Samsung S95D OLED review: The best 2024 OLED with OLED Glare Free tech

Welcome to 2024 and welcome to a new batch of Samsung TVs. A few of my TV reviews are coming out a little early this year as Samsung had a limited number of units available for reviewers this year, and we had to share. The 77″ Samsung S95D OLED was a popular one and sought after by most of us reviewers. So the company had to split up time with it on a conservative time frame. But, we did get a few weeks with the 77″ Samsung S95D OLED, and there are several reasons why we reviewers wanted to spend some time with it.

Estimated reading time: 16 minutes

Samsung’s Quantum Dot OLED tech is doing things that have been impressive over the past few years, and this year the addition of OLED Glare Free technology caught my eye. The 77″ size seems huge, but given that bezels are just about non-existent these days, this TV feels more like a 65″ from just two or three years ago. Let’s get right into the full review of the 77″ Samsung S95D OLED TV, the best 2024 OLED with OLED Glare Free tech.

Samsung S95D OLED The Quick Take

The 77″ Samsung S95D OLED TV is also available in 55″ and 65″ sizes, should 77″ be too large for you. Whatever size you’re looking at, the S95D is a fantastic buy, if you’re looking for an OLED TV. As usual, Samsung’s brilliant display is here with its punchy colors and vibrancy. Because this is an OLED, the blacks are also nice and dark, but without sacrificing the grey areas.

The big news here is the OLED Glare Free coating on this QD-OLED display. It is incredible and it works really well. OLED display’s can sometimes be so glossy that every little light source reflects on them. While the blacks will look great on those displays, sometimes it defeats the purpose when the glare is overwhelming.

This new OLED Glare Free technology, similar tech in the new Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, does a remarkable job of muting glare. This gave me a much more enjoyable viewing experience, and off-angle viewing was much improved. Some question what this will do to the color and vibrancy. I will say that we probably lost a bit of punchy color and vibrancy with the OLED Glare Free, but not enough to make me care.

The OLED Glare Free tech is well worth it, it improves the viewing experience with minimal loss of color performance, at least in my opinion. And for the first time, I am going to say that the user interface needs an update. It’s not that it is bad, it performs just fine. But I’d like to see an update that makes it more on par with Google TV and Apple TV.

The new 77″ Samsung S95D OLED TV is a winner and should be on your extreme short list if you’re looking for a big OLED TV.

Specifications

The 77″ Samsung S95D OLED has the following features and specifications:

• Screen Size: 77″
• Resolution: 3840 × 2160
• Refresh Rate: 144Hz
• Anti-Reflection: OLED Glare Free
• Picture Engine: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor
• HDR: OLED HDR Pro
• HDR 10+: Yes (Adaptive — Gaming)
• HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma): Yes
• Contrast: Self-illuminating pixels
• Color: Perceptual Color Mapping
• Viewing Angle: Ultra Viewing Angle
• Contrast Enhancer: Real Depth Enhancer
• Film Mode: Yes
• Expert Calibration: Yes
• Smart Calibration: Basic
• Picture Upscale: 4K AI Upscaling
• Filmmaker Mode: Yes
• Dolby Atmos: Yes
• Object Tracking Sound: OTS+
• Q-Symphony: Yes
• Sound Output (RMS): 70W
• Speaker Type: 4.2.2CH
• Bluetooth Audio: Yes
• Active Voice Amplifier: Yes
• Adaptive Sound: Adaptive Sound Pro
• Buds Auto Switch: Yes
• Operating System: Tizen Smart TV
• Bixby: Yes
• Far-Field Voice Interaction: Yes
• Built-in Voice Assistant: Alexa
• Samsung TV Plus: Yes
• Works with AI Speaker: Alexa, Google Assistant
• Web Browser: Yes
• SmartThings Hub / Matter Hub / IoT-Sensor Functionality: Yes
• HDMI: 4
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (Up to 144Hz/FPS)
• USB: 3 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C
• Ethernet (LAN): 1
• Digital Audio Out (Optical): 1
• RF In (Terrestrial / Cable input / Satellite input): 1/1 (Common Use for Terrestrial)/0
• HDMI Audio Return Channel: eARC
• Wireless LAN Adapter Support: Wi-Fi
• Wi-Fi: Yes (Wi-Fi 5)
• Bluetooth: Yes (BT5.2)
• Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC): Yes
• Package Size (WxHxD): 74.5 × 45.4 × 7.3
• Set Size with Stand (WxHxD): 67.6 × 41.3 × 11.3
• Set Size without Stand (WxHxD): 67.6 × 38.7 × 0.4
• Stand Footprint: 14.2 × 11.7 × 11.3
• One Connect Box: 14.2 × 1.3 × 13
• VESA Spec: 400 × 400 mm
• Package Weight: 119 pounds (ca. 54 kg)
• Set Weight with Stand: 88.2 pounds (ca. 40 kg)
• Set Weight without Stand: 62.2 pounds (ca. 28 kg)

What’s In The Box

• 77″ Samsung S95D OLED
• Stand and Hardware
• Cables
• TM-2360E Remote
• Manuals and Documentation

Design

Last year, I reviewed the 77″ Samsung S95C OLED. I only had a bit of time with that unit, but I walked away impressed. This year, I was able to get the 77″ Samsung S95D OLED TV for a bit longer, a full week, and in my own home.

The marquee design difference of the S95D is one we will get to in a bit. For now, let’s go over the rest of the TV, as it remains mostly the same in terms of looks and physical design. The 77″ Samsung S95D OLED TV remains thin and relative to a Neo-QLED TV, light.

Though, once you get the stand on this bad boy and install the One Connect Box, this guy can get heavy. But if we’re just talking the display without the stand or One Connect, yes, that is fairly light and actually great to wall mount.

As it was with last year’s model, the design is sleek and minimalistic and it will look good on any wall. And with Samsung’s art mode, you can display artwork and photos on it, so it’s not just a black slab on a wall when not in use. The TV is made from high-quality materials, including aluminum and glass, although due to its slim design and premium glass construction, it is fragile. I would highly recommend two people to unpack and set up this TV.

OLED TVs always get comments from people, and the Samsung S95D OLED TV isn’t any different. Because of the profile of this TV is about as thin as a smartphone, people will notice. If you mount it on the wall, because of the thin bezels, it will look as if it’s just floating there.

The stand is heavier than the TV itself and it flows with the TV design, minimal and sleek looking. It’s probably overkill for this TVs weight, but better safe than sorry. It’s plenty strong to hold the Samsung S95D OLED TV and it does provide a solid base, keeping it from swaying or moving.

There’s not much else to the TV itself; it’s like a pane of glass with a stand. The only connection to the back of the TV is the One Connect port. This is where you connect the One Connect box, and I love the One Connect box. The One Connect Box has been redesigned over the years, and it can be mounted to the angled portion of the stand or be tucked away with only the One Connect cable going to the TV. It blends in nicely on the stand of the Samsung S95D OLED TV.

Here are the connections you can expect to see on the One Connect, these will all give you connectivity to the Samsung S85D OLED TV:

• HDMI: 4
• HDMI 2.1: Yes (Up to 144Hz/FPS)
• USB: 3 x USB-A, 1 x USB-C
• Ethernet (LAN): 1
• Digital Audio Out (Optical): 1
• RF In (Terrestrial / Cable input / Satellite input): 1/1 (Common Use for Terrestrial)/0
• HDMI Audio Return Channel: eARC

Finally, the key design difference, at least in my view, is the new matte display. Gone is the glossy front which made these OLED TVs look like mirrors. In place is a new matte display which uses OLED Glare Free technology to help minimize heavy glare and light. More on that in the display section.

Overall, the Samsung S95D OLED TV is super similar to last year’s version but with some significant upgrades, especially in the display.

Display

So far, Samsung is the only TV maker willing to send me an OLED TV. Sony and LG, both big competitors, seem to want to shut me out of their ecosystem. But I’d imagine that those competitors are pretty similar to Samsung in terms of quality. I guess I won’t know until someone from those brands breaks down and sends me their OLED TVs, but I digress.

Like the S95B and S95C, the Samsung S95D OLED TV uses Quantum Dot technology alongside OLED. They call this QD-OLED technology, so many terms for TV tech these days, I know. Quantum Dot technology differs from what LG and others use in their OLED TVs and it offers a better quality, brighter picture.

Many OLED TVs have issues with brightness, they struggle to perform very well in brightly lit rooms. But not the Samsung S95D OLED TV, it’s a champ in bright rooms. And just like the Samsung S95D predecessors, the black levels are spectacular. I will throw this in here now, though. The new OLED Glare Free display technology does remove that shiny black look, so you might think black levels are different, but it’s due to that matte display. These black levels are spectacular and even more evident in darker rooms.

Samsung S95D Display Key Features

• Quantum HDR OLED Pro: Superb detail and viewing experience that delivers up to 70% brighter results than OLED HDR+. Rich contrast, deep inky blacks, and brighter whites.
• 4K AI Upscaling: Powered by Samsung’s NQ4 AI Gen2 processor, Samsung’s AI upscaling has always been one of the best. It uses AI neural networks to upscale content that it can upscale. This is what the company says about the processor in the Samsung S95D; “Samsung’s AI-powered 4K processor creates one of our best 4K experiences. Our 4K AI Upscaling technology powered by 20 AI neural networks transforms content into near-4K picture quality. Our NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor optimizes both picture and sound to deliver a near-4K experience whether you are streaming movies, playing your favorite video games, or watching live sports. With unique technologies such as perceptional color mapping and OLED brightness booster, NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor presents incredible brightness, color, contrast, and detail.“
• Motion Rate 200: See fast-moving scenes with minimal blur and judder, which gives you a smoother viewing experience.
• Adaptive Picture: This setting adjusts the picture settings to suit the level of ambient light in the room. Not a feature I enjoy, only because I prefer keeping the settings I want and not letting the TV do the work. But some may love this.
• Real Depth Enhancer: Samsung says this feature replicates how the human eye processes depth in real life. I need more time with this to really have an opinion. For now, let’s take them at their word.
• OLED Anti-Glare: Enjoy your favorite entertainment without closing the blinds. Our new OLED anti-glare technology significantly reduces glare from external light sources.

Overall, the Samsung S95D display is bright, contrasty, punchy, does excellent in well-lit rooms, has that OLED color richness, and add OLED Glare Free tech to it and winner-winner chicken dinner.

Setup

I won’t get to in detail with setup in this review. I have gone over setups of Samsung TVs in the past, and setting up the Samsung S95D is the same as every other one I’ve reviewed in the past four years.

Physical setup is simple, get the stand attached (or mount the TV to the wall), place it on your entertainment center, plug everything in. Though, I would recommend TWO people for TVs that are 65″ or larger. The Samsung S95D took three of us to set up, only because it’s not mine and I would rather not bust it up.

Once you have it physically set up, you can turn it on and follow the onscreen prompts.

• Setup via remote and input preferences — This is straightforward and involves you using the remote to choose preferences and login to all your accounts.
• Setup via SmartThings on your mobile — This is my preferred method, as it connects to my Samsung account and imports my previous settings from my previous TV. Super simple and recommended.

Overall, you will be up and running with your new Samsung S95D in no time, usually it takes me less than five minutes with the SmartThings App. Oh, and the solar cell remote is still the best in the TV business, every TV maker should make these. It is simple with minimal buttons and charges just sitting there.

Software/UI

I have always had good things to say about the Samsung UI (Smart Hub), and I still like it. It runs fine, it has all the apps you can ask for, and it even has free TV you can watch.

But this year, I have to say that this UI is feeling dated and could use a refresh. With Google TV and Apple TV out there, Samsung’s UI feels a bit behind in terms of aesthetics.

Samsung Tizen OS upscales your entertainment with the latest apps and services including Samsung TV Plus with 200+ free live TV channels and Gaming Hub with cloud gaming services (no console required), Daily+ where you can easily manage your daily activities, and SmartThings where you can control your smart devices from your TV. Samsung Tizen OS secures your privacy and personal information via Samsung Knox Security.

Samsung

Google TV’s interface has too many ads, Samsung’s has ads, but not as bad as Google. But, Google’s interface design is nicer looking and easier to navigate. Apple TV has no ads and it looks spectacular, the home screen has all your apps with no ads and is dead simple to move through.

Overall, Samsung’s UI has always been great and I have nothing against it now. I would just recommend a refresh for the next year, as this particular UI feels dated compared to some competition. I will say that it’s still better than some of LG and Sony’s offerings.

Sound Quality

The Samsung S95D sound is once again a shining star. These speakers, on the TV alone, produce some of the best sound you can find on any TV out there. Add a Samsung soundbar that is Q-Symphony compatible and you have a total package.

Samsung S95D Sound Key Features

• Object Tracking Sound: Enjoy rich 3D sound that moves with the action happening on screen. Object Tracking Sound adjusts the audio to follow the movement, while Dolby Atmos envelops you in cinematic surround sound—from strategically placed speakers behind the screen.
• SpaceFit Sound: Experience sound designed for your space with SpaceFit Sound. Big or small, long or wide, the best audio is customized for you. Just calibrate in minutes right on your TV.
• Q-Symphony Sound: Surround yourself with the sound of your TV and soundbar working in harmony. With Q-Symphony, your TV speakers and Q-Series soundbar operate as one. Together, they can optimize all the channels to bring you a masterfully orchestrated sound experience.
• Adaptive Sound Pro: ASP tech now features Active Voice Amplifier, which optimizes your sound and volume to clear up dialogue in movies and TV. It does this in real-time and based on ambient noise levels in the room.
• Dolby Atmos 4.2.2: Enjoy an immersive multi-directional sound experience, right in your own home. Your Samsung TV includes a 70W 4.2.2 channel sound system featuring built-in up, down and side-firing speakers with True Dolby Atmos support to deliver larger-than-life audio experiences.

Overall, the Samsung S95D sound system is spectacular. If you can only afford the TV and no soundbar, you will be just fine. But, if you can afford a Samsung soundbar to pair it with, then you’ll be in heaven. The sound on the Samsung S95D is fantastic.

Performance

The Samsung S95D performance is mostly covered in the display section but we’ll add a bit here about content consumption, particularly gaming. We tested the Samsung S95D using the built-in apps, an Xbox One X, and an Apple TV 4K.

The boring bit revolves around just general content consumption. Yes, content from the built-in apps and the Apple TV 4K looks incredible and everything runs smoothly. I had no issues with content or third-party devices at all. Spectacular performance.

Gaming is probably more interesting to most and the gaming experience has always been a great one on Samsung TVs, for me. Playing games such as Forza, Minecraft, Destiny, Star Wars, and many more was a pleasure and I experienced no dropped frames or stuttering.

Samsung 95D Performance Key Features

• Supports 4K 144Hz via HDMI 2.1: Gamers will love that this TV supports 4K 144Hz, which will level-up the gaming experience with motion enhancements. Graphics should be a lot crisper, especially for content that is moving fast. HDMI 2.1 provides you with access to ultra-high bandwidth with compatible devices.
• Gaming Hub: Samsung’s software attempt at aggregating your gaming content into one area. It’s fine, I don’t mind it. But I know some gamers do not like it. It’s really a very subjective thing.
• AI Auto Game Mode: This allows your TV to auto-detect your game type and select optimal settings for that game. Probably really great for gamers who aren’t too concerned about every aspect of their game. Hardcore gamers will most likely turn it off, as they know what settings they want and prefer.
• Game Bar: A nice, quick navigation bar that lets you access and control settings from within the game. This has always been an impressive feature, and still is.

Overall, the Samsung S95D is the best performing OLED TV that I’ve used this year. It’s spectacular with general content and gaming is off the chart.

Price/Value

The Samsung S95D OLED TV starts at $2,599 and goes up from there. Yes, this is a pricey OLED TV, but we think it’s well worth it. The upgraded performance, AI tech, and especially the OLED Glare Free tech makes it worth the price.

Wrap Up

If you’re looking for an OLED TV this year. Do not look past the Samsung S95D. Actually, don’t look any further because this TV should be in your home.

In some of our articles and especially in our reviews, you will find Amazon or other affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Any other purchases you make through these links often result in a small amount being earned for the site and/or our writers. Techaeris often covers brand press releases. Doing this does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service by Techaeris. We provide the press release information for our audience to be informed and make their own decision on a purchase or not. Only our reviews are an endorsement or lack thereof. For more information, you can read our full disclaimer.

Last Updated on April 11, 2024.