Samsung Unveils New 83-Inch S90C OLED TV with LG Display Panel
Samsung has announced its latest addition to the OLED TV range, the 83-inch S90C model, and keen-eyed observers have noticed a significant difference in its panel technology. Unlike Samsung’s existing QD-OLED panels, the new TV is believed to feature a white OLED panel, or WOLED, from LG Display, Samsung’s South Korean rival. This speculation arose after experts at Forbes and HDTVTest noticed that the screen size of the new model exceeds Samsung’s QD-OLED panels. Vincent Teoh from HDTVTest had predicted this earlier, stating that the TV would be equipped with a WRGB OLED panel produced by LG Display.
Samsung Electronics America’s James Fishler confirmed that the 83-inch S90C model uses WOLED technology but did not provide specific information on its source. In his statement, Fishler mentioned that the TV is powered by Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor, which is utilized in the company’s other OLED lineup. Regarding the source of the WOLED panel, Fishler stated that Samsung works with various companies and does not comment on its supply chain.
The introduction of the new 83-inch Samsung OLED TV comes after recent reports that Samsung and LG Display signed a deal to supply millions of panels over the next few years. This collaboration between two competitors in the tech industry is not uncommon, with Samsung and Apple previously working together to supply OLED displays for iPhones despite their patent disputes.
While it is uncertain how the utilization of two different types of OLED panels in Samsung’s S90C lineup will affect picture quality, Rtings’ comparison of Samsung and LG’s current OLED models suggests that WOLED panels may offer a slight overall brightness advantage with QD-OLED panels benefiting from brighter colors. Additionally, a TV burn-in test conducted by Rtings revealed that QD-OLED panels may be slightly more susceptible to burn-in in extreme cases.
Users will soon be able to confirm the type of OLED panel used in the new 83-inch Samsung OLED TV. HDTVTest’s Vincent Teoh states that methods to identify the technology include taking zoomed-in photographs of the TV’s sub-pixel array or shining a light on the TV when it is turned off to observe whether the screen turns gray or remains black. Gray indicates the use of QD-OLED, while black points to WOLED / WRGB OLED.
In terms of the panel technology, QD-OLED differs from traditional OLED panels as it emits blue light through quantum dots, converting some of the blue into red and green without the need for a color filter. This innovation leads to greater light energy efficiency and enhanced brightness. Moreover, QD-OLED is claimed to boost color brightness by up to 200% compared to conventional TVs and delivers improved viewing angles due to less diffusion caused by the absence of a color filter.
Apart from the panel technology, the 83-inch S90C TV includes Samsung’s Tizen operating system, a Neural Quantum Processor for upscaling content to 4K, Dolby Atmos, HDMI 2.1, and support for 120Hz 4K content. It also features Samsung’s Gaming Hub, enabling support for game streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming, and comes with a SolarCell Remote that can charge via artificial or natural light, as well as RF waves.