Samsung has announced the US availability of its Samsung S85D OLED TVs, a new, lower-cost series of OLED TVs sold in screen sizes from 55 to 77 inches.
The Samsung S85D series sits below the flagship Samsung S95D and Samsung S90D mid-range OLED TVs. We chose the S90D’s predecessor, the Samsung S90C, as our best TV of 2023 for its compelling combination of performance and value, and we expect the new S85D series to follow in its footsteps.
Prices for S85D Series OLED TVs are as follows:
- 55-inch: $1,699.99 (about £1,350 / AU$2,560)
- 65-inch: $2,099.99 (about £1,670 / AU$3,165)
- 77-inch: $3399.99 (about £2700 / AU$5120)
According to Samsung, the new OLED TVs feature the same NQ4 AI Gen2 processor and 4K AI Upscaling found in the company’s other 2024 OLED TVs, including the flagship S95D series. They also support Pantone validated colors and come with the free Samsung TV Plus and Samsung Gaming Hub.
Samsung S85D TVs provide four HDMI 2.1 ports with 120Hz and ALLM support. For audio, they have 2 x 20-watt built-in speakers, Samsung Object Tracking Sound Lite and a Q Symphony feature that allows the TV’s speakers to work in tandem with a Samsung soundbar for an enhanced presentation.
Along with the S85D OLED TVs, Samsung also announced US pricing and availability for its new 42-, 48-, and 83-inch S90D OLED TV models. Prices for other sizes were previously announced.
- 42-inch: $1,399.99 (coming soon)
- 48-inch: $1,599.99 (about £1,270 / AU$2,400)
- 83-inch: $5399.99 (about £4290 / AU$8140)
With their smaller screen size options, 144Hz refresh rate with FreeSync Premium VRR, plus the Samsung Gaming Hub cloud-based gaming portal found in the company’s other TVs, Samsung is positioning the S90D series as the perfect option for gamers.
Opinion: The more OLED TVs, the better – if it keeps prices down
The best OLED TVs are getting brighter and bigger, with 83-inch models now common. But OLED TVs generally remain an expensive option compared to regular QLED and even mini-LED TVs. That’s why it’s encouraging to see Samsung branch out with a third, cheaper OLED TV series in the new S85D models and add smaller, more affordable screen sizes to its S90D series.
That’s not to say Samsung’s new S85D OLED TVs are cheap. They exactly match the starting prices of last year’s S90C series, which the more expensive models in the new S90D series replace. So while the prices of Samsung’s OLED TVs are generally on the rise (the new flagship S95D OLED series starts at $2,599 for a 55-inch screen size), at least the company is giving us a cheaper option.
One important thing to consider with new TVs is the type of display panel being used. While the new S95D series TVs use Samsung-made QD-OLED panels, the 42-, 48- and 83-inch S90D series models use regular W-OLED panels made by LG Display. More confusingly, Samsung hasn’t confirmed that the other screen sizes in the S90D series will use a QD-OLED instead of a W-OLED panel, a situation that has been characterized as Lottery for OLED TV screen.”
Samsung hasn’t specifically stated whether the new S85D series will use QD-OLED or W-OLED panels, although given the lower price, it’s possible that Samsung has opted for W-OLED. That’s not to say the new S85D TVs won’t look good. We had an opportunity to do hands-on test of the 48-inch Samsung S90D OLEDmodel that uses a W-OLED panel, and found the overall picture quality to be very good.
QD-OLED or W-OLED, Samsung’s new S85D series TVs are the company’s entry-level OLED models for 2024, and while we won’t know for sure about their performance until we get the S85D to test, we’re hoping it delivers the same bang for the buck as last year’s Samsung S90C series.
