The best Samsung TVs in 2025

I review TVs for a living, and Samsung is consistently one of the top brands I recommend. The company offers a wide range of reliable displays across various sizes and budgets, but some models are better values than others. The best Samsung TVs provide an excellent balance between picture quality and smart features.

To help narrow your search, I've compiled a list of the top Samsung TVs available for purchase. My top pick is the Samsung S90D, which uses an OLED screen with quantum dots to deliver high contrast and bright colors. However, if you're on a tighter budget, consider the entry-level Samsung U8000F. Its picture quality is limited, but it's an affordable smart TV that works well for casual viewing.

The best Samsung TVs also include models with vibrant QLED displays and anti-reflective panels. My picks are informed by over a decade of experience covering home entertainment products.

Our top picks for the best Samsung TVs

Best overall: Samsung S90D OLED 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best on a budget: Samsung U8000F LED 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best high-end set: Samsung S95F OLED 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best QLED display: Samsung QN90F QLED 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best for your wall: Samsung LS03F Frame QLED 4K TV - See at Amazon

Best overall

When looking at overall value for your money, the S90D is the best Samsung TV I've tested. In fact, it's my pick for the best TV from any brand.

Thanks to its QD-OLED panel, the S90D offers an infinite contrast ratio and superior color performance compared to similarly priced OLEDs from LG and Sony. It also boasts a high 144Hz refresh rate when paired with a PC, enabling smooth gameplay and helping to solidify its position as one of the best gaming TVs.

Like all Samsung TVs, the display supports the HDR10 and HDR10+ high-dynamic-range (HDR) formats, and it looks stunning when playing compatible movies and TV shows. Highlights pop off the screen, and the S90D produces deeper, more precise black levels than any of Samsung's QLED displays. It also has wider viewing angles than a QLED, so you can sit to the side of the TV without any notable loss in image quality.

The S90D is also bright for a midrange OLED. I measured a peak of around 1,240 nits, which beats the older S90C by around 200 nits. This makes it an excellent fit for movie-watching in a dark home theater and casual TV viewing in a typical living room.

However, the S90D's brightness still can't match the 2,000-nit maximum of Samsung's top QLEDs, such as the QN90F, or its pricier S95F OLED. It also has a glossy screen rather than the anti-glare matte screen found on some of Samsung's other TVs. Higher brightness and a matte screen are both beneficial for viewers who struggle with reflections in their rooms. That said, I prefer glossy screens for most uses since this type of panel is better at preserving contrast.

All things considered, the S90D is the best Samsung TV for most people with typical viewing needs. Its image quality is nearly on par with sets that cost $1,000 more, and it often gets fantastic discounts during sales.

Buyers should note that Samsung sells a new 2025 edition of this display, the S90F. The new model offers some performance improvements, but it comes at a higher cost. With that in mind, the S90D remains the better value as long as it's in stock for a lower price.

Note: Samsung's 42- 48-, and 83-inch S90D models do not feature quantum dots, so their screens can't match the color performance of other sizes.

Best on a budget

While many of Samsung's high-end and midrange TVs deliver good value, its budget options tend to be lacking compared to similar TVs from TCL, Hisense, and Roku. But if you prefer the Samsung brand, the U8000F is the company's best entry-level option.

The U8000F is a new model for 2025, replacing my previous pick in this category, the CU7000, which is now hard to find in stock. The U8000F utilizes a standard LCD panel with a regular LED backlight. This is fine for casual viewing needs, but the TV lacks the step-up picture quality features you'd find on Samsung's QLED and OLED models.

Most notably, the U8000F doesn't use quantum dots and lacks local dimming. As a result, the TV offers a more restricted range of colors, and its black levels aren't as deep or uniform across the screen. This is also one of the dimmest TVs in Samsung's lineup. It can technically process HDR10 and HDR10+ signals, but it cannot achieve sufficient brightness or precise enough contrast control to effectively showcase the benefits of HDR.

Still, the U8000F is capable of full 4K-resolution playback for a crisp, sharp image. It plays standard-dynamic-range (SDR) content in both 4K and high definition just fine, so HD cable channels and all of the best live TV streaming services look solid.

This is a decent entry-level model for casual viewers who just want a basic smart TV and don't care about paying extra for better picture quality. However, keep in mind that if you're willing to look outside Samsung's lineup, you can find TVs with better contrast and color performance, such as the Roku Plus Series, for around the same price.

For more cheap display recommendations from other brands, check out our guides to the best budget TVs and best TVs under $500.

Best high-end set

Samsung's S95F OLED is the brand's most impressive TV yet. That said, it's also one of its most expensive. Like the more affordable S90D, this OLED offers an infinite contrast ratio and wide viewing angles. But this step-up model can get much brighter, enabling even more HDR impact when watching high-brightness movies and TV shows.

I measured a peak of around 2,170 nits using the TV's most accurate HDR picture mode. That's almost 1,000 nits more than the S90D, which is a substantial bump. In fact, the S95F is one of the brightest OLED TVs available, second only to the LG G5.

The S95F uses Samsung's latest anti-glare matte screen, which could be a pro or con depending on your viewing needs. This feature significantly reduces reflections in rooms with ambient light, making it a perfect fit for people who struggle with glare in their space. Sports fans, in particular, should consider the S95F, as it's great for watching games during the day.

However, this glare-free coating has one negative side effect: it causes black levels to appear slightly elevated in a bright room. As a result, dark scenes lose some of the inkiness that OLED TVs are known for. To be clear, black levels are still perfect in a dark room, but the TV's perceived contrast suffers when watching dim scenes with the lights on.

Ultimately, whether you favor a reflective or matte screen comes down to personal preference, but if you find glare to be a constant headache, the benefits of the S95F's screen outweigh its drawbacks.

The S95F is also a great gaming TV. It's one of the few models to support a refresh rate of up to 165Hz for smoother motion when connected to a PC. I also like the TV's design, which has a thin profile that's less than an inch thick. It achieves this by using a separate One Connect Box to house all its HDMI ports, something that the brand's cheaper models lack.

Read our full Samsung S95F 4K TV review.

Best QLED display

Though I favor Samsung's OLED TVs for their superior contrast performance, the company's QLED TVs are still worthwhile options. The QN90F is the brand's top 4K QLED model, and it's an especially good pick if you want a bright TV that costs less than Samsung's flagship S95F OLED.

The QN90F replaces my previous pick in this spot, the older QN90D. Both TVs offer very similar performance, but the QN90F can get slightly brighter, and it features an anti-glare matte screen instead of a traditional glossy one. The QN90D remains a great TV, but it is now discontinued and sold out at most stores. Meanwhile, the QN90F has seen a price decrease over the last few months. With all that in mind, the QN90F is now the better buy.

The QN90F is part of Samsung's "Neo QLED" series, which utilizes quantum dots for enhanced color and a Mini LED backlight with local dimming for improved contrast. The TV's Mini LEDs enable it to produce solid black levels with good brightness control.

During my tests, the QN90F's dimming worked well and produced fewer instances of blooming (small halos around bright objects) and vignetting (darkening around the edges of bright objects) than I saw on the older QN90D. That said, I did still see some minor halos and brightness imperfections, so the QN90F can't quite match the pixel-level contrast control of Samsung's OLED models.

The QN90F delivers a slightly punchier image than its predecessor. I measured a peak brightness of around 2,130 nits, which is a modest 100 nits more than I recorded on the QN90D. Coupled with the display's anti-reflective screen, this makes the QN90F an excellent choice for bright rooms. It also enables HDR videos to produce bold, impactful highlights.

That said, as with the S90F's matte screen, the QN90F's anti-glare screen also slightly raises black levels in a bright room, resulting in a performance tradeoff. But if you want a bright TV to combat glare, the QN90F is an excellent option.

Best for your wall

Samsung's Frame TV is an excellent choice for anyone planning to mount their display on a wall. This unique TV is designed to resemble a piece of art hanging in your living room.

The Frame has a black border by default, but you can pay extra to get different bezel colors for the exact picture-frame look you want. Options include white, brown, teak, red, beige, and more. The add-on bezels magnetically snap onto the display for simple installation.

Like Samsung's S95 series, the Frame TV utilizes an external One Connect Box to house its video ports, allowing the panel to maintain a one-inch profile from top to bottom. When paired with the included slim-fit wall mount, the TV can be hung flush on your wall, just like a framed work of art.

The display uses a matte finish that's similar but not identical to the one used on Samsung's S95 series OLEDs. This finish helps prevent reflections and gives the screen a more canvas-like appearance. When you're not watching TV, you can turn on "Art Mode," which cycles through various paintings and photographs from Samsung's Art Store (subscription required) or a connected USB drive. A built-in motion sensor can even toggle the Art Mode to activate only when people are in the room.

While the Frame's unique design is its main selling point, the TV also benefits from using a QLED panel, albeit without all the bells and whistles that Samsung's top QLED models offer. The Frame can't hit the same peak brightness levels as my high-end picks, and it lacks local dimming for precise contrast control.

I don't recommend this TV for anyone who is focused on picture quality, but it still delivers a decent enough image for casual viewing. The Frame is specifically geared toward individuals who want the best Samsung TV that can also serve as an attractive design piece to hang in a living room, and in that sense, it excels.

The latest version of the Frame is the 2025 LS03F model, which introduces a few AI features and supports up to a 144Hz refresh rate (available on 55- and 65-inch models only). But overall, it offers very similar performance to the older LS03D from 2024. That said, both models are often sold for around the same amount of money, so unless you happen to find the 2024 Frame TV on sale for a great discount, the newer LS03F is the better buy.

Note: Older versions of the 32-inch Frame TV, which are still available at some retailers, feature a Full HD 1080p screen rather than a 4K panel.

Check out our guide to the best frame TVs.

Other Samsung TVs we reviewed

Though the five models highlighted above represent our picks for the best Samsung TVs, we also tested other worthwhile models from the brand. Here's a roundup of some other Samsung TVs we've reviewed, along with details on why they didn't quite make the cut as top picks.

Samsung S90F 4K TV - See at Amazon
The S90F is Samsung's new 2025 edition of the S90D. This model offers a modest increase in brightness, which results in slightly punchier HDR quality when watching certain programs. But it's otherwise a very similar TV. Since the S90D is still available for a lower price, it remains our pick for the best Samsung TV overall. However, the S90F is likely to take that spot in the coming months once the S90D sells out.

Read our Samsung S90F review.

Samsung Frame Pro 4K TV - See at Amazon
Samsung now offers a step-up version of its Frame TV, called the Frame Pro. The Pro features an edge-lit Mini LED backlight for enhanced picture quality, offering higher contrast and brightness than the standard Frame. It also features a wireless connection box, allowing you to pair your media devices without any cables dangling from the display. Ultimately, we still give the standard Frame an edge in overall value, but the Pro has its benefits for certain use cases.

Read our Samsung Frame Pro TV review.

Samsung S95D 4K TV - See at Amazon
The S95D is an older version of Samsung's S95F TV, which is our pick for the brand's top high-end display. This 2024 model is also an excellent premium TV, but it can't get as bright, and the remaining inventory is limited. If you're an enthusiast after the best picture quality Samsung offers, the S95F is worth splurging on. However, if you want to save some money and can find it in stock, the S95D remains a good alternative.

Read our Samsung S95D 4K TV review.

How we test Samsung TVs

Our picks for the best Samsung TVs are based on a combination of hands-on testing and research informed by over a decade of experience covering the home entertainment market. Our testing encompasses several key evaluation points that we use to assess a TV's overall performance and value, including HDR quality, brightness, color gamut coverage, contrast, local dimming performance (if applicable), viewing angles, gaming capabilities, navigation speed, design, and price.

When measuring a TV's brightness and evaluating other technical picture quality attributes, we use a colorimeter with test patterns on the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc.

However, test patterns only show one part of the equation, so we rely on real-world content and day-to-day viewing to see how Samsung's TVs look when watching typical programs in bright and dark rooms. Our material is carefully selected to showcase scenes that demonstrate test black levels, highlights, color fidelity, and fine details across 4K Ultra HD, high-definition (HD), and standard-definition (SD) material. We also use various sources, including streaming services, cable channels, a 4K Blu-ray player, and game consoles.

General usability and design are also taken into consideration. We get a feel for living with a TV for a few weeks while using its basic functions and smart TV features. If a TV has slow navigation or is missing key functions, that impacts our assessment, but we place expectations for each model within the context of its price range.

For more details on our testing methodology, check out our breakdown of how we review tech products.

Samsung TV FAQs

Are 2024 Samsung TV models still worth it?

Samsung's 2025 TV collection features new OLED and QLED sets with enhanced image quality, faster refresh rates, and larger screen sizes compared to previous models. The brand is also emphasizing AI-powered smart features and audio-visual optimizations that it calls "Vision AI." You can learn more in our full roundup of Samsung 2025 OLED and QLED TV prices and features.

However, some of Samsung's 2024 TV models are still in stock and cost less than their 2025 counterparts. With that in mind, we continue to recommend certain 2024 TVs while they remain the best value. For instance, the 2024 S90D remains the top pick in this guide.

What kind of TVs does Samsung make?

Samsung's TV lineup can be divided into three categories: OLED, QLED, and Crystal UHD.

Samsung's OLED TVs use organic light-emitting diode panels with self-illuminating pixels. This means they don't need a backlight and can produce perfect black levels and an infinite contrast ratio. Most Samsung OLEDs also use quantum dots, which give them an expanded color range. On the downside, in extreme cases, OLED TVs are susceptible to burn-in, and even the best models can't get quite as bright as top QLED TVs.

Samsung's QLED TVs use LCD (liquid crystal display) panels with LED backlights and quantum dots. They can't produce the pixel-level contrast and deep black levels of an OLED, but the best models can achieve higher brightness, and there's no risk of burn-in. Top Samsung QLEDs, branded as Neo QLED, also incorporate Mini LEDs with full-array local dimming, which enables them to come closer to the contrast performance of an OLED.

For more details on how OLED and QLED TVs stack up, check out our full QLED vs. OLED comparison.

Finally, Samsung's Crystal UHD TVs use entry-level LCD panels with LED backlights. These displays lack the color, brightness, and contrast capabilities of Samsung's OLED and QLED sets. This series is meant for casual buyers who just want a basic smart TV and don't care about advanced picture quality.

All of Samsung's displays are available in multiple sizes, with some models ranging from as small as 32 inches to as large as 115 inches. For TV recommendations at various screen sizes, check out our size-specific guides:

• Best 100-inch TVs
• Best 85-inch TVs
• Best 75-inch TVs
• Best 65-inch TVs
• Best 55-inch TVs
• Best 50-inch TVs
• Best 43-inch TVs

Does Samsung sell 8K TVs?

Yes, Samsung sells 8K TV models, and we've previously included 8K options in this guide. However, given the current price and performance differences between the brand's top 4K and 8K offerings, we recommend that most buyers opt for Samsung's 4K TV models instead.

Though Samsung's 8K TVs are impressive displays, the benefits of 8K resolution are extremely subtle. Beyond a few YouTube clips, there is no 8K content available, so most of what you watch will just be 4K and HD sources that get upscaled. With upscaling, an extra-large 8K TV can look a bit sharper than a 4K model if you sit close to your screen, but the difference is too small to justify the price premium of an 8K TV. You can simply get better overall performance for your money by opting for one of Samsung's high-end 4K models.

However, if you're dead set on buying an 8K TV, the Samsung QN900D and QN990F are the company's top options. We tested both TVs, and they deliver excellent image quality. The primary difference between them is that the QN990F has a new anti-glare screen. However, most people are still better off with Samsung's cheaper 4K OLEDs, as they provide higher contrast despite their lower resolutions. High contrast offers a more noticeable benefit in overall image quality than 8K resolution.

Does Samsung make soundbars?

Yes, Samsung offers a range of soundbar models across various budgets, including the highly rated Q990 series of Dolby Atmos soundbars. You can learn more in our full Samsung Q990F soundbar review.

Some Samsung soundbars support a feature called Q-Symphony when paired with certain Samsung TVs. Q-Symphony enables the soundbar and TV speakers to work in tandem, enhancing sound quality.

For more soundbar recommendations from Samsung and other brands, check out our home audio buying guides:

• Best soundbars
• Best Dolby Atmos soundbars
• Best surround sound systems
• Best budget soundbars
• Best soundbars with a subwoofer
• Best Bose soundbars
• Best Sonos soundbars

Are Samsung TVs better than LG TVs?

Samsung and LG both produce many excellent TV models, and it's difficult to say that one brand is better than the other. Instead, they both have pros and cons, depending on your needs and the specific TV models you're considering.

Regarding LCD-based models, the best Samsung TVs are branded as QLED, while LG's are branded as QNED. There are some differences in the panel technology each uses, but they're similar in overall capabilities. Samsung's high-end QLEDs, however, have traditionally had an edge over LG's best QNEDs thanks to their higher brightness and better local dimming.

Both companies also sell some of the best OLED TVs, and the competition gets tougher here. Most of Samsung's OLEDs use quantum dots, which give them an edge in brightness and color performance over LG's midrange OLEDs. But LG's top OLEDs, the G4 and G5, use other technologies to boost peak brightness, enabling them to achieve similar or higher levels than Samsung's top OLEDs. LG also offers OLEDs in a wider range of sizes, catering to a broader range of budgets.

No matter what type of TV you get, it's important to remember that LG's mid- and high-end displays support Dolby Vision, while Samsung's support the competing HDR10+ format. Both high-dynamic-range formats offer similar capabilities, with scene-by-scene guidance for displaying contrast and color. However, Dolby Vision is more widely used on streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs.

You can find LG recommendations in our guide to the best LG TVs.

What smart TV interface does Samsung use?

Samsung uses a proprietary smart TV interface built using the Tizen operating system (OS). Unlike other interfaces such as Roku OS, Android TV, Fire TV, or Google TV, Samsung's Tizen platform is not available on smart TV models or streaming devices from other brands.

For many years, Samsung's Tizen OS featured a pop-up screen that displayed apps across a horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen, but Samsung updated its interface in 2022. Now, Samsung smart TVs use a full-screen homepage that organizes your favorite services and presents you with content recommendations. There's also a Gaming Hub section that allows you to access cloud services, including Xbox Game Pass, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna.

Samsung's smart TV interface works well across its lineup of TVs and offers access to all of the best streaming services, but it's not the smoothest OS we've used. Even high-end models, like the QN90F and S90D, are prone to hiccups and slight lag when navigating menus and content libraries.

Most buyers should be satisfied with Samsung's smart TV performance, and no major services or features are missing. But if you prefer a different interface with slightly snappier navigation, we recommend checking out our guide to the best streaming devices for other options.

For display recommendations that use other systems, check out our full guide to the best smart TVs.

Are Samsung TVs prone to burn-in?

Samsung's QLED and Crystal UHD TVs are not susceptible to burn-in, but the company's OLED models can experience this issue in extreme cases. Burn-in occurs when a static image is left on an OLED screen for hours on end — the CNN or ESPN logo in the corner, for example — which can cause a faint, ghostly image to become permanently stuck on the screen.

Although Samsung OLED buyers should be aware of this risk, OLED TVs have built-in measures to prevent burn-in, including automatic pixel-shift modes and pixel refreshers. Publications like Rtings have conducted long-term tests with numerous OLED TVs, including Samsung's models. While the results indicate that burn-in is possible, the tests suggest that individuals with regular viewing habits don't need to worry about it.

As long as you don't plan on watching cable news channels all day, burn-in shouldn't be a factor when deciding whether to buy an OLED TV. However, if you tend to watch just one cable channel for several hours a day, you're better off getting one of Samsung's QLED or Crystal UHD models, so you don't have to think twice about burn-in.

Do Samsung TVs support Dolby Vision?

No, not even the best Samsung TVs support Dolby Vision. However, they do support a similar format called HDR10+. Dolby Vision and HDR10+ are both dynamic metadata high-dynamic-range formats. This means that compatible content can be encoded with specific instructions that tell your TV how to handle HDR contrast and color on a scene-by-scene basis.

This is in contrast to the standard HDR10 format, a static metadata format that can only include one set of instructions for the entire video, rather than providing scene-by-scene details. In practice, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ can deliver a more refined HDR experience with video quality that better matches the specific capabilities of your TV. However, these benefits over standard HDR10 are often very subtle.

Although Dolby Vision and HDR10+ offer similar capabilities, Dolby Vision is supported on more streaming services and 4K Blu-ray discs, making it the more desirable of the two formats.

Check out our HDR TV guide for more information about how these formats stack up.

Are matte screens better than glossy ones?

Most of Samsung's TVs use a glossy or semi-glossy screen, but the company has started to release more models that use a matte finish instead. They both have pros and cons that make them better suited for specific types of viewers.

Glossy screens are great at preserving high contrast and deep black levels, but they're prone to mirror-like reflections. This can be a problem if your room has lots of lights or windows. On the other hand, Samsung's anti-glare matte screens significantly reduce reflections. On the downside, the matte filter causes black levels to appear slightly elevated and washed out in a bright room.

Which style is right for you depends on your personal preferences and viewing needs. We tend to favor glossy screens for most uses, as high contrast plays a significant role in maintaining good picture quality. However, matte screens are better suited for spaces where ambient light cannot be controlled.

Notable Samsung TVs that use matte screens include the S95D, S95F, QN90F, and Frame models.

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