Samsung QD-OLED S90D / S94D vs TCL C8L / QM8L

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.

In terms of HDR, the TCL C8L turns out to be a hellishly bright television – and I mean literally. On a synthetic chart of 5%, our measuring equipment indicated a result exceeding 4500 nits. This is a result that is downright cosmic, considering that reference director monitors, which we often refer to in our materials, typically operate around 4000 nits. Does this mean that the C8L breaks barriers and climbs to the technological peak of Mini-LED? Not exactly. Dry synthetic tests are one thing, and real movie images are another. In real, varied scenes, the C8L achieves a peak of around 1600 nits. This is still a very good result, ensuring a very high level of HDR dynamics, but also clearly lower than what the manufacturer boasts in the specifications. The trouble starts with very small flashes of light – then brightness can drastically drop to around 600 nits. The algorithm tries at all costs to maintain deep black and minimize halo effect, but it does so at the expense of HDR impact. This is perfect evidence that laboratory charts rarely correspond to what we ultimately see on the screen.

Huge applause is due for color reproduction, all thanks to the new generation of SQD (Super Quantum Dot) quantum dots. The coverage of the DCI-P3 palette reaches 97%, but the true jaw-dropper is the measurement of the extremely demanding BT.2020 space. The C8L achieves as much as 90% in it, placing it alongside today's top screens that boast RGB backlighting. Importantly, unlike some screens with Micro/Mini RGB backlighting, this effect is stable regardless of the scene displayed. Of course, one must remember that content mastered for such a wide gamut in films or series is still a rarity. However, the mere fact that the panel has such a "color reserve" deserves immense admiration.

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 tested the TCL C8L in the best factory mode available in the menu of this television for image fidelity. We are, of course, talking about Filmmaker Mode, which has been part of this brand's software structure relatively recently (a year ago in the "K" series). Thanks to it, an average user can achieve quite a good color reproduction straight out of the box, although it is certainly not a perfectly calibrated mode. Looking at the factory white balance of our model – both in SDR and HDR materials – it was clear that the red component was noticeably lacking, which made the image appear noticeably cooler and slightly lean toward bluish-green hues. The issue of brightness management is also ambiguous, which we mentioned earlier. While in SDR content, the linearity of the Gamma parameter is really good and it reliably maintains the reference value of 2.4, in HDR the situation looks much worse. Following the EOTF curve clearly shows that the television has significantly boosted brightness across the range, which can cause the final image to be excessively bright and inconsistent with the creators' intentions – and this in a mode that should, by definition, avoid this. Of course, like every unit in our lab, this one was also subjected to professional calibration, and its results can be found 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.

As you can see, the results of the professional calibration of the TCL C8L are truly promising, thanks to the extensive adjustment tools that the manufacturer has made available to us in the menu. Above all, we managed to completely correct the white balance – we eliminated the red deficiency, resulting in the image no longer drifting into unwanted, cool shades. After this adjustment, the errors in the ColorChecker test dropped to nearly reference values, regularly placing below the Delta E threshold of 2, which is below the visibility limit for the human eye.

Since the test patterns are so perfect, you might ask us: why, then, is the final rating in this category lower? The answer lies in the brightness management previously described. Although we find sliders in the menu that allow us to precisely straighten the EOTF curve on synthetic signals, in confrontation with real film material (I recommend turning on the EOTF filter in movies now), it is clear that the television, in most scenarios, still responds to HDR metadata in its own way. As a result, the image can be slightly overexposed and not consistent with the creators' intentions – and it is precisely for this lack of repeatability in real films that we had to deduct a few points from the C8L model.

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.

This year, the C8 series and higher models have received arguably the largest and most anticipated upgrade in TCL's history, which pertains to digital image processing. The C8L model is the lowest representative in the manufacturer's lineup, equipped with the latest flagship chip MediaTek Pentonic 800 (designated in the menu as MT9655). It is precisely thanks to its computing power that the feature called "Gradual Smoothing" finally works as it should. The algorithm effectively eliminates the unwanted phenomenon of posterization (ugly tonal transitions / color banding) while doing so intelligently, so it does not degrade the sharpness of other details.

The processor also handles upscaling lower resolution materials to 4K very well. Although assessing this element can be purely academic, as the differences between today's televisions in this class are very subtle. The most important piece of information in all of this is that TCL finally has nothing to be ashamed of compared to its competitors.

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.

TCL C8L is equipped with a fast panel featuring a native refresh rate of 144 Hz. This parameter will be appreciated primarily by demanding PC gamers, while most users – relying on consoles or television broadcasts – will utilize a stable 120 Hz. It is indeed at 120Hz that the image processing (in movies/series/sports) is handled by motion algorithms. In the television menu, we will find a tab called "Motion Clarity," which allows you to adjust the smoother according to your own preferences. The algorithms perform well with both cinematic productions at 24 or 30 frames per second and with dynamic sports broadcasts at 50 or 60 frames, ensuring appropriate fluidity.

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.

For gamers – especially for those with powerful PCs and several consoles at the same time – the TCL C8L is a true beast. It’s the first model in the manufacturer’s lineup equipped with four full HDMI 2.1 ports with a maximum bandwidth of 48 Gbps. This is directly thanks to the new Pentonic 800 processor we wrote about earlier. Additionally, the TV seamlessly supports virtually every gaming feature. It has an automatic game mode (ALLM) that reduces latency to minimal levels and full frame synchronization (VRR) operating in an impressive range of up to 288 Hz. We’re also talking about standards like G-Sync or FreeSync from Nvidia and AMD. When it comes to image display standards, there are also no compromises: the C8L offers complete support for HDR formats in games, including gaming Dolby Vision and the HGiG profile. All of these features can be conveniently managed from a very readable game bar (Game Bar), which we can customize according to our preferences. From a purely gaming perspective, there really isn’t anything to complain about in the C8L – well, maybe aside from the previously mentioned slight ghosting. But other than that? It’s an unflawed machine for gamers.