Samsung presented something really amazing at this year’s CES. Instead of following the OLED TV trend, the Korean company presents alternatives. And they can be seen. For example, we were able to see 8K Neo QLED, MicroLED and lifestyle TVs. This exciting lineup holds TVs with a screen diagonal of up to a remarkable 110 inches.
Neo QLED – Consistent further development of QLED
With Neo QLED, the company from South Korea promises nothing less than a massive upgrade of QLED TVs. The focus here is on mini-LEDs. Unlike the previously available QLED TVs, the upcoming TVs of this type will no longer use a classic light source. Instead, mini-LEDs are to be used, which are just one fortieth as big as the previous QLEDs. The goal is to no longer rely on conductive material that distributes the light over the screen surface in the future. Instead, Samsung wants to install so many individual LEDs that such a layer is no longer needed. The mini-LEDs are supposed to be dimmable in 4,096 steps to maintain the corresponding contrasts. This is not only to maintain the high brightness of QLED TVs. Samsung also promises better black levels. This will probably be especially noticeable when enjoying HDR content. Black levels have always been the Achilles’ heel of QLED TVs. In this respect, they had to admit defeat to the popular OLED TVs. If the plan works out, Samsung should be able to achieve far better results with the Neo QLEDs and shorten the OLEDs’ lead.
The Slim One Connect boxes are supposed to ensure a tidy design and a flat fit on the wall. Here, the technology slumbers in a separate box, which is only connected to the TV via an inconspicuous cable. This is supposed to prevent cable clutter, since the devices have to be connected to the box and not to the TV. Samsung wants to launch a total of five new Neo QLEDs. The entry-level models with 4K resolution are called QN85A, QN90A and QN95A. If you even want to take the step into 8K resolution, the top models with the names QN800A and QN900A might be interesting. QLED TVs have always been interesting for gamers. After all, unlike OLED TVs, you don’t have to worry about burn-in during long gaming sessions. Samsung is aware of this. For this reason, the upcoming Neo QLEDs naturally also offer HDMI 2.1, which should not only enable the playback of 4K media at a refresh rate of 120 Hz. On top of that, you can look forward to features like a variable frame rate and an Auto Latency Mode. Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 owners should therefore take a look at the upcoming models.
MicroLED TVs up to 110 inches
If common sizes like 55 inches or 65 inches are too small for you, maybe the upcoming MicroLED TVs are the right thing for you. Here, Samsung wants to launch TVs with a screen diagonal of up to 110 inches. Unlike the Neo QLEDs, Samsung does not only rely on backlighting with individual LEDs. On top of that, Samsung installs tiny RGB LEDs instead of classic pixels. The manufacturer expects impressive contrasts from this. Black and white values are supposed to be even higher than those of Neo QLEDs. Samsung thus has a really hot iron in the fire against OLED TVs. The black levels of the MicroLED TVs are supposed to reach almost the perfection of the latter without the known drawbacks of OLEDs. In contrast to OLED TVs, MicroLED TVs should also be able to become extremely bright. There is also no need to worry about the screen content burning in. Samsung also speaks of a complete coverage of the Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color space. According to the manufacturer, the investment in a MicroLED should also pay off in the long run. After all, Samsung promises a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours.
Samsung plans to launch its first MicroLED TVs before the end of this year. And the focus is clearly on home theater sizes. For example, the large TVs will be available in screen sizes of 110 inches and 99 inches. If that’s too big for you, you’ll also be able to choose somewhat smaller models. There are 24 million LEDs inside the huge TVs, which can be controlled individually. Unlike the Neo QLEDs, there will not be a MicroLED TV with 8K resolution. Even though the corresponding content is still rare, a high pixel density would be quite appropriate considering the sheer size. Incidentally, not only the size itself is impressive. The so-called screen-to-body ratio also sounds like the future. Samsung promises 99.99 percent here. This means that the proportion of frames is vanishingly small.
The Frame gets some upgrades
Friends of rather inconspicuous TVs certainly know “The Frame” from Samsung. This one belongs to the manufacturer’s so-called “lifestyle series”. Visually, the TV is more reminiscent of a picture frame than a usual TV. Accordingly, it can also be used as a kind of picture. It offers the possibility to show photos or preloaded paintings in a kind of slideshow or as a single still image. The frame of The Frame can be conveniently exchanged.
This allows you to perfectly match it to the rest of the furniture in the room. In addition, there should now be more options for the display of photos or images. The effect of a picture should be able to be emphasized even more. Above all, the slimmer dimensions should make the new The Frame look more like a picture than a TV. The new models should only be about half as thick as the previous ones. The frames will be available in two new shapes and five new colors.
