Samsung has come away from the HDTVTest 2026 TV Shootout with a clean sweep. Its S99H OLED won Best TV of 2026, Best Home Cinema TV and Best Living Room TV — all three of the event’s headline awards.
Samsung announced the results on 7 October, saying the S99H is the first television to take all three titles at the annual shootout, held in association with UK retailer Crampton & Moore.
For buyers considering a premium OLED, the interesting part is the range of viewing conditions. The judges looked beyond films in a darkened room to how the picture holds up in a bright living room.
How the shootout was judged
Eight judges, including industry professionals, reviewers and enthusiasts, took part in blind picture-quality comparisons. The assessment covered colour accuracy, HDR, shadow detail, motion, screen uniformity, video processing, bright-room performance and accuracy straight out of the box.
Those tests don’t all reward the same qualities. A television might reveal every detail in a dark film scene but struggle with reflections or with a lower-quality broadcast. Sport, streaming and daytime viewing can be demanding in different ways.
Winning in both settings suggests the S99H can handle more than one kind of viewing room — useful when the same screen has to serve films, sport and daytime television.
What the awards tell us — and what they don’t
For picture quality, this is a strong result for Samsung. A blind comparison puts televisions side by side and gives judges less opportunity to be influenced by the badge on the frame.
Picture quality is only part of living with a television. The awards don’t settle whether its connections suit your equipment, whether the menus are easy to use or how its price compares with similar OLEDs.
Gaming deserves a separate look too. If you’re connecting an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, you’ll want to check the available HDMI ports, refresh-rate support and gaming features against your own setup. The shootout result shouldn’t be mistaken for a full gaming review.
Price can change the recommendation. A close rival on a substantial discount may still be the smarter purchase.
Where the S99H fits in the wider OLED market
Samsung isn’t short of competition at the premium end. Sony, LG and Panasonic are all names buyers are likely to consider, and the differences extend beyond brightness and colour.
HDR format support is one example. We’ve looked previously at the fragmented rollout of Dolby Vision 2, while Panasonic’s plans for its OLED range show how much movement there still is in this part of the market.
If you’re shopping for a flagship set, the sensible approach is to use the shootout as a reason to see the S99H in action. Try to watch material you know well, preferably in lighting similar to your own room, and compare the actual models and sizes you’re considering.
Tech Torque Verdict
Samsung couldn’t have asked for a much better outcome from this year’s HDTVTest shootout. Winning all three main awards is an achievement, and the home-cinema and living-room wins make the S99H especially interesting for households that use one television for just about everything.
It belongs on a premium OLED shortlist, particularly for mixed daytime and evening viewing. But we’d compare UK prices, HDR support, connections and gaming features before choosing it over a rival.
