Samsung QD-OLED S90D / S94D vs Samsung The Frame Pro

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.

Samsung The Frame Pro is one of the relatively bright televisions. In synthetic tests, we managed to achieve values around 900 nits, which is quite a respectable result for a lifestyle model. In full-screen scenes, such as the board from the film The Meg or the initial sequence in Life of Pi, brightness maintained a level of 700–800 nits. These values allow you to fully enjoy the HDR effects and convey their cinematic magic. However, the situation becomes complicated when smaller, point light sources appear on the screen. The edge lighting used here, equipped with the ability to locally dim entire strips, does not manage these well. Sometimes, small elements are overly dimmed, which weakens the effect, or conversely – they are significantly brightened, but at the cost of losing the depth of black in that part of the image. This can be compared to light beams reminiscent of a laser beam spreading in dense fog – the effect is noticeable and bright, yet at the same time, it is quite unnatural and distracting. Fortunately, the colour aspect performs better. Thanks to the use of a quantum dot filter (QLED), colours are saturated, and the reproduction of the DCI-P3 palette exceeds 92%. Generally, films or series watched in HDR on The Frame Pro showcase a rich colour palette, even if contrast and the functioning of the dimming algorithms can sometimes distract us.

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.

We achieved the best results, of course, in Filmmaker mode, which immediately showed that Samsung had put effort into the factory settings. In SDR content – the type most commonly viewed – The Frame Pro performed really well. The white balance and gamma were almost perfectly matched, giving the image a natural and cohesive appearance. Admittedly, there were some noticeable errors, particularly in skin tones and reds, which could be overly saturated, giving everything a slightly "warmed-up" character, but this didn’t significantly detract from the viewing experience in everyday use. For HDR content, the situation was similar regarding the white balance. This was at a good level; however, the biggest issue turned out to be brightness management. The EOTF curve was set in such a way that in many scenes, the image appeared blown out, with the brightest areas losing detail and turning into uniform patches of light. This severely undermined realism and caused the colours to appear overly sharpened. Fortunately, Samsung provides the option for manual adjustment of the curve in their televisions, so we opted for calibration, and its results can be seen below.

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, the SDR mode looks absolutely perfect. We managed to eliminate the overly strong red saturation, which previously gave the image a somewhat excessively warm character. Colours have become more balanced, which resulted in a natural and pleasant reception of everyday content – from television to films and series from streaming or materials on YouTube. In HDR mode, the most work was required on the EOTF curve, which factory settings caused excessive brightening of the entire image. Calibration allowed us to largely "tame" this problem – the image stopped being overexposed, and details in bright areas became more visible. Of course, the limitations are set by the design of the television itself, as edge lighting reveals its constraints, and the smallest elements of light can still be overblown or blend into the background. However, this is a matter of technology, not just calibration. After the correction, The Frame Pro is significantly more enjoyable to watch, and it is certainly worth considering if you want to maximise the television's capabilities.

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.

Although the fluidity of tonal transitions in 4K HDR materials on The Frame Pro is not a problem at all, naturally, with a weaker signal - television, HD materials, or older Full HD films - imperfections may arise. Therefore, it is crucial how the television copes with these limitations thanks to its image processor. The noise reduction function works really effectively here. At the medium setting, it eliminates unwanted bands or artefacts, smoothing the image in a noticeable yet not excessive way. However, it's worth noting that Samsung tends to be aggressive in its approach - even at the lowest level of this function, it can "consume" film grain. So it's advisable to use it judiciously and adjust the settings to the material being viewed.

The upscaling itself is at a high level. The Frame Pro can effectively enhance older materials to a native 4K resolution while maintaining good sharpness and readability. Films and series in lower quality simply look better here. However, it should be mentioned that there is a minor drawback - typical for many Samsung televisions. With very old sources of poor quality, you may notice clipping of the image edges on the left side of the screen. It's not a problem that will ruin the viewing experience, but it's worth knowing that it might occur.

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 smoothness of motion in The Frame Pro is not only due to the matrix, which operates with a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz, but also the image processor and the smoothing system. It is thanks to this that we can adjust the way films or sports broadcasts are displayed to our own preferences. There are sliders for reducing blurring and reducing judder – the first function improves the sharpness of fast movements, while the second helps to soften the effect of a "jumping" image during camera pans. So, everyone can choose between a cinematic motion character and a smoother, more "television" style.

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.

Samsung The Frame Pro does not pretend to be just a “living room” television; here, gamers will also find something for themselves. The manufacturer has ensured a full range of gaming features: we have support for variable refresh rate (VRR), automatic low latency mode (ALLM), refresh rates up to 144 Hz, and compatibility with both G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro. Additionally, there is the well-known Game Bar panel, which is a quick menu where key parameters can be checked on the fly—from refresh rates to enabled image processing modes. Are there any downsides? Indeed, The Frame Pro does not support Dolby Vision in game mode, but this is hard to consider a serious issue—most gamers use HDR10 anyway... which means HGIG mode. Exactly. The biggest surprise turned out to be the latest software update. Samsung… completely removed this option from The Frame PRO. In practice, this means that the television independently interprets HDR tone mapping in games, and the user has no way to enable settings developed for consoles. This is a step backwards that may disappoint more knowledgeable gamers hoping for full compliance with HGiG guidelines. We can only hope that this issue will be resolved quickly.

An interesting feature of The Frame Pro is also the unusual arrangement of HDMI 2.1 ports. There are as many as five available—four are located in the One Connect box, and the fifth, in micro HDMI version, is directly on the television. This is quite an unusual solution, but rather practical. Samsung clearly suggests that this is the port to which you should connect your console or computer. Why? Because it minimises potential delays associated with communication through the wireless One Connect, and in the case of gaming, every millisecond matters. We have written separately about input lag, but it can already be revealed here that by connecting equipment directly to the television, we achieve the absolute maximum in response speed.