Samsung S95B vs LG G2: Battle of the Top-Tier OLED TVs

The world of high-end televisions has long been dominated by a war between industry giants Samsung and LG. As OLED panel technology matures, these rivals continue raising the bar with sets that deliver unparalleled contrast, perfect black levels, vivid colors and ever-improving brightness capabilities.

For 2023, the latest salvos fired are Samsung‘s S95B QD-OLED TV and LG‘s G2 "OLED Evo" line. Both implement cutting-edge display advancements to optimize performance and push OLED to new limits. The sets also integrate the streaming platforms, gaming features and premium aesthetics buyers expect in a flagship television.

But with price tags climbing well above $1500 even for "entry-level" 55-inch class sizes, deciding between the Samsung S95B and LG G2 is no small purchase. Let‘s take an in-depth look across all the key categories — display, sound, smart features, gaming and design — to determine which deserves to earn a spot in your living room.

State-of-the-Art Displays Backed By AI Processors

The Samsung S95B takes advantage of the company‘s proprietary quantum dot nanocrystal layer integrated directly into the OLED panel. This allows more precise control over color output while boosting maximum brightness significantly beyond conventional OLED TVs.

Samsung couples its QD-OLED panel with the capable Neo Quantum Processor 4K leveraging deep learning for upscaling content and adjusting settings on the fly based on ambient conditions in the viewing environment.

Meanwhile, the LG G2 utilizes the company‘s next-gen "OLED Evo" technology in the display with specialized deuterium compounds in blue OLED elements to increase brightness by upwards of 30% over standard OLED.

This works in concert with LG‘s new α (Alpha) 9 Gen 5 AI Processor to render vibrant, accurate colors and quickly adapt picture modes based on the type of content being viewed.

Both processors and backplane technologies allow these TVs to far exceeded the peak brightness levels possible on earlier OLED models. This better prepares them to reproduce specular highlights and deliver a truly HDR viewing experience.

Head-to-Head Display Comparison

Black Level & Contrast: With self-emissive OLED pixels capable of turning completely off to render absolute black, both the S95B and G2 achieve effectively infinite contrast ratios. This creates inky blacks against vibrant colors and striking specular highlights. In this area, there is essentially no difference in performance.

Winner: Tie

Brightness: Samsung‘s quantum dot innovations allow the S95B to reach higher peak brightness readings between 750 to nearly 1000 nits based on testing. LG‘s OLED Evo panel in the G2 tops out closer to 800 nits. While both hit impressively bright levels for OLED, the S95B holds a slight advantage here.

Winner: Samsung S95B

Viewing Angles: One of OLED‘s biggest strengths over LED/LCD televisions has always been the ability to maintain color accuracy and contrast at wide viewing angles with little shift or washout. As angle-of-view increases, the G2 maintains a bit more vibrancy compared to the S95B before a color shift becomes noticeable around 30 degrees or greater off center.

Winner: LG G2

Color Volume: With support for 100% of the DCI-P3 color space required for cinema-grade image accuracy, both TVs produce a vast range of rich, vibrant colors. Samsung‘s quantum dot layer gives it an edge on color volume, delivering punchier reds, deeper greens and 125% more blue spectrum coverage. The effect is amplified by boosted brightness.

Winner: Samsung S95B

Motion Handling: For fast on-screen motion like sports, both sets employ black frame insertion to reduce blur with LG adding motion processing customization via settings like "OLED Motion Pro." Input lag while gaming is exceptionally low on both at under 15ms, with support for variable refresh rate (VRR) up to 4K 120Hz. The G2 seems to handle judder a bit better for 24p film content.

Winner: LG G2

Upscaling: Samsung‘s Neo Quantum Processor leverages deep learning to effectively upscale lower resolution sources to the TV‘s 4K panel. But image processing and upscaling has long been an area where LG shines with its α9 Gen 5 chip optimized specifically for this purpose. It wins out by a slight margin for cleaning up artifacts and adding realistic detail.

Winner: LG G2

While some categories like color volume and brightness are captured by Samsung, LG takes more rounds in key areas like motion handling, viewing angles and upscaling. Ultimately, real-world differences between these exceptional displays will be subtle and likely satisfy even the most discerning videophiles.

Booming Sound Supported By Integrated Hardware

With ultra-thin display panels, finding room for serious integrated audio components poses challenges for engineers. Yet the acoustic performance of these premium flagship televisions still impresses:

Samsung S95B – 4.2.2 channel speakers powered by 40 watts of built-in amplification produce clean mids/highs with Dolby Atmos adding immersive spatial signal processing. Solid bass output aided by the TV‘s larger form factor.

LG G2 – 4.2.2 channel configuration backed by the same 40 watts through the amplifier, but LG‘s α9 Gen 5 chip brings more processing power to bear for richer sound with Dolby Atmos. Slightly thinner panel means bass doesn‘t project quite as strongly as the S95B.

The LG G2‘s intelligent audio tuning gives it the edge for room-filling cinematic sound, though both models support the latest surround formats and have performance that outshines expectations given their slimline aesthetic.

Battle of The Smart TV Heavyweights

Samsung‘s Tizen platform and LG‘s webOS operating system have constantly competed to deliver the most responsive and intuitive smart TV experience. For 2023, the playing field remains relatively even:

Interface & Navigation – Both platforms provide logical layouts for accessing apps and settings. WebOS holds a slight advantage with faster response as you move through menus and launch streaming services.

Content Libraries – Top apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and YouTube are available on both platforms. WebOS offers a few more choices including access to over 300 free LG Channels.

Search & Recommendations – Samsung gives you plenty of suggested content based on viewing history and curated selections. But LG‘s latest ThinQ AI is exceptionally good at learning preferences to serve up highly relevant recommendations.

Gaming – Robust gaming support is assured thanks to HDMI 2.1 ports enabling 4K 120fps on both sets. Samsung adds a handy Game Bar for quickly adjusting VRR, input lag and picture settings.

Smart Assistants – With built-in support for both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, the LG G2 pulls ahead in the voice assistant department. Siri is accessible through Apple AirPlay on both.

WebOS also brings faster response, smoother navigation and smarter recommendations. Throw in more robust voice command options through the LG Magic Remote, and the G2 takes the win for smart features.

Ideal For Gaming With Next-Gen Console Support

Gaming has become integral to the modern TV experience. Samsung and LG check every box needed to fully realize what the PS5, Xbox Series X and high-end gaming PCs can deliver:

➜ Ultra-fast HDMI 2.1 inputs supporting 4K gaming at 120fps

➜ Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) for minimal input lag under 10ms

➜ Variable refresh rate (VRR) capability to prevent screen tearing or stuttering

➜ High wide color gamut percentage meeting gamer‘s discerning color demands

➜ Black frame insertion while enabling motion smoothing to prevent blurring

➜ Dedicated picture modes to optimize visuals without impacting input lag

The LG G2 does offer an edge with its brighter Evo panel technology able to really make HDR elements like explosions pop while maintaining deep blacks. Dolby Vision support also takes advantage of dynamic metadata for a more immersive and refined image compared to standard HDR10. Still, both models represent dream TVs for discerning gamers.

Premium Design Aimed At Living Room Centerpieces

While both TVs need to house expansive, high-end display components, they still manage striking designs perfect for anchoring luxury living rooms.

The Samsung S95B sports an attractive silver-tone bezel that practically disappears when viewing content, creating an impressively immersive experience. The panel has incredible thinness at under 15mm for a stunning profile. An optional angled stand slots underneath with adjustable height and tidy cable management.

Meanwhile, the LG G2 fully embraces the company‘s Gallery design aesthetic meant to emulate hanging art frames directly against the wall. At just over 20mm thin, it still cuts a trim figure. The metal trim bezel and discrete mounting bracket embrace understated elegance. An attractive floor stand is also available.

For those looking for a TV that pulls double duty as a living room showpiece, the LG G2 excels in fulfilling that Gallery concept. But when paired with its stand, the Samsung S95B projects a high-tech style all its own.

Pricing Remains Competitive Between Giants

Even as manufacturing and material costs rise, cutthroat competition has kept pricing reasonable given the elite performance delivered by these OLED giants:

With nearly identical launch pricing and street prices ultimately varying by retailers, cost won‘t be a major differentiating factor. Shoppers choosing the LG G2 do gain access to even larger 77 and 83 inch screen sizes, albeit at a steep price hike.

Given their many similarities under the hood though, matching screen sizes represent equivalent values between these OLED flagships.

Verdict: Two Impressive Sets, One Definitive Winner

While areas like gaming support and connectivity offer near feature parity, a few key strengths help the LG G2 inch ahead as the superior OLED TV option for 2023:

👉 Refined processing for pristine video handled beautifully during fast motion

👉 Excellent future-proofed HDMI 2.1 ports ready for high framerate gaming

👉 Next-gen α9 Gen 5 AI Processor to dynamically optimize brightness, contrast and sound

👉 Dolby Vision HDR support for the best color volume and mapping adaptable to each scene

That said, Samsung isn‘t far behind with its own vivid QD-OLED panel and gaming-ready capabilities. Choosing the S95B still nets shoppers an exceptional television in its own right. LG just outduels its archrival by building on proven OLED foundations and offering the most well-rounded feature set.

When these industry heavyweights go toe-to-toe with their top-tier OLED TVs, LG‘s 2023 G2 model lands the knockout blow to emerge on top in a fiercely contested bout. Give the narrow win to LG this round, but expect Samsung to keep battling back fiercely as display innovations continue.