The Samsung Q60C QLED TV is, so far, the latest and most affordable of Samsung’s other QLED sets, but it arrives with an exciting feature set including Quantum Dot colors, a robust smart system, support for Samsung Q Symphony, and the new Object Tracking Sound technology.
The Samsung Q60C Series looks like it has the DNA to compete with most of its similarly priced competition. On paper, it has the extras that will keep gamers impressed, and physically, it looks gorgeous with a super-slim design and a solid build quality that help it look and feel much more premium than you’d expect at this price point.
The smart TV platform at play here is Samsung’s Tizen smart system; now fine-tuned and features pretty much every streaming app you’d ever need on any smart TV. And Samsung ensures that there’s always HDR and 4K streaming support from all apps that supports these features.
Picture quality on the latest model is fine, with the Samsung Q60C producing more brightness and Quantum Dot-based color reproduction delivering a punch than a vast majority of affordable TV rivals. The Q60C’s playback of native 4K sources is also fantastic, especially on the 55-inch QN55Q60C that we have for this Samsung Q60C review. It doesn’t miss a beat compared to the best 4K TVs for Ultra HD content.
Competition is stiff in this category, though. In the US, the same kind of money will get you the TCL 55R655 (2022, Roku TV) which runs mini-LED backlighting for its QLED panel, plus 120hz support for even better motion handling. If you need to save a few dollars without sacrificing picture quality, the TCL 55R655 is the TV we’d readily recommend for most people.
About the Samsung Q60C
The Samsung Q60C is available in eight total sizes ranging from 32 inches all the way up to 85 inches. Our review is the 55-inch model:
Here is how all the models in this series stack up:
- 32-inch (Samsung QN32Q60C)
- 43-inch (Samsung QN43Q60C)
- 50-inch (Samsung QN50Q60C)
- 55-inch (Samsung QN55Q60C)
- 65-inch (Samsung QN65Q60C)
- 70-inch (Samsung QN70Q60C)
- 75-inch (Samsung QN75Q60C)
- 85-inch (Samsung QN85Q60C)
Given the Samsung Q60C’s display hardware, I don’t expect many differences in performance between sizes. With sizing out of the way, here are the TV’s specs:
- Resolution: 4K (3,840 x 2,160)
- Display Type: Dual LED with quantum dots (VA-style panel)
- HDR support: Quantum HDR, HDR10+, HLG
- Dolby Atmos: Passthrough via eARC (no native decoding)
- eARC support: Yes (HDMI 2)
- Native refresh rate: 100Hz
- Smart platform: Tizen OS
- Color: DCI-P3 color space/10-bit chroma resolution
- Variable Refresh Rate (VRR): No
- Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM): Yes
- Processor: Quantum Processor Lite 4K
- Other features: Adaptive Sound, OTS Lite, Q-Symphony, Game Bar 2.0, Filmmaker Mode, Samsung Health, MultiView, Ambient Mode+, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Bixby
The Samsung Q60C ships with the Samsung Solar Cell remote control that uses indoor/outdoor light to charge its battery. The remote also features a USB-C charging port for emergency charging, and the battery level can be checked in one of the TV menus.
Connectivity
The QN55Q60C is equipped with a modest selection of connectivity options, but gamers and A/V enthusiasts looking to connect next-generation consoles need to note the lack of HDMI 2.1 support, as well as the fact that you only have only three HDMI ports on the Q60C rather than four. Here is what you’ll find on the back of the Q60C panel:
- 3x HDMI 2.0 (4K @ 60Hz, 1x HDMI ARC/eARC)
- 2x USB 2.0
- RF connection (cable/antenna)
- Ethernet (LAN) Input
- Digital audio output (optical)
Like its predecessor, the Samsung Q60B, the Q60C has its third port facing the TV’s rear, which could easily complicate matters if you intend to wall-mount your set.
Both the Hisense U8H and Sony X90K arrive with HDMI 2.1 support, meaning you can easily connect your PS5 and enjoy the highest frame during gameplay.
Design & Features
Samsung often does a fantastic job in designing its entry-level and mid-range TVs, and the Q60C shines with the signature sleekness that many similarly priced TVs lack. It’s a narrow panel with slim, L-shaped feet that don’t call too much attention to them. There’s an optional cable management system alongside the back that can be called upon if you prefer to cut down on wire clutter.
Setting up the TV is easy, too. The Samsung Q60C’s feet slot right into the panel and remain firmly in place – no screws are required. The panel has some bit of wobble once it’s assembled, but it doesn’t feel like it will topple over once assembled.
The width of the feet can be adjusted to suit different sizes, to match the size of your furniture, and it gives you the space to tuck a small soundbar between them.
Finally, the Samsung QN43Q60C ships with the SolarCell Remote, that’s been one of my favorite remote-control designs. It can be charged quickly in the sun or a bit less quickly indoors, and a notification in the “Power and Energy Saving” panel of the settings indicates the remaining power in the remote.
The remote has much of what you need, including a directional pad; a Microphone for voice search; Back and Home buttons; Volume and Channel controls; and shortcuts for Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and the Samsung TV Plus free content service.
Image Quality
The Samsung Q60C is a 4K TV capable of supporting HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ HDR formats, but with most Samsung panels, not Dolby Vision HDR. This solid range of HDR support is bolstered with a high brightness VA (rather than lower contrast/wider viewing-angle IPS) panel and a Quantum Dot color system, which delivers a wider, more dynamic, and more accurate color range than regular-filter-based LCD TVs.
It also features dual LED technology. This means half of the edge-mounted LEDs light the picture emitting a cool light (bluer), and the other half emits a warm (redder) tone. The concept is to increase the TV’s control over color toning, potentially resulting in more natural images. However, that edge LED lighting doesn’t provide any local dimming support to deliver localized light control.
The Q60C’s picture hardware is driven by a Quantum Processor 4K lite system that’s equivalent to the Crystal processor found on Samsung’s non-Quantum Dot TVs. Certainly, it doesn’t appear to have any of the machine learning/AI elements present on Samsung’s top-tier models, with Samsung’s marketing only talking of improved upscaling of sub-4K content and the ability to automatically adjust the sound profile to match different content types.
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Picture quality is great on the Q60C, based on two counts. First, you’re getting a much brighter picture than most TVs we’ve seen in this price category. Picture is bright enough, in fact with high dynamic range sources that are associated with bright scenes, it looks like genuine HDR rather than something better than SDR.
The other benefit is in the colors, which pop off the screen with the sort of clarity we’ve come to expect from Quantum Dot backed up by decent amounts of brightness. The impact of the Quantum Dot system – along with, the Dual LED lighting – is apparent with the most heavily saturated reds, greens, blues, and yellows, though it also adds to the authentic and nuanced skin tones.
Gaming Performance
For gaming, the QN55Q60C gets Samsung’s Game Bar interface which provides key information on incoming gaming graphics and offers faster access to a few gaming-related features. This includes support for the Super Ultrawide GameView feature that lets gamers play some compatible PC games in a 32:9 aspect ratio thereby increasing the field of view.
The TV also has ALLM switching but, that is the last of the cutting-edge gaming features; since there’s no support over the TV’s three HDMIs for either 4K at 120Hz feeds or VRR. There’s a basic version of Samsung’s Motion Xcelerator which is meant to predict and automatically compensate for frame rate fluctuations, but its effect on gaming is minimal. The TV’s 8.7ms input lag will give you advantage over people using slower panels, especially when using the TV’s ‘Fastest’ response time setting.
Sound Quality
Finally, the Samsung Q60C offers average sound. Even at maximum volume, the TV isn’t particularly loud enough to immerse you in a good film soundtrack. This is partly due to the Air Slim design that suffocates the audio performance as there isn’t enough physical space to create either the volume levels or dynamic range – especially on lower dynamic range.
However, the TV’s Object Tracking Sound Lite processing does a good job of placing specific effects in the correct place on the screen, and it supports Samsung Q Symphony technology to pair with supported devices like the Samsung HW-Q990C for the best audio experience.
Bottom Line
The Samsung Q60C is a good all-around TV for anyone looking to upgrade an older TV. If it’s your first 4K TV, you’ll be greatly happy with it. No matter the size you choose, all models in the Q60C are bright enough to watch during the day, and they look even better in the dark – provided you’re not sitting off its side. It looks sleek and will look good on a media console regardless of your home décor.
However, if you’re looking for an absolute HDR performer and next-gen gaming, you’ll want to look elsewhere. The LG OLED55C2PUA is currently a bit more expensive than the Q60C, but it’s better equipped to handle next-gen gaming and offers superior HDR performance. Last year’s Hisense U8H is a terrific affordable option that gamers and A/V enthusiasts might appreciate more than the Samsung Q60C.
Overall, the Samsung Q60C QN55Q60C is a perfectly fine TV for most people, it makes Quantum Dots technology more affordable, but it’s important to understand that despite its mid-range price, it delivers the best bang for the buck than most competitors out there. It’s an excellent choice for anyone looking for a slick, QLED 4K TV that offers lots of features including Samsung Symphony, Object Tracking Sound Lite and a built-in gaming hub.
The Review
Samsung Q60C
The Samsung Q60C (QN43Q60C / QN55Q60C) offers a bright, colorful picture and makes Quantum Dots technology more affordable, but it comes with a few compromises on the overall image quality as well.
Recommended Configuration
SAMSUNG 55-Inch Class QLED 4K Q60C Series Quantum HDR, Dual LED, Object Tracking Sound Lite, Q-Symphony, Motion Xcelerator, Gaming Hub, Smart TV with Alexa Built-in (QN55Q60C, 2023 Model)
PROS
- Premium slimline design
- Bright, colorful pictures
- Good 4K sharpness
- Very low input lag
CONS
- A few motion issues
- No 4K/120 or VRR support
Review Breakdown
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EDITORS RATING
Last update on 2024-11-21 at 03:17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
