HELP! Getting headaches trying to decide!

[solazos]

Hi to everyone!
I am posting here as the last station of my big research trip on finding the best tv for me!

So I am moving in with my girlfriend, we both watch lots of movies and series in both streaming platforms like netflix and disnay plus even youtube but also nromal SDR content from local broadcasting channels.

The TV set is to go to our living room, which is moderate lit and not super birght at all.

So after my research and figuring out all the new technologies I decided that the best one for me would be an OLED set, but as you all propably know the OLEDs are expensive.

Anyways there are 3 good offers right now going on in my area which are the Sony A80J at 55" (1.4k euros) the Philips Oled706 at 65" (1.35k euros) and the Samsung NeoQled QN95A at 65" (1600k euros).

The questiong is: Should I go with one of the "mid-tier" OLEDs or with the 'more high-end" Neo QLED?
If the OLED is still the right way, which one of the two mentioned here?

The Phillips 706 is the biggest OLED I can afford right now BUT I cant seem to find a in depth review about it (all the reviews are about the 806 which is about 1k euros more expensinve), on the other hand the Sony A80J seems to be a crowd pleaser with good to great reviews anywhere you look but the one I can afford is the 55".

My opinion is that the Phillips would be the smartest choice but with no reviews around I am just not sure.

So I need your thoughts and opinions to help me decide!

Thanks a lot!

 

[mikej]

I can't comment on those specific models but one thing I would say is that if you're wanting a 65" TV and the only way you can afford a Sony OLED is to get a 55" model, then I would cross it off the list otherwise you'll most-likely end up regretting getting a smaller size than you wanted, no matter how good the Sony is.

 

[solazos]

Thanks for the fast reply!

I agree thats why I am considering the Phillips and actually lining towards it.

But it is the lack or in depth reviews (or reviews at all tbh) that makes me having second thoughts, what if it is a "bad" panel with muted colors etc...

I really cant find anything about it.

 

[mikej]

I prefer Panasonic TVs (currently have a Panasonic OLED) and LG would be second on my list. While Sony undoubtedly make good TVs, I've not been prepared to pay the premium they've charged for their models in the past and, judging by the prices you quoted, it sounds like they still do.

I don't know a lot about Philips TVs but I gather their OLEDs can be good value - have you had a look in the Philips TV forum ? There are a number of related threads, including a 2021 Philips OLED Owner's thread which will be worth reading through to find out what owners think of the 706 and similar models. The 706 features in Dodgexander's guide (see the 'semi-pro HDR TV' link here), with talk of potentially buggy firmware and Android TV on that model being a bit clunky. No TV is perfect though - they all have their pros and cons.

When it comes to bad panels, that can be a risk with any make. Most (if not all) OLED screens are manufactured by LG Display. Saying that, I have a 2019 55" Panasonic OLED with (as far as I can see) a perfect panel - no obvious banding, tinting or dead pixels.

 

[solazos]

Hey, thanks for the reply!

I would definetly consider a panasonic and lg if there was one at my price range bugdet but there are not any atm!

I will be definatly checking the forum you said!

 

[Dodgexander]

You want to punch as high as you can in my guide without sacrificing a level of quality.

To use two examples from your current deals. The Samsung QN95A is an enthusiast level TV, whereas the Philips OLED706 is only semi-pro.

That would suggest even though you are paying more for the Samsung you are getting a much better TV overall.

But first before you compare LCD and OLED, decide which display technology suits you more. If you weigh up LCD and OLED and have a strong personal preference for OLED that's when the OLED706 makes more sense.

There's not a huge difference between the OLED706 and the OLED806. The OLED706 will be a bit dimmer which will make for worse HDR picture quality but side by side using SDR you won't notice a difference between either TV.

Differences are more with things like ambilight and aesthetics.

TV pricing is also very volatile, so what you see today may not be the same tomorrow. It's also the time of year when old stock could no longer be available, and prices can sometimes shoot up, rather than down if this is the case.

 

[solazos]

Yo, thanks for the reply.


I was digging on the Phillips corner of the forum and many reported that 806 and 706 has an issue with artifacts in blacks when watching SDR so common that I am having even more "second" thoughts...

Also about the pricing according to time of the year is probably way diferent here in Greece compared to other places...
Black friday is not such a big deal and we have a discounts period around august too..

To be honest I am thinking to wait until then, just slightly afraid I might miss out?

So to understand if I got it right you suggest that if an OLED seems the better option for me I should go for it even if there a higher end LED availably on my bugdet, correct?

Thanks again.

 

[Dodgexander]

So to understand if I got it right you suggest that if an OLED seems the better option for me I should go for it even if there a higher end LED availably on my bugdet, correct?

Yes, because personal preferences and viewing conditions aligning are much more important. For HDR material the Samsung QN95A will win hands down every time, but performance in a dark room OLED will always win.

Motion blur is also a factor with LCD, and not with OLED. LCD tends to stutter less than OLED in motion though.

Every OLED seems to have an issue with artifacts and dark SDR material. It's a product of the new chips they are using which introduces HDMI 2.1. I think if you search every OLED you'll read the same thing. The Samsung will be better in this respect but will also have worse blacks because it can't dim per pixel.

Do you not have one of the QN91A, QN92A, QN93A or QN94A models sold locally? These may be a good compromise and are usually cheaper. The QN90A is best avoided.

 

[solazos]

Yes, because personal preferences and viewing conditions aligning are much more important. For HDR material the Samsung QN95A will win hands down every time, but performance in a dark room OLED will always win.

Motion blur is also a factor with LCD, and not with OLED. LCD tends to stutter less than OLED in motion though.

Every OLED seems to have an issue with artifacts and dark SDR material. It's a product of the new chips they are using which introduces HDMI 2.1. I think if you search every OLED you'll read the same thing. The Samsung will be better in this respect but will also have worse blacks because it can't dim per pixel.

Do you not have one of the QN91A, QN92A, QN93A or QN94A models sold locally? These may be a good compromise and are usually cheaper. The QN90A is best avoided.

Ok got it!

I will look up your suggestions and see if there is any of those available too!

Although I think that right now retailers I trust around here are having last call offers on last years stock so my options are limited!

Thanks for the detailed answers, helped a lot!