00:00 I'm here with one of the most anticipated TVs for 2023, the Samsung S95C OLED TV.
00:06 As a reminder, this is the company's second shot at QD OLED, the panel technology that
00:10 promises a brighter OLED experience thanks to the addition of quantum dots.
00:15 And we had some reservations about Samsung's first time around, but this one has some upgrades
00:19 that move the needle.
00:20 Let's go take a closer look in our full review of the Samsung S95C OLED TV.
00:29 I know that design isn't always a priority for TV shoppers, but I happen to think that
00:33 this is exactly what a premium OLED TV should look like.
00:37 I'm testing out the 65-inch model, but the TV also comes in a new 77-inch configuration,
00:42 which is definitely an improvement in terms of options and catering to different size
00:45 needs.
00:46 Big screens are still very much in demand.
00:48 The S95C is noticeably slimmer than the S95B from 2022.
00:53 Not only that, the S95C has adopted Samsung's One Connect box that was previously reserved
00:58 for the top-shelf Neo QLED TVs.
01:01 If you were mounting this TV, you could also extend the One Connect box somewhere that's
01:05 more accessible, which is a huge plus, especially if you're someone who's going to switch
01:09 out inputs often.
01:10 This TV has four HDMI 2.1 ports, so there's plenty to work with.
01:15 That's relevant to gaming, of course, but the upgrade that really stood out in this
01:18 area is a jump up to a 144Hz refresh rate for the display when connected to a gaming
01:23 PC.
01:24 That's the most common refresh rate seen in gaming monitors, and likely a feature inherited
01:28 from Samsung's popular monitor division.
01:30 Pair that refresh rate with AMD's FreeSync Premium Pro, plus the excellent 9.2ms lag
01:36 that we measured in our tests, and this is a very fun gaming TV.
01:39 It automatically switches to game mode when you power up your console, which triggers
01:42 auto low latency for a responsive gaming experience.
01:45 It's cool if you want a TV just for watching movies and shows as well, so let's dig
01:49 into the performance.
01:51 We tested the Samsung S95C OLED TV in our lab, and across the board, the set performed
01:56 really well, like top notch marks.
01:58 The benchmark that blew me away the most is peak brightness.
02:01 Samsung did say that the S95C was brighter, but didn't specify how much.
02:06 We tested a 30% improvement, from 1010 nits to nearly 1370 nits in the same 10% window
02:13 in standard mode with HDR content.
02:15 That's just fantastic for an OLED TV, and honestly the type of upgrade that I've been
02:19 waiting to see from QD OLED.
02:21 The S95C also impressed in terms of color accuracy and color reproduction.
02:25 It tested a delta E accuracy score of 1.4 in filmmaker mode while covering about 140%
02:31 of the Rec.709 color space in standard mode, which are both in the range of what we want
02:36 to see from premium OLED TVs.
02:38 For reference, flagship LG OLED TVs usually earn similar scores in both these areas.
02:43 Upscaling on the S95C is powered by Samsung's NeuroQuantum Processor 4K, and I liked what
02:49 I saw.
02:50 I watched the car chase scene at the beginning of James Bond No Time to Die, and the picture
02:54 balance is beautiful.
02:55 There's a lot of complicated contrast in these scenes, and the set handled it very
02:59 well.
03:00 You get these blacks that look perfectly nuanced in HDR, with bright areas that hold integrity
03:04 without blooming thanks to those self-emissive pixels.
03:07 Obviously this scene is filled with motion, and none of the action suffered from artifacting
03:12 or other distractions.
03:13 All the while, I could watch this in a lit room thanks to the set's brightness abilities,
03:17 which is something that hasn't always been enjoyable with an OLED TV.
03:20 Truly my only complaint performance-wise is that this TV doesn't have Dolby Vision support,
03:25 so I would worry that there could be a disconnect between the creator's intent and the color
03:28 of the picture that's ultimately produced.
03:31 However, the set does handle HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+ formats, and it does get Dolby Atmos
03:36 for sound.
03:37 If you're getting a premium TV like this, I do recommend filling out your setup with
03:41 a great soundbar.
03:42 And why that's even more important for this TV is Samsung's Q-Symphony feature that
03:47 combines the TV's native speakers with a soundbar for a fuller soundscape.
03:51 I found it really helps raise the height of the vocals specifically.
03:55 Without the soundbar, the S95C sounds okay, but it lacks sophistication and bass and doesn't
04:00 get all that loud.
04:01 But again, this is a complaint with a very straightforward solution.
04:05 Beyond picture and sound performance, the Smart TV platform is a major part of using
04:09 this TV.
04:10 It has Samsung's Tizen platform with no real changes to note, and Samsung told us a while
04:14 back that's because they want customers to get used to the big change from a few years
04:18 ago.
04:19 I can't say it's my favorite in terms of navigation, but you can still find all the
04:23 major streaming apps.
04:25 What I do like is that this TV can act as a smart things hub, so if you're growing
04:29 your smart home or embracing matter, this TV can be the center of control, even with
04:33 devices from all different manufacturers.
04:36 When you're not watching or using the TV actively, enabling ambient mode can give you
04:40 a screensaver that's aesthetically pleasing or even tells you the time at a glance.
04:45 I would say that Samsung kind of made ambient mode mainstream, and while other TV makers
04:49 have taken their own spin on it, I still think this version is best.
04:53 To choose your content or ambient mode setting, you'll need a remote, of course.
04:56 This is Samsung's Eco Remote, named for the solar panel on the back and the rechargeable
05:01 battery.
05:02 It's pretty minimalistic as far as remotes go, but you do get dedicated launchers for
05:05 Samsung TV+, Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video, so it's very convenient for those who use
05:11 those services often.
05:12 Personally, I'm watching a lot of Disney+ these days, so that's great.
05:18 That is pretty much everything you need to know if you're considering the S95C as your
05:22 next TV.
05:23 I go more in depth on some of the test results and specs in my full review on TomsGuide.com,
05:27 but I can pretty confidently say that this is going to be one of the best TVs of the
05:31 year.
05:32 The upgrades to both the design and performance leave a very strong impression, and it's
05:35 exciting to see that there's still room for innovation in the TV space.
05:39 Is there anything in particular that you want to know about the Samsung S95C OLED TV that
05:44 I didn't cover here, or do you want to know how it compares to another TV on the market?
05:47 If you're subscribed to our channel and leave your questions in the comments, I'll be sure
05:51 to get back to you.
05:52 Otherwise, connect with us on social, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok @tomsguide.
05:57 And as always, I'm @KateKozich.
05:59 Thanks for watching, I'll catch you next time.
06:01 [music]
06:05 you
Comments