Samsung has been quietly talking about 8K television through 2018, but at IFA 2018 it has announced its first 8K TV - and not just a concept, one you'll actually be able to buy.
For
those who don't know, 8K is the next evolution in television, moving
the resolution beyond the current 4K to 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, giving you
(potentially) four times the detail that current top-end TVs offer.But 8K isn't that simple: its justification isn't as simple as saying that a higher resolution is better; indeed, there is no consumer-ready 8K content. There is no Netflix in 8K, there are no 8K discs. We're at the beginning of a content cycle, with the technology preceding anything you'll be able to watch in native 8K.
What the QLED Q900R really aims to achieve is to meet a growing demand for bigger televisions. While you can buy a 4K TV up to 85-inch sizes, these larger sizes will be where 8K really benefits the viewer. Indeed, the Samsung Q900R will come in 65, 75 82 and 85-inch sizes.
The Samsung Q900R relies on a lot of technology to deliver its image. It's a full array QLED TV, capable of 4000 nits peak brightness with an 8K upscaling engine, which leverages AI and machine learning, according to Samsung. The upscaling tech was actually shown off at CES 2018, so should come as no surprise.
Powering the whole thing is Samsung's Quantum Processor 8K that can analyse any source and improve the image. That's a claim that really needs to hold true, because it's in the upscaling that the Q900 needs to deliver for early adopters.
The Samsung Q900R brings with it an minimalist design, featuring the One Invisible Connection and offers a range of features you'll find in other Samsung TVs like the One Remote for easy universal control of connected devices.
There's no word on exactly how much the Q900R will cost, but Samsung has already confirmed that it will be available from the end of September in some regions, and mid-October in the UK.
Keep your eyes peeled, the age of 8K televisions is upon us.