After the spectacular debut of its Samsung S95B QD-OLED TV last year, Samsung is filling out its lineup this year. The South Korean electronics giant now sells two QD-OLED TV models with the S95C being the higher end of the two (the S90C appears to be identical as the older S95B, but with updated software). If you can afford it, the S95C is definitely worth its price tag (starts from S$3,599 for the 55-inch model), with outstanding visuals, and a sleek premium design.

The good news — for those with S$10,499 to spare — is that the S95C comes in a 77-inch size, which was unavailable for the older S95B. I had the privilege of testing this 77-inch model, and the size really makes a difference. Everything just looks more alive and realistic. Build quality is excellent. The TV is slim, but it feels less fragile, and not as creaky as its predecessor. The centre stand is stable, and elevates it above my soundbar. But it takes up a fair bit of space (36cm x 28cm) for the 77-inch model. The back of the stand is also used to hold the other new feature, the One Connect box, a staple of Samsung's premium TVs. This breakout box has all the ports and connectors. Separating the inputs from the TV is useful if you intend to wall mount the TV.

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Samsung says the S95C is up to 30% brighter than its predecessor. And it definitely looked the part. In fact, subtitles in some HDR content were a bit too glaring for me when viewing in a dark room. The display itself has a superb anti-glare layer that effectively minimised reflections. Viewing angles are great, and there isn't any noticeable tinting when viewed from the sides, unlike my LG OLED. Dark scenes, such as the final episode of Beef, retained plenty of shadow detail. I didn't notice any banding or dirty screen effect. The Filmmaker mode produces the most accurate colours, but it can look slightly dull at times for HDR content. Skin tones, especially, can look flat. The vivid but inaccurate Dynamic mode is fun to use occasionally. It's a shame Samsung continues to ignore Dolby Vision, while its preferred HDR10+ format isn't widely adopted yet.

Although I didn't test the S95C with a gaming PC, it supports 144Hz when connected to a computer. I did play games on the S95C with a Sony PlayStation 5, which supports 120Hz. And the TV just looks incredibly bright in games. Naturally, it has all the essential gaming features (ALLM and VRR). The Game Bar pop-up is helpful, but I didn't find the new features (Minimap Zoom and Virtual Aim Point) game-changing. All four of its HDMI ports support 4K 120Hz, unlike some other brands. Audio-wise, the S95C's speakers sound balanced with decent sound separation. Dialogue is clear, though bass could be better. Given the price of the TV, it's probably a good idea to pair it with a premium soundbar, especially a Samsung one with Q-Symphony that delivers sound together with the TV speakers.

I'm still not a big fan of Samsung's Tizen TV interface, but I have gotten used to it. It worked flawlessly during my two weeks with the TV, and felt snappy and responsive. The big-name entertainment apps are available, even if Google TV has more apps overall. The usual smart features are also there, from SmartThings to the Bixby voice assistant. However, the main takeaway for the Samsung S95C is its superb picture quality. Yes, it's just a bit better than last year's model, but the refreshed design (and One Connect Box) also help to distinguish it from its S90C sibling. Pricing-wise, the S95C (S$4,699 for the 65″) is competitive with OLEDs like the Sony A80L (S$4,699) and LG C3 (S$4,299). Get the S95C now from Lazada, and Shopee.

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Note: Review unit provided by Samsung.