Samsung S90D vs LG C4 vs Sony BRAVIA 8: Which is the Best Mid-Range OLED?

Each of the “BIG 3” TV manufacturers have a model that fits snugly below their premium flagships in terms of price and performance. While each TV is great in its own right, how do you know which one is the best for you? In this comparison, we’ll explore why the Samsung S90D tops our recommendation list but also find where it falls short in competition with other OLEDs in this price bracket.

Models Tested: Samsung S90D (QN65S90DAFXZ); Sony BRAVIA 8 (Sony K-65XR80); LG C4 (OLED65C4PUA)

Follow our R&D process @RTINGScomRD  

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0:00 Intro  
0:47 Subpixels
1:07 HDR Brightness
1:35 Color Gamut
2:28 Color Volume
2:41 Overall Similarities
3:34 Sound
3:36 Verdict
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[salesfocus]

Funny how Samsung are swapping QDOLED out for WOLED and none of the reviewers are calling out this disgusting panel lottery.

[induction]

Abby is the flagship reviewer of Rtings.

[luisgalvez]

Just got the s90d 55 inch love it thanks for your review and helping me decide

🍻😎

[GopherM]

I have just gone through my second S90D since the end of February 2025. The first one died after 2 weeks. This second one barely lasted 7 weeks. There are several forums with members complaining about the power supplies in this model. Fortunately, I got mine from Costco with a 90-day return policy, and I have 5 weeks left to return it. I am seriously thinking about the Sony as a replacement. Every Sony I have had in the past has been rock solid. I will say that the S90D had a stellar picture while it was working.

[joey]

Samsung customer support is a nightmare. My S90D died in less than 4 months and was such a hassle to deal with.

Long story short I have the LG C4 now and couldn't be happier.

[Andyiow]

Just waiting for Black Friday to order my S90D, Samsung usually do good deals then. Thanks for your review.

[florisbackx]

Most of the S90D models where I live, The Netherlands have a WOLED not a QD OLED pane, l BIG difference. I can't image how many people have have bought one of those TV thinking they got a QD OLED.

[aqq]

S90d has a known power board issue. I had 2 TVs that died one took 2 months, another was less than a week. It was surreal. I returned s90d and got the c4. I wish RTINGS didn’t push the samsung

[killweav]

Wanted to give a shout out to the channel. Excellent review details and helped me make a choice about which first OLED TV to buy. Upgrading from LED to OLED seems like you can't go wrong but the videos helped me choose the LG C4 65". Blown away and happy to have Dolby Vision support, unlocking the full capabilities of my Apple TV 4K. Upgraded from 2020 Samsung TU7000 series and they are worlds apart. Thanks for this channel! Almost went with the Samsung just so I could unlock the Q-Symphony support of my soundbar but realizing the S90D doesn't support Dolby Vision or DTS was "the" drawback, considering both are the same price now. Love you guys. Thanks again! :)

[Whitewolf_]

I’m replacing my S90D with the Bravia 8, and can tell you with confidence that I know I’ve made the right decision. All the gushing about the S90D’s measurements across the board here does not apply in actual practice/real content, and frankly was really disappointing. After MUCH time calibrating it and playing with absolutely every white point balance, colour and picture setting possible there was just no getting around its crappy processing. HDR was either dim as hell on its own, or blown right out if you turned on any kind of contrast enhancement. And for a tv that is supposed to have a perfect HDR gradient mine had a boatload of colour banding that was very noticeable in both regular picture, and game mode. It’s a colour beast for sure, and VERY bright, but it comes at the cost of picture quality which really makes it all for naught. The Bravia 8 may not be as bouncy and bright, but it makes up for it with image depth, peak highlight placement and a much more natural and cinematic feel. It feels like looking into the tv as opposed to just looking AT it on the Samsung. Plus, Samsung’s updates are a killer. The latest one nerfed the image quality, and locks you out of the service menu, which takes away any sort of ability to lift the restraints on its quality factor. Moral of this rant is to not let the readings and measurements of a tv sell you on its actual performance. I learned that the hard way, but was fortunately able to right the mistake I made, and would go Sony again every time

[Abhishek-zmn]

I recently purchased the Samsung S90D 55-inch TV in India after reading the review, and I highly recommend that others visit a showroom to compare it side-by-side with other options. The color quality on the Samsung is truly impressive when seen in person, and the speakers deliver excellent sound as well. One downside, however, is that the TV only supports a fixed wall mount, meaning you can either place it on a table or mount it directly to the wall, but you can't adjust it to be mounted vertically or horizontally. In contrast, LG offers more mounting flexibility, with different variations for installation. A big thank you to the RTINGS team for their in-depth comparison, which really helped in making an informed decision.

[gourangpatil]

Picked up my S90D at Costco today at 1299$ plus taxes. Thanks for helping me decide.

[bengalnation]

Just purchased my first Oled tv and I chose the c4 because of LG reputation alone. S90d is a great looking tv and at the end of the day my worry was Samsungs firmware history and customer treatment

[BuGGyDaB]

I’m planning to get my first oled tv. I’ve been eyeing the LG C4 which is $100 more than the C3 atm on Amazon so why not get the latest model right? Waiting for Black Friday to get a sale on the C4.

[moshing]

This was the review that influenced my decision for a S90D and it’s as gorgeous as Abbey said. ❤️ TY for a great review 👍🏻

[Harvester]

I’m watching this on my Bravia 8. I still love it but can see why the S90D is liked.

[crhistianhigareda]

You know when you just buy a new phone and you see reviews afterwards and they are all talking how crappy that brand new phone of yours is? Well, this isn't the case, since I'm watching this 2 weeks after buying my S90D :D

[tempest]

Already bought the s90d waiting for installation tomorrow 😅❤

[BrandBazaarBDshop]

hi me from Bangladesh .... really very nice reviews

[gweagraff]

There’s something you forgot. The tuners. I think the Sony Bravia 8 is the only one out of these 3 that has an ATSC 3.0 tuner. And Samsung doesn’t usually have an option for auto picture size. And fit to screen is often disabled when watching broadcasts. I bought last year’s A80L back in May and it has this problem that’s very disappointing. Sometimes the picture flickers for about a millisecond. It’s impossible to diagnose because Sony wants me to try and capture it on video but it’s pretty much impossible since it happens so infrequently. And I do like the Google TV interface.