Beware! The Samsung OLED panel lottery might be back in 2025 — here’s what it means for you

Samsung QN900D Neo QLED 8K TV in living room environment
(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung, ever in the business of delivering some of the best OLED TVs, might have a new, larger size in store for its QD-OLED panel next year in an 83-inch configuration.

The rumor stems from leaked information out of Samsung’s parts database, later published via FlatpanelsHD. The database references 2025 Samsung TV models, which in turn denotes specific panels used in those TVs and the range in sizes they’ll reach.

The database leak also suggests that Samsung’s 2025 models will take up the letter “F” as opposed to “E” following its 2024 TV lineup. This means the Samsung S95D OLED TV will see a major refresh next year as the Samsung S95F — not the S95E — and it will come in a new 83-inch model.

These findings also suggest that the dreaded panel lottery on Samsung’s 2025 TVs will once more rear its ugly head. The S95F in particular is where most of the attention is situated, as it might come in two varied technologies sporting either LG Display’s WOLED panel vs Samsung Display’s QD-OLED panel.

A new QD-OLED size emerges

Samsung 2025 rumored TV model designations

(Image credit: FlatpanelsHD)

Leaked on Reddit by U/ParkGGoki, Samsung’s parts database denotes several key inferences on the nature of its 2025 TV lineup. Most notable of all is the change in naming on its new set of TVs, which might be dropping the “E” in favor of “F”.

This means that Samsung’s 2025 TVs might be labeled with an F, i.e. Samsung S95F QD-OLED TV and so on. Beyond that interesting tidbit is not only the discovery of a new 83-inch configuration for its QD-OLED panel in particular but also the potential differentiation in panel type across sizes.

On its parts database, the models in question are listed as “QE83S95FATXXU” and “QE83S95FAEXXU.” The first string of code obviously pertains to the size and model of the TV, where the last string of letters, in this case being “FAT” vs “FAE,” correlates to the type of panel on the display, with the aforementioned Reddit user claiming FAT means QD-OLED while FAE is WOLED.

In the world of OLED TVs, the panel is key. Panel lottery is a major issue that buyers tend to not even know exists and pertains to the literal gamble when buying a new OLED TV — you’ll never truly know what panel your TV has. Samsung’s 2024 OLED TVs suffered this same fate, with the Samsung S90D sporting varied panel types depending on what size you bought into.

Interestingly, the 83-inch S90D comes outfitted with a WOLED panel. Given that the Samsung parts database denotes an 83-inch QD-OLED panel, the upcoming Samsung S90F might come equipped with the new Samsung Display panel.

Although another panel lottery isn't great news for consumers, a larger size on Samsung Display's QD-OLED panel in the first of its kind 83-inch iteration is something worth writing home about. This could mean, despite it dropping the A95L QD-OLED from its 2024 TV lineup, Sony could bring to market a larger QD-OLED in 2025.

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Ryan Epps
Staff Writer

Ryan Epps is a Staff Writer under the TV/AV section at Tom's Guide focusing on TVs and projectors. When not researching PHOLEDs and writing about the next major innovation in the projector space, he's consuming random anime from the 90's, playing Dark Souls 3 again, or reading yet another Haruki Murakami novel. 

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