The ongoing battle for supremacy in bright-room television viewing continues, with LG’s latest G6 OLED TV challenging Samsung’s new S95H (also known as the S99H in some regions) for the title of the best OLED for environments with significant ambient light. While both models represent significant advancements in OLED technology, particularly in combating reflections and maintaining picture quality under challenging lighting, a direct comparison reveals nuanced differences that might sway a buyer’s decision.
Reflection Handling: Samsung’s Matte Advantage
When it comes to outright reflection elimination, Samsung’s S95H/S99H emerges as the clear victor. Equipped with an advanced anti-reflection matte layer, this television significantly reduces mirror-like glare from overhead lights and windows. In testing, overhead lights were diminished to an indistinct haze, rendering their shapes illegible on the S95H/S99H’s screen. This is a crucial advantage for viewers with unavoidable light sources in their viewing space, as it prevents distracting reflections from drawing the eye. Even when the screen is turned off, the S95H/S99H presents a virtually blank surface, unlike the LG G6, where reflections of surrounding objects, such as other displays in the testing lab, remained visible.
The LG G6, while an improvement over its predecessor (the G5), still exhibits some reflectivity. Although the brightness of these reflections is considerably toned down, their shapes can still be discerned on the screen, especially when viewing darker content. This means that while the G6 manages reflections effectively enough to make dark scenes watchable in bright conditions, it doesn’t completely erase them in the way the Samsung model does.
Black Level Performance and Contrast: LG Takes the Lead
The narrative shifts when evaluating black level performance and contrast, particularly during the viewing of dark-toned content. In side-by-side comparisons using challenging scenes from films like ‘The Batman’ and ‘Alien: Romulus,’ the LG G6 demonstrated a superior ability to maintain deep, inky blacks and deliver more impactful contrast. The S95H/S99H, despite its matte screen, exhibited raised black tones and a slight gray sheen, particularly noticeable in the vast blackness of space in ‘Alien.’ This effect diminished the perceived depth and impact of dark scenes, making details within shadows less discernible compared to the G6.
During a scene in ‘The Batman’ set on a dark subway platform, the S95H/S99H’s Filmmaker Mode appeared dimmer, with large portions of the scene becoming illegible due to the combination of perceived low brightness and the matte screen’s effect on black levels. Batman himself and the details on the platform walls were less clear than on the G6. The LG G6, conversely, offered better shadow detail, making the textures in characters’ clothing and the nuances of the dark environments more apparent.
Brightness Measurements vs. Perceived Brightness
Interestingly, objective brightness measurements did not fully align with the perceived differences in picture quality. The Samsung S95H/S99H measured a peak HDR brightness of 2,739 nits (10% window) in Filmmaker Mode, while the LG G6 reached 3,004 nits. While the G6 showed a slight edge, the gap was not substantial enough to fully explain the visual disparity observed in dark scenes. Fullscreen HDR brightness was nearly identical, with the S95H/S99H at 449 nits and the G6 at 451 nits. This suggests that factors beyond raw brightness, such as how each TV processes and presents dark tones, play a significant role in the overall viewing experience in bright conditions.
When viewing in a darker room, the perceived advantage can shift. The S95H/S99H can deliver a richer picture with deeper blacks and a more accurate representation of a film’s intended gloomy tone. The G6’s inherent brightness, while beneficial in some scenarios, can slightly hamper the quality of darker tones in a dim environment, making the image less satisfying than that of the Samsung.
Settings and Calibration Considerations
It’s important to note that both televisions offer avenues for adjustment that can mitigate some of these observed differences. For the LG G6, reducing the contrast setting from 50 to 49 can help temper its inherent brightness, potentially improving dark tone accuracy. On the Samsung S95H/S99H, switching the Tone Mapping from the default ‘Static’ to ‘Active’ in Filmmaker Mode can increase brightness, though this may come at the cost of image accuracy. For the purpose of this comparison, however, both TVs were tested using their default settings to provide a baseline evaluation.
The Verdict: Which OLED Reigns Supreme for Bright Rooms?
Both the LG G6 and the Samsung S95H/S99H are exceptional OLED televisions capable of delivering a superior viewing experience even in brightly lit rooms. They both excel at managing reflections and maintaining impressive picture quality under challenging ambient light conditions, addressing a long-standing challenge for OLED technology.
The choice between them hinges on specific user priorities. For individuals whose primary concern is the absolute minimization of reflections, particularly in rooms with numerous or difficult-to-control light sources, the Samsung S95H/S99H stands out. Its matte screen offers unparalleled glare reduction, making it an ideal choice for maximizing viewability when light is a constant factor.
However, for those who can exercise some control over their room’s lighting or prioritize the deepest black levels and most impactful contrast, the LG G6 presents a compelling case. While not as adept at eliminating reflections as the Samsung, its improved reflection handling is sufficient for most bright-room scenarios. The G6’s ability to retain richer black tones and deliver a more satisfying contrast, even in bright conditions, ultimately makes it the preferred choice for this reviewer when selecting a TV specifically for bright-room viewing. The trade-off between reflection reduction and image accuracy is a delicate balance, and in this generation, the LG G6 strikes that balance slightly more favorably for those who value OLED’s signature contrast, while the Samsung S95H/S99H remains a brilliant alternative for pure reflection management.
