Samsung Electronics is partnering with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts to launch its latest generation of smart TVs in the U.K.
The company has become the “Official Screen Partner” of BAFTA, and it says this reflects its reputation for delivering superior picture quality and its status as an immersive, home entertainment hub in hundreds of thousands of living rooms across the country.
BAFTA, in case you’re unaware, is an organisation that highlights the best new content in film, television and video games through its annual award ceremonies. As such, there are clear synergies between it and Samsung.
Samsung said it’s collaborating with BAFTA because of its commitment to enhancing the way audiences experience content. With any luck, the collaboration will lead to increased recognition for the British film industry, with Samsung helping to highlight the nation’s innovation and its most promising new talents.
The partnership announcement is notable because it comes just ahead of the annual BAFTA TV Awards show on Sunday, which will celebrate the best U.K. TV shows, actors and actresses over the last year.
“This partnership with BAFTA champions artistic expression and elevated storytelling for a richer, more immersive viewing experience for all to enjoy,” said Zeena Hill, Director of Marketing TV/AV at Samsung UK.
Samsung first unveiled its new OLED, Neo QLED and QLED televisions at the CES 2025 show in Las Vegas in January, so they have been quite a long time coming, and as always, they’re hotly anticipated by anyone who’s in the market for a new one.
The TVs have already been on sale in the U.S. and South Korea for a few weeks, and now the U.K. is getting its turn, with the first new Samsung TVs set to pop up in retailers across the country in the next few days.
According to Samsung, you’ll be able to find its newest TV models in shops such as John Lewis, AO, Richer Sounds, Currys and Argos, as well as in its online store.
HDTVTest’s chief reviewer Vincent Teoh has already gotten his hands on Samsung’s flagship OLED model for this year, the Samsung S95F. His extensive review suggests that those who’ve been waiting to snap one up will not be disappointed by its enhanced QD-OLED panel:
Prior to that review, Teoh pitted the S95F OLED TV against last year’s S95D – the TV it replaces – and revealed some surprising findings in his comparison:
Samsung is putting its TVs into three distinct categories, with its OLED models joined by its Neo QLED 8K and Neo QLED 4K TV ranges.
While the S95F leads the OLED range, the step down S90F and S85F also look like very compelling options too. The Samsung QN990F heads up the 8K Neo QLED range, while the Samsung QN90F is the top 4K model. There’s also the latest Samsung Frame Pro, with its all-new Glare-Free matte coating, as a more stylish 4K option.
In addition, the company is launching various entry-level models in the shape of its standard QLED 4K and Crystal LED ranges, so there’s something for buyers at every price point.
Samsung took the opportunity to talk about its new Vision AI suite of software technologies, which enable enhanced upscaling for both 4K and 8K models, and other improvements to colour, clarity and contrast. There’s also an improved UI and content recognition system within the Tizen OS. The content recognition system uses AI to name actors and actresses that appear on screen, should the viewer want to know, and then suggest other movies and shows that person has appeared in.
Aside from its TVs, Samsung is also launching new soundbars, with the premium offering there being the new HW-Q990F Dolby Atmos soundbar-plus-external speakers package.
While Samsung’s TVs will go on sale in the U.K. imminently, the company has not yet listed any prices.
