Choosing Between Samsung's Premium TVs: S90F OLED vs. QN90D Neo QLED

When it comes to high-end televisions in 2025, Samsung's flagship models represent two distinct approaches to achieving spectacular image quality. In this article, we'll compare the Samsung 65" S90F OLED 4K Vision AI Smart TV 2025 and the Samsung 65" QN90D Series 4K Neo QLED Smart TV—two incredible displays that take fundamentally different paths to visual excellence.

Understanding Today's Premium TV Landscape

The television market has evolved dramatically over the past decade, with two dominant display technologies emerging as leaders: OLED and advanced LED/LCD (including Samsung's Neo QLED technology). Each offers distinct advantages that cater to different viewing environments and user preferences.

The S90F OLED represents Samsung's newest OLED offering, released in spring 2025 as a successor to the well-received S90D model. It features Samsung's QD-OLED technology, which combines quantum dots with organic light-emitting diodes to deliver both perfect blacks and vibrant colors.

The QN90D Neo QLED, released in early 2024, represents the pinnacle of Samsung's LCD-based technology. It uses mini-LED backlighting with thousands of tiny LEDs arranged in precision-controlled dimming zones, paired with a quantum dot layer for enhanced color performance.

When selecting between these two premium options, several factors deserve careful consideration: picture quality characteristics, viewing environment compatibility, gaming performance, smart features, and—perhaps most importantly—value for money. Let's explore each of these aspects in detail.

Display Technology: The Fundamental Difference

OLED: Self-Illuminating Pixels

The S90F OLED uses Samsung's QD-OLED panel technology, which represents a significant advancement over traditional OLED displays. In a QD-OLED panel, each pixel generates its own light and can turn completely off when displaying black. This self-emissive approach results in several key benefits:

• Perfect black levels: When an OLED pixel displays black, it's completely off—emitting zero light. This creates an infinite contrast ratio that no backlit technology can match.
• No blooming: Unlike backlit displays, OLEDs don't suffer from "blooming" or "haloing" (where light from bright objects bleeds into surrounding dark areas), resulting in cleaner, more precise HDR highlights.
• Wide viewing angles: OLED maintains consistent color and contrast even when viewed from extreme angles, making it ideal for large family rooms where people might sit off to the sides.

The S90F specifically uses Samsung's third-generation QD-OLED panel, which addresses brightness limitations of earlier OLED TVs. While Samsung hasn't officially confirmed specific hardware improvements, display industry analysts suggest the S90F uses new materials and power management techniques to achieve brightness levels estimated around 1,300-1,400 nits—significantly brighter than OLEDs from just a few years ago, which typically peaked around 800-900 nits.

Neo QLED: Mini-LED Precision

The QN90D Neo QLED takes a fundamentally different approach. Instead of self-illuminating pixels, it uses a sophisticated backlighting system comprising thousands of mini-LEDs—tiny light sources that are a fraction of the size of traditional LED backlights. These are arranged in hundreds of independently controlled dimming zones behind the LCD panel.

This advanced backlighting system offers its own set of advantages:

• Exceptional brightness: The QN90D has been measured reaching peak brightness exceeding 2,000 nits in HDR highlights—nearly double what even the best OLEDs can achieve. This makes it particularly well-suited for bright rooms and daylight viewing.
• No burn-in risk: Unlike OLED displays, LCD-based technologies like Neo QLED aren't susceptible to permanent image retention or "burn-in," making them more appropriate for displaying static content like news tickers, gaming HUDs, or network logos.
• Consistent brightness with large bright areas: While OLEDs must limit power when displaying large bright areas (like snow scenes), the QN90D can maintain high brightness across the entire screen.

Picture Quality Face-Off: Breaking Down the Visual Experience

Brightness and Room Compatibility

The most immediately noticeable difference between these two TVs is their brightness capability. The QN90D Neo QLED can get dramatically brighter than the S90F OLED, making it the clear winner for naturally bright environments.

In my experience testing TVs in various lighting conditions, the QN90D's brightness advantage is substantial and meaningful in real-world use. In a sun-filled living room with large windows, the QN90D's image remains vibrant and impactful, while the S90F—though much improved over earlier OLEDs—can still appear somewhat washed out during daytime viewing.

However, in controlled lighting or evening viewing, the brightness gap becomes less significant. Both TVs deliver exceptional HDR highlights that make specular reflections, sunlight, and other bright elements pop convincingly. The difference is that the OLED achieves this impressive visual impact through its perfect contrast ratio rather than raw brightness output.

Contrast and Black Levels

When it comes to reproducing deep blacks and shadow detail, the technologies diverge dramatically. The S90F OLED simply cannot be beaten in this regard. Its ability to turn individual pixels completely off means that starfields in space scenes, shadows in dimly lit horror movies, and nighttime cityscapes all have a realistic depth and dimensionality that no backlit display can match.

The QN90D Neo QLED certainly tries its best, using hundreds of precisely controlled dimming zones to approximate the contrast of OLED. In many scenes, it comes remarkably close. However, in challenging content with bright objects against dark backgrounds (think of a spaceship against the void of space or credits rolling on a black background), the limitations become visible. You'll notice subtle blooming—a halo effect around bright objects—that doesn't exist on OLED displays.

For dedicated home theater environments with controlled lighting, this contrast advantage makes the S90F the preferred choice among many cinephiles. When watching films like "Dune" or "The Batman," which feature many dark scenes with precise highlights, the OLED's perfect blacks create a sense of depth that enhances the cinematic experience.

Color Performance

Both TVs offer exceptional color performance, though they achieve it through different means.

The S90F OLED combines OLED's pixel-level precision with quantum dot color enhancement, resulting in vibrant, accurate colors that maintain their integrity even in near-black scenes. This is an area where traditional OLEDs sometimes struggled, as very dark colors could lose saturation, but Samsung's QD-OLED technology specifically addresses this limitation.

The QN90D Neo QLED uses its quantum dot layer to achieve a similarly wide color gamut. Its higher brightness actually gives it a slight advantage in displaying the brightest, most saturated colors at maximum volume. However, it can't quite match the OLED's color consistency in very dark scenes.

In practical terms, both TVs display remarkably accurate colors out of the box in their "Filmmaker Mode" settings. Professional calibration can improve both, but the difference is subtle and likely noticeable only to trained eyes in side-by-side comparisons.

Motion Handling

For sports fans and action movie enthusiasts, motion handling is a critical aspect of picture quality. Here, the S90F OLED has a natural advantage due to its near-instantaneous pixel response time—under 1 millisecond. This means that when pixels need to change color quickly (such as during fast camera pans or sports action), they do so almost instantly, resulting in clearer motion with minimal blur.

The QN90D Neo QLED performs admirably in this regard but can't quite match OLED's intrinsic advantage. Its pixel response time (around 2-4 milliseconds) is excellent for an LCD-based display but still creates slightly more natural motion blur.

Both TVs offer excellent motion processing options, including black frame insertion (which Samsung calls "LED Clear Motion") and various motion interpolation settings ("Picture Clarity" in Samsung's menu) that can reduce judder in 24fps movie content or add the controversial "soap opera effect" if you prefer that look for certain content.

In my testing of fast-paced games and sports content, the S90F's motion clarity advantage is noticeable but not dramatic. Most viewers would be perfectly satisfied with either TV's motion handling, though competitive gamers might appreciate the OLED's slight edge.

Gaming Excellence: Both TVs Shine

Both the S90F OLED and QN90D Neo QLED offer exceptional gaming experiences, though with slightly different strengths.

Latency and Responsiveness

Input lag—the delay between when your controller sends a signal and when the action appears on screen—is excellent on both TVs. Both achieve approximately 5-10 milliseconds of input lag in their respective Game Modes at 4K/120Hz, which is imperceptible to all but the most competitive gamers.

The S90F's faster pixel response time gives it a slight edge in motion clarity during extremely fast-paced gaming, but the difference is subtle. Both TVs support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) technologies, including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, to eliminate screen tearing and provide smoother gameplay.

Advanced Gaming Features

Samsung has equipped both TVs with impressive gaming features:

• The S90F OLED supports refresh rates up to 144Hz at 4K resolution, giving PC gamers an extra edge in high-frame-rate titles.
• Both TVs feature Samsung's Game Bar, an overlay that allows quick access to game-related settings and information about the current input signal.
• Both support Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), which automatically switches to Game Mode when a game console is detected.
• The QN90D Neo QLED includes Samsung's "Game Motion Plus" feature, which reduces motion blur while maintaining low input lag.

For console gamers using PS5 or Xbox Series X, either TV will provide an exceptional experience. PC gamers with high-end graphics cards might appreciate the S90F's higher refresh rate capability, while those who play games with static HUDs for extended periods might prefer the Neo QLED's immunity to burn-in.

Smart Features and Processing: The Brain Behind the Beauty

Processing Power and AI Enhancements

The S90F OLED benefits from Samsung's latest NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, which represents a significant advancement over the previous generation. This processor powers several key enhancements:

• 4K AI Upscaling Pro: This feature uses machine learning algorithms (trained on 128 neural networks, according to Samsung) to convert lower-resolution content to near-4K quality. The results are impressive, particularly with 1080p sources like Blu-rays or high-quality streaming content.
• Real Depth Enhancer Pro: An AI-driven system that identifies the focal point in scenes and enhances depth perception, creating a more three-dimensional image without requiring 3D glasses.
• Auto HDR Remastering: Automatically converts standard dynamic range content to HDR-like quality through deep learning algorithms.

The QN90D Neo QLED uses the previous-generation NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor, which is still powerful but lacks some of the refinements found in the newer chip. In side-by-side comparisons, the S90F's upscaling shows slightly better texture reproduction and edge detection, particularly with lower-quality sources like DVDs or standard-definition broadcasts.

Smart TV Experience

Both TVs run Samsung's Tizen operating system, though the S90F benefits from the latest 2025 interface refinements. These include faster menu navigation, improved content recommendations, and a more streamlined layout.

Common features across both models include:

• Samsung TV Plus: A free streaming service with over 200 channels
• Gaming Hub: Direct access to cloud gaming services like Xbox Game Pass and NVIDIA GeForce NOW
• SmartThings Integration: Control compatible smart home devices directly from your TV
• Multiple Voice Assistants: Support for Bixby, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant

The newer S90F OLED also introduces some exclusive features, including enhanced AI-driven sound optimization and a feature called "Pet Care" that can detect pet noises and automatically play calming content when you're away from home.

Longevity Considerations: Planning for the Future

When investing in a premium TV, longevity becomes an important consideration. Here, the technologies present different trade-offs.

The Burn-in Question

The most significant long-term concern with OLED technology has historically been the potential for permanent image retention, commonly called "burn-in." This occurs when static elements (like channel logos, news tickers, or gaming HUDs) are displayed for extended periods, eventually causing those pixels to age differently than surrounding areas.

Samsung has implemented several protective measures in the S90F OLED:

• Pixel Shift: Subtly moves static elements to prevent any single pixel from displaying the same content for too long
• Logo Detection: Automatically dims areas containing static logos
• Screen Saver: Activates after periods of inactivity

These protections, combined with improvements in OLED materials, have significantly reduced burn-in risk compared to early OLED models. For most consumers with varied viewing habits, burn-in is unlikely to occur. However, those who watch the same content with static elements for many hours daily (like dedicated news channels or specific games) should still consider this potential limitation.

The QN90D Neo QLED, being LCD-based, is immune to burn-in—a significant advantage for those with specific usage patterns that might put an OLED at risk.

Physical Durability

Both TVs are well-built premium products with high-quality materials. The QN90D is slightly heavier due to its backlighting system, while the S90F has an incredibly thin profile (at least in its upper portion). Both feature sturdy stands, though wall-mounting is popular for these large displays.

Value Proposition: Performance Per Dollar

Perhaps the most striking difference between these TVs in mid-2025 is their price. The S90F OLED, being a brand-new flagship model, commands a premium price of around $2,500 for the 65-inch version. Meanwhile, the QN90D Neo QLED—which was Samsung's high-end offering just a year earlier—has seen substantial price reductions and can now be found for approximately $1,400.

This price differential of over $1,000 raises important questions about value. The S90F undoubtedly offers technical advantages in certain areas: perfect blacks, wider viewing angles, slightly better motion handling, and the latest processor. However, the QN90D delivers superior brightness, immunity to burn-in, and nearly equivalent feature set at almost half the price.

For most consumers, the QN90D represents the better value proposition in 2025. It delivers approximately 80-90% of the S90F's performance at a significantly lower price point. The exception would be dedicated home theater enthusiasts who view primarily in controlled lighting conditions, where the OLED's perfect blacks and contrast advantages can truly shine.

How to Decide: Finding Your Perfect Match

After examining all these factors, how should you decide between the Samsung 65" S90F OLED and the Samsung 65" QN90D Neo QLED? Here's a straightforward decision framework:

Choose the Samsung S90F OLED if:

• You primarily watch movies and shows in a dimly lit or light-controlled environment
• You have a dedicated home theater room where perfect blacks will be appreciated
• You often view content from wide seating positions off-center
• You're willing to pay a premium for the absolute best overall picture quality
• You've varied your viewing content enough that burn-in isn't a significant concern

Choose the Samsung QN90D Neo QLED if:

• Your room has lots of windows or bright lighting where brightness is crucial
• You frequently watch news channels, sports with scoreboards, or play games with static HUDs
• You're looking for the best value in a premium television
• You prefer maximum brightness over absolute black levels
• You want peace of mind regarding long-term durability without worrying about image retention

For most living rooms and mixed-use environments, the QN90D Neo QLED offers tremendous value while still delivering an exceptional viewing experience. Its brightness advantage makes it more versatile for everyday environments, and its significantly lower price point means you could potentially upgrade again sooner or add a quality sound system with the savings.

However, for dedicated movie enthusiasts with controlled lighting, the S90F OLED represents the pinnacle of picture quality, particularly for cinematic content. Its perfect blacks, precise highlights, and absence of blooming create an immersive experience that's difficult to match with any backlit technology.

Whichever technology you choose, both represent the impressive state of television technology in 2025—a far cry from the limited contrast and color capabilities of TVs from just a decade ago. The real winner is the consumer, who now has access to truly exceptional display technologies that continue to push the boundaries of home entertainment.

Samsung 65" S90F OLED 4K Vision AI Smart TV 2025 Deals and Prices

Samsung 65" QN90D Series 4K Neo QLED Smart TV Deals and Prices