Samsung QLED Q80D vs Samsung OLED S90D / S94D (WRGB OLED)

In the context of HDR, the Samsung Q80D television delivers impressive brightness performance in tested movie scenes, achieving levels between 600 to 900 nits when the frame is filled with light. This brightness enhances the vibrancy of the image and allows users to perceive the differences between HDR and SDR quality. However, challenges arise when small light effects appear against a dark background. For instance, in specific scenes, such as test slide 4 from Sicario 2, there is a noticeable drop in brightness due to the larger size of the dimming zones employed by the television. This limitation, coupled with the local dimming algorithm, affects the TV's ability to accurately display small bright elements on dark backgrounds, leading to a lack of brightness that can diminish the HDR effect, making it appear similar to SDR quality.

The Samsung S90D demonstrates impressive brightness performance in the tested film scenes, surpassing the 1000 nits mark in the first four shots—an outstanding result for an OLED display. In the final shot, which features a fullscreen flash of sunlight, the brightness dips to around 500 nits. While this is a decrease, it remains within a very good range, ensuring visibility and detail retention even in bright scenes.

Another key highlight of the Samsung S90D is its remarkable colour coverage, achieving 98% of the DCI-P3 colour space. This means the TV can reproduce an exceptionally wide range of colours, contributing to vivid and lifelike images that are particularly beneficial for films, high-quality video, and HDR content. The high colour accuracy and impressive brightness capabilities, makes the S90D an ideal choice for users seeking premium image quality across various lighting environments, whether in darker rooms or bright, sunlit spaces.

In "Filmmaker" mode, which is considered the best out-of-the-box choice, the Samsung Q80D demonstrates solid colour reproduction. However, when viewing SDR content, there is a visible drop at the beginning of the gamma curve, suggesting that details in dark scenes may be less clear, which could detract from the overall viewing experience. While the white balance in SDR content is generally accurate, significant drops in blue at screen coverage above 70% can lead to less natural hues in both bright and dark scenes. Users might notice that some blue elements appear less intense, resulting in a warmer tint to the colour presentation.

For HDR content, the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) curve being above the reference line most of the time indicates that the TV may struggle to accurately reproduce brightness and detail in the brighter areas of the image, which can be less than ideal for viewers. Additionally, there is a notable drop at the beginning of this graph, signifying the TV's difficulty in reproducing brightness in dark areas; this limitation is apparent in contrast and black tests, where several scenes fail to showcase the TV's full brightness potential.

Regarding white balance, the initial performance on the chart is promising, however, a sharp drop in red, coupled with a significant rise in blue, may lead to inaccuracies in reproducing certain skin tones and other key colours. This issue can be particularly noticeable in scenes where colour details are essential, potentially affecting the viewer's overall experience.

The S90D was tested in Filmmaker mode, which provides good colour reproduction, albeit with some imperfections that may be noticeable to more discerning users. This mode might appear overly warm, and those switching from Standard mode could find the change somewhat jarring. It is important to note that this issue stems from suboptimal settings, such as the white balance, rather than the Filmmaker mode.

In both SDR and HDR content, the device shows a drop in blue tones, resulting in colours appearing warmer than intended. In practice, this means that certain shades, such as sky blue or skin tones, may seem less natural, with a slight pink or yellow tint. The Colour Checker test confirms these deviations, indicating a shift towards warmer hues. In SDR content, the gamma chart reveals slight inconsistencies that make the image appear marginally darker, particularly in shadowed areas, which may obscure finer details in darker scenes.

In 4K HDR content, the EOTF curve exceeds the recommended level, leading to an overly bright display in some parts of the image, which can cause highlights to appear blown out. Overall, the Samsung S90D delivers a solid image straight out of the box, but for the best performance, further calibration is advised, especially with more demanding content.

After calibration, the Samsung Q80D’s Movie mode offers a noticeable improvement over the out-of-the-box settings. Samsung provides an advanced suite of calibration tools, including 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustments as well as a CMS (Colour Management System), allowing for precise control over both SDR and HDR content. The calibration greatly enhances white balance, although minor errors remain in HDR content toward the end of the graph. Contrast has also improved, and the gamma curve for SDR content now aligns well with expected levels.

In HDR, the EOTF curve initially appears to sit ideally, however, closer examination reveals all lines are slightly above the reference line, a phenomenon that may be seen as the TV "enhancing" brightness for added appeal. This effect, however, comes at a cost: while the screen may appear brighter overall, it sacrifices detail in darker areas, leading to a loss of subtle textures in shadowed scenes. As a result, scenes with deep shadows or dark elements may lose some finer visual details that would enhance the viewing experience.

After calibration, the Samsung S90D in movie mode exceeds expectations. The white balance for HD and 4K HDR content has been refined to near perfection. While minor imperfections remain, they are so subtle that they don’t significantly impact the overall image quality. The colours are now more balanced, resulting in a natural reproduction of details, particularly in scenes requiring an accurate colour palette. It’s important to note that this model, in this size, uses a WOLED panel, which has a smaller wide colour gamut coverage and doesn't deliver the same vibrant colours as the 65-inch version with its QD-OLED panel.

The contrast has also seen notable improvements. Following calibration, the gamma curve now closely aligns with the expected line, achieving a better balance between the bright and dark areas of the image. The EOTF curve, which previously exhibited issues with overexposed scenes, now produces more accurate results, allowing for improved detail retention in the brighter parts of the image, especially in HDR content.

Performing admirably with low-quality content, the Q80D’s noise reduction feature uses gentle gradation to smooth out unwanted image disturbances. However, this technique can also soften certain details, like film grain, that some viewers might prefer to retain. For those who appreciate a more polished and smoother image, particularly with lower-resolution material, this becomes a significant advantage.

In terms of image scaling, the Q80D stands out, enhancing both quality and detail for lower-resolution media. Advanced processing technology reduces artefacts and maintains clarity, as seen in the clean edges and absence of fraying in elements like branches during test scenes. This capability makes it an excellent option for viewers seeking an enhanced and comfortable viewing experience, even with less-than-ideal content quality.

The S90D TV handles tonal transitions exceptionally well. Thanks to advanced technology, the transitions between colours are smooth and natural. The noise reduction function can further enhance the smoothness of tonal shifts, which is particularly useful in certain situations. However, it's important to note that enabling noise reduction can also blur the natural film grain, diminishing the cinematic quality of the image. For this reason, it’s advisable to use this function with caution, as preserving the natural grain can enhance the character and authenticity of the content being watched.

As always, Samsung excels in image scaling from lower resolutions. The S90D effectively processes lower-resolution content, delivering a clear and accurate picture. The model’s outline is crisp, ensuring the image looks natural and detailed. Even the finer details, such as tree branches, are well-rendered without visible jagged edges that could degrade image quality. Thanks to its effective scaling, the S90D ensures that even lower-resolution content looks appealing, satisfying users who enjoy a wide range of content sources, such as regular broadcast or cable TV.

Motion smoothness and blur reduction are standout features on the Samsung Q80D TV, thanks to its 120Hz panel and impressive response time. Users have two customisation options to enhance smoothness: "Motion Blur Reduction," adjustable on a 10-step scale for refined control, and "Blur Reduction," which works particularly well at higher refresh rates, enhancing clarity in fast-moving scenes. In the UFO test, the panel performs without trailing or forward-cloning effects, indicating a lack of overshoot and delivering clear, sharp visuals during rapid motion.

The Samsung S90D television features a 120 Hz panel, with the option to "overclock" to 144 Hz when connected to a compatible PC, offering exceptional motion smoothness. Samsung has long provided a range of image sharpness settings on a ten-point scale, allowing users to tailor the display to their preferences. In the UFO test, the OLED panel shows no signs of blurring, with pixel response instantaneous and effectively capturing dynamic movements. OLED technology is renowned for its performance in this regard, making it one of the best options on the market. The image remains incredibly sharp and detailed, even during fast-paced action, making the S90D an excellent choice for gamers and sports enthusiasts alike.

The Samsung Q80D is a fantastic choice for gamers, offering a range of advanced gaming features that are rare in this price category. Equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, it enables key functionalities like ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and 120Hz support at 4K resolution, ensuring smooth and responsive visuals, essential for fast-paced gaming. The TV also supports HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) for optimal HDR display in games and includes a Game Bar for quick access to gaming settings. Gamers with Nvidia graphics cards will appreciate the G-Sync support that eliminates screen stuttering and tearing.

Although it lacks Dolby Vision support, which may disappoint those seeking that HDR format, Samsung has partnered with Microsoft since 2022 to provide the Xbox Game Pass app, enabling cloud gaming access to a wide library of games without a console.

The Samsung S90D is an ideal choice for gamers, featuring four HDMI 2.1 ports that support key gaming technologies such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGIG). These features ensure smoother and more responsive gameplay, greatly enhancing performance during intense gaming sessions. The TV also includes a dedicated Game Bar, which makes managing game settings easy. This functionality allows users to quickly adjust parameters like the aspect ratio offering flexibility for different games and gameplay styles. Customising preferences is straightforward, further enhancing the convenience and enjoyment of gaming.

For PC users, the TV impresses by supporting a refresh rate of 144Hz when connected to a computer. Users with Nvidia or AMD graphics cards can also use G-Sync and FreeSync for a smoother gaming experience. However, it’s important to note that the TV does not support Dolby Vision, which may be a drawback for some. That said, Dolby Vision is not as widely adopted in gaming as in film, so this may not be a significant concern for most gamers. Overall, the S90D offers exceptional features for gamers, making it an excellent choice for those seeking outstanding image quality and modern technological solutions.