- 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 S95H Review
S95H / S99H
Available screen sizes:
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Panel type: QD-OLED Refresh rate: 165Hz Brand: SAMSUNG Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Tizen Model year: 2026
This review is an English translation of the Polish original. Read the original on Wybierz.tv.
The Samsung S95H for the European market is a completely different television from the S95H sold in the United States. In the S95H you will find a slim chassis, an included One Connect module and a QD-OLED panel. That familiar appearance may, however, raise another question: how much of the model is actually new? In terms of picture performance, does the S95H approach the higher S99H series, the one with the distinctive bezel, or is it closer to its predecessor? We decided to find out.
We thank retailer RTV MAX for providing a sample for testing.
SAMSUNG S95H - Our verdict
8.8
Overall rating
The Samsung S95H is in almost every respect a continuation of the S95F. During testing we often felt like we were watching the same television. But... is that a bad thing? Not necessarily, because its predecessor set the bar very high. We still get a phenomenal picture and one of the best televisions we tested in 2026. HDR has enormous impact, and the colours and blacks mean a good film can really keep you glued to the screen. With a console or PC the S95H is just as enjoyable because it delivers what we expect from a flagship product.
The strongest argument for this model may, however, be its appearance. It's aimed at people who want the slimmest, most minimalist television possible. Especially on the wall the S95H looks excellent, and One Connect helps organise the whole setup. If the distinctive bezel of the S99H isn't to your taste, here you'll find a more discreet design. Brightness is admittedly lower than in the higher series, but it's still high enough that it's hard to call it a serious compromise for viewing.
Not everything deserves praise, though. We were most disappointed by the inclusion of last year's version of Tizen. The system itself runs quickly, but that detail only underlines how little has changed compared with the S95F. Perhaps Samsung will release a suitable update soon.
Ultimately the S95H is a great choice for someone seeking top-tier picture quality in an exceptionally slim chassis. The Samsung S95H doesn't bring a revolution, but it's still a television that, despite giving us a small déjà vu, made a big impression.
Advantages
Perfect blacks and OLED contrast
Very high brightness
Rich, highly saturated QD-OLED colours
Natural picture after calibration
Excellent tone mapping (lots of detail in bright scenes)
Matte finish that effectively reduces reflections
Market-leading viewing angles (QD-OLED)
165 Hz refresh rate and lightning-fast panel response
Very low input lag and extensive gaming features
SENSATIONAL LOOK
One Connect module included
Disadvantages
Noticeable black level deterioration in bright light (a characteristic of QD-OLED panels)
Last year's version of Tizen
No DTS support (mainly relevant to Blu-ray fans)
Movies and series in UHD quality9.3
Classic TV, YouTube9.4
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)9.0
Gaming on console9.9
TV as a computer monitor8.8
Watching in bright light7.3
Utility functions7.9
Apps9.3
Sound quality8.0
Complete the survey to find out what fits your preferences
SAMSUNG S95H - Competing TVs in this price range
SAMSUNG S95H - TV appearance
HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 (40Gbps) Other inputs: USB-C 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: Central
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Fixed
Flat design: Yes
Accessories: Stand, One Connect Box
The European Samsung S95H retains the slim design of the S95F. It has narrow bezels, a minimalist finish and a chassis only about one centimetre thick. The TV itself is simply… gorgeous. This time we all agreed on that in our lab. 😉 The set comes with a hefty metal central stand. Apart from supporting the screen it has another purpose: you can place the One Connect module on it. That way everything forms a cohesive whole and you don’t have to find a separate spot on a cabinet for the module. This is where we connect the console, set-top box and other devices, and only a single cable runs to the screen. This solution makes cable management much easier. In our view the S95H looks best when wall-mounted. Only then can you fully appreciate how thin its chassis is. For mounting you can use a standard VESA bracket or the special mounting points intended for Samsung’s accessory mount. Unfortunately the latter must be purchased separately. It’s a pity, because with a design like this you immediately want to find a place for the TV on the wall. Although… it also looks impressive on its stand.
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SAMSUNG S95H - Contrast and black detail
10/10
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
The Samsung S95H we tested, with a 65-inch screen, uses a QD-OLED panel. The same type of panel is also found in the 55- and 77-inch models. A 48-inch size is new to the range, but note, it’s a completely different design. It does not have a QD-OLED panel or the One Connect module, so our review should not be applied directly to that variant. Returning to blacks, they are exactly what you would expect from any OLED. Each pixel lights independently and can switch off completely. As a result, black is truly inky, whether you are watching a broad shadow or a small dark area right next to a bright light. There are no bright banding artefacts or halos caused by local dimming zones. In our test scenes the S95H looked excellent in this regard. Bright elements stood out clearly from the dark background, and blacks retained their depth even in the most demanding shots. In the evening this creates a very pleasant effect, and it’s precisely this kind of picture we like OLEDs for. It is worth noting, however, that our unit had a minor issue with so-called black crush. The darkest greys sometimes merged into black, causing some shadow detail to disappear. The image then appeared even deeper and more contrasty, but that came at the cost of details that should have been visible. The black itself remained perfect, the TV simply did not always show what was just above it.
Halo effect and black detail visibility:
SAMSUNG S95H - HDR effect quality
8.8/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
2246 nit
Result
2236 nit
Result
2113 nit
Result
2230 nit
Result
1571 nit
The Samsung S95H is an extraordinarily bright OLED TV. It does not quite reach the level of this year’s S99H, the one with a bezel, but a peak of around 2300 nits is still a phenomenal result. You can really feel it in films. Highlights, sun reflections or lights on a dark background have the punch we expect from a premium TV. Importantly, the S95H performs well across different scenes. It does not need a single small bright spot on a black screen to show what it can do. In the first four test shots we measured over 2100 nits, even though each of them places slightly different demands on the TV. That makes the HDR effect powerful both in night scenes and in more evenly lit frames.
Of course, the limitations typical of OLEDs remain. When a very bright image occupies a large part of the screen, ABL comes into play, the mechanism that limits panel brightness. With an almost white screen the drop can be much larger than with a short, point-like flare. That does not mean bright film scenes look weak. In a demanding shot from "The Meg" we recorded about 1600 nits. That is still a fantastic result, and the bright sky and reflections on the water retain very high intensity.
QD-OLED colours
Colours on the Samsung S95H are simply outstanding. It is one of the most 'colourful' OLEDs we have tested. Deeply saturated reds, greens and neons look great and complement the screen's high brightness. DCI-P3 coverage is as high as 99.9%, so the TV can reproduce practically the entire colour range used in that space for HDR films.
Interestingly, our measurements also show progress compared with the S95F. Coverage of the wider BT.2020 gamut rose from around 87% to 89.6%. That is a very similar result to what we obtained with this year’s S99H, which suggests very similar capabilities of both panels in terms of colour gamut. The difference from its predecessor is small but worth noting. The S95H remains at the very top among OLEDs in this regard and can confidently compete with new screens using SQD quantum dots.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 89.5% | 99.9% | 58% | 75% | 71% |
| Film measurements | 89.6% | 99.9% | 59% | 75% | 71% |
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)
In terms of reproducing the director’s vision the S95H performs really well. It has so much brightness headroom that in most scenes it hardly needs to tone down the brightest parts of the image. Even demanding HDR material therefore looks very convincing. You can see fine detail on faces, colours retain their character, and strong highlights do not turn into uniform white patches. Importantly, the television does not try to make an extra impression by artificially brightening the whole scene. Bright elements have the right intensity, but you can still discern their texture. The picture looks natural and is close to what the source material should show. To be honest, this behaviour is reminiscent of last year’s S95F. And that is not a criticism, because its picture was excellent.
HDR luminance chart:
The comparison of HDR10 with HDR10+ shows how well the S95H performs even without dynamic metadata. In our test scene both formats look almost identical. The TV has enough brightness headroom and maps tones so well that standard HDR10 preserves excellent visibility of bright detail. HDR10+ can still slightly improve the visibility of the very finest details, but when watching from the sofa it will be hard to spot the difference. For that reason we would not treat the lack of Dolby Vision as a significant image flaw here. You might mark it down in the specs, but in our tests we did not get the impression that the format was missing. The S95H already delivers an impressive picture with HDR10.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: HDR10+
Factory color reproduction
7.6/10
Out of the box, the Samsung S95H performs quite well, although our sample had a few issues that needed correcting. In SDR material there is a red bias in the white balance. The image is therefore slightly warm, and whites and faces can take on a faint pinkish tint. It's not a large inaccuracy, but it can be noticed when compared with a reference image. More noticeable is the way dark scenes are shown. Gamma is above the target value of 2.4 across most of the scale, and the deviation is especially large at the darkest shades. The picture therefore looks darker and more contrasty than it should. This confirms the aforementioned issue with losing detail close to black. Dark clothing or background elements can blend into a single blot, even though they remain visible in the source material. In HDR, brightness control is significantly better. The EOTF curve tracks close to the reference, so the TV preserves the brightness of individual parts of the scene well. There remain, however, minor colour deviations. In the brighter areas the dominance of red and blue over green gives whites a slightly pinkish-violet tint. Overall the starting point is good, particularly in HDR, but calibration can still make some improvements.
Color reproduction after calibration
9.4/10
After calibration the S95H looks truly excellent. The excess red was removed, so whites are neutral and faces have regained a natural tone. In SDR colour errors are now very small. The picture retains great saturation but no longer adds a colour cast that was previously visible in the factory settings. This is exactly how a properly set TV in this class should look. HDR also shows an improvement in white balance. In addition, the brightness in cinematic scenes adheres very well to the reference. Bright highlights have appropriate intensity, and the TV does not unnecessarily brighten the whole frame. Combining that level of control with the capabilities of the QD-OLED panel produces an image that is simply very pleasant to watch.
We are left with essentially two reservations. The first is the loss of the very darkest details. Our sample still tended to crush some shades near black, although this may be a trait of the particular unit under test. The second concerns the adjustment of the colour palette in HDR. The available settings do not allow perfect correction of every hue, so some minor inaccuracies remain. Nevertheless, this does not change the very good final result; after calibration the S95H delivers an image at a genuinely high level.
SAMSUNG S95H - Smoothness of tonal transitions
9/10
The S95H handles tonal transitions very well. It's a strong suit of QD-OLED panels, which in our tests typically show visible banding between shades less often than WOLED panels with a white subpixel. In most scenes colours transition smoothly from one to another. This is especially apparent in dark scenes, where instead of the characteristic banding we see smooth transitions between shades of grey. It's not entirely perfect, though. In some brighter scenes you can notice slight irregularities, although you have to look closely to spot them. During normal viewing they are unlikely to distract from the film. Overall, the S95H performs very well in this category.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
7.5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
The NQ4 Gen3 processor handles scaling and digital image processing, the same as in the S99H. Our test findings are very similar. Lower-resolution material looks really good when upscaled to 4K. The picture is clear but without artificial edge enhancement or excessive sharpness. A minor caveat applies to very old recordings at 480p or below. With such a signal the TV can slightly crop the edges of the frame.
The noise-reduction function is used to improve heavily compressed material. It smooths visible banding between tones and reduces other imperfections, such as in lower-quality recordings from YouTube. However, it does so quite aggressively. Along with the artefacts, fine detail and natural film grain can disappear. We left it turned off to preserve the original look of the material. If, however, someone is more bothered by artefacts than by the loss of some detail, it's worth trying it out.
SAMSUNG S95H - 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%
Samsung S95H handles motion very well, which is what we expect from an OLED. The panel supports a refresh rate of up to 165 Hz, though that figure will be mainly useful to PC gamers. When watching sport, the lightning-fast pixel response time is more important. A fast-moving ball or player does not leave the characteristic trailing blur. This keeps motion clear, without the artefacts typical of slower LCD panels.
There is also a motion smoothing feature that lets you tailor motion to your preferences. In films you can subtly reduce judder during camera pans or opt for a stronger smoothness effect. A separate setting for faster-paced content is useful when watching sport.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Image flickers in this mode
Blur (4K@165Hz):
There is also a BFI function, that is black frame insertion, but its performance is hard to praise. In our test it did not bring a noticeable improvement in motion clarity; instead it significantly reduced brightness and introduced visible screen flicker. Therefore we'd leave it switched off. The S95H handles dynamic content very well even without it.
SAMSUNG S95H - 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 S95H is a phenomenal TV for gaming. Beyond excellent picture quality it offers a whole set of useful gaming features. VRR works from 48 to 165 Hz and helps keep things smooth when frame rates vary. ALLM automatically switches to a low-latency mode, and a properly working HGiG makes setting up HDR on the console easier. There are no issues handling console 120 Hz in Full HD, 1440p and 4K. A handy addition is the Game Bar, which gathers signal information and the most important settings in one place. Game Motion Plus deserves special praise. This motion smoothing can improve the fluidity of lower-frame-rate games, and the input lag in our measurements was about 20 ms with it enabled. For additional motion processing that’s a very good result. In slower-paced games you can therefore get a smoother image without noticeably sluggish controls. Among the limitations, it’s worth noting the lack of Dolby Vision in games, which mainly affects Xbox users. The HDMI 2.1 ports also have a bandwidth of 40 instead of 48 Gb/s, probably due to the One Connect module. For typical console gaming at 4K, 120 Hz and 10-bit HDR this isn’t a problem and does not force a reduction in picture quality. For most players this will therefore be a specification difference they simply won’t notice while playing.
SAMSUNG S95H - Input lag
10/10
In terms of input lag, the S95H performs exceptionally well. At 60 Hz we measured just 9–11 ms, and at 120 Hz the delay falls to 5–6 ms. The controls are very responsive, so even in fast-paced shooters or racing games it's hard to find any faults. Importantly, enabling HDR does not increase the input lag. You can therefore enjoy the full picture capabilities without sacrificing quick response to controller inputs.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 11 ms | 2160p60: 9 ms | |
| 1080p120: 6 ms | 2160p120: 5 ms | |
| 2160p60: 11 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 6 ms |
SAMSUNG S95H - 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): 6ms
Matrix subpixel arrangement: RGB (QD-OLED)
Max refresh rate: 165Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The Samsung S95H works great with a PC, especially when connected for gaming. You get 4K at 165 Hz, working G-Sync and an input lag of just 6 ms. Combined with the panel’s lightning-fast response this delivers a very smooth and responsive picture. The TV also correctly supports 4:4:4 chroma at the maximum refresh rate, so fine coloured elements remain legible.
It also handles text well, although it wouldn't be our first choice for all-day document work. First, the QD-OLED models discussed here start at 55 inches, so you really need a sizeable desk to work on 😉. Second, the triangular arrangement of subpixels means that on the smallest letters you can notice slight coloured fringing. They're mainly visible up close. From a normal TV viewing distance they shouldn't be distracting, so occasional browsing of websites or working with text isn't a problem.
SAMSUNG S95H - Viewing angles
9.9/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 10%
The viewing angles on the S95H are excellent. It's one of the biggest advantages of the QD-OLED panel and, in this respect, the S95H ranks among the best TVs we've tested. Even at a steep side angle the colours retain their saturation and the picture doesn't noticeably lose brightness. With a wide viewing angle or when watching a match with a larger group you don't have to fight for the middle spot on the sofa, as the picture still looks great from the side seats. 🙂
SAMSUNG S95H - Daytime performance
7.3/10
Panel finish: Matte
Reflection suppression: Very Good
Black levels during daytime: Poor
The Samsung S95H performs very well for daytime viewing. Much of this is thanks to the matt finish, which effectively diffuses reflections. Instead of clearly seeing a window or lamp in the screen, you see a softer glow. Added to that is an average SDR brightness of around 750 nits. For an OLED that’s an excellent result, allowing comfortable viewing in a bright living room. You must remember, though, that brightness depends on what’s actually on the screen. With smaller bright areas the S95H tops 1000 nits, but with a full white screen it falls to about 400. So when watching winter sports or other very bright material, the image will not have the same impact as in mixed scenes.
The biggest limitation remains black level in a brightly lit room. First, light falling on the QD-OLED panel noticeably brightens it and shifts it toward a cherry tint, which robs it of its night-time depth and makes the picture look less contrasty. The matt finish deals well with reflections, but it also scatters that light more. The S95H is still a very comfortable TV for daytime viewing. You’ll see the full potential of its blacks only in dimmer lighting.
Panel brightness
Samsung S95H: 722 cd/m2
SAMSUNG S95H - TV features
7.9/10
System: Tizen
System performance: Very good
- HDMI inputs: 0 x HDMI 2.0, 4 x HDMI 2.1 40Gbps
- Other inputs: USB-C
- 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
Tizen
The S95H uses the Tizen system, which runs very quickly here. Switching between apps and settings is smooth, so day-to-day use doesn’t require patience. There’s a wide selection of streaming apps, voice search and AirPlay for streaming content from Apple devices. You can also mirror a computer screen wirelessly. It’s a well-equipped Smart TV where it’s easy to find something for yourself.
We did notice one odd thing, though. Our review unit had a 2025 software version, even though the S95H is a 2026 model. At the time of testing we also couldn’t find an update to this year’s system on the manufacturer’s website. That’s surprising, as other Samsung models have already received it. Tizen itself runs smoothly, but for a new TV of this class we would expect the operating system to be up to date.
TV features and remote
Among the classic features are teletext and picture-in-picture, but the ability to record programmes to USB is missing. It can also be useful to play audio simultaneously through the TV speakers and Bluetooth headphones. The remote is very minimalist and works without needing to be pointed at the screen, although it’s a shame there are no backlit buttons. A definite plus is that it doesn’t require battery replacement and can be charged using solar power.
One Connect
The One Connect module remains an important addition, and Samsung TVs earn a small extra point from us for it. It contains four HDMI 2.1 inputs with 40 Gb/s bandwidth, and a soundbar can be connected via eARC or the optical output. The biggest advantage of this solution is simple: only a single cable runs to the screen. It’s easier to hide the cables and to connect another device without having to reach behind the TV. Those planning to wall-mount the S95H will especially appreciate it.
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 S95H - Apps
9.3/10
SAMSUNG S95H - Playing files from USB
9.1/10
| 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 file player works quickly and smoothly. The S95H opened almost all of the audio and video files we prepared and expected it to support. You don't have to wait long for them to load, and browsing the contents of the storage device is convenient.
It's a pity, though, that there is no support for HEIC photos, the format used by default on many iPhones. So if you want to show photos from your phone directly from a USB stick, you need to convert them first, for example to JPEG.
SAMSUNG S95H - Sound
8/10
-
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
In terms of sound the S95H is essentially a copy of last year’s model. Despite its very slim casing it delivers clean, pleasant audio, but the sound remains rather flat. It lacks depth and stronger bass, which, given such an impressive picture, leaves something to be desired. On the other hand, it is hard to expect large drivers in a TV about a centimetre thick. The beautiful appearance comes at a price.
It is therefore worth supplementing the S95H with a soundbar or a separate audio system so the audio better matches the picture. The TV supports Dolby Atmos, which makes it possible to expand the setup to surround sound. However, it lacks DTS support. This limitation may be an issue chiefly for viewers watching films from discs with soundtracks in that format.
Sound Quality Test:
Acoustic Measurements
No acoustic data
SAMSUNG S95H - Panel details
Software version during testing: 1301
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: QD-OLED
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Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
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