Samsung S90D / S94D 48" (WRGB OLED) vs Samsung Q8F

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.

In terms of brightness, the Samsung Q8F performs surprisingly well for a TV without local dimming. It measures up to 500 nits, which in practice means that most movie and series scenes look pleasant, and it cannot be faulted for lacking the "HDR effect." In films like Life of Pi or The Meg, the screen can burst with bright light, delivering a level of lighting effect that is satisfying. It struggles more in challenging moments—such as dark scenes with single bright points. The global dimming used causes the TV to darken the image to maintain deep blacks, but at the expense of detail brightness. This is clearly visible in the scene from Sicario 2, where the brightness of the helicopter lights dropped to around 200 nits. This is a deliberate design choice that gives the impression of deeper blacks but takes some shine away from individual elements, and one should simply keep that in mind. Regarding colour reproduction, the Q8F uses quantum dot technology, which expands the colour gamut. A coverage of the DCI-P3 palette at 91% can be considered a decent result, although it is not a record-breaking figure compared to other QLEDs.

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.

We decided to check out the Filmmaker mode because right out of the box it gave us the best picture. However, that doesn't mean it was perfect. The white balance had too much of a blue and red tint, causing the whites to lean towards a slight purple-pink hue. Such imbalance affected the visibility of virtually all colours, which is clearly seen in the comparison photo below. The brightness characteristics in SDR content were quite well calibrated, although in HDR materials we noticed that the TV didn't always handle its global dimming well — at times the screen was too dim, while at other times it could suddenly brighten up. Fortunately, issues related to colours can be effectively corrected with calibration tools, so we decided to get to work.

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.

After calibration, we managed to correct the white balance to almost perfection. Older SDR content looks fantastic — most errors are within a value of 2, which is definitely below the threshold of human perceptibility. In HDR, we also brought the white balance to an acceptable level, but a different problem arises here. So why are there still relatively large errors in colour reproduction? This is mainly due to the limited colour palette and the way the television manages brightness. The global dimming technique used does not give the user control in the settings, so analysing the EOTF curve in HDR films, it's clear that the Q8F can modify luminance on its own. This can be seen as a limitation, but still, the image after calibration is much more enjoyable to watch than in the factory version.

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.

Let's see how the Q8F handles older content, which often has poor quality. Starting with the positives: the upscaling works really well. The TV performs nicely with both classic television and materials from YouTube, not giving the impression that we're dealing with something completely unattractive. It struggles more with content in very low resolutions, such as 576p — the image can be cropped, and unfortunately, the overscan phenomenon cannot be disabled. Moreover, the digital processing does not look great either. The noise reduction feature, instead of removing unwanted artefacts, smooths out almost everything: film grain (which many viewers desire) disappears along with the texture of the image, and actors' faces start to resemble characters from cheap Turkish soap operas. It's hard to consider this option useful — it's best left completely off. Perhaps Samsung will refine the function’s performance in updates, but for now, it’s difficult to view it as anything other than an unnecessary addition.

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.

Due to the applied 60 Hz panel, it's hard to call the Q8F a television made for gaming or watching sports. The panel isn't particularly fast, making motion blur clearly visible. If you were expecting a spectacular, almost 'stadium-like' experience during broadcasts, you might feel a bit disappointed. Fortunately, for movies and series, Samsung hasn't given up on the motion smoothing function. It's nothing more than a smoother that allows for improved fluidity of productions recorded at 24 or 30 frames per second. This way, you can decide for yourself whether you prefer a more fluid, 'television-like' image or to retain the cinematic character. It all depends on the viewer's preferences, and the ability to adjust this parameter is undoubtedly a plus.

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.

It's not entirely clear what Samsung has messed up this year with its TVs, but the Q8F isn't free from all the confusion with updates and shortcomings. While its older cousin, the Q67D, could still be recommended with a clear conscience to casual gamers, it's hard to find a reason to do so here. Aside from the automatic game mode and the attractively designed Game Bar, we get practically nothing that could appeal to gamers. The lack of proper HGiG implementation is a major issue, especially since the feature simply disappeared after the 1126 update. The situation with VRR is even worse. Even though it appears in the manufacturer's brochures and shows up in the Game Bar, we couldn't get it to work. The Xbox Series X console wouldn't allow it to be activated at all, and the option remained greyed out and inactive. It's difficult to praise such a TV even to casual gamers, which is a shame because Samsung has had a strong selling point in the gaming segment for years.

[UPDATE] We have updated our 2025 Samsung TV reviews following the release of firmware version 1131, which officially restores the essential HGiG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) support.