Samsung S95D OLED TV Review | The Most Versatile OLED TV?

Summary

Tech reviewer Caleb Denison presents a detailed review of Samsung's 2024 flagship QD OLED TV, the S95D, addressing its controversial anti-glare technology, which has sparked debates among enthusiasts. He discusses the TV's performance in various lighting conditions, noting its impressive color accuracy, brightness, and audio system. Denison also covers the TV's smart features, remote design, and his personal preferences, concluding that despite some trade-offs, the S95D is a great choice for bright rooms and offers an enjoyable viewing experience.

Takeaways

• 🎥 The video is sponsored by Reolink and features a review of the Samsung S95D QD OLED TV, which has generated controversy among TV enthusiasts.
• 📺 The Samsung S95D is Samsung's flagship OLED TV for 2024 and has a unique anti-glare/anti-reflective technology that has sparked debate.
• 🌞 The TV is designed to perform well in bright rooms with a lot of light, utilizing both high brightness and the anti-glare feature to disperse ambient light.
• 🌈 The S95D uses QD OLED technology, which allows for higher color purity, a wider color gamut, and better saturation in bright colors.
• 🔗 The TV comes with Samsung's One Connect box for a single cable connection, which is convenient but may not suit everyone's needs.
• 🔊 The S95D has a rear-firing speaker system with base transducers that works best when the TV is close to a wall for optimal sound reflection.
• 👎 The reviewer is not a fan of Samsung's Tizen Smart TV operating system, finding it less user-friendly compared to Apple TV.
• 🌡️ The TV's peak brightness is impressive, but it throttles after about 20 seconds under intense test conditions, which can cause the TV to heat up.
• 📐 The S95D's picture quality is generally praised, with excellent color accuracy and grayscale performance, but may not be as inky black as traditional OLEDs in bright rooms.
• 🎮 While the reviewer is not a gaming expert, they mention that the TV's game mode and dashboard are impressive, suggesting it could be a good gaming TV.
• 🙌 The review concludes that the Samsung S95D is a great choice for many consumers, especially in bright rooms, despite its controversial anti-glare feature.

Q & A

What is the main controversial feature of the Samsung S95D QD OLED TV?

The main controversial feature of the Samsung S95D QD OLED TV is its anti-glare/anti-reflective technology, which some describe as a matte coating or matte finish. This technology is designed to prevent the TV screen from looking like a dark mirror, especially in well-lit rooms.

How does the anti-glare technology on the Samsung S95D affect the viewing experience?

The anti-glare technology on the Samsung S95D spreads light over a large area of the screen surface, reducing reflections and making the TV more watchable in bright rooms. However, it also disperses ambient light, which some enthusiasts prefer to have concentrated in one part of the screen for better contrast.

What are the advantages of the QD OLED technology in the Samsung S95D?

QD OLED technology in the Samsung S95D allows for higher color purity, a slightly wider color gamut, and better saturation in very bright colors compared to traditional WRGB OLED TVs. This results in stunning and accurate color reproduction.

How does the Samsung S95D perform in terms of brightness?

The Samsung S95D can achieve about 200 nits in SDR filmmaker mode and around 1,450 nits from a 10% and 5% white window in HDR. However, it may not maintain peak brightness when the entire screen is lit up, and it throttles brightness after about 20 seconds with an intense test pattern.

What is the Samsung One Connect box and how does it benefit the user?

The Samsung One Connect box allows for a single cable connection to the TV, simplifying setup and reducing clutter. It is advantageous for those who can hide the box, but it may not always be a big help to everyone.

How does the audio system of the Samsung S95D perform?

The Samsung S95D has rear-firing speakers with panels lining the edges and eight base transducers. This design works best when the TV is wall-mounted or placed close to the wall, as it relies on the reflection of audio waves to sound its best.

What are the reviewer's thoughts on Samsung's Tizen Smart TV operating system?

The reviewer is not a big fan of Samsung's Tizen Smart TV operating system, mainly because it takes too many clicks to access picture settings. However, they acknowledge that Tizen is snappy, with quick boot-up times and an immediately usable smart TV interface.

What are the reviewer's impressions of the Samsung S95D's picture quality in different lighting conditions?

The reviewer found the Samsung S95D to be an excellent TV for bright rooms, with a great picture quality that impressed everyone who saw it. In dim rooms, the TV looked great in about 70 to 75% of the lighting scenarios tested, with inky blacks and outstanding contrast.

How does the Samsung S95D handle motion resolution and gaming?

The reviewer did not experience any significant issues with motion resolution on the Samsung S95D, despite some reports of a frame skipping effect. The game mode and game dashboard are also praised as being great, though the reviewer does not claim to be an expert on gaming TVs.

What is the reviewer's final verdict on the Samsung S95D QD OLED TV?

The reviewer concludes that the Samsung S95D is an excellent TV that is likely to be popular among consumers. While it may not be the reference grade OLED TV of 2024, it offers a beautiful picture and a great viewing experience, especially in bright rooms.