The Samsung S85D is positioned as the entry-level OLED television for 2024, ranking below the S90D. Unlike the S90D, it features a conventional WOLED panel across all sizes rather than a QD-OLED. Consistent with other OLED models in Samsung’s 2024 television range, it is powered by the new NQ4 AI Gen 2 processor, which offers enhanced performance.
This model operates on the 2024 version of Samsung’s Tizen OS, allowing users to stream content from their smartphones to the TV and utilize voice control features. Additionally, it includes modern gaming capabilities, supporting 4K120 and VRR. The audio system comprises a 2.0-channel setup with a total output of 20 W.
Design
The Samsung QE65S85D features a straightforward design that creates a favorable overall impression. While it is a slim television, its bezels measure slightly thicker at 0.9 cm compared to many other OLED models. The unit is supported by two plastic feet, which can be positioned either widely or narrowly. These feet elevate the TV approximately 8.5 cm off the surface, ensuring that most soundbars do not obstruct the screen.
The rear casing is entirely made of plastic and exhibits some flex when pressed. The connection ports are situated at the back within two concealed compartments in the lower right corner from a frontal perspective. Accessing these ports can be challenging if the TV is mounted close to a wall. Overall, the Samsung 65S85D demonstrates good build quality. It is relatively lightweight, and the two plastic feet do not add significant weight, resulting in a slight wobble when touched.
The remote control mirrors that of the Samsung S95D OLED, featuring a slim and compact design with quick access buttons for popular streaming applications, making it user-friendly. A notable advantage of this remote is its rechargeable battery, which is powered by a small solar panel located at the bottom, but it can also be charged via USB-C.
This television is compatible with Bixby and Alexa voice assistants, and the remote includes a built-in microphone for voice commands. Users can utilize voice control to launch applications, switch inputs, inquire about the weather and time, and adjust specific settings, such as OLED brightness.
Image quality
The S85D series offers exceptional contrast levels. Its capability to completely deactivate individual pixels effectively eliminates the halo effect around bright objects set against a black background. This feature, combined with its deep black tones, makes this television an outstanding choice for a home theater in dimly lit environments.
The Samsung S85D provides satisfactory HDR brightness, reaching approximately 640 nits in a 10% white window. However, this brightness may fall short in showcasing extremely bright scenes as envisioned by the director. Additionally, the automatic brightness limiter tends to be overly aggressive, significantly dimming large bright areas.
With its wide color gamut, the TV delivers impressive color accuracy. The color reproduction is commendable, and the high contrast enhances the display of dark, vibrant hues. However, challenges arise with colors at elevated brightness levels due to the relatively modest peak brightness.
The QE65S85D excels in grey and black uniformity, offering a broad viewing angle. While there is some color shifting at extreme angles, it remains minimal, and the overall picture quality stays consistent. Furthermore, the anti-glare coating effectively mitigates reflections from both direct light sources, such as lamps in front of the screen, and those positioned at an angle.
Motion and Game Processing
The 65S85D features a rapid 3ms response time, delivering sharp visuals even with fast-moving scenes. While some blurring may occur at 60Hz, increasing the refresh rate mitigates this issue. The inclusion of black frame insertion aids in reducing blur, while the interpolation function enhances motion smoothness on the display. The television automatically eliminates judder from all sources when viewing films or 24p content, regardless of a 60Hz signal.
The S85D TV supports various types of Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), including both G-Sync and FreeSync. In game mode, the input lag is impressively low, capped at 5.5 ms. It also features Auto Low Latency Mode, which allows the TV to switch to Game mode automatically upon detecting a console.
Samsung’s Game Hub consolidates all your consoles and active games in one interface, which can complicate the process of launching your desired game. However, the pop-up Game Bar (version 4.0) proves to be beneficial. Accessible via the remote, it allows for quick adjustments to several game-related settings, such as game image mode, input lag, Game Motion Plus, and more.
Smart TV
The Samsung S85D TV integrates seamlessly with the Samsung SmartThings ecosystem, enabling control of the TV and other connected devices through a mobile application, enhancing your smart home experience. The Tizen operating system has undergone modernization, featuring a refreshed interface, updated menu fonts, and new icons.
While the system update has improved various aspects, the media player remains largely unchanged. It supports a wide range of video file formats, successfully playing nearly all test files from USB, including formats such as AVI, FLV, MKV, MOV, MP4, MTS, TP, and WMV. The TV efficiently reads USB drive contents and performs well with network drives. It is powered by the AI NQ4 Gen2 processor, which is enhanced by artificial intelligence algorithms.
The Home Panel is customizable, allowing users to remove unwanted content or applications. Tizen also includes access to various applications, including a web browser; however, for optimal usability, connecting a mouse and keyboard is recommended. Additionally, the Home Panel features options like Multi View, Remote Access, Ambient Mode, device previews, and quick access to TV settings.
Sound
The Samsung S85D series audio system is adequate for viewing news and television programs; however, a more robust audio source is necessary for music enjoyment. According to the manufacturer, the system features speakers with a combined output of 20 W. It incorporates the OTS Lite object tracking sound technology. Additionally, Q-Symphony allows for integration with a compatible soundbar to enhance the audio experience.
As the volume increases, the distortion levels of the TV become more pronounced, and the speakers struggle to deliver substantial bass. While it does support Dolby Atmos, it is unfortunate that the TV lacks compatibility with DTS formats, which is disappointing given that many Blu-ray discs utilize DTS for their lossless audio tracks.
Connections
The Samsung S85D provides an impressive visual experience in dimly lit environments due to its nearly infinite contrast ratio. Additionally, it performs well in bright settings, offering commendable SDR brightness. Its wide viewing angle makes it an excellent option for group viewing. Furthermore, the advanced gaming features are particularly attractive to gamers using contemporary gaming consoles.
Conclusion
The Samsung S85D delivers a good picture in a dark room thanks to its nearly infinite contrast ratio, but it’s also suitable for use in a bright room thanks to its good SDR brightness. It’s also a great choice for watching in company thanks to its wide viewing angle. The advanced gaming features will appeal to gamers with modern gaming consoles.