SAMSUNG OLED S90F (WOLED) vs LG QNED86A / QNED85A / QNED87A

Does the S90F handle not only dark scenes but also bright parts of the image? Definitely yes. Stories about OLEDs as "dark screens" can slowly be regarded as a myth. The Samsung S90F, similar to the LG C5 based on a very similar panel, achieves brightness exceeding 1000 nits. This is a value entirely sufficient to enjoy impressive and dynamic HDR images – both in movies and series. Most of the scenes we tested look stunning, with well-defined lights and high contrast. Of course, OLED technology still has its limitations – with very bright, full-screen sequences, such as the test card from the movie The Meg (5th image), the TV can noticeably dim the image. However, it's worth noting that such scenes are quite rare. One can say that the HDR effect is good enough that even mid-range OLED models, like the S90F, can provide a cinematic experience in the home living room.

Against the backdrop of contrast and black, the brightness of the QNED86A and the overall HDR effect performs much better. This is a television that can reach around 700 nits in the best conditions, so in terms of brightness alone, there is nothing to be ashamed of. As a result, scenes with strong lights, explosions, flashes, or bright parts of the landscape look clear and can make an impression. Interestingly, even in more challenging moments with small, contrasting elements on the screen, the television handles their backlighting well, and the details are quite visible. The problem resurfaces when there are a lot of dark tones. The lack of effective local dimming causes black to virtually disappear, and instead, we get a gray glow spreading across the entire screen. This kills the sense of depth and makes the image look flat, as if it lacks a cinematic quality. In bright animations or colorful family films, this won't be an issue because colors and bright light dominate there. But in horrors or productions set in darkness, these limitations are very palpable. As a consolation, it’s worth mentioning that the QNED86A is actually a QLED television with a PFS LED filter, which gives it very good coverage of wide color gamuts. Both the DCI-P3 palette and the wider BT.2020 perform really solid here. This ensures that colors in HDR films are saturated, vibrant, and have the right depth – even if the black itself disappoints, the colors can save the viewing experience and make the image look attractive.

Samsung S90F, like most modern TVs, offers many picture modes, but – in line with our testing tradition – we checked it in its best one, which is the Filmmaker mode. As a result, the image looks much more natural than in the default, often oversaturated settings. It was neither overly saturated nor artificially subdued – just closer to what you should see. Of course, "more correct" doesn’t mean "perfect." Our S90F sample unfortunately had significant issues with white balance, particularly in the blue color range, resulting in a slightly yellowish filter applied to most scenes. Someone might say that it looks more "cinematic" – because it's warmer – but let's be honest, George Lucas didn't film Star Wars in sepia 😉 (you'll find the comparison with the scene as always below).

Additionally, in HDR materials, there was a noticeable issue with brightness management. The EOTF curve showed a distinct "spike" in brightness – the TV brightened the image more than it should have, making some effects look too intense and diverging from the reference. Thankfully, some of these issues can be eliminated with professional calibration – you can read about its effects later in the review.

We primarily tested the QNED86A in Filmmaker mode, which is designed to provide the most accurate picture. Unfortunately, right out of the box, there were quite a few shortcomings. The most noticeable issue was the poorly adjusted white balance – there was a lack of blue, causing the overall image to lean slightly yellow, and at times, even orange. An even bigger problem turned out to be the way the television manages brightness. Due to its technical limitations – namely, local dimming that only works along the edges of the screen – the QNED86A tends to over-brighten entire scenes. This is where the flattening effect we mentioned earlier comes from. Instead of distinct depth and contrast, we get something akin to "boosted brightness," which can strain the eye over time.

After calibration, we managed to eliminate almost all the aforementioned errors. Older movies in SDR quality finally look as they should – without the sepia effect or artificial aging of the image. The atmosphere of the classics is returning to its rightful place (you're welcome, Star Wars fans), and the colors no longer resemble an Instagram filter.

One of the key changes was also the improvement of brightness characteristics in HDR content. We managed to control the EOTF curve in an almost reference way. Yes, the most demanding users may notice minimal deviations in brightness, but to be honest – most viewers won't even notice that. And it’s no wonder, because the vast majority of errors are below the ΔE 3 threshold, which is below the visibility threshold. After calibration, the S90F (WOLED) becomes a truly excellent display – one that you can enjoy nearly perfect image quality on.

What was saved in the QNED86A6A is undoubtedly the colors. After calibration, the white balance was set with great precision, resulting in deviations on the Colour Checker palette mostly not exceeding the threshold of visibility for the human eye. In other words – the colors finally looked natural, without strange yellow or orange tones that previously ruined the experience. Unfortunately, even the best calibration cannot bypass design limitations. The already mentioned very modest number of local dimming zones and their unfortunate placement made the analysis of the EOTF curve in films still show clear over-brightening of scenes. The image tended to flatten, lacking cinematic depth. Fortunately, this effect is not as noticeable in older productions or SDR content. There, calibration really does its job and allows taming the QNED in such a way that the image can be pleasing. However, the specifics of this design – especially the contrast issues – cannot be entirely overcome.

Digital image processing in the S90F:

Fortunately, Samsung, as in most of its models, can effectively deal with the unwanted posterization effect in the S90F. The function responsible for this element is noise reduction, which quite nicely smooths out tonal transitions and eliminates unnatural color joins – of course, within its capabilities. Unfortunately, it works quite aggressively, so using it comes with compromises. In addition to improving gradation, it may also remove film grain or gently soften facial features. In this case, the choice is yours – do you prefer a more "clean" image, or do you care about preserving the original texture of the material.

Image scaling in the S90F:

In this year's model, Samsung has implemented its own AI processor – NQ4 Gen3, which really manages quite well with upscaling. In our test scenes, the television effectively "pulled up" lower-quality content towards artificial 4K – the image was more pleasant to view, and the differences in sharpness between native and scaled content were minimal. Unfortunately, behind this entire AI marketing façade lies a certain shortcoming. The S90F does not handle overscan well. If you reach for truly archival materials – like a VHS tape of your parents' wedding – you must reckon with the fact that the lower part of the image may be cut off. The image adaptation function to the resolution simply does not work here as it should.

If someone is worried about possible "steps" when connecting colors, there is a simple way in the QNED86A. Just turn on the feature called Smooth Gradation and set it to medium level. Then the TV really smooths out all those unwanted transitions – especially in older productions – and does it in such a way that the film grain doesn't disappear, nor do strange artifacts appear. In other words, you can use it without worry.

The upscaling itself also turns out quite well. Of course, there are no miracles here – with lower quality sources, you can observe characteristic jaggedness. Fortunately, there is a sharpness slider in the menu, and if someone prefers a more "softer" image, it can be quickly adjusted to their taste.

S90F really handles motion great – after all, it's an OLED with a 144 Hz panel, so sports and games look simply amazing on it. The picture is smooth, clear, and there's no room for ghosting or blurring that sometimes plagues cheaper LCDs.

The TV is also equipped with motion smoothing settings that allow you to tailor everything to your liking. We have motion blur reduction and judder reduction – you can set it up to make the picture super smooth (even to that soap opera effect), or more cinematic, with the classic "choppiness" of 24 frames. The choice is yours; Samsung doesn't impose anything.

The QNED86A is equipped with a 120 Hz refresh rate panel, so right from the start, it's safe to say that it's suitable for both sports and gaming. And indeed, this is true – the image looks smooth, and motion blur is not very noticeable. IPS panels have always had some issues with this, and you can sometimes notice slight blurring here as well, especially in very dynamic scenes, but it's not something that ruins watching a match or a fast-paced game. For movie and sports fans, LG has added the traditional TruMotion smoother. In the menu, we have two sliders – one for movies (De-Judder), the other for sports (De-Blur). The first adds missing frames and allows you to adjust the character of motion – from raw, cinematic to more fluid, "theatrical." The second enhances sharpness during dynamic actions, so it's worth turning it up a bit if you're watching a lot of sports.

When it comes to gaming features – we have absolutely no complaints about the S90F. Aside from the lack of Dolby Vision, which is already the norm for Samsung. The TV operates at 144 Hz, has four HDMI 2.1 ports, so you can easily connect more than one console or PC. It also includes Game Bar – a practical tool that allows you to quickly preview picture settings, VRR status, ALLM mode, and other useful options. Game Motion Plus is also noteworthy – Samsung’s proprietary motion smoother, which uniquely works well in games. The image feels smoother without any artificial effects or slowdowns.

It’s also worth mentioning the HGiG feature, which – surprisingly – works correctly. We mention this because Samsung clearly broke something in one of its recent updates, and in some models, the option responsible for HGiG simply... disappears from the menu. Setting it becomes virtually impossible. Fortunately, our S90F unit did not have this issue, but the situation is dynamic, so it’s worth keeping this in mind and regularly checking for new software versions and information from the manufacturer.

In terms of gaming, the LG QNED86A6A is a complete tool. It features four HDMI 2.1 ports with full bandwidth of 48 Gb/s, which means that whether you connect a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or a powerful PC – everything will work at full 4K 120 Hz with support for all features. This is a big plus, as some competitors still have only two such ports, which can be problematic with a larger number of devices. It also has VRR, or variable refresh rate, which eliminates screen tearing, and ALLM, which automatically activates game mode when the console is turned on. There’s also Dolby Vision Gaming and a proper implementation of the HGiG format, so titles supporting these formats look more vivid and detailed. Added to all of this is the Game Optimizer – a kind of control center for the gamer. From this level, you can view image parameters in real-time, quickly change modes, activate additional features, or adjust image settings to your preferences. The LG QNED86A6A essentially has everything one can expect from a modern gaming television.