The competition to be among the best OLED TVs is heated, as top-name brands like Sony, LG, Samsung and now even Panasonic race for the top. Since Samsung and LG make some of the most popular OLEDs on the market, I figured I'd take a closer look at their mid-range offerings: the LG C4 and the Samsung S90D.
LG's C Series OLED TVs are often praised for their value. While this year's LG C4 OLED sits at a rather high premium compared to lower-end OLEDs, it's still a sight to behold with its inky black levels and bright highlights.
In the opposite corner is Samsung's S90D, similarly a value-oriented OLED TV with almost identical specs to its rival. We're in the process of doing our full Samsung S90D review but we have the lab results and I have been testing it. Samsung's OLED offers some differing features, which might make it hard for some buyers to choose the right OLED for them.
Let's see just how these mid-range OLED TVs stack up against one another, from general performance to features. Will Samsung's model will out among value OLEDs, or is the C4 just too good of a bargain to beat?
LG C4 OLED vs Samsung S90D OLED: Specs compared
LG C4 OLED vs Samsung S90D OLED: Features
Being mid-range OLED TVs, the C4 and S90D share many of the same features. There is one major difference you should be aware of, however, and it involves HDR formats.
The C4 comes equipped with support for Dolby Vision, while the S90D has access to HDR10+. You'll still be able to enjoy HDR content on either TV, but Dolby Vision is the most prolific format among streaming platforms, games and shows.
For gaming features, both models offer four HDMI 2.1 inputs that support 4K gaming at 120Hz and 144Hz. They each offer Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) to prevent screen tearing during games. Their speaker systems are only marginally different, with the S90D welding a 40W 2.1 system against the C4's 40W 2.2-channel system.
It's a close category, but the C4 wins out on account of its Dolby Vision support.
Winner: LG C4
LG C4 OLED vs Samsung S90D OLED: Performance
Both of these TVs offer the same built-in benefits of OLED technology: namely, perfect black levels and super-accommodating viewing angles. To examine their differences, we need to look at the testing data we gathered for each.
In the 55-, 65-, and 77-inch models that leverage quantum dots, you're likely to notice slightly a slightly brighter and more colorful picture on the S90D than the LG C4.
The difference in highlight brightness is marginal, but the real benefits of the S90D's QD-OLED panel can be seen with its HDR color volume. It's the primary performance-based reason why you might want to go with the S90D's QD-OLED panel over the C4's WOLED panel. You rarely (and I mean very rarely) see TVs hit 80% (let alone 90%) of the Rec2020 gamut, making the S90D particularly impressive.
This is another close category, but the S90D takes it.
Winner: Samsung S90D
LG C4 OLED vs Samsung S90D OLED: Price
These TVs' hefty prices have fortunately come down quite a bit amid the holiday sales season. Even right now, several weeks after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the LG C4 OLED can still be scooped up for just $1,496 at Amazon. Similarly, the Samsung S90D is also down to just $1,697 at Amazon, making them a bit more feasible for most consumers — though not by much.
OLED TVs don't come cheap, but prices are slowly coming down. Personally, I find pricing on both TVs rather high, but at least the discounts are still ongoing and bringing it down significantly. There's no denying that the LG C4 is the more affordable model, though.
Winner: LG C4
LG C4 OLED vs Samsung S90D OLED: Outlook
The S90D and C4 are close. They share similar sets of features and are in roughly the same price range.
That being said, I feel the most accurate winner here is the Samsung S90D for a variety of reasons. Sure, you might be missing out on Dolby Vision support, but its superior brightness and color volume are very nice to have. With a highly robust set of gaming features that rivals the C4, the S90D truly deserves to sit among the best gaming TVs.
Samsung's really brought the gamut in terms of reasons to buy on its S90D. We'll have an official review of this mid-range OLED in due time, but it will be especially exciting to see what the next evolution of the S90D looks like at CES 2025.
