It is new TV season and Samsung has just launched its 2018 QLED and UHD ranges here in Australia. Here’s how much they’re going to cost and when you can get your hands on them.
Picture quality, enhanced smart capabilities and design have been important call outs for this year’s QLED range. Here are some of the highlights:
- Quantum Dot technology
- HDR 10+ (also availble in the UHD range)
- Direct Full Array (Q9F and Q8F models only)
- Ambient Mode
- One Clear Connection (Q7 and Q9 models only)
- SmartThings (connect and control compatible Samsung smart devices)
- Smart Hub (still the only TV hub to have the Steam Link app)
- Sizes going up to 75″
- 10-year no screen burn guarantee
- 3 unique game modes
I had a chance to check out some of the range recently, and one of the first things I noticed is that Samsung are going BIG. Seven of the models in the new range come in at 75-inches and they have been designed to watched from as little as 2.3 metres away. As an apartment dweller, this is good news for me.
As a gamer, I’m a big fan of the One Clear Connection Cable – a thin, clear cable that simultaneously powers the TV and transmits the data signal. It plugs into a One Connect Box – as does consoles, blu-ray players, etc. No more messy cables.
This is a first for Samsung and I’m really keen to see how it performs. One thing worth noting is that we were told at the launch that there is a 15ms input lag across the QLED range. That’s pretty damn good for a television gaming setup. It’s definitely better than the 25ms lag I currently live with.
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I’m also intrigued by ambient mode, which allows the TV to be blend into the home – whether it’s by displaying the pattern of the wall behind it (yes, really), or showing the time and date, scenery or photographs.
My main question around ambient mode comes down to power consumption. At the launch, Samsung representatives explained that people generally only use their TVs 20 per cent of the time, so they created ambient mode as a way for the device to be more multi-functional and an aesthetic feature of the home.
I wonder if using Ambient Mode on a regular basis would create a noticeable dent in a power bill. When I asked this question at the launch, there was no real answer.
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However, I was told that Ambient Mode uses less power than watching a show or gaming and that the consumption depends entirely on the settings, as well as the ambience of the room the television is in.
Now, let’s get down to the prices.
QLEDs
- Q9F 75-inch – $10,499
- Q9F 65-inch – $6,999
- Q8F 65-inch – $5,899
- Q8F 55-inch – $4,099
- Q7F 75-inch – $8,199
- Q7F 65-inch – $5,299
- Q7F 55-inch – $3,699
- Q6F 75-inch – TBC
- Q6F 65-inch – TBC
- Q6F 55-inch – TBC
Premium UHD
Highlights of the Premium UHD models include 200Hz motion refrsh rate, dyanamic crystal colour and low input lag Game Mode.
- NU8500 65-inch – $3,699
- NU8500 55-inch – $2,599
- NU8000 82-inch – $7,999
- NU8000 75-inch – $5,799
- NU8000 65-inch – $3,599
- NU8000 55-inch – $2,499
UHD
Highlights of the UHD models include 4K UHD, HDR10+ and smart TV capabilities.
- NU7100 75-inch – $3,999
- NU7100 65-inch – $2,699
- NU7100 55-inch – $1,799
- NU7100 49-inch – $1,499
- NU7100 43-inch – $1,199
The entire range Samsung will be available nationally on April 23.