Sony and Samsung Introduce New OLED TV Models for 2025

Sony and Samsung have introduced their 2025 television lineups, featuring the Sony Bravia 8 II QD-OLED TV and Samsung S95H OLED TV. Both models promise advanced display technologies and enhanced viewing experiences, with significant strides in brightness and picture processing.

Sony Bravia 8 II QD-OLED TV

Sony's latest QD-OLED television, the Bravia 8 II, launched in June 2025, is engineered to deliver a premium home theater experience. It has been recognized as the 'King of TV' at Value Electronics’ 2025 TV Shootout.

The Sony Bravia 8 II has been crowned the 'King of TV' at Value Electronics’ 2025 TV Shootout.

The Bravia 8 II excels with deep black levels and highly detailed shadow rendition. Its advanced image processing capabilities are specifically designed to enhance lower-quality content, making it look better than ever. Brightness is notably improved compared to its predecessor, the A95L, though out-of-the-box color accuracy is described as slightly less precise.

Minor characteristics, primarily noticeable to enthusiasts, include a slight blue tint in HDR grayscale and colors, and a purplish tint with slightly raised blacks due to the lack of a polarizing filter. Subtle color fringing from its triangular pixel structure can also be observed. These minor issues are correctable via professional calibration.

• Display Type: QD-OLED
• Available Sizes: 55 and 65 inches
• MSRP: $2,599.99 (55-inch), $3,299.99 (65-inch)
• HDR Formats: Dolby Vision, HDR10, HLG
• Operating System: Google TV
• HDMI Inputs: Four total, including two HDMI 2.1 ports (one eARC/ARC compatible)
• Gaming Features: Supports 4K/120Hz, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM)

The Bravia 8 II features a practical two-position stand, designed to accommodate soundbar placement directly beneath the screen.

In HDR, the Bravia 8 II achieved 1,590 nits from a 10% window, with smaller highlights peaking at an impressive 1,884 nits. Full-screen white measured 239 nits. For SDR content, with Peak Luminance on High, it reached 540 nits. For dark room viewing using default SDR Professional settings, it consistently maintained 100-107 nits.

Samsung S95H OLED TV

Samsung's flagship S95H OLED TV boasts an updated design and increased display brightness over its predecessor, the S95F. Early evaluations highlight its high picture quality and impressive brightness. The 65-inch S95H is priced at $3,399.99, marking a $100 increase from the S95F.

The S95H showcases an OLED panel elegantly set within a metallic silver frame, creating a striking floating appearance. This design also facilitates the integration of multi-directional speaker drivers. The television comes with legs for tabletop use and is also wall-mountable. The remote control largely mirrors the S95F's design, featuring a circular navigation pad, menu and playback controls, a microphone, volume and channel rockers, and four dedicated app buttons. Notably, an input button is absent.

The S95H is equipped with a robust 70-watt, 4.2.2-channel sound system, which includes both side- and up-firing drivers. It offers full support for Dolby Atmos spatial audio and integrates Samsung’s Object Tracking Sound+ processing for immersive audio experiences. The Q-Symphony feature allows seamless integration with compatible Samsung Q-Series soundbars, synchronizing TV and soundbar drivers for enhanced sound. The redesigned bezel may also contribute to improved sound projection.

The S95H runs on Samsung’s Tizen OS platform, which has received minor updates while retaining a familiar interface. The system provides access to a comprehensive array of streaming services, including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Crunchyroll, Disney+, Netflix, Twitch, and YouTube. It supports Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and Miracast/WiDi for local device streaming, and offers hands-free voice assistance via both Alexa and Samsung's Bixby. Some observations indicate that accessing common settings and switching inputs may require multiple steps.

While offering a rich smart TV experience, accessing common settings and switching inputs on the S95H's Tizen OS may require multiple steps.

The S95H's 4K OLED panel delivers an impressive 165Hz refresh rate and supports HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. It does not, however, support Dolby Vision. Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, and an ATSC 1.0 tuner (but not ATSC 3.0).

Brightness measurements in HDR Movie mode are exceptional:

• 419 nits with a full-screen white field
• 1,715 nits with an 18% white field
• 2,604 nits with a 10% white field

The S95H's 10% white field brightness of 2,604 nits significantly surpasses other tested OLED models, including the Panasonic Z95B (2,015 nits), LG G5 (2,386 nits), and its predecessor, the S95F (2,138 nits).

This level of brightness is described as comparable to high-end mini-LED TVs, though it does not match the brightest models like the TCL X11L.

Color performance is generally accurate. SDR colors align closely with Rec.709 standards, with only slight undersaturation in some hues like greens, yellows, and reds. HDR colors extend impressively beyond the DCI-P3 color space, showcasing broad and balanced ranges, though certain magentas and yellows may appear slightly warm. The S95H offers one of the widest color ranges observed on an OLED panel, though some high-end LED models might achieve a slightly broader spectrum.

The S95H's picture quality is defined by its high brightness, exceptional color performance, and the characteristic deep black levels of OLED technology. Test content has consistently demonstrated lifelike imagery, balanced colors, and sharp details in various lighting conditions. It also excels at effectively handling highlights and shadows, providing distinct details in dark areas. Both vibrant landscapes and bright snowy scenes were rendered with remarkable clarity. Crucially, no light bloom was observed when colorful objects were displayed against black backgrounds, a hallmark advantage of OLED panels.

The S95H is well-equipped for gaming, supporting a 165Hz refresh rate, Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and Nvidia G-Sync. Direct input lag testing was not possible during initial evaluations due to equipment issues. However, the similar S90H OLED model registered an input lag of 9.1 milliseconds for 4K60 signals and 4.8ms for 1080p120 signals during preproduction testing.

The S90H OLED, a similar model, demonstrated impressive input lag scores of 9.1 milliseconds for 4K60 signals and 4.8ms for 1080p120 signals during preproduction.

These measurements apply to preproduction models and may differ slightly in retail versions.