Earlier this year, I tested the LG B6 — the brand’s 2026 entry-level OLED — and while I was still impressed by its performance, it wasn’t quite the upgrade I’d hoped for over last year's model.

The step-up LG C6 was a huge step forward from its own predecessor, so I’d hoped the same would be true for the B6 — but even though it wasn’t the big upgrade over the B5 I’d anticipated, it's still a great TV.

Samsung has its own entry-level OLEDs, the S85 range, and the 2026 model, the S85H, has just landed in our testing lab, so I decided to compare them side-by-side.

Something to note is that I’ll be using the LG B6E, which is the same as the LG B6 minus a couple of AI features and a back panel design — the general processing and panel is the same.

So can the Samsung S85H de-throne the LG B6 as the best budget OLED? And which of these TVs will be the best Black Friday buy?

Colors and detail

Color reproduction is excellent from both TVs in Filmmaker Mode, and they perform lot more closely than I anticipated. While Samsung’s TVs have traditionally had bolder, brighter colors, I found the B6E’s actually looked more vibrant in the scenes I tested.

Watching The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, reds in the movie, such as Mario’s overalls and the red of Toad’s spots, were punchier on the B6E than the S85H. Whenever the Lumas were on screen, their bodies were brighter on the S85H, but this gave them a paler look, whereas on the B6E their body colors were more saturated and looked richer.

For the most part though, colors were great on both TVs, and they both did a fantastic job rendering the movie’s candy-colored cartoon world.

Switching to a real-world movie in The Sound of Music, it was a similar story once again. The B6E’s colors were slightly bolder, seen during the Do Re Mi scene with the green fields looking more vibrant.

The same was true of the fruits in the market scene, with the reds, oranges and yellows looking more dynamic on the B6E. Skin tones also had more color and life to them on the B6E, which made the picture feel more realistic.

In The Sound of Music though, I noticed that the S85H has crisper textures, giving the picture more depth, giving people and objects a more 3D-like look. Details appeared slightly more refined on the S85H too, in the overall shape and definition of objects such as the creases in people’s clothing and the texture of the mountain in the background.

Brightness

For brightness, both the S85H and B6E delivered very similar test results. The S85H clocked 833 nits peak HDR brightness in a 10% window in Filmmaker Mode, while the B6E hit 808 nits peak HDR brightness (10%) in its own Filmmaker Mode. HDR fullscreen (100%) brightness was similar too, with the S85H hitting 158 nits to the B6E’s 143 nits, again both measured in Filmmaker Mode.

On paper then, the S85H is ever so slightly brighter than the B6E. In practice, using a desert scene from Lawrence of Arabia, this wasn’t the case. The white sands of the desert were a brighter white on the B6E compared to the S85H. The same was true with the blue sky, which looked brighter on the B6E despite the S85H’s higher brightness in fullscreen areas. I suspect this is to do with the B6E’s processor.

As I said above in the color section, sometimes colors looked brighter on the S85H, giving the perception of higher brightness. Again, this seems to be down to the S85H’s processing of certain scenes.

One thing these TVs have in common however is that both had a reflective screen, which made dark scene viewing more challenging. Neither could match the likes of the mid-range Samsung S90H OLED, which has an effective anti-glare screen perfect for bright rooms. If you pick up one of these TVs, you’ll need to think about how bright your room is.

Contrast and dark scenes

Both TVs deliver very similar contrast. Watching The Batman, there are plenty of high contrast scenes that show both the S85H and B6E to be capable OLEDs. The B6 arguably demonstrates stronger perceived contrast thanks to its punchier HDR highlights.

As Batman explores the crime scene at Mayor Mitchell’s house, torches, lamps and flash bulbs from cameras have more punch on the B6E, which creates stronger contrast with the dark tones of the environment. The S85H still looks great however.

The shadow detail from both TVs is excellent too, with both preserving details such as the textures in Batman’s armor during the subway scene, or the finish of the furniture in the Batcave or Mayor Mitchell’s house.

Watching Project Hail Mary, both TVs again deliver powerful contrast, with the B6E showing slightly stronger contrast, again thanks to the HDR highlights such as the lights from the ship’s console or the light from stars in space having more punch on the B6E.

However, watching in dimmed conditions, the S85H actually delivers inkier black tones, which suit the shots of space throughout. Again, the S85H demonstrates crisper textures, which gives the movie a more lifelike appearance.

Which is the best Black Friday buy?

Both TVs demonstrate brilliant picture quality, with each having an advantage over the other (the S85H’s textures and black levels vs the B6E’s brightness and contrast) and they both have very similar feature sets, especially for gaming. Both carry four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting 4K 120Hz, full variable refresh rate support, and ultra-low input lag, meaning they could rival the best gaming TVs.

In terms of price, the 55-inch models are priced very similarly too, with some current price variations in regions. The 55-inch S85H costs $999 / £999 / AU$1,899, while the 55-inch B6E costs $799 / £999 / AU$1,699, meaning the B6 55-inch is cheaper in the US and Australia right now. Black Friday deals have already started at some retailers and the star pick is the 48-inch B6 at Best Buy for $599 and I expect that to be the blockbuster deal out of these two models. But, as we approach Black Friday, the S85H’s price will drop, especially in larger sizes than the 48-inch.

Honestly, there’s very little difference between these TVs from a picture perspective, so my pick would be whichever has the best deal available. Right now that’s the B6/B6E, especially in the 48-inch size. I do expect the S85H’s prices to drop and start matching the B6 in other sizes across all regions, but right now the best Black Friday buy is the B6/B6E.

Samsung S90H review: Two minute review

The Samsung S90H is the brand’s mid-range OLED TV for 2026. It delivers brilliant performance and features across the board, putting it up there with the best TVs of the year. While it doesn’t quite dethrone the rival LG C6 for me, the S90H proved to be a worthy opponent when I put the two side-by-side.

Picture quality is the S90H’s best highlight. With an effective anti-glare screen, it’s perfect for OLED viewing in a bright room, without many compromises. It delivers vibrant, punchy colors, powerful contrast and crisp, realistic textures. While there were black crush issues during some scenes, there were settings to mitigate this, meaning the S90H delivers picture quality that’s up there with the best OLED TVs.

The S90H is one of the best gaming TVs on the market. With a full suite of features, including 4K 165Hz and full VRR, and an ultra-low input lag time of 9.2ms (4K 60Hz), the S90H delivers strong gaming performance.

The S90H’s built-in sound is pretty good overall, being accurately connected to the action on screen, with punchy bass and good width. The S90H’s AI Sound is also competent and improves on the standard built-in sound, although I still found speech and mid-tones could get a bit muddled at times. While its built-in speakers are good enough for casual viewing, I’d recommend adding one of the best soundbars to match its fantastic picture.

Priced similarly to its rival LG C6, the S90H is very good value for money. It covers pretty much every base you’ll need and is available in sizes 42-83-inch. A 55-inch model will currently cost you $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,995, and while there are cheaper TVs with similar features available, the S90H offers great bang for your buck.

Samsung S90H review: Prices & release dates

• Release date: May 2026
• 42-inch: $999 / £899 / AU$1,995
• 48-inch: $1,099 / £999 / AU$2,395
• 55-inch: $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,995
• 65-inch: $1,499 / £1,6,99 / AU$3,995
• 77-inch: $2,499 / £2,499 / AU$5,495
• 83-inch: $3,499 / £3,599 / AU$7,495

As Samsung’s mid-range 2026 OLED TV, the S90H sits above the entry-level Samsung S85H and below the flagship Samsung S95H (known as the S99H in the UK). It’s available in six sizes, from 42-inch to 83-inch. The above prices are what you can expect to pay at the time of writing (November 2026).

The 55-inch model I tested launched for $1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,995 in May/June 2026. Since its release, prices have fallen in all sizes in the US and UK, with the 55-inch model now priced at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,995. (Prices remain unchanged in Australia.) The 55-inch LG C6, the S90H’s direct rival, currently retails for $999 / £1,199 / AU$2,495, and I expect the S90H’s prices will fall in line with the C6’s soon.

Samsung S90H review: Specs

Samsung S90H review: Benchmark results

Previous

1 / 4

Next

Brightness measurements

HDR Filmmaker ModeHDR StandardSDR Filmmaker ModeSDR Standard

Samsung S90H

HDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window)

1689

HDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen)

305

LG C6

HDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window)

1427

HDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen)

247

Samsung S95H/S99H

HDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window)

2739

HDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen)

449

07501,5002,2503,000

nits

HDR Filmmaker Mode Data

Product	HDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window) (nits)	HDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen) (nits)
Samsung S90H	1689	305
LG C6	1427	247
Samsung S95H/S99H	2739	449

Samsung S90H

HDR Standard Mode (10% window)

1677

HDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen)

329

LG C6

HDR Standard Mode (10% window)

1364

HDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen)

243

Samsung S95H/S99H

HDR Standard Mode (10% window)

2831

HDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen)

463

07501,5002,2503,000

nits

HDR Standard Data

Product	HDR Standard Mode (10% window) (nits)	HDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen) (nits)
Samsung S90H	1677	329
LG C6	1364	243
Samsung S95H/S99H	2831	463

Samsung S90H

SDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window)

260

SDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen)

163

LG C6

SDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window)

333

SDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen)

237

Samsung S95H/S99H

SDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window)

220

SDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen)

219

0100200300400

nits

SDR Filmmaker Mode Data

Product	SDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window) (nits)	SDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen) (nits)
Samsung S90H	260	163
LG C6	333	237
Samsung S95H/S99H	220	219

Samsung S90H

SDR Standard Mode (10% window)

512

SDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen)

299

LG C6

SDR Standard Mode (10% window)

391

SDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen)

234

Samsung S95H/S99H

SDR Standard Mode (10% window)

229

SDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen)

229

0150300450600

nits

SDR Standard Data

Product	SDR Standard Mode (10% window) (nits)	SDR Standard Mode (Fullscreen) (nits)
Samsung S90H	512	299
LG C6	391	234
Samsung S95H/S99H	229	229

HDR color gamut

Closer to 100% is better. Taken using a colorimeter and test pattern generator.

Samsung S90H

UHDA-P3

99.3

BT.2020

76.5

LG C6

UHDA-P3

99.7

BT.2020

75.9

Samsung S95H/S99H

UHDA-P3

99.9

BT.2020

89.2

0255075100

HDR Filmmaker Mode Data

Product	UHDA-P3 ()	BT.2020 ()
Samsung S90H	99.3	76.5
LG C6	99.7	75.9
Samsung S95H/S99H	99.9	89.2

Picture accuracy

A lower score is better. Taken using a colorimeter and test pattern generator.

SDR Delta-E

Samsung S90H

2.4

LG C6

1.3

Samsung S95H/S99H

1.6

0123

SDR Delta-E Data

Product	Value
Samsung S90H	2.4
LG C6	1.3
Samsung S95H/S99H	1.6

Input lag

Lower is better. Taken using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Video Signal Lag Tester.

Samsung S90H

4K 60Hz

9.2

1080p 120Hz

4.8

LG C6

4K 60Hz

9.2

1080p 120Hz

4.7

Samsung S95H/S99H

4K 60Hz

9.5

1080p 120Hz

5

012345678910

ms

HDR Filmmaker Mode Data

Product	4K 60Hz (ms)	1080p 120Hz (ms)
Samsung S90H	9.2	4.8
LG C6	9.2	4.7
Samsung S95H/S99H	9.5	5

Samsung S90H review: Features

• Glare Free screen
• WOLED panel on 55-inch UK model
• NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor

Much like last year’s Samsung S90F, the panel on the S90H can vary based on size and region, though most models now seem to use a standard WOLED panel rather than a QD-OLED panel. Based on my measurements, I can confirm the 55-inch model I tested in the UK uses a WOLED panel.

The S90H has Samsung’s OLED Glare Free screen, which reduces mirror-like reflections in bright rooms. It uses Samsung’s NQ4 AI Gen 3 processor, the same one used in the flagship S95H/S99H, which has AI picture features such as Real Depth Enhancer Pro and AI 4K Upscaling Pro.

It supports HDR10+ enhanced HDR format, but like all Samsung TVs, there’s no support for Dolby Vision. For sound, the S90H supports Dolby Atmos but doesn't support DTS formats.

For audio, it uses a 2.1-channel, 40W speaker system and features Object Tracking Sound Lite (OTS Lite), a step-down version of the OTS+ used in the flagship S95H/S99H. There are two sound modes, Standard and Amplify, and a number of AI sound features, such as Adaptive Sound Pro and AI Sound Controller Pro.

The S90H supports 4K 165Hz, full VRR including AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync (the latter being introduced into Samsung’s TVs in 2025), ALLM, and HDR10+ gaming. These are featured in all four HDMI 2.1 ports.

Samsung’s own Tizen OS is the smart TV platform here. It features the Vision AI companion, which can be used to recommend content and help with settings. In terms of app support, the S90H supports all major streaming apps, including BBC iPlayer and ITVX for those in the UK.

• Features score: 5 / 5

Samsung S90H review: Picture quality

• Vibrant, punchy colors
• Effective glare screen
• Occasional black crush

Starting with brightness measurements, the S90H registered an impressive 1,689 nits peak HDR brightness (measured on a 10% window) in Filmmaker Mode, a great result for a mid-range WOLED TV that beats the LG C6’s 1,427 nits in the same tests. It also registered 305 nits fullscreen HDR brightness, again besting the C6’s 249 nits in the same tests.

When I compared the C6 and the S90H side by side, however, the C6 had higher perceived brightness, which I believe was the work of the C6’s processor. Still, in isolated viewing, the S90H’s picture looked bright, even in the often dim Filmmaker Mode. Movie Mode, which looks brighter in person, registered similar results in the same tests. Movie Mode does have Active Tone Mapping on by default (it’s set to Static in Filmmaker Mode), which would explain the added brightness in practice.

The S90H has Samsung’s OLED Glare Free screen, which is effective at reducing mirror-like reflections, meaning darker scenes are still visible in bright rooms. With Movie Mode on, I was even able to watch a challenging scene from The Batman with no reflections.

When watching daytime TV via Samsung TV Plus, the S90H’s upscaling proved effective. It sharpened textures for news broadcasts and streaming sports. Watching an HD movie, Treasure Planet on Disney Plus, the S90H again did a good job upscaling. Activating the Auto HDR Remastering feature boosted brightness, colors and contrast effectively. This feature also worked well for sports streamed through Prime Video, adding more depth to the picture.

Switching to reference 4K Blu-ray scenes, the S90H demonstrated excellent picture quality. It produced vibrant, punchy colors that looked great in scenes from Speed Racer, accurately rendering the vivid oranges, pinks, and yellows of the Racer family's candy-colored kitchen. In The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Mario and Luigi’s red and green overalls were striking, and the Lumas had plenty of punch, which made the movie look fantastic.

Measuring HDR color gamut, the S90H hit 99.3% of the UHDA-P3 color space and 76.5% of the BT.2020 color space. These are great results in line with mid-range OLED rivals like the LG C6 and even flagship models like the Samsung S95H/S99H and LG G6 in the UHDA-P3 space, which is important for HDR content.

The S90H also demonstrated strong contrast, with a great balance between light and dark tones. Scenes from The Batman, whether it was the crime scene in Mayor Mitchell’s house or the Batcave, all looked fantastic, with bright lamps contrasting well with dark surroundings. The S90H’s blacks were inky and deep, and perfectly showcased in the shots of space from Project Hail Mary.

While the S90H does mostly deliver great shadow detail, with textures such as the roof and back wall of a dimly lit subway in The Batman still legible, this is where I noticed the S90H was prone to some black crush in its default Filmmaker Mode. Dark tones in movies like The Batman and Project Hail Mary looked too dark, resulting in occasional detail loss. Bumping up the Shadow Detail setting from 0 to the maximum 5 mitigated a lot of this, but there was still a hint of black crush in places.

Motion is very good on the S90H when you have the right settings. Watching a soccer game on Prime Video with the default settings, where Blur and Judder reduction are set to the maximum 10, resulted in some motion artifacts like ghosting of the ball. Reducing Blur to 3 and Judder to 5 or 6 resulted in smooth motion that didn’t look artificial. The same settings also worked well for movies, such as the high-speed races in Speed Racer and the Batmobile chase in The Batman.

Throughout viewing, textures looked very refined and realistic, giving everything a near-3D-like level of detail. People in particular looked incredibly lifelike, and with HDR pictures, everything looked crisp.

• Picture quality score: 5 / 5

Samsung S90H review: Sound quality

• 2.1 channel, 40W speakers
• Object Tracking Sound Lite (OTS Lite) is effective
• Mid-tones can be muddled

The S90H has a 2.1-channel, 40W speaker system and supports AI Sound features such as Adaptive Sound Pro and uses OTS Lite. There is support for Dolby Atmos, but not DTS. There are two sound modes to choose from: Standard and Amplify.

I was impressed by the S90H's punchy bass on its default Amplify settings, which did a good job rendering the rumble of the Batmobile’s engine in The Batman. During the same Batmobile chase scene, the S90H’s speakers delivered fantastic detail, such as swerving tyres and impacts with traffic, and the sound was accurately mapped to the action on screen, showing the effectiveness of the OTS system.

It also demonstrated a good balance between the score and other sound effects. While speech was mostly clear, it did get lost at times during the chaotic moments within the scene. I noticed too that mid-tones could get a bit muddled at times, but the sound was still very good.

Turning on the Adaptive Sound Pro setting in the AI Sound menu (found under the AI settings in the Advanced Features menu) yielded some good results, which I’ve not always found with AI sound modes on other TVs. More width was added, extending the sound further beyond the screen; the volume was louder overall, and more detail was produced. Bass was punchier, but it had lost the warmth of the default Amplify Mode. For a lot of viewing, you could get away with not using a soundbar, but the sound doesn’t quite match up to the picture’s excellence, so I’d recommend a soundbar for movies.

• Sound quality score: 4 / 5

Samsung S90H review: Design

• Razor-thin frame
• Lightweight but premium build
• SolarCell remote

The most striking thing about the S90H physically is its razor-thin frame. While there is a bit of bulk on the rear panel to accommodate speakers and various connections like HDMI ports, the top of the frame is incredibly slim. This gives it a sleek, modern appearance that makes the TV feel premium.

The S90H has a lightweight design, but still feels premium when viewed on its stand. The supplied plastic pedestal stand on my 55-inch review model did feel a little cheap compared to the rival LG C6's metal stand. However, once fully assembled, the TV was visually appealing.

As with most Samsung TVs, the S90H is supplied with Samsung’s SolarCell remote. While on the small side, the inclusion of Solar and USB-C rechargeable options is very useful. The design hasn’t changed much in the past few years, but honestly, it doesn’t need to.

• Design score: 4.5 / 5

Samsung S90H review: Smart TV & menus

• Tizen smart TV platform
• Easy-to-navigate menus
• Some odd quirks that can be annoying

Samsung’s own Tizen smart TV platform is used in the S90H and is generally a good, easy-to-use interface with useful hubs to divide up particular apps. The Home hub houses all apps and content recommendations, while the Game hub, naturally, houses everything to do with gaming.

Like many smart TV platforms, Tizen’s home screen features banner ads that take up about half the screen, pushing apps further down the page. I also found that, at times, Samsung TV Plus would autoplay the show I previously had on when I was trying to go to different sources. I found this frustrating, but eventually the S90H played ball.

There are a good number of picture settings on offer that can really make a difference (Shadow Detail being one of them), and they're fairly easy to find. Sound settings are a bit limited compared to other TVs I’ve tested. While the AI settings can help with this, they're kept in a separate menu. Overall, Tizen is a serviceable smart TV interface, but doesn’t quite match up to LG’s webOS or Roku.

• Smart TV & menus score: 4 / 5

Samsung S90H review: Gaming

• Four HDMI 2.1 ports
• Full suite of features
• Ultra-low 9.2 ms input lag

The S90H is well equipped for gaming, with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K 165Hz, full VRR including AMD FreeSync and Nvidia G-Sync, ALLM, and HDR10+ gaming. It also has a Game hub where cloud gaming apps such as Xbox and Nvidia GeForce Now are housed, as well as links to Twitch streams.

The S90H's input lag measured an ultra-low 9.2ms at 4K 60Hz and 4.8ms at 1080p 120Hz. This performance translated when I was actually testing gaming on the S90H, with ultra-smooth motion during Battlefield V. As I whipped around missions, the S90H easily rendered all the action during high-intensity battles as I targeted enemies and dodged enemy fire.

The S90H’s excellent picture quality did wonders for games too, delivering crisp textures, balanced contrast and bold colors, all of which could be seen in various missions during Battlefield V.

• Gaming score: 5 / 5

Samsung S90H review: Value

• Similarly priced to rival OLEDs
• Great performance and features
• Cheaper mini-LED with similar features available

The S90H covers pretty much every base you’ll need, and while it would be nice to have Dolby Vision supported, the picture quality is good enough to do without it. The 55-inch model I tested has an MSRP of $1,999 / £1,799 / AU$2,995.

Since its release in May 2026, prices for the S90H have fallen, and at the time of writing (November 2026), a 55-inch model costs $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,995. While this puts it at the same price as the C6 in the UK, LG’s model is cheaper in the US and Australia at $999 / AU$2,495. I don’t expect the S90H to be more expensive for long, however, as prices will likely level out the further we get into its life cycle.

There are budget mini-LED TVs, such as the TCL QM7L/C7L, available for less that deliver great performance and features in their own right, but right now, the S90H is probably one of the best-value OLEDs you can get.

• Value score: 4.5 / 5

Should you buy the Samsung S90H?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also Consider

How I tested the Samsung S90H

• Tested over a couple of weeks
• Tested using SDR and HDR sources in varying lighting conditions
• Measurements taken using Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software

I first tested the Samsung S90H over a few days with casual viewing to establish its best picture modes, landing on Filmmaker and Movie modes for movies and TV shows and Standard for sports and daytime TV.

I then commenced subjective testing. I watched reference scenes from 4K Blu-ray and other sources to test the S90H's picture quality, looking at color, contrast, detail, upscaling, textures, motion, and sound quality.

I then moved onto objective testing, taking measurements using specialized equipment. This included a Jeti Spectral 15VA spectroradiometer, profiled with a Klein K-10A colorimeter, a Murideo Six G 8K Metal test pattern generator, and Portrait Displays' Calman color calibration software to record these measurements.

The first test I conducted was for brightness, measuring the S90H's HDR and SDR brightness using 1-100% sized white window test patterns, with the focus being on peak (10%) and fullscreen (100%) brightness.

Next, I tested the S90H's HDR color gamut coverage, focusing on UHDA-P3 (also known as DCI-P3) and BT.2020 color spaces.

I then tested the color and grayscale accuracy of the S90H in SDR, using the Delta-E averages (the margin of error between the test pattern source and what's shown on screen).

I also tested the S90H's HDR EOTF in 1,000, 4,000 and 10,000 nits. This test shows its accuracy at both light and dark levels. I also measured the S90H's Spectral Power Distribution, which demonstrates its color performance, using the Jeti spectroradiometer.

Finally, I tested the S90H's input lag using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester, measuring 4K 60Hz and 1080p 120Hz speeds in milliseconds.

Read our in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar.

• First reviewed: November 2026
• Read TechRadar's reviews guarantee

Welcome to the October 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, where we test some of the latest 4K releases from each month. If you’re new here, you can read previous editions of the Blu-ray Bounty at the link.

4K Blu-ray is a big deal here at TechRadar, as not only is it our primary source for testing the best TVs and best soundbars, but we’re also collectors ourselves, always on the lookout for new discs to add to our own compilations.

This month, I’ll be testing four new discs, and if you hadn’t seen last month’s edition, we’ve upgraded our in-house home theater system. We’re now using a full separate AV system, consisting of a 5.1 Bowers & Wilkins 600 series range of speakers, all powered by the Denon AVC-3900H 9.4-channel AV receiver. We’re still using the LG G6, one of 2026’s best OLED TVs, as our display, and our tried and true Panasonic DP-UB820, the best 4K Blu-ray player on the market.

In last month’s September 2026 Blu-ray Bounty, I tested a mammoth 10 discs, with particular highlights including Supergirl and Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu.

Interview with the Vampire (1994) (Warner Bros)

Based on Ann Rice’s 1976 novel of the same name, Interview with the Vampire tells the story of the relationship between Louis de Pointe du Lac (Brad Pitt), a man turned into a vampire by Lestat de Lioncourt (Tom Cruise). The movie cuts between 1791 Louisiana and 1991 San Francisco, where Louis is interviewed by reporter Daniel Molloy (Christian Slater). The movie also stars Kirsten Dunst and Antonio Banderas.

This 4K disc is a showcase for contrast. Candles are used continuously throughout the movie as a means of lighting, and create some really interesting contrast-y scenes. Black levels are rich and deep, and when paired with the candles, create powerful contrast that looks superb on our G6 OLED. The 4K restoration still keeps the movie low brightness, but does well to bump the luminosity in the right places.

Textures have been restored nicely, giving everything a 3D-like look, especially in close-up shots of skin. Colors have a true-to-life, natural look about them, shown in Lestat’s eccentric clothing. Fire has a lovely HDR punch, and with a bright display it truly pops on screen. Some film grain has been maintained, but the picture really has been refined here.

The Atmos soundtrack included delivers great detail too. As a flaming torch passes across the screen, the sound travels from the left front speaker to the right accurately with the movement on screen. As a mansion burns down, the roar of the flames produces a satisfying, detailed bass. During scenes with rain, there is a perceived sense of height thanks to Atmos’ object-based sound, even without height speakers in our setup.

Toy Story 5 (Disney Pixar)

The fifth installment in the Toy Story franchise, Toy Story 5 follows Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the other toys as they deal with the arrival of Lilypad, a tablet that becomes the new favorite of the local children, including the toys' owner Bonnie.

As you’d expect from a Pixar movie, the animation is incredibly crisp with rich textures that give the movie a nice depth. Colors pop on screen, with the red of Jessie’s hat and hair in particular looking incredibly punchy. Other colors like yellow, pink and green have a really nice look to them too, appearing true-to-life throughout the movie. In darker scenes, blacks are rich and inky on our LG G6 and contrast was strong, shown in the scene at the docks. If your TV supports Dolby Vision, you’ll be rewarded.

The 4K disc supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby soundtracks. During my testing, our system processed the soundtrack as Dolby Digital Plus with Dolby Surround and not the full Dolby Atmos, even though our other reference discs worked with Atmos. This may be something to bear in mind if you don’t have a full 7.1.4 channel Dolby Atmos system (this is the listed configuration on the case, so the disc may be compressing the soundtrack as a result).

The soundtrack is still excellent however, with plenty of detail and accurate sound placement. As humans exit a room chatting, the sound travels from the rear speakers to the front. Speech is crystal clear throughout and there’s plenty of power. As the gang run after a van, the bass produced is satisfyingly punchy from Bullseye’s gallop. There’s great balance as well between all other effects and the score, producing a wide soundstage. Despite a lack of height speakers, as Buzz flies through the air, there’s a perceived sense of height that adds to the experience.

Frankenstein (2025) (Netflix)

Directed by Guillermo Del Toro, Frankenstein is the director’s take on Mary Shelley’s novel of the same name. It follows the story of Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac), a scientist whose reanimation experiments result in the creation of The Creature (Jacob Elordi), with dire consequences. The movie also stars Mia Goth, Christoph Waltz and Charles Dance.

Frankenstein is visually stunning on 4K Blu-ray. There are plenty of scenes with high contrast that really play with shadows to create engaging images shown best during night scenes as Victor works in the tower. The balance between light and dark tones is excellent, capturing the Gothic tone of the movie. Textures are crisp and true-to-life, especially with people.

Colors, while used somewhat sparingly, really pop when on screen, shown in the green, grassy fields during The Creature’s tale. Red is also striking, shown with blood and in some of the costumes the wealthier characters wear. HDR highlights, such as the Sun on the horizon, have a good punch too, which really showed up on our LG G6.

The disc supports an incredibly detailed Dolby Atmos soundtrack. One of the showcases for this was the re-animation scene. The crackling of thunder is mapped to each speaker with pinpoint precision, and as it rumbles, the bass produced by our subwoofer is weighty and fills the room. As the camera moves around the room, the sound accurately follows the action on screen. Other effects, such as Victor working with body parts, also sound visceral and realistic.

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (Warner Bros)

An adaptation of the 1982 musical of the same name, which is itself an adaptation of the 1960 movie The Little Shop of Horrors, Little Shop of Horrors follows Seymour (Rick Moranis), a shy man who works in a run-down flower shop and falls for his co-worker Audrey (Ellen Greene). He buys a mysterious plant and names it Audrey II and it soon grows into a giant, talking plant that attracts customers. But Audrey II has some nefarious intentions.

A Dolby Atmos soundtrack is featured here and sounds fantastic. The Atmos mixes for all the musical numbers have a great balance between the instruments and vocals, all given equal clarity and power. Whether it’s the delicate strings and twinkling piano keys of songs like ‘Somewhere That’s Green’ or the punchy guitars and pounding bass of tracks like ‘Feed Me (Git it!’), the Atmos soundtrack is superb.

Visually, this is a great 4K restoration. Textures have been cleaned up and refined, most obvious in people’s skin. Colors are punchy and vibrant throughout the movie, from the green on Audrey II’s plant body to the brightness of a yellow cab. Black levels are deep, with strong shadows during night scenes cast by the stage-style lighting. While there is some film grain present, the picture has mostly been cleaned up, giving it a more modern look.

Blood Simple (StudioCanal)

Blood Simple follows the story of bartender Ray (John Getz) and his affair with his boss and bar-owner Julian’s (Dan Hedeya) wife Abby (Frances McDormand). Julian hires detectives to follow the pair and kill them if the affair is proven to be real. This was the directorial debut of the Coen Brothers, and McDormand’s on-screen debut.

The 4K restoration of Blood Simple is very good overall. Textures have been cleaned up well, shown predominantly in people’s skin and faces, giving them a more modern look. There is plenty of film grain still present here, more so in some shots than others. Colors, when used, such as the neon at the bar, have a good vibrancy.

Where this disc shines most though is in its darker scenes. Black levels are inky and there are plenty of high contrast scenes, with light and dark tones balancing well to create strong shadows across people’s faces.

The 4K disc supports a DTS-HD 5.1 MA soundtrack. While there isn’t a ton here to push your home theater system, the soundtrack still shows great detail. As a car passes Ray and Abby in the opening, the sound of it is mapped to the speakers accurately, passing from left to right on the front speakers. Speech is cleanly rendered and the piano-led noir score is crystal clear and balances well with other effects.

Inside Llewyn Davis (StudioCanal)

Inside Llewyn Davis follows the story of fictional songwriter Llewyn Davis (Oscar Issac), a struggling musician in 1961. Although the character of Davis is fictional, the story was partly inspired by the autobiography of folk artist Dave Van Ronk. The movie was directed by the Coen Brothers.

Inside Llewyn Davis looks great in 4K. Textures are refined and lifelike, from people’s skin to details in clothing. While the movie has a distinctive ‘hazy’ gray look, colors look natural and have some nice punch to them. Scenes in bars during performances show nice contrast, with deep black tones in shaded areas balancing well with stage lights and natural light seeping in.

A Dolby Atmos soundtrack is included, and it sounds brilliant. Songs have a great Atmos mix that are delivered with real clarity and detail, particularly ‘Fare Thee Well’ at the start of the movie. Live performances show off the wide soundstage, accurately rendering the echo from within a room as Llewyn sings in the opening scene.

Elsewhere, the sounds of New York City demonstrate plenty of detail, with the sounds of car horns and general conversation mapped to the rear speakers. As trains pull into a subway, the sound travels from speaker to speaker accurately. Speech and vocals are clear throughout and balanced well with other effects.