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

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.

When it comes to HDR effect quality, the E7Q PRO unfortunately is not a television that impresses with brightness alone. In real film materials, we measured around 250–300 nits, which is simply not enough for HDR to look spectacular. There's a lack of that "spark" in bright details, flashes, and light effects, and in many HDR scenes, it can resemble more of a good SDR than true cinematic HDR. The silver lining in all this is the colours. We managed to confirm that the E7Q PRO is a PFS type television, which means it has an additional filter that improves colour gamut coverage. Because of this, even if the brightness doesn't deliver, the colours in HDR content can be properly saturated and pleasing to the eye, without the impression of a "washed-out" image.

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 terms of colour reproduction, we tested the Hisense E7Q Pro in Movie mode, which undoubtedly turned out to be the best built-in preset. It is this mode, unlike the Eco, Standard, or Dynamic settings, that offers the most natural colours straight out of the box. While no factory mode is completely free of flaws, the E7Q Pro deserves high praise for its colour rendition in standard SDR content. The colour palette has been very well tuned, and errors in the Color Checker tests often did not exceed a value of 3, which is an outstanding result rarely seen in such affordable TVs. The only drawback we noted in SDR is the tendency to darken certain elements of the image, as indicated by a slightly raised gamma curve. The TV performs slightly worse with colours in HDR mode. Here, colour errors become noticeable to the naked eye, mainly due to a deficiency of blue in the white balance. This causes the colours on screen to appear too warm, and for some viewers, they may seem almost "too cinematic." Of course, to improve these parameters, we proceeded with professional 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.

In the case of materials with standard dynamic range (SDR), our actions in Filmmaker mode turned out to be largely cosmetic 😉. We mainly focused on a subtle adjustment of the white balance and equalising the gamma curve, which allowed us to recover details in the darker areas of the image that previously tended to get lost. However, it's worth noting that the E7Q Pro unit we tested happened to be exceptionally well-made from the factory. We remind you that these parameters depend on the specific unit – with mass production, factory calibration can be random, so your unit may require slightly different adjustments. The biggest beneficiary of professional calibration was undoubtedly HDR mode. This is where we did the most work, which brought spectacular results. We successfully tamed the excessive warmth of the image, caused by a factory shortfall in blue colour. After calibration, colour errors were reduced to a significantly lower level, which will certainly please those watching a lot of streaming content in HDR format, expecting faithful reproduction.

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.

When it comes to upscaling and digital image processing, the E7Q PRO deserves praise. The scaling performs really well here and doesn't fall dramatically short of much more expensive, advanced TVs. Lower quality materials can look clear and reasonable, without the impression that the image is artificially "overdrawn." The smoothing function, however, presents a bit worse. Yes, it can be effective and improve tonal transitions in low-quality materials, but at the same time, it can introduce unwanted effects. Sometimes it removes film grain or adds unwanted artifacts, giving the image a more "digital" character. Therefore, we mainly recommend it to those who prefer a smoother, less cinematic image style.

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.

In the category of motion blur and fluidity, the E7Q PRO has one very strong argument. At this price, Hisense has added a 120 Hz panel, and in PC mode, it can even operate at 144 Hz. This immediately provides greater possibilities in motion settings, as more options for smoothing the image appear in the menu. Among other things, we have frame interpolation options, allowing us to adjust the fluidity for sports or movies, depending on whether we prefer a more cinematic character or a "theatrical" smoothness.

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.

E7Q PRO is a phenomenal screen for gamers. Besides the typical "issue" with Hisense, which is the lack of support for the HGiG format due to constantly active tone mapping, we get practically everything one could expect from a TV that is supposed to have a gaming tag. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports, along with a full set of key features. We have variable refresh rate, automatic switching to game mode, and support for 4K at 120 Hz. On top of that, all the important settings are at hand in the clear Game Bar. This tool not only looks modern, but it also has a typically "gaming" edge and actually makes life easier while gaming.