Samsung OLED S90D / S94D (WRGB OLED) vs LG OLED C5

In the tested film scenes, the television Samsung S90D achieves impressive brightness results, exceeding the 1000 nits barrier in the first four shots, which can be considered an outstanding result. In the case of the last shot, where a full-screen flash of sunlight is visible, the brightness drops to around 500 nits, but still remains at a very good level. Additionally, the television impresses with a DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage measurement of 98%, ensuring an extraordinarily rich and realistic colour reproduction, further enhancing the picture quality. This result makes the Samsung S90D an ideal choice for those expecting high-quality images in a variety of lighting conditions.

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 S90D television has been tested in Filmmaker mode, which offers good colour reproduction, although with some imperfections that may be noticeable to more discerning users. This mode may seem a bit too warm, and users who switched from Standard mode may experience a slight shock. It is worth noting that this situation is caused by poor settings, such as in the white balance, rather than the Filmmaker mode itself. In both SDR and HDR content, the device exhibits drops in blue colour, making colours warmer than they should be. In practice, this means that some shades, such as sky blue or skin tones, may appear less natural and more tinged with pink or yellow. The Colour Checker test confirms these deviations, showing shifts towards warmer tones. In SDR content, the gamma graph indicates slight fluctuations, resulting in a minimally darker image, especially in shadows. This can affect less defined details in darker scenes. Conversely, in 4K HDR materials, the EOTF curve is above the recommended line, leading to overly bright displays in certain parts of the image, which can cause clipping in the brightest areas. Overall, Samsung S90D presents a solid picture right out of the box, but for the best effects, especially with more demanding content, additional calibration is recommended.

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.

After calibration, the Samsung S90D television in movie mode looks even better than one might have expected. The white balance, for both HD and 4K HDR content, has been improved almost to perfection. Although minor flaws can still be noticed, they are minimal enough not to significantly affect the picture quality. The colours are more balanced, which translates to a natural reproduction of details, especially in scenes requiring a precise colour palette. It is worth noting that this model in this size is equipped with a WOLED panel, which has less coverage of the wide colour gamut and does not offer 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 graph post-calibration is much closer to the expected line, providing better balance between bright and dark areas of the image. The EOTF curve, which prior to calibration showed issues with overexposed scenes, now presents better results. This effect allows for greater detail retention in bright parts of the image, especially in HDR materials.

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!

Television S90D performs very well at smoothing tonal transitions. Thanks to the applied technology, the transitions between colours are more fluid and natural. There is also the option to use noise reduction, which further smooths tonal transitions, which can be useful in certain situations. However, it is worth remembering that enabling noise reduction can also lead to the smoothing of desirable film grain, which in turn could reduce the cinematic atmosphere of the image. For this reason, caution is advised when using this feature, as it is better to leave the natural grain that adds character and authenticity to the viewed content.

Samsung, as always, does not disappoint and excels in the area of scaling images from lower resolutions. The S90D Samsung television effectively processes lower resolutions, as can be seen in the visible image. The outline of the model is clear and accurate and, as a result, looks natural and detailed. Moreover, the branches of the trees are well-rendered, showing no significant jaggedness, which could diminish the image quality. Thanks to effective scaling, even materials in lower resolution present attractively on the screen, pleasing users who prefer various sources of content such as regular antenna/cable television.

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.

Samsung S90D TV is equipped with a 120 Hz panel, with the possibility of "overclocking" to 144 Hz with the appropriate PC configuration, providing exceptional motion fluidity. Samsung has been offering a variety of sharpness settings on a ten-point scale for years, allowing users to adjust the display to their preferences. In the UFO test, thanks to the use of an OLED panel, there's no sign of any smearing. The pixel response 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 actions, making the S90D TV an ideal choice for gamers and sports enthusiasts.

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 S90D TV is perfectly adapted to the needs of gamers, offering four HDMI 2.1 ports that support key features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and HDR Gaming Interest Group (HGIG). With these technologies, gamers can enjoy smoother and more responsive gameplay, significantly affecting comfort and performance during intense gaming sessions. An additional advantage of the television is the special Game Bar, which allows for easy management of game settings. This functionality enables quick adjustments to parameters such as changing the TV's screen aspect ratio, which can be useful in various games and types of gameplay. Users can easily customise their preferences, making the use of the TV during gaming even more convenient and enjoyable. As for PC users, the TV pleasantly surprises. When connected to a computer, the panel is capable of achieving a refresh rate of 144Hz, and users of Nvidia or AMD graphics cards can enjoy features such as G-Sync and FreeSync. It should be noted, however, that the TV does not support Dolby Vision, which may be a drawback - but it's worth bearing in mind that Dolby Vision is not as popular for games as it is for films. Nevertheless, the S90D TV still offers excellent features for gamers, making it a great choice for gaming enthusiasts who seek top-notch picture quality and modern technological solutions.

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.