

The
Q60D
delivered
clear
dialogue
during
the
chaotic
Batmobile
chase
in

The
Batman.
It
also
delivered
good
sound
placement,
with
effects
such
as
tyres,
crashes
and
bullets
in
the
Batmobile
chase
scene
well-placed
on
the
screen
and
connected
to
the
action.

Other
elements
of
the
Q60D’s
built-in
sound
were
lacking.
Its
limited
bass
meant
there
was
no
real
impact
from
the
rumbling
engines
of
cars
in
both

The
Batman
and

Ready
Player
One.
And
with
a
limited
soundstage,
the
full,
sometimes
brash
jazz
score
of

La
La
Land
was
restrained,
with
some
instruments
lost
in
the
mix.

For
those
looking
to
use
the
Q60D
as
a
main
TV,
a
soundbar
is
recommended.

Sound
quality
score:
3/5

The
50-inch
Q60D
I
tested
came
with
support
feet
that
could
be
height-adjusted
to
fit
a
soundbar
underneath.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Design

Sleek,
slim
design

Premium
looks
for
price

SolarCell
remote

The
Q60D
has
a
more
premium
design
than
you’d
expect
at
this
price
level,
with
a
sleek,
thin
profile
that’s
similar
to
pricey
sets
such
as
the

Samsung
S95D
OLED.
The
rear
panel
also
has
a
burnished,
navy
finish
that
again
gives
the
Q60D
a
premium
look.

A
near
bezel-less
front
allows
nearly
all
of
the
picture
to
take
up
the
screen.
The
50-inch
model
I
tested
came
with
height-adjustable
support
feet
to
fit
a
soundbar
underneath.
These
felt
a
little
cheap
but
were
very
easy
to
install
and
provided
sturdy
enough
support.

The
Q60D
is
supplied
with
Samsung’s
SolarCell
remote,
which
has
a
solar
panel
on
the
rear
and
a
USB-C
port
at
the
bottom
for
charging.
It’s
good
to
see
this
remote,
which
doesn’t
use
disposable
batteries,
supplied
with
more
budget
sets
in
Samsung’s
TV
range.

Design
score:
4/5

Tizen
is
divided
into
various
hubs,
including
the
useful
Gaming
Hub
(pictured).

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Smart
TV
&
menus

Tizen
smart
TV
platform

Good
range
of
picture
settings

The
Q60D
uses
Samsung’s
Tizen
smart
TV
platform.
This
is
divided
into
multiple
hubs
that
allow
for
easy
navigation
and
organization
and
includes
Home,
where
apps
plus
TV
show
and
movie
recommendations
are
displayed;
Ambient,
which
lets
you
select dynamic
and
static
artworks;
Game,
a
hub
that
houses
everything
gaming-related
including
cloud-based
apps;
and
Daily+,
which
has
office,
health
and
home-based
apps
for
daily
tasks.

There
are
a
good
number
of
settings
available
for
those
who
like
to
adjust
picture
quality,
with
preset
modes
including
Standard,
Movie,
Filmmaker
and
more.
The
same
can’t
be
said
for
audio,
which
has
only
two
preset
modes,
Standard
and
Amplify,
and
very
few
settings
to
adjust.

Smart
TV
&
Menus
score:
4/5

The
Samsung
Q60D
has
limited
gaming
features,
but
still
performs
well
at
4K
60Hz.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Gaming

Samsung
Gaming
Hub
and
ALLM

No
120Hz
or
VRR
support

9.6ms
input
lag
time

The
Q60D
doesn’t
have
as
many
features
as
the
best
gaming
TVs,
with
no
HDMI
2.1
ports
for
120Hz
refresh
rate
and
VRR
support.
It
does
support
4K
60Hz
and
ALLM,
however,
and
has
Samsung’s
Gaming
Hub
for
cloud-based
gaming
from
the
likes
of
Xbox,
Luna,
and
Nvidia
GeForce
Now.

Despite
its
lack
of
next-gen
gaming
features,
the
Q60D’s
gaming
performance
is
perfectly
fine.
Playing

Battlefield
V,
shootouts
and
battles
still
felt
suitably
intense
and
switching
between
targets
was
smooth
and
judder-free.
There
are
Off,
Level
1
and
Level
2
Game
Motion
modes
to
choose
from,
though
I
did
not
notice
a
significant
difference
between
the
three
options.

Graphically,
the
Q60D
did
a
solid
job.
Textures
were
well-defined
and
colors
had
a
dynamic
look.
Contrast
was
decent,
giving
objects
a
sharper
appearance,
though
I
did
find
that
HDR
tone
mapping
was
a
little
aggressive
in
some
sequences.

Gaming
score:
4/5

The
Q60D
comes
with
Samsung’s
SolarCell
remote control.

(Image
credit:
Future)

Samsung
Q60D
review:
Value

Fairly
priced
for
picture
and
performance

Budget
mini-LEDs
available
from
TCL
and
Hisense

Good
range
of
sizes
and
frequently
on
sale

The
Q60D
delivers
good
overall
performance
at
a
budget
price
that
will
suit
many
people.
However,
it
faces
stiff
competition
from
cheap
mini-LED
TVs
that
provide
more
gaming
features
and
better
picture
quality
such
as
the
Hisense
U6N
and
Hisense
U7N
in
the
US
and
UK,
and
the

TCL
C805
(UK-only).

The
55-inch
Q60D
is
priced
at
$749.99
/
£599
/
AU$1,195
(prices
have
dipped
below
this
level
before).
Hisense’s
U6N
is
priced
at
$499
/
£749
/
AU$995,
and
while
it
shares
similar
gaming
features,
it
benefits
from
a
mini-LED
backlight
and
Dolby
Vision
HDR
support.
The
TCL
C805
(available
in
the
UK
and
Australia)
costs
£649
/
AU$1,395,
and
although
pricier,
it
benefits
from
4K
120Hz
and
VRR
gaming
support
and
also
features
a
mini-LED
backlight
and
Dolby
Vision
HDR.

For
US
and
UK
customers,
there
is
also
the
Amazon
Omni
QLED,
which
retails
for
roughly
$349
/
£399
and
benefits
from
Dolby
Vision
HDR
support,
though
the
Q60D
provides
a
better
overall
picture.

Despite
tough
competition,
the
Q60D
is
likely
to
see
major
discounts
throughout
the
year,
which
will
bring
its
value
more
in
line
with
the
models
listed
above.

Value
score:
3.5/5

(Image
credit:
Future)

Should
I
buy
the
Samsung
Q60D?

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Samsung
Q60D
TV

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Features

Good
number
of
smart
features,
but
missing
4K
120Hz
and
VRR.

4/5

Picture
quality

Surprisingly
strong
contrast
and
details
plus
bold
colors,
but
not
quite
as
good
as
budget
mini-LED
rivals

4/5

Sound
quality

Clear
speech
and
good
sound
placement,
but
lacks
bass
and
suffers
from
thin
soundstage

3/5

Design

Sleek,
modern
design
gives
it
a
more
premium
look
than
its
price

4/5

Smart
TV
and
menus

Samsung’s
Tizen
is
easy
to
navigate
and
allows
plenty
of
organization
and
customization
options

4/5

Gaming

Despite
lacking
some
features
such
as
120Hz
and
VRR,
performance
and
graphics
are
still
very
good

4/5

Value

Fairly
priced,
but
competes
with
budget
mini-LED
TVs
with
more
features
and
better
pictures

3.5/5

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

Also
consider

Swipe
to
scroll
horizontally

Header
Cell
–
Column
0

Samsung
Q60D

Amazon
Omni
QLED

Samsung
Q80D

Hisense
U6N

Price
(50-inch)

$599.99
/
£549

$529
/
£649

$999
/
£1,099

N/A
/
£899

Screen
type

QLED

QLED
with
mini-LED

Refresh
rate

60Hz

120Hz

60Hz

HDR
support

HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

Dolby
Vision/HDR10/HLG

HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

Dolby
Vision/HDR10+/HDR10/HLG

Smart
TV

Tizen

Fire
TV

Tizen

Google
TV
(US)
/
VIDAA
(UK)

HDMI
ports

3
x
HDMI
2.0

4
x
HDMI
2.0

4
x
HDMI
2.1

4
x
HDMI
2.0

(Image
credit:
Future)

How
I
tested
the
Samsung
Q60D

Tested
in
lab
with
varying
lighting
conditions

Tested
using
both
SDR
and
HDR
sources

Measurements
recording
using
Portrait
Displays’
Calman
color
calibration
software

When
testing
the
Samsung
Q60D,
I
first
used
it
for
casual
viewing
to
determine
the
most
accurate
picture
preset
modes
(Movie,
Filmmaker
Mode
and
in
some
cases
Standard)
before
moving
on
to
critical
viewing.

I
then
used
a
variety
of
SDR
(broadcast
TV,
DVD,
Blu-ray)
and
HDR
(4K
streaming
and
4K
Blu-ray)
sources
to
test
the
out-of-the-box
picture,
analyzing
color,
contrast,
motion,
black
levels,
detail
and
upscaling
(for
lower
resolution
sources),
using
reference
scenes.
For
4K
Blu-ray
playback,
I
used
a

Panasonic
DP-UB820 4K
Blu-ray
player.

After
critical
viewing,
I
made
measurements
of
brightness
(both
SDR
and
HDR),
color
and
grayscale
accuracy,
and
HDR
color
gamut
coverage.
To
do
this,
I
used
a
test
pattern
generator
and
colorimeter
and
recorded
results
using
Portrait
Displays’ Calman
color
calibration
software.

Brightness
measurements
were
recorded
for
both
HDR
and
SDR
in
nits
using
10%
and
100%
white
window
patterns.
For
the
color
gamut,
I
recorded
the
Q60D’s
BT.2020
and
UHDA-P3
coverage.
For
color
and
grayscale
accuracy,
I
recorded
the
Q60D’s
Delta
E
values
(the
margin
for
error
between
the
test
pattern
source
and
what’s
displayed
on
the
TV)
and
averaged
them.