LG OLED C5 vs SAMSUNG OLED S95F (QD-OLED)

LG C5 finally does what we have been waiting for years in the C series – it exceeds 1000 nits of brightness! This is a significant change compared to previous models in the series, and it is very important – because most HDR content on streaming platforms is now created around such luminance. The image finally has the proper "shine," and the details in the highlights look as they should even without the use of dynamic metadata. However, there are scenes where the C5, like most OLED televisions, has certain issues. Especially when the screen needs to light up completely. In our test sequences, such as the bright shot from the film The Meg, the brightness clearly drops. Don't get us wrong, this result is not bad; it's more a reminder that OLED technology still has its limitations. Year by year they are becoming smaller, but still.

As for the colours? They are very good. Although the C5 does not match OLEDs with QD-OLED or Tandem RGB panels, the DCI-P3 coverage of 97% and 73% BT.2020 will satisfy even the more demanding viewers. The colours are saturated, natural, and very consistent in HDR material.

The new generation of QD-OLED matrices in the Samsung S95F shows its full potential, with brightness results that are truly stunning. In test film scenes like "Life of Pi" or "Sicario 2," where smaller light elements appear – stars, the moon, or headlights – the television managed to achieve over 2000 nits of brightness. This is a result that surpasses even most top-of-the-range Mini-LED models.

The secret lies in the technology itself – instead of a limited number of dimming zones like in Mini-LED televisions, here we have millions of emitting pixels, allowing the television to fully showcase its power without technological compromises. Of course, as this is still an organic panel, in full-screen scenes flooded with white – like in the final sequence of the film The Meg – the brightness drops to around 1400 nits. Nevertheless, the result remains excellent and clearly exceeds what any OLEDs, both QD-OLED and WOLED, have offered so far. The colour reproduction is also particularly noteworthy. Thanks to QD-OLED technology, the television achieves nearly 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space and about 80% in BT.2020. These values make HDR images not only dazzling in brightness but also captivating in the richness of colours.

LG C5, like other televisions we have tested, has been checked in the best possible factory mode – which remains the Filmmaker Mode. And here we have good news: in SDR materials, LG has once again done a solid job. The white balance and colour reproduction right out of the box are at a very high level. Most errors – both in balance and in the colour test (Colour Checker) – did not exceed a ΔE value of 3, which is the threshold above which differences become visible to the naked eye. Such factory settings would be desirable in a significantly larger number of televisions!

However, the situation looks different for HDR content, which is precisely what the C series was created for. Here, the C5 performs somewhat worse. The excessive presence of blue in the white balance causes the image to appear distinctly cooler – which affects, for instance, unnaturally pale skin tones or a slightly shifted tone of the entire scene. Fortunately, LG provides very precise calibration tools, and we – as always – made use of them.

The best picture mode straight out of the box is undoubtedly Filmmaker Mode – a mode that Samsung has been using for several years, designed to faithfully convey the creators' intent. In SDR content, its implementation is not bad, although some imperfections can be observed. The image is slightly dimmed, and the screen has a subtle pinkish tint due to the dominance of red and blue in the white balance. Colour errors were maintained at a level of 3–4 ΔE units – and for those who are not familiar: a value above 3 is the threshold at which the average human eye starts to notice differences.

However, much greater problems arise in HDR content. Here, the white balance was not such a significant issue – a slight excess of blue did not significantly hinder the viewing experience. The problem became managing brightness. In practice, the television "blasted" the image too much, causing details in the blacks to completely disappear. The final effect was far from expected, and colour errors in this mode became quite pronounced. It's hard to say why such a design decision was made, but it was evident that the factory HDR settings did not allow this television to showcase its full capabilities.

We must honestly admit – in the case of the LG C5, very little was needed to achieve nearly perfect picture quality. After calibrating, we managed to reach compatibility with reference screens at a level that impresses even when compared to significantly more expensive models. The image after our adjustment looks exactly as filmmakers and series creators would want it – without colour distortions, with natural depth and subtle texture. LG has done a great job this year regarding factory settings and calibration potential. Chapeau bas!

After calibration, it was possible to make subtle adjustments to the white balance and significantly improve the image characteristics. In SDR content, the quality has become practically reference-level – most colour errors have fallen below a ΔE value of 1, which is the level at which the human eye can no longer discern differences. This is a result that places the S95F among the very best televisions available on the market.

In HDR materials, the calibration also brought about a significant improvement. The television's tendency to blow out highlights has been brought under control, as confirmed by the analysis of the EOTF curve. A slight tendency to brighten the entire scene or occasional loss of detail in blacks can still be observed, but this does not significantly affect the overall perception. After calibration, the S95F reveals its full potential and can be described as one of the best televisions on the market!

LG C5 handles lower quality materials really very well. One of the main problems older WOLEDs faced was posterisation – that is, unwanted “stair stepping” in colour transitions. The C5 utilises a system feature that smoothens these transitions, which works surprisingly effectively. The banding effect is nearly completely eliminated, and the picture gains in coherence. Compared to last year's model, we have the impression that this feature works slightly less effectively – but the good news is that it does not undermine the structure of the image. Film grain, textures, and details remain on the screen – nothing is unnaturally smoothed out.

The C5 also excels at enhancing the quality of older recordings. Thanks to the α9 Gen6 processor (8th gen), the "scaling to 4K" performs really solidly. The image is clear, the details are sharp, and the only minor downside might be slightly noticeable edge sharpening on some borders. However, there is no issue with overscan here – the image is neither artificially cropped nor shifted, which is a significant plus and still not a given.

The Samsung S95F offers a noise reduction feature that is responsible for smoothing tonal transitions. It works very effectively, but in practice, it can be overly aggressive. Materials of lower quality – e.g., older recordings or videos from YouTube – become soft and plastic when this feature is activated, resembling an image digitally smoothed in a graphic program. Unfortunately, the natural film grain, which often adds authenticity to the image, disappears in the process. Fortunately, the television does not lose too many fine details, such as in skin textures or elements of the surroundings. Therefore, this feature is best used with discretion – depending on preferences, one can achieve a smooth image that is less natural, or one that is truer to the original. In our opinion, the most universal choice is the “Standard” setting.

The image scaling performs significantly better. The television handles materials of lower resolution well – even content at 576p looks quite decent, although a slight blockiness can be noticed. Overall, the effect is very good, although it somewhat falls short of what Sony Bravia 8 (II) or LG G5 can achieve. It is also worth mentioning a minor imperfection of the S95F – in older materials, overscan may occur, causing a slight trimming of the left edge of the image.

The LG C5 is equipped with a 144 Hz display, and this, combined with the virtually zero response time of the OLED pixels, makes it one of the best screens for watching dynamic content. It doesn't matter whether it's sports, fast-paced games, or just action – the image is razor-sharp.

And what about movies at 24 frames? LG thought of that too. The built-in "TruMotion" smoother allows you to adjust the picture to your own preferences. The "de-judder" slider increases fluidity in films, while "de-blur" gently reduces motion blur – though to be fair, it is nearly invisible here anyway.

The Samsung S95F shows phenomenal performance in terms of motion fluidity. The panel operates at a native resolution of 4K with a refresh rate of up to 165 Hz, and combined with QD-OLED organic technology, it delivers incredible results. Sports and games look stunning – the image is fast, dynamic, and very natural. Additionally, the built-in motion smoother and motion blur reduction system allow you to tailor the character of the picture to your own preferences. You can opt for a more "frame-like" effect with visible film structure or a smooth, theatrical spectacle. Every viewer will find a setting that suits them.

LG C5 is a television designed with gamers in mind – and there isn't a hint of exaggeration in that. It's hard to find anything to criticise here. We have a refresh rate of 144 Hz, full support for VRR, ALLM, and as many as four HDMI 2.1 ports with a full bandwidth of 48 Gb/s. For those who have an Xbox, PS5, Nintendo, and a gaming PC all in one room – there are no limitations, everything can be connected without any hassle.

The HDR configuration for games also poses no problems. The television correctly handles the HGiG mode, which allows for an image that matches the creators' intentions. For those interested, there is also Dolby Vision in Gaming mode, although we still recommend HGiG as the most predictable and "pure" version of HDR in games.

It also features Game Bar, which serves as a "command centre" for gamers. Everything important, from VRR settings, to picture modes, to frame rate information – is at our fingertips. The interface is simple and clear. It may look like it’s from a spaceship simulator, but it serves its purpose and just works; as it should.

C5 is truly a complete set for any gamer.

The advantages of low motion blur and excellent motion fluidity characteristic of OLED panels are just the beginning, as the Samsung S95F has been designed with gamers in mind. The manufacturer has equipped it with four HDMI 2.1 ports – although limited to a bandwidth of 40 Gb/s, in practice this has no impact on compatibility with consoles or PCs. We get a full suite of gaming features: variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic game mode (ALLM), as well as a very well-implemented HGiG standard, which ensures that HDR titles look exactly as their creators intended. Completing the package is the Game Bar – a clear settings hub where we can preview and change all key image parameters with one motion. The proprietary motion smoother, Game Motion Plus, also deserves commendation, as it can smooth out animations, which is particularly useful in productions running at 60 frames, where stability is not always exemplary. While support for Dolby Vision in games is lacking, it’s hard to view this as a serious drawback – Samsung compensates with other solutions. This is one of the best, if not the best, gaming televisions available on the market today.