The Samsung S90C is a more premium OLED TV with better picture quality, especially for movies and gaming in dark rooms, though it costs significantly more. The TCL R655 is an LCD TV with a midrange price and good performance for brighter rooms and sports watching, but it has less impressive picture contrast and may not be as good for dark room viewing. If budget is not a major concern and you value top-notch cinema and gaming quality in darker environments, the Samsung S90C may be the better choice, while the more budget-friendly TCL R655 is suitable for general use in brighter settings. 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 S90C (OLED)
Excellent for dark room
Best in class for gaming
Excellent for movies & TV
Very good for sports
Excellent for news, talk, & other TV
Excellent for cartoons & animation
Excellent for use as monitor
Very good for upscaling
Very good motion processing
Best in class viewing angle
Best in class reflections
Advantages of the TCL R655 (LCD)
Best in class for bright room
Key differences
Picture Quality
9.4/10
8.0/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.2/10
RGB OLED
PANEL TYPE
miniLED FALD
QD-OLED
PANEL SUB-TYPE
VA
The Samsung S90C (OLED) has excellent picture quality, while the TCL R655 (LCD) has very good picture quality.
Movies & TV
9.4/10
7.9/10
10.00/10
CONTRAST
9.07/10
10.0/10
BLACK UNIFORMITY
6.1/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
Yes
HDR10 SUPPORT
Yes
Yes
HDR10+ SUPPORT
Yes
No
DOLBY VISION SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is excellent for movies & TV, while the TCL R655 (LCD) is good.
The Samsung S90C OLED excels in watching movies and cinematic TV due to its perfect black uniformity, outstanding contrast, and excellent local dimming which enhance dark scene representation. The TCL R655, while good for movies, has slightly lower contrast and less effective local dimming, resulting in less impressive black levels and dark scene details, and narrower viewing angles which can affect the picture quality when viewed from the side.
Sports
8.7/10
6.6/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
5.3/10
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
144Hz
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
Yes
HLG SUPPORT
Yes
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is very good for sports, while the TCL R655 (LCD) is only fair.
The Samsung S90C, with top response time, excels in motion processing, making it a standout for watching fast-paced sports, and with superior viewing angles, it provides a clear picture for large groups. On the other hand, while the TCL R655 has good performance in these areas, it’s a step behind in response time and viewing angles, making it less optimal for group sports viewing, especially from wider seating arrangements.
Gaming
10.0/10
8.6/10
10.0/10
RESPONSE TIME SCORE
7.0/10
10.0/10
INPUT LAG SCORE
8.7/10
8.2/10
MOTION PROCESSING
5.3/10
100.0/100
GAMING LOCAL DIMMING
85.0/100
8.4/10
GAME HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.8/10
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is best in class for gaming, while the TCL R655 (LCD) is very good.
The Samsung S90C boasts the best response time and input lag, which are critical for gaming, making it a superior choice for gamers who demand top performance. Alternatively, the TCL R655 has very good input lag and good response time, still offering a strong gaming experience but not matching the Samsung's top-tier capabilities in these vital areas.
Cartoons & Animation
9.3/10
8.7/10
9.2/10
COLOR GAMUT SCORE
7.6/10
9.2/10
COLOR VOLUME SCORE
8.2/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
8.8/10
COLORS OUT OF THE BOX SCORE
7.7/10
9.8/10
GRAY UNIFORMITY
8.2/10
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is excellent for cartoons & animation, while the TCL R655 (LCD) is very good.
The Samsung S90C OLED excels at displaying cartoons and animation due to its "Very Good" colors out of the box and "Excellent" color gamut, which are crucial for vibrant and accurate on-screen colors. In contrast, while the TCL R655 LCD is a strong performer with "Good" colors out of the box and a "Good" color gamut, it doesn't quite match the Samsung's proficiency in these highly important color reproduction aspects, though it does offer "Excellent" SDR brightness which helps it stand out in brighter rooms.
News, Talk, & Other TV
9.1/10
7.2/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
8.0/10
UPSCALING
5.4/10
The Samsung S90C (OLED) is excellent for news, talk, & other TV, while the TCL R655 (LCD) is good.
The Samsung S90C delivers excellent upscaling of lower-resolution content and provides good SDR brightness, which makes it great for watching news and TV programs, especially in rooms with some ambient light. On the other hand, the TCL R655 also offers good performance, but its upscaling is not as refined, although it stands out with its excellent SDR brightness, making it a solid choice for well-lit rooms.
Bright Room
8.5/10
9.5/10
10.0/10
VIEWING ANGLE
5.2/10
7.8/10
SDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
9.1/10
8.0/10
HDR BRIGHTNESS SCORE
8.5/10
10.0/10
REFLECTIONS SCORE
8.8/10
The TCL R655 (LCD) is best in class for bright room, while the Samsung S90C (OLED) is very good.
The Samsung S90C OLED has a lower SDR brightness but offers the best reflection handling, which contributes to its performance in bright rooms, while the TCL R655 LCD is favored for its excellent SDR brightness and very good reflection handling, which together enhance its ability to combat bright light conditions. Contrast, color volume, and color gamut, which are notably important for overall picture quality, are also strengths of the Samsung S90C, but these factors are considered less critical than brightness and reflections when it comes to bright room performance.
Cost
$1,375
$1,000
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Samsung S90C (OLED) has a price of $1,375 and the TCL R655 (LCD) costs $1,000.
"Samsung S90C is the company's attempt at making its QD-OLED technology more affordable. You get high-end pictures, great processing, top gaming tech, and a sharp design."
"It has an excellent Roku interface, isn’t too expensive, has quantum dots and mini LED backlighting, and looks genuinely fantastic playing everything. If you’re in the market for a new TV, you should still start here. Gamers will like that it has a 120-Hz refresh rate at 4K, which is the maximum that a modern Xbox or Playstation 5 will put out—meaning the smoothest possible gaming and sports viewing in general. We’re no longer in the days of having to spend over $1,000 and spending a few hours on setup for decent black levels and great color accuracy and HDR"
Get a great deal on the Samsung S90C (OLED) or the TCL R655 (LCD)
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 TCL
TCL, the highly recognizable TV brand from China, has firmly established itself as the second-largest manufacturer in terms of sales volume. Renowned for striking an impressive balance between affordability, picture quality, and design, TCL TVs deliver a compelling overall package. While they have traditionally excelled in the low-end and midrange TV segments, TCL has recently made remarkable strides in the realm of high-end televisions, introducing impressive models that rival top competitors. Most TCL TVs use Roku software which is very user friendly and easy to use, but they have a few other models that use Google TV which has the largest app selection, but is not as user friendly as Roku.
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.
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