The Samsung QN85B, an LCD TV, offers decent overall picture quality and excels in bright rooms, making it a sound choice if you often watch TV in well-lit spaces. It is also typically much less expensive, providing good value for those on a tighter budget.
On the other hand, the Sony A90J, an OLED TV, delivers superior picture quality, with exceptional performance for movies and dark room viewing. It comes at a higher price, but if you prioritize top-tier visual experience and have the budget, it could be the better option for immersive movie nights and gaming sessions. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Samsung QN85B (LCD)
Excellent for bright room
Advantages of the Sony A90J (OLED)
Excellent for dark room
Excellent for movies & TV
Excellent for sports
Best in class for upscaling
Best in class motion processing
Very good viewing angle
Excellent reflections
Key differences
Picture Quality
7.5/10
8.7/10
5.64/10
CONTRAST
10.00/10
7.5/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.4/10
miniLED FALD
PANEL TYPE
WOLED
IPS
PANEL SUB-TYPE
WBE
The Sony A90J (OLED) has very good picture quality, while the Samsung QN85B (LCD) has good picture quality.
Movies & TV
7.3/10
9.1/10
5.64/10
CONTRAST
10.00/10
5.7/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
10.0/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
No
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony A90J (OLED) is excellent for movies & TV, while the Samsung QN85B (LCD) is good.
The Samsung QN85B provides a strong overall picture with a high local dimming feature that can enhance cinematic scenes, but its black uniformity is not as deep as an OLED, making it less ideal for darker movie scenes. The Sony A90J, an OLED TV, excels at both contrast and black uniformity, offering a superior viewing experience for movies with rich dark scenes but may deliver less vibrant colors straight out of the box compared to the Samsung.
Sports
7.1/10
9.2/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.3/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.0/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Sony A90J (OLED) is excellent for sports, while the Samsung QN85B (LCD) is good.
The Sony A90J has excellent motion processing, response time, and handles reflections well, making it ideal for watching sports, especially if you're concerned about blurring during fast action and want clear visibility in bright rooms. In contrast, the Samsung QN85B, although good in these areas, is not as strong in terms of response time and motion processing, and it might not handle reflections quite as effectively, but it does offer wider viewing angles which can be beneficial if you frequently watch with a group spread out around the room.
Gaming
8.2/10
8.8/10
8.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
9.4/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
7.3/10
8.0/10
MOTION PROCESSING
10.0/10
70.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
100.0/100
9.0/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.5/10
The Sony A90J (OLED) and Samsung QN85B (LCD) are both very good for gaming, though the Sony A90J (OLED) is somewhat better.
The Samsung QN85B is known for its exceptional input lag, which is crucial for a smooth gaming experience, while the Sony A90J has an excellent response time that ensures the fast movement in games is clear and not blurred. Both are equipped with a 120Hz refresh rate, perfect for high-speed gaming, but prioritize different aspects of gaming performance with Samsung focusing on minimizing delay between controller and action, and Sony on the clarity of rapid movements on screen.
Cartoons & Animation
8.0/10
8.5/10
7.2/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.8/10
7.5/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
7.4/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.0/10
7.9/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
8.3/10
7.2/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
9.8/10
The Sony A90J (OLED) and Samsung QN85B (LCD) are both very good for cartoons & animation, though the Sony A90J (OLED) is somewhat better.
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) provides good out-of-the-box color accuracy and a good color gamut, which helps cartoons and animations look vibrant and true to the creators' intentions. In contrast, the Sony A90J (OLED) delivers very good out-of-the-box colors with a similar color gamut, offering a richer and more intense viewing experience, particularly in scenes where deep blacks and diverse shades are prevalent.
News, Talk, & Other TV
8.2/10
8.9/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.0/10
7.5/10
UPSCALING
10.0/10
The Sony A90J (OLED) and Samsung QN85B (LCD) are both very good for news, talk, & other TV, though the Sony A90J (OLED) is somewhat better.
The Samsung QN85B is commended for its excellent SDR brightness which is crucial for a vibrant display when watching news and talk shows in well-lit rooms and also provides excellent upscaling of lower resolution content which is common for such programs. In contrast, the Sony A90J, while offering good SDR brightness, excels in upscaling and motion processing, delivering smoother and clearer images, making it a strong contender for watching news, talk shows, and regular TV programming.
Bright Room
9.2/10
7.3/10
7.5/10
VIEWING ANGLE
8.5/10
9.3/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.0/10
8.9/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
7.4/10
8.9/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
9.2/10
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) is excellent for bright room, while the Sony A90J (OLED) is good.
The Samsung QN85B excels in a bright room due to its higher SDR and HDR brightness and very good reflection handling, supporting clearer images even in well-lit environments. On the other hand, the Sony A90J, despite having good brightness, offers better reflections handling but might not be as bright overall as the Samsung.
Cost
$1,199
$2,498
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Samsung QN85B (LCD) has a price of $1,199 and the Sony A90J (OLED) costs $2,498.
"Particularly key to this is the fact that black levels are unusually good, on a level we haven’t seen from any IPS TV before. Build quality is impressive too, with a gleaming silver metallic frame and stand, and enough heft to suggest plenty of quality innards. High dynamic range content jumps off the screen with enough luminosity and intensity to really sell what makes HDR special."
"In every meaningful department – motion control, contrast, edge definition, detail levels, you name it the A90J puts in a memorably accomplished shift. In fact, the Sony proves outstanding at handling on-screen motion of any and every kind. By the standards of television audio systems, the A90J is a notably punchy and genuinely dynamic performer."
Get a great deal on the Samsung QN85B (LCD) or the Sony A90J (OLED)
About Samsung
Samsung, a South Korean electronics manufacturer, holds the title of being the largest global TV vendor in terms of units sold. They offer a diverse lineup of TV products that cater to various budget ranges. A notable achievement in recent years is the development of Quantum Dots, a technology that enhances color reproduction, resulting in richer and more vibrant hues. Samsung TVs are well-regarded for their high manufacturing quality and user-friendly software, making them an excellent choice for consumers seeking an intuitive viewing experience.
About Sony
Sony stands as a highly experienced and widely trusted TV manufacturer, earning a reputation that surpasses all others. A Japanese company, Sony has been making TVs for far longs than it has been making Playstation game consoles. Sony's high-end TVs are often regarded as the ultimate choice for videophiles, representing the epitome of quality, albeit at a premium price point. Renowned for their advanced and precise motion handling, as well as their cutting-edge local dimming algorithms, Sony consistently delivers unparalleled performance in these areas. They include Google TV software with all their TV sets, which grants access to the largest selection of apps available and they also include Bravia Core which is a movie streaming platform specifically for Sony TVs that offers higher picture quality by using more bandwidth.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec TVs team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest TV information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
385
TVs evaluated
33,110
TVs stats compiled
21
Proprietary TVs ratings developed
122,430
Recommendations made
18,365
Consumer hours saved
About the TV team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and TVs Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Jaime Roldán
TVs Expert
Jaime is a Colombia-based TV expert. He is an electronics engineer with 8 years of experience in the telecom sector and has been making TV recommendations for 12 years.