Samsung has two different QD OLED TVs in its program for the first time this year. We published a comprehensive review of the base model, the S90C-QD OLED, at the beginning of this month. In doing so, we concluded that the excellent performing TV was similar to last year’s S95B in terms of looks, options, and picture quality. The model we are discussing in this review is really different in several points. The S95S-QD OLED is very thin, which is possible because Samsung contained all the electronics for controlling the screen and all connections in an external One Connect Box, where only one cable connects to the TV. This makes the S95C the first OLED TV with an external connection box.

However, the main achievement of the S95C is its new QD OLED panel. Unlike the S90C, this top model uses a second-generation photopanel that promises improved efficiency and higher light output than last year’s QD OLEDs. This makes the S95C a direct competitor to the LG G3 with its MLA, which is LG’s brightest OLED yet. Other manufacturers won’t join the fray until later this year. Panasonic and Philips have announced that they will also release TVs with LG’s MLA panels, while Sony will launch a QD OLED TV this fall that uses the same panel Samsung uses in this S95C. Right now, there’s a battle between LG and Samsung for the brightest OLED screen, and in this review we’ll not only see who gets the longest end of the stick, but also answer the question of what you’ll notice in practice.

The S95C is on sale in 55-, 65- and 77-inch sizes with prices from 2,200 to 4,000 euros at the time of writing, depending on the size. This makes the S95C in the popular 55-inch picture size we tested about four hundred euros more expensive than the S90C, but slightly cheaper than the two LG OLED G3 models. However, both the S95S and G3 were only recently introduced to the market and as the price of the S95C has already dropped quite a bit, it hasn’t happened yet for the G3.