Samsung S95D OLED TV hands-on — this looks like the OLED TV to beat
The Samsung S95D OLED TV is Samsung’s top OLED offering of the year, and if it’s anything like last year’s Samsung S95C OLED TV, we have plenty of reasons to look forward to the latest-gen version hitting the market in the coming months. A handful of improvements to the Samsung S95D OLED TV aim to make one of the best TVs even better.
The biggest improvement the Samsung S95D OLED TV has to offer is what Samsung calls OLED Glare Free Technology, which basically means the set has more of a matte finish that stands up to harsh ambient lightning conditions. We got to see it side by side with a so-called conventional OLED. Spoiler alert — OLED Glare Free Technology makes a significant difference.
There are other new features baked into Tizen OS, including Samsung's fair share of AI-powered tools that look to make the TV-watching experience more personalized than ever.
We've had the chance to spend some time with the set ahead of our full Samsung S95D OLED TV review, and even conducted some benchmark tests related to the picture performance. You can check out those results, as well as everything you need to know about the Samsung S95D OLED TV based on our hands-on impressions, below.
SAMSUNG S95D OLED TV: PRICE AND RELEASE DATE
The Samsung S95D OLED TV price and release date have been announced. With availability as of April 4, 2024, TV starts at $2,599 for the 55-inch model, and goes up to $4,599 for the 77-inch size. The set also comes in a 65-inch size for $3,399.
| Price | Availability | |
|---|---|---|
| 55-inch | $2,599 | April 4 |
| 65-inch | $3,399 | April 4 |
| 77-inch | $4,599 | April 4 |
If you're looking for other screen sizes, the S90D, an OLED TV model that's a step down, comes in more configurations.
SAMSUNG S95D OLED TV: DESIGN
Build-wise, the S95D is a familiar looking OLED TV. It's pretty identical to last year's model, right down to the thin 11-millimeter frame and Samsung’s One Connect box on the back for convenient cable management. All in all, the Samsung S95D looks as sleek as any premium OLED TV on the market.
Samsung says the 4K 144Hz panel Is the first OLED with Glare-Free technology. That sounds like a bold claim, but keep in mind that Samsung has a track record with anti-reflective technology from its success with The Frame TV. Compared to a "conventional OLED" Samsung had setup next to the S95D, I could clearly see a difference, especially for off-angle viewing.
When I had another chance to look at the S95D in a room with lots of light fixtures, I noticed that it successfully diffuses reflections. While you can still see some light bleeding onto the screen, it looks much less defined.
SAMSUNG S95D OLED TV: TEST RESULTS
Ahead of calling the TV into our testing lab for the purpose of conducting a full rated review, we were able to pull some preliminary insights on the performance using our X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer and SpectraCal CalMAN Ultimate calibration software.
| Samsung S95D | Samsung S95C | |
| SDR Brightness (10%, in nits) | 276 | 248 |
| Delta-E (lower is better) | 3.51 | 1.45 |
| Rec. 709 Gamut Coverage | 99.49 | 98.73 |
| HDR Brightness (10%, in nits) | 1777 | 1369 |
| UHDA-P3 Gamut Coverage | 99.97 | 99.09 |
| Rec. 2020 Gamut Coverage | 89.73 | 74.47 |
| Input Lag (ms) | 9.2 | 9.2 |
Based on these results, the S95D seems to offer an overall improvement to color spectrum coverage in HDR and SDR, as well as a sizable boost in the brightness department. In the same 10% window in Filmmaker mode, the previous-gen S95C reached just shy of 1,400 nits, while the S95D nearly reached 1,800 nits.
SAMSUNG S95D OLED TV: FEATURES
In terms of audio features, the set gets Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound, which promotes positional audio, and Q-Symphony —basically just the branded name for the TV’s built-in speakers and a compatible soundbar working together to create a stellar soundscape. It's a good idea to buy a soundbar with the S95D, since the built-in audio isn't very powerful on it's own. There is also a new feature called Active Voice Amplifier Pro, that does pretty much what the name suggests.
On the software side, Samsung’s Tizen platform is getting one of the bigger upgrades we’ve seen in a few years. Noteworthy changes/additions are Audio Subtitles with a focus on accessibility, a new Home UX for SmartHub making the TV the center of your smart home, and a new platform called Daily Plus that looks to unite some of Samsung's many services.
There’s some AI-based features, too, such as the AI Customization Mode coming to all all Samsung OLED TVs and Neo QLED TVs for this year. It uses your personal viewing preferences to automatically adapt whatever you’re watching to suit said preferences.
SAMSUNG S95D OLED TV: OUTLOOK
Samsung's S95D OLED TV seems to move the needle with its anti-glare properties, introducing an alternative to the shiny OLED screens that actually looks better for use in environments with ambient light. Whether it ends up being one of the best OLED TVs of the year — if not the best — remains to be seen for our full review.
