Samsung OLED S90D / S94D (WRGB OLED) vs Samsung Q6F (IPS)

In the tested film scenes, the Samsung S90D television achieves impressive brightness results, exceeding the 1000 nit barrier in the first four shots, which can be considered a remarkable outcome. In the case of the last shot, where a full-screen flash of sunlight is visible, the brightness drops to around 500 nit, but it still remains at a very good level. Additionally, the television impresses with a DCI-P3 colour space coverage value of 98%, which guarantees extraordinarily rich and realistic colour reproduction, further enhancing the image quality. This result makes the Samsung S90D an ideal choice for those expecting high-quality images in a variety of lighting conditions.

Unfortunately, the Samsung Q6F is a very dark model. Its peak brightness in HDR does not exceed 250 nits, which is definitely too low to even talk about any "high dynamic range" or HDR effect. In practice, it's better to stick to content in SDR format, which simply looks more predictable on this TV. Another issue is the global dimming technique – in scenes with a lot of black, the TV drastically dims the entire screen to artificially improve the black levels. This results in the image becoming even darker, with brightness sometimes dropping below 100 nits. The only consolation is the QLED technology, but even here it's average. The applied quantum dot layer is not of the highest quality, as the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut does not exceed 90%. Because of this, colours in HDR content may simply appear unsaturated.

The S90D television has been tested in Filmmaker mode, which offers good colour reproduction, although with some imperfections that may be noticeable to more discerning users. This mode may seem too warm, and users who have switched from Standard mode might experience a slight shock. It’s worth noting that this state of affairs is caused by poor settings, such as in the white balance, rather than the Filmmaker mode itself. In both SDR and HDR content, the device shows drops in blue, causing colours to appear warmer than they should. In practice, this means that certain shades, such as sky blue or skin tones, may appear less natural and more tinged with pink or yellow. The Colour Checker test confirms these deviations, showing shifts towards warmer tones. In SDR content, the gamma chart indicates slight fluctuations, which may result in the image being minimally darker, especially in the shadows. This can affect the clarity of details in darker scenes. Meanwhile, in 4K HDR materials, the EOTF curve is located above the recommended line, leading to some parts of the image being displayed too brightly, which can cause clipping in the brightest areas. Overall, Samsung S90D delivers a solid picture straight out of the box, but for the best results, especially with more demanding content, additional calibration is recommended.

We tested the television in Filmmaker mode, which showed us two completely different sides of this model. Looking at SDR content, we were honestly shocked at how good this television looks straight out of the box. It was really hard to pick on anything here. Despite a slight 'messiness' in white balance and some slightly brightened details in the blacks (which directly stems from the IPS panel construction), colour errors hovered around the '2' level. This is not only a surprisingly good result but rather phenomenal, considering the price of the device.

On the other hand, what the Q6F showed in terms of colours when switched to HDR mode was a very unpleasant surprise. The errors in colour reproduction and palette were so massive that our charts literally ran out of scale. Of course, since Samsung even in such a budget model offers very extensive calibration options, we decided to approach the issue professionally and see what could be done during calibration.

After calibration, the Samsung S90D TV in movie mode looks even better than one might expect. The white balance for both HD and 4K HDR content has been improved almost to perfection. Although minor errors can still be noticed, they are so minimal that they do not significantly affect the picture quality. Colours are more balanced, leading to a natural reproduction of details, especially in scenes that require a precise colour palette. It is worth noting that this model in this size is equipped with a WOLED panel, which has less coverage of a wide colour gamut and does not offer as rich colours as, for example, the 65-inch version, which is equipped with a QD-OLED panel.

The contrast has also seen a significant improvement. The gamma graph after calibration is much closer to the expected line, providing a better balance between bright and dark areas of the image. The EOTF curve, which showed problems with overexposed scenes before calibration, now demonstrates better results. This effect allows for greater detail to be preserved in the bright parts of the image, especially in HDR materials.

After our calibration, the colours in SDR mode looked even better – the result is truly surprising, as colour errors at a level of "1" are something typically seen in devices costing several thousand dollars. In this respect, the Q6F is really a great screen for everyday television, less demanding series, or movies. Unfortunately, our intervention in HDR mode did not yield a noticeable improvement. The television, due to its weak blacks and low coverage of a wide colour gamut, still has significant issues with proper colour saturation, especially reds. This is an example of a device where HDR primarily exists as a label on the box – for everyday use, we definitely recommend watching content in SDR format.

Television S90D handles tonal transitions very well. Thanks to the technology used, transitions between colours are smoother and more natural. You can also use the noise reduction feature, which further smooths out tonal transitions, which can be useful in certain situations. However, it's worth remembering that turning on noise reduction can also lead to the smoothing out of desirable film grain, thereby reducing the cinematic feel of the image. For this reason, caution is advised when using this feature, as it’s better to leave the natural grain that adds character and authenticity to the content being viewed.

Samsung, as always, does not disappoint and excels in scaling images from lower resolutions. The S90D Samsung TV effectively processes lower resolutions, as seen in the visible image. The outline of the model is clear and accurate and, as a result, looks natural and detailed. Moreover, the branches of the trees are well-represented, showing no significant jaggedness that could degrade image quality. With effective scaling, even materials in lower resolution present attractively on the screen, satisfying users who prefer various sources of content such as regular antenna/cable television.

Q6F handles upscaling lower resolution content to native 4K very well. The scaling is surprisingly good, even for such an inexpensive QLED model. The only downside is when watching very low-resolution materials like 576p (typical for old DVD players) – the image may appear slightly cropped. This is because the TV does not allow the option to turn off the Overscan feature, which is a common issue with Samsung devices.

The situation is completely different when it comes to digital processing, or the attempt to smooth the image of unwanted artifacts. Here, the TV completely fails. Although in the menu we find a feature called "Noise Reduction," it does not produce any noticeable results regardless of the slider setting. The only thing it seems to do is introduce undesirable errors into the image. Despite its presence in the system, we definitely do not recommend using it.

Samsung S90D TV is equipped with a 120 Hz panel, with the ability to overclock to 144 Hz with the right PC configuration, providing exceptional motion smoothness. For years, Samsung has offered a variety of ten-point settings for image clarity, allowing users to adjust the display to their preferences. In the UFO test, thanks to the use of an OLED panel, there is no sign of any motion blur. The pixel response is instantaneous and perfectly captures dynamic movements. In this aspect, OLED technology is considered one of the best on the market. The image is incredibly sharp and detailed, even during fast action, making the S90D an ideal choice for gamers and sports enthusiasts.

The 60 Hz panel in the Samsung Q6F is standard in this price range, making it a rather average model for dynamic sports or gaming. However, when it comes to movies, the TV performs quite well thanks to its smoothing feature. The "Motion Vibration Reduction" option allows you to adjust the motion smoothness to your own preferences – from preserving a cinematic feel to full smoothness.

The Samsung S90D television is perfectly adapted to the needs of gamers, offering four HDMI 2.1 ports that support key features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGIG). With these technologies, gamers can enjoy smoother and more responsive gameplay, significantly enhancing comfort and performance during intense gaming sessions. An additional advantage of the television is the special Game Bar, which allows for easy management of game settings. This functionality enables quick adjustments of parameters, such as changing the aspect ratio of the television screen, which can be useful in various games and types of gameplay. Users can easily customise their preferences, making the use of the television while gaming even more convenient and enjoyable. As for PC users, the television pleasantly surprises. When connecting a computer, the panel is able to achieve a refresh rate of 144Hz, and users of Nvidia or AMD graphics cards can enjoy features such as G-Sync and FreeSync. However, it should be noted that the television does not support Dolby Vision, which may be a downside – although it is worth considering that Dolby Vision is not as popular in the context of games as it is in films. Nevertheless, the S90D television still offers excellent features for gamers, making it a great choice for gaming enthusiasts looking for outstanding picture quality and modern technological solutions.

We won’t beat around the bush – the Q6F is not a television designed with gamers in mind. While it does include features like ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR frame syncing for consoles, that's pretty much where the list of advantages ends. Beyond these basics, the television offers nothing more that could satisfy those who spend a lot of time in front of a console. It's a real shame that a useful tool like Game Bar, which allows for quick control of game parameters in higher-end Samsung models, is missing here. In terms of gaming, this is an absolutely basic model and it will only suit 'casual' gamers.