Samsung S90D / S94D 48" (WRGB OLED) vs Panasonic W70A

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.

HDR on the Panasonic W70A unfortunately does not impress. Brightness at the level of 250–300 nits is simply too low to feel the true magic of cinematic effects in dynamic, bright scenes. Images that should "explode" with light appear rather flat, and fine details in bright areas often get lost in the average luminance of the panel. On the positive side, the HDR effect is at least stable. The TV does not suffer from excessive brightening nor does it lose details during sudden scene changes. Everything is predictable and calm, though unfortunately not very spectacular. Another issue is the color gamut coverage. The W70A is not equipped with an additional layer of quantum dots (often known as QLED), resulting in colors appearing rather mediocre. There is a lack of depth in reds, saturation in greens, and precision in rendering subtle shades.

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.

The Panasonic W70A was tested in movie mode, which theoretically should guarantee the most natural image reproduction. Unfortunately, as is often the case with budget televisions, the reality proved far from ideal.

In HD (SDR) content, the white balance was severely disrupted by an excess of red and a noticeable drop in blue tones. The result? The image had a distinctly warm, even yellowish tint, which is clearly visible in the comparison photo. In the case of 4K HDR materials, the situation reversed. Here, the image became excessively cold and bluish, causing scenes to lose their naturalness and depth. The differences are visible even to the naked eye, especially in the bright parts of the image. The Colour Checker palette test confirmed our observations. Most color samples did not hit their intended points, "running away" towards warmer shades in SDR and cooler ones in HDR. As for brightness characteristics, both gamma and the EOTF curve showed significant problems. The image tended to excessively brighten certain areas, disrupting the balance and leading to a loss of details in darker and brighter regions.

In summary – the factory color reproduction settings in the Panasonic W70A leave much to be desired. The image is far from neutral, and the errors in white balance and gamma mean that a solid calibration is needed to extract the full potential from this television.

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.

The Panasonic W70A, despite its limitations, gave us a lot of room to maneuver during calibration. Thanks to well-developed tools, we were able to achieve significantly better white balance in both HD (SDR) and 4K HDR content. The issues with excess red in SDR and overly cool images in HDR have disappeared. The gamma brightness characteristic has also improved, maintaining stability and avoiding excessive brightness or loss of detail in darker areas.

So where is the problem? Unfortunately, there are barriers that even professional calibration cannot overcome. Poor coverage of a wide color gamut means that the TV cannot fully reproduce colors in HDR materials. There is a lack of saturation, and subtle color transitions still appear somewhat "flattened." Another limitation is brightness management, which results from the use of an IPS panel. In the comparative photo featuring the actress's face in colorful clothing, it is clearly visible how some shades are noticeably muted, and colors lose their depth and brightness.

The calibration extracted everything it could from the W70A. The image is now much more natural, and the errors in the factory settings have been effectively corrected. Unfortunately, hardware limitations in the form of poor color gamut coverage and an average panel prevent us from achieving spectacular results, especially in HDR content.

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.

We checked how the Panasonic W70A performs in improving content of lower quality than 4K, and it must be admitted that the television does quite well in this regard. The "Zeroing Counter" function is responsible for smoothing tonal transitions. The optimal setting turned out to be the Average option, which effectively smooths out color gradation issues while not ruining the film grain. This is the setting we recommend for most users, as it provides a balance between improving the fluidity of transitions and maintaining the naturalness of the image.

As for image scaling, the Panasonic W70A performed really well. The test pattern with the model was positively evaluated – details on her clothing were well reproduced, and the contours of her face retained sharpness. In the background, we noticed slight "jaggies" on thin branches, but these are details that only a very observant eye will catch. However, it is worth noting a certain flaw of this model – the television has a tendency to overscan, which means slight cropping of the image edges. This is not a very intense phenomenon and for most users it will be practically unnoticeable, but if we care about perfect framing, it is worth keeping this in mind.

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 Panasonic W70A is equipped with a 60 Hz panel, which immediately suggests that the television will perform best when watching movies, series, or everyday TV content. In more dynamic scenes, such as sports broadcasts or games, the panel's limitations become more noticeable. On the positive side, it is worth noting the presence of a motion smoother called "Effect," which offers three levels of adjustment - low, medium, and high.

Each of the settings allows you to adjust motion fluidity to your own preferences, minimizing motion blur and improving clarity in dynamic shots. In practice, the Medium setting seems to be the most versatile - it offers better fluidity without excessive "soap opera effect," which can look artificial in feature films. The High setting may work well for sports broadcasts, but in films, it can disrupt the natural character of movement.

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.

The Panasonic W70A is a television that will be more suitable for occasional gamers than for avid players. The 60 Hz panel does not allow for full utilization of the potential of new generation consoles, especially in dynamic titles. The lack of HDMI 2.1 somewhat limits its capabilities, but fortunately, we find features such as ALLM, which is automatic switching to game mode, and VRR, which helps minimize screen tearing. It's also worth noting the support for Dolby Vision in games and HGiG, which makes HDR more predictable and looks solid. It's just a pity that the Game Bar is missing. This feature is already standard in many televisions and provides quick access to the most important settings for gamers. The W70A holds up when it comes to gaming, but it has its limitations. It works well with calmer titles, while more demanding players may feel unsatisfied.