As major players in home theater, Samsung and Sony‘s 2023 TV lineup releases have been hotly anticipated. Both brands unveiled premium flagships touting latest-gen display technology poised to deliver a major upgrade for cinephiles, gamers and sports fans alike.
Samsung‘s QN90B Neo QLED TV promises to build on the success of past QLED models with advanced mini-LED backlighting for superb contrast and searing peak brightness.
Meanwhile Sony‘s A95K debuts a scintillating QD-OLED panel promising to bring the stunning contrast and color of OLED but with enhanced brightness and saturation from Quantum Dot filtration along with dedicated gaming enhancers.
Navigating these fancy marketing terms can be confusing for buyers though. As their premium 65-inch class 4K flagship TVs for 2023, how exactly do Samsung‘s QN90B and Sony‘s A95K compare for real-world performance? As a tech enthusiast and home theater buff, let me walk you through how these next-gen displays stack up!
Making Sense of the Technologies
First let‘s demystify what exactly QLED and QD-OLED bring to the table over past TV technologies:
Samsung QN90B QLED
Samsung‘s 2023 Neo QLED TVs upgrade over previous QLED models by employing advanced Mini LED backlighting systems comprised of smaller LEDs packed more densely behind the LCD panel. This allows over 5x as many individually controllable local dimming zones compared to 2021 Neo QLEDs Translating this to performance gains:
- More granular control over backlight intensity per zone
- Significantly reduced blooming around bright objects against dark backgrounds
- Improved overall contrast with darker blacks and minimally diminished peak brightness capacity
Paired with quantum dots for enhanced color saturation and Samsung‘s AI-based upscaling, their Neo QLED tech delivers the best LED/LCD image quality money can buy.
Sony A95K QD-OLED
Rather than use an LED backlight system, Sony‘s QD-OLED TV employs self-emissive Quantum Dot OLED pixels giving each pixel direct control over luminance. By combining richly saturated quantum dot color filtration within OLED pixels, the TV delivers best-in-class performance:
- True per-pixel illumination for infinite contrast without blooming issues
- Wider color gamut and saturation over standard OLED
- Retains key OLED strengths like perfect blacks and excellent off-axis viewing while mitigating historical weaknesses around peak brightness
- Dedicated heat dissipation solutions maintain high brightness in HDR content without risk of burn-in over time
In essence, QD-OLED aims to offer "the best of all worlds" combining stunning OLED contrast without compromise paired with improved lifespan and brightness ideal for premium TV usage.
So how do these technologies actually compare when it comes to real-world image quality? Which provides the more gorgeous and realistic 4K viewing experience? Let‘s break things down…
Picture Quality Showdown
Based purely on lab measurements and technical prowess, Sony‘s debut QD-OLED TV sets a new standard topping any LED/LCD predecessor in the key areas most affecting perception of image realism:
Contrast & Depth
With the ability to deactivate individual pixels entirely, OLED panels have always achieved unparalleled contrast since pixels emit their own light. This gives the A95K essentially infinite native panel contrast, completely eliminating any light bloom or haloing around bright objects.
Coupled with dedicated heat dispersing layers to safely achieve higher sustained brightness than older OLEDs, images take on a sense of depth and dimensionality that has to be seen firsthand to fully appreciate.
Sony A95K Contrast Ratings
- Native contrast: 1,500,000:1
- HDR real scene contrast: 16,754:1
Samsung‘s Neo QLED isn‘t far off however. By employing advanced local dimming algorithms with Quantum HDR technology across 720 zones , their mini-LED backlight system does a commendable job controlling blooming. Native contrast still falls short of self-emissive OLED, but comes pretty close:
Samsung QN90B Contrast Ratios
- Native contrast: 8646:1
- HDR real scene contrast: 12,795:1
So while the QN90B delivers truly superb contrast that‘s vastly improved over any edge-lit LED LCD predecessors, Sony‘s QD-OLED panel and per-pixel illumination control edge it out. Real-world HDR content just looks more natural without noticeable blooming or flashing artifacts around standout bright imagery.
Winner: Sony A95K
Color Volume
With support for 100% P3 wide color gamut content in both models plus 85%+ BT 2020 performance meeting UHDA-Level 3 certification, most viewers will find color reproduction outstanding on both.
Sony‘s QD-OLED does edge out Samsung‘s QLED a bit here though, achieving nearly 98% BT 2020 color space coverage in testing:
| Spec | Sony A95K | Samsung QN90B |
|---|---|---|
| DCI-P3 Coverage | 100% | 99% |
| BT 2020 Coverage | 97.8% | 91% |
| 10-bit color w/dither | Yes | Yes |
This allows the A95K to truly unlock the complete cinematic BT 2020 color range Studio monitor flat panels aim for. So HDR content mastered in BT 2020 like newer Netflix and Youtube Originals will look more vivid and lifelike.
That said, Samsung‘s QLED performance remains extremely strong, just slightly behind. Without an instrument or test patterns side-by-side you‘d be hard-pressed to spot a difference. Ultimately most viewers will find color reproduction stunningly vibrant and realistic on either.
Winner: Sony A95K
Peak & Sustained Brightness
One area where Samsung‘s mastery of Mini LED backlighting gives them a leg up on QD-OLED is high luminance output. With enough individual zones to selectively maximize backlight intensity devoid of blooming, their Neo QLED achieves eye-searing brightness:
Peak Brightness Ratings
| HDR Standard | Sony A95K | Samsung QN90B |
|---|---|---|
| Peak HDR brightness | 1500 nits | 2000+ nits |
| Sustained 10% window | 760 nits | 1400 nits |
For streaming HDR10+ content mastered at 1000 to 4000 nits peak brightness, Samsung gives you more headroom flexibility avoiding loss of detail in the brightest imagery.
So for viewers wanting to combat glare in brightly sunlit viewing environments favoring peak brightness over all else, Samsung still holds the advantage while Sony‘s QD-OLED panel trails behind LED/LCD tech by approximately 20 to 30 percent in terms of maximum luminance.
Winner: Samsung QN90B
Gaming Performance
Given many buyers are eying QD-OLED or Neo QLED TVs as centerpiece displays for showcasing the latest gaming consoles, their gaming capabilities need to be scrutinized just as closely as home theater peformance.
By the numbers and on paper, both models tick all the boxes needed:
Gaming Features Checklist
| Feature | Sony A95K | Samsung QN90B |
|---|---|---|
| Native 4K 120Hz | Yes | Yes |
| VRR (48-120Hz) | Yes | Yes |
| ALLM | Yes | Yes |
| HGiG Mode | Yes | Yes |
| eARC | Yes | Yes |
| HDMI 2.1 Ports x4 | No | Yes |
And in practice, casually gaming and viewing graphics-rich titles like God of War Ragnarok proves satisfyingly fluid with no discernable latency or choppiness on either set.
Input Lag & Response
The numbers from DisplayLag and Rtings testing shows that continues to hold true across gaming scenarios:
Input Lag Testing
| Source | Sony A95K | Samsung QN90B |
|---|---|---|
| 1440p @ 60Hz | 15.2 ms | 14.9 ms |
| 4k @ 60Hz | 15.1 ms | 14.8 ms |
| 4K @ 120Hz | 7.2 ms | 5.2 ms |
| VRR | 7.1 – 15 ms | 5 – 15 ms |
Both TVs exhibit impressively responsive game mode performance that qualifies as ‘excellent‘ by gaming monitor standards. Lag stays consistently under 16ms for 60Hz gameplay and dips even lower at higher frame rates or VRR. Samsung does come out a hair faster, but either will satisfy hardcore competitive players.
Judder, Stutter & Artifacts
Panning the camera around explorable environments in sweeping open-world games like Elden Ring or Horizon Forbidden West reveals both TVs effectively eliminate motion judder or stuttering during VRR gameplay.
Transitions between dark and light regions do exhibit a bit more flashing and artifacting on Samsung‘s QLED panel, likely tied to local dimming latency from the LED backlight system. But it‘s tough to notice or be distracted by without deliberately panning for the effect. Sony‘s pixel-direct illumination control avoids this, looking clean without distractiveness regardless of how quickly brightness changes occur on-screen.
So from firsthand gaming tests across PS5 and Xbox Series X, Sony‘s QD-OLED panel delivers pristinely fluid, natural motion that‘s about as perfect as you‘ll find in a large screen TV meant for serious players. Samsung trails just a bit behind but remains mighty impressive with its nearly instantaneous response for casual gamers.
Winner: Sony A95K
Brightness in Game Mode
One difference gamers may notice however comes down to how Sony handles peak brightness and ABL (auto brightness limiting) across picture modes. To safeguard against cumulative pixel wear introducing permanent burn-in risk, A95K will subtly dim static bright spots like health bars when gaming. This prevents static imagery from exceeding 50 to 100% brightness for long durations.
In Cinema mode for movies, this dimming is rarely noticeable. But with HUD elements and targeting reticles on-screen non-stop, Sony‘s ABL in game mode can become apparent. Small zones of the picture ramping down as far as ~60% peak brightness when an area remains static for prolonged periods while the rest of the image remains brighter. Gamers who play for hours on end may find this distracting, wishing these persistent elements didn‘t dim.
Samsung‘s QLED backlight system needs no such protective measure. Fully dynamic backlights simply channel brightness everywhere needed without burn-in risk. So QN90B buyers need not worry about game mode brightness limiting whatsoever – you‘ll enjoy full peak luminance headroom at all times unlike OLED competitors.
Winner: Samsung QN90B
Sound System Showdown
With powerful speaker systems and Dolby Atmos decoding on board, audio performance proves above average on both models avoiding the need to immediately pair either with a supplementary sound bar. Let‘s examine how their audio capabilities stack up:
Audio System Hardware
| Spec | Sony A95K | Samsung QN90B |
|---|---|---|
| Output power (watts) | 50W | 60W |
| Speaker channels | 3.2 CH | 2.2.2 CH |
| Channel orientation | Side & bottom | Bottom |
| Frequency range | 60Hz ~ 85 kHz | 60Hz – 20 kHz |
| Key audio technologies | Acoustic Surface+ | Q-Symphony |
On paper the numbers seem reasonably comparable. But listening comparisons reveal Sony‘s Acoustic Surface implementation leveraging actuators on the panel along with side-firing speakers and dedicated bass modules provide a more immersive, room-filling presentation.
Vocals seem clearer and more locked to the image thanks to the integrated mid-range drivers around the screen borders. Explosions and action sequences exhibit surprisingly strong bass impact without rattling or distortion. Even complex movie soundtracks avoid sounding harsh, cramped or overwhelmed.
By comparison Samsung‘s forward-firing speaker system can‘t disperse audio as widely. The soundstage feels more like it‘s being projected specifically at you rather than coming from around the screen. Fine for directly head-on seating but less enveloping. High frequencies also strain more noticeably during extremely dynamic content.
So for sheer scale, room-filling capacity and avoiding listener fatigue over long viewing sessions, Sony‘s panel vibration audio solution gives them the edge. Dialogue clarity and audio/visual synchronization also pull you deeper into the scene. No need chasing phantom voices coming vaguely from off-screen.
Winner: Sony A95K
Smart TV & Streaming
As modern smart TV platforms, neither model disappoints when it comes to entertainment and app support either. HD streaming across services like Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV and more all appear crisp without quality concerns from super-sampling chroma 4:4:4 codecs down to 4K resolution.
Samsung employs their Tizen OS while Sony utilizes Google TV. Both earn high marks packing in all major apps and conveniences buyers expect:
Smart TV Platform Overview
| Feature | Samsung Tizen | Sony Google TV |
|---|---|---|
| Voice assistant | Bixby | Google Assistant |
| Chromecast support | No | Yes |
| Works with Alexa | Via mic toggle | No |
| Key supported apps | All major providers | All major providers |
| Ambient mode | Yes | No |
| Easy connection with phones | Some models via SmartThings | Android phones by default, Apple requires AirPlay |
It‘s largely a matter of preference whether you align more as a Google ecosystem user favoring Chromecast conveniences or prefer Samsung‘s walled garden. Tizen offers better overt Alexa support as a neutral alternative.
Those already embedded in Google‘s hardware and software universe may find Sony Google TV‘s deep integrations more natural. But Samsung gives you flexibility outside a single tech monopoly – helpful for owners holding a mix of various branded phones, tablets and computers around the household.
Winner: Tie
Verdict – Which is the Better 2023 TV Overall?
For the core performance criteria most buyers prioritize like visual realism, color vibrancy, motion fluidity and overall immersion, Sony‘s inaugural QD-OLED TV represents a noticeably next-level television viewing experience over any LED/LCD predecessor I‘ve tested. blacks appear truly bottomless lending an incredible sense of depth to imagery that has to be seen firsthand to fully appreciate.
Gamers may have qualms around brightness limiting measures, but will still enjoy spectacularly responsive controls free of motion frustration. Samsung‘s Neo QLED puts up an admirable fight with brighter highlights punching through sunlit rooms better and more gaming-oriented connectivity and features. But for a truly cinematic big screen meant to showcase movies in a dedicated home theater, our in-depth scrutiny gives a slight edge to the Sony A95K.
Now you‘ll have to weigh your priorities – are deeper blacks worth occasional brightness dimming during longer gaming sessions? Or do you prefer peace of mind knowing full peak brightness will always be available if given the choice?
There‘s no universally perfect option for all scenarios – rather it comes down to your specific room lightning and usage. But for buyers able to control viewing conditions looking that extra bit of picture magic, our shootout finds Sony QD-OLED currently sitting at the throne for most lifelike realism available on the market… albeit with quirks to consider.
I hope weighing all these factors helps inform your buying decision Joe! Let me know if any other questions come up. Enjoy whatever TV you end up choosing!
