I saw Samsung’s new OLED TV with Glare Free 2.0 tech, and it fixes the Samsung S95D’s biggest problem
- Samsung 2025 TVs feature new-gen ‘Glare Free’ tech
- Glare Free 2.0 better retains black depth and shadow detail
- Will feature in flagship OLED, and 8K and 4K mini-LED TVs
The Samsung S95D was our choice for the year’s best TV in the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024. It’s an incredible TV, and one that overcomes one of the biggest problems that’s long plagued OLED TVs: screen reflections from lamps and other light sources overloading their relatively dim fullscreen brightness levels.
Samsung solved that issue using a new OLED Glare Free screen in the S95D, and next it’s using the tech to combat screen reflections in its flagship 2025 OLED, the Samsung S95F. But the Glare Free tech going into that model isn’t the same as what was used in the S95D. Instead, it’s a second-generation version that fixes the biggest problem with last year’s flagship Samsung OLED TV: elevated black levels when viewing in bright rooms.
I first noticed the black level issue when I did a hands-on test of the S95D in early 2024, but it wasn’t until I compared premium Samsung and LG OLED TVs side-by-side, that it became clear it was more of a problem than I initially thought. That comparison was part of a demo set up by LG at the CEDIA Expo 2024 trade show that showed the different anti-reflection measures used by the Samsung S95D and the LG G4. When a lamp was positioned in front of both TVs, the Samsung completely diffused the reflection, basically eliminating it. The G4 in contrast, showed near mirror-like reflections.
But while Samsung’s screen was superior in dealing with reflections, blacks on the S95D appeared more of a dark gray compared to the LG OLED, which accurately rendered deep blacks and shadows. This was in bright lighting conditions of course; when the lights in the demo room were dimmed, both TVs proved equally adept at displaying deep black.
Glare Free 2.0 is here
The second generation of OLED Glare Free being introduced in the Samsung S95F, which the company is showing at CES 2025, fixes the situation by “enhancing black expression” along with rejecting glare. I first saw a demo of the new screen tech at Samsung’s headquarters in South Korea, and was impressed with how effective it was in giving TV viewers the best of both worlds – there was a clearly deeper and more realistic black tone, while still removing the distracting reflections.
Many buyers of premium OLED TVs are movie fans who typically dim the lights when viewing, so Samsung’s Glare Free tech may in some ways be a solution in search of a problem. But then again, the Samsung S95D was the brightest OLED TV TechRadar tested in 2024, with peak brightness measurements that nearly matched some of the best mini-LED TVs we’ve reviewed. That factor along with Glare Free makes it a good option for daytime sports viewing, which is normally better handled by mini-LED models.
Samsung’s Glare Free 2.0 tech is no longer just for the company’s flagship OLED – it will also appear in its new flagship 8K and 4K mini-LED TVs for 2025, the Samsung QN990F and the Samsung QN90F. That means buyers of premium Samsung TVs will be able to safely watch movies or play games without having to worry about screen reflections and reduced contrast and shadow detail in bright and dark environments alike.
With pressure in the TV market from not only LG, but relative newcomers such as TCL and Hisense, Glare Free 2.0 is a distinguishing feature – and one I’m sure Samsung is hoping will give it a leg up on its competition. I can’t wait to give it a serious test to see it holds up in tests, because it looks incredibly promising so far.
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Samsung 2025 TVs feature new-gen ‘Glare Free’ tech Glare Free 2.0 better retains black depth and shadow detail Will feature in flagship OLED, and 8K and 4K mini-LED TVs The Samsung S95D was our choice for the year’s best TV in the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024. It’s an incredible TV,…
