Samsung QLED QN90B vs. LG NanoCell 99 Series: A Comprehensive Comparison

In the competitive world of premium 4K and 8K televisions, the Samsung QLED QN90B (2022) and the LG NanoCell 99 Series (e.g., NANO99 8K, 2021) stand out as high-end options from two leading brands. The QN90B is a flagship 4K QLED TV leveraging Mini-LED technology, while the NanoCell 99 Series is LG’s top-tier 8K LCD TV with NanoCell technology. This article compares their picture quality, performance, cost, and target audience to determine the winner and who each TV best serves.

Understanding the Technologies: QLED vs. NanoCell

Samsung QLED QN90B (LCD-based QLED): The QN90B is a Neo QLED model that combines quantum dot technology with a Mini-LED backlight, offering superior brightness, contrast, and local dimming compared to standard QLEDs. It uses a VA panel (except in smaller sizes) with Samsung’s Ultra Viewing Angle layer, balancing high contrast with improved viewing angles.
LG NanoCell 99 Series (LCD-based NanoCell): The NanoCell 99 Series is an 8K TV that uses LG’s NanoCell technology, incorporating a nanoparticle layer to enhance color purity. It features an IPS panel with full-array local dimming (FALD) and is powered by LG’s α9 Gen 4 processor, optimized for 8K upscaling and color accuracy.

These technologies cater to different priorities, with QLED focusing on brightness and contrast and NanoCell emphasizing color purity and viewing angles.

Picture Quality Comparison

Contrast and Black Levels

LG NanoCell 99 Series: The NanoCell 99 uses an IPS panel with FALD, offering decent contrast for an LCD TV, with a contrast ratio around 1,000:1. However, IPS panels inherently produce grayish blacks compared to VA panels, making dark-room performance less impressive. Local dimming helps but can’t match OLED or high-end QLED contrast.
Samsung QN90B: The QN90B’s VA panel and Mini-LED backlight deliver a high contrast ratio (around 29,500:1) and deep blacks for an LCD TV. Its advanced local dimming minimizes blooming, providing excellent control in dark scenes, though it doesn’t achieve the perfect blacks of OLED.

Winner: Samsung QN90B for its superior contrast and black levels, ideal for dark-room viewing.

Brightness

Samsung QN90B: The QN90B is exceptionally bright, reaching up to 2,000 nits in HDR, making it one of the brightest 4K TVs available. This ensures vibrant highlights and excellent performance in bright rooms, effectively combating glare.
LG NanoCell 99 Series: The NanoCell 99 achieves moderate brightness, around 500–600 nits in HDR, which is lower than premium QLEDs and Mini-LED TVs. While its anti-reflective coating helps in bright rooms, it struggles in extremely well-lit environments compared to the QN90B.

Winner: Samsung QN90B for its significantly higher brightness, perfect for bright living rooms.

Color Performance

LG NanoCell 99 Series: NanoCell technology uses nanoparticles to filter impure colors, delivering a wide color gamut (over 90% of DCI-P3) and pure, accurate colors. It supports Dolby Vision, enhancing HDR performance with dynamic metadata for richer colors.
Samsung QN90B: The QN90B’s quantum dot technology also provides a wide color gamut (99.68% of Rec. 709 in testing), with vibrant and accurate colors. It supports HDR10+ but lacks Dolby Vision, slightly limiting its HDR flexibility. Color accuracy requires tweaking for optimal results.

Winner: LG NanoCell 99 Series for its purer colors and Dolby Vision support, enhancing HDR content.

Viewing Angles

LG NanoCell 99 Series: The IPS panel offers wide viewing angles, maintaining color and contrast consistency even at off-center positions. This makes it ideal for group viewing or rooms with spread-out seating.
Samsung QN90B: The QN90B’s VA panel typically has narrower viewing angles, but Samsung’s Ultra Viewing Angle layer improves performance, making it competitive with IPS panels. However, it still falls short of the NanoCell’s consistency at extreme angles (except in 43” and 50” models, which lack this layer).

Winner: LG NanoCell 99 Series for its wider, more consistent viewing angles, ideal for group settings.

Motion Handling and Gaming

LG NanoCell 99 Series: The NanoCell 99 features a 120Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM, and G-Sync/FreeSync, making it gaming-friendly. Its response time (around 10–15ms) is decent but slower than OLED, resulting in slight motion blur in fast-paced games.
Samsung QN90B: The QN90B also supports 4K/120Hz, VRR, ALLM, and FreeSync across four HDMI 2.1 ports, with a faster response time (around 6–8ms). Its Samsung Gaming Hub adds cloud gaming support (e.g., Xbox Game Pass, GeForce Now), enhancing versatility. However, it lacks G-Sync.

Winner: Samsung QN90B for its faster response time and gaming hub, ideal for gamers.

Burn-In Risk

LG NanoCell 99 Series: As an LCD-based TV, it’s immune to burn-in, making it safe for static content like news tickers or game HUDs.
Samsung QN90B: Similarly, the QN90B is immune to burn-in, offering reliability for users with static content needs.

Winner: Tie. Both TVs are burn-in-free, suitable for varied usage.

Resolution: 4K vs. 8K

LG NanoCell 99 Series: As an 8K TV, it offers higher resolution (7680×4320), providing sharper details for large screens or close viewing. However, native 8K content is scarce, relying heavily on upscaling, which is handled well by LG’s α9 Gen 4 processor.
Samsung QN90B: A 4K TV (3840×2160), it delivers excellent upscaling via Samsung’s Neo Quantum Processor 4K but lacks the pixel density of 8K. For most viewers at typical distances, the resolution difference is negligible.

Winner: LG NanoCell 99 Series for its 8K resolution, though its benefits are limited by content availability.

Cost Comparison

Pricing varies by size and availability, but here’s a general comparison based on 2025 market trends for a 65-inch model (noting the NanoCell 99 is 8K, which affects pricing):

Samsung QLED QN90B (65”): Retails around $1,300–$1,600, often discounted as a 2022 model. Its 4K resolution and Mini-LED technology make it a premium yet accessible option.
LG NanoCell 99 Series (65” 8K): Priced higher, around $2,000–$3,500, reflecting its 8K resolution and advanced NanoCell technology. Its premium cost targets early adopters of 8K.

Winner: Samsung QN90B for its lower cost, offering strong value for a high-performance 4K TV.

Additional Considerations

Smart Features and Software

LG NanoCell 99 Series: Runs on webOS, a user-friendly platform with a wide app selection, AirPlay 2, and HomeKit support. The Magic Remote enhances navigation, though it’s less intuitive than some competitors.
Samsung QN90B: Uses Tizen OS, a polished platform with a robust app ecosystem, including Samsung TV Plus and a Gaming Hub for cloud gaming. The Solar Cell remote is eco-friendly and user-friendly.

Winner: Samsung QN90B for its sleeker Tizen OS and Gaming Hub, though both platforms are excellent.

Sound Quality

LG NanoCell 99 Series: Features Dolby Atmos and 2.2-channel speakers (40W), offering decent audio with virtual surround sound. A soundbar is recommended for immersive experiences.
Samsung QN90B: Includes Object Tracking Sound (OTS) and 4.2.2-channel speakers (60W), providing dynamic audio that tracks on-screen action. It’s slightly more immersive but still benefits from external audio.

Winner: Samsung QN90B for its more powerful and dynamic audio.

Durability and Longevity

LG NanoCell 99 Series: LCD panels are durable with no burn-in risk, but IPS panels may show slight degradation in black levels over time compared to VA panels.
Samsung QN90B: The QN90B’s VA panel and Mini-LED backlight offer excellent durability and consistent performance, with no burn-in risk.

Winner: Samsung QN90B for its more robust contrast retention over time.

Final Verdict: Which TV Wins?

The Samsung QLED QN90B is the superior choice for overall picture quality and versatility, offering exceptional brightness, high contrast, fast response times, and gaming features. It excels in bright rooms, delivers deeper blacks than most LCD TVs, and is more affordable, making it a well-rounded option for most viewers. Its 4K resolution is sufficient for current content, and its Gaming Hub adds value for gamers.

The LG NanoCell 99 Series shines in color purity, wide viewing angles, and 8K resolution, making it ideal for group viewing and early adopters of future-proof technology. However, its lower brightness, weaker contrast, and higher price limit its appeal compared to the QN90B, especially given the scarcity of 8K content.

Target Audience

Samsung QLED QN90B: Best for home theater enthusiasts, gamers (especially console and cloud gamers), and those with bright living rooms or mixed lighting conditions. If you want premium 4K performance at a reasonable price, the QN90B is the choice.
LG NanoCell 99 Series: Ideal for tech enthusiasts seeking 8K resolution, group viewing in rooms with wide seating arrangements, or users prioritizing color accuracy with Dolby Vision. It suits those willing to pay a premium for future-proofing.

The Winner

The Samsung QLED QN90B takes the crown for its superior brightness, contrast, gaming performance, and value, making it the better choice for most buyers in 2025. The LG NanoCell 99 Series is a strong contender for those prioritizing 8K resolution and wide viewing angles, but its higher cost and limited 8K content make it less practical for the average consumer. Choose based on your viewing environment, budget, and whether 8K is a priority.

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