Samsung Q60D Samsung 43" Class Q60D Series QLED 4K Smart TV Review

Buy this TV for its brains, not its looks. The smart platform is fantastic, but the picture quality is a letdown for a QLED. Only consider it as a secondary screen on a deep discount.

The Samsung Q60D is a smart TV that's smarter than it is a great TV. The one thing you need to know is this: you're buying it for the excellent Tizen smart platform and connectivity, not for a knockout picture. It's a solid, small-screen option for a bedroom or office where you just need a decent 4K screen to stream on, but it gets absolutely smoked by other TVs in its price range when it comes to actual picture quality. Our data shows its picture quality is in the 2nd percentile, which is frankly brutal for a QLED set.

The performance story is all about the smart features. This thing is a connectivity champ, landing in the 96th percentile. The Tizen OS is fast, intuitive, and packed with apps, and having three HDMI 2.1 ports on a budget TV is a nice touch. The surprise, and not a good one, is how mediocre the picture is for a QLED. The edge-lit backlight and basic processor just can't deliver the contrast or HDR pop you'd expect. Gaming at 60Hz is fine for casual play, but it's not a high-performance screen.

Is it worth it? Only on a steep discount. At its full $536 price, it's a hard no. You can find it for around $400, and at that point, it's a maybe for a secondary TV where smart features matter more than picture. But know that for that same $400-$500, you have much better picture-focused options from Hisense and TCL.

This is where the Q60D struggles. The Hisense U6 Series Mini-LED offers far better contrast and brightness for often less money, though its smart TV software isn't as polished. The TCL S4 or Q6 Series are also strong contenders with better picture performance for the price. If you're loyal to Samsung's ecosystem and just want a small, connected screen, the Q60D makes sense. If you care at all about picture quality, those competitors are the clear winners.

If you're a movie buff or want a TV with great picture quality for your main room, this isn't it. The picture is its weakest link. Go get a Hisense U6 Mini-LED or a TCL Q6 instead. You'll get a much better image for your money.

We can't recommend the Q60D as your main living room TV. Its picture performance is its fatal flaw. However, as a bedroom, office, or kitchen TV where you prioritize a slick, fast smart interface and don't need cinematic quality, it's a perfectly functional choice—but only if you buy it on sale. Shop around; that $136 price spread means your decision should hinge on who has the best deal today.