Samsung KN55F9500 OLED TV Review

55-inch OLED Active 3D TV with Smart Hub

By Jack Burden

OLED Technology

The Samsung KN55F9500 OLED TV is available for purchase sometime in 2013. This model is one of the first larger OLED TVs to be mass produced for the public, with its only competition this year coming from LG's similar offering. The biggest difference between LG and Samsung's 55" OLED TV offerings is the design of the OLED technology placed in the display. Samsung's display features separate red, blue, and green OLEDs for each pixel on the screen. While LG's display will use four white OLEDs per pixel with filters for displaying red, green, and blue. This means there are slight differences in the displays, but each has their advantages. The F9500's RGB OLED display is capable of producing vibrant colors, but may not be as bright as LG's model.

Picture Quality

This 55-inch F9500 is Samsung's very top-of-the-line model hands down in every aspect. The picture quality is more defined, with richer colors, and with cleaner lines and better lighting than any TV that has come before it. No current plasma or LCD TV can match the color reproduction or black levels that the KN55F9500 is capable of. In fact, this TV is 20% better at color reproduction than any TV currently on the market if we do not count Sony's small 24" OLED. The black levels are superior due to the fact no backlights are required in OLED TVs like they are in LCD TVs. OLEDs are able to produce their own light which in turn produces true blacks and a much better contrast ratio compared to backlit TVs. This also impacts a vast improvement on viewing angles. Normally there would be a deterioration of contrast and color as the viewing angle widens, but on OLED displays this won't be a problem.

Our viewing experience of this TV was that first of all we were stunned by how good the picture is. It seems better than looking through a window at times due to the incredible color saturation.

3D Viewing

The F9500 is 3D ready and includes all of Samsung's interactive features seen on some of the top-tier TVs out now. It is active 3D which requires active shutter 3D glasses. Samsung has always used this technology in their TVs, so they have a nice selection of active shutter 3D glasses available. Samsung's accompanying 3D glasses are the lightest and most comfortable on the market.

Smart TV/Smart Interaction on the F9500

The TV is equipped with Smart Interaction voice and gesture controls as well as a Smart Dual View mode that allows two different 2D programs to be watch simultaneously. We we've written before about The Smart Dual View mode will obviously require multiple sets of 3D glasses and there is the question of how sound for each signal is going to be reproduced. Samsung's Smart Hub is also included and well worth it, as the best smart TV suites out there save for the slow App load times and browsing. The Smart Hub features a host of apps (over 1500) with some free 3D content provided by Samsung (3D World), and a full web browser (which is painfully slow to use). Apps include Facebook, Twitter, NBA, MLB, and media outlets like Youtube, Netflix, and Hulu Plus and many, many more.The inbuilt camera which enables Smart Interaction pops up from the top back of the OLED TV when needed and also makes inbuilt Skype a great option.

Appearance and Design

The F9500 measures an impressive 0.3 inches in depth making it about a third as thin as the thinnest LCD TVs available now. It is not quite as thin as LG's OLED TV, but there is a plus side to that. Video inputs for the TV are located on the back and not located on the TV's stand like the LG OLED. This makes wall mounting a better option on the F9500.The F9500 features an attractive super-slim silver frame with a 5mm black bezel very similar to their top of the line KN55F8000 series LED/LCD TV.

Value and Pricing

OK, hold on to your seat. The KN55F9500 is not for those with high pockets. The hefty price tag of under $10,000 reminds me of plasma TVs first entering the market at that price back in 1999. However, the plasma TVs were 5 inches in depth and had serious burn-in issues as well as a short shelf life. The picture quality was also not far superior to everything else on the market. So while the early adapter introductory price is a stinger, you are at least getting something exceptional in quality.