Sony BRAVIA 5 (XR5) vs Samsung QN90F / QN92F

Looking at similar results in terms of black levels and contrast, we expected the same stable performance as last year's model when it comes to HDR content. Unfortunately – and this must be said plainly – there has been a regression here that is hard to overlook. The paradox is that the peak brightness of the Bravia 5 can be impressive: in our synthetic tests, the television reached around 1000 nits in HDR. Sounds great, right? The problem is that this power does not always translate effectively to all movie scenes. When small, pinpoint elements appear on the screen, something that was usually refined with surgical precision in the case of Sony clearly falters this time. The algorithms try to maintain deep blacks around small objects, but the side effect is that details can be dimmed to the point of becoming barely visible. A case in point is the movie Sicario 2 – there, in some scenes, small light sources practically vanished as if someone had covered them with dark film.

Of course, not everything looks so dramatic. In simpler, brighter scenes, where the image is filled with a greater amount of light, the Bravia 5 shows that it can shine: literally and figuratively. At that point, the television achieves values in the range of 600–800 nits, which we observed in both synthetic tests and during movie screenings. The impression is truly positive; the brightness adds dynamism, and the colors appear vivid and fresh. However, there remains a certain dissonance. We feel a slight confusion because it is evident that something has gone the wrong way. Technological advancement – more zones, greater backlight power – has not been supported by the refined image management we usually associate with Sony. Fortunately, there are elements that have not been worsened and are instead at a very high level. We are talking about color reproduction. Thanks to the use of the PFS filter, the color gamut coverage is excellent – about 97% of DCI-P3 and 75% of BT.2020. These values allow for a truly wide color reproduction, giving films a natural and cinematic character.

The Samsung QN90F can truly shine in brightness. In our measurements, it achieved over 2200 nits, which directly translates to the viewing experience. Practically, this means that when a very bright scene appears in a movie – for example, the sunrise in The Meg – the screen looks as if natural light is actually shining on us. This isn’t just a number from a chart, but a real sense of image intensity! However, the TV cannot always deliver that full power. With smaller details, such as headlights or lamps, the brightness drops to 500–700 nits. This is a conscious decision by the algorithms – this way, the contrast between large and small elements is better controlled, and the image does not lose balance. Importantly, this is still a huge improvement compared to last year's QN90D, where similar details were almost invisible, shining at just 200 nits. Here, the HDR effect is much more consistent and credible. The only downside is the colors. The coverage of the DCI-P3 palette stopped at 91%, which can be considered a rather average result in this price range.

Sony Bravia 5 was of course tested in the best possible mode, which is the Cinema mode. Right out of the box, it offers the most natural colors, definitely better than anything provided by the "eco" or "dynamic" modes, which are more suitable for a store display than a living room. However, the Cinema mode itself does not guarantee that we can always expect cinematic image quality. In SDR content, we had practically no major complaints – the slightly warm white balance made the scenes take on a somewhat golden tone, but it was nothing that was glaringly obvious. However, the problem arose with HDR materials. Here, the color reproduction simply looked poor. The white balance was severely off – with an excess of blue and a noticeable lack of red. At times, it even resembled the store "super vivid image" mode, where everything is overexposed and artificially boosted.

This state of affairs made managing brightness seem too aggressive as well. The EOTF graph clearly showed that the television had issues with overexposing many scenes right out of the box. And while we know what Sony televisions are usually capable of, it was hard to remain indifferent here – which is why we quickly decided to go for calibration.

We tested color reproduction in the QN90F in Filmmaker mode, and as usual with Samsung TVs, this mode proves to be the best starting point right out of the box. However, this does not mean that the image is free from flaws. The white balance in SDR and HDR content was surprisingly good – the colors didn’t shift in any direction, and even in the factory setting, it looked solid. However, a problem arose with the gamma and EOTF curves, which are responsible for how the TV manages brightness. Here, the QN90F significantly brightened the entire image, causing black levels and colors to lose their intensity, and the overall effect resembled a milky filter being applied. Fortunately, Samsung, unlike many competitors in the miniLED world, provides users with a lot of tools to control the settings that we don’t find with other manufacturers, such as Chinese brands. Therefore, we decided to check if it was possible to extract the full potential of the QN90F because we know that such a high series can deliver much more.

After calibration, the situation changed drastically. We managed to tune the white balance so that entire scenes began to look more natural, and the image gained coherence and elegance. In HDR, we finally got rid of that unwanted blooming effect that had previously ruined some shots. Suddenly, it turned out that the Bravia 5 can extract much more from films than the first contact "straight out of the box" suggested. Yes, if we take a look at the graphs and compare them with the reference patterns, we can see that the start of the EOTF curve slightly deviates from the reference line. However, this is not so much a calibration error as a natural limitation of Mini-LED technology, which cannot be bypassed. Sony, instead of clinging to perfect black, prefers to prioritize the visibility of details – and in practice, it’s hard to disagree with that. We prefer to see the texture of the material on the screen rather than a pitch-black blob that obliterates all nuances.

The calibration itself made a significant difference. After about an hour spent on adjustments, we felt that the picture resembled that from the best cinema halls – of course on a home scale, but with the same sense of quality and refinement. And in such moments, we remember why we love Sony televisions: because once we fine-tune them, they can reward us with an image that captivates for long hours.

After our adjustment of the settings, the QN90F showed what it is really capable of – and it must be admitted that it has one of the best images we have seen on a miniLED screen this year. As we mentioned earlier, the white balance was not a major issue even in its factory version, but only after the gamma calibration were we able to get close to nearly reference values. The same is true for HDR content, where the EOTF curve after correction presents mature and consistent results. Indeed, in some films, it can be noticed that the smallest elements of the image are slightly brightened, and with a limited number of dimming zones, there is still a risk of the halo effect. It should be remembered, however, that such phenomena are characteristic of all miniLED televisions, and it's hard to expect miracles even from the QN90F. The most important thing is that after calibration, the television shows an image that, in terms of conveying the director's vision, confidently competes even with many OLED screens available on the market.

Bravia 5 carries within it the genes of Sony, which remain intact – and thank goodness for that, because we are talking about absolutely remarkable digital image processing. There is a reason that for years it has been believed that it is this brand of television that sets the standard for how a screen should handle lower-quality materials. If someone is still watching classic television, old movies, or YouTube in lower resolution, here they get equipment that can turn such content into a surprisingly pleasant experience. On board, we find several tools worth activating. The first of these is "digital noise reduction." Set to a medium level, it works almost flawlessly – smoothing tonal transitions that usually pose the biggest challenge with low-quality materials, while not introducing any artificial artifacts. Importantly, it also does not remove the filmic character, or the natural grain that is an intentional element in many productions. Another advantage of Bravia 5 is the upscaling capabilities of the XR processor. The image presented after scaling is soft yet sharp and clear. The contours of characters are well-defined, and backgrounds retain their structure without excessive artificial sharpening. It’s hard to find a better television for watching lower-quality content – Bravia 5 only confirms why Sony is regarded as the benchmark in this field.

QN90F handles upscaling very well. Materials in lower resolution, even SD, are boosted to a clear and sharp image, showcasing plenty of details in the background. This is a significant advantage because the television makes older content or everyday TV look much better than on most budget screens. However, the issue of overscan remains, which is the trimming of the edges of the screen that cannot be turned off in Samsungs. This can cause some subtitles on the screen to disappear or a relative's face from a wedding on a VHS tape to be slightly cropped. 😉

The digital image processing also works well. In the menu, we find a feature called "noise reduction," which can smooth out tonal transitions and improve the reception of lower-quality materials, such as from YouTube. In medium setting, the effect is the most beneficial – it does not heavily interfere with details while eliminating the "stair-stepping" problem in colors. However, it is important to remember that the feature can be quite aggressive and can also remove natural grain in older films, so it's best to use it in moderation.

Bravia 5 has a 120 Hz panel, which in itself sounds like an invitation to watch sports, fast matches, or spectacular action movies. However, the real magic begins only when MotionFlow comes into play – Sony's proprietary smoothing technology. Thanks to it, we can adjust the character of the image to our own preferences. The “smoothness” slider allows us to transition from a cinematic vibe with a slight “jitter” of the film frame to an almost theatrical fluidity, where every ball in the game glides across the screen like on a string. The higher the value, the smoother and more fluid it is; the lower – the more cinematic and natural. In the options, we also find an additional setting that Sony has called “clearness.” This is nothing more than the BFI function (which stands for black frame insertion), which aims to improve motion clarity. It sounds great in theory, but in practice, you need to use it with great caution. Why? Because all higher settings cause brightness drops of up to half, and in some cases, there can also be contour doubling. Therefore, if we want to use it, we recommend the lowest possible level – “1” out of the available ten. This way, we gain a little better motion clarity without risking a loss of half the image brightness.

The QN90F is equipped with a panel that has a maximum refresh rate of 165 Hz, and while primarily PC gamers will appreciate this advantage, it is still worth highlighting. In movies or sports broadcasts, we are limited to the classic 120 Hz, but this is not a cause for concern. In practice, the additional motion smoother plays a more significant role here. With the "Motion Clarity" setting, we can adjust the image to our own preferences. The blur reduction option is responsible for smoothness and trailing in sports. Meanwhile, the "judder reduction" function improves motion smoothness in productions recorded at 24 frames, such as movies and series. If we set it high, the film looks smoother and more fluid than it was actually filmed. Lower values, on the other hand, maintain its cinematic "rawness" with the visible film frame.

In the Bravia 5, there is significant progress compared to the X90L model from two years ago. The television offers literally everything that its predecessor had, but this time the issues that could irritate gamers have been fixed. The problems with setting up variable refresh rate (VRR) have disappeared, and there are no longer any issues with configuring HDR content in HGiG mode. In short: we get a device that simply works as it should without any fuss. The Bravia 5 thus has everything one could expect from a modern gaming television – and it could be advertised with the slogan "ready for PS5" without exaggeration. This is a statement we couldn't make about the X90L model. Hats off, Sony!

It's just a shame that in such a relatively high-priced model, a complete set of four HDMI 2.1 ports is missing. In everyday use, this won't be a problem for most people, but if someone has a console, soundbar, and additional equipment connected via HDMI, at some point there will be a need to either choose or juggle cables.

QN90F has almost everything to become the perfect television for gamers. Things like four HDMI ports, VRR, ALLM, and a refresh rate of up to 165 Hz don't need to be reminded to anyone. It deserves high praise for the Game Motion Plus mode, which is a proprietary motion smoothing feature for games. Thanks to this, you can add a few “artificial” frames and make the image generated from the console look smoother than it should. This is a very unique solution in the world of televisions – competitive systems usually do not offer this – and that's why Samsung has had a strong bargaining chip among gamers for years, even despite the lack of support for the still niche Dolby Vision in games.

So why are we writing about a “nearly” perfect screen? Unfortunately, like in the latest Samsung models, we noticed a problem with the lack of HGiG support. This is a solution that allows the television to leave the control of tone mapping to the console so that games look exactly as the creators intended. Worse, this feature was previously present and disappeared after software updates. Instead of minor improvements, we got a step back. It's a pity, because without this shortcoming, the QN90F could truly be the perfect choice for gamers in the miniLED category.