Samsung QD-OLED S90D / S94D vs Panasonic Z95A

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.

Panasonic Z95A shows class when it comes to HDR performance. In luminance tests, it achieves a level of 1800 nits, which has a real impact on movie watching. Scenes from Life of Pi or Gemini Man look fantastic – the television effortlessly reproduces details and the intensity of bright spots, making a strong impression with its power. In more demanding moments, like the final scene from The Meg, you can see how bright light floods the screen. In such moments, brightness drops, which is typical for organic panels. Nevertheless, a result around 1000 nits can still be considered excellent, still providing very good picture quality. Additionally, the television offers great coverage of wide colour gamuts – up to 98.6% for DCI-P3 and 74.5% for BT.2020. This means that colours are not only vibrant but also deeply saturated, allowing full appreciation of the richness of details, especially in HDR scenes. Such coverage makes colours look more realistic, and the HDR effect gains intensity and accuracy. All this impressive HDR effect is thanks to MLA technology, which enables such high luminance and excellent image detail. With it, the Panasonic Z95A offers HDR at a level that truly makes a difference.

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.

The best picture mode on the Panasonic Z95A is undoubtedly the Filmmaker mode. This mode offers quite good image reproduction, but it is not without certain flaws that need addressing. Primarily, the white balance, for both 4K and HD content, tends to be dominated by red and blue hues. This leads to a slight pink tint in the image, particularly noticeable in bright, white scenes. Such discrepancies can be seen in the comparative image below, which illustrates the issue well. The Colour Checker test also confirms these inaccuracies, showing slight shifts of dots towards the mentioned shades.

In terms of gamma brightness characteristics, it performs very well, with only minor issues when brightening small details. A greater challenge arises with the EOTF curve, which is responsible for controlling brightness in 4K HDR content. Here, there is a slight boost in brightness above the reference value, which sometimes makes the image overly bright, especially in more demanding scenes. While the Filmmaker mode is definitely the best choice on the Z95A, these aspects require refinement to fully harness the television's potential.

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.

After calibration, Panasonic Z95A showcases its full potential, delivering an almost perfect image. The television offers extensive adjustment capabilities, which we have fully utilised. The white balance post-calibration is absolutely flawless, and the errors in SDR content at 0.5 are at an exceptionally reference standard. The same goes for 4K HDR content – the screen tint has been completely eliminated, and the white balance is now exemplary.

The colour palette and Colour Checker test confirm the excellence of the calibration. Errors below 2 are a result that will satisfy both professional calibrators and cinema-quality image enthusiasts. Significant changes have also occurred in the brightness characteristics – the EOTF curve has been aligned, eliminating previous issues with excessive brightness. Additionally, a small error in gamma has been reduced.

Before calibration, the image was acceptable, but now it's in a completely different league. It's a true feast for the eyes, and the quality is hard to compare to anything else. Once fine-tuned, the Panasonic Z95A becomes a true master of colour reproduction.

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.

In the case of lower quality materials, the "Gradation Smoothing" function is responsible for smoothing tonal transitions. The best results are achieved with an intermediate setting – while they are not spectacular, the function works correctly and does not introduce unwanted effects into the image. It can be evaluated as average, but sufficient for improving the quality of tonal transitions.

As for digital processing, or upscaling, the picture looks surprisingly good. It is flexible and pleasant to the eye, which makes lower quality content, such as standard television or YouTube, look quite decent. However, minor issues can be observed, such as "aliasing" on edges, e.g. branches in the background. Nevertheless, this does not significantly affect the overall viewing experience, and the television handles these materials in an acceptable manner.

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.

Panasonic Z95A, with a 144 Hz panel, offers excellent image smoothness. For movies, there is an "Intelligent Frame Creation" feature that allows for improved smoothness and reduction of blurring. Users have two sliders at their disposal: "Motion Blur Reduction" – responsible for clearer and sharper details in fast-moving scenes. "Film Smoothness" – adds smoothness by creating additional frames between the originals, making motion appear more fluid and natural with the effect of "soap opera"

As a result, viewers can adjust the settings to their own preferences. Movies and less dynamic content look smooth and natural, which should satisfy most users.

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.

Panasonic Z95A this year shows that the manufacturer has made a huge leap forward in support for gamers. The television offers practically everything you can expect from a device in this range. Support for ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode) and VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) ensures smoothness and no tearing in dynamic games. The 144 Hz panel allows for incredible fluidity, and the additional support for resolutions other than 4K provides greater flexibility, which is a big plus for gamers using various configurations.

Also noteworthy is the unique and rather specific "Game Bar." Its bubble interface stands out from the competition and allows quick adjustment of key settings such as VRR, brightness level, or picture mode, without the need to interrupt gameplay.

However, in this class of devices, there has been a slight disappointment – Panasonic Z95A only offers two HDMI 2.1 ports instead of four. This is definitely too few for a premium television, especially in times when many people have more than one device requiring full HDMI 2.1 support, such as a next-gen console or a high-end computer. In this category, it's hard to accept, especially given the high aspirations of this model. Despite this, the television is an excellent choice for gamers, offering versatility and functionality at the highest level.