Samsung Neo QLED Samsung QN80F 100" 4K HDR Smart Neo QLED Mini-LED Review

Buy this 100-inch Samsung for the wow factor and smooth gaming, not for the best picture. It's a giant that's great for parties, but movie nights might leave videophiles wanting more.

The Samsung QN80F is a 100-inch monster that's all about size and gaming, but you're making a big compromise on picture quality. The one thing you need to know is this: you're buying a massive screen with great gaming features, not the best-looking picture in its class. It's a wall-filling statement piece that'll make your friends go 'whoa,' but cinephiles might notice the corners it cuts to hit this price for a screen this big.

What surprised us was the gaming performance. With a 120Hz native refresh rate, FreeSync Premium Pro, and ALLM, this thing is a legit gaming TV that lands in the 94th percentile for gaming in our database. The Motion Xcelerator 144Hz feature is smooth. But the surprise on the flip side is the picture quality score, which sits at a surprisingly low 45th percentile. That means for a mini-LED TV, its contrast and black levels aren't keeping up with the pack, despite the NQ4 AI Gen2 processor doing its best.

At between $4,000 and $4,500, the value is all about the inches per dollar. You're getting a colossal 100-inch mini-LED screen for the price of a high-end 85-inch model from some competitors. If sheer size is your top priority, it's worth it. If pristine picture quality matters more, it's not. Shop around, because that $500 price spread means you can find a deal.

You've got three clear paths. The Sony BRAVIA 5 offers better processing and likely better picture quality in a smaller 85-inch size for similar money. The LG OLED evo G5 delivers perfect blacks and infinite contrast in a 97-inch size, but it costs way more and you risk burn-in. The Hisense U6 series gives you a budget mini-LED experience, but you'll lose the high-end gaming features and the build quality. The QN80F sits in the middle: bigger than the Sony, cheaper than the LG, and more feature-packed than the Hisense.

If you're a home theater enthusiast who critiques black levels and shadow detail, this isn't it. You're paying for size, not the absolute best picture. Go get a smaller LG OLED or a higher-end Sony mini-LED instead. Also, skip it if your living room isn't huge—this TV needs serious viewing distance.

We recommend the Samsung QN80F if you are a gamer or sports fan who wants the biggest possible screen for your budget and you're okay with 'very good' instead of 'best-in-class' picture quality. It's a phenomenal party TV. But if you're a movie purist who values contrast and shadow detail above all else, you should look at a smaller OLED or a higher-tier mini-LED model. This TV makes a choice, and it chose size and features over absolute picture fidelity.