Can 4K be better than 8K? – LG OLED C9 vs Samsung QLED Q950R
Can 4K be better than 8K? – LG OLED C9 vs Samsung QLED Q950R
Following the video where we discuss if it’s possible to see 8K with our eyes… we’re now wondering if 4K can actually look better than 8K… with surprising results!
Are we 8K ready? — youtu.be/jfq1Zrb1L3E
Obviously, the only fair way to test this is with a totally ‘blind’ test, where our judges don’t even know why we’re doing a test or what the differences between these flagship Smart TVs are.
LG OLED C9 vs Samsung QLED Q950R, both 65 inch screens, with our judges sitting the ideal 50 degrees away from the width of each TV.
***** ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS *****
Sorry for the impersonal response… after answering over 2K comments of basically the same five questions, I find I can’t keep up with re-writing the same answers! However, please don’t think your comment isn’t appreciated — it genuinely is!
1) All of the content from 9:15 onwards was native 8K on the QLED and native 4K on the OLED all downsampled from content originally captured at 12K
2) No, as stated in the video, the TVs were not professionally calibrated before the test. They were tested in their default ‘user’ settings as straight out of the box. The only change was to turn off motion interpolation on the QLED as this defaults to OFF on the OLED. (Plus we all hate the soap opera effect) Calibration does not effect Contrast Modulation, (especially with a black & white still chart)… which is the primary reason the guys couldn’t spot the 8K. Most users do not get their TVs professionally calibrated.
3) The size of screen is only relevant if you are going to view the TV very close up! What’s the visible difference between sitting 4 meters away from an 80 inch screen or 2 meters away from a 40 inch? There is none… the most important figure is pixel density per arc-minute. (ie. how far away you sit related to the width of screen). There are recommended charts for home cinema — we used the THX ones.
4) Many people seem to think you shouldn’t compare QLED with OLED… and I do understand why… but does that mean we can’t compare QLED with anything else — even just for resolution? I would like to perform the same test again with an 8K OLED and a 4K OLED… as soon as possible, but it might have to wait until the 8K OLEDs come down to less than the price of a small car! Now we know you can’t see the pixels on an 8K QLED, I don’t see the point in testing against a 4K QLED… the 4K can only be better! (I love the Q90R by the way)
5) Lots of people seem to think this video is just comparing picture quality between the two TVs… that wasn’t the intention, and in many ways, I regret not cutting everything from before Steve and Mark were trying to spot the 8K. To be fair, the guys said both TVs showed great pictures and it would be very difficult to tell them apart if they weren’t in the same room.
The point where this video changed course was when I realised the guys couldn’t spot the 8K… even close up! I was not expecting that, and the end of the video is my explanation of exactly how that can happen. The close up shots of each panel are with my own macro lens placed against the screen with the same magnification on both.
Useful links for an explanation of our reasoning:
RED Cameras 101 — www.red.com/red-101/eyesight-4k-resolution-viewing
RED Cameras 101 — www.red.com/red-101/understanding-resolution
Samsung ICDM — news.samsung.com/global/icdm-decides-theres-more-to-resolution-than-pixel-count
*****
LG OLED65C9PLA
Samsung QLED65Q950RBT
Judges:
Steve Adams — www.go-media.co.uk
Mark Langton
Programmes watched:
The Crown — Sony Pictures Television / Netflix
Planet Earth II — BBC / Netflix
Above NYC 12K — Gotham Film Works / Phil Holland — www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN3uF3990Q0
Music:
'Omni' by Punch Deck — soundcloud.com/punch-deck
'Andorpic' from Filmstro Pro — filmstro.com
DISCLAIMER:
This equipment was supplied to me by LG for testing. However, this review is completely independent and any opinions expressed are my own. There has been no payment for the content by outside persons or manufactures. As usual, I always reserve the right to say whatever I genuinely think about any product featured on extrashot.
Thank you for watching my video. YOU make these videos happen from your support so please like, share and subscribe if you already haven't.
extrashot.co.uk
#LGOLEDTV
#LGReal8K
#OLEDvsQLED
Following the video where we discuss if it’s possible to see 8K with our eyes… we’re now wondering if 4K can actually look better than 8K… with surprising results!
Are we 8K ready? — youtu.be/jfq1Zrb1L3E
Obviously, the only fair way to test this is with a totally ‘blind’ test, where our judges don’t even know why we’re doing a test or what the differences between these flagship Smart TVs are.
LG OLED C9 vs Samsung QLED Q950R, both 65 inch screens, with our judges sitting the ideal 50 degrees away from the width of each TV.
***** ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS *****
Sorry for the impersonal response… after answering over 2K comments of basically the same five questions, I find I can’t keep up with re-writing the same answers! However, please don’t think your comment isn’t appreciated — it genuinely is!
1) All of the content from 9:15 onwards was native 8K on the QLED and native 4K on the OLED all downsampled from content originally captured at 12K
2) No, as stated in the video, the TVs were not professionally calibrated before the test. They were tested in their default ‘user’ settings as straight out of the box. The only change was to turn off motion interpolation on the QLED as this defaults to OFF on the OLED. (Plus we all hate the soap opera effect) Calibration does not effect Contrast Modulation, (especially with a black & white still chart)… which is the primary reason the guys couldn’t spot the 8K. Most users do not get their TVs professionally calibrated.
3) The size of screen is only relevant if you are going to view the TV very close up! What’s the visible difference between sitting 4 meters away from an 80 inch screen or 2 meters away from a 40 inch? There is none… the most important figure is pixel density per arc-minute. (ie. how far away you sit related to the width of screen). There are recommended charts for home cinema — we used the THX ones.
4) Many people seem to think you shouldn’t compare QLED with OLED… and I do understand why… but does that mean we can’t compare QLED with anything else — even just for resolution? I would like to perform the same test again with an 8K OLED and a 4K OLED… as soon as possible, but it might have to wait until the 8K OLEDs come down to less than the price of a small car! Now we know you can’t see the pixels on an 8K QLED, I don’t see the point in testing against a 4K QLED… the 4K can only be better! (I love the Q90R by the way)
5) Lots of people seem to think this video is just comparing picture quality between the two TVs… that wasn’t the intention, and in many ways, I regret not cutting everything from before Steve and Mark were trying to spot the 8K. To be fair, the guys said both TVs showed great pictures and it would be very difficult to tell them apart if they weren’t in the same room.
The point where this video changed course was when I realised the guys couldn’t spot the 8K… even close up! I was not expecting that, and the end of the video is my explanation of exactly how that can happen. The close up shots of each panel are with my own macro lens placed against the screen with the same magnification on both.
Useful links for an explanation of our reasoning:
RED Cameras 101 — www.red.com/red-101/eyesight-4k-resolution-viewing
RED Cameras 101 — www.red.com/red-101/understanding-resolution
Samsung ICDM — news.samsung.com/global/icdm-decides-theres-more-to-resolution-than-pixel-count
*****
LG OLED65C9PLA
Samsung QLED65Q950RBT
Judges:
Steve Adams — www.go-media.co.uk
Mark Langton
Programmes watched:
The Crown — Sony Pictures Television / Netflix
Planet Earth II — BBC / Netflix
Above NYC 12K — Gotham Film Works / Phil Holland — www.youtube.com/watch?v=UN3uF3990Q0
Music:
'Omni' by Punch Deck — soundcloud.com/punch-deck
'Andorpic' from Filmstro Pro — filmstro.com
DISCLAIMER:
This equipment was supplied to me by LG for testing. However, this review is completely independent and any opinions expressed are my own. There has been no payment for the content by outside persons or manufactures. As usual, I always reserve the right to say whatever I genuinely think about any product featured on extrashot.
Thank you for watching my video. YOU make these videos happen from your support so please like, share and subscribe if you already haven't.
extrashot.co.uk
#LGOLEDTV
#LGReal8K
#OLEDvsQLED