First impressions of the Samsung S95F OLED: impressively bright and in contention for the top TV of the year.

First impressions of the Samsung S95F OLED: impressively bright and in contention for the top TV of the year.

      The Samsung S95F OLED TV: Many individuals have opinions about it, but I recommend setting those aside until you finish this article. Why? Because I've visited Samsung's top-secret facility on the East Coast (a practice we've maintained for the last four or five years) to get an early glimpse of their flagship television.

      You may already know about their leading 8K NeoQLED (QN900F) equipped with anti-glare technology, as well as the flagship 4K NeoQLED TV (QN90F). Now, we have the flagship OLED model: the Samsung S95F.

      In contrast to the other two flagship televisions, the S95F is a Quantum Dot OLED (also referred to as QD-OLED). This means that alongside its anti-glare and anti-reflection features, it also presents a panel that may show a slight purplish hue under intense lighting. Opinions vary on this; some viewers prefer a closer representation of true black in certain lighting conditions. There's also an ongoing debate about whether an anti-glare or matte finish on the screen is beneficial or detrimental for those seeking the highest picture quality.

      For now, I want to highlight the areas in which this TV excels … and there are many.

      Incredibly Bright and Vivid

      Samsung has been secretive about the type of panels used in its OLED TVs—some models utilize Quantum Dot OLED and others WRGB OLED, depending on the series and size—but it seems the S95F features the latest Quantum Dot OLED panel made by Samsung Display. Consequently, it boasts the brightest Quantum Dot OLED panel available.

      Based on our measurements and figures from Samsung, the S95F achieves peak brightness levels between 2,100 and 2,250 nits in a 10% white window. What does that mean? It is undeniably one of the brightest OLED televisions on the market. While competitors are closing the gap, this TV excels in providing exceptionally high and pure color brightness—the highest and most vivid to date.

      So, anticipate very bright peak highlights from this TV. (We didn’t have the chance to measure full-field white and test it at cool and hot temperatures; expect to see this in the upcoming full review.)

      Additionally, the highlights appear remarkably vibrant. Even from the color samples we tested, the purity and brightness of color on this TV are immediately apparent. It ranks among the brightest and most colorful televisions currently available.

      Outstanding Out-of-the-Box Performance

      The S95F achieved remarkable accuracy in Filmmaker Mode (which can be found in the TV settings). From color accuracy to EOTF HDR tracking and grayscale measurements, it performs exceptionally well. Out-of-the-box, we recorded an average delta E of 1.4 for grayscale errors, with color inaccuracies remaining well below two.

      In Movie Mode, however, it scores quite high on the EOTF, resulting in a higher average brightness level than what is technically accurate. While this isn’t ideal, it can be advantageous for watching darker content in well-lit environments—something we all encounter occasionally. For instance, when watching "Game of Thrones" or "House of the Dragon" in anything less than a completely dark room, you'll spot details in those shadowy scenes that aren't visible in Filmmaker Mode.

      Using the footage with which we evaluate many TVs, the S95F's processing appears solid (we didn’t have ample time for extensive testing). Although I couldn’t assess much upscaling, I watched some free ad-supported streaming TV—essentially low-resolution content—and it looked quite good. Motion also seemed impressive, although I didn’t manage to view any sports. (We will delve further into this in the complete review.)

      Enhanced User Interface

      I am pleased to share that Samsung has made significant improvements to portions of the One UI interface, based on Tizen. If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet, this interface is likely familiar to you. The updated Samsung TV interface is more integrated with these experiences; for the average consumer, this means additional controls to customize the TV to your liking.

      Moreover, you can adjust how the home screen functions, which is particularly important for me. Within the settings, you can prevent the TV from launching directly into Channels Plus—this free ad-supported streaming service. (Previously, when I powered on a Samsung TV, it would automatically play content, regardless of my preferences. I might want to go straight to Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, or whichever platform, rather than have content thrust at me—much like when you switch on a TV and it’s already tuned to a channel. I found this change refreshing.) Now, it's possible to modify the TV's functionality to suit your needs. Of course, if you enjoy that type of experience, it remains available. The key point is that it's now an option.

      Samsung has also packed this TV with a range of AI features. (We will explore what this entails in the full review and in a dedicated

First impressions of the Samsung S95F OLED: impressively bright and in contention for the top TV of the year. First impressions of the Samsung S95F OLED: impressively bright and in contention for the top TV of the year.

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First impressions of the Samsung S95F OLED: impressively bright and in contention for the top TV of the year.

The Samsung S95F OLED TV: Many individuals already have opinions about it, but I recommend setting those aside until you've gone through this. Why? Because I've visited Samsung's highly confidential facility on the East Coast (a visit we've been making for the last four or five years) to get an early glimpse of their top-of-the-line television. You might […]