The Samsung S95D is our TV of the year β and that is thanks to a mix of old and new technology
Nominating the Samsung S95D as our TV of the Year for 2024 shouldn’t deliver the same shock factor as when the Samsung S90C OLED TV ended LG’s TV of the Year reign in 2023, but the reason why it earned this title during the Ny Breaking Choice Awards 2024 is an interesting mix.
What it came down to was a combination of sensational AI-powered processing and a matte screen. This combination of digital and analog technology gave the Samsung S95D an edge over the competition and made it one of the best TVs we’ve ever seen.
When I tested the S95D, I was surprised by the effectiveness of the OLED glare-free screen. Our TV test room at Ny Breaking has bright overhead lighting to help us test reflectivity, but the S95D made it easy and virtually eliminated reflections and screen glare. I could even watch The Batmana notoriously dark looking film, in full light with no distractions!
Screen reflections are usually kryptonite for the best OLED TVs due to their relatively low brightness levels, and while the new Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology gives OLEDs like the LG G4 and Panasonic Z95A a serious boost, we liked the S95D and its simple matte screen features a stunningly bright next-generation QD-OLED panel, for even more effective viewing in bright rooms.
As I said, the matte screen isn’t the only reason the S95D won β it’s just a big piece of the winning pie for TV of the Year. Like other TV makers, Samsung talked about AI innovations in its TVs at CES 2024, but the S95D is one that legitimately shows how AI can improve picture quality.
When testing the S95D, I was amazed at how realistic textures and details looked. Even stitching in clothes and cracks in rocks took on a lifelike quality I’d never seen on a TV before. Part of this is the S95D’s QD-OLED display panel, but it’s also Samsung’s Real Depth Enhancer AI feature that contributes to the TV’s spectacularly detailed picture.
Other AI features in the S95D include 4K AI upscaling, which I found during testing worked wonders even on lower-resolution television broadcasts. Another new feature, OLED HDR Pro, further increases brightness, giving HDR highlights in images a bolder and more vibrant look. In our tests, the S95D delivered a peak brightness of 1,868 nits β a brightness increase of over 35% compared to its predecessor, the Samsung S95C, and the brightest OLED we’ve tested to date.
Combine all these features with the rich colors and powerful contrast of the S95D’s QD-OLED panel and you get an excellent TV that looks great with any source thrown at it.
But the S95D doesn’t just deliver image quality. It’s packed with features we look for in the best gaming TVs, including 4K 144Hz, VRR (with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro), HGiG support and ALLM. It also comes with Samsung’s built-in Gaming Hub, a convenient destination for gamers who want to get right into the action.
To top it all off, the S95D’s built-in sound ensures precise placement thanks to the Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+) function. It has a ‘floating’ appearance thanks to a clever stand design, and the external One Connect Box houses all connections with a single cable for connecting to the TV β ideal for wall mounting and cable management.
The S95D isn’t perfect. I think it takes one of the best soundbars to add extra audio immersion, and there was some black crush present in dark scenes when I tested it, but there’s really no other way I can beat Samsung’s best OLED TV can criticize.
I’ve seen all the major S95D competitors this year – the LG G4, Sony Bravia 9, Panasonic Z95A and Philips OLED909 to name a few – and while they all have their strengths and are fantastic TVs, none gave me the same feeling like a leap forward that the S95D did. As I said in my review, the Samsung S95D is both βthe future of OLEDβ and βthe standard bearer for 2024β. If that doesn’t say TV of the Year, what does?