Ahead of CES 2024, Samsung has unveiled the latest additions to its 2024 QD-OLED TV range: the Samsung S95D and S90D. While we don't have an official release date or pricing information, we can certainly expect that information in the coming weeks.
Samsung's 2023 QD-OLEDs, the S95C and S90C, were two of the best TVs of 2023, both receiving five-star reviews and awards at the 2023 Ny Breaking Choice Awards. The S90C even dethroned LG's OLEDs and was named our TV of the year . That's hard to follow, so Samsung's QD-OLED series for 2024 has high expectations.
Samsung has confirmed details about the flagship Samsung S95D and S90D, both of which will be available in sizes 55-77 inches and will feature some interesting upgrades. The first is that Samsung is promising 20% more brightness, claiming the S95D can reach a peak brightness of 1,600 nits compared to the S95C's 1,400 nits.
Another major announcement is the introduction of OLED Glare Free, an anti-glare screen coating that aims to eliminate reflections in bright rooms. This comes with the Samsung S95D, but not with the S90D (which comes with a matte screen). Samsung also claims it has no effect on contrast or viewing angle. This could solve the age-old problem that many OLED TVs suffer from, as OLEDs tend to focus on delivering accurate, pitch-black tones and shadows, meaning they often lack brightness and can struggle in well-lit rooms.
Aside from these two major announcements, the Samsung S95D and S90D are confirmed to once again support up to 4K 144Hz, with FreeSync Premium Pro and FreeSync Premium capabilities on the S95D and S90D respectively for gaming. Both will also feature Samsung's updated Game Bar 4.0, which introduces a new AI Auto mode, where the Game Bar automatically adjusts picture and sound depending on the genre of game you're playing, such as RPG, FPS and so on.
Samsung S95D and S90D: groundbreaking or more of the same?
The Samsung S95C was a huge step above its predecessor, the Samsung S95B, thanks to better contrast levels, bolder colors and even higher brightness. The Samsung S90C also introduced QD-OLED at a more affordable price point, with prices now even around the same as a mid-range OLED such as the LG C3. This means that the Samsung S95D and S90D should exceed fairly high expectations.
The introduction of even higher brightness levels and an anti-glare screen (on the Samsung S95D) is a real game-changer for OLED TVs. One problem with many of the best OLED TVs is that even at higher brightness levels, like the LG G3 with its MLA technology, reflections can still be an issue. So if these can be eliminated altogether, as we said above, one of OLED's biggest setbacks will no longer be an issue. Aided by even higher brightness levels, the Samsung S95D could be the perfect OLED for bright rooms.
Samsung claims the S95D will reach a peak brightness of 1,600 nits and if this claimed figure is correct, it would not only be the brightest OLED available (we measured the Panasonic MZ2000 at a peak brightness of 1,480 nits), but also exceed brightness levels surpassing mini LEDs. such as the Hisense U8K.
But when we dig deeper into the specs, the TVs seem almost identical. Both the S95D and S90D have the same speaker configuration and output power as last year's models, the same gaming features and still no Dolby Vision. That's not to say it's a bad thing, as both the S95C and S90C are brilliant TVs, but it almost seems like Samsung could have added something else to the mix.
Perhaps there are just a lot of expectations for the Samsung S95D and S90D, given that its predecessors have done so much to innovate QD-OLED TVs. However, one thing is certain: with an anti-glare screen and higher brightness, the Samsung S95D could be the perfect TV.
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