As a Samsung phone user of more than a decade, I still mostly hate using Samsung TVs. The stupid interface is annoying and hard to navigate, the apps are not that great, and I often stumble into some random section or other when I’m looking for something basic, like an input button, on the remote.
The screen on Samsung’s flagship S95F QD-OLED is so utterly gorgeous that none of this matters. Gorgeous black levels, insane colors, and a truly cinematic matte screen make this TV the prettiest I have ever laid eyes on for an extended period. If you’re at the poshest end of posh when it comes to home theaters, this is the model for you. Just plug in an Apple TV 4K or Roku Ultra.
“Infinity One”
Photograph: Parker Hall
I am not sure what this means, but it’s what Samsung calls the design language of its latest flagship screen, offering us a hyper-thin display that can mount flush to the wall, thanks to a big all-in-one cable that can deliver power, picture, and sound to and from the display and to Samsung’s One Connect Box. This box plugs into the wall and can be placed somewhere more aesthetic than below your TV, for folks who like to hide away all the cables, and it allows easy access to peripherals like four HDMI ports, a cable or antenna connection, a network cable connection, and a USB port for powering streaming devices.
It’s a nice little setup that takes away the stress of tiptoeing behind the TV to plug and unplug stuff, but it does mean you’ll have to find a place to put it, which could be a downside for minimalist living rooms. For my review unit, I just put the thing on a coffee table in front of the TV; not super pretty, but extremely functional. If I were keeping this TV long-term? I’d probably put it down near my 4K Blu-ray player.
The included remote is small and not backlit, but it is solar- and radio-powered, which means that you’ll never have to struggle through the junk drawer for a pair of AAA batteries when you’re in the middle of a binge-watching session. I’d still love a backlight for the remote, though, because this TV is so incredible in dark spaces (more on this later).
Interface-wise, it’s the same annoying maze that I’ve been battling from Samsung for years. There are too many ads, and it feels clunky and old. The good news is that AirPlay 2 and Samsung Smart View come standard, so it’s at least easy to get your phone’s content onscreen. Onboard apps are fine and do stream well, but I prefer the speed of outboard streaming devices like the aforementioned Apple TV 4K and Roku Ultra for streaming on a TV this nice.
