Samsung S99H / S95H Review: Stunning HDR… A Very Different QD-OLED
HDTVTest looks at the S99H/S95H's HDR performance and why its QD-OLED panel behaves differently from earlier generations.
Samsung · 2026 · QD-OLED
Samsung S95H OLED
Samsung's 2026 flagship OLED: the brightest OLED Tom's Guide has measured, with a matte Glare Free screen and no Dolby Vision.
Choose a size
Exact model · United States
QN65S95HAFXZA
The size Tom's Guide and TechRadar tested. TechRadar's measurements led it to conclude this size uses a QD-OLED panel.
Where to buy the 65″
List $3,400
Also check
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The verdict
A strong pick for bright living rooms and gaming, especially in the 55 to 77-inch sizes where reviewers say the brighter quantum-dot panel is used. Buyers who rely on Dolby Vision content or want the 83-inch size should note that Samsung supports neither Dolby Vision nor a QD-OLED panel at that size. Price drops since launch are worth checking before buying.
The S95H is the top model in Samsung's 2026 OLED range, sold as the S99H in the UK. Reviewers measured very high HDR brightness on the 65-inch version, and its matte Glare Free screen cuts reflections in bright rooms. The ports are now built into the TV instead of an external box, and four HDMI 2.1 inputs handle 4K at up to 165Hz. The main caveats are the missing Dolby Vision, a divisive metal FloatLayer frame, and a different panel type on the 83-inch size.
Strengths
- Tom's Guide measured 2,721 nits in a 10% HDR window and called it the brightest OLED it has tested; TechRadar measured 2,739 to 2,831 nits depending on mode.
- The matte Glare Free screen was praised by both outlets for handling reflections in bright rooms.
- Four built-in HDMI 2.1 inputs with 4K 165Hz, VRR and measured input lag of about 9.5 to 9.7 ms.
- No external One Connect box is required any more, though an optional wireless box can add four more HDMI inputs.
- Includes Samsung's Art Store, which Tom's Guide counted as a perk for turning the screen into artwork when idle.
Weak spots
- No Dolby Vision support, as on every Samsung TV; it supports HDR10+ instead.
- The included remote has no backlight and felt cheap to Tom's Guide.
- The silver FloatLayer metal frame is divisive; TechRadar found it distracting.
- TechRadar saw some black crush in dark film scenes, particularly in Filmmaker Mode.
- Only an ATSC 1.0 tuner, with no ATSC 3.0 for 4K over-the-air broadcasts.
- The 83-inch size uses a different (LG Display) panel from the 55 to 77-inch sizes.
Great for
- Bright living rooms with lots of windows
- PC and console gamers who want 4K 165Hz
- Buyers who want the brightest OLED picture and do not need Dolby Vision
Skip if
- Anyone who relies on Dolby Vision content
- Buyers who dislike a visible metal frame
- Shoppers who need ATSC 3.0 over-the-air 4K
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 (10% window)The most-quoted HDR brightness figure. A 10% window is about the size of a bright object in a scene.
- 2,831 nitsTechRadar65″ tested · Standard mode, 10% HDR window · Jul 17, 2026
- 2,739 nitsTechRadar65″ tested · Filmmaker Mode, 10% HDR window · Jul 17, 2026
- 2,721 nitsTom's Guide65″ tested · 10% window, HDR · Jun 26, 2026
HDR full-screen brightnessBrightness of a completely bright image, like a snowfield or a hockey rink.
SDR peak brightness (10% window)How bright regular, non-HDR content gets, which matters most in a sunny room.
- 253 nitsTom's Guide65″ tested · 10% window, SDR · Jun 26, 2026
Color
DCI-P3 color coverageHow much of the color range used by modern movies the TV can show.
- 99.92%Tom's Guide65″ tested · UHDA-P3 coverage · Jun 26, 2026
Color accuracy out of the box (ΔE)Lower is better. Under about 3 is hard to distinguish from perfect by eye.
- ΔE 2.24Tom's Guide65″ tested · Delta-E, out of the box · Jun 26, 2026
Gaming
Input lag, 4K 60 Hz (game mode)The delay between pressing a button and seeing it on screen.
- 9.5 msTechRadar65″ tested · Game mode, Leo Bodnar 4K tester · Jul 17, 2026
- 9.7 msTom's Guide65″ tested · Game mode, Leo Bodnar 4K tester · Jun 26, 2026
What changes by size
The same name doesn’t always mean the same TV. Here is every size we’ve confirmed.
| 55″ | 65″ | 77″ | 83″ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model number | QN55S95HAFXZA | QN65S95HAFXZA | QN77S95HAFXZA | QN83S95HAEXZA |
| Lowest price | $1,900 | $2,300 | $3,500 | $5,000 |
| Display technology | QD-OLED | QD-OLED | QD-OLED | WOLED |
| Panel notes | QD-OLED per Tom's Guide (sizes 55, 65 and 77). Not measured in the sources read. | QD-OLED. TechRadar concluded this from its own measurements; Samsung does not confirm the panel. | QD-OLED per Tom's Guide (sizes 55, 65 and 77). Not measured in the sources read. | LG Display RGB Tandem OLED (Tom's Guide) or W-OLED (TechRadar), not QD-OLED. Neither source measured the S95H 83-inch. |
| 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.
- QD-OLED
- 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
- QD-OLED. TechRadar concluded this from its own measurements; Samsung does not confirm the panel.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 Gen3 Processor
- Screen finishAnti-glare and matte coatings cut reflections in bright rooms, sometimes at a small cost to perceived contrast.
- Glare Free matte screen; Samsung cites a gloss level of 15 GU or less
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+, HLGsource
Refresh & motion
- Maximum refresh rateThe highest refresh the TV accepts over HDMI. Sometimes only available at reduced resolution or from a PC.
- 165 Hz
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); Samsung promises 7 years of OS updates
- Broadcast tunerNeeded to watch free over-the-air TV with an antenna. ATSC 3.0 is the newer US standard; a few TVs have dropped tuners entirely.
- ATSC 1.0source
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 are built into the TV, one with eARC. An optional Wireless One Connect Box (sold separately) adds four more, for up to eight. All four built-in ports are reported to support 4K at 165Hz.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
Gaming
- Variable refresh rateLets the TV match its refresh to a game’s frame rate, which removes tearing and most stutter.
- FreeSync Premium Pro, NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible
- Auto Low Latency ModeSwitches the TV into game mode automatically when a console starts a game.
- Yessource
- Highest 4K gaming refresh
- 165 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
Built-in audio
Accessibility
- Remote
- SolarCell remote (solar and USB-C charging, no backlight)source
Primary source: samsung.com
Setup notes
- All four built-in HDMI inputs are reported to support 4K 165Hz; one has eARC.
- Wireless One Connect Box is optional and sold separately.
- HDR formats are HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG; Dolby Vision is not supported.
- Dolby Atmos is supported; DTS is not.
- The tuner is ATSC 1.0 only.
Video reviews
Each video was checked to exist and to be about the Samsung S95H OLED.
Samsung S95H Review: The Most Versatile OLED We’ve Tested
RTINGS reviews the S95H and calls it the most versatile OLED it has tested, per the title.
Samsung S95H / S99H Review - The Best OLED TV for Bright Rooms?
ByteOasis considers whether the S95H/S99H is the best OLED for bright rooms.
Hands On Review and Comparison: Samsung S95H vs. S90H OLED TVs
Ecoustics compares the S95H and S90H side by side in a hands-on look.
What reviewers found
Summaries in our own words. Follow the link to read each review in full.
Five-star Editor's Choice review of the 65-inch. It praised the record brightness, accurate color and the effective anti-glare screen, with the lack of Dolby Vision and a cheap, unlit remote as the main complaints.
Read the originalRated the picture and gaming highly, measured very high peak brightness, but disliked the wide silver frame and saw some black crush in dark movie scenes. Notes the 83-inch size uses a different LG panel.
Read the originalExplains that the S95H's QD-OLED panel gives it better HDR brightness and color volume than the WOLED-based S90H, which lacks the Art Store and the highest brightness.
Read the original
What owners are saying
From Reddit and forums, paraphrased with a link to the original discussion. Community reports are anecdotal.
An owner who moved from an LG C1 initially found dark scenes crushed and nearly returned the set, then saw the issue fade after running the pixel refresher. Anecdotal, but it echoes press notes about black crush.
Read the originalA shopper who compared the S95H with the Sony Bravia 8 II found the Samsung somewhat brighter but the Sony more natural and detailed.
Read the originalA commenter relays that RTINGS' newer endurance test shows lasting burn-in marks on both the S95H and LG's G6 at around 600 hours of use, concluding neither panel type is proven more durable. Secondhand and unverified here.
Read the original
Questions
Does the S95H support Dolby Vision?
No. Tom's Guide and TechRadar both note that Samsung still omits Dolby Vision. The set supports HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG, and Samsung is also promoting a newer HDR10+ Advanced format.
Is the S95H a QD-OLED?
Reviewers say the 55, 65 and 77-inch sizes use Samsung Display's QD-OLED panel, while the 83-inch uses an LG Display panel. Samsung's own US page does not state the panel type, and TechRadar says Samsung does not confirm it.
Is the S95H the same TV as the S99H?
TechRadar and What Hi-Fi describe the S99H as the UK name of this flagship. A Reddit commenter says the S99H may differ in some electronics, but the sources read do not show any difference in picture features.
How many HDMI inputs does it have?
Four HDMI 2.1 inputs are built into the TV. An optional Wireless One Connect Box adds four more, for up to eight in total.
Why does the 83-inch model have a different model code?
Samsung's US store lists the 83-inch as QN83S95HAEXZA, while the other sizes end in AFXZA. The 83-inch also uses a different panel type, though Samsung does not publish a rule linking the two.
Also consider
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LG · 2025 · WOLED
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Hisense · 2026 · RGB Mini LED
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Sources for this page
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/65-inch-oled-4k-tv-s95h-sku-qn65s9
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/55-inch-oled-4k-tv-s95h-sku-qn55s9
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/77-inch-oled-4k-tv-s95h-sku-qn77s9
- samsung.com /us/tvs/oled-tv/83-inch-oled-4k-tv-s95h-sku-qn83s9
- tomsguide.com /tvs/oled-tvs/samsung-s95h-oled-tv-review
- techradar.com /televisions/samsung-s95h-review
- tomsguide.com /tvs/oled-tvs/samsung-s95h-vs-s90h-after-testing-b
- tomsguide.com /tvs/oled-tvs/samsung-s95h-vs-s85h-weve-tested-bot
Last reviewed Nov 9, 2026. Released June 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us.