Samsung DU7192 (IPS) vs Sony X90L

The maximum luminance in HDR materials is 245 nits, which is often surpassed by even lower results. Such values will definitely not be sufficient for comfortable viewing of HDR materials, due to the lack of appropriate image dynamics and colour distortions caused by the low brightness of the unit. Although the manufacturer has equipped its device with an HDR format offering dynamic metadata, HDR10+, which is what we're talking about, is very rarely used compared to Dolby Vision, which Samsung has not yet introduced in its televisions. It’s also worth mentioning that Samsung DU7192 offers only 82% coverage of the wide DCI-P3 colour gamut, which is another reason we shouldn't provide a signal in a wide dynamic range, as colour losses will be very noticeable. Samsung DU7192 delivers high-quality image that will satisfy most users.

HDR on the Sony X90L television looks promising. The luminance chart indicated that the TV has a solid power reserve, achieving a maximum of 1000 nits in synthetic tests. But how does this perform in real-world scenarios? In scenes such as the opening of Life of Pi or the final sequence from The Meg, the TV is capable of delivering that power on HDR content, reaching around 800 nits. Unfortunately, displaying small light elements on a black background, like in the scene from Sicario 2, presents greater challenges for the X90L – here the results reach around 600 nits. Nevertheless, when looking at competitive models with mini-LED technology, the effect looks very good and can shine enough to impress us. The colour gamut coverage is also noteworthy, with a result of 96% for DCI-P3 and 76% for BT.2020, which indicates good colour reproduction in HDR content.

The best factory mode we used throughout the testing process was "Filmmaker". This, like the vast majority of modes, had its flaws. Starting with the most basic graph, which is white balance, we can notice a significant dominance of red colour, both in SDR mode and HDR. Although in the latter there was also some green, which didn’t have a major impact on the overall perception. A graph with such results, in both cases, gives us an image characterised by strong yellowing, clearly visible on whites and on the faces of the actors. Another important graph, if not more important, is gamma. This, which is supposed to control contrast in materials with a standard colour palette, was quite good in factory mode with one "but" regarding the beginning. In the darkest scenes, it was significantly lowered, resulting in strong brightening, which left the film lacking contrast and suspense overall. As we mentioned, HDR materials regarding white balance remained at a similar level. The main change is the EOTF curve graph. At the very beginning, we can observe a bulge, which, just like in the case of gamma, strongly brightened the darkest scenes. However, after that, the graph significantly changed its characteristics and the measured result dived below the reference line, causing the film to lose even more dynamism.

The best mode on Sony televisions is the IMAX Enhanced mode. Although IMAX is mainly associated with the cinema experience, the colour reproduction out of the box is average here. In the case of lower quality materials, such as HD – regular television or YouTube – it's worth paying attention to the white balance. It suffers from a shortfall in red and excessive dominance of blue, which gives the image a pinkish hue. The brightness characteristic, or gamma, for HD content is quite acceptable, but a slight boost can cause the image to appear washed out and look as if it’s behind a light fog.

For 4K HDR content, the situation is somewhat different. The white balance shows a significant boost in blue, which makes the image unnaturally sharp and gives it an artificial feel. Such an exaggeration in colour reproduction may not appeal to everyone, especially if one prefers more realistic tones. Additionally, the EOTF curve in Sony X90L looks quite acceptable at first glance. However, at the end of the graph, there are certain fluctuations that suggest the television is trying to maintain the correct brightness to avoid overexposing larger elements.

Samsung has equipped even its lowest-end TVs with advanced tools for carrying out the calibration process. So we got to work, and the results of our efforts are more than satisfactory. The white balance, which previously had a strong yellow tint in both scenarios, now looks much, much better, even if there are slight deviations from the norm. The picture will still look significantly cleaner than it did before the calibration process. We managed to model the gamma in SDR materials very well, allowing the image to be as contrasty as the TV permits. The EOTF curve has also changed its face and doesn’t brighten or darken the image in such a drastic manner. However, it is worth mentioning that in the case of HDR materials, the deltaE errors are still very high, but this is due to the unit's insufficient brightness.

Sony offers many tools for improving picture quality, including two extra picture modes that we decided to use during testing and apply calibration to. This solution greatly simplifies the calibration process and is very effective, provided you have the right tools. In the case of HD content, white balance was almost perfectly aligned – only one shade of grey exceeds an error value of "1", which is a great result. The same can be said for the brightness characteristic (gamma), which presents almost perfectly, with microscopic deviations of around 0.01.

For 4K HDR content, the situation is not as ideal. Although white balance has been significantly improved, it was not possible to completely eliminate the dominance of blue. Nevertheless, errors in the Colour Checker test only occasionally exceed the value of "2", which means that picture distortions are practically unnoticeable. When it comes to the EOTF curve, it's worth activating the filter in the top right corner "EOTF in Films" – the graph looks correct, but the TV struggles with illuminating very small elements, which is due to the limited number of backlight zones. Despite these minor errors, it's thanks to the calibration that the IMAX Enhanced mode in the Sony X90L makes watching movies feel like a true cinema experience.

Let's return for a moment to the tonal transition smoothing function. We can set it in only two ways - off and auto. As you can easily guess, the first of these causes significant issues with gradation. However, if we set the second option, both movies and series will offer us smooth colour transitions. It is worth mentioning, though, that this function has its drawbacks. It heavily interferes with the director's intent, softens the film grain effect, and worse, often misinterprets small details, blurring them as well. Consequently, we consider that this function does not exist and do not recommend using it, as this is how the smoothness of tonal transitions was tested on the tested display.

The next thing we will check in this paragraph is the image scaling process, which is extremely important when watching material in lower resolution. Unfortunately, as this is the manufacturer's lowest model, this function doesn't work very well. All details are heavily blurred, and a characteristic white halo forms around the characters.

The Sony X90L television features a smooth tonal transition function known as Gentle Gradation, which is incredibly effective. Even at the "low" setting, the effects are satisfactory, but at the "medium" setting, it works like a dream – we recommend using this option for the best results. The image scaling on the Sony X90L is simply excellent. The image is not overly sharpened, which gives a natural effect and makes everything look cohesive. It's clear that the engineers have really put effort into this aspect, creating a solution that impresses and performs well in everyday use. This means that even when watching content like regular television or YouTube, where the image is by nature not stunning, you can enjoy a smooth, coherent, and visually pleasing experience.

Despite the fact that Samsung DU7192 is the lowest model in the manufacturer's portfolio, it has implemented a motion smoothing system. Although it is quite limited in features compared to higher models, its very existence is a significant plus in the context of competition in a similar price range. The maximum refresh rate that we will give to the tested television is 60 Hz, which is entirely sufficient for films and series, although not when it comes to sports. In the motion smoothing menu, we find two functions responsible for improving smoothness. These are "Motion Blur Reduction" and "Clear Motion (LED)". We'll discuss the latter a bit later. Let's focus on the former, as it is quite mysterious. Unfortunately, despite its presence, we did not find any usefulness. At each of the settings, the picture looked the same, characterised by the typical judder known from materials recorded at 24 fps.

The panel Samsung DU7192 features an average response time. It's worth mentioning that due to this specific type of panel, it is better than VA panels in a similar price range. Therefore, it can be said that it won't be the worst in terms of watching sports.

Sony X90L with a 120 Hz display is an excellent choice for both gamers and film enthusiasts. The television is equipped with the Motion Flow smoothing feature, which allows for adjusting motion smoothness using two sliders: "smoothness" and "clarity". The "smoothness" slider controls the level of motion fluidity, which affects the reduction of image stuttering, while "clarity" is used to reduce blurriness and enhance motion sharpness, which is especially useful in dynamic scenes.

The Samsung DU7192 television is equipped only with HDMI 2.0 ports, which isn’t surprising considering the device’s price and its consumer profile. Therefore, it’s also logical that we won’t achieve maximum quality on the latest generation consoles. That’s why it only features the most basic options for gamers, namely ALLM. It’s a pity the manufacturer didn’t implement at least a GameBar, as this is now standard, even in lower-end TVs, and could offer significant conveniences in terms of quickly changing settings.

Sony X90L is a TV that performs well in terms of compatibility with consoles and features for gamers. Its 120 Hz panel and two HDMI 2.1 ports with a bandwidth of 48 Gb/s allow for smooth playback of high-resolution games at high frame rates. Gamers can also take advantage of the ALLM feature, which automatically switches the TV to low latency mode, and VRR, which ensures smooth gameplay without frame tearing. The Game Bar is an added bonus – an intuitive tool that provides quick access to essential settings and gaming features, making it easier to control the gameplay.

Unfortunately, when it comes to HDR in games, the Sony X90L has its limitations. It lacks support for HGiG, a standard that many gamers consider crucial for accurate HDR representation in games. While the TV supports Dolby Vision, which theoretically could enhance image quality in games, the practical implementation of this feature is problematic. Dolby Vision in game mode comes with very high input lag, making gameplay less comfortable and precise movements more difficult. Additionally, Dolby Vision cannot be enabled alongside VRR. This means that despite numerous advantages, gamers seeking the perfect HDR in games may feel unsatisfied.