- Matching (Score) |
- Our verdict |
- Competing TVs |
- TV appearance |
- Where to buy |
- Contrast and black detail |
- HDR effect quality |
- Factory color reproduction |
- Color reproduction after calibration |
- Smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions |
- Blur and motion smoothness |
- Console compatibility and gaming features |
- Input lag |
- Compatibility with PC |
- Viewing angles |
- Daytime performance |
- TV features |
- Apps |
- Playing files from USB |
- Sound |
- Panel details
Samsung OLED S95H (S99H) (QD-OLED) Review
S99H / S95H
Available screen sizes:
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Panel type: QD-OLED Refresh rate: 165Hz Brand: SAMSUNG Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Tizen Model year: 2026
Samsung S99H (known in the United States as the S95H) is one of the most distinctive premium OLED TVs. Mostly because of its looks, as the wide metal bezel definitely sets it apart from the competition and will probably split users' opinions quite a lot. For us, though, what matters more is what the TV can do during everyday viewing. So we're checking whether the latest QD-OLED panel has allowed Samsung to create one of the best TVs of 2026.
SAMSUNG S99H - Our verdict
9.0
Overall rating
The Samsung S99H is probably the best OLED TV we’ve tested so far, and certainly the best Samsung OLED in years. In terms of picture quality it’s really hard to find a weak spot. Blacks are perfect, as you’d expect from an OLED panel, and the HDR performance impresses with brightness and colour saturation. The use of a QD-OLED panel produces an image that in many scenes looks almost reference-level. Practically every parameter related to display performance is excellent. It’s also simply a pleasure to use day to day. Tizen is fast, gives access to all the major apps and comes with seven years of update support. On top of that there are brilliant gaming features, which translated into one of the highest scores in that category on our site. The S99H will therefore perform well in virtually any situation, whether you’re watching movies in the evening, following regular TV in a bright living room, or spending several hours on a console.
So is it the perfect TV? Not quite. The most controversial aspect is, of course, the design. Its unique look with a wide bezel means you’ll either love it straight away or be put off completely — and that’s purely a matter of taste. We can, however, judge the equipment, and in that respect Samsung left something to be desired. In a model designed primarily for wall mounting there’s no dedicated wall bracket and no One Connect module. Samsung does allow you to buy the wireless version, Wireless One Connect, but for a product at this price point those two items should, in our view, be included.
These are not faults that should rule out the model. The Samsung S99H stands on its picture above all else, and that picture is simply phenomenal. If you like the way it looks and are after the very best TV, it’s hard to point to a better choice today. At the moment the Samsung S99H is the strongest contender for the title of best TV of 2026.
Advantages
Perfect OLED blacks
Reference image quality in HDR (after calibration)
Very high brightness (over 2800 nits in HDR!)
Beautifully saturated QD-OLED colours
Excellent glare suppression (matte coating)
Very good motion clarity (no smearing, refresh rate up to 165 Hz)
Brilliant for gamers (4x HDMI 2.1, low input lag, Game Motion Plus)
Fast Tizen OS with 7 years of support
Top viewing angles
High build quality
Disadvantages
No wall mount or One Connect included
Black takes on a cherry tint in bright light (a characteristic of QD-OLED panels)
No DTS:X (for Blu-ray fans)
Unusual design 😉
Movies and series in UHD quality9.7
Classic TV, YouTube9.5
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)9.0
Gaming on console9.9
TV as a computer monitor8.8
Watching in bright light8.0
Utility functions7.8
Apps9.3
Sound quality8.7
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SAMSUNG S99H - Competing TVs in this price range
SAMSUNG S99H - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (48Gbps) Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI) Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
Build quality: Super Premium
Stand type: Legs
Bezel color: Silver
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: Yes
Accessories: Stand
Samsung S99H certainly doesn't look like another boring OLED on the market. That's mainly down to the wide metal bezel around the screen. In photos it seems quite massive, but in person it makes a great impression. It's very solidly made, and when hung on the wall it creates a nice effect: the screen looks as if it's slightly floating above the bezel. We really like this style and it makes the TV stand out from the crowd, although we know it's a distinctive design. All the more so because the bezel can't be removed or swapped for another.
Speaking of wall mounting, it's worth mentioning a rather puzzling decision by Samsung. The set doesn't include the dedicated wall mount (model WMN-B50EB/XC) and you have to buy it separately. For a TV designed to resemble a picture, that seems poorly thought out to us. You can assume that the vast majority of people choosing the S99H because of its looks will want to hang it on the wall straight away. In the box you'll find standard feet. They do the job, but they're a bit plasticky and simply don't match the rest of the build. We'd treat them more as a temporary solution than as the final way to position such a TV. The chassis itself is very slim, and at the back there's room for all the ports and cable management channels to keep cables tidy. Unfortunately, the One Connect module, known from some of Samsung's more expensive models, is missing. You can, however, buy its wireless version, Wireless One Connect, which lets you reduce the number of cables running directly to the screen. But again, that's another extra expense.
In terms of build quality the Samsung S99H definitely looks like a top‑end device. It's a shame that for such an expensive TV the manufacturer didn't include either the wall mount or the One Connect module, especially since both would have suited the overall concept of this model perfectly.
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SAMSUNG S99H - Contrast and black detail
10/10
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
As you'd expect from an OLED TV, the Samsung S99H delivers perfect black and virtually infinite contrast. Each pixel can switch off independently, so bright elements cause no haloing and blacks stay black even in the toughest scenes. This gives the picture excellent depth and it looks great in films, TV series and games. Compared with Mini LED LCD TVs, the advantage is particularly noticeable in dark shots with small bright details. Subtitles, stars, headlights and small light sources retain full definition and don't blend into the background. You also don't get the haloing typical of local dimming, nor the dimming down of bright elements just to preserve deep blacks. Importantly, in this respect it doesn't much matter whether we're talking about the QD-OLED panel or Tandem WOLED. In both cases you can expect the same fundamental benefits of organic technology: precise per-pixel control and excellent contrast regardless of the scene.
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
SAMSUNG S99H - HDR effect quality
9.4/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
2837 nit
Result
2795 nit
Result
2592 nit
Result
2811 nit
Result
2271 nit
When it comes to pure brightness, the S99H is an astronomically bright TV. Its peak brightness in film scenes can exceed 2,800 nits. Whatever the scene, you can expect powerful HDR effects that are almost blinding, which is exactly what we want from a top‑tier display. By nature, an OLED panel can't maintain that extreme brightness in very bright, full‑screen frames the way it can with small bright highlights, but the results are still excellent. In a bright scene from The Meg the sun still exceeded 2,200 nits. That means the S99H was able to hold a higher brightness than most Mini LED screens on the market. In terms of brightness the S99H is currently the best OLED TV we've tested.
Colour gamut coverage
The S99H also handles colours exceptionally well, thanks directly to the QD‑OLED panel used here. Whether the test used synthetic test patterns or measurements with film material in the background, the results remained very high. The S99H easily covers almost 100% of the DCI‑P3 gamut, and in the most demanding space, BT.2020 it reaches nearly 90%. That's absolute top‑tier performance. These results match what we saw in the new SQD‑Mini‑LED displays, and in real film scenes they even surpass RGB Mini LED displays.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 89.0% | 99.9% | 65% | 81% | 79% |
| Film measurements | 89.1% | 99.9% | 66% | 83% | 81% |
BT.2020 BT.2020 and P3 – average color gamut coverage (percent of the target gamut).
R, G, B – average primary color luminance relative to target (percent).
Scene from the movie “Pan” (about 2800 nits)
Scene from the movie “Billy Lynn” (about 1100 nits)
Measurements and dry numbers are one thing, but in the end what matters is what we actually see on screen. For that reason we put the Samsung S99H through full-scale testing and analysed how it behaves on vivid, demanding movie scenes. The result? Needless to say, they simply look stunning. Regardless of the source material — whether we tackle productions mastered for extremely high peak brightness or the far more common titles graded to 1000 nits — the TV delivers an almost reference-grade reproduction of the content. The image's tonal balance is practically flawless, without distorting the director's vision or artificially boosting the picture. Every tiny nuance and micro-detail in the deepest shadows and the brightest parts of the frame remains perfectly discernible and is presented to the viewer with the utmost precision. The S99H does not clip highlights, does not lose detail in dark areas, and faithfully conveys the dynamic range of the source material. So if anyone is after the best possible HDR picture, the Samsung S99H is the answer.
HDR luminance chart:
Can you squeeze even more out of HDR on the S99H? Theoretically, yes, thanks to support for dynamic metadata in HDR10+, where the TV receives precise frame-by-frame instructions on how to behave when displaying a given scene. In practice, though, it looks completely different. Good factory tone mapping (when set to static mode) and the screen's powerful, extremely high brightness mean that the difference between basic HDR10 and dynamic HDR10+ is almost unnoticeable. The comparison on the horse scene shows this clearly: both scenes retain virtually identical amounts of detail, in the brightest and darkest areas alike. For that reason, the lack of Dolby Vision support in the S99H is hard to call a real drawback. This TV simply doesn't need it to present the full extent of its capabilities in films.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: HDR10+
Factory color reproduction
7.5/10
Samsung offers a whole host of picture modes and features, but we traditionally recommend choosing FILMMAKER mode, especially if you want the most faithful rendering of the creators' intent. Out of the box the TV is tuned very well, though it has minor flaws. These are mainly a slight deviation in white balance in SDR content and a slightly low gamma. As a result, the picture in a dark room can be a little too bright compared with the reference value of 2.4, which is the standard for watching films with the lights off. These are, of course, small issues, because overall colour reproduction remains very good and the errors in ColorChecker measurements are not large. However, we know that for a screen of the S99H's calibre you can and should expect even more, so we subjected it to professional calibration.
Color reproduction after calibration
9.6/10
After professional calibration, FILMMAKER mode looks practically perfect. Because Samsung offers a rich set of advanced calibration controls, we were able to tune the colours to an almost perfect level. Above all, we managed to even out the white balance and the gamma curve, which resulted in noticeably improved contrast and correct image modelling. In a profile prepared like this there really isn't a single thing to pick apart or call a fault. After calibration, the S99H can deliver an essentially reference-quality picture.
SAMSUNG S99H - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9.6/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions on the Samsung S99H looks very good. Bright scenes fare best, where successive shades blend very smoothly with no visible banding. In darker passages it is also good, though you can occasionally notice small imperfections. In everyday viewing they are practically unnoticeable. It is also worth noting that this is one of the strengths of QD-OLED panels. Compared with WOLED panels, they cope much better with near-black transitions, where competing panels from LG Display more often show posterisation and uneven tonal gradation.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
7.5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
Upscaling and digital image processing are handled by Samsung's proprietary NQ4 Gen3 processor. It copes very well with scaling lower-resolution content to 4K. The picture is clear without looking artificial or overly sharp. The only fairly specific drawback appears with very old material recorded at 480p or lower. In such cases the TV can slightly crop the edges of the image.
The processor also does a decent job with artefacts visible in low-bitrate material, for example in heavily compressed YouTube videos. The noise reduction function effectively smooths the picture and reduces posterisation, but it works quite aggressively. It can remove not only unwanted artefacts but also some fine detail, and even natural film grain. We, wanting to preserve maximum fidelity to the source material, chose not to use it. However, if someone values a clean, as-smooth-as-possible image more than keeping every detail, it may prove useful.
SAMSUNG S99H - Blur and motion smoothness
8.5/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 165Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
BFI function 120Hz: No
Brightness drop with BFI: 50%
Another major advantage of organic panels is very good motion handling. Thanks to the pixels' near-instant response time, the Samsung S99H shows virtually no smearing. Fast-moving objects don't produce visible halos or trailing artefacts, so the TV performs very well for both sport and gaming. One quirk of OLED screens compared with LCD is the way they render low-frame-rate material. With very slow camera movement the picture can appear noticeably more juddery. This can be quite effectively mitigated using frame interpolation. Samsung lets you adjust judder reduction and motion blur reduction separately, so it's easy to find a compromise between a smoother picture and preserving the cinematic feel of the content.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Image flickers in this mode
Blur (4K@165Hz):
In the settings you'll also find a BFI feature called "Clear LED Motion", which works with content shown up to 60 Hz. It improves motion sharpness by inserting black frames, but the screen then starts to flicker quite noticeably. For that reason we wouldn't recommend using it every day. It also supports refresh rates up to 165 Hz when connected to a computer. That may not be a feature everyone needs, but for people planning to use the S99H as a large screen for PC gaming it will be a very welcome addition.
SAMSUNG S99H - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.6/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 165Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
No
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
Samsung S99H is also a top TV for gamers. It offers almost every possible and useful feature... well, perhaps except the obvious lack of Dolby Vision for the Xbox console. It’s equipped with four full-fledged HDMI 2.1 ports with the full 48 Gbps bandwidth. That makes it easy to use frame-rate synchronization VRR or automatic low-latency mode (ALLM). This year Samsung also has no issues with proper HGiG support, so HDR setup on a console is quick and free of unnecessary complications. Samsung is also known for interesting extras in its TVs. In the Game Bar menu you’ll find options to add an on-screen crosshair, enlarge the minimap, or change the aspect ratio of the displayed image (PC).
Particularly noteworthy is Samsung’s feature: Game Motion Plus. It’s Samsung’s proprietary motion-smoothing system that uses interpolation to boost smoothness in games. Input lag then rises to around 40 to 50 ms (depending on the strength of the setting), which, compared with the competition, is an excellent result. The system makes gameplay noticeably smoother. So if someone has their eye on a demanding game (e.g. GTA 6 😉) that runs on a console at only 30 fps, the S99H can display it much more smoothly than competing models.
SAMSUNG S99H - Input lag
10/10
Input lag is very low regardless of the selected refresh rate. With a 120 Hz signal we measured around 5 ms, and at 60 Hz about 10 ms. After connecting a PC and setting it to 165 Hz, the values were even lower. Response to controller or mouse movement is almost instantaneous, so in that respect the Samsung S99H is suitable even for very fast and demanding games.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 10 ms | 2160p60: 10 ms | |
| 1080p120: 5 ms | 2160p120: 5 ms | |
| 2160p60: 10 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 5 ms |
SAMSUNG S99H - Compatibility with PC
8.8/10
Chroma 444 (max. resolution and refresh rate): Yes
Font clarity: Good
Readability of dark text and shapes: Very Good
Input lag in PC mode (4K, max. refresh rate): 5ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RGB (QD-OLED)
Max refresh rate: 165Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The S99H also works very well as a large monitor connected to a computer. This is mainly thanks to full support for frame rate synchronisation, with both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and seamless G-Sync compatibility for NVIDIA cards. The TV also supports refresh rates of up to 165 Hz, which is a nice plus for PC gamers. The only distinctive characteristic of QD-OLED panels is the triangular subpixel layout. Because of this, the sharpness of very small text viewed from extremely close up isn’t perfect. However, given the size of the S99H, this TV is unlikely to sit directly on anyone’s desk, and when working or gaming from more than a metre away the issue becomes irrelevant.
SAMSUNG S99H - Viewing angles
9.9/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 12%
Viewing angles on the S99H are simply excellent, thanks to the QD-OLED panel. In this respect it's right at the top of the market. Even when viewing the screen from a very steep angle the image remains perfectly legible, with only a negligible drop in brightness or colour saturation. That's a hallmark of QD-OLED panels and gives them the edge over conventional WOLED displays, where viewing angles are somewhat worse.
SAMSUNG S99H - Daytime performance
8/10
Panel finish: Matte
Reflection suppression: Very Good
Black levels during daytime: Average
One of the key and most distinctive features of Samsung's OLEDs (including the S99H tested here) is the matte screen coating. It's currently one of the best solutions on the market if you want to minimise reflections. Whether the room has large windows or the lamps are on, any glare is very effectively dispersed. However, this comes at a cost. Because of the matte screen finish and the nature of QD-OLED panels (which in bright surroundings can take on a slightly cherry tint), blacks lose a little of their depth and richness during the day. It's worth noting, though, that this effect mainly occurs when very harsh light falls directly on the panel. Fortunately the S99H is an extremely bright OLED TV, comparable in this regard to the best Mini LED screens on the market. Its average brightness in everyday SDR content reaches close to 850 to 900 nits, so the TV will easily cope even in a strongly sunlit living room.
Panel brightness
Samsung OLED S95H (S99H) (QD-OLED): 851 cd/m2
SAMSUNG S99H - TV features
7.8/10
System: Tizen
System performance: Very good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 48Gbps
- Outputs: Toslink (Optical audio), eARC (HDMI), ARC (HDMI)
- Network Interfaces: Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Ethernet (LAN) 100Mbps
- TV reception: DVB-T, DVB-T2, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB-C
Classic features:
- Recording to USB (terrestrial TV): No
- Recording programming: No
- Picture in Picture (PiP): Yes
- RF remote control (no need to aim): RF
- Backlit remote control: No
- Teletext: Yes
- Audio only mode: Yes
- Bluetooth headphones support: Yes
- Simultaneous Bluetooth headphones & TV audio: Yes
Smart features:
- AirPlay: Yes
- Screen mirroring (Windows Miracast): Yes
- Voice search: Yes
- Voice search in native language: Yes
- Ability to connect a keyboard and mouse: Yes
Smart features: Tizen
The Tizen system runs exceptionally quickly and stably on the S99H. The broad support for wireless protocols is notable – it includes Apple AirPlay and the recently added Chromecast support. It’s hard to fault Tizen today in terms of app availability. Its catalogue covers all the most popular streaming services and in that respect it matches the capabilities of Google TV.
Art Mode (Art Mode)
The S99H is the first Samsung OLED TV to be equipped with a dedicated Art Mode, previously seen mainly on The Frame series. That’s a bit of a surprise, because most manufacturers using OLED panels generally advise against long-term display of static images. Here the feature is officially promoted, which suggests Samsung is confident in the panel’s resistance to burn-in. Access to the full art library unfortunately requires a paid subscription. However, there’s a simple workaround: you can upload favourite artworks or your own photos to the TV’s internal storage for free and set them as the background in the dedicated app. It’s worth adding that the set includes an ambient light sensor that adjusts brightness and colour temperature so the displayed image closely mimics a real canvas or print.
Daily use and the remote
All the classic TV functions perform well on the S99H, although the controls may not appeal to older users. That’s due to the minimalist remote, which lacks a traditional numeric keypad. The advantage of the solar-powered remote is its universal remote function; you can easily pair it and control virtually any device connected to the TV, such as satellite set-top boxes, consoles and media players.
Sound connection options
HDMI audio:
Other audio outputs:
- Toslink: Yes
Wireless audio:
- Bluetooth: Yes
- Samsung Q-Symphony (Speaker extension): Yes
Supported audio formats (external HDMI eARC audio):
- Dolby Digital Plus 7.1: Yes
- Dolby True HD 7.1: Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC): Yes
- Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD: Yes
- DTS:X in DTS-HD MA: No
- DTS-HD Master Audio: No
Senior accessibility
- Numeric keyboard on TV: No
- Font size adjustment: Yes
- Audio description: Yes
SAMSUNG S99H - Apps
9.3/10
SAMSUNG S99H - Playing files from USB
8.8/10
| Maximum photo resolution: | Supported photo formats: |
|---|---|
| 4 Mpix | JPEG |
| 6 Mpix | HEIC |
| 8 Mpix | PNG |
| 10 Mpix | GIF |
| 12 Mpix | WebP |
| 16 Mpix | TIFF |
| 20 Mpix | BMP |
| 24 Mpix | SVG |
| 28 Mpix | |
| 32 Mpix |
The built-in media player in the S99H runs smoothly and quickly. The TV easily handles most popular video and audio formats, providing smooth playback without stuttering. The only reservations concern support for certain photo formats stored on external drives. The TV reacts rather oddly to files in Apple’s HEIC format... although thumbnails in the browser display correctly, attempting to open a photo at full size causes the interface to freeze. It looks like a software bug that Samsung will likely fix in an upcoming update.
SAMSUNG S99H - Sound
8.7/10
95dB
Maximum volume
Supported codecs (TV speakers)
Dolby Digital Plus 7.1
Dolby True HD 7.1
Dolby Atmos in Dolby Digital Plus (JOC)
Dolby Atmos in Dolby True HD
DTS:X in DTS-HD MA
DTS-HD Master Audio
For such a slim design, the Samsung S99H sounds surprisingly good. At first we were amazed that such a flat screen could produce such a full, room‑filling sound. Importantly, there’s even some bass, while keeping in mind these are built-in TV speakers, not a dedicated home cinema. 😉 The TV easily handles Dolby Atmos decoding and Samsung’s own Q-Symphony system. That makes it simple to pair the screen with a Samsung soundbar (or the new Studio series speakers), so the built-in speakers work together with external audio. For everyday viewing and standard use, though, external audio gear won’t be needed right away. As is traditional for Samsung, there’s no support for DTS. For people who use streaming only that may not be a big loss, but for fans of physical media and Blu-ray discs it will be a noticeable drawback.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
95dBC (Max)
75dBC
SAMSUNG S99H - Panel details
Software version during testing: 1204
Subpixel Structure:
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: QD-OLED
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