SpecWiseGuide

Samsung vs Sony TVs: which brand fits your room and your consoles?

By SMART SC Editorial Team · Updated · How we research

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Every HDMI input takes 4K 120 HzOnly some inputs doHisense2 of 3LG4 of 5Samsung6 of 7Sony0 of 5TCL0 of 3
One square per TV line in our catalogue (23 lines), by brand, from the spec sheets.

Short answer

Choose Sony for film and broadcast TV: Dolby Vision, an ATSC 3.0 tuner on most BRAVIA lines, Google TV, and processing tuned for accurate, natural pictures. Choose Samsung for gaming setups and bright rooms: all four HDMI inputs take 4K 120 Hz (Sony’s take it on only two, and the soundbar’s eARC port is usually one of them), refresh to 165 Hz, and Glare Free anti-reflection. Samsung lacks Dolby Vision (it uses HDR10+); Sony lacks HDR10+.

Key takeaways

  • Inputs: Samsung 4 of 4 at 4K 120 Hz; Sony 2 of 4 (HDMI 3 and 4).
  • HDR: Sony Dolby Vision; Samsung HDR10+.
  • Antenna: Sony’s BRAVIA 5, 7, 8 II and 9 II have ATSC 3.0; Samsung’s lines we list don’t.
  • Panels: both sell QD-OLED (Sony BRAVIA 8 II, Samsung S9x); Sony’s BRAVIA 9 II uses an RGB LED backlight.

Samsung and Sony make some of the best TVs on sale, but they’re built for different priorities. Samsung chases brightness, anti-glare and gaming features; Sony chases picture accuracy and broadcast features. The spec sheets show exactly where they diverge.

The differences that matter

Samsung Sony
Dolby Vision No Yes
HDR10+ Yes No
HDMI inputs with 4K 120 Hz 4 of 4 2 of 4 (HDMI 3 and 4)
Highest refresh (lines we list) 165 Hz 120 Hz
Anti-reflection Glare Free on several lines Not marketed on current sheets
ATSC 3.0 tuner No (lines we list) Yes on BRAVIA 5, 7, 8 II, 9 II
Smart platform Tizen Google TV
OLED panels QD-OLED / WOLED by size QD-OLED (BRAVIA 8 II)
Premium LCD Neo QLED (Mini LED) Mini LED (BRAVIA 7), RGB LED (BRAVIA 9 II)

Inputs. If you have a PS5 and an Xbox plus a soundbar, Sony’s two fast inputs are tight: the soundbar takes the eARC port, which is usually one of the two. Samsung’s four leave room. See HDMI 2.1 TVs.

Broadcast. Sony is the only one of the two with ATSC 3.0 tuners in our catalogue, which matters if you watch NEXTGEN TV over an antenna.

Line-up map

Tier Samsung Sony
Flagship LCD QN90F / QN90H (Neo QLED Mini LED) BRAVIA 9 II (RGB LED)
OLED S90F / S90H (S95 above them) BRAVIA 8 II (QD-OLED)
Mid LCD Q8F (QLED) BRAVIA 7 (Mini LED), BRAVIA 5 (Mini LED)
Entry Crystal UHD (not catalogued) BRAVIA 3 (direct LED, 60 Hz)
Lifestyle The Frame —

Picture: brightness and anti-glare vs accuracy

Samsung’s strength is brightness and reflection control. Its Glare Free layer on the S90H, QN90F and QN90H is a matte-type treatment that diffuses reflections, which makes a bigger difference in a room with windows than most picture settings. Sony’s strength is processing and accuracy: tone mapping, upscaling, gradient handling and motion, aimed at reproducing the creator’s intent. Sony’s BRAVIA 9 II also uses a newer RGB LED backlight, which produces color directly in the backlight rather than through quantum dots.

Neither strength appears on a spec sheet as a number, so for brightness, reflections and processing quality, compare lab measurements of the exact models.

Gaming setups

  • One PS5: either works. Sony adds PS5-specific auto settings (HDR tone mapping, genre-based picture mode).
  • PS5 + Xbox + soundbar: Samsung. Sony’s two fast inputs leave you choosing which console goes in a slower port, because the soundbar’s eARC port is usually one of the two.
  • Gaming PC: Samsung, for 165 Hz (S90H, QN90F) against Sony’s 120 Hz.
  • Xbox with Dolby Vision gaming: Sony supports it; Samsung doesn’t.

Smart TV and ecosystem

Sony uses Google TV with Chromecast built in; Samsung uses Tizen, with AirPlay, Samsung TV Plus channels and SmartThings for smart-home control. Both pair with their own soundbars to use the TV’s speakers together with the bar (Samsung Q-Symphony, Sony Acoustic Center Sync). See smart TV platforms and the Samsung soundbar guide.

Sizes

Samsung’s lines in our catalogue run from 55 to 85 inches (77 and 83 for OLED); Sony’s BRAVIA lines are catalogued at 55 and 65 inches so far, with larger sizes available in several lines.

Every Samsung and Sony line we list

Show
TV lineTypePanel (as marketed)Refresh / max VRR4K 120 Hz+ inputsHDR formatsAnti-reflectionSizes we listCheck price
Samsung QN90H 2026Mini LEDNeo QLED (Mini LED) with Glare Free120 / 144 Hz4 of 4HDR10+Glare Free65″, 75″Amazon
Samsung S90H 2026OLEDOLED with Glare Free120 / 165 Hz4 of 4HDR10+Glare Free55″, 65″, 77″, 83″Amazon
Samsung Q8F 2025LEDQLED120 / 144 Hz4 of 4HDR10+–32″, 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″, 75″, 85″Amazon
Samsung QN90F 2025Mini LEDNeo QLED (Mini LED) with Glare Free120 / 165 Hz4 of 4HDR10+Glare Free55″, 65″, 75″, 85″Amazon
Samsung S90F 2025OLEDOLED120 / 144 Hz4 of 4HDR10+–55″, 65″, 77″, 83″Amazon
Samsung S95F 2025OLEDOLED with Glare Free120 / 165 Hz4 of 4HDR10+OLED Glare Free55″, 65″, 77″, 83″Amazon
Samsung The Frame (LS03F) 2025LEDQLED with matte anti-reflection display120 / 144 Hz1 of 4HDR10+Matte Display43″, 50″, 55″, 65″Amazon
Sony BRAVIA 9 II 2026RGB LEDRGB LED, local dimming120 / 120 Hz2 of 4Dolby Vision–65″Amazon
Sony BRAVIA 5 2025Mini LEDMini LED, local dimming120 / 120 Hz2 of 4Dolby Vision–55″, 65″Amazon
Sony BRAVIA 8 II 2025QD-OLEDQD-OLED120 / 120 Hz2 of 4Dolby Vision–55″, 65″Amazon
Sony BRAVIA 3 2024LEDLED, direct backlight60 / 60 Hz0 of 4Dolby Vision–43″, 50″, 55″, 65″Amazon
Sony BRAVIA 7 2024Mini LEDMini LED, full-array local dimming120 / 120 Hz2 of 4Dolby Vision–65″Amazon

Picks from each brand

QD-OLED65″ K-65XR80M2

Drawn from the spec sheet, not a photo

Best Sony TV

Sony BRAVIA 8 II QD-OLED

QD-OLED · 2025 model

  • QD-OLED
  • 120 Hz
  • VRR to 120 Hz
  • Dolby Vision
  • ATSC 3.0

4K 120 Hz+ on 2 of 4 HDMI inputs

Sizes55″ K-55XR80M265″ K-65XR80M2

Check price on Amazon
OLED65″ QN65S90H

Drawn from the spec sheet, not a photo

Best Samsung TV

Samsung S90H OLED

OLED with Glare Free · 2026 model

  • OLED
  • 120 Hz
  • VRR to 165 Hz
  • HDR10+
  • Anti-glare

4K 120 Hz+ on 4 of 4 HDMI inputs

Sizes55″ QN55S90H65″ QN65S90H77″ QN77S90H83″ QN83S90H

Check price on Amazon

Our take

Pick Sony if you watch mostly films and streaming with Dolby Vision, use an antenna, and have one or two fast devices. Pick Samsung for a multi-console or PC setup, a bright room, or a preference for HDR10+ and Samsung’s ecosystem. For the OLED-specific comparison with LG, see Sony vs LG OLED.

Frequently asked questions

Is Sony better than Samsung?

For film accuracy, Dolby Vision and over-the-air TV, Sony. For multiple consoles, PC gaming, bright rooms and anti-glare, Samsung.

Is Sony or Samsung better for PS5?

Both work well. Sony adds PS5-specific auto settings, but its TVs have only two 4K 120 Hz inputs. Samsung’s four fast inputs suit a PS5 plus another console or a PC.

Do Sony TVs have HDR10+?

Not the lines we list: Sony supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG.

Which is better for a bright room, Sony or Samsung?

Samsung, on paper: its Glare Free anti-reflection is on the S90H, QN90F and QN90H. Sony’s current lines don’t market an anti-glare layer in their US sheets.

Is Sony or Samsung better for gaming?

Samsung for multi-console and PC setups (four 4K 120 Hz inputs, up to 165 Hz). Sony for a single PS5, with PS5 auto settings and Dolby Vision gaming for Xbox.

Sources (13)

  1. Samsung QN90H specifications sheet
  2. Samsung S90H specifications sheet
  3. Samsung Q8F specifications sheet
  4. Samsung QN90F specifications sheet
  5. Samsung S90F specifications sheet
  6. Samsung S95F specification sheet
  7. Samsung The Frame (LS03F) specifications sheet
  8. Sony BRAVIA 9 II specifications sheet (K-65XR90M2)
  9. Sony BRAVIA 5 specifications sheet (K-65XR50, K-55XR50)
  10. Sony BRAVIA 8 II specifications sheet (K-65XR80M2, K-55XR80M2)
  11. Sony BRAVIA 3 specifications sheet (K-65S30, K-55S30)
  12. Sony BRAVIA 7 specifications sheet (K-65XR70)
  13. RTINGS, Best TV brands (independent lab measurements)
LG vs Samsung TVs: OLED, Mini LED, HDR formats and smart platforms comparedLG leads in OLED and supports Dolby Vision; Samsung leads in bright-room Mini LED and anti-glare, with HDR10+ instead. Line-by-line comparison from spec sheets.Sony vs LG OLED: BRAVIA 8 II against the LG C5Sony's BRAVIA 8 II has a QD-OLED panel and an ATSC 3.0 tuner; the LG C5 has four 4K 120 Hz inputs, 144 Hz and more sizes. Both have Dolby Vision.Best TV for PS5: the features the PS5 actually uses, and the TVs that have themThe PS5 uses 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and HDR10, not Dolby Vision. Which current TVs deliver that, on how many ports, and our spec-based picks.TVs with ATSC 3.0 (NEXTGEN TV) tuners: which current models have oneWhich current TVs have a built-in ATSC 3.0 tuner, from each spec sheet: Sony, Hisense U7/U8 and TCL QM8K do; LG and most Samsungs don't.TVs with Dolby Vision: which brands and models support itWhich current TVs support Dolby Vision, checked against each spec sheet: LG, Sony, TCL and Hisense do; Samsung doesn't. What DV adds, HDR10+ and gaming.Best TVs of 2026Our picks of current TVs from LG, Samsung, Sony, Hisense and TCL, chosen from spec sheets by room and use, with links to independent lab measurements.