Samsung’s 2026 TV Series: What Each Step Up Adds
Crystal UHD to OLED and The Frame, from Samsung’s US spec pages: backlight, refresh rate, chip, sizes and list price per series.
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Samsung’s 2026 US TVs step up by backlight first: Crystal UHD has no local dimming on its spec sheet, the new Mini LED and Neo QLED series add a mini-LED backlight, and the OLEDs drop the backlight for self-lit pixels. The Frame is a separate line, a QLED or Neo QLED built to hang like a picture. Samsung’s gaming monitors use a separate G-number scheme, set out in which Odyssey monitor is which.
None of the 11 Samsung product pages we searched mentions Dolby Vision; each lists HDR10+, from the cheapest Crystal UHD to the S95H. Plain QLED, the step that used to sit between Crystal UHD and Neo QLED, has no 2026 model on Samsung’s US store apart from The Frame.
The series side by side
From Samsung’s US product pages, read 21 October 2026. List price is Samsung’s “was” figure for the smallest size; the sale column is what Samsung’s store charged that day for the same size.
| Series (2026 models) | Backlight / panel, as Samsung lists it | Refresh rate | Processor | Sizes | List price, smallest size | Samsung sale, 21 Oct |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal UHD (U8000H) | LCD, “Mega Contrast”; no dimming entry | 60Hz | Crystal Processor 4K | 43–85 in | $249.99 | $199.99 |
| Mini LED (M70H) | “Mini LED”, Supreme Mini LED Dimming | 60Hz | Mini LED Processor 4K | 43–85 in | $299.99 | $249.99 |
| Mini LED (M80H) | “Mini LED”, Supreme Mini LED Dimming | 144Hz, VRR | NQ4 AI Gen2 | 55–85 in | $599.99 | $449.99 |
| Neo QLED (QN70H) | “Quantum Mini LED” | 60Hz | NQ4 AI | 43–85 in | $599.99 | $479.99 |
| Neo QLED (QN80H) | “Quantum Mini LED”, full array | 144Hz, VRR | NQ4 AI Gen2 | 55–100 in | $1,099.99 | $900.00 |
| OLED (S85H) | Self-illuminating pixels | 120Hz, VRR | NQ4 AI Gen2 | 48–83 in | $1,199.99 | $899.99 |
| OLED (S90H) | Self-illuminating pixels, Glare Free | 165Hz, VRR | NQ4 AI Gen3 | 42–83 in | $1,399.99 | $999.99 |
| OLED (S95H) | Self-illuminating pixels, Glare Free | 165Hz, VRR | NQ4 AI Gen3 | 55–83 in | $2,499.99 | $1,800.00 |
| The Frame (LS03HE) | QLED, “Dual LED”, Glare Free | 144Hz, VRR | NQ4 AI Gen2 | 55–98 in | $1,199.99 | $999.99 |
| The Frame Pro (LS03HW) | Neo QLED, Glare Free | 144Hz, VRR | NQ4 AI Gen3 | 55–85 in | $1,499.99 | $1,099.99 |
Every one of these lists HDR10+. The HDMI count changes with the step: three inputs on the U8000H, M70H, M80H and QN70H, four on the QN80H, the three OLEDs and The Frame, and five on The Frame Pro. The fastest input rating follows the refresh rate, from 4K 60Hz on the 60Hz sets to 4K 165Hz on the S90H and S95H.
Crystal UHD: no dimming, 60Hz
The U8000H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) is the entry set, from 43 to 85 inches. Its spec sheet lists a Crystal Processor 4K, 60Hz, “Mega Contrast” and HDR with HDR10+ support, and it has no Micro Dimming row — the row where every Mini LED, Neo QLED and Frame sheet names its dimming system. Samsung’s QLED FAQ says what QLED adds over Crystal UHD is quantum dots. Samsung also lists a U9000H, sold only at 98 inches.
Mini LED and Neo QLED: two names for a mini-LED backlight
Samsung’s own definition of Neo QLED is quantum dots lit by a backlight “made up of mini-LEDs for more precise lighting control”, where plain QLED uses “a traditional backlight”. For 2026 it has added a second mini-LED range under the plain name Mini LED, with UN model numbers. Samsung files the M70H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) and M80H as Product Type “LED” with a “Mini LED” contrast entry, and the Neo QLED QN70H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) and QN80H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) as “Neo QLED” with “Quantum Mini LED”. Both ranges list the same dimming name, Supreme Mini LED Dimming.
Within each range the step up is refresh rate and processor. The M70H and QN70H list 60Hz native and three HDMI inputs; the M80H and QN80H list 144Hz with VRR and the NQ4 AI Gen2 chip. The 65-inch QN70H adds a “DLG 120 Hz” line beside its 60Hz refresh rate, which the 43-inch does not show, so check the size you are buying. Samsung also lists a QN1EH, 65 to 85 inches, with the QN70H’s processor and 60Hz, a 100-inch M90H, and an 8K QN990H at 85 inches. How OLED and Mini-LED make light covers what a mini-LED backlight does and where its halo comes from.
OLED: three steps, one chip change
All three 2026 OLEDs list “self-illuminating pixels”, four HDMI inputs and HDR10+. The S85H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) steps down on three counts: 120Hz, the NQ4 AI Gen2 chip, and an anti-reflection entry that reads “Yes” rather than Glare Free. The S90H (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) and S95H both list 165Hz, the NQ4 AI Gen3 chip and Samsung’s Glare Free screen.
On the four OLED spec sheets we read, what separates the S95H from the S90H is Samsung’s HDR label, “OLED HDR Pro”, and the size range, which starts at 55 inches where the S90H goes down to 42. The S90H’s label changes with size: the 42-inch lists “OLED HDR”, the 77-inch “OLED HDR+”. Samsung’s listing still shows the 2025 S90F, the set on our shortlist of the best-reviewed TVs, marked “Notify me” rather than in stock on 21 October. LG’s 2026 OLEDs split differently, by processor and brightness hardware; LG’s four series are laid out the same way as this page.
The Frame: QLED or Neo QLED
The Frame comes in two 2026 versions. The LS03HE (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) is a QLED with a “Dual LED” backlight, Supreme UHD Dimming and its connections built into the TV. The Frame Pro LS03HW (affiliate link to Amazon, opens in a new tab) is a Neo QLED with Supreme Mini LED Dimming, the Gen3 chip and a Wireless One Connect box. Both list 144Hz with VRR and Samsung’s Glare Free screen. The LS03HE runs to 98 inches; the Pro stops at 85. Samsung sells customisable bezels separately.
Dolby Vision and the HDR labels
The HDR names on these sheets (NQ HDR, Mini LED HDR, OLED HDR Pro, Quantum HDR) are Samsung’s own labels, not formats a streaming service delivers. The format each sheet names is HDR10+, which carries scene-by-scene metadata. Dolby Vision, the other dynamic format, is on none of the 11 pages we searched. Our explainer on HDR10+ and Dolby Vision covers which services use which.
What this means for a buyer
For a console at 120 frames a second, the M70H, QN70H and QN1EH list 60Hz and 4K 60Hz inputs, so the first sets in this table with 4K 120Hz inputs are the M80H and QN80H, at 144Hz. Of the mini-LED sets we read, the M70H has the lowest list price, at 60Hz; the QN80H is where a Neo QLED gets 144Hz and a fourth HDMI input. Samsung puts the Micro RGB R85H and R95H above all of these; we did not read their spec pages.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Samsung QLED and Neo QLED?
The backlight. Samsung says both use quantum dots, but QLED lights them with a traditional backlight and Neo QLED with mini-LEDs, for finer control of brightness and contrast. Samsung’s US store lists no 2026 plain QLED apart from The Frame.
What is the difference between Samsung Mini LED and Neo QLED?
Samsung files the 2026 M70H and M80H as Product Type “LED” with a “Mini LED” contrast entry, and the Neo QLED QN70H and QN80H as “Neo QLED” with “Quantum Mini LED”. Samsung’s own definition of Neo QLED is quantum dots plus a mini-LED backlight.
Is Samsung Crystal UHD a QLED?
No. Samsung’s QLED FAQ sets QLED apart from Crystal UHD by its quantum dots. The 2026 Crystal UHD U8000H lists a Crystal Processor 4K, 60Hz and no local dimming entry on its spec sheet.
Do Samsung TVs support Dolby Vision?
Not the 2026 sets we checked. None of 11 Samsung US product pages, from the Crystal UHD U8000H to the S95H OLED and both Frames, mentions Dolby Vision; each lists HDR10+. Check the spec page of the exact model you are buying.
What is the difference between the Samsung S85H, S90H and S95H?
The S85H lists 120Hz and an NQ4 AI Gen2 chip. The S90H and S95H list 165Hz, the Gen3 chip and Samsung’s Glare Free screen. The S95H’s HDR is “OLED HDR Pro”; the S90H’s is “OLED HDR” at 42 inches and “OLED HDR+” at 77.
What is the difference between The Frame and The Frame Pro?
The 2026 Frame LS03HE is a QLED with its connections built in, four HDMI inputs and the NQ4 AI Gen2 chip. The Frame Pro LS03HW is a Neo QLED with Samsung’s Wireless One Connect box, five HDMI inputs and the Gen3 chip. Both list 144Hz.
How we researched this
No one at bitcritiq has handled this product. Everything here comes from published sources, listed below.
- What this cannot tell you
- Refresh rate and HDR naming can change with screen size: the 42-inch S90H lists “OLED HDR” where the 77-inch lists “OLED HDR+”, and the 65-inch QN70H adds a DLG figure the 43-inch does not show. We read one or two sizes per series, not all of them. We did not open the spec pages for the 98-inch U9000H, the 100-inch M90H, the 8K QN990H or the Micro RGB sets, so they appear only as Samsung’s listings describe them. Samsung’s store was showing sale prices on almost every set, and those move weekly in the run-up to Black Friday. We have not used any of these TVs; nothing here is a review or a score.
How we chose this, and what we did
- Why this subject
- Search Console shows bitcritiq’s best-TVs page drawing searches for “best tv 2026” and “best new tvs”, and Black Friday falls on 27 November. Our TV posts rank sets on outlets’ review scores, explain OLED against Mini-LED and set LG’s OLED series side by side, but none lays out Samsung’s own series names, which changed for 2026.
- How we looked at it
- Read Samsung’s US TVs page, its All TVs, OLED, Neo QLED, QLED and Crystal UHD listings, and 15 Samsung US product pages on 21 October 2026: U8000H 43-inch; M70H 43-inch; M80H 55-inch; QN70H 43- and 65-inch; QN80H 55-inch; QN1EH 65-inch; S85H 48- and 77-inch; S90H 42- and 77-inch; S95H 55- and 83-inch; The Frame LS03HE 55-inch; The Frame Pro LS03HW 55-inch. Specs come from each page’s specification table; list prices are the “was” figure beside the sale price, for the smallest size of each series. The Dolby Vision absence was checked by searching the full page text (textContent, which includes collapsed sections) of 11 of those pages for “Dolby Vision”, with no hits, against the control “HDR 10+”, which appears on every one of them. The Crystal UHD’s lack of local dimming was checked against the “Micro Dimming” row, which is present on the Mini LED, Neo QLED and Frame sheets and absent from the U8000H’s.
What this rests on
6 claims, all official. Nothing here was measured by bitcritiq — see how we test for why. Open a claim to read the source it came from.
Samsung defines QLED as quantum dots lit by a traditional backlight, and Neo QLED as quantum dots with a backlight made of mini-LEDs.Official
Samsung US QLED FAQ: “QLED TVs use nanoscale-sized particles called Quantum Dots illuminated by a traditional backlight… Neo QLED TVs also use Quantum Dot technology like QLED TVs, but their backlight design is made up of mini-LEDs for more precise lighting control.”
Samsung’s US QLED listing shows no 2026 Q-series set; the QLED models it lists are 2025 sets plus the 2026 Frame.Official
Samsung US QLED 4K TVs listing, 21 October 2026, six results: The Frame LS03HE (2026), The Frame (2025), QLED Q7F (2025), Q8F (2025), QEF1 (2025), Q6F (2025).
The 2026 M70H and M80H are filed as Product Type “LED” with a “Mini LED” contrast entry; the Neo QLED QN70H and QN80H are Product Type “Neo QLED” with “Quantum Mini LED”.Official
UN43M70HAFXZA and UN55M80HAFXZA: “Product Type: LED”; “Contrast: Mini LED”. QN43QN70HAFXZA and QN55QN80HAFXZA: “Product Type: Neo QLED”; “Contrast: Quantum Mini LED”.
The S85H lists 120Hz and an NQ4 AI Gen2 processor; the S90H and S95H list 165Hz and an NQ4 AI Gen3 processor.Official
QN48S85HAEXZA: “Refresh Rate: 120 Hz (VRR Support)”; “Picture Engine: NQ4 AI Gen2 Processor”. QN42S90HAEXZA and QN55S95HAFXZA: “Refresh Rate: 165 Hz (VRR Support)”; “Picture Engine: NQ4 AI Gen3 Processor”.
None of the 11 Samsung US product pages we searched mentions Dolby Vision; each lists HDR10+.Official
Full-page text search for “Dolby Vision” on the U8000H, M70H, M80H, QN70H, QN80H, QN1EH, S85H, S90H, S95H, Frame LS03HE and Frame Pro LS03HW pages: no hits. Each page’s spec table carries an “HDR 10+” row (for example S95H: “HDR 10+: Yes (Adaptive / Gaming / Advanced)”).
The Frame LS03HE is a QLED with built-in connections; the Frame Pro LS03HW is a Neo QLED with Wireless One Connect.Official
Samsung US Frame model selector: “The Frame LS03HE | Glare Free with QLED | Built-in Connections | The Frame Pro LS03HW | Glare Free with Neo QLED | Wireless One Connect”. QN55LS03HWFXZA: “One Connect Box: Wireless One Connect (Y26 4K)”.
Sources 19
- Samsung TVs — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- All TVs — Samsung US (listing)Officialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- QLED 4K TVs — Samsung US (listing and FAQ)Officialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- Crystal UHD TVs — Samsung US (listing)Officialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
Show 15 more · 15 official or standards
- Neo QLED TVs — Samsung US (listing)Officialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- OLED TVs — Samsung US (listing)Officialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 43" Class Crystal UHD U8000H (UN43U8000HFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 43" Class Mini LED M70H (UN43M70HAFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 55" Class Mini LED M80H (UN55M80HAFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 43" Class Neo QLED QN70H (QN43QN70HAFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 65" Class Neo QLED QN70H (QN65QN70HAFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 55" Class Neo QLED QN80H (QN55QN80HAFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 65" Class Neo QLED QN1EH (QN65QN1EHAFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 48" Class OLED S85H (QN48S85HAEXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 42" Class OLED S90H (QN42S90HAEXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 77" Class OLED S90H (QN77S90HAEXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 55" Class OLED S95H (QN55S95HAFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 55" Class The Frame LS03HE (QN55LS03HEFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
- 55" Class The Frame Pro LS03HW (QN55LS03HWFXZA) — Samsung USOfficialaccessed Oct 21, 2026
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