Samsung S90D / S94D 48" (WRGB OLED) vs LG OLED B5

In the tested movie scenes, the Samsung S90D delivers impressive brightness levels, exceeding 800 nits in the first four shots—a very strong result. In the final shot, featuring a full-screen burst of sunlight, brightness drops to approximately 400 nits, which is still acceptable. Notably, larger versions of this model exceed 1,000 nits, offering even more impressive performance. Additionally, the colour space coverage of DCI-P3 at 97% ensures rich and realistic colour reproduction, greatly enhancing image quality. For those considering the size of the S90D, it is worth noting that larger variants with QD-OLED panels deliver even better HDR performance, making them an excellent choice for those seeking optimal visual fidelity.

LG B5 is a moderately bright OLED TV. Regardless of the scene, it can generate around 500 nits of peak brightness. And interestingly, it does this even in full-screen shots flooded with white, where most OLEDs usually fall short. So, is this screen suitable for HDR movies? Yes – absolutely, because such brightness really allows you to feel the magic of HDR effects. However, it's worth noting that compared to last year's model B4, the new B5 is darker – by about 100 nits. It may seem like a small difference, but at such average peak values, it makes quite a significant difference. Fortunately, the TV makes up for it with another advantage – excellent coverage of the DCI-P3 and BT.2020 color gamut. As a result, HDR movies look really colorful, vibrant, and impressive even in more demanding scenes.

The Samsung S90D television has been tested in Filmmaker mode, which offers good colour reproduction, although with some imperfections that may be noticeable to more demanding users. This mode may seem too warm, and users who switched from Standard mode may experience a slight shock. It is worth noting that this state of affairs is caused by poor settings, for example, in the white balance, rather than the Filmmaker mode itself. In both SDR and HDR content, the device shows drops in blue colour, causing colours to become warmer than they should be. In practice, this means that some shades, such as sky blue or skin tones, may appear less natural and more tinged with pink or yellow. The Colour Checker test confirms these deviations, showing shifts towards warmer tones. In SDR content, the gamma graph indicates slight fluctuations, causing the image to be minimally darker, especially in shadows. This may affect less distinct details in darker scenes. Meanwhile, in 4K HDR materials, the EOTF curve is above the recommended line, which leads to some parts of the image being displayed too brightly, potentially causing clipping in the brightest areas. Overall, the Samsung S90D presents a solid picture straight out of the box, but for the best results, especially with more demanding content, additional calibration is recommended.

We tested the B5 in Filmmaker mode and... we would like to see more TVs like this straight out of the box. Really. The white balance is set very well – there is practically nothing to complain about. Well, if one were to be very picky, one might notice a slight deficiency in blue, which makes the overall picture have a slightly yellowish tint. But that’s just our editorial nitpicking. Most of you probably won't even notice it. We also have some minor reservations about brightness management in HDR format. The EOTF curve – that is, the one responsible for how the TV distributes brightness in a scene – is slightly below the ideal. In practice, it can happen that the darkest parts of the image may be displayed too dark and simply... disappear. But these are details that only come out in measurements. Overall: we are impressed. But we also know that LG TVs respond very well to professional calibration. They can produce nearly reference-quality images, so – even though it's already very good out of the box – we allowed ourselves to take an extra step and fine-tune everything to perfection.

After calibration, the S90D TV delivers an even more impressive performance in movie mode. The white balance for both HD and 4K HDR content is now nearly perfect. While there are still some minor imperfections, they are so subtle that they don't significantly impact the overall image quality. The colours are more balanced, offering a natural depiction of details, especially in scenes that require precise colour accuracy.

It's important to note that the 48-inch model features a WOLED panel, which differs from the larger sizes. This results in a smaller coverage of the wide colour gamut, meaning it doesn't offer the same rich colours as the 65-inch version, which is equipped with a QD-OLED panel.

Contrast has also seen a substantial improvement. The gamma curve after calibration is much closer to the ideal line, achieving a better balance between bright and dark areas of the image. The EOTF curve, which previously showed issues with overly bright scenes, now performs much better, retaining more detail in the bright sections of the image, especially in HDR content.

We must admit that we didn't have much work with the LG B5. It's one of those TVs that looks good right from the start, but after calibration… it can really impress. The white balance was brought to almost perfect levels – to a degree of error invisible to the human eye, unless you are a professional colorist with a magnifying glass at the screen. We also managed to control the TV's slight tendency to dim the darkest details, especially in HDR scenes. After proper tuning, everything looks coherent: the black is still deep, but not information-hungry. The highlights retain a natural sparkle, and the colors align with the director's vision. It's really one of those models that show you don't have to spend a fortune to get almost reference-quality image. If you can decide on professional calibration – it's definitely worth it for the B5.

The S90D TV excels in smoothing tonal transitions, offering natural and seamless colour shifts. Thanks to its advanced technology, it ensures a smoother visual experience overall. The noise reduction feature can further enhance tonal transitions, making it beneficial in certain situations. However, it’s important to note that enabling noise reduction may also smooth out the film grain, which can detract from the cinematic feel. For this reason, it's advisable to use the feature sparingly, preserving the natural grain that adds depth and authenticity to the content.

Samsung continues to impress with its scaling capabilities, with the S90D effectively processing lower-resolution content. The image is sharp and clear, maintaining proper outlines and presenting details accurately. For example, tree branches are rendered well, with no noticeable jagged edges that would compromise image quality. Thanks to the effective scaling, even lower-resolution materials are displayed attractively, making it a great choice for users who enjoy content from diverse sources, such as regular antenna or cable television.

LG B5 really surprised us positively in terms of dealing with lower quality content. Thanks to the enhancement and smoothing features, HD or even SD materials get a new life. Importantly – when this option is turned on at the "low" or "medium" level, we don't get the impression that the image is artificially softened or overly smoothed. Details remain intact, film grain does not disappear, and object edges do not look washed out 😉. It's a really useful tool – especially if you watch terrestrial TV, archival materials, or content from YouTube in lower resolutions. The image is clean, cohesive, and simply pleasant to the eye.

Upscaling as such works very well – even content of poor quality is rendered with surprising fidelity. Unfortunately, there was a small hiccup. While the menu offers an option to turn off overscan, the television still struggles to display very low-resolution images correctly. It’s a minor detail, but when watching older materials – it can be annoying.

The S90D TV features a 120 Hz panel, which can be "overclocked" to 144 Hz with the appropriate PC setup, delivering exceptional motion fluidity. Samsung has long offered a range of image clarity settings on a ten-point scale, allowing users to fine-tune the display to their liking. In the UFO test, the OLED panel ensures no ghosting, with pixel response being instantaneous and perfectly capturing dynamic movements. OLED technology, in this regard, is considered one of the best on the market. The image remains incredibly sharp and detailed, even during fast-paced action, making the S90D TV a top choice for gamers and sports fans alike.

The LG B5 is a television with a 120 Hz OLED panel. It may not sound as impressive as the marketing terms "144 Hz" or "165 Hz" found in gaming monitors, but honestly? The smoothness is still excellent. The picture is sharp, smooth, and simply enjoyable to watch – even when there’s a lot happening on the screen. The organic panel does its job – the pixel response time is nearly instantaneous, which means there’s no blurring or smearing that can ruin dynamic shots. Sports, fast-paced games – everything looks clear and distinct.

We also have LG's classic motion smoother, TruMotion. This feature allows you to smooth out films shot at 24 frames per second – in other words, most of what you watch on Netflix or on Blu-ray discs. If you set the “De-Judder” slider to lower values, you'll get an image closer to the cinematic experience – with a slight judder, but without artificiality. Higher settings? Soap opera effect guaranteed. Fortunately, LG gives you the choice, and you can tune everything as you like.

The S90D TV is perfectly designed with gamers in mind, offering four HDMI 2.1 ports that support features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and HGIG (HDR Gaming Interest Group). These technologies ensure smoother gameplay and faster screen response, enhancing comfort during extended gaming sessions. The Game Bar feature also provides convenient access to settings like aspect ratio, which can be particularly useful for different game types. For PC users, the television offers an impressive refresh rate of 144Hz, with Nvidia and AMD graphics cards supporting G-Sync and FreeSync, further boosting image smoothness. While the lack of Dolby Vision support may be a limitation, it’s worth noting that this technology is less commonly used in gaming compared to movies. Nevertheless, the S90D still provides excellent features for gamers, making it a top choice for those seeking high-quality visuals and advanced gaming technologies.

There are already a few televisions on the market with the label "for gamers" that don’t really understand what that means. The LG B5 is not one of them. Everything here is right – there are four HDMI 2.1 ports, it has 120 Hz, VRR and ALLM, and it also has a Game Bar that is actually useful, not just looks good in the promotional folder. You connect your console – it works. You set 4K at 120 Hz – it works. You have an Xbox and want to play in Dolby Vision – it works too. And not in the sense of "it theoretically supports it," but rather it really turns on, looks good, and you don’t have to fiddle with the settings for half an hour. On top of that, there’s the HGiG picture mode, which LG has implemented correctly – meaning that HDR in games doesn’t turn the screen into a flashlight but shows exactly what it should. There are no surprises here, no strange limitations, no "buts." And you know what? That’s how it should be. Kudos to the LG B5!