The Samsung QE48S90H is a 48-inch mid-range OLED television priced at £1,299, positioning it as a strong contender in the compact premium TV segment. It utilizes an LG Display WOLED panel, modified by Samsung to include a matte anti-glare finish that effectively reduces reflections and maintains strong black levels even when viewed in brightly lit rooms.
The display features terrific viewing angles, maintaining both high brightness and colour saturation regardless of the viewing position. The Tizen interface has undergone an overhaul, which the reviewer found to be arguably its best version yet due to a cleaner aesthetic free from ad banners. Navigation is quick and breezy, utilizing large icons structured around sections such as For You, Live, Gaming, Daily, and Apps.
Connectivity proves highly comprehensive. It offers four HDMI 2.1 inputs, all supporting 4K at 120Hz for consoles and reaching up to 165Hz for PC connections. One dedicated port is available for HDMI eARC. Further connections include Ethernet, two USB-A inputs, two RF inputs for satellite and aerial services, a CI slot, and support for Samsung’s Anynet+ for CEC control.
Wireless compatibility is broad, covering Wi-Fi 6E, Google Cast, Apple AirPlay, and Bluetooth 5.3. The Game Hub makes the TV a versatile portal for gaming enthusiasts, providing access to cloud services including Xbox, Amazon Luna, Nvidia GeForce, and others. Gaming performance is particularly strong; all four HDMI ports support both ALLM and VRR, offering compatibility with Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. It boasts an input lag of 9.4ms, which reduces almost to zero with VRR activation.
Regarding picture quality, the S90H shows a significant advancement over previous 48-inch Samsung OLEDs, with peak brightness exceeding 1000 nits compared to 600 nits. The colours are described as rich, punchy, and saturated while remaining natural. Motion processing is stable using the Custom setting, though the Auto setting can introduce an obvious soap opera effect. While the anti-glare screen reduces reflections, it contributes to a slight softness in sharpness, and some shadow detail issues were noted in darker areas.
The upscaling capabilities are impressive across resolutions; Blu-rays maintain deep blacks and faithful colours, while DVD content benefits from the NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor, which can separate noise from actual picture information. The built-in sound system provides a pleasing warmer tone with detectable bass weight. While it cannot deliver deep bass or is prone to distortion during particularly low frequencies, the Amplify mode enhances the soundstage with more detail and ambience.
Other features include support for HLG, HDR10, and HDR10+ in Adaptive, Advanced, and Gaming modes, though Dolby Vision and DTS are absent. The TV also supports Dolby Atmos audio and includes additional functions such as Multi-View, Live Translate with subtitles, the Active Voice Amplifier Pro, and the AI Football Pro mode.
Source: Trusted Reviews