Samsung initiated shipments for its 2021 TV line, led by the new “Neo QLED” 8K and 4K TVs that use Mini LED technology to achieve greater contrast and improved image quality than in previous years. With the Mini LED, the company is able to insert much smaller LEDs – and much, much more of them than before – into the TV’s backlighting system. This gives the TV much more precise control over the darkening zones and black levels, and should drastically reduce any unwanted “flowering” effects.
This year’s next-generation Samsung TVs also include a number of game-centric features, such as a new settings bar that puts all the crucial options of the next generation – refresh rate, aspect ratio, entry delay and so on – easily accessible. Many of the TVs will start reaching customers in the next two weeks, with others coming in April and beyond.
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Chris Welch / The Verge photo
Frame, one of Samsung’s “lifestyle” televisions, is being updated with a slimmer design and more frame options to make it look like a piece of art on your wall. And Samsung now says it is increasing internal storage from 500MB to 6GB so customers can store more art – up to 1,200 ultra high resolution images – on the TV that is displayed when it is not being actively used. Another lifestyle TV, the rotating Sero, is acquiring support for Apple’s AirPlay 2 in the near future. (Samsung promised this at the launch of the TV, but it took some time to actually happen.)
The company also announced that it is introducing more traditional form factors for its futuristic MicroLED TVs that aim to overtake OLED as the next big TV technology. Instead of offering modular options of any size you want, as it does with The Wall, Samsung will sell the MicroLED set in sizes of 110 inches, 99 inches and 88 inches. It has now been announced that a 76-inch model will be added in the future. 110-inch and 99-inch MicroLED TVs will be available in April. They are all exorbitantly expensive.
That’s how Samsung’s 2021 line stands out in terms of price. I’m not about to recommend that you buy an 8K TV, although it’s a shame that the pretty frame design almost nonexistent is reserved exclusively for the first-rate 8K series. I’m definitely looking at one of the Neo QLED 4K sets – especially when sales start to start.
Neo QLED 8K series QN900A (the flagship of the “frameless” project)
85 inches: $ 8,999.99
75 inches: $ 6,999.99
65 inches: $ 4,999.99
Neo QLED 8K series QN800A
85 inches: $ 6,499.99
75 inches: $ 4,799.99
65 inches: $ 3,499.99
Neo QLED 4K series QN90A
85 inches: $ 4,999.99
75 inches: $ 3,499.99
65 inches: $ 2,599.99
55 inches: $ 1,799.99
Neo QLED 4K series QN85A
85 inches: $ 4,499.99
75 inches: $ 2,999.99
65 inches: $ 2,199.99
55 inches: $ 1,599.99
The rest of the Samsung TVs below don’t have Mini LED and their image updates, but still offer quantum dots HDR and local dimming.
The Frame 2021 series
75 inches: $ 2,999.99
65 inches: $ 1,999.99
55 inches: $ 1,499.99
50 inches: $ 1,299.99
43 inch: $ 999.99
QLED 4K Q80A series
85 inches: $ 3,699.99
75 inches: $ 2,599.99
65 inches: $ 1,699.99
55 inches: $ 1,299.99
QLED 4K Q70A series
85 inches: $ 2,999.99
75 inches: $ 1,999.99
65 inches: $ 1,299.99
55 inches: $ 949.99
QLED 4K Q60A series
85 inches: $ 2,599.99
75 inches: $ 1,499.99
70 inches: $ 1,299.99
65 inches: $ 999.99
60 inches: $ 899.99
55 inches: $ 749.99
50 inches: $ 649.99
43 inch: $ 549.99