As the sun begins to emerge from hiding and spring (hopefully) signals the end of cold, gray weather, people will once again start to experience an all too familiar problem: bright daylight hampering their TV viewing.
If you’re someone with a bright room whose current TV suffers from screen reflections, we’ve got a guide with reflection-beating tips. But what if you’re on the hunt for a new TV?
You’ve probably considered one of the best OLED TVs, but maybe read that they can struggle in brighter rooms and that the best mini-LED TVs are a better option for brighter viewing environments. So, which TV tech should you choose?
As TechRadar’s TV reviewer, I’ve tested TVs in all sorts of conditions, including our brightly-lit testing room, and have picked four fantastic TVs, including an OLED model, that I know can work with troublesome natural light.
Samsung QN90D
Starting with one of the best TVs of 2024, the Samsung QN90D is a superb mini-LED TV that uses every bit of its panel to limit reflections from external lights.
Thanks to its high peak and fullscreen brightness levels, the QN90D is excellent at displaying bright pictures in even the most challenging viewing conditions. In my Samsung QN90D review, I was also impressed with its motion handling, stating that “it’s motion where the QN90D shines, handling fast-moving pictures, especially sports, with ease”. It also delivers stunning colors, natural textures and realistic detail thanks to clever AI processing. Sports fans, this TV should be top of your list.
It doesn’t end there, as the Samsung QN90D is also in the conversation as one of the best gaming TVs, with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM plus an extremely useful Gaming Hub where cloud gaming apps and gaming settings sit in one easy-to-find place. Gamers looking for a perfect TV for daytime gaming can’t go wrong with the QN90D.
As a bonus, the QN90D has great built-in sound that’s punchy and accurate, meaning you may not need to add one of the best soundbars.
Hisense U8N
Much like the Samsung QN90D, the Hisense U8N is a super-bright mini-LED TV that’s perfect for daytime viewing. While it doesn’t quite have the same number of features as the QN90D, it does have a very competitive price.
The U8N delivers spectacular brightness levels (more than twice the peak brightness of its predecessor, the Hisense U8K, in fact), meaning you get vivid, vibrant colors and detailed HDR highlights. In our Hisense U8N review, we were also impressed with its effective local dimming, resulting in “deep blacks and refined shadows.” Whether it’s sports or movies, the U8N can handle it and, crucially, delivers enough brightness for even the brightest of rooms.
The U8N also carries a great stock of gaming features (4K 144Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming) and delivers surprisingly strong built-in sound with clear dialogue, weighty bass and even audible Dolby Atmos height effects – something many TV speakers struggle with. Here, once again, a soundbar might not be necessary when viewing with the Hisense U8N.
Hisense U7N
At the more affordable end of the mini-LED price range sits the Hisense U7N. Although it may not be as bright as the other TVs on this list, its mini-LED backlight is still powerful enough to handle most bright rooms.
Once you’ve made some tweaks to its picture in the settings, you get a TV that delivers punchy colors, solid contrast and rich details, making it a “versatile TV choice” and “an overall great performer”. Is it as effective in bright rooms as the other TVs on this list? No, but for what you pay, it won’t let you down. The U7N proves that a good mini-LED TV doesn’t have to be expensive, so for those on a budget, it’s a great, affordable option.
The U7N also offers a stock of gaming features (4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and Dolby Vision gaming) that make it stand out at its price range. While I’d recommend a soundbar, some will be pleased enough with the U7N’s built-in sound, which, crucially, delivers clear dialogue.
Samsung S95D
OLED TVs opt for bolder contrast and black levels over brightness, and as such aren’t typically suited to bright environments .Yet, an OLED TV makes an appearance on this list. Why? Because the Samsung S95D isn’t like other OLED TVs.
When I tested the S95D, I was blown away by the effectiveness of its ‘OLED Glare Free’ screen. Not only were reflections reduced to a ‘haze’ (where reflected light changes from a clear object to a fuzzy, indistinguishable one or disappears completely), but I could also watch challenging movies such as The Batman with overhead lights on. As I stated in my Samsung S95D review, the OLED Glare Free screen (which is just a matte screen) was one of the “stars of the show”, but elsewhere, it delivered a picture with bold colors, super-realistic textures and gorgeous contrast.
The S95D is also a gaming powerhouse, with a full suite of gaming features (4K, 144Hz, VRR, ALLM) as well as Samsung’s Gaming Hub and a super-low 8.9ms input lag. Even its built-in sound is great, with excellent detail and power.
You might also like
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/nkCrzkowyVBB5d7dcQ6FCk-1200-80.jpg
Source link
james.davidson@futurenet.com (James Davidson)
