LG UA75006LA (IPS) vs Samsung QN90F / QN92F

The situation is even more modest in the IPS version, where the peak brightness reaches only 250 nits. In practice, this means that there can be no real sense of HDR effect, and the materials being viewed resemble ordinary SDR. Similar to the VA case, the image behaves stably on most test screens, but in demanding scenes with fine details, the television tends to slightly dim the image. As a result, blacks appear somewhat better, but at the cost of losing detail in bright elements. The lack of additional color filters is also noticeable here. The UA7500 in the IPS version does not belong to QLEDs or PFS LED panels, and the DCI-P3 color gamut stops at 80%, which means that HDR films present themselves without much color depth and give the impression of being heavily flattened.

The Samsung QN90F can truly shine in brightness. In our measurements, it achieved over 2200 nits, which directly translates to the viewing experience. Practically, this means that when a very bright scene appears in a movie – for example, the sunrise in The Meg – the screen looks as if natural light is actually shining on us. This isn’t just a number from a chart, but a real sense of image intensity! However, the TV cannot always deliver that full power. With smaller details, such as headlights or lamps, the brightness drops to 500–700 nits. This is a conscious decision by the algorithms – this way, the contrast between large and small elements is better controlled, and the image does not lose balance. Importantly, this is still a huge improvement compared to last year's QN90D, where similar details were almost invisible, shining at just 200 nits. Here, the HDR effect is much more consistent and credible. The only downside is the colors. The coverage of the DCI-P3 palette stopped at 91%, which can be considered a rather average result in this price range.

The Filmmaker mode on the LG UA7500 performs better than one might expect from such a budget TV, but let’s not get carried away with enthusiasm. The picture is fairly well put together and at first glance does not offend, but its weaknesses quickly start to show. This is most evident in scenes with bright points — background lamps or light reflections on the skin are clearly overemphasized. The faces of the characters often look unnatural, as if they have been "blown out." Additionally, the default gamma characteristic brightens the smallest details and causes the image to lose subtlety in darker areas. That said, given its price range, the UA7500 in factory mode provides a pretty decent starting point. However, it is clear that without additional adjustments, these problems cannot be avoided, which is why — as with other TVs — we decided to check what could be achieved after calibration.

We tested color reproduction in the QN90F in Filmmaker mode, and as usual with Samsung TVs, this mode proves to be the best starting point right out of the box. However, this does not mean that the image is free from flaws. The white balance in SDR and HDR content was surprisingly good – the colors didn’t shift in any direction, and even in the factory setting, it looked solid. However, a problem arose with the gamma and EOTF curves, which are responsible for how the TV manages brightness. Here, the QN90F significantly brightened the entire image, causing black levels and colors to lose their intensity, and the overall effect resembled a milky filter being applied. Fortunately, Samsung, unlike many competitors in the miniLED world, provides users with a lot of tools to control the settings that we don’t find with other manufacturers, such as Chinese brands. Therefore, we decided to check if it was possible to extract the full potential of the QN90F because we know that such a high series can deliver much more.

The biggest improvement we noticed was when calibrating the mode designed for everyday SDR content. We managed to smooth out the white balance in an acceptable way and tackle the problem of excessive brightening of small elements due to the gamma characteristic. As a result, the image gained consistency and naturalness that was lacking in the factory settings. After such correction, we can confidently state that for everyday television content, programs, or materials from YouTube, the LG UA7500 performs really well – especially after professional calibration. The situation is somewhat different for HDR content. Here, calibration allowed us to tame the white balance and slightly improve brightness management, but the limitations of the design are immediately apparent. The lack of additional filters to broaden the color palette makes the most vibrant colors appear flat, and the image lacks the intensity we would expect from good HDR. So, in SDR, the UA7500 performs quite well, but in HDR – despite corrections – it remains far behind, and this is a feature one has to come to terms with when choosing this television.

After our adjustment of the settings, the QN90F showed what it is really capable of – and it must be admitted that it has one of the best images we have seen on a miniLED screen this year. As we mentioned earlier, the white balance was not a major issue even in its factory version, but only after the gamma calibration were we able to get close to nearly reference values. The same is true for HDR content, where the EOTF curve after correction presents mature and consistent results. Indeed, in some films, it can be noticed that the smallest elements of the image are slightly brightened, and with a limited number of dimming zones, there is still a risk of the halo effect. It should be remembered, however, that such phenomena are characteristic of all miniLED televisions, and it's hard to expect miracles even from the QN90F. The most important thing is that after calibration, the television shows an image that, in terms of conveying the director's vision, confidently competes even with many OLED screens available on the market.

The version with the IPS matrix performed significantly worse here. Image scaling was uneven – this was particularly noticeable in lower-quality materials, where edges became jagged and the image looked less detailed. At times, there was also a sense of slight blurriness that detracted from sharpness and made the overall presentation seem less polished than in the VA version. The tonal smoothing function turned out to be a lifesaver. At the medium setting, it worked very well – it didn't ruin the image with excessive softening, while smoothing out colors in such a way that everyday content gained consistency. The difference was especially visible with television programs or streaming materials of poorer compression quality, where the television with the function enabled presented itself much better. This is one of those features that is worth keeping active because it significantly enhances the reception of everyday materials.

QN90F handles upscaling very well. Materials in lower resolution, even SD, are boosted to a clear and sharp image, showcasing plenty of details in the background. This is a significant advantage because the television makes older content or everyday TV look much better than on most budget screens. However, the issue of overscan remains, which is the trimming of the edges of the screen that cannot be turned off in Samsungs. This can cause some subtitles on the screen to disappear or a relative's face from a wedding on a VHS tape to be slightly cropped. 😉

The digital image processing also works well. In the menu, we find a feature called "noise reduction," which can smooth out tonal transitions and improve the reception of lower-quality materials, such as from YouTube. In medium setting, the effect is the most beneficial – it does not heavily interfere with details while eliminating the "stair-stepping" problem in colors. However, it is important to remember that the feature can be quite aggressive and can also remove natural grain in older films, so it's best to use it in moderation.

LG UA7500 is a television with a 60 Hz panel, so it's difficult to expect any excitement in this category. It's more of a screen intended for everyday content or an evening movie session rather than for following dynamic sporting events or playing action games. It's clear that the manufacturer designed this model specifically for that group of viewers – and in that regard, it works properly. We have access to the TruMotion feature, which is a motion smoother. It's simple, with just one slider, but it can make a noticeable difference. At lower settings, the picture looks more raw and cinematic, while at higher values, the motion becomes smoother and more pleasant to the eye.

The QN90F is equipped with a panel that has a maximum refresh rate of 165 Hz, and while primarily PC gamers will appreciate this advantage, it is still worth highlighting. In movies or sports broadcasts, we are limited to the classic 120 Hz, but this is not a cause for concern. In practice, the additional motion smoother plays a more significant role here. With the "Motion Clarity" setting, we can adjust the image to our own preferences. The blur reduction option is responsible for smoothness and trailing in sports. Meanwhile, the "judder reduction" function improves motion smoothness in productions recorded at 24 frames, such as movies and series. If we set it high, the film looks smoother and more fluid than it was actually filmed. Lower values, on the other hand, maintain its cinematic "rawness" with the visible film frame.

LG UA7500 is a television that can be confidently recommended for "casual" gamers. While it lacks a 120 Hz panel and HDMI 2.1 ports, making full use of the potential of modern consoles out of the question, the manufacturer has included a few additions that can enhance the gaming experience. Notably, the Game Bar deserves mention – a very nicely designed panel that allows quick access to and modification of the most important settings. From this panel, we have access to features such as ALLM mode (automatic switching to game mode) and frame synchronization, which is VRR. The range of VRR is limited – it operates from 48 to 60 Hz – but the mere presence of this feature in such an affordable television is impressive.

Additionally, it supports HGiG, which is a calibration mode for HDR specifically for gaming. This sounds good, but based on testing experience, we already know that in the case of the UA7500, this option doesn't make much sense. The television doesn't handle HDR very well, so paradoxically, we achieved better results with this feature turned off. This is another signal that the UA7500 is more of a screen for occasional gamers who value simplicity and comfort rather than for those looking for a complete experience from the latest consoles.

QN90F has almost everything to become the perfect television for gamers. Things like four HDMI ports, VRR, ALLM, and a refresh rate of up to 165 Hz don't need to be reminded to anyone. It deserves high praise for the Game Motion Plus mode, which is a proprietary motion smoothing feature for games. Thanks to this, you can add a few “artificial” frames and make the image generated from the console look smoother than it should. This is a very unique solution in the world of televisions – competitive systems usually do not offer this – and that's why Samsung has had a strong bargaining chip among gamers for years, even despite the lack of support for the still niche Dolby Vision in games.

So why are we writing about a “nearly” perfect screen? Unfortunately, like in the latest Samsung models, we noticed a problem with the lack of HGiG support. This is a solution that allows the television to leave the control of tone mapping to the console so that games look exactly as the creators intended. Worse, this feature was previously present and disappeared after software updates. Instead of minor improvements, we got a step back. It's a pity, because without this shortcoming, the QN90F could truly be the perfect choice for gamers in the miniLED category.