I've always been the type of person who thinks their TV is "fine" until I see what "fine" actually looks like. My old 55-inch LED TV served me well for years, but after spending a weekend at a friend's house watching movies on their OLED, I came home and felt like I was watching everything through a dirty window.
So I did what any reasonable person would do: I spent way too much time researching TVs, convinced myself I needed the absolute best, and then compromised on something that was still really, really good. Enter the Samsung 65-Inch Neo QLED QN80F.
First Impressions: It's Big. Really Big.
Let me start with the obvious: 65 inches is massive. I measured my wall three times before buying this thing, and I still wasn't prepared for how it would dominate my living room. My partner's first words when we unboxed it? "That's... a lot of TV." She wasn't wrong.
But here's the thing—after a week, it doesn't feel big anymore. It just feels right. My old TV now looks like a postage stamp in comparison, and I can't imagine going back.
The design itself is clean and minimal. Samsung went with a slim profile and thin bezels, so the screen is the star of the show. It sits on a simple stand that doesn't scream "look at me," which I appreciate. This isn't a TV that's trying to be a piece of art—it's trying to disappear and let the picture do the talking.
The Picture: Where This TV Actually Shines
Okay, let's talk about what matters: the picture quality. The Neo QLED technology uses mini-LED backlighting, which is Samsung's way of saying "we made the LEDs really small and put a lot of them in there." The result? Incredible contrast and brightness.
I'm not going to bore you with technical specs, but here's what actually matters: when I watch dark scenes in movies, I can actually see what's happening. My old TV would turn everything into a murky gray mess, but this one shows proper blacks and shadows. It's the difference between watching a thriller and actually being able to tell what's going on.
The 4K resolution is crisp, obviously. But what surprised me more was how good regular HD content looks. The upscaling is genuinely impressive—old shows I've watched a hundred times suddenly look like they were filmed yesterday. It's not magic, but it's close enough.
HDR content is where this TV really flexes. I rewatched some of my favorite movies, and it was like seeing them for the first time. Colors pop without looking oversaturated, and bright scenes don't make me squint. It's balanced in a way that feels natural, not like someone cranked all the settings to maximum.
Smart Features: Tizen OS and All That Jazz
The smart TV features run on Samsung's Tizen OS, which I'll be honest—I had no strong feelings about before this TV. Now? It's fine. It works. The interface is clean, apps load quickly, and I haven't had any major crashes or freezes.
Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, all the usual suspects are there. The remote has dedicated buttons for Netflix and Prime Video, which is convenient when I'm too lazy to navigate menus. The voice control works better than I expected, though I still feel weird talking to my TV.
One thing I really appreciate: the TV remembers where I left off in shows across different apps. It's a small thing, but it's the kind of detail that makes daily use actually pleasant instead of frustrating.
Gaming: Not Just for Movies
I'm not a hardcore gamer, but I do play occasionally, and this TV handles games beautifully. The input lag is low enough that I don't notice any delay, and the motion handling keeps fast-paced action smooth. I connected my PlayStation, and games look incredible—bright, colorful, and responsive.
The TV has a Game Mode that optimizes settings automatically, which is nice because I'm the type of person who would never figure out the right settings on my own. It just works, and that's exactly what I want.
The Downsides: Because Nothing's Perfect
Look, this isn't a perfect TV. The viewing angles aren't as good as OLED—if you're sitting way off to the side, the picture quality does degrade. But for my setup, where we're mostly watching straight on, it's not an issue.
The built-in speakers are... fine. They're better than my old TV, but if you're serious about audio, you'll want a soundbar. I ended up getting one after a month, and the combination is fantastic.
Also, this thing is bright. Like, really bright. I had to adjust the settings because out of the box, it was almost too intense for my dimly lit living room. Once I dialed it back, it was perfect, but be prepared to spend some time in the settings menu.
Real Talk: Is It Worth It?
Here's my honest take: if you're coming from an older LED TV, this will blow your mind. The picture quality improvement is immediately noticeable, and the size upgrade (if you're going bigger) makes everything more immersive.
Is it the absolute best TV money can buy? No. There are OLEDs that have better blacks, and there are more expensive QLEDs with more features. But for the price point, this TV hits a sweet spot of performance, features, and value.
I've had it for a few months now, and I'm still impressed every time I turn it on. Movies look cinematic, shows are crisp and clear, and gaming is smooth. My living room has become the place where friends want to watch the big game or the latest streaming series, and honestly? That's worth something.
If I had to do it all over again, I'd make the same choice in a heartbeat. It's transformed how I experience content at home, and I can't imagine going back to something smaller or less capable. My only regret is that I didn't buy it sooner.
Note: The Samsung QN80F features Neo QLED technology with mini-LED backlighting, 4K UHD resolution, HDR support, and runs on Tizen OS. It includes multiple HDMI ports, supports various streaming services, and offers gaming-optimized features. Perfect for those looking to upgrade their viewing experience without breaking the bank on the absolute top-tier models.
