Samsung and Sony are two of the biggest names in the TV industry, constantly innovating to push the boundaries of visual technology in their flagship displays. 2022 saw both brands unveil breakthrough OLED models – Samsung with their highly advanced Quantum Dot OLED S95B series and Sony with their latest generation Cognitive Processor XR powered A80K BRAVIA XR.
As premium 4K OLED TVs packed with top-of-the-line features, stellar performance potential and hefty price tags, the S95B and A80K directly compete for the attention of serious home theater enthusiasts and even professional users. This detailed comparison guide will examine exactly how they stack up.
Design and Build Quality
Samsung‘s S95B presents an attractive minimalist profile, with slender bezels surrounding the display. The panel itself sits flush to a single central stand, which has a very sleek metallic finishing and keeps the TV incredibly stable. The overall build exudes durability, crafted from sturdy metal with a premium feel.
Sony also keeps the design of the A80K very clean, with minimal bezels and no real branding flourishes. The stand consists of two metal feet placed close to the edges, doing a great job of keeping the TV firmly planted. The back panel uses textured plastic for a stylish look, and the entire construction feels very robust.
While minor differences exist in the exact execution, both options clearly represent the pinnacle of modern industrial design for OLED TVs – achieving astonishing thinness with solid, durable materials that also look the part. Samsung perhaps takes a slight edge for compactness and stability, but both will beautifully accent any living space.
Display and Picture Quality
At a core specification level, the S95B and A80K match up very well:
- 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160 pixels)
- 120 Hz native refresh rate panels
- Support for Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HLG high dynamic range formats
Beyond this base capability however, Samsung‘s employment of cutting-edge Quantum Dot light emission layer in their OLED pixels gives the S95B series considerable advantages. QD OLED panels achieve much higher peak brightness – in the S95B‘s case exceeding 1000 nits, nearly double that of conventional OLED TVs. This allows the TV to truly tap into the expanded luminance range offered by HDR content. Specular highlights in films shine brighter, while vivid colors like reds, greens and blues display outstanding vibrancy. Even in standard dynamic range, everything on screen pops with intensity.
Sony‘s A80K delivers deeply inky blacks and a rich color gamut as expected of an OLED, but has to make do with less impressive peak brightness. As an effect, contrast and image depth falls slightly short of the S95B despite using the same panel technology.
Samsung also demonstrates better color accuracy out of the box compared to Sony‘s color science. The S95B produces stunning lifelike tones across various content, hitting 100% of the demanding DCI-P3 color space used extensively in cinema. Sony‘s rating is still highly capable at 98% coverage, but can occasionally deliver oversaturated output.
Off-angle viewing is a key asset for OLED panels, allowing consistent image quality even when watching from the sides. Both TVs hold up very well here, but the S95B manages even better stability retaining color, contrast and brightness.
For motion clarity with fast on-screen action, Sony‘s Cognitive Processor XR platform has a slight edge. Combining object-based super resolution and intelligent analysis, the A80K manifests crisp detail without distracting artifacts. But Samsung has dramatically improved their video processing as well, making the S95B also extremely competent for sports and gaming usage.
While the A80K presents a very capable picture for OLED standards, the S95B‘s quantum dot infusion gives it a commanding lead – truly setting a new bar for 4K TV performance.
Smart Features
Samsung deploys their latest Sixth generation Tizen smart platform to power the S95B‘s features beyond pure display capabilities. The interface offers smooth navigation and operations, while also providing comprehensive support for streaming services. All the major options like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and such come preloaded, accessible via straightforward apps. Samsung accounts can enable syncing across other smart devices.
Google‘s Android TV platform backs Sony‘s smart connectivity, presented via the new Google TV interface. As expected, it proves very responsive thanks to the powerful integrated silicon. Google‘s vast ecosystem naturally grants access to all popular apps and services, while advanced voice control via Google Assistant allows handsfree operation. Casting functionality is also neatly implemented to serve external media from mobile devices.
Both smart systems represent the state-of-the-art for TV connected services today in terms of convenience, capability expansion and future-proofing. Sony enjoys an edge for better third party app support, while Tizen offers better optimization for Samsung‘s proprietary ecosystem.
Audio Performance
With ultra-slim form factors, neither TV houses particularly powerful speaker systems inside. The S95B carries forward a standard 2.2 channel setup with 40W total output, comparable to last year‘s equivalent Neo QLED model. Dolby Atmos decoding helps elevate immersion, but the soundstage struggles to keep up with the stunning visuals.
However Sony equips the A80K with a more advanced Acoustic Surface Audio+ platform. Actuators behind the panel vibrate to produce sound directly from the screen itself, without traditional speakers. This achieves clearly more expansive and transparent output, also integrating well with what‘s on display. The improved fidelity and three-dimensional sound will prove appreciable for average users, although home theater buffs will still prefer connecting dedicated external audio solutions.
Gaming Capability
Gaming has become integral to the modern TV experience. Both Samsung and Sony ensure their flagship OLED TVs are extremely well equipped for use as high-end gaming displays in the living room:
- Native 4K 120FPS support
- Auto Low Latency Mode for fast response
- Variable Refresh Rate compatibility
- Attractive input lag measured to 8-9 ms range
HDMI connectivity allows leveraging all these gaming-centric advances. The S95B provides four ports, all 2.1 specification to handle cutting-edge signals. Two of the A80K‘s inputs meet HDMI 2.1 as well, but the other two follow older 2.0 bandwidth. For connecting multiple next-gen consoles or devices, the extra high-spec inputs give Samsung an advantage.
But Sony counters with wider format support, packing in capabilities for Dolby Vision gaming alongside standard HDR10. For those interested, Dolby Vision‘s dynamic metadata and scene-by-scene optimizations can significantly boost picture quality. However current Xbox models don‘t offer this yet, while PlayStation consoles prefer a proprietary alternative HDR system – so actual mileage will vary at present for Dolby Vision gaming.
Overall, both the S95B and A80K guarantee phenomenally responsive, visually stunning big-screen gaming amenable to any need – Sony slightly ahead for versatility while Samsung provides more future-looking connection options.
Price and Value Considerations
Samsung‘s adoption of QD OLED does come at a price – literally. Launching in 55, 65 and 75 inch variants, the S95B commands premium price tags higher than conventional OLED rivals:
- 55 inch – $2100
- 65 inch – $2800
- 75 inch – $4000
Sony‘s A80K fares significantly cheaper as a mid-range BRAVIA model, delivering core OLED capabilities in a more value-focused package:
- 55 inch – $1300
- 65 inch – $1800
- 75 inch – $3000
However taking into account Samsung‘s aforementioned quality lead in picture, sound and features – the S95B does justify its cost reasonably as an investment for premium home theaters. Value hunters who want good basics without frills will be very happy with the A80K too though.
Comparing similarly sized options, the $1000 difference between 65-inch variants or $2000 gap for 75-inch panels tends to adequately reflect the extra technological refinements Samsung baked into the S95B. Consider budget flexibility and actual feature relevance to personal usage before deciding.
Verdict
The S95B leverages Samsung‘s QD OLED technology to stand at the absolute forefront of display innovation – setting new standards for brightness, color and contrast on a 4K 120Hz OLED canvas. Gaming credentials are impeccable as well. At the same time, the exceptional quality does demand paying a significant premium over regular OLED prices.
Sony‘s A80K on the other hand delivers very satisfactory core OLED performance in a more accessible BRAVIA package. You still enjoy deep blacks, vibrant colors and fluid motion – just not quite at the same maximum level as the S95B. Yet a sounder smart platform and improved audio accoutrements enhance the overall experience.
For those seeking the ultimate 4K TV visuals with HDR content to match a luxury home theater setup, the S95B is clearly the superior choice. But Sony‘s A80K holds up as a compelling high-value alternative, presenting excellence balancing both display prowess and smart connectivity. Choose based what features hold the most meaning for your exact needs.
