Compare: Samsung QD-OLED S90D / S94D vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

Samsung S90D or otherwise S94D has pleasantly surprised us in many ways. It offers excellent picture quality as befits a TV with an organic matrix. Depending on the size, the television can have different types of OLED panels. In the model we tested, the 65' version with a QD-OLED panel, the blacks are deep, and the colours are vivid and intense. The brightness of the screen, thanks to quantum dot technology, makes HDR effects very impressive. Watching dynamic scenes full of details is completely immersive. This is an ideal choice for those who want to enjoy cinema at the highest level at home. However, we noticed that the factory colour settings might require adjustment. But after the appropriate calibration, the TV showcases its full potential and competes with the best televisions, even above its price range. This model stands out with excellent viewing angles - better than the WOLED panel variants. The picture is clear and colourful from any position in the room. The Tizen operating system makes everyday use of the TV easy. Navigating apps and streaming services is simple and intuitive. Additionally, support for AirPlay and access to the SmartThings ecosystem enhance the multimedia capabilities of the device. When it comes to motion smoothness, the 144Hz panel handles fast scenes excellently and additionally eliminates motion blur. Watching sports or dynamic movies is a pleasure. For gamers, it offers support for HDMI 2.1 and low input lag, making it a great choice for console gaming. Despite numerous advantages, we noticed a few drawbacks. In bright rooms, the blacks on the QD-OLED panel lose their depth. This can be noticeable when watching during the day. Another somewhat less significant issue could be the readability of fonts when using a PC. It could be better; some texts are less sharp compared to other models. Nevertheless, the 65' Samsung S90D or S94D is a television that combines exceptional picture quality, motion smoothness, and innovation. It is one of the best options in the premium segment that will meet the expectations of both cinema lovers and gamers.

Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a textbook example of a very cheap television that has primarily two major advantages: the Google TV system and an extremely low price. It is these two elements that make it an attractive option for many people. During testing, we also found it has another great use, which is working with a computer. Thanks to exemplary font readability and good viewing angles of the IPS panel, Blaupunkt surprisingly performs well as a budget monitor. However, one must be aware that this device is typically budget-oriented, and that savings are reflected in the image quality. The panel is simply dark, making it difficult to perform well in tougher lighting conditions, not to mention creating any real HDR effect. Additionally, despite the good viewing angles, the black levels on this model leave much to be desired – in the evenings, it will tend to appear dark grey, which is a typical characteristic of the IPS technology used here. From a price perspective, this is a device that aims to compete in the market not on image quality, but rather on the amount on the receipt. Blaupunkt UGC5500S is perfectly suited as a secondary television in the home, equipment for the holiday house, or for a less important room, where the image just needs to be there, and we want to enjoy all the benefits and applications that Google TV offers.

Samsung S90D, thanks to the use of a QD-OLED panel, offers excellent contrast, which is one of its greatest advantages. In QD-OLED technology, each pixel emits its own light, allowing for perfect blacks and precise detail reproduction in dark scenes. Unlike traditional LCD panels with backlighting, where blacks often appear greyish, turned-off pixels in QD-OLED remain completely black. As a result, the television provides a dynamic, realistic image with exceptionally deep contrast. For example, in scenes from "Oblivion," the Samsung S90D brilliantly captures the intensity of the lantern lights, highlighting details in the bright areas of the image, and in "The Revenant," it perfectly showcases the character against the backdrop of a deep, black forest scene, emphasizing impressive contrast reproduction. It is worth noting that in the Samsung S90D model, only this specific size is equipped with the QD-OLED panel produced by Samsung Display, setting it apart from other versions. Nevertheless, regardless of the panel used, the blacks on this television will always be perfectly black thanks to OLED technology, which turns off pixels for absolute blackness. This means that in categories such as black levels and contrast, the S90D delivers excellent picture quality regardless of the type of panel.

To put it bluntly: when it comes to black levels, it's just very poor. Our measurements on test patterns only confirmed what we could see with the naked eye – a result around 1000:1 is, these days, even in this price range, a disappointing outcome. In movie conditions, that "black" simply doesn't exist. To avoid being all talk, we fired up one of our favourite test scenes – the helicopter flight in "Sicario 2" (you can actually see it in the video we've linked below). Instead of inky, deep night, we got an image that is... navy blue. Everything on the screen that should be dark and mysterious actually glows a dark blue. This is the price we pay for using an IPS panel. On one hand, we get quite decent viewing angles, so if you're watching TV with the whole family from different angles, the picture doesn't lose much in saturation. On the other hand, if you're planning evening screenings with the lights off, this lack of contrast is going to sting your eyes from the very first minute.

In the HDR effect quality category, Samsung S90D achieves remarkable results. On the luminance chart up to 10% window, the TV exceeds the magical threshold of 1000 nits, which is an impressive outcome. However, in the film scenes we tested, these values were slightly lower. Additionally, in the case of a scene with fullscreen sunlight glare, brightness drops to around 500 nits, but it still remains at a very good level. It is worth mentioning that this model stands out with very high colour gamut coverage, thanks to the QD-OLED panel used, which gives it an advantage over TVs with WOLED panels that cannot achieve such a wide spectrum of colours.

We won’t beat around the bush here – if you’re looking for a TV strictly for cinematic HDR experiences, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Unfortunately, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is not a machine built for such challenges. This is primarily due to its very low brightness, which we measured during our tests. A result of around 250 nits on movie screens speaks for itself. It’s simply too little to even consider any real HDR effect. To be honest, everything displayed in this format can confidently be seen as a somewhat “enhanced” SDR mode. We expected this, as practically every device in this price range falls short in this area, but we feel it’s our duty to warn you. Manufacturers love to brag about HDR compatibility on the boxes, but in reality, this format simply doesn’t exist here – it lacks the “fuel” in the form of brightness.

The situation is further complicated for Blaupunkt, as we’re dealing with a panel that has very basic coverage of the DCI-P3 colour gamut, reaching only about 80%. You won’t find any advanced coatings to expand these capabilities (like quantum dots), which means scenes that are supposed to burst with richly saturated colours appear simply underwhelming on this screen. Therefore, we have a particular piece of advice for you: don’t force HDR mode on this model. If you have the option in the streaming app settings – just turn it off. By sticking to the classic SDR mode, you’ll be sure that the TV won’t try to “enhance” something that it can’t handle hardware-wise.

Samsung 65 S90D with a QD-OLED panel has been tested in Filmmaker mode, which the manufacturer has been using for years to provide the best possible picture settings. In this mode, the TV offers a fairly decent image but with some shortcomings worth noting. In terms of white balance in HD content, viewers may notice a dominance of the red color. This effect can lead to the impression that certain skin tones appear unnatural and the overall scene will be too warm, which in turn can affect immersion in the watched material. In scenes where subtle differences in color are crucial, these distortions can be particularly noticeable. Similar sensations may also occur in 4K HDR content. Changes in white balance in this case can be analogous, with a noticeably smaller deviation in red color. This can also cause certain details and colors to not be fully represented, making the image lose its naturalness.

When it comes to contrast, the gamma presents quite well, however, some errors are still noticeable. Gamma values are below the reference level of 2.4, which can result in bright areas of the image being washed out and dark areas lacking detail. This limitation can cause some scenes to lack depth and detail, which in turn affects the overall presentation quality. On the other hand, the EOTF curve related to contrast in 4K HDR content performs really well, showing that the TV can effectively convey differences in brightness. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that these values are slightly below the ideal level on the graph, indicating the need for further optimization in this regard.

Samsung S90D in Filmmaker mode offers solid color reproduction, but requires some adjustments to fully realise the potential of the TV, especially in the context of different types of content.

We also took a close look at how Blaupunkt handles colours in movie mode, and here the matter is, to put it simply, twofold. We must once again clearly separate what we see in the standard SDR format from what happens when HDR is switched on, as they are two completely different worlds. Let's start with the better side of the coin. If you're planning to watch traditional TV, YouTube, or older films on this television, you can count on really well-tuned colours. In our test sample, the white balance in movie mode performed exceptionally well, which honestly surprised us. Of course, to avoid being too rosy, we noticed some drawbacks. Looking at the gamma charts, we observed that the processor struggles with properly dimming the image in its brightest areas. Additionally, there is quite a strong, at times overly aggressive, red saturation, which resulted in visible errors in reproducing certain shades. Despite this, overall, the image in SDR is simply solid and watchable without a grimace on your face. Unfortunately, the magic fades when we re-enter the world of HDR. Here, Blaupunkt behaves as if we suddenly switched it to store mode, and in its worst rendition. The excess blue in the white balance is so significant that it’s glaring, ruining any realism in the scene. Furthermore, the television interprets brightness very loosely, which, upon analysing the EOTF curve, clearly showed that for most of the time, colours simply appear washed out and lacking depth. This is also perfectly evident in the colour errors that become apparent in this mode. Once again, we are left with the same conclusion: Blaupunkt in SDR mode looks significantly better and more natural than in HDR, which seems to be forcefully added without proper refinement.

After calibrating the TV, the Samsung S90D in film mode gains quality more than one might expect. The white balance for HD and 4K HDR content has been adjusted to near perfection. Although minor shortcomings can be noticed, they are subtle enough that they don’t significantly impact the overall picture quality. The colours have become more harmonised, aiding in the natural reproduction of details, particularly in scenes that require precise colour representation. It is worth noting that this model, in this size, uses a QD-OLED panel which offers broader colour gamut coverage compared to other sizes of this model that are equipped with a WOLED panel.

The contrast has also significantly improved. After calibration, the gamma graph is much closer to the expected line, providing a better balance between light and dark tones in the picture. The EOTF curve, which before calibration indicated issues with overexposed scenes, now shows significantly better results. This effect allows for the retention of more details in the bright areas of the image, especially in HDR materials.

It may sound like a joke – pulling out professional measuring equipment for a TV that costs around a thousand złoty / 250 dollars, but we wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t check it. The question is: does such cheap gear give us any leeway in terms of calibration? To your surprise, the answer is: yes, absolutely. In the Blaupunkt UGC5500S menu, we found surprisingly many options that allowed us to effectively work on the picture. These aren't just empty sliders; these are concrete tools that enabled us to make use of our measurement sensors and software. In SDR mode, the effects were visible to the naked eye. We successfully eliminated the problem we mentioned earlier – that excessive, almost artificial saturation of reds. We also fixed the issue with the incorrect dimming of the brightest parts of the image. After calibration, the picture in standard format became significantly more balanced and simply correct. When it comes to HDR, the situation was more complicated again. While we managed to “tame” that aggressive blue tint in the white balance, it was clear that we were fighting a bit of a losing battle. Even after changing the settings, the TV still tried to interfere with the picture in its own way, as if the electronics knew better than we did how the scene should look. To top it off, there's the hardware barrier that no slider can overcome – colours in HDR still remain undersaturated. This simply results from the quality of the panel itself; it physically cannot produce the most vivid colours. To summarise this point: if any of you ask whether it’s possible to calibrate a TV for “a grand”, we respond with complete conviction: it is possible.

In the category of fluid tonal transitions, the television S90D exhibits significantly better results than its counterpart with a WOLED panel. Thanks to the use of a QD-OLED panel, this model provides more consistent and natural transitions between colours. Although some minor imperfections were noted during testing, they are subtle enough not to impact the overall visual experience. When watching various video content, tonal transitions are smooth and harmonious, allowing viewers to enjoy the depth and detail of the image without irritating distractions. In tested scenes where colour changes are particularly important, such as in landscapes or dynamic sequences, the television Samsung S90D performs excellently, rendering differences in shades with adequate precision.

Looking at our test photographs, it’s really hard to pick at anything. Most of the colours in the attached images blend together almost perfectly, creating smooth gradients without noticeable "jaggies". And indeed, in most scenes where we took these shots, it looked surprisingly good. However, the problem arises when we stop analysing still frames and start simply watching the films. In motion, the situation changes dramatically. During dynamic scenes on screen, artefacts begin to pop up, which are a direct result of simply having a poor image processor here. Unfortunately, a static photo can't capture that "tearing" of colours, but you have to take our word for it: what looks clean and smooth in the photo can really stand out and simply irritate during viewing. This is where our rather low rating in this category comes from.

The television handles tonal transitions excellently, allowing colours to flow smoothly into each other, creating a natural image. The built-in noise reduction feature can further enhance these transitions, which can be useful in certain situations. However, it is worth remembering that activating this option may lead to excessive smoothing of the desired film grain structure, which in turn can affect the authenticity and atmosphere of the image. Therefore, caution is recommended when using this feature to avoid losing the character and depth of the content.

The Samsung S90D model effectively processes materials in lower resolutions. This can be seen in the displayed image. The model's silhouette is clear and naturally reproduced, with details well preserved. Additionally, the branches of the trees are well-defined, showing no visible jagged edges that could degrade the quality of the image. Thanks to effective upscaling, even lower resolution materials look attractive on the screen, which will surely please users enjoying a variety of content sources, such as standard cable or antenna television.

If you're hoping that the processor in this model will magically "fix" the poor quality signal from your cable TV or old movies from YouTube, we must disappoint you. The capabilities of this television end at absolutely basic upscaling, which is simply stretching the image to a higher resolution. It does this correctly in that the image is not blurry, but there is no mention of any intelligent sharpening or adding details. Worse still, Blaupunkt is completely devoid of any functions to reduce unwanted tonal transitions. If the material being viewed shows what is known as banding (ugly "steps" instead of a smooth transition of colours, e.g., in the sky), this television will display them in all their glory. Additionally, the television has a tendency to slightly crop the edges of the image. Instead of displaying 100% of what the source sends, Blaupunkt slightly zooms in on the frame, causing us to lose details that are at the very edges of the screen. In summary: in the category of digital "enhancement" of the image, Blaupunkt simply performs poorly. We receive a raw, unprocessed signal, with all its flaws.

Samsung S90D TV, equipped with a refresh rate panel of 120 Hz, and in the appropriate PC configuration even 144 Hz, ensures excellent motion fluidity. Samsung focuses on a variety of image clarity settings on a ten-point scale, giving users the freedom to adjust the display to their own preferences. In UFO tests, the OLED panel shows its strengths, eliminating any blurring. The lightning-fast pixel response makes dynamic movements faithfully reproduced.

Similar results can be observed in other sizes of this model with a WOLED panel, which also offer excellent image fluidity. Organic technology, in this case, is considered one of the best on the market. The picture of Samsung S90D, regardless of the type of panel, is incredibly sharp and detailed, making this TV perfect for dynamic scenes, both during gaming and sports broadcasts. Additionally, its capabilities in terms of refresh rate and clarity ensure that every movement is smooth and natural, which will certainly satisfy even the most demanding users.

When it comes to motion fluidity, Blaupunkt has nothing to defend itself with. A 60 Hz panel at this price is standard, so none of us expected a perfectly sharp image in fast action scenes or during a match. However, the biggest drawback of this model is that you won’t find any digital motion smoothers in the menu. The manufacturer hasn’t given us any room for manoeuvre – nothing can be smoothed out or the image adjusted to our personal preferences. The picture is always "raw" and we receive it exactly as it is transmitted by the source. For fans of cinematic "jumping" images, this might be good, but the rest simply has to get used to the lack of any motion enhancement.

Television S90D is an excellent solution for gamers, offering a range of advanced features that elevate the gaming experience to a new level. Equipped with the HDMI 2.1 standard, the model supports modern technologies such as VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). Thanks to these solutions, the image is incredibly smooth, and the response to commands is instantaneous, which is crucial in dynamic titles. Additionally, the S90D supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) and G-Sync and FreeSync image synchronisation. This allows for a perfect connection with the Xbox, PlayStation, or PC, eliminating issues with tearing and stuttering. The built-in operating system offers the Xbox Game Pass app, providing access to a massive library of games directly from the television. This solution makes gaming even more convenient and accessible. The Game Bar feature provides quick access to important information, such as current settings, performance statistics, and the ability to adjust image options. This allows for on-the-fly modification of display parameters, which is incredibly useful during intense gameplay. Despite lacking support for Dolby Vision, Samsung S90D still delivers excellent HDR image quality, allowing for full utilisation of the potential of games and films. As a result, S90D represents a unique combination of modern technologies, excellent image quality, and intuitive features, perfect for any gaming enthusiast.

When it comes to gaming on the Blaupunkt, we weren’t expecting miracles and indeed – the list of features isn’t very long. However, there are two interesting points worth mentioning, as they might be significant for some of you at this price. The first advantage is that the TV quite smoothly detects the connected console. Thanks to the ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) feature, the device knows when you start gaming and automatically switches to low latency mode. This is convenient because you don’t have to fiddle with settings every time to ensure input lag doesn’t spoil the fun. The second point is a real curiosity that surprised us. Despite it being a 60 Hz panel, the Blaupunkt can display a 120 Hz image at Full HD resolution. Sure, we lose 4K details, but for those playing more dynamic, online shooters where smoothness is more important than resolution, this is a really nice and unexpected addition in such an affordable device. Other than these two points, you won’t find anything more here. There are no advanced smoothness enhancement systems for gamers or extensive gaming menu bars. It’s a simple screen for occasional gaming.

QD-OLED from Samsung stands out with an incredibly low input lag, making it an excellent choice for gamers. Regardless of the resolution or refresh rate, both in SDR and HDR mode, results around 10 ms are truly impressive. Such a low input lag ensures immediate response to actions on the screen, which is crucial in dynamic games where every millisecond counts. Users can enjoy smoothness and precision, which makes the S90D TV with QD OLED panel a superb option for those who prioritise performance in gaming.

An important point for every gamer is, of course, input lag, which is how quickly the television responds to our movements on the controller. Here, Blaupunkt has something to boast about, although the results are quite specific. At 4K resolution, the lag is only 12 ms. That's an excellent result. With such a lag, gaming is simply phenomenal, and the response is almost instantaneous. However, it's a bit disappointing that the situation changes when switching to 1080p. Here, the input lag increases to around 30 ms. Just to be clear: that's still not a terrible result. For most people, it will be "more than acceptable," and during casual gaming, you probably won't even notice it. Nevertheless, it's a pity that such good parameters couldn't be maintained as we saw with full 4K. Nonetheless, in the overall assessment, as a budget screen for console gaming, Blaupunkt really performs admirably in this regard.

The Samsung S90D 65 TV performs excellently as a monitor for PCs. Fonts appear sharp, making it easier to read and use various applications. Support for chroma 4:4:4 at a resolution of 4K and a refresh rate of 144 Hz ensures full colour reproduction and outstanding image clarity. Moreover, the impressive input lag of just 5 ms is a significant advantage, especially for gamers and professionals working with graphics. However, it should be noted that points were deducted in this category compared to the WOLED panel version due to the different diamond arrangement of sub-pixels, which may lead to the distinct visibility of individual sub-pixels when displaying fonts on a dark background. This issue only pertains to the 65-inch version, so users who plan to use the TV on their desk will not encounter these difficulties with smaller variants.

If you're planning to connect a computer to this television, it's absolutely crucial to find and enable the PC compatibility option in the menu. Once you do this, magic happens – the implementation of Chroma 4:4:4 and font readability jump to an exemplary level. The readability of text is simply excellent here. Of course, our editorial diligence wouldn't let us pass this equipment without taking a look "under the hood." In very specific tests with thin, dark text, we noticed that the horizontal and vertical matrix masks differ slightly in brightness levels. However, we want to reassure you: this phenomenon is so subtle that, during normal use, writing emails or browsing the web, you won't be able to notice it with the naked eye. We maintain our opinion that as a monitor strictly for dynamic gaming on PC, it isn't the ideal choice (as we mentioned in the context of the 60 Hz refresh rate), but if any of you are wondering whether you can comfortably work on such a Blaupunkt – we say: yes, it absolutely can be done.

In the category of viewing angles, the S90D Samsung stands out as one of the best models on the market. While traditional OLED TVs already offer solid performance, the use of a QD-OLED panel in the S90D elevates the picture quality to an even higher level. Thanks to the combination of Quantum Dot technology with self-emissive pixels, users can enjoy excellent color accuracy and detail, even when watching the TV from a wide angle.

Here it's really very good. Whether we were sitting straight on or on the edge of the couch, the colours didn't lose their saturation. This is a big plus if you're planning to watch matches or movies with a larger group – no one will complain that the picture looks worse for them. Although IPS panels are known for their good viewing angles, in this particular model, when viewed from a sharp angle, the picture noticeably loses brightness. Interestingly, the colour saturation still remains in place, but the screen simply becomes darker. It's not something that disqualifies this television, but it's worth knowing.

In the category of TV performance during the day, the model Samsung S90D 65 ranks the worst among the tested options. Although the glossy panel and good anti-reflective properties suggest some efficiency in bright conditions, the quality of blacks during sunny days proves to be the biggest issue. This phenomenon is caused by the close placement of quantum dots to the outer layer of the screen. Under the influence of external light rays, these dots can activate, resulting in the blacks on the screen becoming more cherry-like. This effect causes the image to lose depth and intensity, which can be particularly noticeable in darker scenes. As a result, users who plan to use the TV in bright rooms or under strong sunlight may encounter difficulties in achieving satisfactory image quality. However, when it comes to watching movies with a lot of black, this usually takes place in the evenings when the issue of intense sunlight is no longer as significant. In such conditions, the S90D performs significantly better, and users can enjoy a pleasant visual experience. During the day, while watching regular TV, the television also performs adequately, which means it is not a complete disqualifier for this model.

In terms of daytime performance, Blaupunkt is simply average. It all comes down to the low brightness of the panel, which – as we mentioned, hovers around 250 nits. That’s definitely too low for the screen to comfortably "cut through" the strong light coming into the living room. As a result, in bright sunlight, the image loses its clarity and appears somewhat washed out. However, there is one bright spot in this category: the satin coating of the panel. Thanks to this, we don't have to deal with the mirror effect, which often means instead of watching a movie, we're seeing our own couch reflected. The satin nicely diffuses reflections, which somewhat saves the situation. Nevertheless, we can’t cheat physics: while the coating bravely fights against reflections, the low brightness ultimately capitulates in the face of the sun's rays. If you plan to watch something in the middle of the day in a very bright room, prepare yourself for the necessity of drawing the curtains.

The Samsung S90D television offers a range of features that significantly enhance user comfort, making it an ideal device for entertainment in the comfort of your home. The Tizen system, on which this model is based, is a modern and advanced platform that provides users with an intuitive and seamless experience. Thanks to the user-friendly interface, navigating through applications and settings is quick and intuitive, making it easy to use the television even for those less familiar with technology. Tizen supports a rich set of applications, including all popular streaming services such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video. A new feature for 2024 is the availability of voice search in Polish. It is also worth noting the eco-friendly solar remote, which is not only environmentally friendly but also practical for everyday use. With it, you can control multiple devices connected to the television, eliminating the need for multiple remotes. Additionally, the television supports AirPlay, enabling easy content sharing from Apple devices such as iPhone or iPad. The S90D also allows for the connection of various Bluetooth devices like mice, keyboards, or headphones, which increases its versatility and allows for user experience personalisation. Furthermore, the SmartThings app significantly enhances the capabilities of the television, allowing integration with other smart home devices. This enables remote management of lighting, security, and other aspects of the home ecosystem. Users can also take advantage of the Philips Hue app, which allows for lighting synchronisation with the image displayed on the screen, creating even more immersive visual experiences. The only downside that can be pointed out is the lack of USB recording support. For some users, this may be a limitation. Despite this, the S90D television offers many advanced features and technologies that make it an excellent choice for anyone seeking high-quality entertainment in their home and wanting to integrate their devices into one convenient system.

In terms of Smart TV functionality, the Blaupunkt UGC5500S is a classic example of a device where the system is both its biggest asset and its greatest flaw. On one hand, we have full Google TV, which is a huge plus at this price point. We gain access to a massive library of apps and basically all the functionality we know from brands using this software. Nothing has been cut out forcefully, which is really refreshing in such an inexpensive TV. Unfortunately, it must be honestly admitted that in the case of Blaupunkt, this system operates quite clumsily. This is a typical issue with low-budget TVs running Google TV – the processor barely keeps up with the software. Navigating through the menu isn’t as smooth as we would like, and the remote can react with noticeable delays, giving the impression of being "dull." Of course, once you launch a specific app and start a movie, everything works steadily, but just browsing through the interface requires a bit of patience.

When it comes to classic TV features, Blaupunkt offers nothing extraordinary. It’s a simple device for basic tasks. The remote is a plus, featuring a traditional numeric keypad, which is just convenient for hopping through cable channels. We also have Bluetooth, so you can easily connect wireless headphones or a speaker. The TV also has a physical mini-jack headphone output. At a time when manufacturers are mass-eliminating this connection, the presence of a "jack" is a nod to those with older audio equipment or simply those who prefer classic wired headphones. It’s a small thing, but it’s appreciated.

Samsung S90D is fitted with a built-in player that supports most popular video formats, allowing for convenient playback of films from various sources. The player also supports subtitles in Polish and allows users to customise the font colour, enhancing comfort when watching content with subtitles. In terms of photo formats, the television handles many, but one of the few downsides is the inability to play the popular PNG format. Nevertheless, the overall playback capabilities of the S90D are at an excellent level.

In terms of playing files from USB, Blaupunkt performs quite solidly. We tested several of the most popular formats and basically everything that matters worked without any fuss on the factory player. So you're not forced to immediately download additional software right after pulling the TV out of the box, because the equipment is simply self-sufficient ‘out of the box’. Nevertheless, taking advantage of the charms of Google TV, we still recommend installing some external software, like VLC or Kodi. The factory player is adequate, but it's in those external applications where you'll find the most configuration options, better subtitle support, or just a more convenient interface. Since the system gives you that freedom, it's worth taking advantage of it to get as much as you can out of your multimedia.

The Samsung S90D TV is equipped with a 2.1 audio system boasting a total power of 40 W, delivering clear and dynamic sound. With a subwoofer located at the bottom of the casing, the bass is deep and palpable, while the mid and high tones remain well-balanced. It's worth noting that the twin model S94D offers an even more advanced 2.1.2 speaker setup with a power of 60 W. If the silver colour of the S94D casing is not a drawback, and the price difference between these models is minimal, it’s worth considering the version with the “4” at the end. Despite lacking support for the DTS format, the S90D TV utilises other advanced sound technologies such as Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital Plus, providing spacious and immersive sound. It is also worth mentioning the presence of the proprietary Q-Symphony feature, which allows synchronisation of the TV's speakers with the manufacturer's soundbar.

In terms of audio, Blaupunkt performs really well, especially considering it's a typical budget television. You can see, or rather hear, that the brand hasn't forgotten its roots and for such an inexpensive build, the sound is actually superb. Of course, there's a noticeable lack of bass, but overall it's loud, and surprisingly clear. What matters most to us – even at higher volumes, the sound isn't heavily distorted, which is rare and a pleasant surprise at this price point.

Samsung QD-OLED S90D / S94D vs Blaupunkt UGC5500S

Advantages

Disadvantages

Our verdict

TV appearance

Where to buy

Contrast and black detail

HDR effect quality

Factory color reproduction

Color reproduction after calibration

Smoothness of tonal transitions

Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions

Blur and motion smoothness

Console compatibility and gaming features

Input lag

Compatibility with PC

Viewing angles

Daytime performance

Panel details

TV features

Classic features:

Smart features:

Sound connection options

Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):

Senior accessibility

Apps

Playing files from USB

Sound

Sound Quality Test

Acoustic Measurements