The Samsung QN900D 8K TV stands out as the inaugural television to offer 4K video playback at an impressive 240Hz refresh rate. Previously, brands like Vizio and TCL have released models capable of 240Hz playback; however, these were restricted to Full HD (1080p) resolution. These earlier models utilized Dual Line Gate (DLG) technology to reach 240Hz by operating at half the panel’s vertical resolution, effectively delivering 1080p on a 4K display.
The Samsung QN900D TV, featuring the cutting-edge NQ8 AI Gen3 video processor, is capable of delivering a 240Hz refresh rate for both 1080p and 4K content. Notably, this processor is exclusive to the QN900D model among Samsung’s 2024 offerings. To achieve 4K/240Hz video streaming via HDMI, it is essential to utilize the Display Stream Compression (DSC) lossless video codec, which requires the source device to also be DSC-compatible. Currently, the Nvidia RTX 4080 and 4090 graphics cards, along with the Apple M2 Pro, M2 Max, M2 Ultra, M3 Pro, and M3 Max chipsets, are the first devices to support 4K/240Hz output through DSC over HDMI 2.1a.
Although 240Hz refresh rates are often linked to gaming, they also offer advantages for user interfaces, video playback, and professional tasks by minimizing eye strain. In the gaming realm, Nvidia’s RTX 4090 graphics card finds it challenging to achieve 4K/240Hz in graphically demanding games; however, it can reach this performance level in less resource-intensive titles such as Diablo 4. It is important to note that contemporary 4K televisions support a maximum refresh rate of 4K/144 Hz, while the latest gaming consoles, including the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, can output up to 4K/120 Hz.
