Philips OLED809/819 vs Samsung QN90F / QN92F

The Philips OLED 809 delivers a highly satisfactory HDR effect. The television can reach luminance levels exceeding 900 nits in most scenes, and in some cases, even surpassing 1000 nits. This brightness ensures a rich and immersive experience for HDR content with a wide tonal range. The only exception occurs in a scene from the movie The Meg, where a large amount of bright white occupies most of the screen, preventing the TV from reaching higher brightness levels. However, this is not a significant issue, as the performance is still a considerable improvement over its predecessor.

Overall, these brightness levels, especially for an OLED panel not equipped with MLA technology, impress. Coupled with excellent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour spectrum, the Philips OLED 809 offers a truly spectacular HDR viewing experience.

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 best factory mode in which we performed all our tests was "Filmmaker," which is quite standard in televisions from this manufacturer. However, let’s first examine its characteristics before the calibration process. The first aspect we will focus on is white balance, as it is critical to ensuring the image remains free from any colour cast. The chart clearly shows that in both SDR and HDR materials, two colours dominated significantly: red and green, resulting in a strong yellow tint that affected the entire image. This was particularly noticeable on the "ColourChecker" palette, where all colours shifted towards their warmer counterparts.

The second aspect we will assess is what we consider to be the two most important charts for evaluating picture quality: gamma and the Electro-Optical Transfer Function (EOTF) curve. Both aim to maintain appropriate brightness and contrast. The first chart, which describes the brightness levels in SDR materials, shows that the brightness was significantly lower than the reference value marked by the orange line. This resulted in a sharp increase in brightness and a notable decrease in contrast, which was inconsistent with typical OLED television behaviour. The EOTF curve, on the other hand, showed greater "moderation," subtly brightening the overall image only up to 50% of the maximum brightness.

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.

Philips, like most leading manufacturers, has been providing advanced calibration tools for years. The inclusion of 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustments, along with an advanced CMS (Color Management System), has yielded extremely beneficial results and fundamentally improved the perceived image. Nearly every element previously mentioned has undergone a transformation and has been restored to its natural state. This is particularly noticeable in the "ColourChecker" palette, where the measured colour samples align harmoniously. Notably, the white balance has been excellently calibrated, ensuring a pure image free from unwanted tint in both SDR and HDR content. The previously problematic gamma has been well addressed, with only minor errors that do not impact the overall performance. Similarly, the EOTF curve has been refined, removing the subtle brightening effect, and now offers a truly reference-quality presentation.

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.

Philips OLED 809 struggled significantly in the smooth tonal transitions test. Focusing on the TV's algorithms, particularly the feature responsible for removing posterisation, the results were disappointing. This function, which offers several adjustable settings, proved ineffective in practice. The highest setting, while it does mitigate inconsistencies, it simultaneously blurs the entire image, rendering it virtually useless.

When dealing with lower-quality content, the performance of image upscaling algorithms becomes crucial. In this regard, the algorithms implemented in the OLED 809 perform admirably. They enhance image quality effectively, with minimal visible artefacts. Although slight edge fraying can occasionally be observed, it is unlikely to be noticeable during typical viewing sessions.

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.

The maximum refresh rate achievable on the Philips OLED 809 is 144 Hz, a feature that can be fully utilised when connected to a high-performance PC. However, when connected to consoles or used for standard television viewing, the refresh rate remains at typical values. For users seeking enhanced motion fluidity or wishing to eliminate the characteristic choppiness of films shot at 24 fps, Philips provides a sophisticated motion-smoothing system.

In the settings menu, there is a "Smoothness" slider designed to reduce choppiness, along with a "Motion Blur Reduction" option to enhance the sharpness of fast-moving elements. These features perform impressively and allow for granular adjustments, ensuring that each setting has a tangible impact on motion perception. Notably, the system operates effectively at a refresh rate of 120 Hz, taking advantage of multiples of video frame rates. With this comprehensive range of options, users can easily fine-tune the settings to suit their preferences. For example, slight smoothing without inducing the soap opera effect offers a balanced viewing experience.

Motion clarity on the OLED 809 is further bolstered by the exceptional response time of the OLED panel, measured at approximately 0.1 ms. This surpasses the performance of IPS/ADS or VA panels, making OLED technology unrivalled in this area.

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.

The Philips OLED 809 fully supports all technologies included in the HDMI 2.1 standard, and during testing, each activated without issue. This makes the TV an excellent choice for gamers, whether on console or PC. Notably, it features HGIG mode as a strong alternative to Dolby Vision, which is less ideal for gaming on this model due to its high input lag.

The TV also includes a dedicated GameBar for monitoring gameplay parameters and adjusting settings quickly. Features like a crosshair overlay for sniper shots, shadow enhancement for better visibility, and a colour filter for gamers with visual impairments further enhance its gaming appeal.

In summary, the OLED 809 is a fantastic choice for gaming, equipped with VRR, ALLM, G-Sync, FreeSync, and HDR Dolby Vision gaming for a deeply immersive experience. The only drawback is the artificial sharpness in game mode, which cannot be fully softened, regardless of settings.

QN90F has nearly everything to become the perfect television for gamers. Things like four HDMI ports, VRR, ALLM, and refresh rates reaching up to 165 Hz are probably well-known. It deserves high praise for the Game Motion Plus mode, which is a proprietary motion smoothing technology for games. Thanks to this, it 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 – which is 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.

[UPDATE] We have updated our tests of Samsung televisions from the 2025 model year due to the release of software version 1131, which restored the crucial gaming feature HGiG.

So why are we writing about a “nearly” perfect screen? Unfortunately, similar to recent Samsung models, we noticed an issue with the lack of the HGiG feature. This solution allows the television to leave control over tone mapping to the console, so that games look exactly as the creators intended. Worse still, this feature was previously present, and it disappeared after software updates. Instead of minor tweaks, we received a step back. It’s a shame because if it weren't for this absence, the QN90F could truly be the perfect choice for gamers in the miniLED category.