The Samsung Q70A is often somewhat less expensive and provides good performance for various content like movies, sports, and gaming, but might not be as bright as other options, which could be a drawback in very sunny rooms. In contrast, the Sony X90L usually costs more but offers improved picture quality and higher brightness, making it a better choice for well-lit environments. If cost is a significant factor for you, the Samsung Q70A is a solid option; however, if you prioritize picture quality and bright-room performance and don't mind investing a bit more, the Sony X90L would be the better pick. 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 Q70A (LCD)
The Samsung Q70A (LCD) has no clear advantages over the Sony X90L (LCD).
Advantages of the Sony X90L (LCD)
Very good for bright room
Good for dark room
Very good for gaming
Good for movies & TV
Good for sports
Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Key differences
Picture Quality
7.2/10
7.8/10
8.21/10
CONTRAST
7.125/10
7.0/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.8/10
LED
PANEL TYPE
LED FALD
VA
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Sony X90L (LCD) and Samsung Q70A (LCD) both have good picture quality, though the Sony X90L (LCD) has somewhat better picture quality.
Movies & TV
6.4/10
7.6/10
8.21/10
CONTRAST
7.125/10
6.8/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.0/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony X90L (LCD) is good for movies & TV, while the Samsung Q70A (LCD) is only fair.
The Sony X90L provides a more pleasant movie and cinematic TV experience primarily due to its superior local dimming feature and black uniformity which enhances contrast - key for dark scenes - compared to the Samsung Q70A which lacks a local dimming feature, leading to less impressive contrast and black levels. Additionally, while both TVs struggle with viewing angles, the Sony X90L boasts better out-of-the-box colors, color volume, and gray uniformity, further contributing to its edge in picture quality for movie enthusiasts.
News, Talk, & Other TV
7.6/10
9.0/10
8.6/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
The Sony X90L (LCD) is excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the Samsung Q70A (LCD) is good.
The Sony X90L performs exceptionally well when viewing news, talk shows, and other TV programs due to its excellent SDR brightness and superior upscaling of low-resolution content, which is very important for such content. In contrast, while the Samsung Q70A also offers very good SDR brightness and upscaling, the Sony X90L's superior treatment of these key features helps it stand out, even though both TVs have good color output after unboxing and a respectable color gamut for accurate image presentation.
Bright Room
7.4/10
8.6/10
5.3/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.5/10
8.6/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
7.2/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.3/10
5.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
5.9/10
The Sony X90L (LCD) is very good for bright room, while the Samsung Q70A (LCD) is good.
The Sony X90L outshines the Samsung Q70A in a bright room due to its superior SDR and HDR brightness, which enhances visibility in well-lit environments. While both struggle with reflections, the X90L's better brightness contributes to its very good performance compared to the Q70A's good performance when contending with ambient light.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony X90L (LCD) to be good for sports, while the Samsung Q70A (LCD) is only fair.
The Samsung Q70A has a very good response time which is crucial for sports, but its poor reflections handling can be a disadvantage in well-lit rooms. In contrast, the Sony X90L offers excellent response time and better reflections handling, providing a generally good experience for sports across more varied lighting conditions.
Gaming
7.7/10
8.1/10
8.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
8.0/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.0/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
0.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
73.0/100
7.3/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.6/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony X90L (LCD) to be very good for gaming, while the Samsung Q70A (LCD) is good.
The Sony X90L is rated higher for gaming due to a better balance between response time and input lag, while the Samsung Q70A, despite having top input lag performance, does not match the Sony's response time which is crucial for gaming. Both TVs offer a 120Hz refresh rate, but the Sony's superior response time makes for a smoother gaming experience.
Cartoons & Animation
8.2/10
8.6/10
7.1/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.7/10
7.0/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.8/10
8.6/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.4/10
8.5/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.0/10
6.0/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
6.6/10
The Sony X90L (LCD) and Samsung Q70A (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation.
The Samsung Q70A and Sony X90L are both very good for watching cartoons and animation due to their strong performance in delivering accurate colors right out of the box, which enhances the vibrant and varied hues typically found in animated content. Additionally, both TVs offer a good color gamut, ensuring a wide range of colors can be displayed, making them suitable for the rich and varied palettes used in cartoons.
Cost
$1,760
$1,798
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
The Samsung Q70A (LCD) has a price of $1,760 and the Sony X90L (LCD) costs $1,798.
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How the Samsung Q70A (LCD) and the Sony X90L (LCD) compare to other TVs
Spec Comparison
Samsung Q70A (LCD)
Sony X90L (LCD)
GENERAL
Price
Price
$1,760
$1,798
Brand
Brand
Samsung
Sony
Release Date
Release Date
March 4, 2021
August 1, 2023
Full name
Full name
QN85Q70A
XR-85X90L
Screen Size
Screen Size
85"
85"
Screen Resolution
Screen Resolution
4K
4K
Screen Type
Screen Type
LCD
LCD
Screen Sub-type
Screen Sub-type
LED VA
LED FALD VA
Smart TV
Smart TV
Yes
Yes
TV FEATURES
Operating System
Operating System
Tizen
Google TV
Sound Quality Score
Sound Quality Score
5.7/10
8.3/10
NextGen Ready
NextGen Ready
No
Yes
HDMI Ports
HDMI Ports
4
4
Coax Ports
Coax Ports
1
1
Refresh Rate
Refresh Rate
120Hz
120Hz
Variable Refresh Rate
Variable Refresh Rate
Yes
Yes
HDR Supported formats
HDR Supported formats
HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
Accessibility
Accessibility
None
Voice Commands
DISPLAY QUALITY SCORES
Picture Quality Score
Picture Quality Score
7.2/10
7.8/10
Bright Room Score
Bright Room Score
7.4/10
8.6/10
Gaming Score
Gaming Score
7.8/10
8.2/10
Movies & TV Score
Movies & TV Score
6.4/10
7.6/10
Sports Score
Sports Score
6.7/10
7.2/10
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
News, Talk, & Other TV Score
7.7/10
9/10
Cartoons & Animation Score
Cartoons & Animation Score
8.2/10
8.7/10
Use as Monitor Score
Use as Monitor Score
7.2/10
7.3/10
PHYSICAL
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
Dimensions w/o Stand (H x W x D)
42.8" x 74.9" x 1.1"
42.2" x 74.5" x 2.4"
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
Dimensions with Stand (H x W)
45.4" x 74.9"
44.1" x 74.5"
Weight without Stand
Weight without Stand
91.5 lbs
98.1 lbs
VESA Mount
VESA Mount
600 X 400
400 x 400
DISPLAY
Color Depth
Color Depth
10 bit
10 bit
Black Frame Insertion
Black Frame Insertion
Yes
Yes
Auto Low Latency Mode
Auto Low Latency Mode
Yes
Yes
Contrast
Contrast
8.2/10
7.1/10
Local Dimming
Local Dimming
2.5/10
6.8/10
Gaming Local Dimming
Gaming Local Dimming
0/100
7.3/100
Game HDR Brightness Score
Game HDR Brightness Score
7.4/10
8.7/10
SDR Brightness Score
SDR Brightness Score
8.6/10
9.4/10
HDR Brightness Score
HDR Brightness Score
7.3/10
8.4/10
Gray Uniformity
Gray Uniformity
6/10
6.6/10
Black Uniformity
Black Uniformity
6.9/10
6/10
Viewing Angle
Viewing Angle
5.4/10
5.6/10
Reflections Score
Reflections Score
6/10
6/10
Upscaling
Upscaling
7.5/10
10/10
Motion Processing
Motion Processing
8/10
10/10
Color Gamut Score
Color Gamut Score
7.1/10
7.8/10
Color Volume Score
Color Volume Score
7/10
8.9/10
Response Time Score
Response Time Score
8.1/10
8.1/10
Input Lag Score
Input Lag Score
10/10
7/10
Colors Out of the Box Score
Colors Out of the Box Score
8.5/10
8/10
Quality Control
Quality Control
7/10
10/10
Chroma Subsampling Score
Chroma Subsampling Score
8/10
8/10
SOUND
Speaker Setup
Speaker Setup
2.0
2.2
Speaker Power
Speaker Power
20 W
30 W
Dolby Atmos
Dolby Atmos
Bypass only
Yes
DTS:X
DTS:X
No
Up to DTS Digital Surround, Bypass only
Get a great deal on the Samsung Q70A (LCD) or the Sony X90L (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
120,030
Recommendations made
18,005
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.