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- Samsung 2025 TVs feature next-generation “Glare Free” technology
- Glare Free 2.0 better preserves black depth and shadow detail
- It will feature state-of-the-art OLED, and 8K and 4K mini-LED TVs
U Samsung S95D it was our pick for the year better TV in the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024. It’s incredible TV, and one that overcomes one of the biggest problems that have long plagued it. OLED Televisions: screen reflections from lamps and other light sources that overload their relatively dim fullscreen brightness levels.
Samsung solved that problem by using a new OLED Glare Free screen in the S95D, and then uses the technology to combat screen reflections in its 2025 OLED flagship, the Samsung S95F. But the Glare Free technology that goes into that model is not the same that was used in the S95D. Instead, it’s a second-generation version that solves the biggest problem with last year’s Samsung OLED TV: high black levels when viewed in bright rooms.
I first noticed the black level problem when I did a hands-on test of the S95D in early 2024, but it wasn’t until I compared Samsung and LG premium OLED TVs side-by-sidewhich turned out to be more of a problem than I originally thought. That comparison was part of a demo created by LG at the CEDIA Expo 2024 fair which showed the various anti-glare measures used by the Samsung S95D and the LG G4. When a lamp was positioned in front of the two televisions, the Samsung completely spread the reflection, basically eliminating it. The G4 in contrast, showed near-mirrored reflections.
But while the Samsung screen was superior in the treatment of reflections, the blacks on the S95D looked more like a dark gray compared to the LG OLED, which accurately rendered blacks and deep shadows. This was in bright lighting conditions of course; when the lights in the demo room were dimmed, both TVs proved equally adept at displaying deep blacks.
Glare Free 2.0 is here
The second generation of OLED Glare Free was presented in the Samsung S95F, which the company shows at CES 2025solve the situation “increasing the black expression” with the rejection of glare. I first saw a demo of the new screen technology at Samsung’s headquarters in South Korea, and was impressed by how effective it was at giving TV viewers the best of both worlds – there was a clearly deeper and more realistic black tone, while also eliminating distracting reflections.
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Many buyers of premium OLED TVs are fans of movies that usually dim the lights when they watch them, so Samsung’s Glare Free technology can in some ways be a solution in search of a problem. But again, the Samsung S95D was the brightest OLED TV TechRadar tested in 2024, with peak brightness measurements that almost match some the best mini LED TVs we reviewed. This factor together with Glare Free makes it a good option for daytime sports viewing, which is normally better managed by mini-LED models.
Samsung’s Glare Free 2.0 technology is no longer just for the company’s OLED flagship – it will also appear in its new flagship. 8K and 4K mini-LED TV for 2025, the Samsung QN990F and the Samsung QN90F. This means buyers of premium Samsung TVs will be able to safely watch movies or play games without having to worry about screen reflections and reduced contrast and shadow detail in bright and dark environments.
With pressure in the TV market from not only LG, but new relatives like TCL and HisenseGlare Free 2.0 is a distinctive feature – and one that I’m sure Samsung hopes will give it a leg up on its competition. I can’t wait to give it a serious test to see if it holds up in testing, because it looks incredibly promising so far.
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