Samsung S95F OLED TV review: Performance and more

By Ambar Jimenez | 2025-04-25 09:26:30

Discover the Samsung S95F OLED TV review, featuring stunning visuals, advanced technology, and expert insights to elevate your viewing experience.
Coming into this review of the Samsung S95F OLED TV, I'll admit I harbored a degree of skepticism towards the persistent OLED hype. As someone who has evaluated numerous televisions over the years, I've never been entirely sold on the all-encompassing praise often directed at OLED technology. While its unparalleled contrast and inky black levels are undeniable strengths, OLED's historically lower brightness capabilities and the potential for screen burn-in have consistently given me pause. Given a choice, my preference would almost always lean towards a Mini-LED TV over an OLED display.Last year's Samsung S95D OLED TV did make notable advancements compared to its predecessor. However, Samsung still positioned its Mini-LED-equipped QN900D Neo QLED 8K TV as its flagship television for 2024. Having awarded the QN900D a perfect 5-star rating in my review, I found myself in agreement with this assessment.But the landscape of television technology is ever-evolving. In 2025, Samsung has adopted a different strategy, refusing to declare a singular favorite between the upcoming QN990F Neo QLED 8K TV and the S95F OLED TV under scrutiny here. Both are considered flagship models by the South Korean electronics giant.Now, having spent considerable time with the S95F OLED TV, I understand Samsung's newfound confidence. The S95F represents Samsung's most impressive OLED television to date, demonstrating significant improvements over its previous iterations in virtually every aspect that truly matters. Of course, a direct comparison with the QN990F will be necessary before I can definitively crown the S95F as my preferred Samsung flagship of 2025.

Samsung S95F OLED TV Review: Pricing and Availability Across Regions

Samsung's S95F OLED TV is being rolled out globally in four distinct screen sizes. However, the specific sizes available to consumers will vary depending on their geographical location. Notably, Samsung has not yet released detailed pricing and availability information for the S95F OLED TV in the United Kingdom. Further updates will be provided as they become available.For the time being, a comprehensive pricing list for the US and Australian markets is provided below, along with links to potential S95F OLED TV deals within your region:

Samsung S95F (55-inch): $2,300 / N/A
Samsung S95F (65-inch): $3,300 / AU$5,299
Samsung S95F (77-inch): $4,500 / AU$7,999
Samsung S95F (83-inch): N/A / AU$9,999

It's important to note that there has been some discussion regarding the specific display panels utilized across the S95F range, as these can differ based on the screen size. Samsung's marketing materials deliberately avoid the term "QD-OLED" in relation to the S95F, and this is due to the fact that the new 83-inch model (currently not offered in the US) employs a WOLED (White OLED) panel.For the purpose of this review, my primary focus was on the 83-inch model. However, I also had access to the 77-inch version for direct comparison. When I inquired with Samsung's public relations regarding the different panel technologies used in each television, I was informed that Samsung is "not discussing panel technologies" for the S95F, choosing instead to emphasize the overall viewing experience offered by the TVs, which I was assured would be consistent across sizes. Having viewed both the 83-inch and 77-inch models side-by-side, I can genuinely attest that I observed no discernible difference between the two. Both televisions exhibited exceptional brightness, delivered outstanding color accuracy, and featured the same effective anti-glare display. For all practical purposes, my experience with each model was identical.If you're uncertain about the ideal TV screen size for your viewing environment, Samsung's comprehensive "What TV size should you buy?" guide offers valuable assistance.

Samsung S95F OLED TV Review: Design Elegance and Intuitive Remote

Mirroring its predecessor, the S95D, Samsung's new S95F boasts a remarkablyelegant design, particularly when viewed from a side profile. The83-inch model exhibits a uniform depth of a mere 12.6mm (0.49 inches), while the 77-inch variant is even slimmer at 11mm (0.43 inches). This ultra-thin profile makes the S95F an exceptionally appealingoption for wall mounting, regardless of the chosen screen size.

The key to this slender design lies in the One Connect Box, a detachable media receiver that houses all of the S95F's input portsand serves as its power supply. All connectivity is routed back to thedisplay panel via a single, discreet cable.

In a clear case of adhering to the principle of "if it ain't broke, don'tfix it," the S95F appears to utilize the same flat metal base stand asthe S95D. This stand connects to the center of the TV and featuresintegrated slots at the rear for neatly attaching the One Connect Box.

Arguably the most significant design feature, however, is the welcome return of Samsung's exceptional anti-glare display technology, which debuted with last year's S95D and continues to be remarkablyeffective on the S95F. I deliberately tested the S95F under variouschallenging lighting conditions – with all room lights illuminated,positioned next to an open window during daylight hours, and with achandelier hanging above and slightly in front of the screen – and on no occasion was any noticeable glare or reflection present.

Having already evaluated the S95F's primary OLED competitors for the year, Ican honestly state that this television surpasses the competition by asignificant margin when it comes to glare reduction.

While the bezel surrounding the screen is relatively minimal compared to many other TVs in 2025 (measuring approximately 8mm, depending on the imageshift), there's no denying that a truly bezel-less design wouldinherently project a more premium aesthetic.

The S95F's remote control is compact, lightweight, and prioritizessimplicity. It features a round directional pad for navigating menus,and users familiar with Samsung TV remotes from recent years will feelinstantly comfortable.

The remote also includes dedicated volume and channel controls, essentialfunction buttons such as back, home, and play/pause, a settings buttonfor accessing the TV's configuration options, a microphone button forvoice control functionality, and a small selection of quick-launchbuttons for popular streaming services. The dedicated buttons forNetflix, Prime Video, and Samsung TV Plus remain. However, the DisneyPlus button has been replaced by a YouTube button this time around, achange that likely reflects the more frequent usage of YouTube in themajority of households.

I'm also pleased to confirm the return of Samsung's innovative solar-charged remote with the S95F. Simply placing the remote face down when not in useallows ambient light (both natural and artificial) to keep its batteryoptimally charged. And, in the event that the remote's battery doeseventually deplete, it can be quickly recharged via its integrated USB-C port.

Samsung S95F OLED TV Review: Comprehensive Port Connectivity

All of the S95F's connectivity ports are conveniently located on theaforementioned One Connect Box, with the sole exception of theproprietary port that connects the box directly to the display panelitself.

The display panel receives both power and data through a single,specialized cable, which is provided in two different lengths: a shorter cable for setups where the One Connect Box is attached to the TV stand, and a longer 5-meter cable for scenarios where the box is placed in anearby cabinet or entertainment unit. It's crucial to note that theincluded cable is not designed for in-wall installation and should onlybe used for surface-level routing.

The One Connect Box itself houses a generous array of ports, including four HDMI 2.1 ports, with one of these supporting eARC (enhanced Audio Return Channel). All four HDMI 2.1 ports are capable of a maximum input rate of 165Hz at a 4K resolution, which should more than satisfy the requirements of most PC and consolegamers looking to connect high-performance gaming hardware to a largeOLED screen.

In addition to the HDMI ports, the One Connect Box also features three USB-A ports for connecting various peripherals, a single USB-C port for broader connectivity options, one ethernet (LAN) port for a stable wired network connection, one digital audio out (Optical) port for external audio systems, and an RF input for connecting a traditional TV antenna.

Samsung S95F OLED TV Review: Our Rigorous Testing Methodology

At Tom's Guide, we adhere to a standardized testing protocol for everytelevision we evaluate. Our benchmarks encompass both objectivetechnical measurements and subjective assessments designed to thoroughly rate the set's overall performance.

For our technical evaluations, we employ a suite of professional-grade equipment, including a Jeti spectraval 1501-HiRes spectroradiometer, a Klein K10-A colorimeter, a Murideo 8K-SIX-G Metal pattern generator, and Portrait Displays' Calman TV-calibration software to capture precise measurements of color accuracy, brightness, and contrast. We also utilize a Leo Bodnar 4K Input Lag Tester to accurately determine the television's gaming responsiveness.

Subjective testing is conducted by experienced reviewers and typically involvesdetailed observations while viewing a diverse selection of movies, TVshows, and other content that reflects the types of media consumers arelikely to watch on the television. For a more in-depth understanding ofour testing procedures, please refer to our dedicated "How we test TVs"page.

Samsung S95F OLED TV Review: Exceptional Performance and Impressive Test Results

Feature	Samsung S95F (2025)	Samsung S95D (2024)	LG G4 OLED	LG C5 OLED
SDR Brightness (10%, in nits)	267	276	358	335
Delta-E (lower is better)	1.1972	3.5085	1.4041	1.2468
Rec. 709 Gamut Coverage	106.8784	99.8042	98.5546	99.6677
HDR Brightness (10%, in nits)	2138	1777	1488	1165
UHDA-P3 Gamut Coverage	99.97	99.97	97.17	98.61
Rec. 2020 Gamut Coverage	90.26	89.73	72.91	76.18
Input Lag (ms)	9.5	9.2	12.9/9.2	12.9

When Samsung re-entered the OLED TV market in 2022 after a nearlydecade-long hiatus, their stated intention was to deliver OLED displayswith higher brightness levels than the prevailing industry standard.This ambition is once again realized with the S95F, which stands out asone of the brightest OLED televisions available this year.

Our testing of the S95F revealed an impressive peak HDR luminance of 2,138 nits in a 10% window, a remarkable achievement for an OLED display. Toprovide context, Samsung's Mini-LED-equipped QN900D, one of 2024'sbrightest televisions, reached 2,338 nits in the same test. And while we haven't yet had the opportunity to test LG's 2025 flagship, the G5OLED, the S95F's peak brightness significantly surpasses the 1,488 nitsachieved by last year's LG G4 OLED.

The Samsung S95F also exhibited the best color accuracy of any television we have tested to date. In the crucial Delta-E test, which quantifies color error (lower scores are better), the TV measured a remarkably low 1.1972. Considering that last year's S95D measured 3.5085 in our independenttesting, this highlights the substantial improvement in color accuracyachieved by this year's model – especially when a Delta-E of 3 isgenerally considered the threshold of perceptible color error for mostviewers. Impressively, the S95F's Delta-E score was also lower than both last year's LG G4 (1.4041) and this year's LG C5 (1.2468).

A major selling point for Samsung's S95F is its integration of the company's Vision AI technology. While this AI is utilized to personalize the user interface experience, its most significant benefit for the majority of users will likely beits exceptional upscaling capabilities.

To thoroughly evaluate the S95F's upscaling prowess, I watched segments of various films spanning a wide range of ages (from 1959's "Rio Bravo" to 2024's "The Fall Guy"), along with several other movies in between,utilizing the AI Mode picture setting. Beyond ensuring that everything looked as clean as could be expectedgiven the source material's quality (don't anticipate grain completelydisappearing from older films), the S95F's AI upscaling performedexceptionally well in terms of image processing, with virtually nonoticeable artifacts or hiccups.

As expected from an OLED display, contrast performance on the S95F is truly remarkable, extending down to the individual pixel level. During dark scenes inStanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey," I was able to effortlesslydistinguish individual stars against the deep blackness of space.However, what impressed me most was the stark contrast between thesedeep blacks and the remarkably bright Earth and other illuminatedelements within the frame.

The AI Mode picture settings, similar to the user interface, can be tailored to individualpreferences through a series of intuitive screens and button presses.Users begin by selecting the type of content they wish to customize(sports event, movie, or general viewing). The TV then presents visualoptions to help users find their ideal brightness, contrast, color, andcolor tone settings, offering four distinct options for each parameter.While this makes it incredibly easy for users to achieve a visuallyappealing image with vibrant colors and impactful contrast, it alsomakes it very easy to deviate significantly from the content creator'soriginal artistic intent.

While the difference might not seem drastic at first glance, switching between your customized AI settings and the TV's own Filmmaker Mode or Movie Mode quickly reveals the potential for significant alterations to the original presentation.

That's not to say that Filmmaker Mode is perfect by default – on the S95F, itappears slightly too dark with a color tone that leans towards anunnaturally cool temperature, which is far from ideal for faithfulreproduction.

Thankfully, Smart Calibration remains available for users with compatible Samsung Galaxy or iPhonedevices utilizing Samsung's SmartThings app. This feature allows usersto automatically calibrate the TV's white balance and color gamutsettings to a near-professional level within minutes.

However, it remains disappointing that Samsung continues to refuse to support Dolby Vision 12-bit color, opting instead to implement its own HDR10+ format. This decision prevents the S95F from displaying the full dynamic rangeof a significant number of titles that utilize the Dolby Visionstandard.

Samsung S95F OLED TV Review: Immersive Audio Performance

Similar to last year's S95D, the S95F features a 70W 4.2.2 built-in speaker system that delivers decently loud, high-quality audio with clear andintelligible dialogue. This clarity is further enhanced by Samsung's Active Voice Amplifier Pro technology, which utilizes AI to upscale voices in the audio mix. While the TV's Dolby Atmos support, Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+) technology, and built-in height channels are intended to add dimensionality to the soundstage, the resultingeffect was only mildly convincing. This suggests that users seeking atruly immersive audio experience will likely want to invest in one ofthe best soundbars available.

If you do decide to purchase a soundbar, you might want to consider a model that supports Samsung's Q-Symphony technology. This innovative feature allows the TV's built-in speakers to work inconjunction with a compatible Samsung soundbar, resulting in enhancedaudio and even clearer dialogue reproduction.

Samsung S95F OLED TV Review: A Gamer's Delight

From a gaming perspective, the S95F is exceptionally well-equipped to cater to both console and PC gamers.

As previously mentioned, the S95F boasts HDMI 2.1 support on all four of its HDMI ports. This means that each port can achieve a 165Hz refresh rate at a 4K resolution, a feature that will undoubtedly appeal to users looking to connect high-end gaming PCs to a large OLED display. FreeSync Premium Pro support returns to minimize screen tearing, and the inclusion of Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) ensures a responsive gaming experience with compatible devices.

Given Samsung's strong focus on AI this year, it's perhaps unsurprising that the S95F features an AI Auto Game Mode. This intelligent feature automatically detects the genre of the gamebeing played and adjusts the picture settings accordingly to optimizethe visual experience. Of course, users still retain the ability tomanually fine-tune these settings within the S95F's dedicated Game Bar UI, which can be accessed by holding down the 'play' button on the TV's remote.

In our input lag testing within Game Mode, the S95F recorded a mere 9.5ms, an imperceptible increase from last year's S95D, which registered an input lag of 9.2ms. While we haven't

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