The Samsung S90F is the best value OLED of 2025, and the 65-inch is the specific size you want. Samsung ran a "panel lottery" across this lineup, where different sizes ship with different panel technologies. The 42, 48 and 83-inch models use WOLED. The 65-inch is the one size confirmed to use Samsung's brighter, more colourful QD-OLED panel in every region worldwide. Same model name, meaningfully different TV. It hits roughly 1,150 to 1,450 nits in HDR, has four HDMI 2.1 ports at 144Hz, and regularly sells for well under the flagship S95F. The two real compromises: no Dolby Vision, and weak built-in speakers.
In this article
- The panel lottery: why 65 inches is the size to buy
- Picture quality: what QD-OLED actually gets you
- Is the S90F good for PS5 and Xbox?
- The three things people complain about
- Samsung S90F vs LG C5: which should you buy?
- Who should buy the S90F?
- Frequently asked questions
The panel lottery: why 65 inches is the size to buy
This is the most important thing to understand about the S90F, and most listings will not tell you.
Samsung sells the S90F in six sizes: 42, 48, 55, 65, 77 and 83 inches. They share a name, a processor and a feature set. They do not all share a panel. Some sizes use Samsung Display's QD-OLED. Others use LG Display's WOLED. Enthusiast forums have called this the "panel lottery" since the 2024 S90D, and Samsung has generally declined to confirm which panel goes into which unit.
| 42" · 48" · 83" | WOLED |
| 55" · 77" | QD-OLED (region dependent) |
| 65" | QD-OLED, confirmed worldwide |
The 65-inch is the only size confirmed to ship with QD-OLED in every region. In the UK lineup it was the sole S90F size with the QD-OLED panel; every other size used LG Display's WRGB panel. If you specifically want QD-OLED colour and brightness, 65 inches removes the guesswork entirely.
To be fair to WOLED, it is still an excellent panel. Reviewers who tested the WOLED version of the S90F still rated it a genuine competitor to the LG C5. But QD-OLED gives you wider colour volume, higher peak brightness and better off-angle performance, and if you are paying OLED money you probably want to know which one is arriving in the box.
Picture quality: what QD-OLED actually gets you
QD-OLED works differently from conventional WOLED. Instead of a white OLED layer filtered into colours, it uses a blue OLED emitter with quantum dots converting light into red and green. Removing the colour filter means less light is thrown away, so you get purer colour and more brightness from the same panel energy.
In practice, on the 65-inch S90F:
- Peak HDR brightness of roughly 1,150 to 1,450 nits in small highlights, depending on which measurement you read. That is bright enough that HDR highlights genuinely pop rather than looking flat.
- Around 99% DCI-P3 coverage and colour accuracy that reviewers repeatedly single out as a strength.
- Perfect blacks and pixel-level contrast, because every pixel is self-emissive. No blooming around bright objects on dark backgrounds.
- Wide viewing angles. Colour and contrast hold up from the sides, which matters if your sofa is not centred.
One honest caveat, and it is specific to QD-OLED: in a very bright, sunlit room, QD-OLED panels can show raised blacks. Ambient light hits the panel and blacks look slightly grey rather than truly black. In a dim or moderately lit room this is a non-issue. If your TV sits opposite a large window in direct sun, the flagship S95F with its matte glare-free coating handles that situation better.
The NQ4 AI Gen3 processor handles upscaling. On a QD-OLED panel the upscaling holds up well, partly because the panel handles gradients smoothly on its own. It is competent rather than class-leading. Sony still edges Samsung on processing older low-resolution content.
NQ4 AI Gen3 processor, 4K upscaling, HDR10+, Motion Xcelerator 144Hz, Vision AI, Alexa built in. The 65-inch is the confirmed QD-OLED size.
See it on Amazon →Is the S90F good for PS5 and Xbox?
This is where the S90F is hardest to argue with. The gaming feature set is close to complete:
- Four HDMI 2.1 ports. Not two. All four are full bandwidth, so a PS5, an Xbox Series X, a PC and a soundbar can all connect without a switcher.
- 144Hz refresh rate at 4K. Consoles cap at 120Hz, so the extra headroom is for PC gaming.
- VRR, ALLM and FreeSync Premium Pro for tear-free variable frame rates.
- Input lag under 10ms at 120Hz, plus OLED's near-instant pixel response.
- Samsung Game Bar and Gaming Hub for on-the-fly settings and cloud gaming without a console.
For fast-paced games and sports, the combination of OLED response time and low lag is genuinely excellent. Reviewers consistently rate this as one of the best gaming TVs in its price class.
The three things people complain about
No TV is perfect at this price. These are the complaints that come up again and again from owners and reviewers, and you should decide about each one before buying.
1. No Dolby Vision
Samsung refuses to license Dolby Vision across its entire TV range and backs the rival HDR10+ standard instead. The S90F supports HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG. This matters because Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+ and most 4K Blu-rays master in Dolby Vision, and on this TV that content falls back to standard HDR10 without the dynamic scene-by-scene metadata. How much you care depends entirely on you: the S90F is bright and colour-accurate enough that HDR10 still looks superb, and most viewers never notice. But if you collect 4K Blu-rays or you want the technically best possible presentation of streaming HDR, this is the reason to look at LG or Sony instead.
2. The speakers are weak
A 40W 2.1 channel system in a panel 1.6 inches thick. Reviewers describe the audio as middling, and the flagship S95F gets a far more capable 70W 4.2.2 setup. Budget for a soundbar. On a TV this good, running the built-in speakers is leaving most of the experience on the table.
3. No ATSC 3.0 tuner
If you watch free over-the-air broadcast TV with an antenna in the US, the S90F cannot receive NextGen TV 4K broadcasts without an external tuner box. Irrelevant if you stream everything. Annoying if you are a cord-cutter using an antenna.
Worth adding: OLED burn-in comes up in almost every OLED discussion. Modern panels including this one have pixel-shifting and automatic refresh cycles, and for normal mixed viewing it is not a realistic concern. If you leave a single static news ticker or channel logo on screen for many hours every single day, any OLED is the wrong choice.
Samsung S90F vs LG C5: which should you buy?
This is the actual decision most buyers are making, and it comes down to two or three questions rather than an overall winner.
| Samsung S90F 65" | LG C5 65" | |
|---|---|---|
| Panel | QD-OLED | WOLED |
| Colour volume | More vivid, wider gamut | Excellent, slightly less saturated |
| SDR brightness | Very good | Edge to the C5 |
| Dolby Vision | No | Yes |
| Bright sunlit rooms | Blacks can look raised | Handles it better |
| Gaming | 4x HDMI 2.1, 144Hz | 4x HDMI 2.1, 144Hz |
| Smart platform | Tizen, Alexa built in | webOS |
Choose the S90F if you want maximum colour vibrancy, you game a lot, your room is dim to moderately lit, and Dolby Vision does not matter to you.
Choose the LG C5 if you watch a lot of Dolby Vision content or 4K Blu-rays, your room is very bright, or you prefer webOS.
Who should buy the S90F?
The S90F sits between the entry-level S85F and the flagship S95F, and it takes most of what makes the S95F special while cutting the price substantially. The S95F adds a matte anti-glare coating, better speakers and the One Connect external box. Those are real upgrades, but they are not picture-quality upgrades in a controlled room. For most people the S90F is the smarter buy, and Business Insider named it the best TV of 2026 for exactly that reason.
Buy it if: you want flagship-tier OLED picture without flagship pricing, you game on console or PC, you are buying the 65-inch specifically, and you already own or plan to buy a soundbar.
Look elsewhere if: Dolby Vision is important to you (LG C5 or Sony Bravia 8), your room is extremely bright (Samsung S95F or a Mini-LED), you use an antenna for 4K broadcasts, or you want a cheaper set and can accept less (the TCL QM6K is the usual value alternative).
Check the current 65-inch price
OLED pricing moves constantly, and the S90F has repeatedly hit new lows during sale events. Worth checking before paying list price.
View the Samsung S90F 65" on Amazon →Confirm the model code on the listing before ordering. See the FAQ below.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Samsung S90F 65-inch have a QD-OLED panel?
Yes. The 65-inch is the one S90F size confirmed to use Samsung Display's QD-OLED panel in every region worldwide. The 55 and 77-inch models use QD-OLED in most regions, while the 42, 48 and 83-inch sizes use LG Display's WOLED panel. If QD-OLED specifically matters to you, the 65-inch removes the uncertainty.
How can I tell which panel my S90F has?
Check the model code on the box or the listing. In the US, codes ending in FAFXZA on the 55, 65 and 77-inch sizes indicate the QD-OLED panel, while FAEXZA codes on the 42, 48 and 83-inch sizes indicate WOLED. Codes vary by region, so confirm with the retailer if you are unsure before ordering.
Does the Samsung S90F support Dolby Vision?
No. Samsung does not support Dolby Vision on any of its TVs. The S90F supports HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG. Dolby Vision content from Netflix, Disney+ and 4K Blu-rays plays fine but falls back to standard HDR10 without dynamic metadata. Most viewers do not notice, but 4K Blu-ray collectors sometimes do.
How bright is the Samsung S90F?
Around 1,150 to 1,450 nits peak HDR brightness in small highlights, which makes it one of the brightest mid-range OLEDs available. That is plenty for a dim or moderately lit room. In a very bright sunlit room, QD-OLED blacks can appear slightly raised, and the S95F with its matte coating handles that better.
Is the Samsung S90F good for PS5 gaming?
Yes, it is one of the best gaming TVs in its class. Four full HDMI 2.1 ports, 144Hz (PS5 runs up to 120Hz), VRR, ALLM, FreeSync Premium Pro, input lag under 10ms and near-instant OLED pixel response. Samsung Game Bar and Gaming Hub are included.
Should I buy the S90F or the S95F?
The S95F adds a matte glare-free coating, a much better 70W 4.2.2 speaker system and the One Connect box, and it costs considerably more. Both use the same NQ4 AI Gen3 processor. If your room is very bright, the S95F's anti-glare coating justifies the jump. Otherwise the S90F delivers most of the picture quality for less.
Do OLED TVs still get burn-in?
The risk is much lower than it used to be. Modern OLEDs including the S90F use pixel shifting and automatic panel refresh cycles, and for normal mixed viewing burn-in is not a realistic concern. The exception is displaying the same static element, like a channel logo or news ticker, for many hours daily over years.
The bottom line
The Samsung S90F earns its reputation as the value OLED of its generation, and the 65-inch version is the one worth buying. It is the size where you know you are getting QD-OLED rather than taking a chance on the panel lottery, and QD-OLED is what makes the colour and brightness stand out against the LG C5.
Go in knowing the trade-offs. No Dolby Vision is a real limitation if you care about it, and the speakers need a soundbar. Accept those two things and you get near-flagship OLED picture, one of the best gaming feature sets available, and a price that undercuts the S95F by a wide margin. For most people in a normally lit living room, that is the right set of compromises.
Check the Samsung S90F 65-inch on Amazon →
Related reading: more honest product reviews on 96 Heures
Specifications and panel allocations reflect information available at the time of writing and can vary by region and production batch. Confirm the model code with your retailer before purchase. Prices change frequently.
Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 96 Heures earns from qualifying purchases. Product links on this page are affiliate links.
Last reviewed: August 2026
