Samsung just scored a sustainability win across its entire 2026 TV and soundbar lineup. The company announced that 34 models - spanning everything from flagship OLED screens to The Frame Pro and its HW-Q990H soundbar - received Product Carbon Reduction and Product Carbon Footprint certifications from TÜV Rheinland, the German certification powerhouse. It's the latest push in Samsung's six-year quest to prove premium tech doesn't have to trash the planet.
Samsung is making good on its promise to green up the living room. The electronics giant announced today that 34 models from its 2026 TV and soundbar range scored environmental certifications from TÜV Rheinland, the century-old German testing outfit that's become the gold standard for product sustainability claims.
The haul splits two ways. Fourteen premium models - including Samsung's 2026 OLED TVs (the S90H and S85H series), The Frame Pro lifestyle screens, and the flagship HW-Q990H soundbar - earned Product Carbon Reduction certification, which means they measurably cut carbon emissions compared to their previous-generation counterparts. Another 20 products, including the company's Micro RGB and Mini LED TVs, picked up Product Carbon Footprint certification for meeting international standards on lifecycle emissions tracking.
"As a global leader in premium displays and audio, Samsung sees sustainability as an essential part of innovation," Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Samsung's Visual Display Business, told Samsung Newsroom. "We remain committed to reducing carbon emissions across our products, so consumers do not have to choose between cutting-edge technology and a more responsible product experience."
The distinction between the two certifications matters. TÜV Rheinland hands out Product Carbon Footprint badges to products that demonstrate they've measured greenhouse gas emissions across the full product journey - manufacturing, shipping, actual use in your living room, and eventual disposal. Product Carbon Reduction certification goes further, requiring companies to prove they've actually lowered those emissions compared to earlier models. The HW-Q990H soundbar nabbed both, marking a rare extension of Samsung's sustainability push beyond TVs into audio gear.
Samsung's been building toward this moment since 2021, when its Neo QLED became the first 4K or higher resolution TV to score Product Carbon Reduction certification. Over the past six years, the company's expanded its certified lineup across QLED, OLED, Lifestyle TVs, monitors, and digital signage - essentially every premium screen category where it competes.
And compete it does. Samsung has dominated global TV sales for 20 straight years, according to Omdia's Q4 2025 Public Display Report. The company's also held the top spot in soundbar sales for 12 consecutive years, per FutureSource Consulting. That market muscle gives Samsung's sustainability moves outsize influence - when the biggest player goes green, suppliers and competitors tend to follow.
The 2026 certified lineup reads like a greatest-hits of Samsung's current display tech. The Product Carbon Reduction roster includes OLED models across the S90H and S85H series in sizes from 55 to 83 inches, plus The Frame Pro (LS03HW) in 65-, 75-, and 85-inch configurations. The Product Carbon Footprint list runs deeper, covering Micro RGB screens (R95H and R85H series up to 100 inches), additional OLED variants (S95H series), Mini LED models (M70H), and a 55-inch Frame Pro.
What's conspicuously absent from Samsung's announcement is hard data on actual emissions reductions. The company didn't share specific carbon footprint figures or percentage decreases versus prior generations - details that would help consumers and industry watchers gauge the real-world impact of these certifications. TÜV Rheinland's standards require lifecycle analysis, but the public-facing results remain largely qualitative.
Still, the breadth of certified products signals Samsung's treating sustainability as more than a marketing checkbox. Rolling certifications across 34 models - including both flagship OLEDs and mid-tier Mini LED sets - suggests the company's embedding carbon reduction into its core product development process rather than limiting it to a few halo products. The inclusion of soundbars is particularly notable, extending accountability beyond screens into the broader home theater ecosystem.
For buyers, these certifications offer a third-party verified data point in an increasingly crowded premium TV market. Whether that translates to purchasing decisions remains unclear - price, picture quality, and smart features still dominate TV buying criteria. But as ESG concerns creep into consumer electronics, Samsung's betting that green credentials will become table stakes for premium products.
Samsung's TÜV Rheinland sweep across 34 2026 models shows sustainability credentials are becoming standard equipment in premium TVs, not optional extras. The real test comes when shoppers compare spec sheets - will carbon certifications carry weight alongside refresh rates and HDR formats? For now, Samsung's making the calculation that green tech sells, especially when you're already sitting on top of the global TV market. As the company extends certifications from screens to soundbars and beyond, it's setting a benchmark competitors will struggle to ignore. The question is whether buyers will reward the effort or keep prioritizing pixels over planet.
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