First impressions: Samsung S95C Review

With the S95C, Samsung is challenging its OLED rivals. A dramatic upgrade to his early QD-OLED technology, this new screen is not only brighter than his S95B predecessor, but it’s also visually nuanced and clearly specified.

prologue

Samsung may still be something of a challenger brand for OLED, but this 2nd generation flat screen will firmly push QD-OLED technology to pole position with best-in-class brightness and outstanding color fidelity. and Not without designer talent…

I got a chance to take a closer look at this new 4K entrant, first in prototype form at Samsung Display’s OLED factory in Yongin, South Korea, and then up close at Samsung’s First Look event at CES 2023. I approached. Here are my initial impressions…

design

• LaserSlim design
• Only 10mm thick
• Next-generation QD-OLED panel

The S95C could be a big change in OLED panel design, but Samsung hasn’t sacrificed good looks in the process.Owning the same LaserSlim design as its predecessor, the bezel is just a frame around the glass. , appetizingly thin. A center leg keeps the set upright for easy storage in AV furniture.

Despite being equipped with Samsung’s rich speaker OTS+ sound system, the 65-inch S95C is only 10mm thick.

Heading into 2023, Samsung is actually expanding the number of QD-OLED screen sizes available. In addition to 55-inch and 65-inch models, the card has a whopping 77-inch model.

As usual, there are big changes under the hood. Samsung says the brightness boost delivered by the S95C is due to his two key innovations: a more efficient ETL (Electron Transport Layer) and Intellisense AI v2.0 pixel control.

By upgrading the materials used in the ETL, Samsung engineers were able to minimize light absorption and increase the resonance of light emitted from the panel, resulting in a brighter screen with improved black level gradation. It can be obtained.

Subjectively, yes, yes….

image quality

• Best-in-class HDR brightness
• vibrant color performance
• Good off-axis viewing

Let’s sort things out. OLED TV brightness is increasing across the board in 2023 thanks to various panel innovations such as integrated heatsinks and brightness boost algorithms.

All OLED TV makers claim improvements worth their salt.

However, Samsung seems to be able to push this image aspect further than others thanks to the unique design of the QD-OLED. S95C shines with health and positivity. Its peak HDR highlights are piercing, making this a truly dramatic presentation. There is something bright and intense in that image. At times the pictures look almost three dimensional and the off-axis viewing is excellent.

Samsung claims a peak HDR brightness of 2000 nits for the S95C compared to 1500 nits for the 1st Gen QD-OLED.

By comparison, rival white OLED panels (at least those coming in 2022), made by LG Display, typically vary between 1,000 and 1,150 nits when measured using a 3% window. have the best performance.

Obviously, paper specs should be taken with a pinch of salt. The numbers quoted are optimal values ​​based on raw panel performance and are therefore expected to be affected by the final design of the processor and the set they reside on.

We also don’t know how it compares in the real world to the latest MLA (Micro Lens Array) panels coming out of LG Display. We need to wait until we know for sure the finished sample.

But subjectively, the S95C looks like a phenomenal performer. Brightness isn’t the only thing that catches your eye. The screen’s color performance is amazing. The demonstration video of the green of the forest and the autumn leaves of the pine cones is splendid. The shade is rich, but not exaggerated. There’s a hyper-realism about that image that’s mesmerizing. Darren Brown would be proud. Skin tones look natural and consistently believable.

Powering the new panel is the brand’s latest Neural Quantum processor 4K, with AI-assisted perceptual color mapping. Samsung says you can expect a 30% boost across the primaries, with each enjoying the same brightness boost.

Near-black performance is also top-notch, with plenty of shadow detail. Cinematic? We think so, albeit in a different way than we’ve seen with Panasonic’s upcoming MZ2000 OLED.The S95C is a little more your face.

Despite the S95C’s strong image performance, you can expect reduced power consumption and increased reliability. The expected lifetime of the panel is said to be double that of his QD-OLED in the first generation.

sound quality

• Object Tracking Sound +
• Dolby Atmos
• Compatible with Q Symphony

The S95C may be fashionably thin, but it packs an impressive speaker array with top-mounted speakers that deliver Dolby Atmos-high content and upmixed material.

This should give it an edge over last year’s model, but we’ll have to reserve judgment until we try that pace.

The good news is that the S95C will work with the 2023 Samsung soundbars for a full Q-Symphony (all speakers on fire) listening experience.

Features

• 4K/120Hz compatible HDMI input x 4
• eARC
• Tizen smart platform

It seems to be easy to use. The S95C runs the latest version of Samsung’s Tizen smart platform. This is still his one of my favorite smart TV interfaces. Expect a full premium streaming service and tons of catch-up apps. UK users should not mourn the lack of Freeview Play as all mainstream channels will likely be supported.

One of the added bonuses is Samsung TV Plus, a linear streaming TV service with multiple channels. With so much to explore here, you’ll never run out of free TV to watch.

All four HDMI inputs are HDMI v2.1 compliant and support 4K/120Hz playback. There’s also eARC with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro support, VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and his ALLM (Automatic Low Latency Mode) for console gamers.