Samsung S90F Review — A Smarter Buy than the S95F & LG C5?
HDTVTest asks whether the S90F is a smarter buy than the S95F and the LG C5.
Samsung · 2025
Samsung S90F OLED
Samsung's 2025 mid-range OLED: QD-OLED in some sizes and WOLED in others, so the size you buy decides the panel.
Previous generation, still sold
Choose a size
Exact model · United States
QN83S90FAEXZA
WOLED per Tom's Guide. The only size listed in stock on Samsung's US store when checked.
Where to buy the 83″
Also check
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The verdict
A strong gaming and movie OLED when it has a QD-OLED panel, with the 65-inch the only size where sources agree on that panel. If panel type matters to you, check the exact model code and a reviewer's measurement rather than assuming. The S90H replaced it with a uniform WOLED line-up.
The S90F is Samsung's 2025 mid-range OLED and was replaced by the all-WOLED S90H in 2026. Samsung used different panel types across sizes: Tom's Guide reports WOLED in the 42, 48 and 83-inch sets and QD-OLED in the 55, 65 and 77-inch sets, while other sources suggest QD-OLED is only guaranteed at 65 inches. It supports 4K up to 144Hz and has no Dolby Vision. Only the 83-inch was in stock on Samsung's US store when checked.
Strengths
- Tom's Guide measured nearly 89% BT.2020 coverage on the QD-OLED 65-inch, far above the LG C5's roughly 76%.
- Low measured input lag of 9.1 ms and a long list of gaming features, with VRR up to 144Hz.
- Four HDMI 2.1 inputs, one with eARC.
- Tom's Guide gave the 65-inch an Editor's Choice award for picture quality and value.
Weak spots
- Panel type depends on size, which Tom's Guide calls a panel lottery; the 42, 48 and 83-inch sizes use WOLED.
- No Dolby Vision and no ATSC 3.0 tuner.
- Built-in 2.1-channel speakers are middling.
- Samsung's US store showed every size except the 83-inch out of stock when checked.
Great for
- Gamers wanting a QD-OLED at a mid-range price
- Movie fans who accept Samsung's lack of Dolby Vision
Skip if
- Buyers who need a guaranteed QD-OLED in every size
- Dolby Vision or ATSC 3.0 users
How it fits
Calculated from published specs and independent tests. How this works
Tap a score to see what went into it. These are calculations, not lab results.
Claimed vs. measured
Independent test figures are kept apart from what the manufacturer says. Results vary by tester, test size and firmware.
Measured Claimed
Brightness
HDR peak brightness (10% window)The most-quoted HDR brightness figure. A 10% window is about the size of a bright object in a scene.
- 1,400 nitsTechRadar65″ tested · 10% HDR window, as cited in a later article about the S90H · Apr 9, 2026
- 1,155 nitsTom's Guide65″ tested · 10% window, HDR · Sep 24, 2025
HDR full-screen brightnessBrightness of a completely bright image, like a snowfield or a hockey rink.
- 270 nitsTechRadar65″ tested · Fullscreen HDR, as cited in a later article about the S90H · Apr 9, 2026
SDR peak brightness (10% window)How bright regular, non-HDR content gets, which matters most in a sunny room.
- 520 nitsTom's Guide65″ tested · 10% window, SDR · Sep 24, 2025
Color
DCI-P3 color coverageHow much of the color range used by modern movies the TV can show.
- 100%Tom's Guide65″ tested · UHDA-P3 coverage · Sep 24, 2025
Rec. 2020 color coverageA wider color target than DCI-P3. No consumer TV covers it fully.
- 89.03%Tom's Guide65″ tested · Rec. 2020 coverage · Sep 24, 2025
Color accuracy out of the box (ΔE)Lower is better. Under about 3 is hard to distinguish from perfect by eye.
- ΔE 1.1Tom's Guide65″ tested · Delta-E, out of the box · Sep 24, 2025
Gaming
Input lag, 4K 60 Hz (game mode)The delay between pressing a button and seeing it on screen.
- 9.1 msTom's Guide65″ tested · Game mode, Leo Bodnar 4K tester · Sep 24, 2025
What changes by size
The same name doesn’t always mean the same TV. Here is every size we’ve confirmed.
| 42″ | 48″ | 55″ | 65″ | 77″ | 83″ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model number | QN42S90FAEXZA | QN48S90FAEXZA | QN55S90FAFXZA | QN65S90FAFXZA | QN77S90FAFXZA | QN83S90FAEXZA |
| Lowest price | — | — | — | — | — | $5,400 |
| Display technology | WOLED | WOLED | Not published | QD-OLED | Not published | WOLED |
| Panel notes | WOLED per Tom's Guide. | WOLED per What Hi-Fi? (reviewed the 48-inch) and Tom's Guide. | Panel varies by size. Tom's Guide: WOLED at 42, 48 and 83 inches, QD-OLED at 55, 65 and 77. TechRadar says QD-OLED is only guaranteed worldwide at 65 inches. See each variant. | QD-OLED per Tom's Guide (tested) and TechRadar (guaranteed at this size). | Panel varies by size. Tom's Guide: WOLED at 42, 48 and 83 inches, QD-OLED at 55, 65 and 77. TechRadar says QD-OLED is only guaranteed worldwide at 65 inches. See each variant. | WOLED per Tom's Guide. |
| Width | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Weight | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| VESA | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Highlighted rows differ between sizes.
Will it fit?
From your seat
Viewing distance8′0″
A good fit. At this distance a 83″ screen fills 41° of your view. Most people like 59″–80″ from here.
Seen from above
Dimensions and mounting
- Without stand
- Not published
- With stand
- Not published
- Stand footprint
- Not published
- Weight
- Not published
- VESA pattern
- Not published
- Power use
- Not published
Full specifications
From the manufacturer unless noted. Shown for the 83″ model.
Picture
- Display technologyHow the screen makes its picture. OLED types light each pixel on their own for perfect black. Mini LED and QLED are LCDs with a backlight, and tend to get brighter.
- WOLED
- Panel typeFor LCD TVs: VA panels have deeper black but narrower viewing angles; IPS/ADS panels hold up better from the side but look grayer in the dark.
- OLED
- Panel notes
- WOLED per Tom's Guide.source
- BacklightFull-array backlights sit behind the whole screen and allow local dimming. Edge-lit TVs are thinner but dim far less precisely.
- Self-emissive
- Resolution
- 4K
- Picture processor
- NQ4 AI Gen3 Processorsource
HDR & color
- HDR formatsHDR formats describe how a TV should show bright highlights and rich color. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ adjust the picture scene by scene; a source and TV must both support a format to use it.
- HDR10, HDR10+, HLGsource
Refresh & motion
- Native refresh rateHow many new images per second the panel can really show. Marketing “motion rates” are often double this number, so check the native figure.
- 120 Hzsource
- Maximum refresh rateThe highest refresh the TV accepts over HDMI. Sometimes only available at reduced resolution or from a PC.
- 144 Hzsource
Smart platform
- Smart TV platformThe software your TV runs. It decides your home screen, app selection and how often you’ll see ads.
- Tizen
HDMI & connections
- HDMI ports
- 4source
- HDMI 2.1 portsPorts with enough bandwidth for 4K at 120 Hz and beyond. If you have more than one current console or a gaming PC, count these carefully.
- 4
- HDMI notes
- Four HDMI 2.1 inputs; the third supports eARC, per Tom's Guide.source
- eARCEnhanced Audio Return Channel sends high-quality audio from your TV’s apps and inputs back to a soundbar or receiver over one HDMI cable.
- Yessource
- USB ports
- 2source
- Optical audio out
- Yessource
- Ethernet
- Ethernet portsource
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6source
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3source
Gaming
- Highest 4K gaming refresh
- 144 Hzsource
- Dolby Vision gaming
- No
Accessibility
- Remote
- Solar-charging remote with USB charging (What Hi-Fi?)source
Primary source: samsung.com
Setup notes
- Four HDMI 2.1 inputs; the third supports eARC.
- VRR runs up to 144Hz on a 120Hz native panel.
- HDR formats are HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG; no Dolby Vision.
- Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3; Ethernet, optical out and an RF input are present.
Video reviews
Each video was checked to exist and to be about the Samsung S90F OLED.
Samsung S95F vs S90F OLED — Which One Should You REALLY Buy? (Review)
CalebRated compares the S95F and S90F to help choose between them.
Buy This - Samsung S90F QD OLED Review
The Display Guy reviews the S90F QD-OLED and recommends it, per the title.
Is The S90F Still Good in 2026?! Samsung Full TV Review
Walts TV revisits whether the S90F is still good in 2026.
What reviewers found
Summaries in our own words. Follow the link to read each review in full.
Editor's Choice for the 65-inch QD-OLED, praising color, contrast, gaming features and thin design. Complains about middling audio and the lack of Dolby Vision and ATSC 3.0, and spells out which sizes use WOLED.
Read the originalLiked the 48-inch's picture and gaming features, but noted it uses a WOLED panel while the 65-inch has QD-OLED in some regions, and that brightness trails the S95F.
Read the originalLooks back at the S90F panel lottery, saying QD-OLED was only guaranteed worldwide at 65 inches, and cites the 65-inch's brightness and wide BT.2020 coverage.
Read the original
What owners are saying
From Reddit and forums, paraphrased with a link to the original discussion. Community reports are anecdotal.
Still recommends the S90F or S95F but says buying involves gambling on getting a good panel, a reference to the size-dependent panel types.
Read the originalA 65-inch owner praises the S90F's QD-OLED picture and gaming modes, and says the WOLED S90H that replaced it is still rated well.
Read the originalReports returning three open-box TVs with missing parts or burn-in before buying a new S90F directly from Samsung, a caution about open-box purchases of OLEDs.
Read the original
Questions
Which S90F sizes have QD-OLED?
Tom's Guide says 55, 65 and 77 inches are QD-OLED and 42, 48 and 83 inches are WOLED. TechRadar says only 65 inches is guaranteed QD-OLED worldwide, and What Hi-Fi? says it varies by region. Samsung's US model codes end in AFXZA for 55, 65 and 77 inches and AEXZA for the others, matching Tom's Guide, but Samsung has not published a rule.
Is the 65-inch S90F QD-OLED?
Yes, both Tom's Guide and TechRadar describe the 65-inch as QD-OLED.
Did Samsung change this in 2026?
Yes. TechRadar reports that the 2026 S90H uses WOLED in every size, ending the mixed-panel approach.
Does it support Dolby Vision?
No. Tom's Guide lists the missing Dolby Vision and ATSC 3.0 support among its downsides.
What is its maximum gaming refresh rate?
Tom's Guide lists 120Hz native with VRR up to 144Hz, below the 165Hz of the S95F and S95H.
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Sources for this page
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/65-class-oled-tvs90f-sku-qn65s90fa
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/42-class-oled-tvs90f-sku-qn42s90fa
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/48-class-oled-tvs90f-sku-qn48s90fa
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/55-class-oled-tvs90f-sku-qn55s90fa
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/77-class-oled-tvs90f-sku-qn77s90fa
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/83-class-oled-tvs90f-sku-qn83s90fa
- tomsguide.com /tvs/oled-tvs/samsung-s90f-oled-tv-review
- whathifi.com /tv-home-cinema/televisions/samsung-s90f-qe48s90f
- techradar.com /televisions/some-tv-fans-arent-happy-about-samsun
- techradar.com /televisions/samsung-s95f-review
Last reviewed Nov 9, 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.