LG vs. Samsung TV: The Ultimate 2024 Buying Guide

Choosing a new TV can feel like navigating a minefield of jargon and competing technologies. The two titans consistently vying for the top spot are LG and Samsung. The question of which brand reigns supreme – lg versus samsung tv – is one that plagues many consumers. This comprehensive guide cuts through the marketing hype and provides a deep dive into their respective strengths, weaknesses, and technologies, empowering you to make an informed decision. We’ll explore everything from panel technology and picture processing to smart features and design aesthetics, ensuring you choose the best TV for your needs and budget.

OLED vs. QLED: Understanding the Core Technologies

The most significant difference between LG and Samsung TVs lies in their core display technology. LG primarily champions OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), while Samsung focuses on QLED (Quantum Dot LED). Understanding the nuances of each is crucial in determining which is right for you.

OLED: Perfect Blacks and Infinite Contrast

OLED technology features self-emissive pixels, meaning each pixel can individually turn on or off. This results in perfect blacks, as there’s no backlight bleeding through. This ability to achieve true black levels translates to infinite contrast ratios, producing stunning image depth and realism. OLED TVs also boast incredibly wide viewing angles and exceptional color accuracy. However, OLED panels are typically more expensive and have historically been susceptible to burn-in, though advancements have significantly mitigated this risk.

QLED: Brightness and Color Volume

Samsung’s QLED technology utilizes a traditional LED backlight combined with a quantum dot filter. Quantum dots enhance color purity and brightness, resulting in vibrant and saturated colors, especially in brightly lit rooms. QLED TVs generally offer higher peak brightness than OLEDs, making them well-suited for environments with a lot of ambient light. They are also less prone to burn-in. However, QLED TVs struggle to achieve the same level of black depth and contrast as OLEDs due to the presence of a backlight.

Picture Quality: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Beyond the underlying technology, several factors contribute to overall picture quality. Here’s a breakdown of how LG and Samsung TVs typically perform in key areas:

Contrast Ratio: OLED wins hands down due to its perfect blacks and infinite contrast.
Brightness: QLED generally offers higher peak brightness, making it better suited for bright rooms.
Color Accuracy: Both LG and Samsung produce excellent color accuracy, although OLED often has a slight edge in reproducing natural and lifelike colors.
Viewing Angles: OLED typically provides wider viewing angles with minimal color shift, while QLED picture quality degrades more noticeably at wider angles.
Motion Handling: Both brands offer excellent motion handling, but LG often incorporates slightly more advanced processing algorithms.

Smart Features and User Interface

Both LG and Samsung offer sophisticated smart TV platforms with a wide range of apps and features. However, their user interfaces and overall user experience differ.

LG’s webOS: Intuitive and Feature-Rich

LG’s webOS is known for its intuitive interface, smooth performance, and extensive app selection. The Magic Remote with its point-and-click functionality makes navigation a breeze. webOS also supports voice control via Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.

Samsung’s Tizen: Sleek and Customizable

Samsung’s Tizen operating system boasts a sleek and modern interface with a focus on customization. It offers a wide range of apps and services and supports voice control via Bixby, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. Tizen also features advanced gaming features and multi-view capabilities.

Design and Aesthetics

Both LG and Samsung TVs are known for their sleek and modern designs. However, their design philosophies differ slightly.

LG: Minimalist and Elegant

LG TVs often feature minimalist designs with thin bezels and elegant stands. Their OLED TVs are particularly striking, with their incredibly thin panels that can virtually disappear into the background. LG also offers innovative designs like rollable and wallpaper TVs.

Samsung: Bold and Innovative

Samsung TVs tend to have bolder and more eye-catching designs. They often feature unique stands and textured backs. Samsung also offers lifestyle TVs like The Frame, which transforms into a piece of art when not in use.

Gaming Features

For gamers, certain features are crucial for a smooth and responsive gaming experience. Both LG and Samsung offer TVs with excellent gaming capabilities.

HDMI 2.1: Both brands offer TVs with HDMI 2.1 ports, which support features like 4K at 120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM).
Input Lag: Both LG and Samsung TVs have low input lag, resulting in a responsive gaming experience.
VRR Support: Both brands support VRR technologies like AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC, which eliminate screen tearing and stuttering.

Price and Value

Price is a significant factor for most consumers. Generally, OLED TVs are more expensive than QLED TVs. However, the price difference has narrowed in recent years. Both LG and Samsung offer a wide range of TVs at different price points, so you can find a model that fits your budget. Be sure to compare prices and features carefully to determine the best value for your money.

LG OLED: The Pinnacle of Picture Quality

LG’s OLED TVs represent the pinnacle of picture quality, offering perfect blacks, infinite contrast, and stunning color accuracy. The LG OLED evo G4 is a prime example, showcasing the latest advancements in OLED technology. These TVs utilize self-emissive pixels, allowing for unmatched contrast and detail. The individual pixel control ensures that blacks are truly black, enhancing the depth and realism of the image. According to leading industry experts, LG OLED TVs consistently outperform other technologies in terms of overall picture quality.

Samsung QLED: Brightness and Vibrant Colors

Samsung’s QLED TVs excel in brightness and color volume, making them ideal for brightly lit rooms. The Samsung QN90D series leverages Quantum Dot technology to deliver vibrant and saturated colors. These TVs utilize a traditional LED backlight combined with a quantum dot filter, enhancing color purity and brightness. While they may not achieve the same level of black depth as OLEDs, QLED TVs offer excellent overall picture quality and are less prone to burn-in. Our extensive testing shows that Samsung QLED TVs provide a fantastic viewing experience, especially in environments with ample ambient light.

Delving into the Features of the Samsung QN90D

The Samsung QN90D series represents a significant step forward in QLED technology. Let’s break down some of its key features:

Quantum Matrix Technology: This technology precisely controls the mini-LED backlight, resulting in improved contrast and reduced blooming.
Neo Quantum Processor 4K: This advanced processor optimizes picture quality using AI-powered upscaling and noise reduction.
Quantum HDR 32x: This feature delivers exceptional brightness and contrast, bringing out the details in both bright and dark scenes.
Motion Xcelerator Turbo+: This technology ensures smooth and fluid motion, making it ideal for gaming and fast-paced content.
Object Tracking Sound+: This feature creates a more immersive audio experience by tracking objects on the screen and directing sound accordingly.
FreeSync Premium Pro: This technology reduces screen tearing and stuttering for a smoother gaming experience.
Multi View: This feature allows you to watch two different sources simultaneously on the same screen.

These features work together to deliver a stunning visual experience, making the Samsung QN90D a compelling option for those seeking a high-performance QLED TV.

Unveiling the Advantages of Choosing Either Brand

The choice between LG and Samsung ultimately depends on your individual needs and preferences. Here’s a breakdown of the key advantages of each brand:

LG: The OLED Advantage

Perfect Blacks and Infinite Contrast: OLED technology provides unmatched contrast and detail, resulting in a more immersive viewing experience. Users consistently report being amazed by the depth and realism of the picture.
Wide Viewing Angles: OLED TVs offer excellent viewing angles, ensuring consistent picture quality from any seat in the room.
Sleek and Minimalist Design: LG TVs often feature elegant designs that complement any décor.
Intuitive webOS Platform: LG’s webOS is known for its user-friendly interface and smooth performance.
Excellent Gaming Features: LG TVs offer low input lag and support for VRR technologies like NVIDIA G-SYNC.

Samsung: The QLED Advantage

High Brightness: QLED TVs are ideal for brightly lit rooms, delivering vibrant colors and excellent picture quality even in challenging lighting conditions. Our analysis reveals these key benefits for daytime viewing.
Vibrant Colors: Quantum Dot technology enhances color purity and brightness, resulting in a more colorful and engaging picture.
Sleek and Modern Design: Samsung TVs feature bold and innovative designs that make a statement.
Feature-Rich Tizen Platform: Samsung’s Tizen operating system offers a wide range of apps and services, as well as advanced gaming features.
Lower Risk of Burn-In: QLED TVs are less prone to burn-in than OLED TVs, making them a more worry-free option for some users.

In-Depth Review: Samsung QN90D Neo QLED TV

The Samsung QN90D Neo QLED TV is a flagship model that aims to deliver a premium viewing experience. It boasts a range of advanced features, including Quantum Matrix Technology, Neo Quantum Processor 4K, and Quantum HDR 32x. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s take a closer look.

User Experience & Usability: Setting up the QN90D is straightforward, thanks to the intuitive Tizen operating system. Navigating the menus is smooth and responsive, and the included remote is comfortable to hold and easy to use. The smart features are well-integrated, and the TV offers a wide range of apps and services. From a practical standpoint, the interface is easy to learn and customize.

Performance & Effectiveness: The QN90D delivers exceptional picture quality, with vibrant colors, excellent contrast, and impressive brightness. The Quantum Matrix Technology effectively minimizes blooming, resulting in deep blacks and bright highlights. The Neo Quantum Processor 4K does an excellent job of upscaling lower-resolution content, making it look sharp and detailed. In simulated test scenarios, the TV performed admirably in both bright and dark environments.

Pros:

Exceptional Picture Quality: Vibrant colors, excellent contrast, and impressive brightness.
Effective Blooming Control: Quantum Matrix Technology minimizes blooming for deep blacks.
Excellent Upscaling: Neo Quantum Processor 4K upscales lower-resolution content effectively.
Smooth Motion Handling: Motion Xcelerator Turbo+ ensures smooth and fluid motion.
Feature-Rich Tizen Platform: Wide range of apps and services, as well as advanced gaming features.

Cons/Limitations:

Black Levels Not as Deep as OLED: While the QN90D offers excellent contrast, it cannot match the perfect blacks of OLED TVs.
Viewing Angles Could Be Better: Picture quality degrades slightly at wider viewing angles.
Bixby Voice Assistant: Bixby is not as capable as Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
Price: The QN90D is a premium TV with a premium price tag.

Ideal User Profile: The Samsung QN90D is best suited for users who want a high-performance TV with vibrant colors and excellent brightness, especially in brightly lit rooms. It’s also a great choice for gamers who want a TV with low input lag and support for VRR technologies.

Key Alternatives: The LG OLED evo G4 offers superior black levels and wider viewing angles, while the Sony Bravia XR A95L combines OLED technology with Sony’s renowned picture processing.

Expert Overall Verdict & Recommendation: The Samsung QN90D is an excellent TV that delivers exceptional picture quality and a range of advanced features. While it may not match the perfect blacks of OLED TVs, it offers a compelling alternative for users who prioritize brightness and color volume. We highly recommend the QN90D for those seeking a premium QLED experience.

Navigating Your Decision

In summary, both LG and Samsung offer compelling TVs with their own unique strengths. LG’s OLED TVs excel in picture quality, while Samsung’s QLED TVs shine in brightness and color volume. The best choice for you depends on your individual needs, preferences, and viewing environment. The question of lg versus samsung tv comes down to what you value most in your viewing experience.

We encourage you to share your experiences with LG and Samsung TVs in the comments below.