With each new innovation in the world of 4K televisions, the choice between TVs becomes even harder. When you walk through all your options at your local electronics section, they all look pretty great — regardless of the name brand or the display technology used.
With that being said, you can definitely tell a difference. Some are brighter, some are bigger, some are more vibrant… It’s hard to pick a winner, not to mention overwhelming.
For instance, what about the Samsung QN95C and Sony A95K? How do these two new 4K TVs compare to one another? Let’s break them down below.
Samsung QN95C vs. Sony A95K: Side-by-Side Comparison
| Samsung QN95C | Sony A95K | |
|---|---|---|
| TV Branding | Neo QLED | Master XR |
| Display Type | LCD | OLED |
| Display Subtype | Mini LED | QD-OLED |
| Available Sizes | 65″, 75″, 85″ | 55″, 65″ |
| Average Price | $3,300 – $5,800 | $2,300 – $2,600 |
| Release Date | 2023 | 2022 |
| Sound | 4.2.2 surround sound with Dolby Atmos | 2.2 Acoustic Surface Audio+ with Dolby Atmos |
| HDR | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG | HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision |
- Quantum Dot Color technology for deeper blacks and lifelike colors
- Includes Google TV operating system
- Exclusive gaming modes for the PlayStation 5
- Connect with Alexa, Google Assistant and more
5 Must-Know Facts About TV Types
- In the world of consumer electronics, there are really just two TV types: LCD and OLED. Of all the LCDs on the market, there are also just two types: edge-lit and direct-lit. No matter if you’re looking at a QLED, QNED, ULED, mini LED, OLED, or otherwise, it’s either going to be an LCD or an OLED.
- Before LCD and OLED, there were several other TV types to choose from. These included electroluminescent panels (ELP), cold and hot cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs and HCFLs), external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFLs), and incandescent lightbulbs. Most of these older types are no longer being manufactured today.
- Television experts regard OLED televisions as the most superior TV type on the market today. Beyond all other LCD types out there, the OLED comes out ahead in brightness, color gamut, efficiency, sharpness, and just about every other meaningful spec a person could care about.
- The letter Q is often tacked on the front of the names of many of today’s best TVs. This “Q” stands for quantum dots: a thin layer of semi-conducive nanocrystals that fine tune the television’s color spectrum and make the display brighter, sharper, and more efficient. Sony spearheaded the quantum dot movement in 2013, followed by numerous other top brands.
- While we know OLED is widely considered the best type of TV money can buy today, mini LED televisions are thought of as the next-best thing. An LCD technology, mini LEDs are much smaller — therefore, far more numerous — resulting in more precise lighting and a more accurate colors.
Samsung QN95C vs. Sony A95K: What’s the Difference?
With these primary specs and these basic facts under our belt, let’s dive into the key differences that distinguish the Samsung QN95C and Sony A95K. Obviously, the two have different brands and different release years. But what about the important stuff like type, price, and size?
Let’s examine these key differences below, paying close attention to the way they move the needle in our overall comparison.
TV Type
Firstly, we have a major discrepancy in TV types between the Samsung QN95C and Sony A95K. The QN95C is a Neo QLED LCD with mini LED backlighting. The A95K, by comparison, is a Master XR OLED with a Quantum Dot overlay. Being a Samsung, the QN95C forgoes Dolby Vision HDR support. Comparatively, being a Sony, the A95K goes without HDR10+ support.
Considering what we know about LCD and OLED, it’s clear the A95K is a stronger choice over the QN95C, even with the former being a year older than the latter.
Average Price
Secondly, we should consider price — a major consideration when shopping for a television, as the greatest is not always synonymous with the most affordable. You might prefer one specific television or brand, but if it’s out of your budget, then there’s nothing you can do.
With this in mind, the QN95C goes for anywhere from $3,300 to $5,800 depending on the size. The A95K sells for between $2,300 and $2,600 depending on size.
This is another victory for the A95K: not only does it look better, it’s also more affordable.
©Tooykrub/Shutterstock.com
Sizing
Thirdly, there’s sizing to consider. It’s all fine and good if your television of choice is the superior type and offers the more affordable price, but what if it doesn’t come in the right size for your particular space? You’d be out of luck. So, considering this, what kind of sizes do these two televisions come in?
The Samsung QN95C QLED is offered in three sizes in America: 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch. The Sony A95K OLED, on the other hand, comes in just two in the U.S.: 55 and 65 inches. No bigger, no smaller.
Sound
Lastly, there’s sound quality. The QN95C boasts 4.2.2 virtual surround sound with Dolby Atmos support. The A95K, by comparison, offers just 2.2 Acoustic Surface Audio+ with Dolby Atmos. This is a major advantage for the QN95C and a big downside for the A95K.
However, if your home theater setup already has a soundbar or a surround sound speaker system ready to be connected to your new television, then you really have no need to worry about the kind of sound quality from the Samsung QN95C and Sony A95K.
The History of QLED
Whereas Sony beat everyone to the punch with quantum dot technology way back in 2013, Samsung’s QD technology didn’t show up until 2015 at the earliest. To introduce this new line of QD-enabled televisions, Samsung simply added a layer of quantum dots and changed the name of one of their existing lines of TVs. The Super Ultra HD — also known as SUHD — TVs were no more. They officially rebranded the SUHD under the name “QLED” in 2017. At its core, it was the same Super Ultra HD TV, just with a layer of quantum dots over the top.
Despite still being an LED LCD TV at heart, Samsung leaned into the QLED name quite heavily. As a matter of fact, they even partnered up with a couple of other popular television brands, TCL and Hisense, to assemble the QLED Alliance. Their goal? To prioritize the research, develop, and release LED LCD televisions with quantum dot technology.
Samsung’s QN95C QLED television is proof of this, combining everything great about QD tech with the superiority of mini LED technology. It might not be an OLED, but it still looks pretty great regardless.
Samsung announced the QN95C QLED television as a follow-up to last year’s previous generation, the Samsung QN95B. It does more than just change one of the letters: the QN95C also implements wider viewing angles and adds more local dimming zones via the implementation of mini LEDs. The greater number of dimming zones, the more superior the color quality will be. With this, the QN95C really manages to elevate mini LED LCD television technology to new heights. Sure, those heights might not match OLED’s, but it comes pretty darn close — especially for an LCD.
How OLED Differs
We’ve spent a great deal of time explaining the former, including what QLED means and how mini LEDs compare, but what about OLED? What does it mean, why is it so superior, and what makes one worth owning over an LCD?
Here’s the short answer: OLED is an abbreviation for organic light-emitting diode (or, depending on who you ask, organic electroluminescent diode). Either way you label it, the same basic principle remains: OLED tech is the best and brightest in television display technology because of its electroluminescence.
OLED televisions rely on something called an emissive electroluminescent layer. In other words, a super thin layer of organic film comprised of thousands upon thousands of tiny little electroluminescent diodes. Electroluminescence means that the diodes light up all by themselves when put into contact with electricity — no need for an LED or mini LED backlight whatsoever. The organic compounds packed into the layer of film can light up individually, as well. This means no dimming zones are required, either. That’s two major advantages over even the best LCD TVs.
Being organic and backlight-free, not to mention thinner and lighter, OLED TVs have a number of advantages over their LCD alternatives. The list could go on and on: more lifelike colors, more energy efficiency, more vibrant picture with darker darks and brighter whites. The pluses far outweigh the minuses.
Truthfully, OLEDs only suffer from one real downside: burn-in. However, with the implementation of built-in screensavers and automatic shutoffs, burn-in is pretty hard to suffer from in this day and age. Combine this with its quantum dot technology, and the A95K looks even better.
©Sony media kit – License
Technology Updates from Samsung and Sony
Throughout 2023 the Samsung QN95C has gotten more technology updates, including supporting the newest HDR formats and having a brighter and crisper image because of the Quantum Dot technology. It also shares two new updates with the Sony A95K that improve the gaming experience — variable refresh rate (VRR) and auto low latency mode (ALLM).
As we’ve compared the Samsung QN95C with the Sony A95K, there are many new advancements to the Sony TV throughout 2023. They’ve introduced the “Cognitive Processor XR” which is an AI that creates a better viewing experience by analyzing the sound and picture of whatever is being shown onscreen.
Samsung QN95C vs. Sony A95K: Pros and Cons
Samsung QN95C
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great color contrast for an LCD | Lacks the advantages of an OLED TV |
| Excellent viewing angles | Very expensive |
| Innovative mini LED technology | No sizes smaller than 65″ |
| Brand new | No Dolby Vision support |
Sony A95K
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Superior perfect black levels | Older than the Samsung QN95C |
| Wider viewing angle | Built-in speakers could be better |
| Remarkable HDR color gamut | Only available in two sizes |
| OLED technology | Some lag between inputs |
- Quantum Dot Color technology for deeper blacks and lifelike colors
- Includes Google TV operating system
- Exclusive gaming modes for the PlayStation 5
- Connect with Alexa, Google Assistant and more
Samsung QN95C vs. Sony A95K: Which is Superior?
Can we say with certainty which of these two very different TV types is superior? Let’s think about what we’ve discussed thus far.
The QN95C might have superior sound quality and sizing options. Additionally, it might be the best mini LED LCD on the market. But, when it comes to picture and price, the A95K simply can’t be beaten.
When shopping for a television, it’s hard to imagine two more important specifications than picture and price. For this reason, the Sony A95K deserves to be named the winner.
What’s Next From Samsung and Sony
Samsung Neo QLED TVs are a newer technology and Sony QD-OLED TVs are also a newer technology that has garnered consumer and critical popularity because of the great viewing experience due to the Quantum Dot technology. Here are some speculations about future advancements:
- New models are expected to be released in 2024, possibly smaller and more portable versions
- Samsung is working on developing Mini LEDs that would improve picture quality
- Increased consumer popularity
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Rokas Tenys/Shutterstock.com.
