LCD TV Reviews

Performance
Features
Ergonomics
Value

AT A GLANCE
Plus
• Glasses-free 3D technology delivers a surprisingly comfortable viewing experience
• Excellent 2D performance with a high refresh rate and snappy response time
• Effective eye tracking maintains a stable 3D effect
• Versatile performance across games, VR-style content, and productivity tasks
• Polished Samsung build quality and design

Minus
• Noticeable resolution drop in 3D mode
• Brief delay for eye tracking to lock onto your position
• Premium price tag

THE VERDICT
Samsung’s G90XF 3D gaming monitor takes a bold step forward, introducing a glasses-free 3D experience that’s both immersive and easy on the eyes. It eliminates the bulk and fatigue of traditional 3D glasses or VR headsets, providing a more natural sense of depth that doesn’t strain your vision over time.

Yes, you’ll sacrifice a bit of resolution when toggling on 3D, but the resulting holographic effect more than makes up for it—games and videos truly pop off the screen.

Before I became the editor of <I>UAV</I>, I was the video editor of <I>The Perfect Vision</I> and, after that magazine folded, <I>Playback</I>, an all-digital monthly published by the same company. My final assignment for <I>Playback</I> was a survey of eight LCD TVs, and the last TV I evaluated for that survey was the Samsung LN-T4671F.

I have to admit, I had some trepidation going into this review. The track record for Samsung's flat panels has not been that great. Like all Samsung products, nevertheless, they have come a long way in a very short time. So when Samsung's TV test manager and HT alum Mike Wood recommend I check out the company's new LN-T5265F LCD flat panel ($3,999 Minimum Advertised Price), I begrudgingly agreed. If you'll remember, Samsung's HL-S6188W won our last RPTV Face Off, its predecessor finishing mid-pack the year before. Perhaps this LCD would make a similar jump. We shall see.

Light Me Up, Dim Me Down

Last year, Samsung launched its first generation of LCD flat-panel sets with LED backlighting, the 81 Series. These sets were exciting in a number of ways. LEDs offer potentially superior color performance compared with conventional fluorescent backlights and also provide lower energy consumption.

Samsung's LN55A950 seems destined to generate controversy among the videophile community. Some will insist that it's the best-looking LCD TV on the market; others will say, well, otherwise. Both arguments are likely to revolve around the LED-backlighting technology that differentiates this high-end model from nearly all other currently available LCD TVs.