Samsung’s OLED Glare Free panel treatment on both the S95H and S90H is certified to diffuse direct lighting and minimise reflections. During hands-on time, I got to test it up close, and it’s very impressive; you can shine a torch directly at it and it doesn’t bounce back.
Here are the details on Glare Free and our thoughts on the new Samsung S95H and S90H OLED TVs.
Samsung OLED Glare Free: What it does
Both the Samsung S95H and S90H have Glare Free certification, and it’s a differentiator for anyone viewing in a bright living room.
In a well-lit room with overhead lighting or a daylight window, Glare Free makes a difference. During dark scenes, overhead lights don’t create distracting reflections and ambient light is minimised to maintain even contrast across the screen.
It’s not all positives, though. The coating noticeably raises black levels if you’re viewing in a bright environment, and some people find reduced sharpness compared to glossy panels. That means the deep blacks OLEDs are known for become one step closer to grey in less-than-ideal circumstances.
Samsung S95H and S90H OLEDs in person
Both of these TVs share more than just the Glare Free treatment. They have the same panel, the same processor, and even share most of the same features.
Samsung S90H
The S90H features an ultra-slim design typical of most OLEDs. From front to back it’s extremely thin, with the hardware housed in a thicker module low down on the rear of the TV. It sports a very thin bezel that provides minimal distraction from what’s on-screen.
The S90H features 2.1 audio built in, and it sounds decent out of the box but a soundbar would go a long way to elevate the listening experience.
Most of its other features are shared with the S95H, including HDR10+ compatibility, a fast NQ4 AI processor supporting upscaling and automatic picture adjustment, and a shared panel technology.
Samsung S95H
The S95H adds the “FloatLayer Design,” a flush wall mount with a metal backplate. Samsung frames this as a lifestyle statement model similar to The Frame, allowing it to blend in with your other decor.
The S95H is the first and only Samsung OLED model to support the Art Store. Select curated artworks are available as a complimentary option, but for access to other artworks you’ll need to pay an additional monthly or yearly subscription fee. To accomplish static images on the OLED screen, Samsung limits the brightness and utilises pixel shifting so that no pixel stays the same for too long.
The Wireless One Connect box provides wireless transmission of video and audio signal up to 10 metres away, keeping cables and hardware tucked away for a clean install. Samsung says this introduces latency up to 10ms, meaning it remains suitable for all but the most competitive gamers. Unfortunately the Wireless One Connect box is also an optional extra purchase even at this high price.
It provides inbuilt 4.2.2 channel audio that delivers decent bass, but a dedicated soundbar or hi-fi system still adds a lot to the experience.
Both Models
Both models share the same NQ4 AI Gen3 processor for fast UI performance, upscaling, and image enhancement features. This also enables the Vision AI Companion feature that puts AI tools on your TV with out-of-the-box access to Copilot and Perplexity.
The S90H and S95H provide HDR10+ compatibility, but as with other Samsung models there’s no support for Dolby Vision.
Both TVs are a great companion to gaming consoles and PCs, reaching 165Hz refresh rate with G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro compatibility.
Samsung’s remotes are easy to use and feature both a solar panel and USB-C connection for simple recharging.
Is the premium worth it?
There’s no arguing with the image quality on either of these OLED TVs. I watched Godzilla Minus One on the S95H and it produced an excellent image with detailed shadows. Filmmaker Mode brought the best image and colour, but the brightness dropped to a point where some may find it doesn’t compete with overhead lights. Subtitles remained very bright in Filmmaker Mode to the point where switching modes was preferable.
I used the anime Sleepy Princess In The Demon Castle for testing upscaling and colours, and the S95H delivered sharp upscaling, punchy, even colours, and smooth motion handling that looked natural with the animation. The Standard picture mode boosts brightness up quite a bit to breathe life into the show.
On the S90H, I watched Blade Runner 2049 which produced a similarly impressive image with excellent brightness and colours. Lastly, I watched Everything Everywhere All At Once on the S90H and found the film looked great with natural colours and excellent contrast.
Thanks to the World Cup, I tried out the AI Football Mode on each model, but I found it results in hyper-real, nuclear green grass, blown out uniform colours, and a fairly ugly image overall. Thankfully, it’s easy to tone the settings back down to reality.
Our Take
Samsung says the S90H is selling better than the S95H, and it’s natural to see why. There’s quite a large price gap to the S95H for lifestyle features of dubious value.
Glare Free is a great treatment to have, but it’s a more niche feature than Samsung would like you to believe. It doesn’t accomplish anything that a good set of blackout curtains, TV positioning, and switching the lights off do for far less money.
Additionally, the image quality gap between MiniLED panels and OLED continues to close. While OLED remains better for people demanding the utmost quality, more accessible televisions are looking better than ever with excellent contrast and colours.
Samsung’s nickel-and-diming tactics are hard to stomach at this price point. The Art Store is a subscription feature, the Wireless One Connect box is an optional extra, and the home screen serves up advertising.
In short, the picture quality speaks for itself, but the pricing context and competitive market make it worth questioning the real value of these TVs before committing to a purchase.
Comments