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Tom's Guide
18-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
LG G4 vs Samsung S95F: Which flagship OLED TV is worth the money?
The G4 is one of the best OLED TVs LG has ever made, and because it debuted in 2024, it's now heavily discounted. With incredible QD-OLED performance and ample features, the Samsung S95F is sure to be one of the year's best TVs. It's brand new, though, so it costs more than the LG G4. When folks come to me and ask for advice about buying a top-shelf TV, I always start with the same question: 'How important is it for you to buy a brand-new TV?' It's tempting to break the bank on one of the year's best TVs, but for many people, saving money on a year-old model is a far better option. Take this year, for instance. When all's said and done, the newly released Samsung S95F is sure to be one of the best OLED TVs of 2025. But right now, the 2024 LG G4 OLED is every bit as good as it was when it debuted. Critically, it's also way less expensive than the newer S95F. If you're stuck between the two, fear not: I've spent a ton of time testing and watching both of these flagship OLED TVs, and I'm here to break down all of their similarities and differences. LG G4 Samsung S95F Sizes 55", 65", 77", 83", 97" 55", 65", 77", 83" Ports 4x HDMI 2.1 4x HDMI 2.1 Resolution 3,840 x 2,160p 3,840 x 2,160p HDR Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG HDR10, HDR10+, HLG Smart TV software webOS Tizen OS ATSC 3.0 support? No No Processor a11 AI Processor 4K NQ4 AI Gen3 When their specs are compared side by side, it's easy to see that these two OLEDs have a lot in common. Both the G4 and the S95F come in 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inch models (though the G4 is also available in a mind-blowingly big 97-inch version). Additionally, each model offers a full suite of four high-bandwidth, HDMI 2.1-compatible ports. This makes them perfect for dedicated gamers and A/V enthusiasts. One important distinction lies with their respective HDR support. Like all Samsung TVs currently on the market, the S95F does not support Dolby Vision, a popular, proprietary HDR format. Instead, Samsung offers HDR10+, a royalty-free version of the format that works in a similar way. You'll still be able to watch Dolby Vision streaming titles and Blu-ray discs on the S95F, but the picture will fall back to standard HDR10. In other words, the S95F won't be taking full advantage of Dolby Vision's efforts to replicate the creator's intent. Like all LG OLEDs, the G4 supports Dolby Vision (though it leaves off HDR10+ support). For most people, Dolby Vision is the better format to have on hand, as it remains the most popular. To learn more about Dolby Vision, check out our guide to whether or not you need Dolby Vision at all. Both TVs make use of a pedestal-style stand rather than a pair of feet. Fortunately, each stand design offers enough headroom for a dedicated soundbar. Thanks to the sleek nature of OLED display technology, both the G4 and the S95F showcase wildly thin panels. Of the two, however, the S95F is a touch thinner. The biggest difference between their designs involves their inputs. The G4 houses all of its connectivity options in an L-shaped cutout on the pack of the panel. The S95F leverages Samsung's One Connect Box, which connects to the panel with a single cable and can be placed anywhere within the TV's surrounding area. Your mileage may vary, but I appreciate the S95F's added flexibility. If you have a particular home theater setup that would benefit from the One Connect Box, the S95F will treat you well. When it comes to remote controls, things aren't as cut and dry. I absolutely adore the Samsung Solar Cell remote, which charges an internal lithium-ion battery by way of indoor and outdoor lighting. It's very convenient. However, the super-slim Solar Cell remote doesn't feature a dedicated input button, and I find that to be a bit of a headache when it comes to changing inputs on the fly. The G4 is paired with last-year's version of LG's Magic Remote. Conveniently, it does feature an input-selection button, but it's also large and not nearly as convenient as the Solar Cell remote. Each of these TVs will look great on the wall or on top of a credenza, but on the whole, the S95F is a better-designed TV. Winner: Samsung S95F Before we dive into which of these TVs delivers better overall performance, let's take a look at how their test results stack up in a side-by-side comparison. LG G4 Samsung S95F SDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 358 267 Delta-E (lower is better) 1.4 1.2 HDR Brightness (10%, in nits) 1,487 2,138 UHDA-P3 Gamut Coverage 97.17% 99.97% Rec. 2020 Gamut Coverage 72.91% 90.26% Input latency (milliseconds) 9.2 9.2 While both of these TVs benefit from the perfect black levels and pixel-level dimming that we've come to expect from OLED displays, the S95F is significantly brighter than the G4 when it comes to HDR content. In a nutshell, this means that specular highlights (small, concentrated areas of brightness) will pop more on the S95F. And, when you're dealing with the self-emissive nature of OLED displays, this pop will go a long way towards the picture looking more realistic. While watching SDR content (like basic cable and most streaming content), the G4 provides a brighter overall picture. That said, it's not significantly brighter under these circumstances, so you can probably set that aside for now. The S95F offers some of the best color we're likely to see in 2025. Here's some good news: Each of these TVs arrives with incredible out-of-the-box accuracy in their respective Filmmaker modes. You probably won't feel compelled to calibrate them professionally, which will save you money. However, when it comes to color volume, the S95F is far and away the better competitor. You can see this reflected in their Rec.2020 color gamut results. In fact, the S95F offers some of the best color we're likely to see in 2025 — it's that good. This mostly has to do with the fact that the S95F is equipped with quantum dots, which allow for brighter, purer color than what the G4's WOLED display is capable of. Both of these OLED TVs deliver an accurate, jaw-dropping picture, particularly in HDR. If you're chasing the best possible picture, though, the S95F is the better pick. Its superior highlight brightness and next-level color volume make for a truly immersive experience. Winner: Samsung S95F Neither LG's webOS or Samsung's Tizen OS are my smart platform of choice, but they'll get you through your day if you opt to use them on a regular basis. I find the S95F's user interface to be more cluttered than the G4's, but both software suites are fine for most people. On the gaming side of things, there aren't very many specs separating the two. As mentioned, each TV offers four HDMI 2.1 inputs, and both support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), G-Sync compatibility and a variation of AMD's FreeSync. However, if you want to leverage one of these OLEDs as a monitor for high-end PC gaming, the S95F's native refresh rate of 165Hz is slightly better than the G4's 144Hz. Both can handle the 4K/120Hz cap of current-generation consoles like the Xbox Series X and the PS5 Pro. The most noteworthy missing feature on the S95F is, of course, Dolby Vision. I imagine that most folks shopping in the top-shelf price bracket have already made peace with Samsung's decision not to back Dolby Vision HDR. Still, it's a significant blow to A/V enthusiasts who'd like to put together a complete home theater setup. In fact, I'd wager that the S95F's lack of Dolby Vision will ultimately matter to more people than the various AI-based features that S95F exclusively claims. Were it not for a lack of Dolby Vision, this category would come down to a draw. Instead, the LG G4 has the edge when it comes to features. Winner: LG G4 LG G4 Samsung S95F Specs (25) 24 24 Design (25) 21 23 Performance (25) 24 25 Features (25) 24 23 Total Score (100) 93 95 One glance at the scorecard and the closeness of this match-up is clear. But one factor we haven't considered yet is maybe the most important of all: price. After spending countless hours with each of these TVs, I'm confident in saying the Samsung S95F is the better overall performer. Its quantum dot-enhanced color, together with its sensational HDR highlight brightness, make for a sensational visual spectacle. But there's no running away from its price. Right now, the 65-inch Samsung S95F is $3,299, and unfortunately, this is too rich for the vast majority of shoppers. This is where my shop-for-a-year-old TV advice comes into play. By comparison, the 65-inch LG G4 is just $2,000 right now. A TV that's just about as good as the S95F for $1,300 less feels like a pretty killer deal to me. (Plus, you'll land Dolby Vision support, if that matters to you.) If you're looking to splash out on one of the best TVs money can buy and you don't mind dropping $3,000 or more for the privilege, the Samsung S95F is a slam-dunk choice. It's eye-wateringly expensive, but it looks incredible and it's stuffed with features for gaming and beyond. Of course, if you're set on the Samsung, maybe wait a year.
Tom's Guide
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Early Memorial Day TV sales — best Mini-LED and OLED TV deals you can get from Amazon, Walmart and more
The first Memorial Day TV sales of 2025 are starting to surface. Despite the fact that Memorial Day isn't till May 26, retailers are already offering plenty of great TV deals on some of the best TVs we've tested. One of the best Memorial Day TV sales this week comes from Amazon. Right now Amazon has smart TVs on sale from $69. The sale includes both premium and budget TVs. For example, you can get the Editor's Choice Hisense 65-inch U8 Mini-LED 4K QLED TV on sale for $947. This is the best overall TV we recommend for just about anyone. If you're looking to buy your first OLED TV, Amazon also has the Panasonic 65-inch Z85 4K OLED TV on sale for $999. It's a new price low for this TV and a killer deal on an OLED that just debuted last year. Those aren't the only Memorial Day TV sales I recommend right now. Below I've rounded up the best deals across various price points and screen sizes. Make sure to bookmark this page for more deals as they're released. The B4 is LG's entry-level OLED TV. This TV supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and has improved picture quality thanks to LG's A8 processor. For gamers, it features four HDMI 2.1 ports, a 120Hz refresh rate, a brightness booster, and Game Optimizer Mode. In our LG B4 OLED review, we called the Editor's Choice TV the value OLED TV of the year. The 48-inch model is a Best Buy exclusive. The LG C3 is one of the best mid-tier OLED TVs you can buy. In our LG OLED C3 review, we said the Editor's Choice TV delivers perfect blacks, thrilling contrast, and rich, accurate colors at every point across the visual spectrum. It's also perfect for gamers with a suite of Game Optimizer features and a 120Hz refresh rate. It offers Dolby Vision/HDR 10/HLG support, four HDMI 2.1 ports, built-in Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant/Apple HomeKit support, and LG's Magic Remote. Keep in mind that smaller sizes are coming in and out of stock.48" for $95955" for $1,17965" for $1,19677" for $1,97983" for $2,799 The C4 is LG's current flagship OLED TV. It's powered by LG's A9 processor and features a 120Hz panel, Dolby Vision/ HDR10/HLG support, built-in Amazon Alexa, four HDMI 2.1 ports and Apple AirPlay 2 support. It's also one of the few OLED TVs that can natively accept a 144Hz input from a PC. In our LG C4 OLED TV review, we said content looked colorful and dazzlingly bright on the new C4 series. It's the best version we've seen of the company's top-selling OLED TV range. Note: Amazon offers the same prices.48" for $1,09655" for $1,19665" for $1,49677" for $2,296 83" for $3,496 The S90D is one of Samsung's 2024 OLED TVs. The OLED TV features Samsung's new NQ4 AI Gen2 processor, HDR10+/HLG support, 120Hz refresh rate, four HDMI 2.1 ports, and built-in Alexa. It also offers 4K AI Upscaling to ensure all programs are crisp and sharp. On the audio front, you get Dolby Atmos and Object Tracking Sound Lite for 3D surround check: $979 @ Amazon | $999 @ Best Buy Panasonic TVs are making a comeback in the U.S. Built around Panasonic's HCX Pro AI Processor MKII, its new OLED TV offers support for HDR10/HDR10+/Dolby Vision/HLG and Dolby Atmos audio. On the gaming front, you get a 120Hz panel with VRR, AMD FreeSync Premium, and NVIDIA G-Sync support. It comes in 55- and 65-inch size options. The TCL Q6 is a fantastic display, equipped with a 60Hz refresh rate in tandem with support for the range of HDR standards. While you might be missing out on the screen tearing technologies, like G-Sync and AMD FreeSync, it does still have support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+. The Roku Plus Series is an outstanding value. In our Roku Plus Series 4K QLED TV review, we said it offers a great smart interface, HDR color, and excellent sound at an affordable price. This 75-inch model is the biggest TV in Roku's new lineup. It features a QLED screen along with full array local dimming. You also get Dolby Vision/HDR 10 Plus/HLG support, Apple HomeKit/Alexa/Google Assistant support, and four HDMI ports. Gamers take note that while it's reliable for casual play, you only get a 60Hz screen and no HDMI 2.1 support. Price check: $699 @ Amazon The QM6K is a quantum dot-enhanced Mini-LED TV that has a lot going for it. Its picture quality is impressive and it gets even better when you turn on picture settings like Filmmaker mode or Dolby Vision IQ HDR. In our TCL QM6K Mini-LED TV review we said its feature set, picture quality, and price point are the perfect combination for anyone looking for an affordable TV. Announced in November 2024, this is Amazon's first Mini-LED TV. It features a 144Hz refresh rate in tandem with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support to give gamers ample juice for fast-paced games. The TV also has an Ambient Experience feature, so when it's powered off it displays dynamic artwork. This is also the first Amazon Fire TV to support Dolby Atmos audio. With its ultra-thin bezel, the Samsung DU8000 will look great in just about any living room. It features HDR10+ support, built-in Alexa, and 3D surround sound. It has a 60Hz panel, but Samsung's Motion Xcelerator 120Hz helps keep those fast-paced scenes smooth and lag-free. The Insignia F30 (2024) is one of the cheapest 4K TVs you can buy. In our Insignia F30 Fire TV review, we called it one of the best bargain TVs around. This 4K TV features HDR10 support, DTS Studio Sound, an Alexa-enabled voice remote, and three HDMI ports. Plus, as a Fire TV, you've got easy access to all the streaming apps you could check: sold out @ Amazon The Roku Plus Series is an outstanding value. In our Roku Plus Series 4K QLED TV review, we said it offers a great smart interface, HDR color, and excellent sound at an affordable price. It features a QLED screen along with full array local dimming. You also get Dolby Vision/HDR 10 Plus/HLG support, Apple HomeKit/Alexa/Google Assistant support, and four HDMI ports. Gamers take note that while it's reliable for casual play, you only get a 60Hz screen and no HDMI 2.1 support. Price check: $349 @ Amazon The Bravia 3 sits at the tail end of Sony's 2024 TV lineup, sporting a much more budget price point. It uses a 60Hz refresh rate on Sony's 4K HDR X1 processor, but gamers will enjoy the ALLM support and several PS5-specific features, like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Game Picture Mode. You also get HDR10/HLG/Dolby Vision support and Google TV. TV sale: deals from $69 @ AmazonAmazon has smart TVs on sale for as low as $69. Keep in mind, the cheap TVs tend to be smaller, 1080p models (which are more suitable for a children's room or guest room). However, the sale also includes larger sets. These are among the cheapest TVs we've seen from Amazon. By comparison, Best Buy is offering a similar sale with prices from $ check: from $69 @ Best Buy | from $88 @ Walmart This 32-inch Roku TV maxes out at 1080p resolution, but it's an excellent TV for small spaces. It provides a bright picture, Apple AirPlay support, Apple HomeKit/Amazon Alexa/Google Assistant support, and three HDMI ports. Made by Roku, this TV also features Roku's platform for all your streaming needs. I have this TV in my bedroom and although resolution is only 1080p, I find it perfect for watching Netflix from check: $149 @ Best Buy If you're shopping on a strict budget, we recommend looking at TVs from the likes of TCL, Hisense, Roku and Amazon's Fire TVs. These TVs lead the charge when it comes to value. Expect Memorial Day TV sales from these brands to drop as low as $299 for a 55-inch 4K TV. In terms of stores to shop at, look for deals at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart. Amazon and Best Buy tend to undercut each other and are your best bets for deals on inexpensive TVs. Value TVs we recommend include the Hisense U8 Mini-LED TV and the Roku Plus Series QLED TV. If you want a budget OLED TV, opt for the LG B4 OLED. These are among the best budget TVs and provide an excellent value for anyone shopping on a strict budget. These once prohibitively expensive TVs are now selling well under $999. For instance, the 48-inch LG B4 OLED has sold for as low as $599. Our top store for OLED TV deals is Amazon, although Best Buy tends to offer similar discounts.
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Yahoo
You Asked: Apple TV vs. your TV upscaling dilemma and perplexing pixelation
On today's You Asked: Can you stop the Apple TV 4K from upscaling — and should you? Why is HLG the broadcast standard for HDR and how did some folks get the Super Bowl in Dolby Vision or HDR10? Do secret 3D TVs exist? And why do dark scenes tend to look pixelated? Michael Sabin writes: I have a new TCL QM851 and use an Apple TV as the primary streaming device. I know you always recommend letting your TV perform all the upscaling, but I can't find a way to do this with Apple TV. If I set the resolution to 4K, it seems like everything gets upconverted to 4K. Do you know of a way to let Apple TV pass through the native resolution of the content? It's true: I'm always saying 'Let the TV do the upscaling.' However, you've discovered for yourself that the Apple TV 4K scales everything to the resolution selected in the 'format' section of the Video and Audio settings menu. The Apple TV 4K does allow the box to pass along the signal with its original SDR, HDR, or Dolby Vision dynamic range format, and it will let you keep the original frame rate, but the resolution of the signal will always be upconverted to whatever is set in the format section of the settings menu. Fortunately the Apple TV 4K's built-in upscaler is fairly good. However, if you want your TV to handle the upscaling of any non-4K native content, you either need to use the TV's built-in apps or a different kind of streaming box. I would not recommend trying to reduce the Apple TV 4K's video output resolution to match what you think the resolution of the content may be — because it's likely doing some kind of processing no matter what. If you're wondering if your TV is noticeably better at upscaling what you watch a lot, try an A/B comparison between that content as played through the Apple TV 4K versus the TV's built-in app. Keep in mind, though, that a lot of the content we watch is upscaled by the service streaming it. Make sure that the content you use for comparison is coming over as 480, 720, or 1080p. Also remember that the lower the resolution of the content, the harder the upscaling job. You're less likely to notice as much difference in 1080p content upscaled to 4K as an older 480p or lower resolution TV show. Another thing that makes me less concerned about the Apple TV 4K and upscaling: That conversion from a lower resolution to a higher resolution is part of the processing needed to make a beautiful picture. The TV's processor will still try to clean up the image and get rid of macroblocking, for example. If you run the test, let us know the results. My guess is that the Apple TV 4K is likely doing a good enough job. Bradley writes: I've been reading a lot about the different HDR formats, and I'm particularly interested in Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), especially since it's being used by major broadcasters like Fox for live sports. I understand that HLG was specifically developed to handle live TV broadcasts and is backward-compatible with SDR displays, which makes it a practical choice for broadcast. However, I'm curious: Do you think HLG will remain the primary HDR format for live TV broadcasts moving forward? Or do you think other formats, like HDR10 or Dolby Vision, might eventually take over as broadcasting technology evolves, especially with new standards like ATSC 3.0? Additionally, do you know if any other networks are planning to adopt HLG for their broadcasts in the near future, or is Fox currently leading the way in this regard? This is a fun question to answer following the Super Bowl, which was presented in HDR on local over-the-air broadcast channels, as well as through streaming services like Tubi, Fubo, and YouTube TV, and by cable and satellite networks. The ATSC 3.0 — or NextGen TV — station for my local Fox affiliate delivered the game in Dolby Vision. Comcast also delivered the game in Dolby Vision to its eligible customers. Meanwhile, YouTube TV and Tubi delivered it in HDR10. The conversion to Dolby Vision or HDR10 was handled by the individual providers because the game was delivered by Fox in HLG. The BBC and Japan's NHK co-developed HLG — or Hybrid Log Gamma — specifically for live broadcasts. The problem with HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10 is the metadata. Generating the metadata needed for those formats on the fly was once a technically impossible job, but obviously we have cleared that hurdle since it was converted to at least some degree by individual providers. However the challenge remains: The metadata takes up bandwidth that some providers can't accommodate. The other issue is that broadcasters need to be able to send out one signal that everyone can use. Not everyone can use an HDR-only signal. The beauty of HLG is in the name. The darker half of the signal — dark to mid-tones — follows a standard gamma curve, similar to the one used in SDR. The brighter half of the signal — the highlights — follows a logarithmic curve, which better preserves highlight details in HDR. The darker- to medium-bright areas of the signal are static, which convert just fine for SDR, while the brighter areas use a logarithmic gamma curve that can be used by HDR TVs. For the foreseeable future, I think live broadcasts will stick with HLG. Individual providers can decide if they want to upgrade that for their streams, cable delivery, or ATSC 3.0 broadcasts — just like it was done for Super Bowl LIX. Steve R. writes: I own a LG 65UF8500-UB that I bought new in 2016 and it still works and looks great. I would love to get a new TV with all the new features, but the main reason I haven't is because, as far as I know, there are no other 3D capable TVs on the market. I still use the 3D function every now and then with my own and my friend's 3D Blu-ray collection. As I mentioned, my LG still looks great, but I'm worried that it won't last a whole lot longer since it's 9 years old. Are there any TVs that can display 3D movies that I don't know about? Will my TV last a good while longer? First, it's great that your TV is still hanging on after nine years. Even back in 2015, the life expectancy of a TV was decreasing, so the fact that you've had nine years out of yours is pretty good. I honestly don't know how much longer your TV will continue to work, but when it quits, it will likely be unexpected and sudden. The best things to do are acknowledge that you got a great run out of this TV and be ready to replace it when it dies. I'm sorry to report that there are no 3D TVs being made right now, and I don't think at-home 3D is coming back. When we get 3D entertainment at home, it will likely take the shape of personal entertainment — like 3D smart glasses or VR goggles. As much as you may miss the 3D aspect of your TV, I think you'll be thrilled enough with all the other elements of picture quality in an upgrade. TVs have come a long way since 2016. Steven from England writes: I've been enjoying my 50' Sony Bravia X75WL, which is a decent enough entry level model in the UK. One area I've been having issues with: dark scenes and pixelation. Whenever I'm watching a program in SDR, I always notice a large amount of pixelation in low-lit scenes, whether it's in the background or even on people's clothing and hair. Daytime scenes? No hint of it at all, and the colours are amazing, but as soon as the lights dim, that pixelation rears its ugly head. I notice it with streaming and aerial based services like Sky TV whether it's in Standard or High definition. The only time it doesn't appear is HDR or Dolby Vision, especially in shows you would expect, like Shogun that has numerous low-lit scenes. Is this a problem with the TV and something that can be fixed with settings, or is it the source (Netflix/Sky etc) and I'm worrying about a problem that can't be fixed? This issue, which I think many folks experience, is caused by a combination of your TV's processor capabilities and the limited video signal information coming from the streaming service or broadcaster. Another way of putting it: The signal has been highly compressed to save bandwidth and that lack of information can result in what you call pixelization and we also call macroblocking. It's possible to see macroblocking in well-lit scenes as well. It's just more common in darker areas of the picture because you're hoping to see detail in an area that the compression algorithm deems unimportant. There's enough info in the signal to suggest something is there, but not enough for a lower-quality TV processor to make sense of. Fancier TVs with more advanced processors tend to be better at handling this kind of situation. More advanced processing is needed only a small percentage of the time, but when you need it, you really need it. This is one of the better arguments in favor of buying a more premium TV, I think. The more content creators trend toward darker, moodier scenes, the more this issue tends to raise its ugly head. I think a more advanced TV processor — which you can now get from mid-range TVs — would help, but the compressed nature of the content will always make this an issue that pops up from time to time.
