- 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 S85H Review
Available screen sizes:
Complete the survey to find out the result
Panel type: WRGB OLED Refresh rate: 120Hz Brand: SAMSUNG Resolution: 3840x2160 System: Tizen Model year: 2026
The S85H is the cheapest OLED in Samsung's 2026 lineup. This year Samsung made a fairly interesting move: regardless of the chosen screen size, it fitted the set with a new OLED SE panel from LG Display. That's a big change compared with last year's S85F, which, depending on the screen size, could also use Samsung's own QD-OLED panel. So the question is whether LG Display's new panel is a worthy replacement for Samsung's solution and whether the S85H is still one of the more compelling ways to get into OLEDs without spending a fortune.
SAMSUNG S85H - Our verdict
7.9
Overall rating
Samsung S85H is a very successful continuation of the S85 series and a TV that still performs its main role well: to be an affordable entry into the world of OLEDs. The biggest change from its predecessor is the use of LG Display's new OLED SE panel, but the overall character of this model remains practically unchanged. Its greatest strengths are still perfect blacks, very high contrast and a picture that can look truly excellent in the evening. Add to that good colors and the ability to achieve a high degree of fidelity to the director's vision. The S85H also works very well as a versatile TV. Gamers get four HDMI 2.1 ports, 120 Hz, VRR, very low input lag and Game Motion Plus, so there is little to complain about here. Tizen runs fast and is user-friendly, and the whole system clearly targets users who today mainly use Netflix, YouTube and other streaming services, while traditional broadcast TV is treated as an extra.
However, the new OLED SE panel is not without flaws. This is most noticeable when watching during the day, because its glare handling is worse than previous OLED panels. Its peak brightness is also not high enough for the S85H to perform particularly well in a very sunlit living room. It is still a TV that shows its strengths best in the evening or in a room with at least partial control over ambient light. And that is probably the best way to look at the S85H. It is not an OLED meant to break brightness records or compete with the most expensive panels. It simply aims to offer what people like most about the technology, but at a lower price. Perfect blacks, very good movie picture quality, excellent gaming features and a convenient smart system make the S85H one of the easiest ways to get into OLED without spending a fortune.
Advantages
Perfect blacks and infinite contrast with OLED
Good HDR brightness up to around 800 nits
High image fidelity after calibration
Very smooth motion thanks to a 120 Hz OLED panel
Rich set of features for gamers: VRR, Game Bar, low input lag
4 HDMI 2.1 ports with full 48 Gbps bandwidth
Feature-rich, smooth-running Tizen system
Solar-powered remote with many features
Support for Dolby Atmos surround sound
Disadvantages
Worse reflection suppression than its predecessor, a characteristic of the new OLED SE panel
Average SDR brightness, best suited for a room with controlled lighting
No DTS:X support, mainly a drawback for Blu-ray collectors
No Dolby Vision, not necessary but would be nice 🙂
Movies and series in UHD quality8.0
Classic TV, YouTube8.7
Sports broadcasts (TV and apps)8.5
Gaming on console9.6
TV as a computer monitor7.6
Watching in bright light5.1
Utility functions7.3
Apps9.3
Sound quality7.2
Complete the survey to find out what fits your preferences
SAMSUNG S85H - Competing TVs in this price range
SAMSUNG S85H - 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: Good
Stand type: Legs
Bezel color: Graphite
Stand: Base adjustment
Flat design: No
Accessories: Stand
In terms of looks, the S85H hasn't really changed compared with previous generations. And that's hardly a drawback, because the S85 series still stands out among many other OLEDs with its distinctive design. The most eye-catching feature is the rounded back of the housing, which prevents the electronics from forming the typical, bulky protruding "box" you often see on other OLED TVs. The screen is surrounded by very thin metal bezels, giving the whole unit an elegant, modern look. The only element that slightly mars the impression is the plastic feet. They feel rather "cheap." On the plus side, they can be set in two width positions, so the S85H will fit on a narrower piece of furniture without much trouble.
Buy at the best price
Select size:
SAMSUNG S85H - Contrast and black detail
10/10
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
Result
∞:1
The switch to LG Display’s new WOLED SE panel practically changed nothing when it comes to black levels and contrast. And you couldn’t really expect any major improvement, because we’re still talking about OLED, a technology that can completely turn off each pixel individually. In practice this means perfect black and enormous image depth, especially in darker scenes. Black bars are truly black, there is no halo around bright elements, and contrast remains virtually infinite. Even very expensive Mini-LEDs with thousands of local dimming zones still can’t offer the same precision as the S85H. And that is its biggest advantage. The S85H may be Samsung’s cheapest OLED, but in terms of black levels it can deliver exactly the same as much more expensive models using organic panels.
SAMSUNG S85H - HDR effect quality
6.3/10
Supported formats: HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Luminance measurements in HDR:
Result
733 nit
Result
744 nit
Result
837 nit
Result
755 nit
Result
404 nit
Interestingly, the new WOLED SE panel has brought a slight improvement in brightness to the S85 series. In the same movie scenes the previous year's model stayed closer to about 700 nits, while the S85H can reach around 800 nits. Of course this isn't a change that completely transforms the HDR experience, but that extra headroom is noticeable especially with small highlights, reflections, and stronger special effects. Around 800 nits is already a very good result for an entry-level OLED and in most films it's enough for HDR to have the right impact. Bright elements can clearly stand out from perfect black, and that contrast still does most of the heavy lifting here. You should remember the typical limitation of organic technology, though. When a very bright scene covers a large part of the screen, brightness can drop by almost half. This is the result of the panel's protection mechanisms, which limit its power with large bright areas.
Colors
The S85H can produce very pleasant, saturated colors and in most HDR films it looks really good in that respect. We measured roughly 95% DCI-P3 coverage, so the palette most often used in movies is reproduced to a very large degree. Skin tones, greens, and stronger reds still have appropriate intensity, and during normal viewing it's hard to fault them. Only when you look more broadly at BT.2020 do the limitations of the new WOLED SE panel become apparent. Coverage was around 70%, a bit less than in previous-generation WOLEDs and noticeably less than in QD-OLED panels. In films this isn't a major loss, because most productions rarely use such highly saturated colors. You notice it more often in games, where developers are much more likely to employ more intense colors.
BT.2020 color gamut coverage and primary color luminance
| Data set | BT.2020 | P3 | R | G | B |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Synthetic patterns | 70.3% | 94.9% | 62% | 60% | 65% |
| Film measurements | 70.4% | 95.0% | 62% | 60% | 65% |
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)
When we compare the S85H to a reference monitor, it's clear it performs best with material mastered to around 1000 nits, the kind you see on Netflix, for example. A good example is "Billy Lynn," where the TV preserves bright details very well, doesn't blow out highlights, and generally sticks to how the scene should look. With more demanding material the situation becomes a bit tougher. It's still good, but in the brightest passages it starts to run out of brightness headroom and some details can merge. In those scenes the S85H doesn't have as much leeway as pricier OLEDs with brighter panels. So we'd treat it primarily as a very good TV for typical streaming content, and less as equipment aimed at the most demanding HDR cinema. There's one other point to pick on regardless of the material. The deepest blacks are slightly lifted, so some details just above black look a bit brighter than they should. That doesn't spoil the overall impression, but it does reveal the tuning of this model.
HDR luminance chart:
The Samsung S85H supports HDR10 and the dynamic HDR10+, and on a TV like this the latter format can really make a difference. With static HDR10 the brightest parts of the image can sometimes blend together and some detail in the highlights simply disappears. With HDR10+ the TV receives additional brightness metadata for individual scenes, so it can make better use of its capabilities and recover more detail in the brightest parts of the picture. In the snowy photo the difference is quite apparent: with HDR10 the bright areas look more compressed, whereas HDR10+ shows more texture and separation between different patches of snow. On an OLED panel with a peak brightness of around 800 nits, this kind of dynamic mapping makes a lot of sense because it helps the TV better exploit what it can actually do. A small drawback is the lack of Dolby Vision. HDR10+ is becoming increasingly common on streaming platforms today, but Dolby Vision is still more common.
Static HDR10
Dynamic: HDR10+
Factory color reproduction
7/10
To evaluate color we, of course, selected Filmmaker mode, and in SDR our S85H unit was very well calibrated out of the box. The biggest deviation appears in the white balance, where a bit of blue drops out as brightness increases. In practice this means whites and grays have a slightly warmer tint than they should. It's not a major error and during normal viewing it generally isn't very noticeable. Gamma also stays close to the reference value, so the image is neither overly bright nor unnecessarily dim. The S85H's SDR picture quality is therefore very good straight out of the box. A few more imperfections show up in HDR. Here the white balance shifts more as brightness increases, with blue becoming dominant and the red component noticeably lacking. That also leads to larger errors in some colors. These aren't yet distortions that completely change the character of the image, but compared directly with the reference the difference is easier to spot. Overall, Filmmaker mode is a very good starting point before professional calibration.
Color reproduction after calibration
9.1/10
Calibration yields very good results on the S85H. First, the white balance can be set almost perfectly, which removes the slightly too-warm image cast that was visible earlier in SDR. Color reproduction itself also improves significantly; most errors drop to a very low level, and in everyday viewing it's hard to notice any visible inaccuracies. You can also improve a lot in HDR, although some issues remain due to the TV's inherent characteristics. The S85H doesn't always perfectly follow the brightness curve. The darkest areas are slightly boosted, and as you approach the panel's limits you can see small deviations in the brightest highlights. On top of that there's limited coverage of the wider BT.2020 gamut, which no calibration can of course overcome. Despite this, the end result is very good, and after calibration the S85H can deliver a well-tuned, natural image.
SAMSUNG S85H - Smoothness of tonal transitions
7.5/10
The smoothness of tonal transitions is definitely not a strong suit of the S85H compared with other OLEDs. It's most noticeable on bright gradients, where fairly distinct banding appears between successive shades. Instead of an ideally smooth transition you can see separate color bands, and you don't have to look hard to spot them. Gradients in motion look even worse. When gradients move the imperfections become more visible and the image looks simply average in that regard. Dark gradients are not perfect either. You can see unevenness there as well, so the problem isn't limited to the brightest parts of the image. Of course you won't notice this all the time in a typical movie, but scenes with large areas of similar color such as the sky, fog, a sunset or a dark background can reveal the panel's limitations. Compared with older WOLEDs there is still some improvement, but looking at the TVs we've tested this year the S85H performs averagely in this respect, much like its competitor the LG B6, which uses the same panel. This is also one of those characteristics where the difference versus last year's QD-OLED panel becomes very clear. QD-OLEDs handle smooth blending of successive shades much better and clearly beat the WOLED SE panel used here when it comes to gradation.
Image scaling and smoothness of tonal transitions
7.5/10
Smooth transition function
Image without overscan on the SD signal
For the S85H, Samsung used the same proprietary NQ4 Gen2 AI processor as in last year’s S85F, and in terms of digital image processing it performs quite well. Upscaling is one of this model’s strengths. Lower-resolution content is well sharpened, edges look natural, and the image doesn’t feel overly artificial. Just bear in mind a common Samsung quirk: at very low resolutions you can’t completely disable overscan, so the TV may slightly crop the left edge of the image. The "noise reduction" function, which smooths weaker tonal transitions, also works very well. The processor can effectively remove posterization and other imperfections visible in lower-quality material. However, you need to be careful with the strength of this feature, because Samsung can be fairly aggressive here. When it’s enabled, along with unwanted artifacts, fine image details such as the texture of skin or clothing can start to disappear.
SAMSUNG S85H - Blur and motion smoothness
8.5/10
Maximum refresh rate of the panel: 120Hz
Film motion smoothing option: Yes
Blur reduction option: Yes
BFI function 60Hz: Yes, 60Hz (image flickers)
BFI function 120Hz: No
Brightness drop with BFI: 49%
The S85H uses an OLED panel, so it performs excellently when it comes to motion blur. Pixels respond virtually instantly, so moving objects don’t leave the characteristic ghosting seen on some LCD TVs. This is especially noticeable with sports or fast-paced games, where the image stays very clean even during rapid motion. The panel runs at 120 Hz. That’s more than enough for movies, TV series, sports, or console gaming. It’s a bit of a shame Samsung didn’t include a higher refresh rate aimed at PC gamers, since more and more TVs now offer 144 or even 165 Hz at 4K. However, that doesn’t affect motion perception in films or sports. There’s also the classic motion smoothing feature with two settings, blur reduction and judder reduction. So you can choose whether films should keep their cinematic 24 frames per second or if you prefer to smooth them a bit. The S85H gives you plenty of flexibility here, and the interpolation works well and, with reasonable settings, doesn’t produce too many artifacts.
Blur (native resolution, maximum refresh rate):
Blur (BFI function enabled):
Image flickers in this mode
Blur (4K@60Hz):
SAMSUNG S85H - Console compatibility and gaming features
9.6/10
- ALLM:
Yes
- VRR:
Yes
- VRR range:
48 - 120Hz
- Dolby Vision Game Mode:
No
- Correct implementation of HGIG:
Yes
- 1080p@120Hz:
Yes
- 1440p@120Hz:
Yes
- 4K@120Hz:
Yes
- Game bar:
Yes
The Samsung S85H is very well set up for gaming, whether you connect a console or a PC. The manufacturer didn’t skimp on ports and all four HDMI inputs support full HDMI 2.1. That means you can use 4K at 120 Hz, VRR, and ALLM without worrying which input to plug your console into. With several devices that matters, because you don’t have to choose between a console, a PC, or a soundbar connected via eARC. The feature set itself is very comprehensive. The S85H supports VRR, FreeSync, and automatic switching to game mode, and Samsung offers its comprehensive Game Bar, which lets you quickly view key signal parameters and change settings without leaving the game. The only real omission is Dolby Vision, which will matter mainly to Xbox owners. That’s a typical trait of Samsung TVs. Game Motion Plus performs very well and is one of the features that have set Samsung TVs apart for years. It smooths motion in games running at 30 or 60 fps, but does so without as large an increase in input lag as traditional motion smoothing. In practice, with more relaxed games, racing titles, or action games this can really improve perceived motion, especially if you’re sensitive to low framerates.
SAMSUNG S85H - Input lag
10/10
Samsung S85H also performs very well in terms of input lag. At 120 Hz we measured input lag below 5 ms, which is a level at which the TV's response to controls is practically instantaneous. At 60 Hz the delay is naturally higher, but still remains very low, about 10 ms, so in this respect the S85H gives little reason to complain.
| SDR | HDR | Dolby Vision |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p60: 10 ms | 2160p60: 10 ms | |
| 1080p120: 5 ms | 2160p120: 5 ms | |
| 2160p60: 10 ms | ||
| 2160p120: 5 ms |
SAMSUNG S85H - Compatibility with PC
7.6/10
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: RGWB
Max refresh rate: 120Hz
G-Sync: Yes
The Samsung S85H also works very well as a large PC monitor. Font readability is good, and from the typical distance you sit from a screen this size, text looks really good. You just need to remember the four-subpixel layout of the WOLED panel, which means that from very close up the edges of letters aren't quite as perfectly sharp as on a traditional RGB monitor. However, this is a characteristic of OLED technology itself and shouldn't be an issue in normal TV use.
The S85H also has a lot to offer PC gamers. It delivers 120 Hz, G-Sync support, very low input lag, and of course the lightning-fast response time of the OLED panel. The only thing that was really missing was the ability to run the panel at a higher refresh rate. More and more TVs already support 144 or 165 Hz at 4K, so an additional mode like that would be welcome here.
SAMSUNG S85H - Viewing angles
7.5/10
Brightness drop at an angle of 45 degrees: 34%
Viewing angles are one of the big advantages of the S85H and OLED panels in general. Even when you view the screen from well off to the side, the image still retains good contrast, brightness and color saturation. In this respect the S85H performs significantly better than practically any LCD or Mini-LED TV available today. Only QD-OLED panels actually do better, keeping colors even more stable at wide angles. However, you’ll only find those in higher-end models.
SAMSUNG S85H - Daytime performance
5.1/10
Panel finish: Satin
Reflection suppression: Average
Black levels during daytime: Good
Samsung S85H is a moderately bright TV. In our measurements the average brightness in SDR was about 350 nits, so that should be enough for ordinary daytime viewing as long as the TV isn't placed in a very sunlit living room. In a moderately lit room the picture remains readable, but with large windows and light hitting the screen directly the S85H's capabilities start to run out. We have a few more remarks about the WOLED SE panel itself. The change in panel construction compared with the previous generation affected how the screen handles reflections, and unfortunately it's not a change for the better. Reflections are more noticeable than on earlier WOLED panels. LG Display tried to partly mask this effect with a more satin screen finish that scatters light, but that doesn't completely solve the issue. With a strong light source the reflection becomes quite large and a characteristic grayish halo appears around it. In photos it's clear that such a reflection can take up a large part of the image and strongly affect how it's perceived. The S85H therefore doesn't really differ from cheaper OLEDs when it comes to daytime viewing. It performs best in the evening or in a room where you have at least partial control over the light. During the day it's still comfortable to use, but it's definitely not a TV designed for a very bright living room.
Panel brightness
Samsung S85H: 350 cd/m2
SAMSUNG S85H - TV features
7.3/10
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): No
- 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
Samsung S85H runs on Tizen, and it's hard to fault its online features. The system is fast, responsive, and the app selection is among the largest on the market. Besides the main streaming platforms, there are also plenty of less popular services, so it's unlikely you'll find yourself missing something essential. Samsung is also expanding SmartThings features, integration with other devices, and more AI-driven solutions. There are a lot of capabilities here, and some users will probably never explore even half of them. A big plus is the promised seven years of system updates. For a TV, which we usually keep much longer than a phone or computer, that matters. Tizen should therefore receive new features and fixes for a long time instead of being abandoned after two or three years. The S85H also doesn't feel like a budget model. We essentially get the same extensive ecosystem that Samsung offers in its higher-end TVs.
Traditional features
Samsung's approach to a TV's traditional features looks completely different. It's clear the manufacturer has been increasingly prioritizing "modern" services over traditional ones for several years. The S85H therefore isn't a TV that will particularly appeal to people who are used to full-featured regular TV operation. The included remote illustrates this well. It's small, minimalist, and has only the most necessary buttons, but no classic numeric keypad. For streaming this solution is convenient, but for frequent watching of traditional TV without a set-top box, not everyone will like it. It's simply a consequence of the direction Samsung is taking its TVs.
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 S85H - Apps
9.3/10
SAMSUNG S85H - 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 USB file player on the Samsung S85H works quickly and without major issues. The TV handles both videos and photos well, and for the latter we had no problems with unusual resolutions or a high number of megapixels. Subtitle support is also a plus; Polish characters display correctly and you don't need to change any settings. The only real shortcoming was the lack of support for HEIC, the image format commonly used by Apple devices. Aside from that, the built-in player performs very well and will be more than sufficient for most people for everyday use with a USB flash drive or external USB drive.
SAMSUNG S85H - Sound
7.2/10
86dB
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 S85H hasn’t really changed compared with its predecessor. It still uses a fairly basic 2.0 system with a total output of 20 W, which sounds adequate and, for such a slim TV, can even add a bit of bass. That’s perfectly fine for everyday TV watching, but it’s not at the level of pricier models that can sound fuller and more "spatial." With that picture, adding at least a soundbar is a no-brainer. All the more so since the S85H supports Dolby Atmos and Samsung’s Q-Symphony, which lets a compatible Samsung soundbar work together with the TV speakers instead of replacing them entirely. If you want to get more from this setup when watching movies, external audio is the most sensible addition.
Acoustic Measurements
86dBC (Max)
75dBC
SAMSUNG S85H - Panel details
Software version during testing: 1204
Panel uniformity and thermal imaging:
Backlight Type: WRGB OLED
Founder and originator of the "ChooseTV" portal
Journalist, reviewer, and columnist for the "ChooseTV" portal
michal-woloszyn-title
Reader comments
Comments are provided by the external service Disqus (Zeta Global). Once loaded, Disqus may set cookies and process data about your activity.
We will remember your choice on this device. Provider's privacy policy
See articles related to Samsung S85H:
11/25/2025
4/16/2026
12/1/2025
