We also watch a great deal of “real-world” content on the Samsung TVs we test. As Samsung TVs don’t support the Dolby Vision HDR format that’s one less format for us to analyse, but we view SDR, HDR10+ and HDR10+ material across a range of sources including terrestrial channels, Netflix, Disney+ and 4K HDR Blu-rays. The type of content we watch is extremely varied and may include anything from political panel shows to Love Island and everything in between. If you opt for one of Samsung’s LCD TVs rather than its new S90C or S95C QD-OLEDs, it’s important to note that the company produces three types of Liquid Crystal Display panels.

They can be fitted with various magnetic clip-on frames – including wood finish options – of the sort you would normally find around a painting rather than a TV. The ‘TV becomes a painting’ effect is further enhanced by an included ultra slim mount that lets you hang the TV flush to the wall and the ability to play digitised artworks (or your own digital photographs) on the screen in a low-power mode. The final touch is a remarkable ‘matte finish’ screen that suppresses all the reflections you get with normal TVs. The QN900C is very expensive but those willing to splash out on this premium 8K television will be getting arguably the most spectacular mainstream TV available today. Those looking for value should gravitate towards the S90C, but if you want the best QD-OLED Samsung has to offer, this is the TV to buy.This combination allows us to take accurate measurements of numerous key metrics of TV picture performance, including colour gamut coverage, greyscale and colour accuracy, and peak brightness on both a 10% window and full-field pattern. Happily, The Frame’s stunning style is accompanied by excellent picture quality too, full of high contrast, rich colours and beautiful 4K detail.

Samsung Account required to access our network-based smart services and apps. If you choose not to log-in, you will only get connection to terrestrial TV (applicable to devices with tuners only) and external devices, e.g. via HDMI Above the basic LED LCD options are those that support Full Array Local Dimming (FALD). Here, regular-sized LEDs are placed behind the screen and driven by a number of dimming zones. The Q80B range supports this approach – though some screen sizes of this range use IPS panels. If you’re a serious gamer, you will need a fairly high-end model with 4K/120Hz and variable refresh rate support. And if you’re a serious movie fan, we would recommend as premium a picture engine as your budget can afford, and so would suggest Samsung’s new S95B QD OLED sets, a premium 4K Mini LED set or, if your budget is up to it, an 8K Mini LED model. What connections and inputs do I need? If you spend most of your time watching regular TV broadcasts, you will typically want to go for a TV that delivers a good combination of brightness and value. Samsung’s premium Mini LED models are its brightest but they also cost a lot. So, for most relatively casual (rather than home cinema-oriented) viewers, a better option would be a mid-range set such as the Quantum Dot-based Q70B or the Crystal Colour BU8000.The screen’s response time in its Game mode is exceptionally fast, and the set supports the HGiG system for a superior HDR experience. The Q70B also supports ultra-wide aspect ratios from PC games that offer wide field of view options; can automatically recognise when a console or PC is outputting game or video sources and adjust its settings accordingly; and even lets you raise the brightness of dark parts of the picture in isolation so that you can better spot enemies lurking in the shadows without spoiling the rest of the picture. The flagship system is Mini LED, where much smaller LEDs are used, so more of them can be fitted into the available screen area. The LEDs are grouped into hundreds, or in some cases, thousands of separate dimming zones, and this allows for much finer light control. Samsung calls these models Neo QLED sets, and they can be identified by ‘QN’ letters before the final numbers in their model names. Key specs – Screen sizes: 32in, 43in, 50in, 55in, 65in, 75in and 85in; Panel type: Edge-lit LED; HDR format support: HDR10, HLG, HDR10+; Connectivity: 3 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 2 x USB-A, Ethernet, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, RF tuner port Close attention is paid to audio performance when consuming content from the above platforms, with a focus on Dolby Atmos on sets that support it. We also test out a TV’s wireless streaming capabilities using AirPlay 2 or Chromecast built-in if supported and its next-gen gaming performance when hooked up to a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X.

The majority of our in-house and freelance testing of Samsung televisions is conducted using an X-Rite colorimeter in conjunction with Portrait Displays’ Calman colour calibration software. Add to all these gaming-related treats an ultra-sharp, bright, colourful but also surprisingly contrasty picture that also delivers the goods with regular TV and movie sources, and the Q70B can also add great all-around value to its many charms.With that important information out of the way, you can begin narrowing down your shortlist by asking the following key questions. How much should I spend on a Samsung TV? The S95C is the follow-up to Samsung’s first OLED television in almost a decade – the S95B– and improves on its predecessor in just about every way. It’s extremely bright for an OLED and this, combined with its quantum dot filter, allows it to produce incredibly saturated colours that look absolutely fantastic regardless of the type of content you’re viewing. Samsung’s TV range has also been complicated by the arrival of a few low-contrast IPS-type LCD panels alongside the more contrast-rich VA panels the brand once exclusively used. Some sizes of last year’s QN85B and most sizes of the QN80B Mini LED range use IPS panels, for instance. We typically recommend VA panels over IPS panels due to their better contrast, though the latter normally have superior viewing angles. The S90C is the cheaper of Samsung’s two QD-OLED TVs in 2023 and makes a few sacrifices to hit a lower price point. Despite this, it remains a sensational television. Picture quality is fantastic, with high peak brightness (for an OLED), rich, vibrant colours, exceptional contrast and highly impressive viewing angles highly impressive. Meanwhile, an upgraded screen filter helps eliminate reflections and reduce the impact of ambient light conditions on your viewing experience.