Samsung QLED Q80D vs SONY BRAVIA 3

In the context of HDR, the Samsung Q80D television delivers impressive brightness performance in tested movie scenes, achieving levels between 600 to 900 nits when the frame is filled with light. This brightness enhances the vibrancy of the image and allows users to perceive the differences between HDR and SDR quality. However, challenges arise when small light effects appear against a dark background. For instance, in specific scenes, such as test slide 4 from Sicario 2, there is a noticeable drop in brightness due to the larger size of the dimming zones employed by the television. This limitation, coupled with the local dimming algorithm, affects the TV's ability to accurately display small bright elements on dark backgrounds, leading to a lack of brightness that can diminish the HDR effect, making it appear similar to SDR quality.

Bravia 3 does not hide the fact that it belongs to the group of televisions that are rather modest in terms of brightness. Our measurements showed around 370 nits, which is a value balancing on the borderline where one can still speak of any HDR effect. For some, this is an acceptable level; for others, it is rather typical for SDR materials, where spectacular highlights or vivid contrasts are not expected. The impression is that this is not a television for those focused on the highest image quality in demanding film content. However, this does not mean that we won't find any advantages here. Compared to its predecessor, the X75WL, Bravia 3 has gained an additional PFS filter, functioning similarly to solutions known from QLED technology. Thanks to this, the DCI-P3 color gamut has been significantly expanded and reaches over 91 percent, which in practice provides more saturated colors and a more pleasant image texture. As a result, even everyday content looks a bit livelier, and movies and series can surprise with their colorful presentations, despite the limitations in brightness itself.

In "Filmmaker" mode, which is considered the best out-of-the-box choice, the Samsung Q80D demonstrates solid colour reproduction. However, when viewing SDR content, there is a visible drop at the beginning of the gamma curve, suggesting that details in dark scenes may be less clear, which could detract from the overall viewing experience. While the white balance in SDR content is generally accurate, significant drops in blue at screen coverage above 70% can lead to less natural hues in both bright and dark scenes. Users might notice that some blue elements appear less intense, resulting in a warmer tint to the colour presentation.

For HDR content, the EOTF (Electro-Optical Transfer Function) curve being above the reference line most of the time indicates that the TV may struggle to accurately reproduce brightness and detail in the brighter areas of the image, which can be less than ideal for viewers. Additionally, there is a notable drop at the beginning of this graph, signifying the TV's difficulty in reproducing brightness in dark areas; this limitation is apparent in contrast and black tests, where several scenes fail to showcase the TV's full brightness potential.

Regarding white balance, the initial performance on the chart is promising, however, a sharp drop in red, coupled with a significant rise in blue, may lead to inaccuracies in reproducing certain skin tones and other key colours. This issue can be particularly noticeable in scenes where colour details are essential, potentially affecting the viewer's overall experience.

We primarily tested the Sony Bravia 3 in movie mode, which immediately proved to be the best choice among the factory settings. The picture is not perfect, but compared to the eco mode that the TV suggests right out of the box, the difference is significant and for the better. In movie mode, one can notice a certain problem—the image seems too warm, which results from a lack of blue in the white balance. Despite this, in SDR content, the final effect can still be considered quite decent and satisfying for everyday viewing. Much more serious errors occur in HDR materials. The Color Checker analysis showed significant deviations, and poor brightness management combined with limited color gamut coverage further exposes the shortcomings of the image in this mode. All of this makes HDR on the Bravia 3 look unconvincing and can spoil the impression left by the quite decent SDR content settings. Fortunately, this is not a situation without a solution. Various errors can be somewhat mitigated, and some can even be completely corrected through professional calibration. Therefore, we decided to check how the TV would perform after such adjustments.

After calibration, the Samsung Q80D’s Movie mode offers a noticeable improvement over the out-of-the-box settings. Samsung provides an advanced suite of calibration tools, including 2- and 20-point grayscale adjustments as well as a CMS (Colour Management System), allowing for precise control over both SDR and HDR content. The calibration greatly enhances white balance, although minor errors remain in HDR content toward the end of the graph. Contrast has also improved, and the gamma curve for SDR content now aligns well with expected levels.

In HDR, the EOTF curve initially appears to sit ideally, however, closer examination reveals all lines are slightly above the reference line, a phenomenon that may be seen as the TV "enhancing" brightness for added appeal. This effect, however, comes at a cost: while the screen may appear brighter overall, it sacrifices detail in darker areas, leading to a loss of subtle textures in shadowed scenes. As a result, scenes with deep shadows or dark elements may lose some finer visual details that would enhance the viewing experience.

The calibration allowed us to extract significantly more from ChooseTV 3 than we could have expected at the beginning. First and foremost, we managed to address the shortage of blue color, which previously caused a noticeable warming of the image. After a slight adjustment in white balance, most of the errors in Color Checker measurements for SDR content practically disappeared. The shades of white gained a natural quality, and brightness management in gamma stabilized to a level that is nearly perfect, not exceeding the threshold of human eye perception. Therefore, it can be confidently said that in SDR content, after a few tweaks in settings, ChooseTV 3 performs really excellently. HDR content, however, fares much worse, although it is still definitely better than before calibration. The white balance has been corrected, but the limitations of the IPS panel are insurmountable. The lack of local dimming means that even the smallest elements can be overexposed, which immediately stands out. Color-wise, the effect has also improved, although it is far from ideal—many errors still exceed the threshold of four or even five delta E units, meaning they remain visible to the human eye. It was already clear before that ChooseTV 3 is not a television designed to amaze with HDR quality. Nonetheless, it is gratifying that in SDR content, after calibration, the image can look really great, and in this category, the television pleasantly surprised us.

Performing admirably with low-quality content, the Q80D’s noise reduction feature uses gentle gradation to smooth out unwanted image disturbances. However, this technique can also soften certain details, like film grain, that some viewers might prefer to retain. For those who appreciate a more polished and smoother image, particularly with lower-resolution material, this becomes a significant advantage.

In terms of image scaling, the Q80D stands out, enhancing both quality and detail for lower-resolution media. Advanced processing technology reduces artefacts and maintains clarity, as seen in the clean edges and absence of fraying in elements like branches during test scenes. This capability makes it an excellent option for viewers seeking an enhanced and comfortable viewing experience, even with less-than-ideal content quality.

Bravia 3 brings something more to the Sony television family than just a common name. It stands out primarily for its ability to improve the quality of weaker materials thanks to the applied processor. Of course, we won't find the advanced XR chip known from more expensive models here, but it must be acknowledged that the image at a lower resolution looked surprisingly good. Scaling worked effectively, and most parts of the screen were free from the typical excessive jagged edges found in budget constructions.

The feature that enhances the fluidity of tonal transitions is also worth noting. In the high setting, it works really well, effectively masking the imperfections of gradation without significant loss of detail. It does happen that the algorithm overly smooths elements that should remain sharp – for example, faces – however, in overall terms, the effect is beneficial. The best results were achieved precisely at the highest setting, and this option could be recommended to those watching lower-quality content.

Motion smoothness and blur reduction are standout features on the Samsung Q80D TV, thanks to its 120Hz panel and impressive response time. Users have two customisation options to enhance smoothness: "Motion Blur Reduction," adjustable on a 10-step scale for refined control, and "Blur Reduction," which works particularly well at higher refresh rates, enhancing clarity in fast-moving scenes. In the UFO test, the panel performs without trailing or forward-cloning effects, indicating a lack of overshoot and delivering clear, sharp visuals during rapid motion.

The fluidity of motion has never been a strong point of TVs equipped with 60 Hz panels, and the Bravia 3 is no exception. Nevertheless, Sony has added something that might appeal to those who are more sensitive to the way images are displayed. We are talking about the proprietary Motion Flow motion smoother, which offers users a lot of adjustment options. Thanks to it, one can make the image smoother, even theatrical, or stick to a more cinematic style with the characteristic stuttering that many simply associate with the film atmosphere. These features work with content at lower frame rates, such as movies and series recorded at 24 or 30 frames per second, which are the materials we encounter on a daily basis. It is precisely in this area that the motion smoother proves to be one of the most important features in everyday use of the television, and here the Bravia 3 performs really well.

The Samsung Q80D is a fantastic choice for gamers, offering a range of advanced gaming features that are rare in this price category. Equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports, it enables key functionalities like ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode), VRR (Variable Refresh Rate), and 120Hz support at 4K resolution, ensuring smooth and responsive visuals, essential for fast-paced gaming. The TV also supports HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group) for optimal HDR display in games and includes a Game Bar for quick access to gaming settings. Gamers with Nvidia graphics cards will appreciate the G-Sync support that eliminates screen stuttering and tearing.

Although it lacks Dolby Vision support, which may disappoint those seeking that HDR format, Samsung has partnered with Microsoft since 2022 to provide the Xbox Game Pass app, enabling cloud gaming access to a wide library of games without a console.

Bravia 3 is not a device for e-sports enthusiasts or fans of late-night marathons with a controller in hand. The lack of 120 Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 ports wraps up the topic before it can even develop. This is a TV for casual gamers who, after work, want to fire up FIFA or racing games, not for someone who measures every frame in a spreadsheet. Nevertheless, Sony has added a few nice extras so it’s not too barren. ALLM works as it should, automatically switching the TV to game mode (low latency). We even find a simple Game Bar here that is clear. However, the biggest curiosity is the PlayStation Portal app. With it, you can launch games from PS5 wirelessly and immediately see them on the TV screen. It sounds great, but it only takes a few minutes to feel significant delays. In our opinion, it’s more of a showcase of capabilities than something usable on a daily basis. If someone really wants to play, it’s better to connect the console with an HDMI cable right away and forget about wireless problems.