Samsung QD-OLED S90D / S94D vs Philips OLED820

In the HDR effect category, the Samsung S90D delivers remarkable performance. On the luminance graph for up to 10% of the window, the television surpasses the 1000 nits mark, which is a notable achievement. However, in the film scenes we tested, these values were slightly lower. In scenes with fullscreen sun glare the brightness drops to about 500 nits, but this is still considered a very good result. It is also worth noting that this model stands out due to its very high colour gamut coverage, thanks to the QD-OLED panel, giving it an edge over televisions with WOLED panels, which cannot achieve such a wide spectrum of colours.

When it comes to HDR quality, the Philips OLED820 uses the same class of WOLED panel found in its biggest rivals – the LG C5 and Samsung S90F. This means we can expect really solid results. This year, mid-range OLED panels can exceed the threshold of a thousand nits, and the tested model reaches around 1300 nits in some films. This is an outstanding result, allowing the director's vision to be conveyed with immense precision, as this is the brightness range in which contemporary productions are mastered. Of course, there are situations where even the OLED820 has to compromise. Full-screen scenes filled with white, like those in the film The Meg, can drop brightness to 400–500 nits, which clearly weakens the effect. This is a characteristic of OLED technology that has yet to be fully eliminated. Despite this limitation, it is hard not to appreciate the HDR in this model – high luminance and a wide DCI-P3 colour gamut coverage of 99% make the image simply look fantastic.

The Samsung 65" S90D with a QD-OLED panel has been tested in Filmmaker Mode, which the manufacturer has used for years to deliver optimal picture settings. In this mode, the TV offers a very good image, but there are some shortcomings worth noting.

In terms of white balance, viewers may notice a red dominance in HD content, which can make skin tones appear unnatural and create a warm overall scene, potentially affecting immersion. This issue becomes more apparent in scenes where subtle colour differences are important. The same effect can be observed in 4K HDR content, though the red shift is less pronounced. This shift can prevent certain details and colours from being fully realised, diminishing the naturalness of the image.

As for contrast, the gamma performance is decent but still has some issues. The gamma values fall short of the reference level of 2.4, resulting in bright areas of the image appearing washed out and dark areas lacking detail. This limitation can make certain scenes feel less dynamic and impact the depth and richness of the picture. However, the EOTF curve for contrast in 4K HDR content performs well, showing the TV's ability to handle differences in brightness. That said, these values still fall slightly below the ideal range, indicating room for further optimisation.

Overall, the Samsung S90D in Filmmaker Mode offers solid colour reproduction, but some adjustments are needed to fully unlock its potential, particularly with different types of content.

The colour reproduction in the factory settings really surprised us, and positively so. The Philips OLED820, switched to Filmmaker mode, immediately showed that it was quite well tuned in terms of colour. The white balance was relatively accurate, though there was a slight deficiency in the blue hue, which occasionally gave the image a slightly yellowish tint. However, this is not a flaw that particularly detracts from everyday viewing. A bigger issue arose with the brightness characteristics. The gamma curve clearly deviated from the ideal, with the line below the expected values, causing the image to be excessively brightened, and the colours looked as if they were covered with a light milky filter. This effect was also noticeable in tests using the Colour Checker pattern, where more pronounced errors appeared.

The quality improves more than anticipated after calibrating the S90D television in movie mode. The white balance for HD and 4K HDR content has been fine-tuned to near perfection. While minor imperfections are still noticeable, they are subtle enough not to significantly impact the overall picture quality. Colours have become more cohesive, promoting a natural reproduction of details, particularly in scenes where precise colour representation is essential. It’s important to note that this particular model, in this size, uses a QD-OLED panel, which offers a broader colour gamut compared to other versions of this model equipped with a WOLED panel.

The contrast has also seen a marked improvement. After calibration, the gamma chart is much closer to the expected curve, resulting in a better balance between the bright and dark areas of the image. The EOTF curve, which previously indicated issues with overexposed scenes, now shows significantly better results. This improvement allows for greater preservation of details in the brighter parts of the image, particularly in HDR content.

After calibration, both the Filmmaker mode and the gaming mode gained a lot. A slight adjustment of the white balance and an improvement in brightness characteristics produced excellent results in SDR content – the image looked almost perfect, natural, and very close to reference. In the case of HDR materials, the situation was similar, the colours were presented wonderfully, and it was hard to find anything to criticise. However, we noticed a certain feature, which we already pointed out when comparing scenes from the film Billy Lynn. The analysis of the EOTF curve showed that the television has a slight tendency to dim details in the blacks, so the darkest parts are not always displayed exactly as intended by the director. Nevertheless, the effect after calibration is stunning, and the OLED820 is emerging as one of the more interesting screens in its class. It just needs a little pampering, and there really is nothing to worry about.

The television excels at smoothing tonal transitions, allowing colours to blend seamlessly, resulting in a natural and fluid image. The built-in noise reduction feature can further enhance these transitions, useful in certain situations. However, it is important to note that activating this option may overly smooth out the desired film grain structure, potentially compromising the authenticity and atmosphere of the image. Therefore, caution is advised when using this feature, to maintain the character and depth of the content.

The S90D model handles lower-resolution materials effectively, as demonstrated in the displayed image. The model's silhouette remains sharp and naturally reproduced, with fine details preserved. Additionally, the branches of the trees are well-defined, free from any visible jagged edges that might otherwise degrade the image quality. Thanks to efficient scaling, even lower-resolution content appears attractive on the screen, which is sure to please users who rely on a variety of content sources, such as standard cable or antenna television.

Fortunately, the earlier effects of the mentioned posterisation can be quite effectively mitigated. The "distortion reduction" function set to a medium level deals with unwanted colour banding, improving the smoothness of tonal transitions. It does happen that it works a bit too aggressively and also smooths out some details – such as minor skin imperfections of the actors – but nevertheless, it can be considered worth using without substantial compromises. The upscaling in the OLED820 also performs quite well. The test image with the model is exceptionally soft, sometimes even too much so, although this can be rectified by slightly boosting the sharpness in the picture menu – this is really a matter of individual preference. The absence of overscan issues with very low-resolution content is also commendable, meaning we don't have to worry that the image will be unnecessarily cropped.

The S90D TV, featuring a 120 Hz refresh rate matrix and up to 144 Hz in the appropriate PC configuration, delivers excellent motion fluidity. Samsung highlights a range of sharpness settings on a ten-point scale, allowing users to fine-tune the display to their preferences. In UFO tests, the OLED matrix showcases its strengths by eliminating any blurring. The ultra-fast pixel response ensures dynamic movements are faithfully reproduced.

Similar results can be seen in other sizes of this model with a WOLED matrix, which also offer outstanding image fluidity. Organic technology, in this case, is considered among the best on the market. The S90D image, regardless of the matrix type, is exceptionally sharp and detailed, making this television perfect for dynamic scenes, whether for gaming or sports broadcasts. Additionally, its refresh rate and sharpness capabilities guarantee that every movement is smooth and natural, satisfying even the most discerning users.

The fluidity of motion is an area where OLEDs always shine, and the Philips OLED820 confirms this rule. The panel itself offers a refresh rate of 144 Hz, which primarily benefits PC gamers, but even with standard television sources or consoles, where it operates at 120 Hz, the motion is fast, sharp and simultaneously smooth, without signs of blurring. This is thanks to the remarkable response time between pixels, which maintains image clarity in every dynamic scene. The manufacturer has also added its own smoother called "Motion Style". In the menu, we find two sliders – the first, responsible for fluidity, allows adjustments to the number of artificially added frames in films. This way, we can choose a raw, cinematic character with a distinctly visible film frame or a more theatrical image with smooth motion. The second slider is for motion blur reduction, particularly useful in sports broadcasts. Here, we definitely recommend setting it to the maximum value, as the effect is truly excellent.

The S90D television is an excellent solution for gamers, offering a range of advanced features that elevate gaming quality to a new level. Equipped with HDMI 2.1 standard, the model supports modern technologies such as VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode). Thanks to these solutions, the image is incredibly smooth, and the response to commands is instantaneous, which is crucial in dynamic titles. Additionally, the S90D supports HLG (Hybrid Log-Gamma) as well as G-Sync and FreeSync image synchronisation. This enables a perfect connection with Xbox, PlayStation, or PC, eliminating issues with tearing and stuttering. The built-in operating system offers the Xbox Game Pass app, providing access to a vast library of games directly from the television. This solution makes gaming even more convenient and accessible. The Game Bar feature provides quick access to essential information, such as current settings, performance statistics, and the ability to adjust image options. This allows for on-the-fly display parameter modification, which is extremely useful during intense gameplay. Despite lacking support for Dolby Vision, the S90D still offers excellent HDR image quality, allowing for full utilization of the potential of games and movies. As a result, the S90D represents a unique combination of modern technologies, outstanding image quality, and intuitive features, perfect for any gaming enthusiast.

The Philips OLED820 is one of the most complete televisions for gamers. On board, we find practically everything one could expect: two HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth of 48 Gbps (it's a shame there aren't four), variable refresh rate VRR, automatic game mode ALLM, support for Dolby Vision in games, and a good implementation of the HGiG mode. The television handles lower resolutions at 120 Hz with ease, so one can count on considerable flexibility when choosing different picture modes on the console. Philips also includes a Game Bar – a panel that allows changing picture modes, adding a crosshair, or previewing parameters. Although it looks rather clunky and is less polished than that of the competition, it does its job. In practice, therefore, the OLED820, in addition to a full set of four HDMI 2.1 ports, offers nearly everything a gamer could need.