The Samsung QN90A is usually more expensive than the Sony X90K, but it generally offers better performance in bright rooms and comes with built-in speakers that are considered great. If you plan to use the TV in a bright room, the Samsung might be the better option due to its superior bright room performance. However, if cost is a more important factor, the Sony offers good value. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Samsung QN90A (LCD)
Best in class for bright room
Very good for movies & TV
Very good for use as monitor
Excellent reflections
Advantages of the Sony X90K (LCD)
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Key differences
Movies & TV
8.0/10
7.5/10
7.00/10
CONTRAST
7.38/10
7.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.1/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) is very good for movies & TV, while the Sony X90K (LCD) is good.
Cartoons & Animation
8.8/10
8.0/10
7.8/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.7/10
8.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.8/10
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.7/10
9.5/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
7.0/10
6.4/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.6/10
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) and Sony X90K (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation, though the Samsung QN90A (LCD) is somewhat better.
The Samsung QN90A is excellent for cartoons & animation because it provides the best out-of-the-box colors and has a good color gamut that enhances the vibrancy and variety of colors. On the other hand, the Sony X90K also delivers a good performance for such content with good color accuracy right out of the box and a respectable color gamut, but it does not quite match the Samsung's top-tier color display.
Bright Room
9.7/10
8.0/10
6.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.4/10
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.7/10
9.3/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.3/10
9.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
6.3/10
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the Sony X90K (LCD) is very good.
The Samsung QN90A is better suited for bright rooms because it has 'excellent' scores in both SDR and HDR brightness as well as handling reflections, meaning it's more capable of delivering a clear and vibrant picture even in well-lit environments.
Cost
$1,470
$998
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) has a price of $1,470 and the Sony X90K (LCD) costs $998.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Samsung QN90A (LCD) to have very good picture quality, while the Sony X90K (LCD) has good picture quality.
Sports
7.0/10
7.1/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.7/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X90K (LCD) and Samsung QN90A (LCD) are both good for sports.
The Samsung QN90A is well-suited for sports due to its excellent motion processing and reflection handling, offering a clear picture even in bright rooms, but its viewing angles are somewhat limited. The Sony X90K also performs well for sports, with very good response time and impressive motion processing, but it has fair reflection handling and a more restricted viewing angle, which could affect viewing experience from the side.
Gaming
8.3/10
8.1/10
8.3/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.0/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
70.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
76.0/100
9.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) and Sony X90K (LCD) are both very good for gaming.
Both the Samsung QN90A and the Sony X90K have features that make them excellent for gaming, with both offering a fast refresh rate of 120Hz and support for 4k resolution at a high chroma subsampling rate, enhancing detail and color quality in games. The Samsung QN90A has a slight edge with a very good response time and the best input lag performance, ensuring minimal delay between user actions and on-screen reactions, while the Sony X90K also provides very good response time with good input lag performance, which is essential for a responsive gaming experience.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.9/10
8.7/10
9.4/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.7/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
The Samsung QN90A (LCD) and Sony X90K (LCD) are both very good for news, talk, & other TV.
The Samsung QN90A delivers exceptional upscaling and SDR brightness, essential for clear, bright images in news and talk shows, while its out-of-the-box colors are highly rated, providing viewers with vibrant, true-to-life images right away. The Sony X90K also offers very good upscaling for clarity, but while its out-of-the-box colors aren't rated as high as the Samsung, they are still good, ensuring that news and talk shows have pleasing color accuracy without the need for immediate adjustment.
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How the Samsung QN90A (LCD) and the Sony X90K (LCD) compare to other TVs
"As Sony’s next-to-flagship LCD TV, the X90K series delivers impressive performance for the price. The XR90K had fairly accurate out-of-box color. The TV’s multi-position stand lets you either set the screen flush with any stand its mounted on or elevate it to clear space for a soundbar. With the latter option, you get around 3 inches of clearance enough to accommodate most soundbars. The X90K’s excellent suite of gaming features ranks it up there with the best 120 Hz 4K TVs."
Get a great deal on the Samsung QN90A (LCD) or the Sony X90K (LCD)
About Samsung
Samsung, a South Korean electronics manufacturer, holds the title of being the largest global TV vendor in terms of units sold. They offer a diverse lineup of TV products that cater to various budget ranges. A notable achievement in recent years is the development of Quantum Dots, a technology that enhances color reproduction, resulting in richer and more vibrant hues. Samsung TVs are well-regarded for their high manufacturing quality and user-friendly software, making them an excellent choice for consumers seeking an intuitive viewing experience.
About Sony
Sony stands as a highly experienced and widely trusted TV manufacturer, earning a reputation that surpasses all others. A Japanese company, Sony has been making TVs for far longs than it has been making Playstation game consoles. Sony's high-end TVs are often regarded as the ultimate choice for videophiles, representing the epitome of quality, albeit at a premium price point. Renowned for their advanced and precise motion handling, as well as their cutting-edge local dimming algorithms, Sony consistently delivers unparalleled performance in these areas. They include Google TV software with all their TV sets, which grants access to the largest selection of apps available and they also include Bravia Core which is a movie streaming platform specifically for Sony TVs that offers higher picture quality by using more bandwidth.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
122,430
Recommendations made
18,365
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.