Later this year at the IFA technology show in Berlin on August 29th, South Korea’s electronics company Samsung is expected to launch two ranges of consumer-ready 8K displays.

At Samsung’s recent 2018 QLED & Advanced Technology event in Los Angeles, and where Samsung called for global 8K transmission standards to be set, it emerged that Samsung is preparing two separate ranges of 8K units.

The first range is reported by Forbes to be available in 65, 75 and 82 inch sizes, and with a huge 98” model following in 2019. Forbes say these 8K sets will be 120Hz models.  Samsung has not confirmed the actual sizes or refresh rates mentioned above, but do not deny the overall plans.

The second batch will not appear until 2019 – and might be expected to be unveiled at CES in January – and Samsung says will comprise just two size options, of 65” and 75”. Refresh rates will be at the current conventional 50/60Hz (depending on market). This second batch of 8K units will be priced at the ‘budget’ end of the market.

Samsung staff speaking at the Los Angeles event talked about future 8K displays representing a “new paradigm” for televisions, and would have standards which met the BT.2020 Wide Color Gamut, “next-generation High Dynamic Range and up to 4000 Nits of brightness as well as 12-bit colour depth.  However, there was a degree of vagueness as to whether these improved standards would be included in these two early ranges.

Categories: Articles, Equipment, UHD