Brief Summary
In this video, KG compares the LG G5 and Samsung S95F TVs, focusing on picture clarity, color brightness, and gaming performance. The LG G5 exhibits clinical sharpness and impressive luminance, while the Samsung S95F excels in color brightness and purity due to its QD-OLED technology. The comparison covers filmmaker mode, game mode, and SDR/HDR content, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each TV. Ultimately, the choice depends on personal preference, as both TVs offer excellent picture quality and performance.
- LG G5 has clinical sharpness and impressive luminance.
- Samsung S95F excels in color brightness and purity due to its QD-OLED technology.
- Both TVs are excellent for picture quality and performance.
Introduction and Initial Impressions
KG introduces a comparison between the LG G5 and Samsung S95F TVs, using the Spears and Monel UHD benchmark disc. The comparison starts with filmmaker mode to ensure fairness. The discussion touches on the subjective nature of picture clarity and edge enhancement, acknowledging that preferences vary. The LG G5 stands out with its clinical sharpness, making images appear more three-dimensional.
Picture Clarity and Tone Mapping
The LG G5's picture clarity is compared to Sony and Samsung, noting that LG seems to apply a global sharpening to the entire image, unlike Sony's reality creation or Samsung's edge enhancement techniques. The LG G5 also appears brighter due to its tone mapping, even though the Samsung S95F is nearly as capable. The speaker suggests the LG might lean slightly towards blue or green in its color presentation.
Color Brightness and Reproduction
The color brightness of the LG G5 is better than previous LG models but still not on par with the Samsung S95F. The Samsung maintains brighter yellows and stronger color brightness. The LG G5's new four-stack technology improves color replication, closing the gap with QD-OLED. While the S95F has an advantage in color brightness, it may not be significant enough to deter viewers from choosing the G5.
HDR Performance and Color Accuracy
Both TVs perform well in HDR, with smooth color gradients on the LG G5. The speaker uses an "alligator test" to illustrate tone mapping differences. Yellows appear decent on the G5, a notable improvement. The speaker notes that sharpness and clarity can appear similar across both TVs depending on the scene, making it difficult to discern differences without understanding the manufacturers' processing algorithms.
Color Luminance and QD-OLED Advantages
The Samsung S95F's color luminance issue is discussed, noting it only becomes a problem if the EOTF is corrected. QD-OLED technology provides better magenta, cyan, and yellow reproduction. The LG G5's four-stack W-OLED can't fully replicate these colors, but the difference is minimal in most content. The LG G5 shows more sharpness and detail in certain scenes, while the Samsung S95F has a softer look.
Neutral Tones and Color Cast
The Samsung S95F exhibits more neutral tones, while the LG G5 tends to have a green or blue cast. This color tint is a recurring characteristic of LG TVs. Both TVs are sufficiently bright. The speaker appreciates the out-of-the-box color accuracy of both TVs, aside from the green push on the LG.
Overall Picture Quality and 3D Effect
The TVs often look nearly identical, especially in skin tones. The LG G5 has a slight edge in creating a three-dimensional image, but the difference is subtle and not consistent across all scenes. The speaker emphasizes that both TVs are excellent, making the choice a matter of personal preference. The color luminance issue on the S95F is negligible with out-of-the-box settings.
Game Optimizer Mode and Settings
The speaker transitions to game optimizer mode, noting that the default settings are poor and require adjustments. QD-OLED displays flames more impactfully. The speaker tests for image retention, revealing that the Samsung S95F has a slight outline, while the LG G5 shows a significant outline of the flames and white box, which could be distracting during gameplay.
SDR and HDR Gaming Performance
In SDR game mode, the Samsung S95F appears brighter. The LG G5 performs better in some SDR games than others. The Samsung S95F is the winner for both SDR and HDR game modes, primarily due to its color brightness. The S95F dominates in highly graded demos due to its superior color luminance.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
The LG G5 can sometimes appear brighter, especially in highly graded demos, bringing scenes to life. However, this is rare, and most content will look similar on both TVs. The choice depends on personal preferences regarding features, remote, and operating system. Both TVs are very bright and capable. The speaker personally prefers the LG G5 for its eye appeal, respecting its pure luminance output. The TVs trade blows, with the LG G5 sometimes appearing brighter overall, while the Samsung S95F excels in color brightness. QD-OLED still has advantages in color brightness and purity. Ultimately, both TVs are fantastic, and the decision depends on individual preferences.
