Samsung Electronics has announced a new mid-range but giant-sized Neo QLED TV based on a 4K LCD panel with LED local dimming tech that will launch later this year.
The 98-inch Samsung Q80C Neo QLED TV is a new addition to the company’s previously announced 2023 lineup, and is meant to compete with TCL’s equally enormous 98-inch 4K LCD TV that currently retails at around £3,600, Flatpanels HD reported. It will also go toe-to-toe with Sony’s upcoming 4K X90L TV, which also weighs in at 98-inches and will sell for around £9,000.
Samsung already has two other 98-inch models in its lineup, including the QN90A from 2021 and the QN1000B from 2022, which will both carry over into this year, though they are more premium models that will carry higher price tags.
The new, mid-range Samsung Q80C Neo QLED TV is said to come with full array local dimming, though the exact number of dimming zones has not yet been disclosed. It will also have a slimmer design than last year’s Q80B, which was available only in smaller sizes. It will use a VA LCD panel made by TCL’s CSOT, Samsung said.
Although the Q80C is supposed to compete with TCL’s similarly-sized offering, it remains to be seen if consumers will be willing to stump up the extra five grand required to take it home. Samsung said it will come with a suggested retail price of £8,699 when it goes on sale in the second half of this year. Slightly cheaper than Sony’s model, but you could buy two of TCL’s and still have plenty of change. Still, the price of Samsung’s TVs typically drops quite significantly once they’ve been on sale for a few months, so it might not be a bad option for those who’re prepared to hold their horses for a while.
Samsung also offers a 98-inch 8K television that was launched way back in 2019 and will be refreshed for the first time this year.
The company told FlatPanels HD that the upgraded 98-inch 8K model will feature “upgraded sound with Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony 3.0”, as well as “immaculate colour reproduction and lifelike level of detail”. Further details, including the model number, were not revealed.
