When it comes to choosing a new TV in 2024, the difference between a good choice and a great one often comes down to understanding what really matters for your specific needs. Let's compare the Samsung 65" QN85D Neo QLED ($1,798) and the Hisense 65" H9G Quantum Series ($1,505) - two excellent TVs with different approaches to delivering a premium viewing experience.
The TV market has evolved significantly since 2020 when the Hisense H9G was released. The Samsung QN85D represents the latest 2024 technology, while the Hisense H9G comes from an era just before HDMI 2.1 and high refresh rate gaming became mainstream features. Despite their age difference, both TVs offer quantum dot technology - a special layer that helps produce more vibrant and accurate colors.
The biggest technical difference between these TVs is their backlighting system. The Samsung uses Mini LED technology - think of thousands of tiny lights behind the screen that can be precisely controlled in small zones. This newer approach offers much better control over bright and dark areas of the screen compared to the Hisense's traditional LED system with 180 dimming zones.
In practical terms, when you're watching a space movie, for example, you'll notice:
Both TVs excel at picture quality, but in different ways:
The Samsung QN85D shines brightest (literally) in well-lit rooms. Its Neo Quantum processor uses AI to enhance picture quality in real-time, making it particularly good at upscaling lower-quality content to 4K. I've found it handles afternoon sports viewing exceptionally well - no more squinting to see plays in shadowy areas of the field.
The Hisense H9G still holds its own, especially in darker rooms. Its quantum dot display produces rich colors, and its 1,000 nits peak brightness was impressive for its time. While it lacks the latest processing improvements, it delivers a picture that many viewers would find hard to distinguish from more expensive options in optimal conditions.
Gaming capabilities show the biggest technology gap between these TVs:
Samsung QN85D features:
Hisense H9G offers:
For PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X owners, this difference is significant. The Samsung supports all the latest gaming features, while the Hisense is limited to 60Hz gaming.
The Samsung runs the latest version of Tizen OS, which offers:
The Hisense uses Android TV (not the newer Google TV), providing:
While both platforms work well, Tizen feels more refined and responsive in daily use. However, Android TV's straightforward approach might appeal to those who prefer simplicity.
In a dedicated home theater setup, these TVs have different strengths:
The Samsung QN85D excels with:
The Hisense H9G offers:
For serious home theater enthusiasts, the Samsung's superior processing and more advanced local dimming make it the better choice, especially when paired with a quality sound system.
When considering value, we need to look beyond just the price difference:
Samsung QN85D ($1,798):
Hisense H9G ($1,505):
The roughly $300 price difference might seem significant, but spread across a TV's typical 5-7 year lifespan, it's relatively small. The Samsung's future-proof features might actually make it the better value for many users.
Choose the Samsung QN85D if:
Choose the Hisense H9G if:
Both TVs represent strong choices for different users. The Samsung QN85D is clearly the more advanced TV, with its Mini LED technology, latest gaming features, and modern smart platform. It's the better choice for most users who can afford it, especially gamers or those with bright rooms.
However, the Hisense H9G remains a capable TV that delivers excellent picture quality for its price. For viewers who primarily watch movies and TV shows in controlled lighting conditions, it offers tremendous value.
Remember, the best TV for you isn't necessarily the one with the most features - it's the one that best matches your specific viewing habits, room conditions, and budget. Consider your primary use cases carefully when making your decision.
| Samsung 65" QN85D Neo QLED ($1,798) | Hisense 65" H9G Quantum Series ($1,505) |
|---|---|
| Display Technology - Affects contrast, brightness control, and overall picture quality | |
| Mini LED with Neo Quantum Processing (superior local dimming) | Traditional LED with Quantum Dots (good but less precise) |
| Peak Brightness - Critical for HDR impact and bright room viewing | |
| ~1,500 nits (excellent for bright rooms) | 1,000 nits (good but may struggle in very bright conditions) |
| Local Dimming Zones - More zones mean better contrast and less blooming | |
| 1,000+ Mini LED zones (excellent contrast control) | 180 zones (good but more visible blooming) |
| Gaming Features - Essential for next-gen console gaming | |
| 4K@144Hz, VRR, ALLM, HDMI 2.1 (future-proof) | Basic 120Hz panel, no VRR (limited to 60Hz gaming) |
| Smart Platform - Affects ease of use and app availability | |
| Tizen OS 2024 (modern, fast, refined) | Android TV 2020 (older but stable and familiar) |
| HDR Support - Wider support means better compatibility | |
| HDR10+, HDR10, HLG (no Dolby Vision) | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, HLG (more complete) |
| Audio Technology - Built-in sound quality matters if not using external speakers | |
| Object Tracking Sound Lite, Dolby Atmos (better spatial audio) | Basic 20W speakers with Dolby Atmos (adequate) |
| Year Released - Affects feature set and future support | |
| 2024 (current generation) | 2020 (older generation) |
| Value Proposition - Overall price-to-performance ratio | |
| Higher price but latest tech and future-proof features | Lower price with still-excellent picture quality |
For dedicated home theater use, the Samsung QN85D Neo QLED ($1,798) has clear advantages with its superior Mini LED local dimming, better HDR processing, and more advanced motion handling. While the Hisense H9G ($1,505) performs well in dark rooms, the Samsung's more precise contrast control makes it the better choice for critical movie watching.
The primary difference is in their backlighting technology. The Samsung QN85D uses advanced Mini LED technology with thousands of tiny light zones, while the Hisense H9G uses traditional LED with 180 dimming zones. This results in better contrast and less blooming on the Samsung.
The Samsung QN85D performs significantly better in bright rooms due to its higher peak brightness and advanced anti-glare coating. The Hisense H9G still offers good brightness at 1,000 nits but may struggle more with glare and reflections.
The roughly $300 premium for the Samsung QN85D is justified if you value gaming features, brighter HDR performance, or want the latest smart TV features. The Hisense H9G offers better value if you primarily watch movies and TV shows in controlled lighting.
The Samsung QN85D is significantly better for gaming with HDMI 2.1 ports, 144Hz refresh rate, VRR, and ALLM support. The Hisense H9G is limited to 60Hz gaming and lacks these advanced gaming features.
Both TVs excel at movie playback, but the Samsung QN85D offers better HDR performance and motion handling. The Hisense H9G still provides excellent picture quality, particularly in dark rooms, and includes Dolby Vision support which the Samsung lacks.
The Samsung QN85D runs on the latest Tizen OS, offering a more refined and faster experience. The Hisense H9G uses Android TV, which is older but still provides good app support and familiar Google integration.
The Samsung QN85D has superior upscaling with its Neo Quantum Processor, handling lower resolution content better. The Hisense H9G performs adequately but may show more artifacts with non-4K content.
The Samsung QN85D features Object Tracking Sound Lite and better spatial audio processing. While the Hisense H9G supports Dolby Atmos, its basic speaker system is less sophisticated. For home theater use, external speakers are recommended for both.
Both the Samsung QN85D and Hisense H9G support standard VESA wall mounting, though the Samsung is slightly slimmer and may look more elegant when wall-mounted.
The Samsung QN85D is more future-proof with its 2024 technology, HDMI 2.1 support, and latest smart features. The Hisense H9G, being from 2020, lacks some modern features but remains capable for basic viewing needs.
Both Samsung and Hisense are established brands, but Samsung has a longer track record in premium TVs. The Samsung QN85D comes with better warranty support, while the Hisense H9G has proven reliable over its years in the market.
We've done our best to create useful and informative comparisons to help you decide what product to buy. Our research uses advanced automated methods to create this comparison and perfection is not possible - please contact us for corrections or questions. These are the sites we've researched in the creation of this article: videoandaudiocenter.com - shopjetson.com - mysoundconcepts.com - samsung.com - merlinstv.com - youtube.com - samsung.com - samsung.com - rtings.com - bestbuy.com - techradar.com - youtube.com - digitaltrends.com - assets.hisense-usa.com - bestbuy.com - youtube.com - bestbuy.com
