In a year that saw multiple high-profile TV launches, the Samsung S95F stands out as TechRadar’s choice for the overall best TV of 2025.
The Samsung S95F started its journey toward that recognition by first earning five out of five stars in our Samsung S95F review. For most TVs, that would be enough, but we weren’t quite done with the S95F. Samsung’s flagship OLED next participated in TechRadar’s flagship OLED TV showdown, a side-by-side comparison of four models, where it won in several categories and tied with the LG G5 as the best overall OLED TV – but beat the LG in more categories.
TechRadar readers voted the Samsung S95F as the best OLED TV for the TechRadar Choice Awards, which meant it also edged out the LG G5 in that category. So, the Samsung S95F won its places as the best OLED TV, but why did it also earn the overall best TV of 2025 award?
Bringing OLED into the light
OLED TVs have traditionally been regarded as a good option for viewing in dim or dark viewing conditions. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that past OLED TVs have had limited brightness compared to the best mini-LED TVs, especially when it comes to fullscreen brightness.
The second is that a dim, home theater-type viewing environment is needed to appreciate the deep black levels and detailed shadows that the best OLED TVs can be counted on to deliver, because reflections in bright rooms will overtake dark areas.
These limitations have helped to keep OLED TVs in the dark, but in 2024, Samsung introduced a new OLED Glare Free screen with its Samsung S95D model. This matte coating proved very effective at eliminating screen glare, which made it possible to view with the S95D in bright rooms without having to contend with annoying reflections.
While OLED Glare Free managed to rid the screen of reflections, it also tended to elevate black levels in images – something we commented upon in our review. But with the S95F, Samsung introduced a second-gen version of OLED Glare Free that improves upon the original through its ability to maintain deeper blacks, even when viewing in bright rooms.
A new QD-OLED display panel with notably higher brightness compared than the previous model also contributes to the Samsung S95F’s performance in bright viewing environments, and this was a key factor in our best TV of 2025 consideration. The S95F isn’t just a fantastic OLED TV, but a great all-around TV that can go head-to-head with many mini-LED TVs when it comes to brightness.
The other best stuff
A bright, detailed picture is just one of many things to admire about the Samsung S95F. It has a razor-thin design that uses Samsung’s One Connect Box for external connections, keeping installations neat and tidy. And Samsung’s rechargeable SolarCell remote is about as eco-friendly as remote controls get, with both solar and USB-C charging capabilities.
Despite its ultra-slim form factor, the S95F packs a 4.2.2-channel, 70W speaker array that delivers clear dialogue and surprisingly impactful bass. Dolby Atmos is supported, and the TV’s Object Tracking Sound+ feature accurately maps sound effects to the onscreen action.
Samsung’s Tizen 9.0 smart TV platform in the S95F is the company’s best version yet, and features content hubs for categories such as gaming, Daily+ (lifestyle and work apps), and Ambient. That last one is for screensavers that can be displayed when the TV is in standby mode, and it also features the Samsung Art Store, a new addition for 2025.
Samsung TVs have long put a focus on gaming, and the S95F is no exception. Its four HDMI ports support 4K 165Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, ALLM, and HDR10+ gaming, and the Samsung Gaming Hub features popular apps such as Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Luna. Input lag is an impressive 9.5ms, which is about as low as it gets with TVs.
And those connections can all be found in an external connection box, called the One Connect, which takes power and image over to the actual screen in a single cable. That means the screen is thinner, and the whole package is a dream for wall-mounting, since the connection box can be hidden away.
We’d like to say that the Samsung S95F is also easy on the wallet, but that’s never going to be the case with a premium, cutting-edge TV like this one. But if you’ve got the money, the S95F is the best TV to arrive in 2025, and in a year packed with excellent TV choices, that is saying quite a bit.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/oc4gX76GLKwVWZ2eCYZJBY-2560-80.jpg
Source link
al.griffin@futurenet.com (Al Griffin)
