This OLED is a STEAL! Samsung S85H TV Review
Tech Kurt reviews the S85H and calls it a steal, per the title.
Samsung · 2026 · WOLED
Samsung S85H OLED
Samsung's entry-level 2026 OLED: a WOLED panel with strong gaming features, modest speakers and no Dolby Vision.
Choose a size
Exact model · United States
QN65S85HAEXZA
The size Tom's Guide and Trusted Reviews tested. Both describe WOLED.
Where to buy the 65″
Also check
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The verdict
A sensible way into OLED for gamers and movie fans on a budget, with lab brightness well below the S95H and slightly below last year's S85F in Tom's Guide's tests. Buyers who want better brightness or the Glare Free screen should step up to the S90H, and anyone who wants decent built-in sound will need a soundbar.
The S85H is the cheapest OLED in Samsung's 2026 range, available in five sizes from 48 to 83 inches. Reviewers say it uses a standard WOLED panel, though Samsung does not name the panel type, and it keeps the older NQ4 AI Gen2 processor. It has four HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K 120Hz gaming and low measured input lag, but a matte Glare Free screen is reserved for the S90H and S95H. Dolby Vision is not supported.
Strengths
- Four HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and HGiG, and measured input lag around 9.2 to 9.4 ms.
- Tom's Guide measured 770 nits in a 10% HDR window and Trusted Reviews 775 nits, enough for convincing highlights on a WOLED set.
- Includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 and the updated One UI Tizen 2026 interface.
- Available in a 48-inch size as well as 55 to 83 inches.
- Both Tom's Guide and What Hi-Fi rated it among the better entry-level OLEDs.
Weak spots
- No Dolby Vision support.
- Brightness is lower than the previous S85F in Tom's Guide's tests and well below the S95H.
- Speakers are weak: Trusted Reviews measured nothing meaningful below 100Hz, and What Hi-Fi found them barely adequate.
- No ATSC 3.0 tuner, per Tom's Guide.
- What Hi-Fi saw over-aggressive highlight brightening and some black crush.
Great for
- Budget-conscious OLED buyers
- Console gamers who do not need 165Hz
- Small rooms that want a 48-inch OLED
Skip if
- Bright rooms that need an anti-glare matte screen
- Dolby Vision fans
- Buyers who will rely on the built-in speakers
How it fits
Calculated from published specs and independent tests. How this works
Tap a score to see what went into it. These are calculations, not lab results.
Claimed vs. measured
Independent test figures are kept apart from what the manufacturer says. Results vary by tester, test size and firmware.
Measured Claimed
Brightness
HDR peak brightness (2% window)How bright very small highlights get, like the glint on metal or a star on a dark sky.
- 967 nitsTrusted Reviews65″ tested · 2% window, Dynamic mode · Jul 21, 2026
HDR peak brightness (10% window)The most-quoted HDR brightness figure. A 10% window is about the size of a bright object in a scene.
- 770 nitsTom's Guide65″ tested · 10% window, HDR · Jul 3, 2026
- 775 nitsTrusted Reviews65″ tested · 10% window, Movie mode · Jul 21, 2026
SDR peak brightness (10% window)How bright regular, non-HDR content gets, which matters most in a sunny room.
- 470 nitsTom's Guide65″ tested · 10% window, SDR · Jul 3, 2026
Color
DCI-P3 color coverageHow much of the color range used by modern movies the TV can show.
- 97.5%Tom's Guide65″ tested · UHDA-P3 coverage · Jul 3, 2026
Rec. 2020 color coverageA wider color target than DCI-P3. No consumer TV covers it fully.
- 72.9%Tom's Guide65″ tested · Rec. 2020 coverage · Jul 3, 2026
Color accuracy out of the box (ΔE)Lower is better. Under about 3 is hard to distinguish from perfect by eye.
- ΔE 1.7Tom's Guide65″ tested · Delta-E, out of the box · Jul 3, 2026
Gaming
Input lag, 4K 60 Hz (game mode)The delay between pressing a button and seeing it on screen.
- 9.2 msTom's Guide65″ tested · Game mode, Leo Bodnar 4K tester · Jul 3, 2026
Input lag, 1080p 60 HzOlder consoles and many cable boxes output 1080p or lower.
- 9.4 msTrusted Reviews65″ tested · Game mode, 1080p 60Hz · Jul 21, 2026
What changes by size
The same name doesn’t always mean the same TV. Here is every size we’ve confirmed.
| 48″ | 55″ | 65″ | 77″ | 83″ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model number | QN48S85HAEXZA | QN55S85HAEXZA | QN65S85HAEXZA | QN77S85HAEXZA | QN83S85HAEXZA |
| Lowest price | $799.99 | $999.99 | $1,200 | $1,800 | $2,800 |
| Panel notes | Reviewers describe a standard WOLED panel (Tom's Guide; Trusted Reviews for the 65-inch). What Hi-Fi notes that Samsung has not specified the panel. | Reviewers describe a standard WOLED panel (Tom's Guide; Trusted Reviews for the 65-inch). What Hi-Fi notes that Samsung has not specified the panel. | WOLED per Trusted Reviews (65-inch review) and Tom's Guide. | Reviewers describe a standard WOLED panel (Tom's Guide; Trusted Reviews for the 65-inch). What Hi-Fi notes that Samsung has not specified the panel. | Reviewers describe a standard WOLED panel (Tom's Guide; Trusted Reviews for the 65-inch). What Hi-Fi notes that Samsung has not specified the panel. |
| Width | — | — | — | — | — |
| Weight | — | — | — | — | — |
| VESA | — | — | — | — | — |
Highlighted rows differ between sizes.
Will it fit?
From your seat
Viewing distance8′0″
A good fit. At this distance a 65″ screen fills 33° of your view. Most people like 59″–80″ from here.
Seen from above
Dimensions and mounting
- Without stand
- Not published
- With stand
- Not published
- Stand footprint
- Not published
- Weight
- Not published
- VESA pattern
- Not published
- Power use
- Not published
Full specifications
From the manufacturer unless noted. Shown for the 65″ model.
Picture
- Display technologyHow the screen makes its picture. OLED types light each pixel on their own for perfect black. Mini LED and QLED are LCDs with a backlight, and tend to get brighter.
- WOLED
- Panel typeFor LCD TVs: VA panels have deeper black but narrower viewing angles; IPS/ADS panels hold up better from the side but look grayer in the dark.
- OLED
- Panel notes
- WOLED per Trusted Reviews (65-inch review) and Tom's Guide.source
- BacklightFull-array backlights sit behind the whole screen and allow local dimming. Edge-lit TVs are thinner but dim far less precisely.
- Self-emissive
- Resolution
- 4K
- Picture processor
- NQ4 AI Gen2 Processorsource
HDR & color
- HDR formatsHDR formats describe how a TV should show bright highlights and rich color. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ adjust the picture scene by scene; a source and TV must both support a format to use it.
- HDR10, HDR10+, HDR10+ Adaptive, HLGsource
Refresh & motion
- Native refresh rateHow many new images per second the panel can really show. Marketing “motion rates” are often double this number, so check the native figure.
- 120 Hzsource
Smart platform
- Smart TV platformThe software your TV runs. It decides your home screen, app selection and how often you’ll see ads.
- Tizen
- Platform version
- One UI Tizen 2026
HDMI & connections
- HDMI ports
- 4source
- HDMI 2.1 portsPorts with enough bandwidth for 4K at 120 Hz and beyond. If you have more than one current console or a gaming PC, count these carefully.
- 4
- HDMI notes
- Four HDMI 2.1 inputs (48Gbps per What Hi-Fi), all supporting 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM and HGiG per Trusted Reviews. One input supports eARC.source
- eARCEnhanced Audio Return Channel sends high-quality audio from your TV’s apps and inputs back to a soundbar or receiver over one HDMI cable.
- Yessource
- USB ports
- 2source
- Optical audio out
- Yessource
- Ethernet
- Ethernet portsource
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6Esource
- Bluetooth
- Bluetooth 5.3source
Gaming
- Variable refresh rateLets the TV match its refresh to a game’s frame rate, which removes tearing and most stutter.
- FreeSync Premium, NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatiblesource
- Auto Low Latency ModeSwitches the TV into game mode automatically when a console starts a game.
- Yessource
- Highest 4K gaming refresh
- 120 Hzsource
- Dolby Vision gaming
- Nosource
- HGiGA shared standard that keeps console HDR highlights accurate instead of letting the TV guess.
- Yessource
- Game menu
- Samsung Gaming Hub
Accessibility
- Remote
- SolarCell remote (solar and USB-C charging, no backlight)source
Primary source: samsung.com
Setup notes
- Four HDMI 2.1 inputs, all 4K 120Hz with VRR; one supports eARC.
- Two USB-A ports, Ethernet and an optical digital audio output.
- HDR formats are HDR10+, HDR10+ Adaptive, HDR10 and HLG; no Dolby Vision.
- No ATSC 3.0 tuner. Tom's Guide notes an antenna input is present.
Video reviews
Each video was checked to exist and to be about the Samsung S85H OLED.
Samsung S85H 65" OLED TV Review – Is This 2026 4K TV Worth It?
A review of the 65-inch S85H asking whether the 2026 model is worth buying.
Samsung OLED S85H 4K Smart TV: 1 Month Later Review
A one-month follow-up with the S85H from an owner.
What reviewers found
Summaries in our own words. Follow the link to read each review in full.
Recommended the 65-inch for its picture, gaming mode and design, but measured lower brightness than the S85F and found the sound lackluster. Notes there is no Dolby Vision and no ATSC 3.0 tuner.
Read the originalRated the 55-inch four out of five. It liked the price and gaming support but found the speakers weak, saw over-boosted highlights and black crush, and noted Samsung does not specify the panel.
Read the originalPraised the processing, input lag and balanced picture of the 65-inch WOLED set, while noting it is dimmer than QD-OLED siblings, lacks Dolby Vision and has weak bass.
Read the original
What owners are saying
From Reddit and forums, paraphrased with a link to the original discussion. Community reports are anecdotal.
A Black Friday thread comment points out that the 55-inch S85H is the only non-LG 55-inch OLED near the budget being discussed, a sign of its role as Samsung's cheaper entry.
Read the original
Questions
Is the S85H a WOLED or a QD-OLED?
Tom's Guide and Trusted Reviews describe a standard WOLED panel, based on the 65-inch size they reviewed. Samsung's page does not name the panel, and What Hi-Fi says Samsung has not specified it. The other sizes were not individually confirmed in the sources read.
Does the S85H support Dolby Vision?
No. Tom's Guide, What Hi-Fi and Trusted Reviews all say Dolby Vision is missing; it supports HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG.
How does it compare with the S85F?
Tom's Guide found it an incremental upgrade, with a better interface and added AI features, but slightly lower measured brightness than the S85F.
Is it good for gaming?
Yes, according to the reviews. It has four HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 120Hz and VRR and measured input lag around 9.2 to 9.4 ms, but it tops out at 120Hz rather than the 165Hz of the S90H and S95H.
What are the US model codes?
Samsung's US store lists QN48S85HAEXZA, QN55S85HAEXZA, QN65S85HAEXZA, QN77S85HAEXZA and QN83S85HAEXZA.
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Sources for this page
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/65-inch-oled-4k-tv-s85h-sku-qn65s8
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/48-inch-oled-4k-tv-s85h-sku-qn48s8
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/55-inch-oled-4k-tv-s85h-sku-qn55s8
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/77-inch-oled-4k-tv-s85h-sku-qn77s8
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/83-inch-oled-4k-tv-s85h-sku-qn83s8
- tomsguide.com /tvs/oled-tvs/samsung-s85h-oled-review
- tomsguide.com /tvs/oled-tvs/samsung-s95h-vs-s85h-weve-tested-bot
- whathifi.com /tv-home-cinema/televisions/samsung-s85h-qe55s85h
- trustedreviews.com /reviews/samsung-qe65s85h
Last reviewed Nov 9, 2026. Released April 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.