Today, Samsung Electronics Australia unveiled its new range of 8K QLED TVs, offering stunning image quality and a whole host of new tech features. The retail prices for the 2020 8K TVs have yet to be confirmed, but Samsung has said a price point will be announced in the next few weeks.
Sight
The star feature of this range is undoubtedly the vibrant QLED 8K, which delivers 16 times the resolution of full HD, using some 33 million pixels to create a crystal-clear picture.
Quantum Dots, or Quantum Light-Emitting Diode (QLED), allow for greater contrast, brighter displays and more visible colours.
The 2020 range has introduced the Quantum Processor – if you purchased your 8K Samsung TV last year you won’t have this chip. This processing chip uses intelligent AI to optimise your screen brightness and sound to create the ideal TV experience for your specific viewing environment. For example, if there is a bit too much ambient noise in your living room, the Quantum chip can amplify onscreen dialogue, so you can still hear what people on the TV are saying without having to increase the volume.
The Direct Full Array Elite feature, meanwhile, redistributes power from pixels that are turned off to the areas that are illuminated for greater brightness. Both the 2020 Samsung 8K TVs have this feature.
Sound
At the virtual Samsung briefing held yesterday, the electronics company said that ensuring the sound quality of the standalone TVs was on par with their industry-leading image quality was a key focus of the new range.
To this end, Samsung has installed Object Tracking Sound+ (OTS+) in its 8K TVs, an in-panel technology that tracks the onscreen action from scene to scene and emits sound from the top, bottom and side speakers accordingly. When paired with a Q Series soundbar, the TV’s Q-Symphony technology will seamlessly integrate the OTS+ with the rich sound and audio detail that the soundbars offer.
Style
Given that the new 8K TVs are high-end, luxury products, style was a key consideration in their design. This range has an ultra-slim profile, having the diameter of a 5-cent piece the whole way round.
The Infinity Display of the Q950T shows the picture right to the edge, with nearly 99% of the front being pure screen. This model’s One Clear Cable feature eliminates the need for lots of messy cables, ideal if you’re looking to mount your TV.
When you’re not watching TV, the Ambient Mode feature will display beautiful images of your choosing, so your blank screen can be a piece of art, rather than a black rectangle.
Functionality
The range supports voice-activated assistants Bixby, Google Assistant and Alexa, so your voice can be your remote control.
The 8K TVs are also designed to be a dream for gaming enthusiasts. For instance, the Dynamic Black Equaliser Technology gives you clear visibility, even in darker scenes, while the AMD Freesync compatibility delivers swift action with no input lag.
In addition, the Mobile View Mode allows you to multi-task on screen (with variability in how large you want your mobile screen to be).
The TV Models
There are two models in the 8K Samsung TV range for 2020, the Q950T (flagship model) and the Q800T. The Q950T will be available in 85-inch, 75-inch and 65-inch. The Q800T will be available in 82-inch, 75-inch, 65-inch and 55-inch. The main difference between the two is that the Q950T has the Infinity Display and One Clear Cable.
