Global TV sales leader Samsung has encountered stiff competition from LG’s impressive OLED TV tech. Two years ago, the QN90B’s predecessor set the standard for how close LED TV could get to OLED quality. The QN90B may not be the very latest in Samsung’s mini-LED range, but it has all the key tech in place, and can now be had for a whole lot less.

Courtesy of its powerful Neo Quantum processor, the level of control it has over the micro dimming through its array of thousands of mini-LEDs is so sophisticated that its inky blacks and rich, natural colours equal and almost surpass those of OLED. The audio setup here is equally sophisticated, with a dedicated bass woofer and separate tweeters and mid-range drivers. Combining a range of specialised sound tech the QN90B can create directional sound to match the on-screen image. Its uncanny the first time you notice it. It does full 120 Hz high-refresh rate, so it gets the very best out of the latest gaming consoles.

The built-in Game mode bypasses the some of the image processor to eliminate input lag, and offers unusual aspect ratios up to 32:9 wide screen. It is also the first affordable TV we have tested with dual Bluetooth audio, so more than one person can listen with headphones. Finally, the QN90B stand actually achieves what eludes most budget TVs, to make the picture appear to ‘float’ independently of the stand, which adds a lot of aesthetic appeal.

50” UHD 4K, HDR, 4xHDMI, 2xUSB, LAN/WiFi/BT5.2, directional sound, Tizen OS, R22 000