After its first-ever 4K OLED TV in 2022, the Samsung S95C is the premium OLED TV in the company’s 2023 lineup. While Samsung simply refers to these TVs as “OLED,” they are actually better known as QD-OLED, a technology that blends OLED’s self-emitting pixels with the Quantum Dot layer seen in the company’s QLED TVs. This type of screen is a completely other animal.
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The Samsung S95B, a 2022 QD-OLED, received a five-star rating and is included in our rankings of the top 4K and OLED TVs. Along with 65- and 55-inch models, the company has added a 77-inch model to its OLED TV size lineup for 2023. At Samsung’s plant in New Jersey, I was given the opportunity to do a hands-on review of the 77-inch model. I had enough time to thoroughly evaluate the picture quality, but don’t think of this as the entire review just yet; that will come later.
Let’s go over some of the features of Samsung’s new S95C OLED TV before I go into those specifics. The 77-inch model I tested is presently up for pre-order in the United States for $4,499 (about £4,200 or AU$6,600).
Samsung is introducing a fresh, brightness-boosting Quantum HDR OLED Plus function for the S95C series that makes use of AI deep learning to adjust brightness on a per-pixel basis. Moreover, a Quantum Neural Processor is built into the set, upscales images to 4K using AI-based techniques, and adds dynamic HDR10+ tone mapping while doing so. Processing is done scene-by-scene. (Like with all other Samsung TVs, the S95C only supports HDR10+; Dolby Vision is once again not included in the list of advanced high dynamic range formats.)
In terms of audio, Samsung’s new OLED TV has a 4.2.2 speaker system, which is an audible improvement over the 2.2.2-channel setup of the S95B from a year ago. There is also Q Symphony 3.0, which enables you to pair the TV’s built-in speakers with a compatible Samsung soundbar for an improved audio experience, and Object Tracking Sound Plus, which enhances the directionality of sound effects while using the set’s built-in speakers.
Samsung’s very thin OLED TV features an Infinity One design, which the firm refers to. An exterior One Connect box manages connectivity, and a cable connects it to the TV. The set also has an ATSC 3.0 tuner for receiving NextGen digital TV broadcasts in the US. The Solar Cell remote control of the set absorbs ambient light to prolong battery life.
Except from the addition of additional Health choices, the Smart Hub interface on Samsung Televisions hasn’t altered much from the previous version. You still need a Samsung account to download apps, but you can somewhat change the menu selections’ order. Microsoft, Nvidia GeForce NOW, and Amazon content can all be played back without a console on a Game Hub screen.
Pictures appear equally bright and keep consistent contrast throughout a broad viewing arc, which is one of OLED Televisions’ key advantages. In comparison to traditional OLED TVs (commonly referred to as “W-OLED” like those produced by LG and others), QD-OLED models like the S95C go one step further by offering continuous color saturation over a 180 degree viewing window.
On the S95C, which had outstanding screen uniformity on full-screen gray test patterns at various brightness levels, this was simple to detect. The S95C ended out to be the brightest OLED TV we’ve tested to far, with a maximum light output measuring 1,374 nits in Filmmaker mode on a 10% white window pattern. Samsung’s latest model is about 32% brighter than last year’s S95B, which had a peak light output of 1,040 nits in the same picture setting. When we tested the LG G2 OLED last year, it achieved 950 and 942 nits in its Cinema/Cinema Home and Filmmaker Modes, respectively.
The S95C, an OLED TV, measured more than 99% for UHD-P3 color space coverage, which is usual for OLED Televisions.
The improved video processing of Samsung’s 2023 Televisions represents a significant improvement over the models from the previous year. When watched on S95C, images that were mastered at 4,000 nits of peak brightness kept a significant amount of their highlight detail, as shown in the video montage part of the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Test disc.
Also, the black clipping effect that I had noticed during a hands-on session with the S95B last year was completely gone, leaving shadows looking layered and nuanced instead.
The motion handling of Samsung’s 2023 TVs has also improved. The image appeared to be mainly solid and detailed as I watched a sequence from No Time to Die where the camera moves slowly across a rocky mountainside. Following Paul’s evaluation by the Bene Gesserit Reverend Mother, scenes from Dune demonstrated the TV’s prowess in controlling noise in dim, grainy visuals.
I didn’t have enough time to watch a wide variety of content on the S95C, but everything I did watch looked great, from reference scenes I’ve seen hundreds of times on different TVs to programs streamed from the Samsung TV Plus free TV portal. The set’s increased brightness gave the picture an extra level of punch.
When I was granted a preview of the 77-inch S95C at CES 2023, I had the opportunity to give it a thorough examination and was sufficiently impressed to name it the greatest TV I’d seen there. After spending some serious time with the set, I’m now certain that my CES assessment was accurate. The Samsung S95C is a beautiful TV, and I’m eager to give it a thorough evaluation to learn more about its features. Check out our article on whether Samsung OLED TVs are worthwhile to purchase in the interim.
