When it comes to high-end televisions, Samsung's latest offerings present an interesting choice between two different approaches to amazing picture quality. Let's dive into comparing the $2,700 Samsung 65" OLED S90D and the $5,000 Samsung QN900D Series 65" Neo QLED 8K, both released in March 2024.
The television market has evolved dramatically in recent years, with two main technologies leading the premium segment: OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) and QLED (Quantum Dot LED). Each has distinct advantages that might make it perfect for your specific situation.
OLED technology creates images by using pixels that generate their own light, allowing them to turn completely off for perfect blacks. Think of it like having millions of tiny light bulbs that can individually switch on and off. Meanwhile, QLED (especially Neo QLED with mini-LED backlighting) uses extremely small LED lights behind a quantum dot layer, offering incredible brightness and color volume.
The Samsung OLED S90D excels in what OLED does best - perfect blacks and infinite contrast. When you're watching a space scene or a dark thriller, every star and shadow appears exactly as it should. In my experience testing these TVs, the OLED's ability to show dark scenes accurately is unmatched, especially in a home theater setting.
On the flip side, the QN900D Neo QLED brings exceptional brightness and the latest mini-LED technology, making it particularly impressive in bright rooms. Its 8K resolution (four times the pixels of 4K) might seem like overkill now, but it's worth noting that this TV handles lower-resolution content beautifully through AI upscaling.
In practical terms, here's what these differences mean:
At nearly twice the price, the QN900D needs to justify its premium positioning. While it delivers on the promise of cutting-edge technology, the S90D offers arguably better value for most users. Here's why:
At $2,700, the S90D delivers:
For $5,000, the QN900D provides:
For dedicated home theater setups, the S90D's OLED technology really shines. The perfect blacks and excellent contrast ratio create an immersive experience that's hard to beat. However, if your home theater has ambient light issues or you're planning for the future, the QN900D's brightness and 8K resolution might be worth considering.
In typical living room environments, especially those with lots of windows, the QN900D's higher brightness capabilities make it more versatile. It handles reflections better and maintains image quality even in bright conditions.
Both TVs support next-gen gaming features, but they approach it differently:
S90D:
QN900D:
Since their March 2024 release, both TVs have received software updates enhancing their performance. The S90D has particularly benefited from gaming optimizations, while the QN900D has seen improvements in its AI upscaling capabilities.
To help you choose between the Samsung S90D and QN900D, consider these key factors:
For most users, the S90D represents the sweet spot of performance and value. Its OLED technology delivers stunning picture quality for current content, and its gaming features make it a versatile choice. The perfect blacks and contrast make it particularly well-suited for home theater use.
The QN900D is for those who want the absolute cutting edge and have specific needs for its capabilities. Its brightness advantage and 8K resolution make it future-proof, but at a significant premium.
Remember, the best TV for you depends on your specific viewing environment, content preferences, and budget. Either way, both represent the pinnacle of current TV technology, just with different approaches to achieving excellence.
| Samsung 65" OLED S90D TV - $2,700 | Samsung QN900D Series 65" Neo QLED 8K TV - $5,000 |
|---|---|
| Display Technology - Determines core picture quality characteristics | |
| OLED (perfect blacks, best contrast, lower brightness) | Neo QLED with Mini-LED (higher brightness, good contrast, better in bright rooms) |
| Resolution - Impacts clarity and future-proofing | |
| 4K (3840 x 2160) - Plenty for current content | 8K (7680 x 4320) - Future-proof but limited content available |
| Peak Brightness - Critical for HDR and bright room viewing | |
| 1000 nits - Good for moderately lit rooms | 2000+ nits - Excellent for bright rooms and HDR |
| Gaming Refresh Rate - Higher is better for smooth motion | |
| 144Hz at 4K - Excellent for current gaming | 240Hz at 4K or 60Hz at 8K - More options but overkill for most |
| Input Lag - Lower is better for gaming responsiveness | |
| 5.5ms - Exceptional for competitive gaming | 10ms - Very good but not class-leading |
| Processor - Affects upscaling and smart features | |
| NQ4 AI Gen2 - Excellent 4K upscaling | NQ8 AI Gen3 - Superior 8K upscaling, faster processing |
| Best Use Case - Where each TV performs best | |
| Dark/moderate rooms, movies, gaming | Bright rooms, future-proofing, premium installations |
| Value Proposition - Price to performance ratio | |
| Better value for most users, proven technology | Premium pricing for cutting-edge features, harder to justify |
The $2,700 Samsung S90D OLED is superior for dark room viewing due to its perfect blacks and infinite contrast ratio. While the $5,000 QN900D is excellent, OLED technology provides a more immersive home theater experience in controlled lighting.
The QN900D Neo QLED performs better in bright rooms thanks to its higher brightness capabilities and anti-reflection coating. The S90D OLED is still good but works best in controlled lighting conditions.
We've done our best to create useful and informative comparisons to help you decide what product to buy. Our research uses advanced automated methods to create this comparison and perfection is not possible - please contact us for corrections or questions. These are the sites we've researched in the creation of this article: bestbuy.com - valueelectronics.com - youtube.com - cnet.com - bestbuy.com - videoandaudiocenter.com - youtube.com - samsung.com - samsung.com - pcrichard.com - samsung.com - rtings.com - videoandaudiocenter.com - bestbuy.com - avsforum.com - bestbuy.com - walts.com - images.samsung.com - samsung.com - merlinstv.com - samsung.com - avsforum.com - samsung.com
