Samsung's S90F Proves Premium OLED Doesn't Need Premium Price

What if you could get 90% of flagship OLED performance for $1,400 instead of $4,000? Samsung's S90F QD-OLED TV makes that proposition a reality.

After weeks of rigorous testing, WIRED awarded the S90F a stellar 9/10 rating. Yet even the reviewer admitted something curious: despite near-flawless performance, the TV didn't immediately dazzle. That hesitation reveals something important about today's OLED market.

The Mid-Tier OLED Dilemma

Samsung and LG have been hoarding their most exciting OLED innovations for their priciest sets, leaving mid-range models feeling somewhat underwhelming. What used to be the OLED "sweet spot" now suffers from a relative lack of premium punch compared to flagships.

But the S90F challenges this dynamic. While it may not wow you during casual viewing, high-quality content reveals a TV that excels at the fundamentals: deep, nuanced contrast that LED TVs can't match, vivid yet naturalistic quantum dot colors, and exceptional processing that brings clarity to every detail.

With prices dropping from an original $2,500 to around $1,400, the value proposition becomes even more compelling.

Technical Excellence Without the Premium Tax

The S90F delivers where it matters most. Its contrast and black levels rival much pricier models, while screen uniformity tests revealed zero aberrations. Motion handling impressed even with challenging content, and the TV's shadow detail is so refined you might not need to adjust HDR tone mapping.

Perhaps most impressively, the S90F offers "among the best off-axis accuracy" the reviewer had ever tested. You can sit far off to the side with no noticeable reduction in color accuracy or brightness—a area where virtually all LED TVs struggle and even most OLEDs can't compete.

For gaming enthusiasts, four HDMI 2.1 ports with 144Hz VRR support make this a serious contender. Samsung's Game Hub continues to excel, offering multiple cloud gaming services alongside an accessible game bar for quick adjustments.

The Flagship Trade-offs

Of course, compromises exist. Peak brightness tops out at just over 1,000 nits—impressive for streaming content but noticeably dimmer than flagship models that can hit 4,000-5,000 nits. Flashy Blu-rays like Mad Max: Fury Road can look slightly muted in the brightest scenes.

The TV also lacks Samsung's latest matte anti-glare coating and continues to omit Dolby Vision support, focusing instead on HDR10 and HDR10+. Even the pedestal stand feels budget-friendly compared to premium alternatives.

Samsung's Tizen OS, while much improved, still has quirks. The system relentlessly pushes Samsung TV Plus, sometimes firing up content unprompted, though overall performance proved swift and reliable.

Market Implications

The S90F's success signals a shift in consumer expectations. If mid-tier OLEDs can deliver 90% of flagship performance at 60% of the price, how long before consumers question premium pricing altogether?

For videophiles seeking the absolute best, flagships like LG's G5 or Sony's Bravia 8 MK II still hold advantages. But for the vast majority of viewers, the S90F proves that "good enough" might actually be "excellent."