While this week’s CES marks only my fourth stint at the most coveted consumer electronics trade show, I was fully prepared for Samsung’s new lineup of 8K TVs to wow me for a few minutes and then be left forgotten for the rest of the event.
That’s because the company has been pushing the 8K envelope for a few years now, and at this point, the technology has hit a bit of a plateau — peaking in resolution output, remaining unattainable for most people.
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Things are mostly the same this year, but what’s changed is the reason why I’m writing this article in the middle of a casino. Of all the new TVs Samsung is announcing — which there are quite a few — the Neo QLED 8K TVs feel more purposeful and refined than ever. And the best part is that it has nothing to do with the actual sharpness and visual fidelity of the sets. Instead, these three new features impressed me in ways I didn’t expect.
1. Bye-bye, glare!
The first big change with the QN990F and QN900F models is the glare-free technology, carried over from last year’s Samsung S95D OLED model. When my colleague Jason Hiner and I laid eyes on the OLED TV at CES 2024, we immediately felt the impact of the matte-frosted, light-diffusing treatment, so much so that Hiner quickly named the S95D the best TV in the world at the time.
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Like on the S95D, the glare-free technology on the 8K TVs doesn’t detract from the contrast levels and color reproduction as much as I’ve seen on competing sets. I still believe Samsung does the glare-free tech the best, even though several other brands have adopted the feature.
I watched various demos of scenic views and sports highlights on the QN990F and QN900F, and the lack of reflections was apparent, ultimately making the already premium TVs feel even more so. Here’s to hoping Samsung brings the feature downmarket now so more consumers can experience it.
2. The QN990F is going wireless
While there are plenty of affordable solutions to keep your dangling TV cables hidden and tucked away, there’s a clear trend of TV makers moving to wireless connectivity, using transmitter boxes that communicate the input/output to TVs. That holds true with the more capable QN990F model, which now comes with a Wireless One Connect Box.
Samsung says the transmitter can communicate signals to the TV up to 10 meters away, even with obstacles in its path. I’d still advise stashing the box somewhere beside your TV for the least chance of disruption, but the ability to set it by your couch or in a nearby closet may be more convenient for some.
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It’s worth noting that the Wireless One Connect Box can leverage Wi-Fi 7 and “Omni-Directional Technology” to transmit 8K resolution at up to 120Hz. That should be more than enough for most entertainment needs, including gaming. The question I have is what signal performance is like for users who are on Wi-Fi 5 or 6 or have a weaker internet service in general. Are we talking 60Hz only? Not even 8K? I’ll update this bit as I get clarification from Samsung.
3. An 8K Frame TV – sort of
Like many others, I’m a big fan of Samsung’s Frame TV and the movement it started within the arts and entertainment industry. So carrying over the Samsung Art Store, the digital marketplace that lets you access over 3,000 artworks, to the new 8K TVs was a big “aha” moment for me.
When you pair the higher resolution with the improved glare-free technology, and then hide all the cables with the Wireless One Connect Box, the QN990F and QN900F basically become glorified Frame TVs, with a metal frame in place of the usual picture frame-esque borders.
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Considering the cost of the new 8K TVs, which I fully expect to be several thousand dollars — the 2024 models ranged from $3,500 to $8,000 — you definitely shouldn’t buy one for being a new Frame TV alternative. Instead, the ability to leverage those displays even when you’re not actively watching content on them feels like a reasonable next step for a product category in need of new reasons to buy in.