Samsung’s Micro RGB R95H, a 2026 television built around red, green and blue backlighting, earned a lukewarm 6/10 from WIRED reviewer John Brandon, who found that the set’s premium price did not translate into premium picture control.
The problem is not that the R95H is bad. Brandon described it as a good television with fast setup, a clean remote, strong soccer handling and solid gaming features. The problem is the price and the category. Samsung sells the 65-inch model for $3,200 at Best Buy and through Samsung, while the 75-inch R95H lists for $4,500. Brandon said the 75-inch LG Micro RGB Evo, also priced at $4,500, delivered better performance in his testing.
Micro RGB televisions use red, green and blue lighting rather than the white or blue light used in more conventional LED and OLED sets. In theory, that should help with color range, contrast and saturation. Brandon’s testing found the R95H met BT.2020 color gamut specifications, but he said real viewing and Spears & Munsil benchmark material did not show the kind of visible color separation and image control he expected from the technology.
Setup was the easy part
Brandon said the R95H was unusually painless to assemble. The TV uses a single pedestal foot that snaps into place without screws, which let him place the 65-inch unit on a smaller hutch despite the wide panel overhang.
The port selection is broad: four HDMI ports, including one marked for gaming, HDMI eARC for audio passthrough, coaxial input, digital optical, two USB ports and Ethernet. WIRED also noted support for Wi-Fi 6E. Samsung’s optional Wireless One Connect box can add external connections from about 30 feet away, which mainly helps people who want fewer visible cables.
Samsung’s Tizen OS was less smooth. Brandon said Netflix failed to install during testing and that Samsung was investigating. He also reported a Google Cast error when trying to stream the first Dune movie from HBO Max on an iPhone 17 Pro, though AirPlay worked. Hulu streaming from an iPad worked normally.
The remote got better marks. Brandon found it simpler than the remotes bundled with recent LG, Hisense and TCL RGB televisions, though he criticized Samsung for using separate AI and microphone buttons. Alexa+ handled volume changes and search in his testing, but the hands-free “Alexa” prompt did not trigger reliably every time.
Color tuning did not save the picture
Brandon’s central complaint was that Samsung’s screen and anti-glare treatment appeared to limit the effect of picture adjustments. He said tweaks to color temperature, white balance, brightness and picture modes changed the LG and Hisense RGB sets more noticeably than they changed the R95H.
Dynamic mode caused blooming and bleeding in some scenes, according to WIRED. Filmmaker mode made some skin tones and dark scenes too dim. AI picture mode worked best in Brandon’s testing, particularly for soccer, but it did not make movie material consistently convincing.
Movies exposed the weakness. Brandon said Awake on Netflix looked dark and washed out. The Creator looked somewhat better. Tron: Ares on Disney+ swung between too bright in Dynamic mode and too dark in Filmmaker mode. Hoppers and Project Hail Mary also lacked the vivid blues and bright color he saw on LG and Hisense RGB models.
Gaming was more favorable. WIRED reported 120-Hz Xbox support with low latency and good response, and Brandon said Subnautica 2, Forza Horizon 6 and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II looked convincing. On a PC, he tested Crimson Desert at 165 Hz through the gaming-labeled HDMI port, but found it less impressive than the Xbox experience.
Samsung’s AI Soccer Mode Pro was the clearest win. Brandon said World Cup soccer games looked vivid and clear, unlike much of the movie material. News broadcasts also benefited from the anti-glare handling. Built-in speaker clarity was less convincing on a BritBox show, though a TCL A65K soundbar improved it.
The verdict from WIRED is blunt enough: Samsung built an easy-to-live-with TV that does not fully justify its Micro RGB pitch. At $3,200 for 65 inches, Brandon expected a display that would make OLED buyers pause. His review says the R95H did not get there.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
