Both the LG 100QNED85AU and the Samsung QN85Q8FAAF share a strong display foundation: native 4K (3840 x 2160) resolution, 10-bit color depth capable of rendering 1.07 billion colors, a 144Hz refresh rate, and AMD FreeSync Premium adaptive sync — making both equally capable for smooth motion and gaming. Anti-reflection coatings and ambient light sensors are present on both, and their viewing angles are identical at 178° horizontal and vertical, so neither has an edge in off-axis performance.
The most meaningful differentiator is panel technology. The LG uses a Mini-LED backlight over an LCD panel, which delivers more precise local dimming zones and generally stronger contrast and brightness control compared to conventional LED-LCD. The Samsung relies on QLED (quantum dot LCD), which excels in color volume and peak brightness but lacks the granular backlight control of Mini-LED. In practice, the LG's Mini-LED architecture should produce more nuanced HDR rendering, while the Samsung's QLED layer gives it an advantage in saturated, vivid color output. The Samsung also supports HDR10+ — the dynamic metadata HDR format — while the LG does not, meaning compatible HDR10+ content will be tone-mapped more accurately scene-by-scene on the Samsung. Neither supports Dolby Vision, so that is a non-factor.
On sheer size, the LG's 100.3″ screen is in a different class than the Samsung's 84.5″, but this comes at a cost: its pixel density drops to 44 ppi versus the Samsung's 52 ppi. At typical living-room viewing distances this gap is unlikely to be perceptible, but up close the Samsung will appear slightly sharper. Overall, the Samsung QN85Q8FAAF holds a technical edge in display quality thanks to HDR10+ support and higher pixel density, while the LG 100QNED85AU counters with its Mini-LED precision and a dramatically larger canvas — making the better choice highly dependent on room size and viewing priorities.