Whether you’re looking for a smart TV for everyday viewing, a 4K or 8K option for a gaming room, a large TV for a home theater, or just the right fit for your living room, one question will linger in your mind: How do you choose the best TV that meets your needs? Samsung and LG, two of the leading TV manufacturers in the world, are popular brands with options for all: from the budget-conscious to the premium, no-holds-barred consumers.
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Both LG TVs and Samsung TVs offer a wide array of options for customers, so it wouldn’t be fair to narrow down each brand to just one television for the sake of comparison. Samsung is known for its wide array of QLED televisions, while LG is most popular for applying OLED technology to TV panels. But neither company exclusively manufactures one type of panel.
That said, one of the two companies may offer a TV that’s better suited for your particular needs, and we’ll break down the distinguishing features below to help you decide.
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You should buy a Samsung TV if…
1. You want a brighter picture than most
Samsung’s QLED (quantum-dot light-emitting diode) technology is at the top of the line for full-array local dimming. The company’s QLED screens have become popular among those looking for the best picture quality around, most recently with Samsung’s Neo QLED series leading the charge.
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The technology, which employs an LED backlight projected onto a quantum dot layer, is known for its brightness and vibrancy, but it has the drawback of potential white bleeding. This results in graying or a blooming effect when black-colored images are displayed on-screen with lower contrast. The brightness power of the LED backlight, however, is unmatched compared to OLED technology, making QLED TVs a great option for any room, whether dim or brightly lit.
2. You want a fantastic 8K television and are willing to pay for it
It’s no wonder that OLED 8K TVs sound like a myth: The retail price alone of such a combination of features is enough to balk at, though both manufacturers do make these. One example is theLG Z2 PUA 77-inch televisionwith an MSRP of $9,999. In contrast, Samsung’s Neo QLED QN900D 8K 75-inch TV retails at $4,999, about half the price.
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Generally speaking, Samsung has more options for 8K-resolution TVs than LG, especially when it comes to choosing the panel with the best and most versatile picture for different areas, either dimly lit or bright. While LG has a decent, more budget-friendly 8K option in the QNED MiniLED 99 Series, the picture quality of Samsung’s QN900D TVs exceeds the former, particularly in contrast and color. ZDNET Editor-in-Chief Jason Hiner tested the QN900D model recently and commended it for its extreme brightness and vibrancy, which allowed it to light up some shadows and colors in ways that the best OLEDs have a tough time keeping up with.
3. You’re sold on Samsung’s AI features
At CES 2024, Samsung announced that AI will play a larger role in its TV lineup’s functionality than ever before. Advancements in artificial upscaling allow the displays to take lower-resolution content and make it look higher-resolution in near real-time. This means that standard definition and high-def content will be upscaled to 4K, while 4K content will be bumped to 8K with the TV’s onboard AI Upscaling Pro technology.
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Cut to CES 2025, where Samsung revealed plans to expand AI tech in its TV via a new “suite of AI features.” To highlight a few, we have Color Booster Pro which will utilize artificial intelligence to output more vibrant colors. HDR Remastering enhances the “standard dynamic range [in] content to high dynamic range levels.”
One of the more interesting features is the Click to Search. By pressing the new “AI button” coming to remote controls, your Samsung TV will provide information about a scene in a movie or show. You’ll learn who the actors are, “where that scene is taking place”, and even details about their clothing.
You should buy an LG TV if…
1. You want your choice from the best OLED TVs
Whether LG or Samsung makes the best OLED televisions is up for debate and depends on personal preferences, but the former is certainly well-known for its inky-black displays. Over the years, LG has largely cornered the OLED TV market, as LG Display has grown to become the world’s leading OLED TV panel manufacturer. If you have a preference for OLED, then you can’t go wrong with an LG set, like the most recent LG C4 and the G4 — though that doesn’t mean Samsung doesn’t have any OLED screens, as evidenced by the highly acclaimed Samsung S95D
2. You prefer more size options
Many would tell you to go with an OLED panel if you’re looking for a stronger, crisper contrast in your image and colors with deep blacks that don’t gray out on your TV screen. And they wouldn’t be wrong. Rich contrast and true black shades are what have made OLED technology so popular, particularly for home theaters and dark rooms.
With LG TVs specifically, the newer C4 and G4 models are offered in smaller-than-Samsung sizes, too, including 42 and 48 inches. And for those with larger spaces, LG’s OLED models come in 85 and 97 inches. Samsung’s S95D, on the other hand, caps out at 77.
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LG also offers alternate NanoCell panels for some televisions, which tend to sell for a lower price than OLED TVs. You’ll notice the difference in contrast and brightness when comparing NanoCell with OLED, so they’re not the best option for dimly lit or dark rooms.
3. You use HomeKit or want voice-activated profiles
Smart LG TVs run on WebOS, the company’s operating system. It’s an intuitive platform that can be compatible with home automation systems like HomeKit. And if you’re familiar with Apple’s smart home system, you’re likely aware of how rare it is to find something compatible with it.
Not all LG smart televisions are compatible with HomeKit. Models launched before 2018 are unlikely to have this capability, so check the box or list of specifications for the “Works with Apple HomeKit” label.
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Some smart LG TVs are also compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa if either of the home assistants is more your speed. In addition to recognizing these assistants, modern LG TVs allow owners to use voice recognition technology to differentiate between users, allowing them to auto-switch between individual profiles with distinct settings and preferences.
Recognition of individual users’ voices will initiate a customized home screen for that person’s favorite services and load their viewing settings, including picture and language adjustments.
