Well that didn't take long. Hot on the heels of LG's multiple Ultra HD TV announcements, Samsung Electronics is unveiling its 4K TV lineup for 2014.
The company is planning a variety of releases, including its first Curved Ultra High Definition (UHD) TV. In fact, Samsung will have a total of six curved sets, as well as an eye-popping (non-curved) 110-incher.
Promising an immersive viewing experience, Samsung will have three different Curved Ultra HD TVs this year. To guarantee that every seat in house is the best one, Samsung developed the optimal curvature of 4200R, which basically promises an awesome picture from the normal watching distance of 10 to 13 feet. Other features on these sets include Samsung's PureColor technology and the Auto Depth Enhancer, which can automatically adjust contrast to deliver a greater sense of depth. In other words, it's like getting the 3D effect, without the 3D glasses. Also worth noting is that Samsung has increased the number of color adjustment points on these Curved Ultra HD TVs by a factor of seven, for more detail and better overall imagery.
Other features include UHD Dimming technology and support for HEVC, HDMI 2.0, MHL 3.0 and HDCP 2.2. Also, each of the new UHD TVs promises to be future-ready, thanks to support for the optional Samsung UHD Evolution Kit.
Of course, Samsung also plans to put Smart TV features into all of these new sets. New for 2014 is a upgraded Quad Core processor and a new Mutli-Link feature, which allows for multitasking on a big, split screen. In other words, you can catch live TV, while a web browser populates the right-hand side of the TV with info about your program and maybe a few relevant YouTube clips. Other Smart TV features include new Games and Multimedia panels, in addition to the previous panels that allow for a personalized experience.
As far as the actual models of Curved Ultra HD TVs are concerned, the cream of the crop for 2014 will certainly be the 105-inch Curved UHD TV. Like its LG competitor, this model will include a 21:9 aspect ratio, as well as UHD Upscaling for SD, HD and Full HD content. It will also have Samsung's Auto Depth Enhancer technology.
For something slightly smaller, Samsung will have the U9000 Series. This line of curved UHD TVs will offer the same immersive viewing experience, with a bezel that seems to disappear into the image. While all of Samsung's 2014 UHD TVs allow for split-screen use, the company is giving this lineup the option to divide that real estate into four screens. This model will be available in 55-, 68- and 78-inch screen sizes, all of which can sit on a shelf or be wall-mounted (with the specially designed kit).
If you're looking for non-curved UHD TVs, Samsung will have several options, including the S9 Series. This model comes in 85- and 110-inch screen sizes, with compression frame technology and the Frame TV design, which ditches the standard squared black bezel.
Rounding out Samsung's 2014 UHD TV lineup is the U8550 Series. This set promises some of the best UHD images via a process that analyzes the signal source and reduces artifacts, but also interpolates details based on information from a picture quality database that is embedded in the TV's system-on-chip (SoC). The outside of the set is pretty nice to look at as well, measuring a mere 1.2 inches thin with a 0.28-inch bezel. Expect the U8550 Series to be available in 50-, 55-, 60-, 65- and 75-inch screen sizes.
"Following last year's strong introduction of Samsung UHD TV, in 2014 Samsung will drive industry growth through tremendous innovation in UHD picture quality, breakthrough design and consumer choice," said HS Kim, executive vice president of the visual display business at Samsung Electronics. "The combination of our curved design and UHD picture quality creates the ultimate immersive entertainment experience for people passionate about entertainment. Samsung is well-positioned to meet UHD demand with our new roster of beautifully designed, featurepacked and future-ready Smart TVs."
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