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Samsung S85H review: Two-minute review
The Samsung S85H is great entry-level OLED TV that can compete with the best TVs of 2026. It offers a near-full feature set, with brilliant performance at a competitive price. While its closest rival, the LG B6, is cheaper at the moment, and arguably the better buy — as I found when I compared it and the S85H side-by-side — this is still a very capable TV.
The S85H’s picture quality is excellent overall. It delivers punchy, vibrant colors, strong contrast, crisp, realistic textures and good motion handling. It does have a reflective screen, an issue the step-up Samsung S90H doesn’t suffer from, and there are sometimes black-crush issues in darker scenes, but the S85H’s picture is competitive with the best OLED TVs.
Sound quality in the S85H is a mixed bag. It has great accuracy, and at times punchy bass, but generally its limited two-channel speaker system can only do so much. Sound feels contained to the back of the screen, and while there is some extension beyond the TV’s frame, it doesn’t offer what one of the best soundbars could. It’s fine for day-to-day viewing, but you’ll want a soundbar if you’re after a more cinematic experience.
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For gaming, the S85H is a fantastic budget-OLED option. It has a suite full of features up there with the best gaming TVs — 4K 120Hz, FreeSync and G-Sync, HDR10+ gaming and ALLM — as well as ultra-low input lag and four HDMI 2.1 ports. Its performance is responsive and smooth, and it serves as a superb gaming TV.
The S85H is good value for money. The 55-inch model I tested costs $999 / £999 / AU$1,999, putting it in the more affordable OLED bracket. While its nearest rival, the LG B6, is cheaper ($799 / £999 / AU$1,699 for the 55-inch), making it the better-value buy, the S85H still offers brilliant performance and features for the price, and that price is only going to get cheaper.
Samsung S85H review: Prices & release date
- Release date: June 2026
- 48-inch: $799 / £899 / AU$1,399
- 55-inch: $999 / £999 / AU$1,999
- 65-inch: $1,199 / £1,399 / AU$2,299
- 77-inch: $1,799 / £1,999 / AU$3,299
- 83-inch: $2,799 / £2,699 / AU$4,999
The Samsung S85H is the entry-level model in Samsung’s 2026 OLED TV lineup, sitting below the mid-range S90H and flagship S95H/S99H. It’s available in sizes 48-83-inch, with the 55-inch model I tested launching for $1,499 / £1,399 / AU$2,499 in May-June 2026 (depending on region).
Since its release, the S85H’s prices have dropped across all sizes and in all regions. The 55-inch is now available (November 2026) for around $999 / £999 / AU$1,899, though you can find it for less at some retailers in some regions. The rival LG B6 55-inch is cheaper at the moment in the US and Australia, costing $799 / £999 / AU$1,699, but it’s likely that the ‘cheaper’ title will change hands a few times during these TV’s life cycles.
Samsung S85H review: Specs
|
Screen type |
OLED |
|
Refresh rate |
120Hz |
|
HDR support |
HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
|
Audio support |
Dolby Atmos |
|
Smart TV |
Tizen |
|
HDMI ports |
4 x HDMI 2.1 |
|
Built-in tuner |
ATSC 1.0 |
Samsung S85H review: Benchmark results
Brightness
| Product | HDR Filmmaker Mode (10% window) (nits) | HDR Filmmaker Mode (Fullscreen) (nits) |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung S85H | 833 | 158 |
| LG B6 | 835 | 150 |
| TCL QM7L | 2270 | 723 |
Samsung S85H review: Features
- WOLED panel
- NQ4 AI Gen 2 Processor
- Tizen smart TV platform and Vision AI
The S85H uses a WOLED panel, the same one as in the rival LG B6 and the same as the step-up S90H, though some sizes are reported to have QD-OLED. The S90H benefits from the upgraded NQ4 AI Gen 3 Processor, which allows for higher brightness and better color performance, while the S85H has the older NQ4 AI Gen 2 Processor built in. The Gen 2 is no slouch, though, and supports picture features such as 4K AI Upscaling and Real Depth Enhancer Pro.
The S85H supports HDR10+, including the new HDR10+ Advanced, HDR10 and HLG HDR formats, but as usual with Samsung TVs, there’s no support for Dolby Vision.
For audio, the S85H has a 2-channel, 20W speaker system with support for Dolby Atmos. A number of AI sound features are included too, such as AI Sound Pro, as well as Object Tracking Sound (OTS) Lite. Q-Symphony, where the TV’s speakers can be used in conjunction with a supported Samsung soundbar, is also featured.
The S85H supports 4K 120Hz, full VRR including AMD FreeSync Premium and Nvidia G-Sync, ALLM and HDR10+ gaming, which works across all of the S85H’s four HDMI 2.1 ports. There’s also a Game Hub, where cloud gaming apps are housed.
Tizen serves as the S85H’s smart TV platform, supporting all major streaming apps such as Netflix and Disney Plus. Tizen also features the Vision AI companion, which uses multiple AI agents to make content and even lifestyle recommendations you may ask such as recommended places for dinner.
Samsung S85H review: Picture quality
- Great color reproduction
- Strong contrast
- Somewhat reflective screen
As the S85H uses a standard WOLED panel, its brightness doesn’t match that of step-up OLEDs like the S90H or LG C6. In my testing it clocked a peak HDR brightness (on a 10% window pattern) of 833 nits and 854 nits in Filmmaker Mode and Standard respectively. Those scores put it in line with the rival LG B6E (which hit 808 nits and 727 nits in the same respective modes), but are much lower than those achieved by the step-up S90H, which measured 1,689 and 1677 in the same two modes.
As for fullscreen brightness, the S85H hit just over 150 nits in both Filmmaker and Standard, which is about right for WOLED, but it’s still a significant drop compared to rival mini-LEDs such as the TCL QM7L/C7L, which hit over 600 nits. This means the S85H can struggle in bright rooms, and without an effective anti-glare coating, dark scenes can be hard to watch in brighter conditions, so this TV is best suited to viewing in ambient or dark conditions. Samsung’s step-up S90H OLED, on the other hand, easily handles bright rooms.
Starting with SDR content, the S85H does a good job of upscaling textures. Watching various programs on Samsung TV Plus, textures did look cleaner and sharpened than you’d get on some standard LED and mini-LED TVs, and with bolder colors. While the step-up S90H did a better job with upscaling, the S85H’s was still impressive nonetheless.
Switching to 4K HDR content, the S85H delivers excellent colors. Watching Elemental on Disney Plus in HDR10+, the bold oranges of the fire people and blues of the water people pop throughout the movie, even in the slightly dimmer Filmmaker Mode. Putting the S85H in Movie mode adds more brightness and a bit more color depth which works well for the animation. As Ember runs across multi-colored minerals, colors have a nice shine to them, showing the S85H’s punchy HDR highlights.
Watching a live-action movie, The Sound of Music, the S85H shows it can render realistic-looking colors too. The green fields and blue skies of Austria look wonderfully natural whenever they’re on screen, and the S85H shows true-to-life skin tones in the people as well.
Measuring the S85H’s HDR color-gamut coverage, it registered 97.9% of the UHDA-P3 and 73.4% of the BT.2020 color spaces. These numbers are about right for a WOLED TV, but are starting to fall behind those of more premium OLEDs and RGB mini-LED TVs. Still the S85H’s colors were great overall.
The S85H also demonstrates strong contrast. In The Batman, which includes lots of scenes with lights cutting through the dark environments, such as in the Batcave and in aerial shots of Gotham, the S85H shows an excellent balance between these light and dark tones to create an authentic image. The same is true in Project Hail Mary, with both shots of space and scenes inside the ship showing the S85H’s powerful contrast and deep black levels.
Shadow detail is also great, with details and textures legible in challenging dark scenes, such as frames on the wall of Mayor Mitchell’s house in The Batman. I did notice during some particularly dark shots that the S85H was prone to some black crush, even in pitch-black viewing conditions. For the most part however, its contrast was impressive.
The S85H also demonstrated crisp textures in nearly every scene I watched, with people in particular looking true-to-life. This 3D-like level of detail was one of the S85H’s strengths over the LG B6E when I tested the two side-by-side, showcasing the effectiveness of the Real Depth Enhancer feature.
Finally, the S85H demonstrated very good motion for both sports and movies, although some setup is required. I found setting blur reduction to 3 and judder reduction between 3-5 (depending on the content and how fluid you want your picture) was the most effective. There were still some motion artefacts when watching a soccer match on Prime Video, with some blurring of textures in some shots, but the S85H was mostly effective.
- Picture quality score: 4.5 / 5
Samsung S85H review: Sound quality
- Great accuracy thanks to OTS Lite system
- Very good detail
- Soundstage and bass can be narrow
The S85H’s two-channel, 20W speaker system isn’t strong enough to allow you to skimp on a soundbar if you want powerful and immersive sound for action-heavy movies and shows, and doesn’t match up to step-up TVs, but is mostly fine for day-to-day viewing and some movies.
Watching the Batmobile scene from The Batman, the S85H’s strength lay in the accuracy of sound, showing how effective the OTS Lite system was. As the Batmobile swerved through traffic, screeching tires and car horns were mapped with real accuracy between the sound and action on the screen.
Impacts also generated some nice punch. As the Batmobile clatters through a barricade, the sound of scraping metal had some weight to it, and as the Batmobile’s engine revved, there was some punchy bass. However, when I pushed the volume, the bass did seem to fizzle out, and high-end sound could be a little harsh.
While I did hear some extension of sound from the frame of the screen, particularly during the aforementioned swerving manoeuvres, the sound felt contained to the rear of the screen, making it feel like the viewing experience was lacking some depth. Speech was mostly clear throughout, but could get lost at times. Again, you want a cinematic experience, I’d hook up a soundbar.
Samsung S85H review: Design
(Image credit: Future)
- Thin frame
- Two-position option for feet (55-inch)
- Lightweight build
The most striking thing visually about the S85H is how thin it is compared to rival TVs in this price range. It has a sleek, metal frame and a razor-thin depth that suggest a more premium price. Even its rear panel is fairly trim, with only a small bump to accommodate the connection ports.
For the 55-inch model I tested, two plastic feet were supplied which, while they felt a little cheap, were very easy to install. You can choose between two positions for the feet, narrow and wide, with the latter being very useful if you have a soundbar. The TV is also very light for a 55-inch model, but still felt sturdy when placed on a TV stand.
The S85H comes with Samsung’s SolarCell remote, which offers solar and USB-C charging. Its small size means it could get lost quite easily, but it feels light in the hand, and offers all the usual options (streaming app shortcuts, settings, power and volume).
Samsung S85H review: Smart TV & menus
- Tizen One UI platform
- Good number of picture settings
- Some frustrations with home screen
Samsung’s own Tizen serves as the smart TV platform for the S85H, and with it come a host of AI features via the Vision AI companion, which uses AI agents to help with content recommendation, lifestyle advice, and more general questions you might ask of a smart assistant (how long is a day on Jupiter was one of the example prompts). There are also a host of AI Picture and sound features via the AI Mode settings (found under the Advanced Features menu), such as AI Soccer Mode and Adaptive Sound Pro.
Tizen’s main three hubs on the main screen — For You, Live, and Game and Apps — host recommended content, live TV, gaming content and a general apps page respectively. These pages are generally laid out well, but do have banner ads that take up about a third of the page. I also found Samsung TV Plus autoplays on the For You page and can sometimes take over the page if left idle, which can be frustrating.
You can choose from a good number of picture settings, all housed in logical places within the settings menu. Some of these settings, such as Auto HDR Remastering for SDR content, can be effective. Sound settings are a bit more limited, and I’d have liked more than two sound mode options. Tizen is a solid interface overall, but doesn’t quite match up to LG’s webOS or Roku for ease-of-use.
- Smart TV and menus score: 4 / 5
Samsung S85H review: Gaming
- Four HDMI 2.1 ports
- Ultra-low 9.2ms input lag time
- Game hub
The S85H is an excellent choice for gaming. It has four HDMI 2.1 ports, perfect for multiple consoles, and all of these support 4K 120Hz, full VRR including FreeSync and G-Sync, ALLM and HDR10+ gaming. The featured Game Hub is a useful home for all things gaming, and offers quick access to a connected console and cloud gaming apps.
The S85H’s input lag registered 9.2ms at 4K 60Hz and 4.5ms at 1080p 120Hz, the latter of which is one of the lowest scores I’ve seen. This translates into actual gaming too. Playing Battlefield V, motion felt incredibly smooth with razor-sharp response times — extremely useful when faced with tons of enemies.
Picture-wise, the S85H’s brilliant quality is great for gaming. The colors of autumnal trees during one mission really popped on screen, while textures were very crisp, and, during night-time missions, black tones were deep and contrast was strong.
Samsung S85H review: Value
- Great value for money
- Brilliant performance and features
- Rival B6 is cheaper in most places
The 55-inch S85H I tested currently costs $999 / £999 / AU$1,999, which is very good for a budget OLED. Considering the features and performance it delivers, it’s great value for money overall.
Right now, its major rival, the LG B6, is cheaper in most places. A 55-inch LG B6 (or in some cases LG B6E, which isn’t markedly different from the standard B6) costs around $799 / £999 / AU$1,699. The B6 offers near-identical features and performance, so right now it’s the better deal.
The Samsung S90H is a notable step-up over the S85H, offering higher brightness, better picture quality and an anti-reflection screen for bright-room viewing. The 55-inch model costs $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,999, so if you’re in the UK and US and can stretch your budget, it’s worth the upgrade. Still, the S85H is good value overall, and I expect its prices will drop and fall more in line with those of the B6 as time goes on.
Should you buy the Samsung S85H?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
Also Consider
| Header Cell – Column 0 |
Samsung S85H |
LG B6 |
Samsung S90H |
TCL QM7L/C7L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Price (55-inch) (current) |
$999 / £999 / AU$1,999 |
$799 / £899 / AU$1,699 |
$1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2995 |
$699 / £849 / AU$1,395 |
|
Screen type |
OLED |
OLED |
OLED |
SQD mini-LED |
|
Refresh rate |
120Hz |
120Hz |
165Hz |
144Hz |
|
HDR support |
Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG |
Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG |
HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
Dolby Vision, HDR10+. HDR10, HLG |
|
Smart TV |
Tizen |
webOS 26 |
Tizen |
Google TV |
|
HDMI ports |
4x HDMI 2.1 |
4x HDMI 2.1 |
4 x HDMI 2.1 |
4 (2 x HDMI 2.1) |
How I tested the Samsung S85H
- Tested over a couple of weeks
- Testing using SDR and HDR sources in varying lighting conditions
- Measurements taken using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software
I first started my testing of the Samsung S85H with casual viewing to assess which picture mode was best, landing on Filmmaker and Movie modes for movies and TV and Standard for sports and broadcast TV.
I then tested the S85H using reference 4K Blu-ray, analyzing its color, contrast, textures and detail and motion, while also using SDR sports and daytime TV to analyze its upscaling capabilities.
Once these tests were complete, I took measurements using a Murido Six G 8K test pattern generator, a Jeti Spectral 15VA spectroradiometer profiled with the a Klein K-10A colorimeter, and recorded the measurements using Portrait Displays’ Calman color calibration software.
I tested the S85H’s brightness, measuring on a white window pattern in sizes 1-100%, with a focus on 10% peak and 100% fullscreen brightness, in both SDR and HDR.
I then measured its color and grayscale accuracy in SDR using Delta-E averages (the margin for error between the test pattern signal and what’s displayed on screen).
Next was HDR color gamut coverage, where I sued the UHDA-P3 (the color space used for 4K Blu-ray and digital cinema releases) and BT.2020 (becoming more commonly used) color spaces.
I also measured the S85H’s HDR EOTF, using 1,000, 4,000 and 10,000 nits targets, which shows the TV’s accuracy between light and dark tones. I also measured its Spectral Power Distribution, which measures its color performance.
Finally, I measured its input lag in both 4K 60Hz and 1080p 120Hz using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester.
Read our in-depth overview of how we test TVs at TechRadar.
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james.davidson@futurenet.com (James Davidson)
