- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- TV appearance |
- Where to buy |
- Contrast and black detail |
- HDR effect quality |
- Factory color reproduction |
- Color reproduction after calibration |
- Smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Blur and motion smoothness |
- Console compatibility and gaming features |
- Input lag |
- Compatibility with PC |
- Viewing angles |
- Daytime performance |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
Samsung S90H (WOLED) Review
S90H / S92H / HAE / HAT
Available screen sizes:
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Panel type: WRGB OLED Refresh rate: 165Hz Brand: SAMSUNG Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Tizen Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
The Samsung S90H comes in two panel variants, so before buying it's worth checking which version you got. This time we're testing the "HAE" model with a WOLED panel, which is available in practically all sizes except the 77-inch version (suffix HAT). Importantly, this year the WOLED panel also made its way into the 65-inch variant, and that's the unit we tested. So we look at how one of the most popular versions of this year's S90H performs and whether it's still an OLED worth its price despite using a different type of panel.
SAMSUNG S90H - Our verdict
8.4
Overall rating
Samsung S90H is a TV that simply makes a spectacular impression. The combination of OLED's absolute blacks, high brightness, and excellent motion sharpness delivers a picture that's hard to look away from. And that's exactly what we expect from a good OLED TV. The matte anti-reflective coating also works very well. Reflections on a sunny day stop being a major problem, and thanks to the presence of a traditional polarizer black doesn't shift as much toward grayish-burgundy tones as with the QD-OLED variant. Add to that the blazing-fast Tizen, an excellent set of gaming features led by Game Motion Plus, and surprisingly good, full-bodied sound from the built-in speakers. Any weaknesses? Of course. Tone transitions aren't quite as perfect as on QD-OLED, and viewing angles remain slightly worse. In practice, though, these are mostly minor quibbles, especially since WOLED also has its own advantages, particularly in a bright room, where it preserves black levels and color saturation better. Overall, the QD-OLED variant still comes out slightly ahead, but this time the difference isn't as pronounced as it was a year ago. For most people that won't be the deciding factor when choosing a TV. So our advice is: rather than obsessing over the panel type, pick the size that best fits the room. Whether you buy the WOLED or QD-OLED version, you'll get a mature, versatile, and well-balanced TV. As every year, the S90H series has a guaranteed place among the most cost-effective OLEDs of 2026.
Advantages
Perfect black and infinite contrast (OLED)
Very high HDR brightness (up to 1400 nits)
Effective anti-reflective coating (matte, glare-free)
Exemplary color reproduction after calibration
Excellent motion handling (no motion blur)
Outstanding for gamers (4x HDMI 2.1, VRR, ALLM, low input lag)
Game Motion Plus feature
Refresh rate up to 165 Hz
Wide viewing angles
Fast, fully featured Tizen
Good sound
Disadvantages
In bright light colors lose some depth (a trait of matte coatings)
Lacks TV features such as USB recording or PIP
No support for DTS:X (an issue for Blu-ray disc fans)
Limited color saturation compared to the QD-OLED variant
Movies and series in UHD quality8.6
Classic TV, YouTube8.8
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)8.5
Gaming on console9.7
TV as a computer monitor8.6
Watching in bright light6.5
Utility functions7.3
Apps9.3
Sound quality8.4
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SAMSUNG S90H - Competing TVs in this price range
SAMSUNG S90H - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Premium
Stand type: Central
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
Samsung S90H doesn't try to force the idea that every new model has to look completely different. The design is well known from previous generations, but it still looks very modern. The screen is framed by narrow metal bezels, and the panel itself is exceptionally thin at the top. Because of this the TV looks light and elegant, especially when viewed from the front or at a slight angle. Most of the electronics are hidden in the slightly thicker lower section of the housing. This solution is typical for many OLEDs and it's why the TV, once mounted, doesn't sit perfectly flush to the wall. That may not be a big issue, but anyone hoping for a completely flat surface should keep that in mind or consider the S99H or S95H. We are much less impressed by the stand. It's central, so the TV can be placed without problem even on a relatively narrow TV stand, but in terms of appearance it comes off as rather plain. The plastic cover and the simple leg design don't make as strong an impression as the rest of the chassis. Otherwise, there's little to complain about the S90H. It's a slim, attractive, well-built TV that fits easily into any living room.
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SAMSUNG S90H - Contrast and black detail
10/10
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Because the Samsung S90H uses an organic display, it deserves the highest possible rating for contrast and blacks. This, of course, applies to both market variants: the WOLED version we tested and the QD-OLED variant. Because each pixel is an independent light source and can turn completely off, the TV delivers absolutely perfect blacks and infinite contrast. In practice, this translates into stunning image depth and perfectly sharp separation of bright details from dark backgrounds. Any haloing effect (blooming), which even top LCD TVs with Mini LED backlighting still struggle with today, is out of the question here. You'll appreciate the true magic of the WOLED panel especially during evening viewing in a darkened room; dark parts of scenes gain a remarkable sense of plasticity, incredible three-dimensionality, and a wealth of details hidden in the shadows.
SAMSUNG S90H - HDR effect quality
7.7/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
1374 nit
Result
1419 nit
Result
1570 nit
Result
1395 nit
Result
713 nit
The Samsung S90H in the WOLED variant is still an exceptionally bright TV for its price class, although it is slightly dimmer compared to the QD-OLED version. The difference is not as pronounced as in last year’s F series, where gaps could reach as much as 500 nits. Here the specs of both panels are very close, and differences in peak brightness are only about 100–150 nits. In small-area measurements, the S90H on the WOLED panel easily reaches levels close to 1500 nits. That headroom lets it portray HDR dynamics phenomenally—specular highlights, reflections or explosions have the right punch, just as the creators intended in the post-production studio. As with most OLED displays, when a very bright scene fills the entire screen, the protection systems that safeguard the panel kick in and brightness naturally falls to around 700 nits. It’s worth stressing that this is still an excellent result on the market, often noticeably better than many Mini LED screens in the same segment.
Color gamut coverage
The biggest difference between the two S90H variants lies in color reproduction and saturation. This stems directly from the different construction of the WOLED panel, which uses an additional white subpixel. As a result, colors at very high brightness don’t achieve quite the same intensity, and the volume of the wide color gamut is somewhat more limited than with QD-OLED. That said, in everyday use these differences will be hard for most viewers to notice. Our measured DCI-P3 coverage on the WOLED panel reaches nearly 99%, which means that in the vast majority of real film scenes both variants will deliver almost identical images. The true gap only appears in rarer, particularly demanding productions that use the ultra-wide BT.2020 gamut. Due to the WOLED panel’s design, coverage of that standard is about 15% lower compared to the S90HAT with a QD-OLED panel, so the brightest, heavily illuminated HDR colors may appear a bit less vivid.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 74.7% | 98.7% | 50% | 54% | 54% |
| Film measurements | 74.7% | 98.7% | 47% | 51% | 52% |
BT.2020 BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
So how do movies ultimately look on the S90H in the WOLED version? The viewing experience is very close to what the QD-OLED variant offers, especially for the most popular content on services like Netflix, Prime Video, or Max. Whether we’re watching material mastered to 1000 or 4000 nits, the picture looks exactly as it should. Excellent dynamics and high brightness make explosions, specular highlights, and other HDR effects look striking yet natural. Only in some extreme scenes with highly saturated primary colors (like deep reds or greens) does a direct comparison show that the WOLED variant doesn’t have quite the same vibrancy as QD-OLED. These occurrences are rare enough that it’s hard to call them a significant drawback in everyday use. If we were to nitpick one more detail, some of the darkest details in deep shadows can slightly get lost, but for the vast majority of viewers this will be completely unnoticeable. Watching movies and TV series on this TV is simply immersive.
HDR luminance chart:
S90H, despite solid brightness headroom, pulls noticeably more from the image when we feed it material with HDR10+ dynamic metadata. The lack of Dolby Vision support on Samsung TVs remains a limitation, but the growing popularity of HDR10+ means that in practice the differences between the standards are marginal. A noticeable gap appears, however, when comparing static HDR10 with HDR10+. Dynamic metadata let the TV pull out details in bright areas more precisely, avoiding the contrast-flattening effect. Basic HDR10 looks very good on this screen in most scenes, and the benefits of dynamic metadata are revealed primarily in the most demanding, heavily lit shots, such as our test scene with white horses.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: HDR10+
Factory color reproduction
7.6/10
In Filmmaker mode, which we strongly recommend enabling right out of the box, the S90H offers very good factory color tuning. Colors are natural and faithful to the filmmakers' intent, without the intrusive oversaturation found in more aggressive profiles. However, as is usually the case without full calibration, there can be unit-to-unit variation. In our test the white balance lacked a bit of the blue component, causing the image to lean slightly toward warmer, yellowish tones. This was most noticeable in bright scenes, such as the snowy sequences from Star Wars. Additionally, the gamma curve ran slightly low, around 2.2, which resulted in a slight boost to shadow detail. In HDR mode the tuning was a bit better, showing only a slight undersaturation in the red region.
Color reproduction after calibration
9.2/10
After full calibration it can safely be said that the S90H in the WOLED version looks almost perfect. In SDR mode color reproduction errors drop to ultra-low levels, and Delta E values very rarely exceed 2. That's a phenomenal result, so if you care about perfectly faithful color reproduction it's definitely worth considering calibration. The calibrated HDR mode also performs very well, in which the white balance was stabilized and earlier deviations eliminated. After professional tuning it's really hard to find anything to criticize, because the TV delivers an image with almost exemplary naturalness and dimensionality. The slightly lower rating in this category compared with the QD-OLED variant is solely due to the previously described saturation limitation in extremely bright scenes; the tuning options and color fidelity themselves are at the highest level.
SAMSUNG S90H - Smoothness of tonal transitions
8/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions is very solid here, and the WOLED panel variant has been noticeably improved compared with last year's F-series model. Annoying gradient errors and visible banding now appear much less often. Despite this clear improvement, it still does not reach the level represented by QD-OLED technology. In almost every direct comparison, the QD-OLED panel handles smooth transitions between shades a bit more precisely. In summary: regarding gradients, the WOLED panel is clearly better than in previous generations of these panels, but the QD-OLED variant still maintains a noticeable advantage in this category.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
7.5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
When it comes to reducing posterization, Samsung has kept the same solutions as last year’s models. The dedicated gradient-smoothing function works quite well and can effectively mask unwanted tonal transitions, which can be useful on a WOLED panel that is somewhat prone to banding. However, keep in mind it acts aggressively. This mechanism, aside from removing artifacts, can clean up fine film grain and slightly soften detail. Ultimately it’s a matter of compromise, but if you care about an absolutely faithful reproduction, it’s safer to leave this option off.
There’s also no breakthrough in scaling. The S90H uses the same NQ4 Gen3 processor as its predecessor, so the quality of upscaling was almost identical. The chip sharpens lower-resolution material very well, extracting a satisfying level of detail. Samsung still hasn’t dealt with the old overscan issue. With some older recordings or archival material the image edges can be slightly cropped. It’s a minor flaw, but it’s a shame the manufacturer still hasn’t eliminated it.
SAMSUNG S90H - Blur and motion smoothness
8.5/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 165Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
BFI function 120Hz: No
Brightness drop with BFI: 50%
In terms of motion handling, the S90H is simply excellent. This year's panel offers a refresh rate boosted to 165 Hz, though in practice the benefit will be realized mainly by gamers connecting a powerful PC. For movies, TV series, or sports broadcasts, such a high refresh rate makes no difference and the picture looks exactly the same as at the standard 120 Hz. Regardless of the source, the OLED panel's lightning-fast response time does its job, so motion is clean and the ghosting or smearing seen on LCD screens simply doesn't occur here.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Image flickers in this mode
Blur (4K@165Hz ):
Samsung also gives us full control over the motion smoothing behavior. In the menu we find two separate sliders for judder reduction and blur reduction, so we can easily tailor the image to our preferences. We can set the perfect smoothness for soccer matches or preserve the classic, cinematic feel for 24 fps content. Dynamic scenes therefore remain sharp and easy to follow. The only exception is the BFI "Clear Motion" feature, i.e., black frame insertion. It does sharpen motion, but it causes noticeable flicker, so most people will probably disable it anyway. The best results come simply from a native 120 Hz signal from a console or 165 Hz from a PC.
SAMSUNG S90H - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.6/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 165Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
No
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
Players should feel at home with the S90H, because in that respect Samsung left few reasons to complain. The TV has four HDMI 2.1 ports, each of which supports VRR, ALLM, and high refresh rates. There's also the Game Bar, a handy menu that lets you quickly check key parameters and change settings without leaving the game. Importantly, Samsung has also improved HGiG. In last year's models it could cause issues when used with a console, but in the S90H it now works as it should. What sets it apart from the competition is primarily Game Motion Plus. It's a special motion-smoothing mode designed for games, which works best with titles running at 30 or 60 frames per second. Motion becomes noticeably smoother, while latency remains at a reasonable level. In our measurements it was under 50 ms, so you can still play comfortably. That's important, because on many TVs turning on a similar smoothing mode causes such a large increase in input lag that controls start to feel noticeably sluggish. Samsung has managed to find a good compromise here. There's still no Dolby Vision Gaming, but in practice Game Motion Plus may prove to be a far more useful feature.
SAMSUNG S90H - Input lag
10/10
Input lag is another area that's really hard to fault. With a 120 Hz signal we measured only about 5/6 ms, which is truly a stellar result. After switching to even higher refresh rates the delay fell to virtually astronomically low values, practically imperceptible during gameplay. The Samsung S90H delivers absolutely top-tier results.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 10 ms | 2160p60: 10 ms | |
| 1080p120: 6 ms | 2160p120: 5 ms | |
| 2160p60: 10 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 6 ms |
SAMSUNG S90H - Compatibility with PC
8.6/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 6ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RWGB
Max refresh rate: 165Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The S90H works great as a large-format PC monitor, and not just because of its full set of gaming features. NVIDIA G-Sync certification, low input lag, and support for refresh rates up to 165 Hz mean it pairs with typical gaming PCs without issues. In terms of motion handling and image sharpness in PC games, it’s hard to find any faults. The situation is a bit different for everyday office work, web browsing, or text editing. While fonts remain readable, the specific subpixel structure of the WOLED panel (with an additional white subpixel) can make itself noticeable. When sitting very close to the screen, letter edges and small interface elements may show slight colored fringes or appear slightly softened. This is a characteristic of WOLED panels. In practice, however, it’s not a major problem. We tested the 65-inch variant, which is naturally used from about a meter or more away. From that distance the effect practically disappears and does not interfere with daily work. It may be more significant in the smallest versions, such as 42 or 48 inches, which often sit on desks and are used from a few dozen centimeters away.
SAMSUNG S90H - Viewing angles
7.6/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 31%
Viewing angles on the Samsung S90H are very good and among the best on the market. That's thanks to the OLED panel, which when viewed from the side doesn't lose brightness or color saturation as quickly as many LCD TVs. The image therefore keeps its proper appearance for longer, which matters especially when you're watching TV with a larger group and not everyone is seated directly in front of the screen. Only at very extreme angles can you notice the advantage of QD-OLED panels. In their case viewing angles are practically perfect, while on WOLED panels the colors and brightness begin to shift slightly.
SAMSUNG S90H - Daytime performance
6.5/10
Panel finish: Matte
Reflection suppression: Very Good
Black levels during daytime: Good
There is one thing, however, in which the S90H with a WOLED panel performs better than the QD-OLED version. It's about viewing in a strongly sunlit room. Thanks to the presence of a conventional polarizer, black doesn't shift here as much toward gray or a dark cherry tone as it does with QD-OLED panels. Combined with the new matte finish, this gives very good results. The image, even in strong light, retains more depth, and colors don't lose their vibrancy as quickly. That doesn't mean the screen stays completely black under all conditions. Under very strong lighting you can notice a slight purple tint, typical of WOLED panels. In the S90H it is partially muted by the matte coating and isn't as noticeable.
Ultimately both variants perform similarly in this category. WOLED does a better job of holding black in a bright room, but on the other hand delivers slightly lower SDR brightness. At times the difference compared with the QD-OLED version can be around 150 nits.
Panel brightness
Samsung S90H (WOLED): 473 cd/m2
SAMSUNG S90H - TV features
7.3/10
System: Tizen
System performance: Very good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
- Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): No
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Classic TV
When it comes to ordinary cable or over-the-air TV, Samsung doesn't offer any revolutions compared with last year's model. Setting aside the marketing AI features, you simply get a solid, traditional package: a full set of tuners, a CI slot for a decoding card, teletext, and a convenient RF remote that doesn't require pointing directly at the screen. The problem is that the market competition offers exactly the same, and the S90H adds nothing new in this area. What's more, the PIP function, picture-in-picture, has been dropped from the S90 series. If you liked keeping an eye on the news in the corner of the screen while watching another program, you can't do that here.
Smart TV: Tizen
While it's hard to call anything new for traditional TV, Tizen in its 2026 version performs really well. The most important news is that the system runs incredibly smoothly and responds to commands without unnecessary hesitation. Any animation stutters or lag in menu navigation have disappeared. Even though it's Samsung's proprietary platform, rather than the Google TV many dislike, the app lineup is complete — you'll find absolutely all major VOD services here. Cloud gaming fans will also be pleased, because the gaming section has been heavily refined. For everyday Smart TV use, it's an exceptionally fast and mature environment.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Samsung Q-Symphony (Speaker extension): Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: No
- DTS-HD Master Audio: No
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: No
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
SAMSUNG S90H - Apps
9.3/10
SAMSUNG S90H - Playing files from USB
9.1/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The built-in media player easily handles most popular video, audio, and photo formats. The range of supported files is broad enough that the inability to install external apps like VLC is hardly a problem. However, we did encounter one serious bug when trying to open HEIC photos from an iPhone. The TV not only failed to display the files, it caused Tizen to completely freeze. The system stopped responding to the remote, and we had to unplug it from the outlet. This is a clear software bug that Samsung should patch as soon as possible in the next firmware update.
SAMSUNG S90H - Sound
8.4/10
-
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
On paper the audio specification of the S90 series has stood still for years. It still uses a 2.1 configuration with a total power of 40 W, so before testing we assumed any noticeably better sound would mainly apply to the largest variants. However, the 65-inch model we tested also sounded noticeably better than its predecessors. The sound is fuller, more dynamic and has more "weight" than the dry technical specs would suggest. We don't know whether Samsung changed anything in the speakers themselves or whether the improvement is mainly due to better tuning and software optimization, but you can hear the effect from the first moments. For such a slim TV the S90H performs really well and for many people may be sufficient even without a soundbar. The only real complaint is the lack of DTS:X support, which unfortunately is increasingly absent from TVs. It does have Dolby Atmos, so users of streaming services are unlikely to feel any major drawback. Those most likely to be left wanting are people using Blu-ray discs, where DTS tracks still appear fairly often.
* In the test we used the S90H variant. The S92H is also available for purchase; it is equipped with two additional 20 W drivers. This results in a 2.1.2 setup with a total power of 60 W, so you can expect stronger and more spacious sound. We can't confirm that, however, as we didn't have the chance to test that version.
Acoustic Measurements
No acoustic data
SAMSUNG S90H - Panel details
Software version during testing: T-RSMHDEUC-0100-120 4.3, E4601200, BT - G. albo 1204
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: WRGB OLED
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Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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