- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- 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 |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
Samsung S90H (WOLED) Review
S90H / S92H / HAE / HAT
Available screen sizes:
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Panel type: WRGB OLED Refresh rate: 165Hz Brand: SAMSUNG Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Tizen Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
Samsung S90H comes in two panel versions, so before buying it's worth checking which variant you have. This time we're testing the "HAE" model with a WOLED panel, which is available in practically all sizes except the 77-inch version (suffix HAT). Importantly, this year the WOLED panel has also been introduced to the 65-inch variant, and that's the unit we had for testing. So we're checking how one of this year's most popular S90H versions performs and whether it's still an OLED worth the money despite using a different panel type.
SAMSUNG S90H - Our verdict
8.4
Overall rating
Samsung S90H is a TV that simply makes a brilliant impression. The combination of OLED’s absolute black, high brightness and excellent motion clarity produces a picture that’s hard to look away from. And that’s exactly what you expect from a good OLED TV. The matte anti-reflective coating also works very well. Reflections on a sunny day become less of an issue, and thanks to the standard polariser blacks don’t shift as much toward greyish-maroon tones as they do on QD-OLED. Add a snappy Tizen, an excellent set of gaming features led by Game Motion Plus, and surprisingly good, full-bodied sound from the built-in speakers. Any weaknesses? Of course. Tone transitions aren’t quite as perfect as on QD-OLED, and viewing angles remain slightly worse. In practice these are minor points, especially since WOLED also has its own advantages, particularly in a bright room where it preserves black levels and colour saturation better. Overall, QD-OLED still comes out a bit ahead, but this time the difference isn’t as pronounced as it was a year ago. For most people this won’t be a deciding factor when choosing a TV. So our advice is this: instead of obsessing over panel type, pick the size that best fits your room. Whether you buy the WOLED or QD-OLED version, you’ll get a mature, versatile and very well-balanced TV. As every year, the S90H series holds a top spot among the best-value OLEDs of 2026.
Advantages
Perfect blacks and infinite contrast (OLED)
Very high HDR brightness (up to 1400 nits)
Effective anti-reflective coating (Matte, Glare Free)
Excellent colour accuracy after calibration
Great motion handling (no motion blur)
Excellent for gamers (4× HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM, low input lag)
Game Motion Plus feature
Refresh rate up to 165 Hz
Wide viewing angles
Fast, fully featured Tizen
Good sound
Disadvantages
- In bright light colours lose some depth (a characteristic of matte coatings) - Lack of TV features such as USB recording or picture-in-picture (PiP) - No support for DTS:X (an issue for Blu-ray disc fans) - Reduced colour saturation compared with the QD-OLED variant
Movies and series in UHD quality8.6
Classic TV, YouTube8.8
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)8.5
Gaming on console9.7
TV as a computer monitor8.6
Watching in bright light6.5
Utility functions7.3
Apps9.3
Sound quality8.4
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SAMSUNG S90H - Competing TVs in this price range
SAMSUNG S90H - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Premium
Stand type: Central
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
Samsung S90H doesn't try too hard to prove that every new model year must look completely different. The design will be familiar from previous generations, yet it still looks very modern. The screen is framed by narrow metal bezels, and the panel is exceptionally thin at the top. That makes the TV look light and elegant, especially when viewed from the front or at a slight angle. Most of the electronics are hidden in a thicker lower section of the housing. This is typical for many OLEDs and is precisely why the TV, when wall-mounted, doesn't sit perfectly flush against the wall. That may not be a big problem, but anyone expecting a completely flat surface should keep that in mind or look to the S99H or S95H. We're less convinced by the stand. It's central, so the TV can be placed on a relatively narrow TV cabinet without issue, but in terms of looks it comes across as rather plain. The plastic cover and simple foot design don't make as good an impression as the rest of the housing. Apart from that, it's hard to fault the S90H. It's a slim, attractive and well-built TV that fits easily into any living room.
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SAMSUNG S90H - Contrast and black detail
10/10
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
As the Samsung S90H uses an organic display, it deserves the highest possible rating for contrast and blacks. This applies to both variants on the market: the WOLED model we tested and the QD-OLED version. Because each pixel is an independent light source and can switch completely off, the TV delivers absolutely perfect black and infinite contrast. In practice that translates into brilliant image depth and perfectly sharp separation of bright details from a dark background. Any haloing (blooming), which still affects even top Mini LED-backlit LCD TVs, is completely absent here. The true magic of the WOLED panel is most evident during evening viewing in a darkened room; the dark areas of the picture gain remarkable texture, impressive three-dimensionality and a wealth of details hidden in the shadows.
SAMSUNG S90H - HDR effect quality
7.7/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
1374 nit
Result
1419 nit
Result
1570 nit
Result
1395 nit
Result
713 nit
The Samsung S90H in the WOLED variant is still an exceptionally bright TV for its price bracket, although it is slightly dimmer compared with the QD-OLED version. That difference is not as pronounced as in last year’s F series, where gaps sometimes reached 500 nits. Here the parameters of both panels are very similar, with differences in peak brightness of only about 100–150 nits. In small-window measurements the S90H with the WOLED panel easily reaches close to 1,500 nits. That headroom lets it phenomenally convey the dynamics of HDR effects — blooms, light reflections and explosions have the right punch, exactly as intended by the studio creators. As with most OLED displays, when a very bright scene fills the entire screen, panel protection systems kick in and brightness naturally falls to around 700 nits. It’s worth stressing that this is still an excellent result on the market, often noticeably better than many Mini LED screens in the same segment.
Colour gamut coverage
The biggest difference between the two S90H variants lies in colour reproduction and saturation. This stems directly from the different construction of the WOLED panel, which uses an additional white subpixel. As a result, very high-brightness colours don’t achieve quite the same saturation, and the wide-colour volume is slightly more limited than with QD-OLED. That said, in everyday use these differences will be hard for most viewers to notice. Our measured DCI-P3 coverage on the WOLED panel reaches almost 99%, meaning that for the vast majority of real film scenes both variants will present an almost identical image. The real gap only appears in rarer, especially demanding productions that use the ultra-wide BT.2020 gamut. Because of the WOLED panel’s construction, coverage of that standard is roughly 15% lower compared with the S90HAT with a QD-OLED panel, so the brightest, heavily lit HDR colours may appear a touch less vivid.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 74.7% | 98.7% | 50% | 54% | 54% |
| Film measurements | 74.7% | 98.7% | 47% | 51% | 52% |
BT.2020 BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
So how do movies on the S90H in the WOLED version ultimately look? The viewing experience is very similar to what the QD-OLED variant offers, especially for the most popular titles on services like Netflix, Prime Video and Max. Whether you're watching material mastered to 1000 or 4000 nits, the picture looks exactly as it should. Excellent dynamic performance and high brightness make explosions, specular highlights and other HDR effects look impressive yet natural. Only in some extreme scenes with very saturated primary colours (like deep reds or greens) do you notice, in direct comparison, that the WOLED variant lacks quite the same vibrancy as the QD-OLED. These cases are rare enough that it's hard to call them a significant drawback in daily use. If we were to pick one more detail, some of the very darkest elements in deep shadows can be slightly lost, but for the vast majority of viewers this will be completely unnoticeable. Watching movies and series on this TV simply pulls you in.
HDR luminance chart:
S90H, despite a solid brightness headroom, pulls noticeably more from the picture when fed HDR10+ material with dynamic metadata. The lack of Dolby Vision support in Samsung TVs remains a limitation, but the growing popularity of HDR10+ means that, in practice, the differences between the two standards are marginal. A noticeable gap appears, however, when comparing static HDR10 with HDR10+. Dynamic metadata lets the TV more precisely extract detail in bright areas, avoiding the contrast-flattening effect. Basic HDR10 alone looks very good on this screen in most scenes, and the benefits of dynamic metadata are revealed mainly in the most demanding, highly illuminated shots, such as our test scene with white horses.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: HDR10+
Factory color reproduction
7.6/10
In Filmmaker mode, which we strongly recommend switching on straight out of the box, the S90H offers very good factory colour tuning. Colours are natural and faithful to the creators' intent, without the annoying oversaturation seen in more aggressive profiles. However, as is often the case without full calibration, there is unit-to-unit variation. In our test the white balance was a little deficient in the blue component, so the image leaned slightly towards warmer, yellowish tones. This was most noticeable in bright scenes, such as the snowy sequences from Star Wars. Additionally, the gamma curve was slightly low at around 2.2, which caused a small lift in shadow detail. In HDR mode the tuning was a bit better, showing only a slight undersaturation in the red region.
Color reproduction after calibration
9.2/10
After full calibration, you can safely say the S90H in the WOLED version looks almost perfect. In SDR mode colour errors fall to ultra-low levels and Delta E values very rarely exceed 2. That's a phenomenal result, so if perfectly faithful colour reproduction matters to you, it's definitely worth getting it calibrated. The calibrated HDR mode also performs very well, where the white balance was stabilised and previous deviations eliminated. After professional tuning it's really hard to fault anything, because the TV delivers an image with almost exemplary naturalness and three-dimensionality. The slightly lower score in this category compared with the QD-OLED variant is solely due to the saturation limitation in extremely bright scenes, while the tuning potential and colour fidelity are at the highest level.
SAMSUNG S90H - Smoothness of tonal transitions
8/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions is at a very solid level here, and the WOLED panel variant has been noticeably improved compared with last year’s F-series model. Troublesome gradient artefacts and visible banding occur much less often. Despite this clear improvement, it still does not reach the level of QD-OLED technology. In almost every direct comparison the QD-OLED panel handles smooth transitions between shades a little more precisely. In summary, when it comes to gradients the WOLED panel is clearly better than earlier generations of these panels, but the QD-OLED variant still holds a noticeable advantage in this area.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
7.5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
When it comes to banding reduction itself, Samsung has kept the same solutions known from last year’s models. The dedicated gradient-smoothing function works quite well and can effectively mask unwanted tonal transitions, which can be useful on a WOLED panel that’s somewhat more prone to banding. However, it’s important to remember it acts aggressively. This mechanism, aside from the artefacts themselves, can remove fine film grain and subtly soften detail. Ultimately it’s a trade-off, but if you want perfectly faithful image reproduction, it’s safer to leave this option off.
There’s also no breakthrough in scaling. The S90H uses the same NQ4 Gen3 processor as its predecessor, so upscaling quality was almost identical. The chip sharpens lower-resolution material very well, pulling a satisfying level of detail out of it. However, Samsung still hasn’t solved the old overscan problem. For some older recordings or archival footage the edges of the image can be slightly cropped. It’s a minor drawback, but it’s a shame the manufacturer still hasn’t fixed it.
SAMSUNG S90H - Blur and motion smoothness
8.5/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 165Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
BFI function 120Hz: No
Brightness drop with BFI: 50%
When it comes to motion handling the S90H is simply excellent. This year's panel offers its refresh rate boosted to 165 Hz, although in practice the benefit will mainly be for gamers connecting a powerful PC. For movies, TV series or sports broadcasts such a high refresh rate makes no difference and the picture looks exactly the same as at the standard 120 Hz. Regardless of the source, the OLED panel's lightning-fast response time does the job. Motion is clean, and the ghosting or smearing seen on LCDs simply doesn't occur here.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Image flickers in this mode
Blur (4K@165Hz ):
Samsung also gives us full control over the motion smoothing behaviour. In the menu there are two separate sliders for judder reduction and blur reduction, making it easy to tailor the picture to our preferences. We can easily set the ideal smoothness for football matches or preserve the classic, filmic character for 24 fps material. Dynamic scenes therefore remain sharp and easy to follow. The only exception is the BFI "Clear Motion" feature, which inserts black frames. While it does sharpen motion further, it causes noticeable flicker, so most people will probably disable it. We'll get the best results simply with a native 120 Hz signal from a console or 165 Hz from a PC.
SAMSUNG S90H - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.6/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 165Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
No
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
Gamers should feel right at home with the S90H, because Samsung has left few reasons to complain in this area. The TV has four HDMI 2.1 ports, each supporting VRR, ALLM and high refresh rates. There's also the Game Bar, a handy menu that lets you quickly check key parameters and change settings without leaving the game. Importantly, Samsung has also improved HGiG. In last year's models it could cause issues when used with a console, but on the S90H it now works as it should. What really stands out against the competition is Game Motion Plus. It's a specialised motion-smoothing mode for games that works best with titles running at 30 or 60 frames per second. Motion becomes noticeably smoother and latency remains at a reasonable level. In our measurements it was under 50 ms, so gaming is still comfortable. That's important, because on many TVs enabling a similar smoothing feature causes such a big increase in input lag that controls become noticeably sluggish. Samsung has managed to find a good compromise here. There's still no Dolby Vision Gaming, but in practice Game Motion Plus may prove to be the more useful feature.
SAMSUNG S90H - Input lag
10/10
Input lag is another aspect that's hard to fault. At 120 Hz we measured just about 5 to 6 ms, which is truly outstanding. Switching to even higher refresh rates, the delay fell to astronomically low levels, practically imperceptible during gameplay. The Samsung S90H delivers top-tier results.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 10 ms | 2160p60: 10 ms | |
| 1080p120: 6 ms | 2160p120: 5 ms | |
| 2160p60: 10 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 6 ms |
SAMSUNG S90H - Compatibility with PC
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 6ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RWGB
Max refresh rate: 165Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The S90H works very well as a large-format monitor for PC, and not just because of its comprehensive gaming features. NVIDIA G-Sync certification, low input lag and support for refresh rates up to 165 Hz mean it runs smoothly with typical gaming PCs. In terms of motion and image sharpness in PC games it’s hard to find fault. The situation is a little different for everyday office work, web browsing or text editing. Although fonts remain legible, the specific subpixel structure of the WOLED panel (with an additional white subpixel) can be noticeable. When sitting very close to the screen, letter edges and small interface elements can show slight coloured fringing or appear a bit softened. This is characteristic of WOLED panels. In practice, however, it’s not a major issue. We tested the 65-inch variant, which is naturally used from about a metre or more. From that distance the effect practically disappears and doesn’t interfere with daily work. It may be more noticeable in the smallest sizes, like 42 or 48 inches, which often sit on a desk and are used from a distance of a few dozen centimetres.
SAMSUNG S90H - Viewing angles
7.6/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 31%
Viewing angles on the Samsung S90H are very good and among the best on the market. That's thanks to the OLED panel, which when viewed from the side does not lose brightness or colour saturation as quickly as many LCD TVs. The picture therefore keeps its proper appearance for longer, which matters especially when watching TV in a larger group and not everyone is sitting directly in front of the screen. Only at a really large angle can you notice the advantage of QD-OLED panels. In their case viewing angles are practically perfect, while with the WOLED version the colours and brightness then start to change slightly.
SAMSUNG S90H - Daytime performance
6.5/10
Panel finish: Matte
Reflection suppression: Very Good
Black levels during daytime: Good
There is, however, one area where the S90H with a WOLED panel performs better than the QD-OLED version. It's viewing in a brightly sunlit room. Thanks to the presence of a traditional polariser, blacks here don't shift toward grey or a dark burgundy as much as they do on QD-OLED panels. Combined with the new matte coating, this delivers very good results. The picture retains more depth even in strong light, and colours don't lose their vibrancy so quickly. That doesn't mean the screen remains completely black in every condition. Under very strong illumination you can notice a faint purple tint typical of WOLED panels. In the S90H it is partly muted by the matte coating and isn't as obvious. Ultimately both variants perform similarly in this category. WOLED handles black retention in a bright room better, but on the other hand it achieves slightly lower SDR brightness. At times the difference compared with the QD-OLED version can reach around 150 nits.
Panel brightness
Samsung S90H (WOLED): 473 cd/m2
SAMSUNG S90H - TV features
7.3/10
System: Tizen
System performance: Very good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
- Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Classic TV
With regular cable or terrestrial TV, Samsung doesn't offer any revolutions compared with last year's model. Putting the marketing AI features to one side, you simply get a solid, traditional package: a full set of tuners, a CI slot for a conditional-access module (CAM), teletext and a convenient RF remote that doesn't need to be pointed directly at the screen. The problem is that the competition offers exactly the same today, and the S90H adds nothing in this area. What's more, the S90 series has lost the PIP function, picture-in-picture. If you liked keeping an eye on the news in the corner of the screen while watching another programme, you can't do that here.
Smart TV: Tizen
While there are few novelties for traditional TV, Tizen for 2026 performs really well. The main point is that the system runs incredibly smoothly and responds to commands without hesitation. Any animation stutter or lag when navigating menus has disappeared. Although it's Samsung's proprietary platform rather than the Google TV many prefer, the app library is complete and includes all the major VOD services. Cloud-gaming fans will also be pleased, as the gaming section has been thoroughly polished. For everyday Smart TV use, it's an exceptionally fast and mature environment.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Samsung Q-Symphony (Speaker extension): Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: No
- DTS-HD Master Audio: No
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: No
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
SAMSUNG S90H - Apps
9.3/10
SAMSUNG S90H - Playing files from USB
9.1/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The built-in media player handles most popular video, audio and photo formats without any problems. The range of supported files is broad enough that the inability to install external apps like VLC isn't an issue at all. However, we encountered one serious bug when trying to open HEIC photos from an iPhone. The TV not only failed to display the files, it caused Tizen to completely freeze. The system stopped responding to the remote and we had to unplug it. This is a clear software bug that Samsung should patch as soon as possible in the next firmware update.
SAMSUNG S90H - Sound
8.4/10
-
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
Theoretically, the audio specification in the S90 series has been unchanged for several years. We still get a 2.1 setup with a total power of 40 W, so before testing we assumed that noticeably better sound would mainly concern the largest variants. Yet the 65-inch model we tested sounded noticeably better than its predecessors. The sound is fuller, more dynamic and has more "body" than the dry technical specs would suggest. We don't know whether Samsung changed the speakers themselves or if the improvement mainly comes from better tuning and software optimisation, but the effect is audible from the first moments. For such a slim TV the S90H performs really well and for many people may be sufficient even without a soundbar. Our only real gripe is the lack of DTS:X support, which is unfortunately disappearing from TVs more and more. There is Dolby Atmos, though, so streaming service users are unlikely to notice much of a problem. Those who mainly use Blu-ray discs may be left wanting, since DTS tracks still appear quite often on them.
* In the review we used the S90H variant. The S92H is also available for sale, equipped with two additional 20 W drivers. That gives a 2.1.2 configuration with a total power of 60 W, so you can expect stronger, more spacious sound. We can't confirm this, however, as we didn't have the opportunity to test that version.
Acoustic Measurements
No acoustic data
SAMSUNG S90H - Panel details
Software version during testing: T-RSMHDEUC-0100-120 4.3, E4601200, BT - G. albo 1204
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: WRGB OLED
Founder and originator of the "ChooseTV" portal
Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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