Samsung 83" Review
The Samsung S90H OLED is built for gamers first, with a blazing 165Hz panel that shines. But its middling picture quality and surprisingly weak audio make it a tough sell for home theater purists.
The 30-Second Version
A fantastic gaming monitor disguised as an 83-inch TV. Buy it for the buttery 165Hz smoothness, but bring your own speakers because the built-in audio is a dud.
Overview
The Samsung S90H is a TV that's trying to be a jack of all trades, but it's really a master of one: gaming. The 165Hz refresh rate and G-Sync/FreeSync support are the real stars here, making this a top-tier display for anyone with a high-end PC or console. But if you're buying this for a jaw-dropping OLED picture or a killer smart TV experience, you might want to temper your expectations. The core story is a gaming-focused panel wrapped in a package of AI features that sound better on paper than they feel in your living room.
Performance
The gaming performance is the one area that genuinely surprised us in a good way. Hitting the 88th percentile, it's one of the best gaming TVs you can get right now. The motion clarity at 165Hz is fantastic, and the low input lag feels responsive. The surprise on the flip side is the audio, which landed in the 27th percentile. For a TV with 'Object Tracking Sound' and Dolby Atmos branding, the soundstage is disappointingly thin and lacks the punch you'd expect at this size and price point. You'll absolutely need a soundbar.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Gaming performance is a standout, with a super smooth 165Hz panel and great VRR support. 88th
- Glare Free coating actually works well, making it usable in brighter rooms where most OLEDs struggle. 87th
- Connectivity is strong, with plenty of HDMI ports and modern Wi-Fi 6E.
- The AI upscaling does a decent job of cleaning up low-quality streaming content.
Cons
- The audio is a real letdown. It sounds hollow and lacks bass, which is a major flaw for a premium TV. 20th
- The smart TV platform (Tizen) is just okay, landing squarely in the middle of the pack. 28th
- Picture quality scores are merely average for an OLED, which is surprising given the AI hype.
- It's a massive 83-inch screen with mediocre built-in sound, creating an awkward mismatch.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Display
| Size | 83" |
| Panel Type | OLED |
HDR
| HDR Formats | HDR 10+ |
Gaming
| Refresh Rate | 165 Hz |
Smart TV
| Platform | Tizen |
Connectivity
| HDMI Ports | 4 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 |
Value & Pricing
Worth it? Only if gaming is your absolute top priority. You're paying a premium for that 165Hz panel and the gaming features. For pure movie watching or a balanced home theater experience, there are better-valued OLEDs that deliver superior picture quality and sound for the same money.
Price History
vs Competition
The most direct competitor is the LG OLED evo C5. The LG will almost certainly beat the Samsung on pure, out-of-the-box picture quality and color accuracy, and it uses the superior webOS smart platform. But the Samsung fights back with a higher refresh rate (165Hz vs 120Hz) and that effective anti-glare coating. If you game in a bright room, the S90H has an edge. If you watch movies in a dark home theater, the LG is the better pick. Also, don't ignore the TCL QM7K if you want sheer size and brightness for less money, though you'll sacrifice perfect blacks.
| Spec | Samsung 83" | Sony Bravia Sony BRAVIA 5 98" 4K HDR Smart Mini-LED TV | LG OLED evo - C5 series LG - 77" Class C5 Series OLED evo AI 4K UHD Smart | Hisense U65QF Mini-LED Hisense - 55" Class U6 Series MiniLED QLED UHD 4K | Roku Mini-LED QLED 4K - Pro Roku - 65" Class Pro Series 4K QLED Mini-LED Smart | TCL QD Mini LED - QM7K TCL - 98" Class QM7K Series 4K UHD HDR QD Mini LED |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 83 | 98 | 77 | 55 | 65 | 98 |
| Resolution | - | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 3840x2160 | 4K (2160p) |
| Panel Type | OLED | MiniLED | OLED | MiniLED | MiniLED | MiniLED |
| Refresh Rate | 165 | 120 | 120 | 144 | 120 | 144 |
| Hdr | HDR 10+ | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG | Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HLG |
| Smart Platform | Tizen | Google TV | webOS | Fire TV | Roku TV | Google TV |
| Dolby Vision | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Dolby Atmos | - | false | true | true | true | true |
| Hdmi Version | - | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Hdr | Audio | Smart | Gaming | Display | Connectivity | Social Proof | Picture Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 83" | 50.8 | 27.5 | 54.4 | 88.4 | 47.9 | 87.1 | 19.8 | 43 |
| Sony Bravia K98XR50 98" LED Compare | 92.9 | 73.9 | 91.6 | 94.9 | 75.4 | 97.2 | 99.5 | 86.1 |
| LG OLED evo - C5 series 77" Class C5 Series Compare | 92.9 | 90.5 | 95.3 | 99.9 | 95.7 | 98.6 | 99.5 | 43 |
| Hisense U65QF Mini-LED 55" Class U6 Series MiniLED Compare | 98.8 | 90.5 | 93.8 | 96.5 | 56.9 | 97.2 | 94.4 | 97.1 |
| Roku Mini-LED QLED 4K - Pro 65" Class Pro Series Compare | 96.5 | 90.5 | 92.6 | 97.4 | 62.6 | 99 | 98.8 | 86.1 |
| TCL QD Mini LED - QM7K 98" Class QM7K Series Compare | 98.8 | 90.5 | 98.6 | 98.4 | 37.4 | 96.1 | 97.6 | 99 |
Common Questions
Q: Is the AI upscaling really that good?
It's solid, not magic. It cleans up noisy, low-bitrate streams pretty well, making YouTube TV or older shows look better. But it's not going to make DVD-quality content look like native 4K. Think of it as a helpful cleanup crew, not a miracle worker.
Q: Do I need a next-gen console or PC to use the 165Hz?
Yes, absolutely. Your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X tops out at 120Hz. To hit 165Hz, you need a high-end gaming PC with a graphics card that can push those frames. For console gamers, you're buying headroom you can't fully use yet.
Q: How bad is the glare really?
The Glare Free coating is one of this TV's best features. It's not perfect, but it's significantly better than a glossy OLED panel. If you have windows opposite your TV, this is a major advantage over most competitors.
Who Should Skip This
If you're building a dedicated home theater for movie nights, this isn't it. The average picture quality scores and weak audio don't justify the price for cinephiles. Go get an LG G-Series or a Sony Bravia A95L instead for a truly reference-grade viewing experience.
Verdict
We recommend the Samsung S90H, but with a very specific audience in mind. If you are a serious gamer who wants the highest refresh rate possible on a big screen and you can't control the lighting in your room, this TV makes a compelling case. For everyone else—especially home theater enthusiasts who value picture fidelity and sound—the competition from LG and Sony offers a more polished and complete experience. Buy this for the gaming specs, and plan to buy a soundbar on the same day.