Samsung expands 8K TV to 98 inches at CES, because why the hell not
I guess an 85-inch TV just isn't big enough for *some* people.
8K resolution might be so much overkill, but if you ask the TV makers, they'll tell you all those extra pixels are worthwhile in really big TVs .
The 98-inch Samsung Q900 QLED unveiled here at CES is one of the most massive 8K TVs announced so far, tying Sony's own 98-inch Z9G and outgunning Samsung's own 85-inch member of the Q900 series -- first introduced in late 2018 -- as well as LG's new 88-inch 8K OLED TV. It's no 219-inch MicroLED TV, however.
Samsung also put smaller sizes of the Q900 series up for pre-order. The 65-inch costs $5,000, the 75-inch $7,000 and the 82-inch $10,000. Pricing for the 98-inch version was not announced, but it's sure to be ridiculously expensive. Since the 85-incher costs $15,000, I'm betting the 98-inch set costs around $50,000.
The Q900A has similar features to the 85-inch Q900, including high light output and full-array local dimming. Samsung says it has completely redesigned the upconversion with a new 8K Quantum processor and artificial intelligence to improve texture, smooth jagged edges and reduce noise and blurring. "A database analyses millions of sets of low- and high-resolution content and uses machine learning to develop algorithms" It can update the TV over time with improved formulas.
When I got up close and personal with the 85-inch Q900 I found little benefit to its 8K resolution, fancy upconversion notwithstanding. It still delivered excellent picture quality, although at $15,000 I expected nothing less.
Samsung also confirmed the new sets have full HDMI 2.1.
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