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Yes—the 55-inch Samsung S85H is a particularly convincing first OLED purchase. What Hi-Fi’s testing found a punchy, three-dimensional image, higher brightness than earlier entry-level OLEDs and its main rival, and four full-speed HDMI 2.1 ports for serious gaming. Its compromises are equally clear: no Dolby Vision, somewhat exaggerated colour compared with more refined sets, and built-in speakers that lack bass.
What Hi-Fi reported a UK price of £1,074 at Richer Sounds on 14 October 2026, down from the £1,500 price at which it tested the television in July. The retailer’s RSTV50 code was reported to reduce that deal by a further £50, while a £75 Samsung cashback claim was available subject to the promotion’s terms. Prices, stock, codes and cashback eligibility can change, so verify each detail before ordering.
Why the S85H stands out as a budget OLED
OLED’s appeal is pixel-level control: each pixel can switch off independently for genuinely deep blacks, while bright highlights remain sharply separated from dark scenes. The S85H adds unusually strong brightness for an entry-level OLED, making it more usable in a room with daylight or lamps than many cheaper OLED designs.
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In What Hi-Fi’s peak-brightness stress test, the reviewers wrote: “Switching to Pan, our standard peak-brightness stress test due to its atypical 4000 nits mastering, it’s immediately clear that the S85H burns brighter than previous entry-level OLEDs we’ve tested and its main rival, the LG B6.” That is a review observation rather than a published peak-nits laboratory result. The same review describes a solid, three-dimensional presentation; during a race scene in F1: The Movie, it was the television that drew the reviewers’ eyes.
#1 Best Overall
- OLED HDR: Reveal hidden details with bold brights and inky blacks in each scene. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor analyzes each scene* to improve brightness for a more dynamic picture.
- NQ4 AI GEN2 PROCESSOR: The advanced powerhouse behind your TV’s performance, the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor analyzes and enhances content in real time, delivering sharper images, smoother motion, and more vibrant colors. From fast-paced action scenes to quiet dramatic moments, everything looks more lifelike and engaging. Combined with advanced sound processing, it creates a truly cinematic experience in your home.*
- PREMIUM GAMING PACK: Dive into next-level gaming with smooth, tear-free graphics and real-time responsiveness. Level up your gameplay with Motion Xcelerator120Hz, NVIDIA G-SYNC or AMD FreeSync Premium for low latency.*
- 4K AI UPSCALING: Watch your favorite shows and videos in stunning detail. Advanced AI processing upscales your content to captivating 4K resolution, ensuring sharp visuals and smooth picture quality, whether you're streaming, gaming or watching movies.*
- PANTONE VALIDATED: With colors validated by the experts at Pantone, you can be sure colors look realistic, and skin tones are accurately rendered, for a vibrant, true-to-life picture.
Colours are more bombastic than on the LG B6. That can make animation, sport and HDR effects look immediately vivid, although viewers seeking a restrained, reference-like image may prefer a higher-tier model.
Gaming features and connections
The S85H has four full-speed HDMI 2.1 inputs. They support 4K at 120Hz, variable refresh rate (VRR) and Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), so a current console or gaming PC can use high-frame-rate modes without relying on a single premium input. Four compatible ports are unusually generous at this price: you can connect multiple consoles, a PC and an audio device without repeatedly swapping cables.
Rank #2
- OLED HDR: Reveal hidden details with bold brights and inky blacks in each scene. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor analyzes each scene* to improve brightness for a more dynamic picture.
- NQ4 AI GEN2 PROCESSOR: The advanced powerhouse behind your TV’s performance, the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor analyzes and enhances content in real time, delivering sharper images, smoother motion, and more vibrant colors. From fast-paced action scenes to quiet dramatic moments, everything looks more lifelike and engaging. Combined with advanced sound processing, it creates a truly cinematic experience in your home.*
- PREMIUM GAMING PACK: Dive into next-level gaming with smooth, tear-free graphics and real-time responsiveness. Level up your gameplay with Motion Xcelerator120Hz, NVIDIA G-SYNC or AMD FreeSync Premium for low latency.*
- 4K AI UPSCALING: Watch your favorite shows and videos in stunning detail. Advanced AI processing upscales your content to captivating 4K resolution, ensuring sharp visuals and smooth picture quality, whether you're streaming, gaming or watching movies.*
- PANTONE VALIDATED: With colors validated by the experts at Pantone, you can be sure colors look realistic, and skin tones are accurately rendered, for a vibrant, true-to-life picture.
- 4K/120Hz: supports high-frame-rate console and PC gaming.
- VRR: reduces tearing when frame rates fluctuate.
- ALLM: lets compatible devices trigger a low-latency game mode automatically.
These connections make the S85H a stronger gaming proposition than its entry-level label suggests. They do not, however, add Dolby Vision Gaming support.
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Samsung supports HDR10+, HDR10 and HLG on the S85H. It does not support Dolby Vision or Dolby Vision Gaming. This is a Samsung-wide limitation rather than a fault unique to this television, but it matters if your player or streaming service is built around Dolby Vision. Dolby Vision content will normally fall back to another available HDR format; the exact result depends on the source device and service.
Rank #3
- OLED HDR: Reveal hidden details with bold brights and inky blacks in each scene. The NQ4 AI Gen2 processor analyzes each scene* to improve brightness for a more dynamic picture.
- NQ4 AI GEN2 PROCESSOR: The advanced powerhouse behind your TV’s performance, the NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor analyzes and enhances content in real time, delivering sharper images, smoother motion, and more vibrant colors. From fast-paced action scenes to quiet dramatic moments, everything looks more lifelike and engaging. Combined with advanced sound processing, it creates a truly cinematic experience in your home.*
- PREMIUM GAMING PACK: Dive into next-level gaming with smooth, tear-free graphics and real-time responsiveness. Level up your gameplay with Motion Xcelerator120Hz, NVIDIA G-SYNC or AMD FreeSync Premium for low latency.*
- 4K AI UPSCALING: Watch your favorite shows and videos in stunning detail. Advanced AI processing upscales your content to captivating 4K resolution, ensuring sharp visuals and smooth picture quality, whether you're streaming, gaming or watching movies.*
- PANTONE VALIDATED: With colors validated by the experts at Pantone, you can be sure colors look realistic, and skin tones are accurately rendered, for a vibrant, true-to-life picture.
Smart TV software and everyday use
The latest-generation Samsung Tizen interface is described as easy to navigate and capable of arranging apps according to usage. In testing, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and Apple TV were present and worked correctly. App availability can vary by country and may change with software updates, so the tested UK experience should not be assumed worldwide.
Audio: plan for a soundbar for Samsung S85H
The built-in system is a 2.0-channel, 20W Dolby Atmos arrangement. What Hi-Fi found direction and separation reasonable, but bass noticeably weak. That is acceptable for daytime television, news and casual viewing; films and bass-heavy games will sound thinner than they do through a separate system.
Rank #4
- Complete Samsung OLED entertainment bundle includes a 77 Inch Class 4K OLED Smart TV, HDMI cable, streaming bundle, and upgraded 24 Month CPS Protection Plan for a premium home theater setup
- Expansive 77-inch OLED display creates a larger-than-life viewing experience ideal for movies, sports, gaming, and binge-worthy streaming marathons
- OLED technology delivers incredible contrast, vibrant color reproduction, and pixel-level precision for immersive picture quality across all content types
- 4K Ultra HD resolution showcases over 8 million pixels of detail, bringing enhanced clarity and realism to movies, shows, sporting events, and gaming
- Smart TV functionality provides instant access to popular streaming platforms, entertainment apps, connected content, and smart home features
A soundbar is the most practical upgrade for movie watchers. Check that the model accepts HDMI eARC (or the connection your other equipment requires), supports the audio formats you use and fits beneath the S85H without obscuring the screen. Treat a soundbar as an audio fix, not a way to add Dolby Vision—the television’s HDR format support remains unchanged.
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How it compares with alternatives
| Model | What the evidence says | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung S85H | Bright for an entry-level OLED; punchy, three-dimensional image; four HDMI 2.1 inputs; no Dolby Vision; bass-light 20W speakers. | Budget buyers wanting strong gaming connectivity and an OLED that can cope with ambient light. |
| LG B6 | The S85H was judged brighter, with more bombastic colour. | Buyers who prefer the alternative picture presentation and find it at a suitable price. |
| LG C6 | Offers more nuance, extra finesse and a more natural picture than the S85H, according to the comparison guidance. | Viewers willing to spend more for refinement. |
| Samsung S90F | Also offers more nuance, finesse and naturalism than the S85H, at a higher budget. | Those prioritising picture refinement over entry price. |
The related S85F provides useful series context. Tom’s Guide’s 3 April 2026 report describes the S85-series approach as perfect blacks, pixel-level dimming, broad streaming support and four HDMI 2.1 inputs for 4K/120Hz gaming. It places the S85F below Samsung’s S90F and S95F in brightness while still treating it as a high-contrast value option. That context should not be read as a substitute for S85H-specific testing.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- OLED HDR+ WITH GLARE FREE*: Experience incredible brightness and deep contrast. Advanced AI enhances details, while Glare Free technology eliminates distracting reflections.*
- NQ4 AI GEN3 PROCESSOR: Powered by 128 neural networks to deliver AI-enhanced picture and sound, resulting in an exceptional 4K experience for streaming, gaming, live sports and more.*
- ULTIMATE GAMING PACK*: Conquer the competition with ultra-smooth, tear-free, low-latency gameplay and real-time responsiveness. Unlock the ultimate gaming experience with the powerful combination of Motion Xcelerator 165Hz with NVIDIA G-SYNC or AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.*
- 4K AI UPSCALING PRO: See impressive details on screen. Our AI processor upscales everything you watch to 4K using 128 AI neural networks and ensures incredibly sharp and smooth picture quality.*
- AI MOTION ENHANCER PRO: The AI processor smooths the motion of fast-moving balls and text, reducing blur and flickering, so you don't lose sight of the action.*
Who should buy the S85H?
- Choose it if you want OLED contrast, unusually good entry-level brightness, four HDMI 2.1 ports and a price substantially below premium OLED ranges.
- Budget for a soundbar if films, games and music matter more than daytime viewing.
- Look higher in the range if natural colour, subtle shading and maximum picture finesse matter more than the initial price.
- Check your HDR expectations before buying if Dolby Vision is essential to your player or streaming setup.
Buying checklist
- Confirm the screen size and regional model listing; the reported deal concerns the 55-inch UK version.
- Verify the current Richer Sounds price, stock, RSTV50 code conditions and Samsung cashback deadline before payment.
- Count your HDMI 2.1 devices and connect them to the television’s full-speed inputs.
- Check your streaming devices’ HDR formats, especially if they rely on Dolby Vision.
- Decide whether to purchase a compatible HDMI eARC soundbar immediately or use the television speakers for simpler viewing.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
