Samsung has some of the best OLED TVs out there and offers top-tier Neo QLED TVs that easily rival flagship TVs from LG and Sony. Below that is Samsung’s popular QLED lineup, led by the Samsung Q80C (2023 model). It’s the brand’s most premium TV outside of those top-tier offerings, and there is the base Samsung Q60C for budget shoppers. The Samsung Q70C we’re reviewing sits in the middle, offering the best of both worlds for a certain type of gamer, and succeeds the Samsung Q70 QLED and Samsung Q70B QLED.
Our review unit is the 65-inch Samsung QN65Q70C which, while it doesn’t have local dimming to bolster its contrast, comes fully features for gaming. It supports 4K @ 120Hz on all four of its HDMI 2.1 ports and supports every variable refresh rate (VRR) technology for the most immersive, tear-free gaming experience from any VRR-enabled source. For advanced format support, the Q70C supports advanced DTS and Dolby audio formats through ARC/eARC.
While it doesn’t support Dolby Vision HDR, it comes with Samsung’s competing HDR10+ format as well as Neural Quantum Processor 4K for its image processing features. It runs on the 2023 version of Samsung’s proprietary Tizen OS, and the TV has microphones in both the remote and the TV for voice control through the Alexa or Bixby voice assistants.
You might have some trouble finding a comparably priced TV with better gaming features than the Q70C, but you can spend less on a mini-LED TV from Hisense or TCL that delivers better brightness, better contrast, and a more rounded performance portfolio.
About the Samsung Q70C
The Samsung Q70C is available in four sizes ranging from 55 inches all the way to 85 inches. Our review unit is the 65-inch model, designated as the Samsung QN65Q70C QLED TV. Since its release, the Q70C has seen significant discounts, and we expect even more savings around this season.
While we don’t expect there to be significant differences in performances from one size to the next, each model is likely packed with a different number of dimming zones. A difference in zone count would spell slight differences in how they perform, particularly with the handling of contrast.
Here are the key hardware and software specifications of the Q70C:
- Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
- Display Type: Full-array LED with local dimming and quantum HDR
- HDR support: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG
- Dolby Atmos: Yes
- eARC support: Yes (HDMI 3)
- Native refresh rate: 120Hz
- Smart platform: Tizen OS
- Color: DCI-P3 color space/10-bit chroma resolution
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): Yes
- Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM): Yes
- Processor: Quantum Processor 4K
- Other features: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, Q-Symphony support, Samsung Gaming Hub, Samsung Game Bar, MultiView, Ambient Mode+, Samsung Health, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
As mentioned above, like all Samsung TVs, the Q70C doesn’t support Dolby Vision and instead supports HDR10+, a royalty-free format that utilizes metadata to optimize the picture in the same way. Even with the similarities between the two formats, Dolby Vision remains a more prolific video format.
Remote and Ports
The Samsung Q70C ships with the newest version of Samsung’s Solar Cell remote control which features a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that sucks in power from indoor/outdoor light and RF waves from routers. Simply put, you can charge the Solar Cell remote via its USB-C port.
For connectivity, the Q70C is loaded with A/V connectivity options for casual viewers and power users alike. All ports are set on a cutout on the rear, and they include:
- 4x HDMI 2.1 (4K @ 120Hz, 1x HDMI ARC/eARC)
- 2x USB 2.0
- RF connection (cable/antenna)
- Ethernet (LAN) Input
- Digital audio output (optical)
What we like
Bright and colorful pictures for better daytime viewing
If your budget can’t accommodate the gorgeous Neo QLEDs, the Q70C is one of the best standard Samsung QLED TVs you can buy today. It doesn’t offer the same mini-LED backlight as its higher-end siblings, but its brightness and color-boosting features make for an enjoyable viewing experience.
There isn’t much of a difference between the Q70C’s SDR and HDR peak brightness. The Samsung Q70C is better than the Samsung Q60C QLED in that it offers better contrast and fairly better black uniformity, but it doesn’t get any better in every other category. However, compared with the Samsung Q80C QLED, it lags behind the Q80C offering a much wider viewing angle, making it a great TV for watching movies with friends in a wide sitting area. Also, the Q80C has local dimming which improves its contrast, although its local dimming feature is lackluster. It still gets brighter than the Q70C in both SDR and HDR, has better color volume, and has faster response.
The Samsung QN65Q70C isn’t as colorful as some of its competitors, but its display delivers a pleasing palette that most people will appreciate. It has excellent coverage of the common DCI-P3 color space, which is most used for HDR content. The Q70C’s colors aren’t as punchy as those of the more affordable Hisense U8H or the TCL 6-Series, but its picture processing and overall brightness help to maintain a clean, colorful picture.
Gaming-friendly features for less money
When it comes to gaming, the QN65Q70C has a significant edge over both the Hisense u8H and TCL 6-Series: full HDMI 2.1 support across all four of its inputs.
While TVs like the Hisense U8H and TCL 6-Series only feature two inputs that support 4K gaming at 120Hz, the Q70C is packed with four. Additionally, all of these ports offer Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and FreeSync Premium Pro for a steadily smooth, seamless gaming experience. This level of gaming support is usually available on top-tier models, and even so, some higher-end flagships don’t offer this amount of flexibility.
The gaming features don’t stop there: Like many Samsung TVs, the Q70C is also equipped with a Game Bar, a menu that offers a variety of gaming-related picture and performance settings. You can adjust the picture based on game type, check the current framerate, enable VRR, and more – all from an easily accessible menu on the bottom of the screen.
The QN65Q70C also supports Samsung Gaming Hub, a software package that hosts several cloud gaming services, including Nvidia GeForce Now and Xbox Cloud Gaming. Basically, Gaming Hub lets you stream video games right to your TV – no console required.
What we don’t like
Overall contrast would be better and some light bloom
Gaming features are the Q70C’s biggest strengths and its overall contrast is good; it gets fairly bright, but its black levels are very shallow. So shallow that large swaths of dark appear more gray than black. In those instances, the Q70C’s black levels settle into the 0.3- to 0.4-nit range. By comparison, the TCL 6-Series and the Hisense U8H measure just below 0.1 nits.
Now, to be fair, both of those TVs are equipped with mini-LED backlighting, a fancier display technology that essentially delivers better contrast. Given these limitations, I would not recommend the Q70C to viewers who frequently watch and game in the dark, especially if you’re buying the 65-inch model. It’s not a good pick for big-screen group viewings after dark.
Samsung Q70C Review (QN65Q70C): Verdict
The Samsung QN65Q70C is a solid mid-range model that offers a taste of QLED’s potential without the higher price tag. The panel may not be as bright as competing mini-LEDs or have the wider viewing angles of pricier models, but it can still deliver a bright and punchy image.
Moreover, the AI-enhanced image processing is equally as effective, helping to make heavily compressed and low-resolution content look better and the local dimming is particularly impressive, especially given the number of zones available. This isn’t the flashiest-looking TV that Samsung has ever made, but if your funds are limited, the Samsung Q70C is a great all-rounder that’s worth checking out.
Our Pick
SAMSUNG 55-Inch Class QLED Q80B Series - 4K UHD Direct Full Array Quantum HDR 8X Smart TV with Alexa Built-in (QN55Q80BAFXZA, 2022 Model)
$799.00 in stock
2 used from $679.99
