Samsung's latest QLED TVs gain 'Real Quantum Dot' stamp of approval

Samsung’s QLED TVs have officially been certified as Real Quantum Dot Displays by TÜV Rheinland, confirming what the company has long claimed about its display technology.

This certification places Samsung’s QLED models in a stronger position within the premium TV market, especially as the brand faces ongoing scrutiny over the authenticity of quantum dot usage in LED-based displays.

The certification from TÜV Rheinland is not a marketing badge, as it verifies that Samsung’s QLED TVs meet the IEC 62595-1-6 standard for quantum dot displays. 

This is a technical benchmark that evaluates how well displays isolate and emit red, green, and blue wavelengths. These wavelengths must show minimal overlap in order to qualify as a true quantum dot display, something that many cheaper or imitation panels fall short of.

TÜV conducted independent testing and confirmed that Samsung’s QLED panels display the kind of spectral separation expected from genuine quantum dot materials. This makes a visible difference in how accurately and vividly colours are reproduced on screen.

Samsung says the certification applies to multiple QLED models, including its flagship Neo QLED 8K series (QN990F and QN900F), Neo QLED 4K sets (QN90F, QN85F, QN80F, QN70F), and mid-range QLED 4K options (Q8F, Q7F, Q6F).

These TVs all feature Samsung’s Quantum Dot Sheet layer, which is placed between the backlight and the LCD panel. This layer contains over 3,000 parts per million of quantum dot material. It enhances colour accuracy, contrast, and brightness while also making the displays more power efficient.

Samsung also integrates AI-based picture processing to boost clarity and adapt images in real time, based on the type of content being displayed.

Importantly, Samsung’s quantum dots are cadmium-free. Cadmium is known to improve light conversion efficiency, which benefits image brightness and saturation. However, cadmium is also toxic and regulated in many regions, especially under EU RoHS directives.

Samsung avoids this issue by using indium phosphide-based quantum dots instead. These are more environmentally friendly and have been recognized at the highest level, with a Nobel Prize in Chemistry awarded in 2023 to researchers who advanced quantum dot applications in both medical imaging and display technology.

Certification bodies, including SGS and RoHS have confirmed that Samsung’s quantum dot films are entirely free of cadmium, making them safer for both consumers and the manufacturing process.

Another part of Samsung’s QLED pitch is its Knox security platform. While this has less to do with display quality, it addresses growing concerns around smart TV privacy and data protection. Knox provides multi-layered security that covers hardware, system software, and network connections. It’s designed to prevent unauthorized access, tampering, and data leaks.

Though Knox started out on Samsung smartphones, it has since expanded across the company’s ecosystem, including TVs and appliances.

Over the past few years, several TV brands have used the term “QLED” in marketing while failing to use actual quantum dot materials.

Instead, they relied on wide color filters or hybrid technologies that fall short of true QD performance. This has led to consumer confusion and occasionally misleading advertising.

Samsung’s new TÜV Rheinland certification helps distinguish its sets from those that rely on shortcuts or diluted definitions of quantum dot technology.