Samsung S95D OLED Smart TV It’s the TV you need
Samsung has managed to convince me with its Samsung S95D OLED that it’s worth sacrificing a bit of contrast on this TV’s image for a truly effective anti-reflective panel.
When Samsung announced its new Smart TV lineup for 2024, including its high-end televisions like this Samsung S95D, I was very surprised to see them opting for a matte, anti-reflective finish.
If it’s an OLED panel but with an anti-reflective layer, wouldn’t that mean a loss in image quality in favor of fewer light reflections? Little did I know that I would receive this 65-inch Smart TV and that it would completely change my experience with a TV.
Although it’s not the type of product we test most often at Computer Hoy, every time I try a new high-end Smart TV model, I’m surprised to find a little detail that seems trivial, a minimal update, yet it turns out to be the feature that could convince you to spend your money on it.
The Samsung S95D OLED is a high-end Smart TV, with the 55-inch model’s base price approaching 2,000 euros. It’s not a purchase most of us make without thinking about it two, three, or even four times before clicking the buy button. So join me in this in-depth review of a Smart TV that pleasantly surprised me.
Even Smaller Bezels and a Separate Electronics Module
The design of a modern Smart TV is virtually invisible. This isn’t a negative thing; on the contrary, it’s very positive that all you see is the screen, and the Samsung S95D practically fulfills that expectation.
With minimal bezels and a central stand, this TV isn’t just the focal point of the living room; you’ll see only a high-quality panel. Although I installed it with the stand, this TV can be wall-mounted with its VESA system, and with cables neatly concealed in the wall, it could be quite a spectacle.
As in previous generations, this Samsung Smart TV comes with its Slim One Connect module, an external box housing all the electronics and connections. This is a brilliant idea I’d like to see in other brands because it allows you to hide it behind the stand or, if you prefer, beneath the TV or elsewhere.
Inside the TV box, you’ll find two cables of different lengths: a very short one for stand installation and a longer, transparent one for those who install it on the wall.
The Slim One Connect module includes all the physical and wireless connections, and being connected by only one cable makes installation extremely easy. It features four HDMI 2.1 ports, three USB-A ports for connecting flash drives or hard drives, an optical audio output, a 1 Gigabit Ethernet port, and a CI port.
The downside of wireless connectivity is that Samsung has stuck with Wi-Fi 5 when Wi-Fi 6 or 6e are extremely popular and widespread standards. It also has Bluetooth 5.2 to connect headphones, speakers, and other devices.
The only other design feature of the S95D is the stand, which mirrors the design of other models like the Samsung S95B. It’s an extremely heavy iron stand. As the center of gravity for the TV, especially with larger sizes like the 65-inch model I tested, it needs to be heavier than desired to prevent movement.
In fact, the total weight of this Smart TV is quite high. The 65-inch model weighs 29 kg, so keep that in mind before buying, and check whether your TV stand can support this kind of weight. I noticed that the wood on my stand, which has just enough space below, started to bend under the weight.
Installation is straightforward: just lay down the panel, screw on the stand and Slim One Connect module, but I assure you, two people are needed for the 65- and 77-inch models. Don’t risk it; the Samsung OLED panel is very thin, and while it’s stable, one slip or misstep could be disastrous.
The remote control deserves an article of its own. Samsung made a good choice with a minimalist remote with fewer buttons. Other brands include both a minimalist remote and a more traditional one with many buttons for those who prefer more control.
It’s compact, lightweight, and charges with a solar panel on the back, though it also has a USB-C port, which, frankly, I don’t think anyone will need if it gets a bit of sunlight from time to time.
The issue with Samsung’s remote is that its design isn’t ergonomic or optimized for the hand. The design is split into two sections with the volume and channel buttons, but countless times I’ve picked it up without looking and hit the shortcut buttons, thinking I was pressing the directional pad.
If you look, there’s no problem, but it’s a device you get used to without thinking about it—until you press the wrong button over and over, leading to frustration.
How easy it would’ve been to make the top section concave to indicate the top, or to add more weight to the bottom. Samsung, in pursuit of a flat and lightweight remote, forgot about ergonomics, leading to some frustrations.
An Anti-Reflective Smart TV with Image Quality That Doesn’t Deteriorate
Despite having an anti-reflective panel with a matte finish, after initial tests with movies I always use to evaluate TVs, like Blade Runner 2049, 1917, or Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, my fears disappeared.
The best thing Samsung has done is introduce this matte, anti-reflective panel because, I assure you, in bright daylight, the annoying reflections that make parts of the image hard to see are a thing of the past.
This panel absorbs almost any direct light source, from sunlight through your window to direct bulbs, LEDs, or even flashlight beams. It does slightly reduce contrast levels, but it compensates with higher brightness in dark or low-light settings.
The Samsung S95D has a QD-OLED panel with high contrast and one of the highest brightness levels you’ll find today. It can emit a peak brightness of up to 3,000 nits, though in typical scenarios, even with HDR10+ content, you won’t see brightness exceeding 1,300 to 1,600 nits, which is already a very high brightness level.
Samsung still hasn’t integrated Dolby Vision into its televisions, but at least it supports HLG and HDR10+.
Samsung’s OLED panel is truly impressive, showing no trace of blooming or halo effects when bright areas blend into darks. Additionally, it offers a refresh rate from 100 Hz up to 144 Hz.
Another key feature of this high-end Smart TV, which many may overlook, is the NQ4 Gen2 processor, with a more powerful NPU dedicated to artificial intelligence, particularly for image upscaling. In tests with Full HD images upscaled to 2K, the results are quite good, with increasingly fewer watercolor-like details that often characterize upscaling systems.
It’s a very solid choice for gaming. It’s a true delight to play games with high dynamic range, like Forza Horizon 5 or Red Dead Redemption 2. In games that utilize 4K quality and 120 Hz refresh rates, you can feel the smoothness, detail, and color quality that make for an enjoyable gaming experience.
Tizen OS Improves but Lacks Intuitiveness
Tizen OS is by now one of the world’s most widely used and longest-standing Smart TV operating systems. In this 2024 generation, Samsung has made some interface changes, reorganizing elements like the gaming section, but essentially, it remains the Tizen we’ve known for at least 2 or 3 years.
That’s not to say it’s the best interface available today. As is common these days, Samsung includes ads on the main screen, and it’s typical to find TV content under the “Popular Searches” category that seems more like sponsored placements.
Tizen OS integrates popular streaming apps like Netflix, Max, Apple TV+, Prime Video, and many more. It even displays recent views by category, even if you have multiple profiles set up.
It includes integration with Samsung’s SmartThings platform, numerous free channels via Samsung TV Plus, an ambient mode with relaxing videos as wallpaper, and an interface that, while easy to navigate, is overdue for a redesign and simplification.
Gaming Hub, a dedicated gaming section, provides shortcuts to apps like Twitch, cloud gaming platforms like Xbox Cloud Gaming, Amazon Luna, or Geforce Now (you can connect a Bluetooth or USB controller and play without needing consoles), as well as any connected consoles, which appear as apps.
Sound Quality Above Decent Without a Soundbar, But It Depends on Size
Few TV models deliver good sound quality. Sony has surpassed most of its competitors by using the screen itself as a third speaker.
Samsung uses a 4.2.2 channel system with a maximum power of 70 watts and support for Dolby Atmos. At 30% volume, it’s already quite loud, and dialogue is clear and easy to understand. When it comes to deeper sounds or music, you may notice the speakers’ limitations.
Samsung has done a good job with the audio quality in such a thin panel, but as I always say in TV reviews, do yourself a favor and get a soundbar. Your experience watching movies and series will be completely transformed.
Verdict: Is the Samsung S95D OLED Worth It?
The Samsung S95D has become one of the biggest surprises in 2024 Smart TVs, thanks to its excellent image quality and a truly effective anti-reflective panel. It has all the streaming features you need, HDMI 2.1 connections to make the most of the 120 Hz on consoles like Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, and a minimalist design perfect for wall mounting.
It’s not perfect, of course. Tizen OS is a platform that’s in desperate need of an update and occasionally acts strangely, like displaying prompts to activate energy-consuming features without specifying what they are, or a somewhat chaotic content organization.
Available in three sizes—55, 65, and 77 inches—and with an official starting price of 1,949 euros (55 inches), this is easily one of the best purchases you can make if you’re looking for a high-end Smart TV for a particularly bright living room or space.
