Samsung · Television Reviews · Q60D

Samsung Q60D Review: Rich QLED Color With Clear 60Hz Limits

The 2024 Samsung Q60D is a slim, entry-level QLED TV with rich quantum-dot color, capable 4K upscaling and a polished Tizen smart platform. Tech Steve found the reviewed 55-inch model enjoyable for everyday television, sports and movies, particularly with high-quality sources. Its main compromises are the 60Hz panel, no VRR, no hardware local dimming, modest HDR impact and thin 20-watt audio system.

Video summary

Tech Steve reviews the 55-inch Samsung Q60D after previously covering its unboxing, gaming features and calibration. He praises its rich color, natural-looking Movie mode, motion with high-bitrate sports, capable upscaling and responsive gaming. His test unit also showed some blotchy screen uniformity and visible backlight bleed in dark scenes at elevated brightness. HDR added color and contrast but could look darker, while the thin cabinet limited bass and overall sound weight. He concludes that the Q60D is a good everyday Samsung TV, provided shoppers understand that it is limited to 4K at 60Hz and does not match a Mini LED or OLED television.

Bottom line

Tech Steve Takeaway

Buy the Q60D if you want a slim Samsung TV with rich color, good everyday upscaling and straightforward 60fps gaming. Skip it if your priorities are impactful HDR, deep local-dimming performance, 4K/120Hz gaming, VRR or powerful built-in sound.

The Samsung Q60D is an edge-lit 4K QLED television positioned for everyday streaming, television, movies and casual gaming. It combines a quantum-dot color layer, Samsung's Quantum Processor Lite, Tizen OS and a slim AirSlim cabinet. Every size is limited to 4K at 60Hz and lacks VRR and hardware local dimming.

Picture quality

The reviewed 55-inch Q60D produced rich colors and a natural-looking image in Movie mode. Tech Steve found 4K high-bitrate material especially attractive and said 480p, 720p and 1080p sources were handled well enough for everyday viewing, with detail improving as source quality increased. Skin tones appeared balanced, and the television offers useful picture-size controls for fitting lower-resolution material to the screen. The reviewed sample showed some blotchy dirty-screen effect during test patterns and visible edge-backlight bleed in dark scenes at higher brightness settings. These limitations matter most during demanding dark-room viewing rather than typical bright, colorful programming.

HDR performance

The Q60D supports HDR10, HDR10+ Adaptive and HLG, but not Dolby Vision. Tech Steve observed richer color and greater contrast after switching his Apple TV to HDR10+, although the overall presentation could also become darker. The edge-lit backlight and lack of hardware local dimming limit HDR impact compared with brighter Mini LED televisions. An external streamer that can be manually set to SDR may be useful for viewers who prefer a brighter presentation.

Gaming performance

The Q60D is suitable for casual console gaming at up to 4K and 60 frames per second. Tech Steve observed input lag below 10 milliseconds on the reviewed setup and found gameplay responsive. ALLM and Game Bar are available on the larger models, but the physical 60Hz panel cannot accept 4K/120Hz and VRR is not supported. The 32-inch version also omits Game Bar, Mini Map Zoom and Super Ultra Wide Game View.

Motion handling

Tech Steve found motion impressive when watching high-bitrate sports and other clean sources. Samsung's Motion Xcelerator processing can reduce perceived blur, but it does not turn the native 60Hz panel into a 120Hz display. Source quality remains important, particularly with heavily compressed live television or low-bitrate streams.

Sound quality

The two-channel speaker system delivers 20 watts total and has no built-in woofer. Tech Steve found it usable but not robust, with limited bass caused in part by the television's thin cabinet. The sound menu includes adjustment options and an equalizer, while Object Tracking Sound Lite provides virtual positional processing. A compatible Samsung soundbar is the better choice for movies, stronger bass and greater room-filling output; Q-Symphony can play the TV and compatible soundbar speakers together.

Smart TV experience

Samsung's Tizen OS provides built-in streaming applications, Samsung Gaming Hub, AirPlay and Amazon Alexa support. The included SolarCell Remote is compact and rechargeable but does not have a traditional number pad. There are three HDMI inputs, including eARC support for a soundbar or receiver. Shoppers with several consoles and external streaming devices may need an HDMI switch or receiver.

Calibration notes

On the reviewed 55-inch sample, Tech Steve preferred Movie mode for its natural presentation and found many calibration points reasonably accurate out of the box. FILMMAKER MODE looked darker with SDR material but appeared brighter than expected during his HDR10+ demonstration. The best mode will depend on room lighting and whether the source is SDR or HDR.

What we like

Rich quantum-dot color with HDR10+ support
Natural-looking Movie mode on the reviewed 55-inch sample
Good everyday upscaling and motion with high-quality sources
Responsive gaming with ALLM and observed input lag below 10 milliseconds
Slim AirSlim cabinet with thin bezels
Eight sizes ranging from 32 to 85 inches
Tizen OS, Samsung Gaming Hub, AirPlay and eARC
Q-Symphony support for compatible Samsung soundbars

What to consider

Native 60Hz panel cannot accept 4K at 120Hz
No variable refresh rate support
Edge-lit backlight has no hardware local dimming
Dark scenes can reveal backlight bleed at higher brightness settings
HDR can appear darker and lacks the impact of brighter Mini LED televisions
No Dolby Vision or built-in Dolby Atmos
Only three HDMI inputs
Thin 20-watt speaker system has limited bass
The 32-inch model omits Game Bar and several other features

Tech Steve verdict

The Samsung Q60D is best for shoppers who value rich QLED color, a slim design, Samsung's Tizen ecosystem and competent everyday picture processing more than premium contrast or advanced gaming. Movies and television can look colorful and natural, but dark-room viewers should account for the edge backlight, lack of hardware local dimming and possible visible backlight bleed. Casual gamers receive responsive 4K/60Hz play, ALLM and useful gaming tools on sizes above 32 inches, while performance-focused players should choose a television with native 120Hz and VRR. The built-in speakers are adequate for basic viewing, but a soundbar is recommended. The 32-inch model is useful where space is limited, though it drops several gaming and ambient features included with the larger sizes.

Choose your size

Size-by-size buying guide

Brightness measurements are shown only for the exact size researched. Recommended distance uses a 30°-40° field-of-view range for mixed TV and cinematic viewing.

Size / model	Panel / finish	Refresh	Dimming zones	Peak HDR	VESA	Feet width	Viewing distance	Buy
32"QN32Q60DAFXZAMSRP $499.99	QLED LCD with edge LED backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	100 x 100	22.8 in	3.7-5.0 ft	Check price ↗
43"QN43Q60DAFXZAMSRP $549.99	QLED LCD with Dual LED edge backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	200 x 200	26.7 in	4.9-6.7 ft	Check price ↗
50"QN50Q60DAFXZAMSRP $649.99	QLED LCD with Dual LED edge backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	200 x 200	29.8 in	5.7-7.8 ft	Check price ↗
55"QN55Q60DAFXZAMSRP $799.99	QLED LCD with Dual LED edge backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	200 x 200	35.3 in	6.3-8.6 ft	Check price ↗
65"QN65Q60DAFXZAMSRP $999.99	QLED LCD with Dual LED edge backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	400 x 300	39.4 in	7.4-10.1 ft	Check price ↗
70"QN70Q60DAFXZAMSRP $1,199.99	QLED LCD with Dual LED edge backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	400 x 300	46.8 in	8.0-10.9 ft	Check price ↗
75"QN75Q60DAFXZAMSRP $1,399.99	QLED LCD with Dual LED edge backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	400 x 400	40.9 in	8.6-11.7 ft	Check price ↗
85"QN85Q60DAFXZAMSRP $2,299.99	QLED LCD with Dual LED edge backlight	60 Hz native	—	No size-specific test	600 x 400	46.8 in	9.7-13.2 ft	Check price ↗

What makes it different

Exclusive technology

Dual LED

Uses LED backlighting with two color-temperature characteristics and adjusts the backlight presentation for the content. Samsung's US specification sheet excludes the 32-inch model, which is listed with Mega Contrast instead.

100% Color Volume with Quantum Dot

Uses a quantum-dot layer to reproduce a broad range of colors across different brightness levels; Samsung specifies DCI-P3 color-volume certification conditions.

Quantum Processor Lite with 4K Upscaling

Processes lower-resolution sources for presentation on the television's 4K panel and applies Samsung's picture and sound processing.

Motion Xcelerator

Samsung's motion-processing system for reducing perceived blur and improving frame-to-frame motion. It does not change the physical 60 Hz panel into a 120 Hz panel.

Quantum HDR

Samsung's HDR picture processing for HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG material.

Supreme UHD Dimming

Software-based image analysis that adjusts contrast in portions of the image. It is not a hardware full-array local-dimming system.

Object Tracking Sound Lite

Virtual audio processing intended to make sound appear to follow movement on the screen using the television's two-channel speaker system.

Q-Symphony

Allows the television speakers to operate with compatible Samsung Q-Series or S-Series soundbars rather than automatically disabling the TV speakers.

AirSlim

Samsung's slim cabinet design, measuring approximately 1 inch deep without the stand for most sizes.

PANTONE Validated

Indicates that the television's color reproduction was evaluated through Pantone's display-validation program.

Samsung Gaming Hub

Collects supported cloud-gaming services and connected gaming sources in a unified Tizen interface; subscriptions, internet access and a compatible controller may be required.

Game Bar and Super Ultra Wide Game View

Provides gaming status and adjustments, including supported ultrawide PC aspect ratios. Ultrawide operation can require a resolution change at the source and is not supported by the 32-inch model.

Specifications

Audio

Speaker System2.0-channel

Speaker Count2

Woofer Count0

Included SubwooferNo

Included Rear SpeakersNo

Audio Output Watts20 W

Dolby AtmosNo

Dolby Audio FormatsDolby MS12 2-channel decoder

Sound ModesAdaptive Sound

Dialogue EnhancementNo

Voice AssistantsAmazon Alexa

Optional AccessoriesCompatible VESA wall mount, Samsung Slim Fit Wall Mount, Compatible Samsung Q-Series or S-Series soundbar, Replacement Samsung-compatible remote with number pad