In 2023, the best OLED TVs might be the Sony A95L and the Samsung S95C. Both of these 4K QD-OLED TVs use quantum dot filters to make their screens brighter than regular W-OLED panels. This makes them much brighter than older models. Aside from the tech that makes them brighter, each screen has different benefits for movie fans and gamers. Samsung Display brought a new type of OLED to the market in 2022. QD-OLED combines two of the most popular TV display technologies, OLED and Quantum Dot, to make OLED displays brighter and better at showing colours.
Last year, only two QD-OLED TVs were sold, but we loved both of them. With the S95B QD-OLED, Samsung was clearly the first to enter the race. It got five stars from us because it was very colourful and lively, and it had a lot of gaming features. Soon after, Sony came out with the A95K QD-OLED, which also got a five-star review because it had a bright picture that looked very real and natural, and great sound.
Instead, Samsung and Sony are once again competing against each other. And thanks to a screen made by Samsung Display, this second-generation OLED panel looks like it will have even more brightness, deeper blacks, and better contrast, as well as less image retention.
Sony A95L vs Samsung S95C Price
Samsung just announced how much the S95C will cost, and customers in the UK and US will have to pay a lot more than before. The 55-inch model costs £2700, or about $2500, and the 65-inch model will sell for £3600, or about $3300. This year, there is also a 77-inch model, which is new to the lineup. The price will be £5100/$4500.
As we said, this is more expensive than the model it replaces, which is frustrating but not surprising given the state of the economy. LG has also raised the price of its new LG G3 OLED. Sony hasn’t said how much the A95L will cost yet, so we can only go by how much it cost last year. Sony’s QD-OLED was more expensive than Samsung’s. The 55-inch model, which wasn’t sold in Australia, cost £2699 or $3000, and the 65-inch model cost £3499 or $4000 or AU$5995.
The A95L will also come in a 77-inch size, but we don’t have a good idea of how much that might cost. It would be easy to think that Sony, like Samsung and LG, will raise its prices this year. However, the A95K is already one of the most expensive mainstream TVs of 2022, so Sony may not want to make the A95 L even more expensive.
It’s important to note that the A95L is the only new QD-OLED from Sony, but the S95C is not the only new QD-OLED from Samsung. It also showed off the S90C, a slightly cheaper QD-OLED TV that is not as bright, doesn’t have a One Connect box, and has a less powerful sound system.
Sony A95L vs Samsung S95C Comparison Table
| Specifications | Sony A95L | Samsung S95C |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 65-inch, 75-inch | 65-inch, 75-inch |
| Display type | OLED | QLED |
| Resolution | 4K (3840 x 2160) | 4K (3840 x 2160) |
| HDR support | HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision | HDR10, HDR10+, HLG |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 120Hz |
| Processor | Cognitive Processor XR | Neo Quantum Processor 4K |
| Sound | Acoustic Surface Audio+ (3-way speakers) | Object Tracking Sound+ (4.2.2 channels) |
| Operating system | Google TV | Tizen |
| Official Website | Visit Website | Visit Website |
Sony A95L vs Samsung S95C Design
Both the Sony A95L and the Samsung S95C are very thin OLED TVs, which is not a big surprise. The Samsung One Connect Box media receiver, which holds the TV’s HDMI connections, helps give the ‘Infinity One’ model its slim design.
Unlike the S95C, the HDMI ports on the A95L are in the back of the screen, but the TV is still very thin. Sony’s new QD-OLED looks even better than the A95K, thanks in part to its new ‘Immersive Edge’ design, which includes a stand that can be used in three different ways.
Sony A95L vs Samsung S95C Features
Both the S95C and A95L have all the features you’d expect from two of the best OLED TVs for 2023. Starting with HDR support, both the Samsung and Sony have the standard HDR10 and HLG formats, but the Samsung adds HDR10+ while Sony goes with Dolby Vision. Samsung keeps choosing HDR10+ over Dolby Vision, which is frustrating because more disc and streaming content, like that from Netflix and Disney Plus, supports Dolby Vision.
Both of these TVs have HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K/120Hz, so gamers should feel right at home on either one. Samsung, on the other hand, makes its own chip, which has four HDMI 2.1 ports. Sony, on the other hand, uses the latest MediaTek Pentonic 1000, which only has two HDMI 2.1 ports.
Worse, one of these HDMI 2.1 sockets is also for eARC, so if you need eARC for a soundbar or AVR, you’ll only have one HDMI 2.1 socket left. If you’re a serious gamer with more than one console, that’s not the best thing. As for the good things about both sets, they both support VRR and ALLM.
When it comes to sound, both TVs can play Dolby Atmos through their own speakers and can also send it out through the HDMI eARC port. Lastly, as you might expect, both TVs are smart, but they use different systems to do so. Samsung is using the Tizen operating system, which has been used in many of its other TVs in the past. Here you’ll find all the streaming apps you’d expect, like Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video, as well as some Samsung-specific features, like Samsung TV Plus and Xbox game streaming.
On the Sony side, Google TV is there, just like on the A95K. You can find Google TV on other TVs and on the Google Chromecast if you have Google TV. It’s a useful and easy-to-use smart platform that works with a lot of apps, so we don’t mind that it’s back on the A95L. It also means that you can use voice commands to control the smart system with Google Assistant.
Sony A95L vs Samsung S95C Sound quality
When it comes to sound, we didn’t have any experience with these TVs, so it’s hard to compare them. What we do know about these TVs is how their speakers work. The Sony has a unique 2.2-channel system with two actuators that make the screen shake. The bass is added by two regular woofers. This screen-vibration-based system has worked well in many of Sony’s OLED TVs, so we’re glad to see it back on the A95L.
Samsung is improving the S95C’s speaker setup by adding a 70W 4.2.2 sound system. That is a step up from the S95B’s 60W 2.2.2 system, which we weren’t too fond of to begin with. But this isn’t just a case of “bigger numbers = better performance,” as Samsung seems to have also changed the design to better place the speakers. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that this new sound system is a big step up, but only time will tell.
Sony A95L: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Excellent picture quality: The Sony A95L TV features a 4K OLED panel that delivers stunning picture quality with deep blacks, rich colors, and high contrast levels.
- Acoustic Surface Audio+: The TV’s built-in speakers use the screen itself as a speaker, providing a unique and immersive audio experience.
- Android TV: The TV comes with the Android TV operating system, which provides a user-friendly interface and access to a wide range of streaming services.
- Smart connectivity: The TV features built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, making it easy to connect to other devices and stream content.
Cons
- Expensive: The Sony A95L TV is a high-end model and comes with a premium price tag, making it less accessible to budget-conscious buyers.
- Limited HDR performance: The TV’s peak brightness may not be high enough to display the full range of HDR content, which could affect the overall viewing experience.
- Input lag: The TV’s input lag is relatively high, making it less suitable for gamers who demand quick response times.
- Limited viewing angles: OLED panels can suffer from image degradation when viewed from certain angles, which could be a concern for viewers who often watch TV from the side.
Samsung S95C: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Curved OLED display provides a more immersive viewing experience
- Smart TV features with built-in WiFi and streaming apps
- Sleek and stylish design
Cons
- Expensive compared to other TVs in the market
- Limited viewing angles
- Potential for screen burn-in with prolonged static images
Which one should you consider?
Both the Sony A95L QD-OLED and the Samsung S95C QD-OLED should be great 4K TVs. These OLED TVs are even better than their predecessors, the A95K and S95B, which both got a perfect 5/5 rating in our reviews. The 2023 models will have much brighter screens than their older brothers and sisters.
The LG C3 OLED and the Philips+908 OLED will be tough competitors for both sets, so keep an eye out for our full reviews of the Sony A95L and the Samsung S95C in the coming months. No matter how you look at it, 2023 could be the most interesting year for OLED technology in a long time.
FAQs
About the same things can be said about the Samsung Q90T QLED and the Sony A8G OLED. Still, these two TVs are very different. The Sony is an OLED that can make perfect blacks, while the Samsung is an LED that uses backlighting, which makes some blacks look a little grey.
The two brands’ top-of-the-line TVs use different standards for enhanced HDR, where metadata is used to automatically adjust the settings based on what’s on the screen. At the same time, Samsung chooses HDR10+ and Sony chooses Dolby Vision, which is usually a better choice.
