The S95C is Samsung’s latest OLED TV, ranging in size from 55 to 77 inches. Steven Cohen / Insider JUMP TO Chapter Chevron Icon This indicates an expandable chapter or menu or sometimes previous/next navigation options.
- Video performance
- Design
- Smart TV experience
- Specifications
- Should you buy the Samsung S95C 4K OLED TV?
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The Samsung S95C is one of the best 4K TVs you can buy in 2023. With an OLED panel for infinite contrast, quantum dots for rich color and an ultra-slim design, the TV checks almost every box you should be looking for in a high-end display.
However, compared to last year’s already impressive S95B, the S95C doesn’t offer much of a performance jump. Don’t get me wrong, there are major improvements here that are definitely worth checking out, including higher peak brightness and 144Hz gaming support, but these improvements aren’t enough to justify the current price difference between this new model and the model. 2022 S95B. At least not for most people.
The 65-inch S95C (its flagship size) has an MSRP of $3,300. While that’s on par with other 2023 TVs in this class, like the LG G3, it’s roughly $1,500 more than what the 2022 typically sells for. S95B. Big-time home theater enthusiasts with big pockets won’t be disappointed with the S95C’s performance (it’s top-notch), but there are TVs that offer slightly lower picture quality for a much lower price.
Note: Our review unit is the 77-inch model with an MSRP of $4,500, but performance specs remain the same for all sizes. There is also a 55-inch model with an MSRP of $2,500.
Samsung 65-inch S95C 4K OLED TV The S95C is Samsung’s 2023 flagship. OLED TV. It offers a sharper image than last year’s model, with a higher refresh rate and a sleeker design. Most people will be happy with the cheaper S95B, but this new model is undeniably impressive. It is available in 77, 65 and 55 inch screen sizes.
Shop on Amazon. Shop at Walmart. Shop at Best Buy. What works
- One of the brightest OLED panels on the market
- Quantum dots provide industry-leading color volume
- 144 Hz refresh rate ensures smooth PC gaming
- Uniformly slim design
Who needs a job?
- Not a huge technological leap over last year’s model
- No Dolby Vision support
- As with all OLED TVs, there is some risk of burn-in in extreme cases
One of the brightest OLED TVs to date
The Samsung S95C is one of the brightest OLED TVs we’ve tested, with amazing high dynamic range performance. Steven Cohen / Insider Like its S95B predecessor, the S95C delivers truly top-notch video performance, with specs that rival this year’s top contenders, the LG G3 and Sony A95L. The OLED panel provides pixel-level contrast, while the quantum dots used in the TV help achieve the highest level of color range and loudness.
While overall video performance is very similar to the 2022 S95B, the S95C improves on that model in one important area: sharpness. The S95B peaked at around 1,050 nits in movie mode, while the S95C peaked at around 1,360 nits. That’s about a 30% increase, which is impressive. Colors are also well maintained, and the high color gamut outperforms OLED panels that don’t use quantum dots (such as LG).
This means that the TV can even better achieve the intended contrast level of high dynamic range (HDR) content, and the most important brightness really comes through on the screen. It also provides better performance in rooms with more outside light, so you can still enjoy great picture quality during the day. And best of all, we boost brightness while maintaining the perfect black levels that OLED TVs are known for.
When watching movies and shows, these impressive specifications ensure a great picture. The opening scene of The Matrix on 4K Blu-ray video shows inky black levels and solid shadow detail. The police officer’s flashlights feature striking highlights that really show off the benefits of the OLED panel’s precise contrast.
Aquaman also rocks the S95C. The film’s vibrant color palette looks rich and desaturated, and the film’s climactic underwater battle is vivid and full of intricate detail. The display’s quantum dots and increased color volume help achieve a level of intensity in smaller highlights that dimmer OLED models simply can’t achieve.
The S95C’s OLED panel maintains excellent colors and contrast even when viewing the screen from the side. Steven Cohen/Insider Gradients are also smooth, with only a faint hint of vertical banding in the grayscale test models. The TV also coped well with our test scene in Ex Machina, with background colors remaining consistent when hitting bright red light. As with all OLED TVs, viewing angles are excellent.
When it comes to gaming, the S95C offers all the bells and whistles buyers should be looking for, including variable refresh rates (FreeSync and G-Sync compatible, automatic low-latency mode, and 120Hz support for PS5 and Xbox Series X). The S95C also supports an even higher 144Hz refresh rate when connected to a compatible PC. Last year’s S95B could technically do this too, but the feature wasn’t officially supported and had performance issues.
On the downside, Samsung still doesn’t support Dolby Vision, which is an advanced HDR format that tells the TV how to properly render colors and brightness. Instead, Dolby Vision content will be played in standard HDR10, which isn’t as accurate, but the S95C’s HDR10 performance is so strong that most people probably won’t notice the difference if you compare it to a high-end Dolby Vision TV. There’s also support for HDR10+, which offers many of the same benefits as Dolby Vision, but the format isn’t used by nearly as many 4K Blu-ray discs or streaming titles.
Like all OLED TVs, the S95C is technically a burn-in hazard. Burn-in can occur if you leave a static image on the screen for hours, resulting in a blurry shadow image stuck on the screen. While OLED owners should be aware of this, it won’t affect users with normal viewing habits.
Equally slim design, but uses an external box for inputs
At just 0.4 inches thick, the S95C has an impressively slim design. Steven Cohen/Insider
As a premium TV, the S95C certainly looks the part. The screen has an elegant design and is almost bezel-less. And unlike last year’s S95B, this model maintains a slim 0.4-inch profile.
To achieve this elegant design, all the TV’s ports and processing components are housed in a separate One Connect Box. The box is connected to the screen, then all video devices are connected to the box. The older S95B protrudes up to 1.6 inches at the bottom to accommodate all the ports, but it’s technically thinner at its thinnest point, just 0.15 inches.
The One Connect box fits perfectly right on the TV stand. Steven Cohen/Insider On the one hand, this design gives the S95C’s panel a stunningly narrow design, but it also means you have to deal with an extra component. Fortunately, the box can be attached directly to the back of the stand included with the TV, making it easy to hide. It can also be attached to the back of the TV if you are wall mounting.
A great smart TV experience
The Samsung Smart TV interface is easy to navigate. Steven Cohen/Insider
in 2023 Samsung’s smart TV experience hasn’t changed, so in this department the S95C performs almost identically to last year’s S95B. Samsung’s OS works well with easy access to all major streaming apps, and the TV supports built-in Bixby and Alexa. Google Assistant is also supported, but requires a separate device.
Last year’s Game Center also returns, where you’ll find support for cloud services like Xbox Game Pass. This means Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can stream Xbox games directly to their TV without a console. As I noted in my S95B review, this feature is a nice perk, but performance is highly dependent on your internet connection. At present than the situation when playing on a real console, the experience is still much better.
Samsung’s compact remote gets the job done, and its SolarCell design means you’ll never have to worry about batteries. Instead, the remote can continuously charge itself through the lighting in your room. All you have to do is turn it over. USB-C charging is also supported. On the downside, I still hate that Samsung disabled the dedicated settings button from the remote. If you want to adjust the picture, you must first navigate through the information screen.
Samsung S95C 65-inch OLED 4K TV: Specs
spec
Samsung 65 inch S95C 4K OLED TV
Resolution
3840x2160p
HDR formats
HDR10, HDR10+, HLG
Panel type
QD-OLED (OLED with quantum dots)
Refresh rate
120Hz (up to 144Hz PC gaming)
Game features
NVIDIA G-Sync, FreeSync Premium, VRR, ALLM
HDMI ports
Four HDMI 2.1 ports
Remote
SolarCell remote control with Bixby and Alexa support
Dimensions
56.8 inches (W) x 32.7 in. (H) x 0.4 in. (G) without stand
Weight
41.7 pounds without stand
Should you buy the Samsung S95C 4K OLED TV?
The Samsung S95C is a prime contender for one of the best high-end TVs of 2023. Steven Cohen/Insider
If you’re on a budget and want the absolute best picture quality on the market, the Samsung S95C should be at the top of your shopping list. But at $3,300 (65-inch model), there’s no denying that this is an expensive TV.
You can still pick up a 2022 for $1,500 less. the S95B version of this display, which provides similar performance. The new S95C is sharper, has a higher refresh rate and an equally slim design, but we just don’t think most people will find those perks worth the extra money. Also, the S95C is the only model of the two with a 77-inch screen, making it a clear choice for anyone who wants an extra-large Samsung OLED.
Home theater enthusiasts looking to shell out the dough for the absolute best 4K TV should also keep in mind that LG and Sony have new flagships coming in 2023. OLEDs that are ready to compete with the S95C. The LG G3 just hit stores for the same price as the S95C. It doesn’t use quantum dots, but promises a similar level of brightness on paper. The Sony A95L, meanwhile, uses quantum dots, and its specs may deliver an even better picture than Samsung’s TV, but it’s likely to cost more when it hits stores later this year.
Shop on Amazon. Shop at Walmart. Shop at Best Buy. Steven Cohen Technical Editor Steven is a technical editor on the Insider Reviews team, where he oversees streaming and home entertainment product coverage. He previously served as gear editor for High-Def Digest from 2013 to 2019, and his work has appeared on Ben’s Bargains, Steve’s Digicams, Big Picture Big Sound, and Consequence of Sound. In his nine years of experience in the audio-visual industry, Steven has reviewed many televisions, headphones, speakers, monitors, streaming players and more. He was one of a select group of journalists invited to get a first hands-on look at LG’s first 8K OLED TV in 2019, and is always excited to check out the latest and greatest screens on the market. Drawing on his extensive experience in the home cinema industry, Steven was one of the expert judges in 2018. TV Shootout is an annual screen competition that crowns the best TVs of the year. Steven also has a background in film criticism, having reviewed over 400 films and TV shows. He uses his film industry knowledge to help inform the streaming and home entertainment markets. Steven’s own home theater setup showcases his passion for entertainment, with a 65-inch HDR screen and the largest Dolby Atmos speaker system he can fit in his apartment. And while he often spends his free time creating new series for every streaming service under the sun, he’s still proud of his massive Blu-ray collection. Below you will find some of his work.
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