ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Samsung S95F OLED TV delivers an excellent viewing and gaming experience thanks to its superb picture and sound quality, low latency, and the option to disable AI processing.
- However, this TV is a very expensive investment, especially at larger sizes, and its thin design makes it feel quite fragile.
- A key color accuracy issue is that the OLED panel runs very blue, which is a significant drawback for this otherwise high-performing TV.
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sep / 2025
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The Samsung S95F is an impressive update to the brand’s OLED TV offerings, with an improved glare-free display, ultra-thin build, and AI-assisted picture and audio processing.
And with the inclusion of Samsung’s One Connect Box, you can use a single cable to connect all of your playback devices for an ultra-clean, almost entirely wireless home theater setup. But since a premium build often comes with a premium price tag, is the S95F worth the upgrade?
Also: Changing these 6 settings on my Samsung TV greatly improved the performance
I’ve been testing it over the past week at ZDNET’s Louisville lab, and it suffices to say that Samsung has one of the best TVs on the market right now. This is a stellar option for those willing to spend and those looking for a worthy TV deal this holiday season.
Whether you’re looking to buy your first OLED TV or upgrade your current one, the Samsung S95F is hands-down one of the best screens you can buy right now. The Pantone-validated screen helps improve color accuracy across a variety of media, including classic black-and-white Hollywood films.
While our Calman calibration testing showed a noticeable blue shift for color, the AI-assisted picture mode, as well as a handful of standard picture settings, help correct this. And if you don’t mind a little blue tint to your media, the S95F still looks amazing right out of the box with a bright, clean picture that produces deep blacks for sharper contrast as well as handling fine details with ease.
I set up the S95F side-by-side with the 2025 refresh of the TCL QM8K, and while the TCL held its own, the difference between the two pictures was almost night and day, with much more accurate colors, cleaner text, and very fine detailing.
The S95F not only works with Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound+ technology for 3D audio but also with Dolby Atmos for virtual surround sound and a fuller, richer-sounding audioscape across movies, music, and gaming.
Also: Can’t hear TV dialogue? This soundbar fixed my audio problems for cheap
I tested the TV with a handful of PS5 games, including Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, Ghost of Tsushima, and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2. The TV’s dedicated gaming dashboard allows you to fine-tune settings like input latency, refresh rates, and HDR while also sporting some interesting (if not exactly practical) features like a mini map zoom.
Even with basic settings, the S95F handled rhythm games well, only needing slight tweaks to match perfectly with both in-game visuals and music. The detailing in triple-A titles like Ghost of Tsushima was stunning, showing off individual leaves on trees, blades of grass, and fine patterns on character costumes.
And when it comes to movies and shows, the Samsung S95F does an incredible job of upscaling older media without feeling “crunchy” like some TVs are wont to do; the improved, AI-assisted processor handles visual noise very well, upscaling very old movies like Casablanca, Singin’ in the Rain, and the original 1998 pro-shot of CATS in 4K without a ton of artifacting or visual “snow.”
Both the AI-assisted and standard audio modes are great for boosting quiet dialogue in movies and shows, while the Object Tracking Sound+ works with Dolby Atmos to create fuller-sounding audio. This is particularly noticeable with music, as the AI and music settings enhance bass tones while balancing mid- and high-range notes.
Also: How to disable ACR on your TV – and why it makes such a big difference
The 3D virtual surround sound aspect of object tracking sound is neat to experience, with things like dialogue, explosions, and other environmental sounds shifting between the left and right audio channels. It isn’t nearly as robust as setting up a proper home audio system for true 5.1 or 7.1CH sound, but it still helps create a more immersive experience that I appreciated, especially for gaming.
The Samsung S95F is an impossibly thin screen, measuring less than a quarter inch thick, which is great for wall mounting but is also nerve-racking for setup. Since the screen is so thin, it flexes quite a bit when attaching the pedestal foot or wall mounting bracket and the One Connect Box.
Several times during my testing, I was genuinely afraid that the screen would flex too much and crack, especially during the unboxing itself. So, I highly recommend having at least one other person help maneuver the OLED panel itself to keep it from flexing too much. You don’t want to drop $3,000 on a new TV just to have it crack and break during setup.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The Samsung S95F is unmistakably a premium option, even among OLED TVs, running close to $3,000 for the 65-inch model; and if you want the 83-inch version, it retails closer to $6,500. But if you’re looking to invest in a high-end TV that will not only kickstart a premium home theater but also last as long as it can get firmware updates, you’d be hard-pressed to find anything better than the S95F.
That’s why we’ve honored it with ZDNET’s Editors’ Choice award. With both AI-assisted and standard picture and audio settings, you can customize your visuals and sound to get the most out of your favorite movies, shows, games, and music. The ultra-thin design and One Connect utility are perfect for anyone looking to create a super sleek, almost entirely wireless home theater.
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