CES 2025: Samsung boosts TV AI, sticks to matte screens

Few tech giants are as impervious to media criticism and consumer feedback as Samsung has historically been and one would only need to look at what the company just announced at CES 2025 for proof. In short: not only did Samsung repeat the two most controversial choices it made last year in the TV category as a whole, but it actually went even further this year by offering even more products embracing those choices.

It did make a few new choices that make sense for consumers and its own bottom line, though, leading to extra options for anyone looking to buy a new TV this year. Let’s go through these choices one by one.

More QD-OLED uncertainty, more anti-glare coating controversy

Having achieved considerable commercial success with its QD-OLED TVs in previous years, Samsung would obviously introduce new models for 2025, but there are a few things consumers should know about the new structure of these product lines. The flagship series, for instance, the S95F, is the only one based on Samsung Display’s new QD-OLED panel which promises “up to 30%” higher brightness than its predecessor.

This effectively means that the S95F will be able to surpass 2000 nits in a 10% window in a color-accurate picture mode, which is great (although LG may go even higher this year with its flagship G5/M5 models). The S95F will also be offering VRR refresh rates up to 165 Hz. Not a big jump from last year – and only of interest to PC gamers obviously – but welcome nonetheless.

Different TV models of the same product line being based on different kinds of screens is confusing, yet here we are… again.

The S95F will be offered in 55-, 65-, 77- and 83-inch sizes, but the largest size is not guaranteed to use the new QD-OLED panel: yes, just like last year’s S90D, the S95F 83-inch will be built around either an LG Display WOLED panel or a Samsung Display QD-OLED one – and consumers won’t be able to know the difference before buying. This year it’s not even officially confirmed that there is an 83-inch version of the QD-OLED panel to begin with!

In any case – no matter what Samsung’s company line happens to be – this approach is deceiving: the panels used in other models of the same line simply have different properties and performance. To do this on a flagship TV model – and the most expensive one to boot – is unacceptable, yet here we are.

Samsung has also expanded the number of TVs sporting a matte screen this year. The company’s choice to do so in 2024 proved highly controversial, as that anti-glare coating is highly effective at minimizing reflections but often hurts a TV’s black levels and contrast in the process. Not only are all S95F models sporting a matte screen of this type – people who prefer a glossy one will have to look at other QD-OLED models – but even the company’s top LED/LCD TVs, the Neo QLED QN90F and QN900F lines, come with such a screen coating now.

It’s difficult to know whether that anti-glare coating proved popular with consumers based on sales, but – after taking a look at YouTube videos, forum threads, website comments and Reddit – one might have expected Samsung to at least offer a glossy screen option for its flagship QD-OLED for this year. Yet… here we are, again.

Just as it did in 2024, Samsung will also be offering more affordable OLED TVs based on LG Display’s WOLED panels: the S90F and S85F series will come in various sizes ranging from 42 inches (for some regions) all the way to 83 inches. Just as before, compromises in design, built quality, brightness levels and sound reproduction quality are to be expected, but these models will hopefully be priced close enough to LG’s C5 range for the competition between them to work in consumers’ favor. Last year’s S90D was a very, very good TV for the price and the S90F may prove just as compelling.

New AI functionality is both interesting and cause for concern

As one would expect from a company that used the term “AI” in the TV category even more liberally than LG when describing just static data machine learning-based algorithms for years now, Samsung announced what it calls its “Vision AI” initiative: its efforts to “deliver intelligent, intuitive and seamless screen experiences”.

New functionality mentioned includes Click to Search, Live Translate and Generative Wallpaper, but there’s also better integration with the SmartThings ecosystem so that a new Samsung TV can act as a more effective, easier to use smart hub for things like security cameras or room lighting.

Samsung using Microsoft’s CoPilot for TV AI functionality to such an extent is cause of concern in terms of data gathering and user privacy.

As is the case with many of LG’s new AI-related functions, Samsung’s also leverage Microsoft’s CoPilot “enabling users to explore a wide range of CoPilot services, including content recommendations”. Interestingly, though, Samsung’s announcement makes it clear that (a) some AI functions, such as Live Translate, happen on device and that (b) the company plans to work with other AI partners too, such as Google. It seems that the company wants to leave its options open in the AI race, then – although, regardless of that, data gathering and user privacy are still an obvious concern.

AI was repeatedly mentioned as an important component of Samsung’s image processing and sound processing subsystems too, based on its latest NQ8 AI Gen3 processor. These include content upscaling, sound optimizing and what’s simply called an “AI Mode” which adapts picture and sound based on type of content and lighting conditions. Demanding consumers or purists will rightly expect to be able to deactivate most – even all – of these through the appropriate settings. Whether Samsung will respect that remains to be seen.

More inches, less 8K for 2025

During CES 2025 Samsung also confirmed some changes in its TV lineup that frankly make a lot of sense. The company will be offering, for instance, two new XXL TV models as part of its QN90F and QN80F lines, at 115 and 110 inches respectively (based on panels produced by TCL and BOE respectively).

The largest TV model Samsung offered in 2024 was a 98-inch one, but with consumer interest for these jumbo-sized TVs at an all-time high and after the success TCL or HiSense had with 110-/115-inch TVs, it’s a natural step to take. If priced competitively, these XXL TVs could be a better option than equivalent 2025 TCL or HiSense models, given that Samsung is more experienced at picture processing than either Chinese company.

Samsung is also making changes to its 8K TV strategy. It’s now clear that 8K won’t be of interest to most consumers for the foreseeable future – if ever – and the company, already the only major manufacturer offering 8K TVs at scale, is limiting its investment in this category as a result. After discontinuing the QN700 line last year, Samsung is doing the same with the QN800 in 2025 and focusing on the most expensive QN900 line of Neo QLED TVs. The flagship QN990F will be available in sizes up to 98 inches and it will be built around the upgraded NQ8 AI Gen3 processor too, promising improved image processing and upscaling of lower-resolution content.

As a result of consumer disinterest, Samsung is limiting its investment in 8K televisions even further this year.

As these are LED/LCD TVs featuring MiniLED backlight, the QN990F won’t be offering the kind of picture quality the S95F is capable of, but it will still be considered Samsung’s flagship TV line for 2025. And, oh: if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then LG must be feeling pretty flattered as Samsung will be offering a Wireless One Connect option for the QN990F, a direct equivalent to LG’s Zero Connect Box for its Mx OLED TVs.

It’s not yet clear whether Samsung’s version of this is based on the same tech or whether it performs as well as LG’s latest version does, but chances are we’ll find out at some point before June. Bets, anyone?