Samsung QN95B (QE65QN95B) review: A hard-to-fault flagship

The Samsung QN95B Neo QLED TV combines a Mini LED backlight, class-leading local dimming and cutting-edge 4K image processing to produce some of the best SDR and HDR pictures you’ll see this year.

Stunning industrial design, Atmos-enhanced audio, extensive gaming capabilities and proprietary features such as the One Connect box complete an impressive overall package. The redesigned Tizen-powered smart system feels like a step back in some respects, and there’s still no Dolby Vision, but otherwise this fantastic flagship model is hard to fault.

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Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Key specifications

Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: What you need to know

The Samsung QN95B is a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) HDR smart TV, and the flagship 4K model in the company’s 2022 Neo QLED lineup. It uses a vertical alignment LCD panel with a quantum dot filter, Mini LED backlight, and the latest iteration of Samsung’s 4K Neural Quantum Processor.

The QN95B range includes 55in, 65in, 75in and 85in screen sizes, and for this review, Samsung has sent the 65in Samsung QE65QN95B.

It runs a redesigned version of Samsung’s Tizen-powered operating system and supports HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ but not Dolby Vision. However, Samsung has added onboard Dolby Atmos decoding to take full advantage of the extra speakers in the QN95B’s Object Tracking Sound Plus audio system. All the major content streaming platforms are present and correct, and the TV incorporates a host of next-gen gaming-related features.

Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Price and Competition

Samsung has started taking pre-orders for its 2022 Neo QLED TV line-up and the QN95B will hit stores in early April. The 55in Samsung QN95B costs £2,599, the 65in reviewed here £3,499, the 75in is £4,699, and the 85in QN95B will set you back £6,399.

In terms of competition, there’s LG’s new QNED90 range of 4K HDR TVs, which use quantum dot and NanoCell+ technology combined with a Mini LED backlight. This range is expected in 65in, 75in, and 85in screen sizes, although pricing has yet to be announced.

You can also look at Sony’s new X95K line-up of 4K HDR TVs that use a Triluminos panel, the XR Cognitive Processor, and a Mini LED backlight. Once again, screen sizes are expected to be 65in, 75in, and 85in, and prices are still to be confirmed.

If you’re willing to go for something a bit older and rather cheaper, Samsung’s 2021 QN90 Neo QLED is a great option that’s available for £1,599.

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Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Design, connections and control

The Samsung QN95B takes its cues from last year’s high-end 8K models, and the slender “Infinity One Design” looks gorgeous, with an emphasis on contemporary minimalism.

The 65in panel is only 17mm deep, and looks like a single rectangular slab with an attractive brushed metal outer edge. A clear benefit of Mini LEDs is that a full-array backlight can be crammed into a TV this slim.

There’s virtually no bezel around the screen, and the speakers are cleverly hidden within the chassis, aside from six prominent bass drivers at the rear. The overall build quality is excellent, and the 65QN95B measures 1,228 x 17 x 707mm (WDH) and weighs 22.3kg without the stand.

If you add the stand the measurements become 1,228 x 298 x 717 mm, and the weight increases to 30.4kg. This gives you an idea of how solid the stand is, providing stable support without the need for a wide surface to place it on. You can also wall-mount the TV, with an optional “no-gap” bracket available for that purpose.

If you are planning on wall-mounting, the good news is there’s only a single cable connecting the QN95B, because it uses Samsung’s clever One Connect box. With its slimline dimensions and a matte black finish, you can discreetly hide all the connections when wall mounting. Alternatively, if you plan to use the stand, there’s a space on the back where you can mount the box.

The One Connect box includes all the connections you’ll need, with four HDMI inputs, one of which (HDMI 3) supports eARC, and all of which are capable of handling 4K at 120Hz, VRR and ALLM, making the QN95B a great choice for next-gen gamers.

There are also two USB 2.0 inputs, twin tuners for terrestrial and satellite broadcasts, a CI slot, an optical digital output and an Ethernet port. In terms of wireless connections, there’s Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and support for Apple AirPlay 2.

There’s a choice of the standard Samsung zapper or the sleek metal Solar Cell remote launched last year. The latter is comfortable to hold, intuitive to use and more eco-friendly thanks to a solar panel on the back that recharges the batteries. It also has direct access buttons for Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and Samsung’s TV Plus, which is useful. However, for reasons we’ll discuss in the next section, you might want to keep that old-school controller handy.

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Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Smart TV platform

The Samsung QN95B runs the latest version of the company’s Tizen-powered smart platform, which has undergone a redesign. Last year, Samsung was the only major manufacturer still using a launcher bar along the bottom rather than a homepage that filled the entire screen. The new version joins the crowd by adopting the latter approach, and while Samsung’s desire to offer more choice and recommendations to users is understandable, it does feel like a step backwards.

The problem is that too much emphasis is placed on those choices and recommendations, which makes accessing other day-to-day features such as the inputs or settings more time-consuming. This is primarily due to the fact that there are no dedicated buttons for selecting these basic controls on the Solar Cell remote. As a result, you have to access them through the smart system, which can require six or seven button presses. The older remote does have dedicated buttons for these features, which is why you might want to keep it to hand.

The new platform could also be more intuitive, with users forced to select options at the side of the screen to access other features. In addition, some things have disappeared entirely, such as the electronic programme guide (EPG), and there’s no direct guide button on either remote. It turns out that to access the EPG, you need to press the channel up/down toggle on the Solar Cell remote.

On the plus side, the system’s functionality and customisation is good when it comes to content searching and recommendations. There’s also Samsung’s TV Plus, with its expanded channel lineup, and the Smart Hub, which automatically detects and connects smart devices in a single location. In addition, the HDMI ports will detect and set up newly connected devices automatically.

There’s a comprehensive choice of video-streaming services, with Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Now TV, Rakuten, YouTube and all the UK catch-up services included. All these apps proved responsive, with 4K and HDR10 or HLG where appropriate, though Samsung still refuses to get on board with Dolby Vision. At least Samsung now supports Dolby Atmos, which can be decoded in the TV or passed back via ARC.

The SmartThings app makes setup simple, as well as providing a degree of control from your smartphone, and there’s also Bixby built-in, along with support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You can even access Siri via Apple’s AirPlay 2 if that’s your preference. Finally, there’s a two-screen Multi View option combined with a video call app, although you’ll need a camera for the latter.

Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Image quality

The Samsung QN95B delivers impressive SDR performance in Filmmaker Mode, where the greyscale accuracy produces an average Delta E of below one, with the closer the score to zero, the better. The gamma tracking is also excellent, as is colour accuracy, with an average Delta E below two.

This is a frankly superb set of results and a definite improvement on last year’s QN95A. As a result, SDR images are stunning, with deep blacks, excellent shadow detail, precisely rendered pictures and gorgeous colours thanks to the quantum dot filters.

The benefits offered by the direct Mini LED backlight are obvious, with the class-leading local dimming and image processing also playing their part. The blacks appear deep, but the definition just above black is also impressive, and once again an improvement on last year’s model.

A moving dot test pattern reveals there are 40 horizontal and 18 vertical zones, giving a total of 720 independently dimmable zones. This is a slight reduction on last year, although the local dimming implementation appears to be more effective despite having fewer zones.

Picture processing is also incredible, with the 4K Neural Quantum Processor bringing out all the details in an image and giving it added punch. Samsara often looks breathtaking, regardless of whether there’s ambient light in the room. The upscaling and image processing is superb, with black bars remaining completely black thanks to the number of dimmable zones and how effectively they operate.

The images were also free of any blooming, even when watching difficult scenes in a film such as Gravity. The processing brought out more details than I’d previously noticed in the film, while the contrast was fantastic. Motion handling proved equally adept; even with Picture Clarity turned off the QN95B delivered impressive motion superior to last year’s model.

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Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: HDR performance

The Samsung QN95B is even more impressive with HDR, producing a peak brightness measurement of over 2,000cd/m² on a 10% window in Filmmaker mode. It also hit 700cd/m² on a 100% full field pattern, which is very impressive, and results in HDR performance that can display 1,000 nits HDR content without resorting to any tone mapping.

The HDR greyscale measurements were very accurate, tracking red, green and blue almost exactly, and HDR colour performance was also excellent, with the DCI-P3 coverage measuring 95% and the BT.2020 coverage hitting 75%.

The Mini LED light source is further enhanced with the addition of 14-bit HDR Mapping (which adds even more details to dark and bright scenes), while the Quantum Matrix Technology (which controls the Mini LEDs) is made even more accurate with Shape Adaptive Light control.

The QN95B supports high dynamic range in the form of HDR10, HLG (hybrid log-gamma) and HDR10+. Sadly, Samsung still refuses to support Dolby Vision, but given the native HDR capabilities of this TV it’s debatable how much benefit the dynamic metadata format would add.

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Overall, the HDR performance is simply stunning, with the brightly lit snowy vistas in The Revenant looking amazing. The HDR images were incredibly detailed and realistic, and the QN95B was able to handle brighter full-field images with ease.

The same was true when watching The Greatest Showman and Blade Runner 2049, with both native 4K films delivering exceptional detail and HDR pop. The QN95B also handled the saturated images of The Greatest Showman with skill, taking full advantage of the wider colour gamut.

The film Allied includes an air raid over London at night, and the QN95B handled this difficult scene extremely well. The picture retained all the detail in the dark skies and shadows, but also rendered the bright, exploding flak and tracer fire in the sky with impressive precision.

The local dimming was excellent too, with no obvious blooming or haloing. Flares and burning buildings in the night-time village sequence in 1917 looked very bright, and also benefited from HDR10+ dynamic metadata. The torches in the night-time scene towards the end of The Revenant also looked wonderful, with the subtle natural lighting being reproduced with accuracy.

Finally, the scene in First Man where the Apollo command module goes into the shadow of the Moon fully demonstrates the improved local dimming. When the screen goes completely black and the surface of the brightly lit Moon gradually appears through the spaceship’s window, the QN95B reproduced the scene without introducing haloing or other artefacts.

To test the Samsung QN95B we used Portrait Displays Calman colour calibration software.

Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Gaming

The Samsung QN95B is a great choice for gamers, and not just because there’s no danger of the screen burn that can affect OLED TVs. It offers a host of features for next-gen consoles, including support for 4K at 120Hz (and even 144Hz in some cases) and VRR (variable refresh rate) to reduce tearing, plus there’s also support for AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and Motion Xcelerator Turbo Pro technology.

ALLM (automatic low latency mode) detects a console and selects the Game Mode, with the latter producing an incredibly low input lag of 9ms. The Game Motion Plus controls feature smooth motion without noticeably increasing the lag, and there’s support for the 21:9 and 32:9 ultra wide aspect ratios offered by a number of PC games.

The Game Bar 2.0 creates a hub that brings together all the game-related information and features in one convenient location. It will pop up automatically when a game console is detected, but can also be selected by simply holding down the play/pause button on your remote. The Game Bar includes the HDR, frame rate and VRR status, as well as key gaming picture adjustments.

These include Input Lag (Fast, Faster, and Fastest), Picture Game Mode (Standard, RPG, RTS, FPS, Sports and Custom), Screen Ratio, Minimal Zoom, Sound Output, Help Guide and Game Settings. The Game Mode Settings include Surround Mode, Dynamic Black Equaliser, Game Motion Plus Settings and HDR Tone Mapping (HDR10+ Gaming and Game HDR – HGiG). In short, gamers have a veritable feast of options at their fingertips.

Gameplay is awesome on the QN95B, with the 4K resolution and bright HDR producing dazzling ray-traced images in Call of Duty. While running at 120Hz, the motion is buttery smooth and free of artefacts, and the amazingly low input lag ensures responsive gaming across every genre.

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Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Sound quality

The Samsung QN95B sounds incredibly good for such a thin TV, primarily thanks to Object Tracking Sound Plus. This integrates eight number of multi-directional speakers in a seamless fashion, producing an audio performance that’s genuinely impressive. The addition of six bass drivers into the rear of the panel ensures there’s sufficient depth to the low-end extension, and there’s plenty of amplification to drive all those speakers.

As a result, there’s a big and open soundstage, with clear dialogue, well placed effects and deep bass. Object Tracking Sound Plus directs the audio to move across the room with the action on the screen, resulting in a more realistic and immersive experience. The addition of onboard Dolby Atmos decoding is another welcome addition, combining psychoacoustic processing with the various speakers to produce a visceral, object-based experience.

Samsung also includes its SpaceFit sound technology, which analyses the acoustic environment before optimising the audio performance, and there’s also Q-symphony, a Samsung technology that integrates all the TV’s speakers with a compatible Samsung soundbar. The addition of a soundbar and subwoofer system will undoubtedly sound superior, but the reality is that this TV’s built-in sonic capabilities will probably be enough for most people.

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Samsung QN95B Neo QLED review: Verdict

The Samsung QN95B is an awesome addition to the company’s TV lineup, combining Mini LED backlighting, class-leading local dimming and cutting-edge image processing to produce some of the best SDR and HDR pictures you’ll see this year. The 4K image accuracy is impressive, the colours are nicely saturated, and there’s an incredible amount of brightness. At the same time, the blacks are deep, shadows are detailed and there’s excellent motion handling.

The QN95B benefits from some stunning industrial design, with a very thin chassis that somehow manages to house numerous multi-directional speakers. The Object Tracking Sound Plus is highly effective, and the addition of onboard Dolby Atmos decoding is very welcome. Support for 4K at 120Hz, along with a dedicated Game Bar and incredibly low input lag, make it a top choice for gamers, and proprietary features such as the One Connect box complete an impressive package.

The redesigned Tizen-powered smart system feels like a step backwards in some respects, but does provide plenty of choice and recommendations, plus there’s a comprehensive selection of video-streaming services available. In fact, our only real complaint is the continued lack of Dolby Vision support, but otherwise this highly capable flagship model is hard to fault.