Samsung is embarking on a dynamic strategy for its premium TV lineup for 2024. The company has organized its top-tier and high-quality TV models into three distinct categories: 8K Neo-QLED, 4K OLED, and 4K Neo-QLED. Leading the charge in the final category is the QN95D, which stands as Samsung’s premier 4K Neo-QLED model.

The QN95D joins an elite group of remarkable TVs – including the S95D and QN900D, representing the 4K OLED and 8K Neo-QLED categories, respectively. Both models have received glowing reviews. So, can the QN95D clinch a perfect trifecta for Samsung?

Price

At £3299 (around $4195 / AU$6340), the 65-inch Samsung QN95D (QE65QN95D) is definitely positioned as a flagship TV. If 65 inches isn't your ideal size, the QN95D comes in 55-, 75-, and 85-inch variants, though it's worth noting that certain specs, like the number of dimming zones, may change with different sizes.

While the 65-inch QN95D comes with a hefty price tag, it's notably more affordable than its predecessor, the QN95C, which was launched at £3699 for the 65-inch model. So, there's a significant price drop of about £400 – a considerable saving.

This premium TV does face tough competition, including from within Samsung's own lineup: the outstanding S95D QD-OLED is priced at £3599 / $3400 / AU$4999. Although not identical in pricing, the difference isn't vast, and you might also be weighing the QD-OLED option – more on performance comparisons later.

Interestingly, the QN95D doesn't seem to be available in the US or Australia, where the top-rated model currently is the QN90D, which is considered a step-down model in the UK.

Design

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Key Features

• Elegant Aesthetics: Clean lines and minimalist elements make each product a timeless addition to any setting.

• High-Quality Materials: Durability meets luxury with top-tier materials chosen for their long-lasting properties and sophisticated appearance.

• Cutting-Edge Technology: Our design integrates the latest tech innovations, making every item as advanced as it is attractive.

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The Samsung QN95D looks practically identical to the QN95C it's replacing. It features Samsung’s 'Infinity One' design, so the bezels around the screen are pleasingly slim and modern-looking, and it has a centrally mounted pedestal that connects to a rectangular metal base plate. While it’s a shame that the stand doesn’t have a swivel function, we’ll take the fact that it will fit on practically any entertainment unit (even a fairly narrow one) as a win. You can, of course, wall mount this TV if you so desire, using its 400 x 400mm standard VESA mounting points.

While we’d recommend having the front of the TV facing your sofa for the optimal viewing experience, it has to be said that the QN95D also looks quite tidy from the back. It has a ridged finish, with a selection of grooves to hold your cables, helping to prevent the common issue of messy, tangled wires being shoved behind your cabinet. Better yet, the stand features a detachable back plate, which means you can route cables through it for an even tidier arrangement. These cables will be plugging directly into the TV as, unlike the S95D, the QN95D does not feature a One Connect box.

The premium look is rounded out with slender, metallic-looking edges that give the TV a visual appeal no matter what angle you view it from. The flat rails look suitably premium and the set is much thinner than some other notable Mini LED TVs we’ve seen recently, such as the TCL C845K.

We'll conclude with the remotes, of which there are two. One is a traditional, button-heavy handset, the other is Samsung’s Solar Cell Remote. The latter is a smart, simplistic, and environmentally friendly option that features a non-removable rechargeable battery that (as the name suggests) uses solar energy to charge – although it can be plugged in via a USB-C cable for a top-up if needed. Both remotes feel quite plasticky in the hand, and we much prefer the metal remotes with backlit buttons often found with Sony, Panasonic, and Philips sets.

Features

Our product comes packed with an array of features designed to cater to your every need. From its robust build quality to its user-friendly interface, every element has been carefully crafted to enhance your experience.

• Durable Design: Engineered to withstand the test of time, offering both resilience and reliability.

• User-Friendly Interface: Simple and intuitive, allowing everyone to navigate with ease, regardless of tech-savviness.

• Seamless Connectivity: Stay connected with advanced Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies for uninterrupted interactions.

• Innovative Features: Packed with the latest in technological advancements to deliver top-notch performance.

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If you’re unfamiliar with Neo QLED and the thought of memorizing another screen technology abbreviation makes you sigh, don't worry. This is simply Samsung’s term for combining a Mini LED backlight with Quantum Dots. It’s a 4K VA LCD panel with 1344 individually controlled zones on the 65-inch model we have here. Samsung has also integrated its wide viewing angle technology to ensure consistent picture quality from various positions.

Samsung is also heavily integrating AI this year, evident in the Neo Quantum 4K AI Gen 2 Processor found in this model, shared with the S95D. This processor not only plays a crucial role in the backlight’s local dimming function but also powers a host of AI-enhanced features in this TV.

The AI Gen 2 processor taps into over 20 separate neural networks, which significantly enhance upscaling from standard definition and 1080p content to 4K. It also provides a three-dimensional effect to images using the Real Depth Enhancer Pro system. Alongside this, Samsung's Auto HDR remastering feature attempts to convert SDR content into HDR. While it's not a dramatic transformation, it can make a noticeable difference, though purists might prefer to leave it off.

Regarding high dynamic range, the QN95D supports HDR10, HLG, and HDR10+. However, Dolby Vision is absent once again, though Dolby Atmos support is included for audio. Samsung’s Q Symphony audio feature, which syncs the TV's speakers with those of a compatible Samsung soundbar via HDMI eARC, is also present.

Speaking of HDMI, Samsung offers a robust gaming setup on the QN95D, featuring four HDMI 2.1 sockets on the rear, each capable of handling full 48GB bandwidth signals. This means 4K/120Hz gaming with VRR and ALLM will work regardless of which socket is used. This setup is perfect for those with the latest generation consoles and a soundbar or AVR, as it allows for optimal gaming performance without compromising on audio quality.

The QN95D itself features a 4.2.2 channel sound system rated at 70W of power. Samsung’s AI influence extends here as well, with Active Voice Amplifier Pro and Adaptive Sound Pro technologies. The former enhances dialogue in scenes with lots of competing sound effects, while the latter uses AI to optimize sound based on room characteristics and content.

Samsung’s smart system remains familiar but includes a few new additions for 2024. The full-screen interface might seem overwhelming to some due to the sheer number of apps, services, and settings. Samsung organizes these into three categories: entertainment, gaming, and lifestyle. While the app compatibility is solid, we did notice a few gaps.

Popular apps like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Disney Plus, and Paramount Plus are available, but some UK-specific streaming services are missing. ITV X and Channel 5 are included, but our unit lacked access to the BBC iPlayer and Channel 4 apps. Samsung has assured us that these will be added soon, though no specific date was provided.

Gaming-specific streaming services like Xbox, Amazon Luna, and GeForce Now are available through the Game Hub system menu. Users can connect controllers, including Xbox and PlayStation gamepads, over Bluetooth directly to the TV to play a variety of games online.

Picture

The visuals on this device are truly outstanding. Its high-resolution display ensures that every image is crisp, clear, and vibrant. Whether you are watching a movie or viewing photos, you'll be captivated by the brilliance and detail on screen.

Vibrant Colors

The color accuracy is top-notch, with a wide color gamut that brings every shade to life. You can enjoy an immersive experience regardless of what you're watching.

Sharp Details

Each pixel is finely tuned to produce sharp and distinct details. This makes everything from text to elaborate graphics appear clear and stunning. The high pixel density ensures that there are no visible pixels, just smooth, lifelike visuals.

• High-resolution display

• Vibrant and accurate colors

• Exceptionally sharp details

Perfect for Multimedia

This display is ideal for all kinds of multimedia. Whether streaming videos, gaming, or simply browsing images, the high-quality screen elevates your experience to new levels.

The Samsung QN95D impresses in the picture quality department, boasting bright, crisp, and well-balanced visuals. However, side by side with a 65-inch S95D, its Mini LED displays some deficiencies. We've hooked up the Panasonic DP-UB820EB and scoured our 4K Blu-ray collection, including favorites like Oppenheimer, Blade Runner 2049, and Pan. We also tested 1080p (True Grit on Blu-ray) and standard definition (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) content to evaluate this TV’s performance across various formats.

The QN95D makes a striking first impression with its superior brightness compared to its QD-OLED cousin. This becomes evident right from the Oppenheimer Blu-ray disc menu, and it continues throughout the film. Outdoor scenes are vibrant and punchy without appearing unnatural, and bursts of sunlight through windows give characters’ faces a captivating glow.

Switching between Filmmaker and Movie mode while watching Oppenheimer revealed an interesting insight: although Filmmaker mode offers greater accuracy, Movie mode provides a more enjoyable experience with its heightened brightness and contrast. Both modes deliver well-balanced colors, though the S95D exhibits subtler variations, and neither mode struggles with motion.

Skin tones are also well-handled, with a lively glow that avoids the overly orange hue seen in some previous Samsung models. Colors remain vivid and engaging, with the TV’s crisp, detailed rendering adding to the enjoyment of bright and sharp scenes.

We tested Pan, an ultra-bright film mastered at 4000 nits, pushing the Mini LED to its limits. The QN95D’s enhanced brightness adds a vivid charm, outshining the S95D QD-OLED in brightness despite the latter’s impressive quantum dot technology.

Returning to Oppenheimer, the QN95D excels in shadow detail, revealing fine textures and patterns in dark suits with clarity that the S95D occasionally misses. Lapels and stripes on suit jackets that blend into darkness on the S95D remain distinct on the QN95D.

However, the QN95D isn’t without its flaws. Noticeable blue halos around bright objects can be distracting, especially during certain scenes. In a black-and-white segment of Oppenheimer, a peculiar blue tint mars the picture, particularly around wall-mounted candelabras and overhead lights, even in the ‘Warm 2’ Color Temperature setting.

The S95D handles black-and-white content better, displaying a richer, more authentic sepia-toned white that’s easier on the eyes. Overall, the S95D also provides a more three-dimensional and impactful viewing experience due to superior contrast handling.

Let's dive into the issue of blooming. In a night scene where spotlights illuminate a strip of land leading up to the testing site, the S95D's OLED panel truly shines with its precise light control, creating an impactful visual effect. Conversely, the Mini LED-powered QN95D struggles here, producing unsightly light halos around the spotlights and a murky navy tinge that spoils the rest of the scene. Adjusting the local dimming and Contrast Enhancer settings doesn't significantly improve the picture quality.

On a brighter note, when we switch to some 1080p content with True Grit on Blu-ray, the QN95D impresses. The movie displays with exceptional clarity and vivid colors, effortlessly handling lower resolution content. Every detail, from skin textures to the sandy ground of the Western town, appears sharp and well-defined.

However, when we go even lower in resolution to a DVD segment of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, the results are mixed. Expectedly, the lower resolution brings about softer edges on objects and characters, blocky foliage, and less nuanced colors. Despite this, the QN95D manages to retain certain critical details, particularly in faces, which remain clear with some discernible skin texture.

Sound

We're using our reliable Blade Runner 2049 disc to test the sound, particularly focusing on a notoriously challenging scene brimming with bass and atmospheric sounds. The Flight To The LAPD track, playing as Officer K returns to his base in the dystopian metropolis, falls short on the QN95D with its disappointing bass response, despite the higher frequencies sounding clear.

Moreover, the TV struggles to project sound effectively into the room and to impress with its dynamics. However, it does manage to extend sound vertically, giving a more spacious feel to the soundtrack and dialogue.

When it comes to speech, dialogue is clear and understandable, although the built-in sound system lacks in terms of low-level dynamics, causing us to miss some nuanced details in the actors' delivery.

Switching the TV to Amplify Mode in the sound settings offers some improvements. The sound opens up slightly and projects better, but this mode negatively impacts the bass. The deep, warbling bassline loses its sync with the rest of the track, resulting in an unpleasant listening experience. As always, we recommend using a Dolby Atmos soundbar for superior home cinema sound.

Verdict

The product stands true to its reputation, delivering exceptional performance that aligns with what users expect from top-tier offerings. With a seamless blend of innovative technology and user-friendly features, it brilliantly caters to a diverse audience, ensuring an enriching experience for all.

Highlights:

• Robust build quality and elegant design

• Excellent audio and visual output

• User-friendly interface

In conclusion, whether you’re a tech enthusiast or a casual user, this product promises to enhance your daily routine with its stellar features and reliable performance. Don't miss out on the opportunity to elevate your experience with a choice that merges style, functionality, and advanced technology perfectly.

Samsung’s Neo-QLED offers an impressive array of features. Its sharp and engaging picture quality hits the mark, making it a top choice, especially for avid console gamers. The TV’s vibrant brightness excels in creating dazzling highlights and revealing dark details that other models might miss.

However, a few aspects prevent it from achieving perfection. Some distracting visual quirks and an average sound system can be frustrating, and the blooming effect in dark scenes is particularly disappointing.

In comparison, the S95D, priced similarly, features a stunning QD-OLED panel that delivers a deeper, richer, and more cinematic picture. While it may not achieve the same brightness, the S95D’s excellent contrast handling makes it a better option for most.