If you‘re seeking a best-in-class television but feel overwhelmed by the latest display innovations like "QLED" and "OLED", relax! As a home theater specialist, I‘m thrilled to provide my insider perspective to help match you with your dream TV based on your unique needs and preferences.
This guide will explore how the Samsung QN90B QLED and LG B2 OLED stack up across critical categories like picture quality, gaming prowess, smart features, design aesthetics, and value. While both rate as elite 2023 models capable of jaw-dropping visuals, key differences give each an edge under certain circumstances.
Let‘s analyze them under the hood to determine which advanced display fueling the next level of immersion best suits your taste!
Display Technology Decoded: Quantum Dots & Organic Diodes
As a display analyst, I often get asked, "What makes QLED and OLED so special compared to the LCD TVs of old?"
These innovative panel technologies virtually eliminate historical picture quality bottlenecks regarding brightness, contrast, color and viewing angles. But they take distinct approaches:
Samsung QLED: Quantum Dot LED
Traditional LCD televisions utilize a series of LED light bulbs called a "backlight" to illuminate their screens. But this backlight structure inherently restricts contrast capabilities. Completely dark areas still allow some backlight bleed.
Samsung QLED TVs upgrade this foundation through two key enhancements:
1. Quantum Dots – These are nanocrystals with unique light emission properties for purity. Refining quantum dots lets manufacturers precisely tune color production. QLED panels supercharge an LCD backlight to vastly expand color capacity.
2. Full Array Local Dimming (FALD) – Rather than just edge-mounted LEDs, FALD adds dimmable LED zones across the entire backlight structure. This enables deeper blacks via targeted dark area dimming while still blasting brightness where needed.
Combined, quantum dots unlock a wider, more accurate color gamut while FALD boosts contrast. All built upon a bright, high-performance LCD panel base.
LG OLED: Self-Illuminating Organic Pixels
OLED panels flip display conventions upside down doing away with LCD and backlights entirely. Instead, each pixel contains specialized organic compounds that directly emit colored light when electrically stimulated:
This per-pixel self-illumination brings unmatched benefits:
- Infinite contrast since individual pixels switch completely off. This enables true, absolute blacks.
- Wide viewing angles with no color shifting since lighting originates right at the surface.
- Lightning motion clarity with quick response times.
- Thin, flexible form factors molding display innovation.
However, limitations around peak brightness remain as panels cannot yet achieve the searing highlights QLED produces. We‘ll explore how this brightness vs contrast relationship impacts real-world performance next.
Picture Quality Showdown: Brightness, Black Levels & Beyond
We‘ve established the core differences of how QLED and OLED emit light to bring images to life. How do these technologies translate to the all-important visual experience? Let‘s compare critical picture quality metrics:
Brightness
The QN90B‘s quantum dot enhanced backlight empowers class-leading peak brightness hitting nearly 2000 nits in testing. This handily outstrips OLED‘s capabilities, enabling the realistic, specular highlights that make HDR content shine. Footballs glimmer in the sunlight. Explosions dazzle. Colored signs pop from busy cityscapes.
While the B2 OLED cannot compete on luminance muscle, mid-700 nit peaks still suffice for most non-sunlit environments. Dark room cinema fans will fully appreciate its blacks and colors before ever missing additional vibrancy.
Ultimately, QLED hoists brightness crowns while OLED cautiously conserved early generation lifespan concerns. But you only discern OLED‘s limits in extremely bright placements.
Black Level & Contrast
Here the tables turn entirely in OLED‘s favor. By switching individual pixels off without backlight bleed concerns, the B2 delivers the inky true blacks LCD cannot replicate. This instantly translates to superior contrast with theatrical substance. Even the most minute lighting details that LCD blacks swallow up shine through with realistic distinction.
Make no mistake, the QN90B‘s FALD backlight allows impressive range too. Algorithmic local dimming calculations divide the screen into nearly 600 zones for surgically-precise depth. But no amount of software wizardry can fully overcome inherent LCD/LED leakage delivering OLED‘s artistic impact.
So if you pine for those cinematic letterbox bars to virtually disappear into an endless void, the B2 wins out. But the QN90B likely satisfies more casual contrast needs.
Viewing Angles
Here OLED‘s per-pixel lighting gifts superwide viewing geometry with color fidelity holding up even from extreme oblique angles. As pixels generate their own saturation rather than filtering a centralized backlight, changes stay minimal when your seat‘s off-center.
Meanwhile, both color and brightness gradually shift viewing QLED panels at sharp side angles as quantum dot filtration and backlight concentration decline outside optimal alignment. For head-on viewing the QN90B dazzles but OLED brings more seating flexibility.
Color Accuracy
Given their wide color gamut capabilities, both TVs showcase blazing chromatic realism. But Samsung‘s quantum dots bring a spectrometer-like ability to minutely pinpoint the necessary wavelengths for true lifelike tones. Measurements reveal superior color volume coverage giving QLED an edge where HDTVs once skewed wildly.
Plus, Samsung combats off-axis color drain with anti-reflective surface treatments not yet applied to OLED. However, since OLED pixels emit their own light, they still hold up better angularly than LCD/QLED panels with more color distortion as you shift to the sides.
Motion Handling
With 120Hz panels, VRR support, rapid response times, and motion interpolation for lower frame rate content, both the QN90B and B2 deliver exemplary motion resolution. Impressively fast reflexes eliminate blur, judder, and lag for fantastically fluid clarity while gaming or watching sports and action films.
For cinema, LG does employ optional but irreversible black frame insertion creating subtle soap opera visual effects that dedicated movie buffs notice. Otherwise, unmatched motion prowess across use cases for both.
Gaming Goodness: 4K Visuals at 120 FPS Never Looked So Good
Gaming remains one of the most exhilarating yet technically demanding pastimes placing immense stress on televisions. But both the QN90B and B2 withstand next-gen gaming bombardments with honors through premium capabilities that annihilate obstacles of yesteryear:
✅ 4K 120Hz Native Refresh Rates
✅ HDMI 2.1 Connectivity
✅ Auto Low Latency Modes
✅ Variable Refresh Rate Support
This formidable feature stack translates to incredibly fluid frame delivery in sync with your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X while sanctioning jaw-dropping 4K visuals at scarcely imaginable 120 FPS speeds!
Gone are the days of jagged screen tears and controller input lag. QLED and OLED‘s blazing response times register commands instantly while their variable refresh rates dynamically match display update frequencies with immediate console output for marvelously smooth synchronization.
Welcome to a new era of unrelenting visual splendor filled with sensory assaulting particles and lighting effects at the highest resolutions enjoying both heightened responsiveness and silkier motion clarity. Even the most intense firefights against Demon Souls adversaries unfurl with cinematically slick precision powered by new television technologies eliminating antiquated barriers.
While some minute input lag and next-gen HDMI feature differences exist between models, Samsung and LG have converged to gaming greatness this generation with extreme performance leaving little room for improvement. Players requiring the most tearless and fluid graphical gameplay experiences can turn to either brand with confidence.
Streaming & Connected Smarts: Tizen vs webOS Compared
With built-in Wi-Fi 6 and app-filled operating systems, today‘s premium televisions overdeliver streaming and smart connectivity compared to basic screens of merely 5 years ago. But interfaces and experiences distinguish QN90Bs and B2s…
Samsung Tizen OS
Having pioneered the smart TV concept, Samsung consolidates its robust Tizen platform delivering a customizable ribbon interface prioritizing personal preferences:
Access & edit apps, inputs and quick settings along the bottom with advanced options menu-driven from the top ribbon. OneConnect box externalizes A/V ports for minimal panel clutter while Tizen intelligently adapts selections and screen layouts based on usage behaviors using integrated machine learning.
Interface responsiveness impresses thanks to streamlined code while compatibility spans iOS and Android to enable phone integration. Controls expand hands-free through Amazon Alexa or Samsung‘s own Bixby digital assistant understanding natural language voice queries.
LG webOS
Like Samsung, LG leverages its own webOS smart interface but takes a more opinionated approach:
Rather than user customization, webOS favorites core streaming services through its tabbed structure populated by algorithmic suggestions based on viewing habits or curated by editors. The simplermatic design may appeal to those less technically inclined. Just turn it on and start watching.
While generally fast, webOS suffers slightly longer launch delays as TVs cold boot up compared to Tizen‘s instant resume thanks to deeper system optimization. But snappy performance rules once operational. You‘ll only experience hiccups if internet connectivity falters.
For those wanting smarter universal search, expanded voice controls, broader third-party hardware integration, easier customization and multi-user flexibility, Tizen excels. But webOS‘s visual simplicity streamlines essential streaming functionality just fine.
Premium Builds: Slim Aesthetics & Robust Construction
Acting their price tag parts, both the QN90B and B2 celebrate lavishly modern industrial designs dialing up luxury lifestyle feels through painstakingly crafted unibody metal and composite builds. Despite their advanced display technologies, precise engineering enables remarkably slim dimensions:
The QN90B chisels itself down to just 0.6 inches deep fully exhibiting Samsung‘s "AirSlim" ethos with razor thin bezels and a low profile cantilever stand neck suspending just inches off furniture. Cable runs hide within to complete the clean, contemporary aesthetic. Brilliant metallic trim underlines its upmarket intentions.
Not to be outdone, LG equally slimmed the B2 to 0.8 inches thin matching its gallery-style vision through a centralized stand mounting. A graphite heat-sink backplate enables uncompromising performance and longevity by whisking away heat buildup. With less adventurous but equally appealing style notes, the B2 still captivates.
Awash in high-gloss finishes and comprehensive cable management solutions, both envelop your entertainment sanctuary with upscale ambiance. Profound attention to material textures and accents evidence luxury craftsmanship translating every room into a dazzling cinema. They‘ll attract as much admiration off as showstopping imagery reveals on.
Cost Considerations: Superb Value Accomplishments
Neither television slides in cheap. As pinnacle representations of display technology pushing boundaries, exceptional R&D and componentry rightfully carry premium price tags. However, suprisingly aggressive costs from both Samsung and LG translate exceptional innovation pecentages per dollar compared to basic LED models:
Across equivalent screen sizes, Samsung maintains a slight pricing advantage over LG averaging around $225 savings for the same diagonal viewing real estate. Considering the QN90B‘s brighter picture capabilities in ambient rooms, greater future-proof HDMI 2.1 count and broader gaming format support, its cost cushions extra value.
However, LG B2 prices continue descending speedily. 2022 saw over 25% average declines across models indicating potent sign of OLED achieving mass market multiples enabling further cost erosion. Already the 65 and 77 inch options hover alluringly near coveted mental milestones. Either brand brings substantial bang-for-buck index.
Seasonal sales surrounding Black Friday, Christmas, Super Bowl and Presidents‘ Day may offer temporary additional discounts or bundled perks. Carefully compare latest deals. With technology plateauing, snagging clearance closeouts on these elite televisions guarantees enduring enjoyment as a superlative crown jewel at the center of your entertainment ecosystem.
Verdict: QLED vs OLED – Which Reigns Supreme for You?
My friend, both Samsung and LG deserve immense credit for pushing television capabilities dramatically forward over the last decade through heavy investments. Their 2023 flagship QLED and OLED models rank among the most exceptional displays ever engineered. You cannot go wrong!
But nuanced differences grant each an advantage under varying circumstances:
Consider your typical viewing environment and programming preferences against these strengths when deciding between the QN90B and B2 OLED. Bright rooms filled with daylight favor QLED‘s radiant talents. Light-controlled home theaters centered around cinematic content unlock OLED‘s artistic talents.
While scoring close overall, Samsung‘s brighter and more affordable QN90B QLED pulls ahead to take the value crown applicable for most buyers. But don‘t underestimate LG‘s heroic black level depths and premium construction even if edge cases. Hopefully my guides steers your ultimate decision!
Please don‘t hesitate to reach out with any further questions. Exploring home theater technology brings me great joy by enriching entertainment experiences. I‘m happy to help tailor the ideal solutions to maximize your enjoyment!
