The brand new Samsung S95D takes OLED TV’s brightness to an entire new degree. In 2022, Samsung shook up the TV world with the introduction of its first QD-OLED TV, the Samsung S95B. And whereas Samsung prefers to name its QD-OLED fashions merely “OLED” TVs, the corporate affords a novel tackle the expertise – particularly, the mix of an OLED show panel with a Quantum Dot layer to boost brightness and prolong coloration quantity.
We had been large followers of the S95B in addition to its successor, the Samsung S95C, which took the crown because the Greatest OLED TV on the TechRadar Selection Awards 2023. That mannequin launched a 40% brightness increase and likewise managed to repair any points with black-level consistency we had famous on its predecessor. And now we’ve the brand new Samsung S95D, which additional pushes the brightness envelope whereas including enhancements akin to OLED Glare-Free expertise to enhance image efficiency in vivid rooms.
Samsung invited me to its New Jersey facility to do a hands-on take a look at of the 77-inch model of the S95D in a dwelling room-like area with good lighting management. Throughout my session, I used to be capable of make a full set of measurements and get substantial eyes-on time with the corporate’s new flagship OLED TV, which may be very completely different from its predecessor as a result of new anti-glare display. Learn on for my ideas on that subject, however first, let’s cowl the Samsung S95D’s pricing, options and design.
Just like the S95C sequence, the S95D sequence is accessible in 55-, 65-, and 77-inch display sizes. The Samsung S95D sequence will get a worth bump over final 12 months’s S95C sequence, although if the S95C’s historical past is to be repeated, these costs ought to begin falling as early as this summer time.
- 55-inch: $2,599 (round £2,050 / AU$3,975)
- 65-inch: $3,399 (round £2,690 / AU$5,200)
- 77-inch: $4,599 (round £3,640 / AU$7,035)
A glare-free OLED TV
Display screen glare is a ache level for OLED TVs, which have struggled to ship passable footage in vivid room lighting circumstances attributable to their restricted brightness in comparison with mini-LED examples of the most effective TVs.
With the S95D, Samsung has handled that challenge immediately by incorporating an anti-glare display it calls OLED Glare-Free expertise. In keeping with the corporate, the brand new tech has“no unfavorable results on viewing angle or distinction and no coloration distortion,” and having now seen it in motion, I can affirm that the S95D’s display is totally freed from reflections even with room lights turned on (see the picture under).
Together with new display tech, the Samsung S95D has a brand new NQ4 AI Gen 2 processor to upscale lower-resolution pictures to 4K and make attainable options, akin to OLED HDR Professional to optimize dynamic vary and coloration element in addition to Actual Depth Enhancer to intelligently increase distinction on foreground objects in pictures.
The Samsung S95D’s audio options embrace 4.2.2-channel built-in audio system powered by 70 watts; Object Monitoring Sound+ to create an immersive sound expertise from the TV’s audio system alone whereas precisely locking sound results to particular areas of the display; and Energetic Voice Amplifier Professional, which intelligently boosts dialogue and sound results to boost their influence.
Samsung TVs frequently rank among the many finest gaming TVs and the S95D isn’t any exception. Its 4 HDMI 2.1 ports settle for a 4K 120Hz enter from gaming consoles (and 144Hz for PC gaming), and there’s assist for FreeSync Premium Professional. Samsung Gaming Hub affords a one-stop store for cloud-based gaming from apps together with Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, Utomik, and extra, and the brand new Sport Bar 4.0 menu options an AI Auto Mode choice that may acknowledge recreation genres and modify image and sound settings mechanically. I measured enter lag on the Samsung S95D in Sport mode at 9ms – a superb consequence that barely bests final 12 months’s S95C.
The Samsung S95D’s extremely slim bezel is matched with an under-11mm panel depth. Whereas I examined the TV with its pedestal-style stand connected, it will look nice mounted to a wall, which is one thing its One Join field for supply hookups makes straightforward. Like different Samsung TVs, it has a SolarCell distant management that attracts and shops energy from room lighting and doesn’t require batteries.
The brightest OLED TV but
Peak brightness on the Samsung S95D measured simply shy of 1,800 nits, making it the brightest OLED TV we’ve examined but. That measurement was made in Film mode on a white window take a look at sample protecting 10% of the display space, whereas a full-screen white sample measured round 325 nits. Full-screen brightness is one other necessary issue for daytime viewing, and although the S95D falls brief right here in comparison with its mini-LED competitors, together with the brand new Samsung QN900D 8K TV, which measured 520 nits on the identical take a look at, the brand new Samsung QD-OLED’s efficiency improves on final 12 months’s mannequin.
The S95D’s coloration gamut protection was additionally glorious, measuring 99.9% for UHDA-P3 and 89% for BT.2020. Mixed with its excessive peak brightness, these numbers imply that Samsung’s high QD-OLED is provided to make brief work of any HDR supply you throw its approach (Dolby Imaginative and prescient excepted, for the reason that S95D like different Samsung TVs solely helps the HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG excessive dynamic vary codecs).
For apparent causes, I began my viewing with the room lights on. It was virtually uncanny how nicely the Samsung S95D handled overhead lights and lamps within the room. Black areas in footage had been freed from contrast-killing reflections, and even after I stood immediately in entrance of the display I didn’t see a touch of my mirror picture. There was additionally good element in shadows when watching film scenes, which I usually don’t count on to see in such circumstances.
Pretty much as good because it appeared within the gentle, with the room dimmed, the Samsung S95D’s image took on a a lot punchier character (see the picture under), with glorious distinction on HDR sources. In each environments, pictures had crisp element, refined highlights, and natural-looking coloration.
Nonetheless, having carried out hands-on checks of Samsung’s new Neo QLED mini-LED TVs throughout the identical session, I used to be stunned to seek out each coloration richness and distinction on the S95D barely missing in comparison with my comparatively recent visible reminiscence of the opposite TVs. Was OLED Glare-Free tech the offender? To go by the measurements alone, Samsung’s new high QD-OLED ought to ship uncompromised image high quality. But it surely additionally appeared there was a barely veiled high quality to the picture, although it was finally powerful to place my finger on it.
It can take a full evaluation to completely assess the S95D’s efficiency, however I can affirm that Samsung’s flagship QD-OLED delivers stunning-looking footage in each vivid and dim lighting. Is it Samsung’s finest TV for 2024? That query can even require additional testing earlier than making a ultimate name. For now, let’s say that Samsung’s new display glare-fighting display tech works as marketed, and the remainder of the S95D is equally spectacular.