Samsung has gone from strength to strength with its OLED TV lineup since its return to the OLED market in 2022, starting with the Samsung S95B. Its mid-range model, the Samsung S90C, even managed to de-throne the LG C3 as our best overall TV pick in 2023, and then went on to become TechRadar’s TV of the year.
One of the best TVs I’ve tested to date is the Samsung S95D, which arrived in 2024 and introduced Samsung’s OLED Glare Free screen, a feature that effectively eliminates mirror-like reflections when viewing in bright rooms.
Cut to 2025, and the new Samsung S95F improves on its predecessor with an even better OLED Glare Free screen version, along with higher brightness. The S95F earned five stars in my review and it scored highly in both TechRadar’s casual OLED showdown and my personal OLED showdown, where in both instances it competed with three of 2025’s best OLED TVs: the LG G5, the Sony Bravia 8 II and the Panasonic Z95B.
The S95F is a premium TV with a premium price, but Samsung also has more affordable OLEDs in its lineup, such as the entry-level Samsung S85F. I tested the S85F and scored it four and a half stars out of five in my review, as it ticked a lot of the boxes OLED fans will look for.
The S85F costs significantly less than the S95F. A 65-inch S85F will set you back $1,499 / £1,899 / AU$1,999, while the S95F at the same screen size is priced at $2,999 / £2,699 / AU$5,299. So, the question is, what are you getting for that extra money when you buy the S95F? I put the two side by side to find out.
[A note about the photos below: the S95F (right) has a red tint in all these pictures due to its QD-OLED display panel, but did not have this same tint in person.]
Brightness
Brightness is the biggest difference between these two TVs. When I tested it, the S95F’s measured HDR peak brightness in Filmmaker Mode was 2,132 nits, while the S85F’s measured HDR peak brightness was 777 nits. For HDR fullscreen brightness, the S95F hit 390 nits and the S85F hit 147 nits, both again in Filmmaker Mode. (These numbers were roughly similar for Movie mode as well.)
This brightness gap was most apparent when viewing images with lighter colors, such as the snow scenes in both Top Gun: Maverick and the demo footage section from the Spears & Munsil UHD Benchmark 4K Blu-ray. The S95F’s higher brightness gave the light reflected on snow a more dazzling shine. The S85F, in comparison, lacked the same level of vibrancy. This was especially true in Movie mode, where the S95F appeared significantly brighter.
Color
Image 1 of 2
Both the S95F and S85F excelled when it came to color. Watching the ‘Wizard & I’ scene from Wicked with each TV set to Movie mode, both sets showcased accurate, rich colors, but the S95F’s higher brightness added even more vibrancy. For instance, in a shot where Elphaba stands under a tree, the pink flowers had a more vivid look on the S95F, and the same could be said for the green of the leaves and Elphaba’s skin.
It was a much closer-fought contest when I switched the TVs to Filmmaker Mode. In the same scene from Wicked, the S95F again had a brightness edge, but both showcased natural color with excellent detail.
Continuing with the Spears & Munsil demo footage, a field of red flowers had a brighter sheen on the S95F in Movie mode, though it remained a closer match with both TVs set to Filmmaker Mode. In a shot of an orange butterfly, the S85F actually looked the more realistic of the two in Movie mode, with the orange color appearing a touch oversaturated on the S95F.
Dark scenes and contrast
Image 1 of 2
With darker scenes, such as a neon-lit Ferris wheel against a dark sky in the Spears & Munsil footage, both TVs showcased excellent blacks. Viewed in dimmed room lighting conditions, the S85F and S95F looked evenly matched here in both Movie and Filmmaker Mode, demonstrating the consistency of the deep blacks in OLED TVs at any price level.
To judge differences in contrast and shadow detail between the two, I used The Batman, a torture test for dark scene handling on TVs due to its low brightness. Needless to say, in dim conditions, both TVs had superb contrast and shadow detail.
In the opening subway fight and crime scene sequences, bright tones from lamps and torches contrasted well with the dark surroundings on both TVs. The S95F’s contrast was stronger due to its higher brightness, but the S85F also looked good. Both TVs displayed excellent shadow detail, with bookcases and paintings still visible against the dark walls. The S85F had raised dark tones in places compared to the S95F, but the difference was minimal.
There is no denying the effectiveness of the S95F’s Glare Free screen, a feature exclusive to Samsung’s flagship TVs. With overhead lights turned on in our testing room, mirror-like reflections of objects within the room could be seen on the S85F’s screen, whereas the S95F eliminated them while still displaying rich blacks.
Watching The Batman in brighter lighting conditions was difficult with the S85F due to screen reflections, which had the effect of reducing contrast and detail, whereas the same movie was still watchable on the S95F.
Both TVs displayed realistic-looking textures, giving details such as hair and facial marks a 3D-like quality. The S95F’s superior contrast gave its picture more depth and crispness, but the S85F still looked true-to-life in its own right.
Putting these two TVs side-by-side, it’s clear the S95F is the superior TV, thanks to its higher brightness, bolder colors and effective anti-glare screen. The S95F also comes with more gaming features, has better built-in sound (although both TVs would benefit from one of the best soundbars) and a sleeker design with its external One Connect Box for connecting sources to the TV.
But, in the end, the S95F’s $1,500 / £800 / AU$3,300 higher asking price over the S85F (for the 65-inch model) is a very tough gap to justify. Yes, the S95F is a phenomenal TV, but the S85F’s features and performance would make a lot of viewers happy.
For my money, the S85F is better value, hitting the sweet spot of features and performance vs price. If you have the means to buy the flagship S95F, it is the better choice, but those who opt for the S85F won’t be disappointed.
You might also like
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/sy6KL63dkYroGyPTTfFiRk.jpg
Source link
james.davidson@futurenet.com (James Davidson)
