Samsung S90D / S94D 48" (WRGB OLED) vs Hisense E7Q / E79Q

In the tested movie scenes, the Samsung OLED 48 S90D television achieves impressive brightness results, exceeding 800 nits in the first four shots, which can be considered a very good outcome. In the case of the last shot, where a full-screen burst of sunlight is visible, the brightness drops to around 400 nits but still remains at an acceptable level. However, it is worth noting that this model in larger sizes offers higher values, exceeding the "barrier" of 1000 nits. Additionally, speaking of the DCI-P3 colour space coverage value of 97% is an excellent result, which guarantees extremely rich and realistic colour reproduction, further enhancing the picture quality. However, once again it should be remembered that the panel in the 65' variant equipped with a QD-OLED panel will be even better in this aspect. For those hesitating about the size of the S90D model, it is worth noting that larger versions of this television offer a better HDR effect, and consequently, a higher score in our tests.

Hisense E7Q / E79Q is a mid-brightness TV, with a peak luminance level of around 350-380 nits. This is the absolute minimum that allows viewing HDR content in a way that's close to the creators' intentions, though without a distinct "wow" effect. The results of synthetic tests on white test patterns were confirmed in practice – in movie scenes, the bright parts of the image are stable and fairly even, but it's hard to talk about a true "burst of light" here. In everyday use, such as when watching Netflix or YouTube, the HDR effect is acceptable and is more than sufficient for most users. However, it must be said clearly – this is not the level of top-end screens, and one shouldn't expect that at this price. Fortunately, the Hisense E7Q / E79Q has an advantage that allows it to score quite a few points: it's a QLED panel of the PFS LED type, using an additional phosphor layer that improves colour reproduction. The measured range of the DCI-P3 colour gamut is around 92%, which means that the colours in most scenes are vibrant, well-saturated, and pleasing to the eye, especially for this price bracket.

The S90D Samsung TV has been tested in Filmmaker mode, which offers good colour reproduction, although with some imperfections that may be noticeable to more demanding users. This mode may seem a bit too warm, and users who switched from Standard mode may experience a slight shock. It's worth considering that this state of affairs is caused by poor settings, such as white balance, rather than the Filmmaker mode itself. Both in SDR and HDR content, the device exhibits drops in blue, causing colours to appear warmer than they should. In practice, this means that some shades, like sky blue or skin tones, may seem less natural and take on a pinkish or yellowish tint. The Colour Checker test confirms these deviations, showing shifts towards warmer tones. In SDR content, the gamma chart indicates minor fluctuations, resulting in a slightly darker image, especially in the shadows. This may affect the clarity of details in darker scenes. Conversely, in 4K HDR materials, the EOTF curve is above the recommended line, leading to some portions of the image being too bright, which can cause clipping in the brightest areas. Overall, the Samsung S90D presents a solid image straight out of the box, but for the best results, particularly with more demanding content, additional calibration is recommended.

In Filmmaker mode, the Hisense E7Q / E79Q television really managed to impress. After the first measurements, it turned out that the white balance was quite well tuned, with the only minor deviation being a slight tendency towards a purple hue, which we mentioned earlier. However, this did not significantly impact the overall character of the image – it remained cohesive and pleasant to view. A much bigger issue was the brightness characteristics (gamma) in SDR content and the EOTF curve in HDR films. The television clearly brightened the image, flattening contrast and taking away depth. Gamma values could drop from the reference 2.4 down to around 1.9, making the image look as though it was covered with a thin, milky layer. Fortunately, this is a problem that can be relatively easily corrected through calibration.

After calibration, the Samsung OLED 48 S90D in movie mode looks even better than one might have assumed. The white balance, for both HD and 4K HDR content, has been improved to near 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, which translates into a natural reproduction of details, especially in scenes requiring a precise colour palette. It’s worth noting that this model in the 48' size is equipped with a WOLED panel that has different characteristics compared to larger sizes and has a smaller coverage of a wide colour gamut, not offering as rich colours as, for example, the 65-inch version, which is equipped with a QD-OLED panel.

Contrast has also seen significant improvement. The gamma chart after calibration is much closer to the expected line, providing better balance between the bright and dark portions of the image. The EOTF curve, which showed issues with overexposed scenes before calibration, now shows better results. This effect allows for greater detail retention in bright parts of the image, particularly in HDR material.

The biggest beneficiary of calibration in the case of the Hisense E7Q / E79Q was undoubtedly the SDR mode. It managed to achieve almost perfect image quality – most of the errors in the Color Checker test dropped below a value of 3, and often even 2, which is a remarkable result for this class of equipment. The biggest improvement came from aligning the brightness characteristic (gamma), which made the image no longer look blown out and regained natural depth. In HDR content, it was also possible to improve the colours and eliminate the purple tint that we mentioned earlier, but errors in the Color Checker measurements were still noticeable. This is due to the fact that – as is often the case with Hisense televisions – the screen manipulates brightness quite strongly, overexposing some colours. This was also indicated by the EOTF curve, which was slightly above the reference values, suggesting these minor issues with excessive brightening. Despite this flaw and the construction limitations that arise with HDR content, the Hisense E7Q / E79Q gained quite a bit after calibration. In everyday use, the television presents a coherent, natural, and pleasant-to-the-eye image, and the difference compared to the factory settings is indeed huge.

The Samsung OLED 48 S90D television performs exceptionally well in smoothing tonal transitions. Thanks to the technology used, the transitions between colours are more fluid and natural. It is also possible to utilise the noise reduction feature, which further smooths tonal transitions, which can be useful in some situations. However, it's worth remembering that turning on noise reduction can also lead to the smoothing of desired film grain, which may reduce the cinematic feel of the picture. 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 in terms of scaling images from lower resolutions, it performs excellently. The S90D OLED 48 Samsung television effectively processes lower resolutions, as seen in the visible photo. The outline of the model is clear and correct, making it look natural and detailed. Furthermore, the branches of the trees are well reproduced, showing no significant jaggedness that could detract from the image quality. Thanks to effective scaling, even lower resolution materials look attractive on the screen, satisfying users who prefer diverse content sources such as regular antenna/cable television.

In the case of Hisense E7Q / E79Q, upscaling and digital image processing are not the strongest points of this television. It is evident that the manufacturer has opted for simplicity rather than advanced image processing algorithms. The television does not offer any features that smooth tonal transitions or systems that enhance image clarity, which makes lower resolution materials look quite raw. Subtle compression edges can be seen on the screen, which better processors in other models can effectively hide.

During the testing of HD materials, we noticed that the E7Q tries to artificially boost detail, which sometimes works and other times has the opposite effect – the image becomes soft, slightly blurred, and at times even "watery." There is no aggressive sharpening that ruins naturalness, but there is also a lack of finesse in detail integration that better image processors provide.

The S90D television is equipped with a 120 Hz panel, with the ability to "overclock" to 144 Hz with the right PC configuration, providing exceptional motion smoothness. Samsung has been offering a variety of image clarity settings on a ten-point scale for years, allowing users to customise the display to their preferences. In the UFO test, thanks to the use of an OLED panel, there's no question of any ghosting. The response time of the pixels is instantaneous and perfectly captures dynamic movements. In this aspect, OLED technology is considered one of the best on the market. The picture is extremely sharp and detailed, even during fast action, making the S90D OLED 48 Samsung television the perfect choice for gamers and sports enthusiasts.

Hisense E7Q / E79Q is a television with a 60 Hz screen, so sports fans in 4K may feel a slight disappointment – you simply won’t see such smooth images here as in more expensive models with higher refresh rates. Fortunately, when it comes to movies, the situation is much better. Cinematic materials recorded at 24 frames per second can be displayed here using a motion smoothing feature, allowing the user to adjust the picture to their own preferences – more cinematic with visible frames or smoother, in a theatrical style.

The Samsung OLED 48 S90D television is well-suited to the needs of gamers, offering four HDMI 2.1 ports that support features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group). With these technologies, gamers can enjoy smoother gameplay and faster on-screen response, significantly enhancing comfort during long gaming sessions. Additionally, the Game Bar feature allows for easy adjustment of settings, such as aspect ratios, which can be particularly useful in different types of games. For PC users, the television offers an impressive refresh rate of 144Hz, and Nvidia and AMD graphics cards support G-Sync and FreeSync, further improving image smoothness. Although the lack of Dolby Vision support may be a drawback, it's worth noting that in gaming, this technology is not as widely used as in films. Nevertheless, the S90D still offers excellent features for gamers, making it a great choice for those seeking high-quality visuals and advanced gaming technologies.

Hisense E7Q / E79Q is a really good TV for gamers, even though it doesn’t support 4K signal at 120 Hz. However, the manufacturer has included a set of features that until recently could only be found in more expensive models. There's ALLM, which is auto-switching to low latency mode, allowing the TV to activate game mode with very low input lag automatically. We also have VRR, working up to 60 Hz – while this may not look impressive on paper, in practice it is fully sufficient, as most console games don’t exceed this limit anyway. All these settings can be quickly found in the Game Bar panel, a convenient menu created specifically for gamers. From this level, you can change picture modes, turn on a frame counter, or even… an on-screen crosshair – in the Vidaa system amusingly called a “target point,” which is the result of a clumsy translation from the Chinese manufacturer.

Special praise should go to the ability to play in 1080p at 120 Hz, which significantly improves the fluidity and responsiveness of the image. This means that if someone wants to play a few titles at a higher refresh rate, they can simply lower the resolution and enjoy much smoother motion. Despite the lack of 4K@120Hz, the Hisense E7Q / E79Q really performs well as a gaming TV – especially for those who aren’t looking for perfection but a solid and fast screen for everyday gaming.