S95H, the latest flagship OLED TV, recently earned Pantone Validated ArtfulColor certification, a designation awarded to TVs, displays, cameras and printers that reproduce color with a high degree of fidelity under controlled lighting conditions. That means stunningly precise colors when watching content and a realistic, museum-like experience when displaying art.

The certification is a particularly significant milestone for Samsung OLED, as S95H is engineered to deliver deep contrast, precise color expression and an unparalleled, distraction-free viewing experience. The TV’s deeper blacks and Glare Free technology help preserve textures and tonal variation, making art feel more immersive on screen.

To learn more about what this means for the art-viewing experience, Samsung Newsroom spoke with Ed Hattenberger, OEM Senior Color Scientist and Matt Knoll, OEM Technical Director, at X-Rite Pantone. They share how Pantone Validated ArtfulColor is evaluated, why color fidelity matters for viewing art and how display performance can shape the way artwork is experienced at home.

Q. Could you tell us a bit about your role at Pantone and the work you do?

Hattenberger: As an OEM Senior Color Scientist at X-Rite Pantone, I’ve spent more than 15 years specializing in Pantone color development standards and in bringing real-world colors into the digital realm. I also led the innovation of various digital color products at Pantone, including the Pantone Validated program.

Knoll: I’m an OEM Technical Director for X-Rite Pantone. I have more than 20 years of experience in hardware and firmware development at X-Rite, with much of my work focused on reflective color measurement and display calibration products.

What Art Can Reveal About a Display

Q. What does Pantone Validated ArtfulColor evaluate and what does the validation mean for a display?

Hattenberger: Pantone Validated ArtfulColor evaluates the ability of displays to faithfully render on-screen colors to match an extensive range of physical Pantone Colors and Skin Tones under controlled lighting conditions. For displays, Pantone Validation means that a product’s color reproduction has been measured against Pantone’s reference color data and meets defined performance thresholds for color fidelity and consistency.

Knoll: Displays that earn ArtfulColor status reproduce the test colors with a high degree of visual accuracy, resulting in a close perceptual match between the on‑screen image and the physical color sample.

Q. What differences can viewers actually see when viewing a Pantone Validated ArtfulColor TV versus one that is not?

Hattenberger: A Pantone Validated ArtfulColor TV delivers more precise, trustworthy visuals, especially for artwork and photography. Viewers can expect cleaner neutrals, more lifelike skin tones and color saturation that better reflect the artist’s intent. These displays also preserve shadow detail, so every brushstroke and color appear more natural and consistent.

Q. Why does color fidelity matter more when a TV is used to display art and photography?

Knoll: In creative work, color is never incidental. Color, balance and slight variation all shape how a piece is experienced. That is why color fidelity matters so much. Even slight shifts can alter the mood, depth and overall intent of the original work.

The Science Behind Color Fidelity

Q. How does the ArtfulColor validation process work from start to finish?

Hattenberger: The process evaluates a display’s ability to match Pantone Colors under controlled lighting conditions. This involves measuring a set of Pantone colors and skin tones in a light booth, then assessing how faithfully the display reproduces them on screen under those same conditions.

Q. Why does controlled lighting matter when evaluating a display for art?

Knoll: Reproducing true real-world colors on screen depends on matching the light source, color sample and rendered content for the intended observer. Displays are typically measured against D65, an industry-standard white point that approximates neutral daylight, so it gives Pantone a consistent point of reference.

It also helps reduce the influence of warmer or cooler room lighting, which can change how white, contrast and color are perceived. Using controlled lighting helps ensure the display is evaluated as accurately and consistently as possible.

Q. How does Pantone make sure the results apply to real artwork and photography, not just lab test patterns?

Hattenberger: Pantone goes beyond digital test patterns by using physical color samples that behave more like real artistic media. That helps verify whether a display can accurately reproduce gradients, subtle tonal transitions, textures and near-neutral tones across artwork and other visually complex content.

At the same time, the home viewing environment can influence how color is perceived compared with a controlled test setting. Ambient light, reflections, viewing angle and even wall colors can all affect perception, so while validation confirms the display’s underlying performance, the room still plays an important role in what people see.

How Samsung OLED S95H Helps Art Look Its Best at Home

Q. From Pantone’s perspective, what makes Samsung OLED S95H well-suited to display art with high color fidelity?

Knoll: OLED is particularly well-suited to high-fidelity art reproduction because its pixel-level luminance control delivers true blacks and very high contrast, preserving fine detail critical to art. S95H’s wide color gamut supports accurate reproduction of saturated pigments, paints and digital art colors, while stable viewing angles help color and luminance remain consistent across the screen.

Q. Samsung OLED S95H features award-winning Glare Free technology that eliminates distracting reflections. How do glare and reflections affect the way art is seen on screen?

Hattenberger: Glare and reflections can interfere with the way art is seen on screen. They lift black levels and soften contrast, which can reduce depth and color fidelity, especially in darker parts of an image. They can also introduce color casts from the surrounding environment, affecting neutrals and shifting hues.

When people view art, they expect a clear, unobstructed image. Reducing reflections helps preserve tonal accuracy and the integrity of the work.

Q. How has Pantone’s validation approach evolved alongside newer display technologies like OLED, HDR and wide color gamut?

Knoll: Pantone’s evaluation approach has evolved with display technology itself. With OLED, that includes evaluating pixel-level luminance control, deeper contrast, wider color reproduction and consistency from bright highlights to near-black areas.

Q. When viewers see the Pantone Validated ArtfulColor mark on a Samsung TV, what does it say about the viewing experience?

Hattenberger: The ArtfulColor mark signifies that S95H has been carefully evaluated to confirm a high level of color fidelity, including consistent hue rendering, stable grayscale performance and repeatable color behavior under controlled lighting conditions.

Ultimately, it gives viewers greater confidence that the art they see on screen is being presented faithfully to the original work.

S95H newly joins The Frame Pro and The Frame in receiving the certification, as Samsung remains the only TV brand to offer Pantone Validation ArtfulColor and continues to expand Samsung Art Store¹ across more screens. S95H features the new FloatLayer Design, with a slim metal bezel that mounts flush to the wall for a floating effect. This gallery-inspired look makes the display a striking centerpiece, particularly when displaying art. For the first time on a Samsung OLED TV,² Samsung Art Store subscribers can access over 5,000 works by more than 800 artists, including exclusive collections from MoMA, Musée d’Orsay, Art Basel and others.

1. Samsung Art Store is available only on select OLED models: S95H globally and S99H in Europe. ︎
2. S95H and S99H only. ︎

Embodying this human-centered design approach, “Expressive Design”, Samsung Electronics achieved a remarkable milestone at the globally renowned Red Dot Design Award 2026, with all 16 of its submitted entries¹ recognized.

Samsung Newsroom sat down with designers from the Visual Display (VD) Business to hear the stories behind their design philosophy and innovation.

OLED TV S95H: A New Direction in TV Design

The OLED TV S95H received the Best of the Best award in the Product Design category, taking the long-standing paradigm of minimalist TV design in a new direction — one defined by presenting only what is necessary and boldly revealing its structure to create a framed, art-like object with a screen that appears to float.

Q. The S95H moves beyond the conventional bezel-less design to emphasize its presence as a design object. What inspired this paradigm shift?

Cho: Bezel-less designs have become the norm in today’s TV market, and it is increasingly difficult for brands to express a distinct identity. Beyond ultra-slim form factors, we believed it was time to rethink what a TV means in living spaces.

As TVs become larger, their presence within a space continues to grow. We believed it was important for the TV to blend naturally into the space, much like furniture or a lifestyle object. By incorporating various colors and materials into the frame, we developed designs that enable users to reflect their personal tastes.

Q. The FloatLayer design — where the front panel appears to float in front of a metal frame — stands out. What kind of experience were you ultimately aiming to deliver through this design?

Cho: Our goal was to add both the atmosphere of the space and viewing immersion. We boldly exposed the metal plate to soften the contrast between the screen and its surroundings so that the product can seamlessly blend into its environment like it’s part of the interior. We also separated the screen and frame into different layers to create a more immersive experience. The screen layer highlights the OLED technology and picture quality of the S95H, while the frame layer helps the product integrate naturally into the living space.

Breaking away from the conventional approach of eliminating the surrounding bezel, the design instead layers two contrasting materials to maximize visual impact. By prioritizing harmony with the surrounding space, the designers were able to create the S95H’s distinctive structure.

The S95H does not stop at a fixed sense of beauty. It allows users to express their personal taste through customizable elements integrated into its exterior.

Q. The customized decorative frames and art pattern on the back of the TV are also impressive. Where did these ideas begin?

Lee: We wanted to reflect users’ diverse interior preferences directly in the product — from wood tones and white tones to colorful styles. To achieve this, we applied an assembly structure that allows users to attach and detach decorative frames magnetically, with additional frame options available separately in various colors and materials to reflect their lifestyle.

For the TV’s rear pattern, we used precision molding technology to arrange small cells in a random pattern, creating a surface with a texture that subtly changes depending on the light and viewing angle. This allows users to experience a new sense of detail every time they use the TV.

Q. Users have a growing preference for zero-gap wall mounting. How have you responded to this?

Lee: No matter how beautifully a TV is designed to resemble a piece of art, it can lose its appeal and sense of immersion if it protrudes from the wall.

Essential elements required for operation — like sound holes and vent holes — were carefully integrated between the display and the frame, allowing them to remain out of the users’ line of sight while fully maintaining their functionality. With this approach, the TV fits closely against the wall, creating a clean, gallery-like composition — as if a framed piece of art were hanging in the space.

Where Design, Sound and Usability Converge

Beyond its elegant design, The S95H delivers three-dimensional, immersive audio through the gap between the screen and the metal plate, creating a deeply immersive listening experience. Moreover, the Wireless One Connect solution minimizes complex cable connections to maintain a clean, refined look while ensuring reliable wireless use even over long distances.

TVs Designed for Any Space

Building on this achievement, TVs should evolve into lifestyle objects that reflect diverse user preferences and blend into any space. While delivering optimal viewing, the goal is to create harmonious aesthetics that allow users to express their personal style through design.

Looking ahead, Samsung will continue to advance its human-centered Expressive Design approach to reshape homes and everyday lives.

1. The two products honored with the Best of the Best distinction were the OLED TV S95H and the Bespoke AI Laundry series. Fourteen additional products were named winners: Music Studio 5, The Movingstyle, Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub, Bespoke AI Jet Bot, Bespoke AirDresser, Bespoke AI Ice Water Purifier, Bespoke AI WindFree Pro Air Conditioner, Jet Fit, Bespoke AI WindFree Combo Gallery Pro Air Conditioner, Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy XR, 5G Street Radio Solution, Spatial Signage and Portable SSD T7 Resurrected. ︎
2. These images are for illustrative purposes only and include elements created using generative AI tools. ︎

“Expressive Design is our way of putting people at the center, celebrating their identity, emotions and diversity,” said Mauro Porcini, President and Chief Design Officer (CDO) of the Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “We design not only to function, but to create meaning and connection. Our ambition is to enrich people’s lives through experiences that are both purposeful and deeply human.”

The Red Dot Design Award is widely recognized as one of the world’s top design honors. Established in 1955 and organized by German organization Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, the award recognizes excellence across three categories: Product Design, Design Concept and Brands & Communication Design.

Two Best of the Best Award Winners Recognized for Design Innovation

The S95H stands out for its distinctive FloatLayer design, which combines an ultra-thin OLED display with a luxurious metal plate to create a layered concept in which a slim OLED screen is placed over a bold metallic surface.

The result is a new category of premium art frame design that makes the OLED screen appear as if it is floating in front of the metallic silver frame, confidently highlighting the presence of metal and producing a striking visual effect. The vivid contrast enhances the sense of immersion, while the minimalist silver metal frame seamlessly integrates into interior spaces to resemble a refined piece of wall art.

Meanwhile, the Bespoke AI Laundry appliances applies a mono-body design concept across a range of types, including standalone washing machines, dryers and combos. Through this design, the series unifies different laundry appliances under consistent design languages, enabling the products to seamlessly harmonize with a variety of interior environments.

Additionally, Smart Screen — the large 7-inch LCD screen — enhances usability by providing an intuitive and simplified control experience. Integrated with SmartThings, the interface allows users to easily manage connected smart devices while offering AI-powered, personalized lifestyle solutions for greater everyday convenience.

All 16 Entries Recognized as Winners

Beyond its top honors, Samsung achieved the remarkable feat of having all 16 products it submitted selected as winners. The recognized lineup includes:

• Music Studio 5: A wireless speaker that plays soundwave visuals that shift in shape and intensity.
• The Movingstyle: A portable touchscreen display featuring Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, a built-in battery and rolling stand.
• Bespoke AI Refrigerator Family Hub: A refrigerator with a built-in, SmartThings-connected LCD screen that allows users to check recipes, weather and more.
• Bespoke AI Jet Bot: A robot vacuum with AI Object Recognition and All-in-One Clean Station Steam+.
• Bespoke AirDresser: A fabric care machine that features Dual Air Wash and Dual Jet Steam to smooth out wrinkles and remove odors.
• Bespoke AI Ice Water Purifier: A water purifier that delivers exceptionally pure water and dispenses ice cubes.
• Bespoke AI WindFree Pro Air Conditioner: An air conditioner capable of providing tailored wind modes thanks to a three-blade system.
• Jet Fit: A cordless stick vacuum with a new slim design, delivering up to 180W suction power.
• Bespoke AI WindFree Combo Gallery Pro Air Conditioner: A standing type of an air conditioner that utilizes AI to analyze room conditions and usage patterns for optimal cooling.
• Galaxy Z Fold7: Samsung’s thinnest and lightest Fold series yet, featuring powerful Galaxy AI, a 200MP wide-angle camera and an immersive screen for multitasking and editing.
• Galaxy XR: An eXtended reality headset with multimodal AI at its core, that unleash limitless possibilities for the future of discovery, play and work.
• 5G Street Radio Solution: Designed for easy deployment in dense urban areas to offer high-capacity 5G.
• Spatial Signage: A glasses-free 3D commercial display that delivers more immersive visual experiences.
• Portable SSD T7 Resurrected: A premium SSD featuring a housing made entirely from recycled aluminum.