Samsung has put their best foot forward for the launch of their 2024 range of TVs and sound products with an impressive display that rivals and in some ways bests what the head office put on at CES in January.
Over three levels of an impressive space in the heart of Sydney, Samsung Australia put on display their best products and their core features as they reveal their full lineup for the 2024 battle – a year which sees Australian’s turn to sport in a big way which could have many asking “should we get a bigger TV before the Olympics?”
As a Global Olympic partner, Samsung would hope to score a lot of that new TV business no doubt.
Jeremy Senior from Samsung Australia told EFTM there’s still a strong presence for the TV in Aussie homes “At Samsung, we have a screen for every experience, lifestyle, and passion point. With more Australians opting to have the TV at the hub of their home, we are committed to providing immersive audio and visual solutions to suit all wants and needs. Our 2024 line-up has the consumer experience at the core, and now with the transformative power of AI, key moments can be upscaled,”
“We are committed to continually innovating our technology to enrich Australians’ lives, enhanced through connectivity via SmartThings. Our new AV range is no different, and is powered by cutting-edge AI features, enabling big screen experiences to be more accessible, intuitive, and personalised for consumers. We’re thrilled to continue redefining TV and sound solutions to better meet Australians needs and love of design and aesthetic, with our Neo QLED 8K and Music Frame examples and as pinnacles of the new range.”
Samsung NEO QLED 8K
Topping out the range is the stunning NEO QLED 8K with it’s almost edgeless design and the highest resolution of any TV in Australia.
Behind is is a new NQ8 AI Gen 3 Processor, helping with a “significant leap in AI TV Technology”
While I’m loathe to lump AI into every bit of kit, the best explanation I got of the real value of AI in these TVs was that when you take a lower resolution image and “stretch” it to fit the 4K or 8K of your TV, many TVs literally stretch that image, but with Samsung’s AI there’s the smarts to fill the gaps and create the image you need to see.
Complex to comprehend, the main thing is, watching an 8K screen looks sensational.
Additionally, on the NEO QLED 8K there’s AI enhanced sound too, with Voice Amplifier Pro, Object Tracking Sound Pro and Adaptive Sound Pro – basically, it all got better.
NEO QLED 4K
Step it just down a notch and you’re honestly not too compromised by the choice of NEO QLED 4K , with a similar great design, Pantone Validated colour accuracy and really a screen that sits at the top of the 4K TV tree, probably joint alongside OLED depending on your perspective and viewing situation.
Samsung Glare-Free OLED
On that subject, Samsung continues to wade deeper into the OLED space, challenging LG’s 11 year dominance of that technology in TVs.
It’s clear that people are asking for OLED in retail and Samsung needs to be part of that conversation.
Only barely outpriced by the NEO QLED 8K, the OLED is a super premium product – but it’s damn impressive too.
There’s no beating the blacks and contrasts on an OLED screen, but now Samsung has brought OLED out of the darkened rooms into the bright Aussie lounge with a glare-free film that is similar to what has been on The Frame in the last year, and really does have an impact on diminishing reflections on the black screen in a bright space.
Size Matters
Samsung are looking to double the market for 98 inch TV’s with three different models ranging in price from just under $7,000 up to a staggering $15,000 for the NEO QLED 4K model.
- 98-inch Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV (DU7700), $6,755
- 98-inch Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (QN90D), $15,172
- 98-inch QLED 4K Smart TV (Q80C), $11,649
These models take advantage of the “Supersize Picture Enhancer” which is the AI model for the best upscaling of content to match the enormous screen.
Samsung has revealed the top of the line Q990D soundbar with 11.1.4 sound, and an ultra-slim S800D for a more sleek and space-saving design.
Music as Art – Art as Sound
In the same way that The Frame TV has taken the “black box” on the wall and turned it into something that’s part of your decor, the Music Frame does the same for Audio.
Instead of a funky bluetooth speaker, or a boxy multi-room speaker, or even for someone who doesn’t really want a soundbar, the Samsung Music Frame can be all those things.
Put one on a side table, Music!
Hang one on a wall, Music!
Put five on the wall, lots of Music!
Put them in multiple rooms, Multi-Room Music!
Put them with your TV – Improved TV sound, without the look of a soundbar.
Impressive stuff, but a bit pricey for my mind at $749. Order your own “artwork” to clip on via an online service for around $100 each.
Here’s the full range, their prices, plus availability direct from Samsung:
TVs
The Samsung Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (QN900D) is available in 85-inches, 75-inches, and 65-inches.
The Samsung Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (QN800D) is available in 85-inches, 75-inches, and 65-inches.
The Samsung Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (QN90D) is available in 98-inches, 85-inches, 75-inches, and 65-inches.
The Samsung OLED 4K Smart TV (S95D) is available in 77-inches, 65-inches, and 55-inches.
The Samsung OLED 4K Smart TV (S90D) is available in 77-inches, 65-inches, and 55-inches.
The Samsung 98-inch TV range is available in Crystal UHD, Neo QLED and QLED.
- 98-inch Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV (DU7700), $6,755
- 98-inch Neo QLED 4K Smart TV (QN90D), $15,172
- 98-inch QLED 4K Smart TV (Q80C), $11,649
Music Frame and soundbars
- Music Frame (LS60D), $749
- HW-Q990D Q-Series Soundbar, $2,099
- HW-S800D S-Series Soundbar, $999
