Samsung officially introduces 2020 4K QLED TVs
Following its 8K QLED TV announcement at CES 2020, Samsung has confirmed its 4K QLED TV line-up for this year.
Samsung's 2020 4K QLED TV offering comprises the Q60T, Q70T, Q80T and Q90T/Q95T (one simply totes a OneConnect box) ranges – replacements for 2019's Q60R, Q70R, Q80R, Q90R QLEDs and the top-tier RU8000 LCD series. They are available in sizes between 43in and 85in.
The Q80T is where the Direct Full Array panels start, while the Q90T/Q95T exclusively sport Samsung's new Ultra Viewing Angle tech for improved off-axis viewing. The Q80T has fewer local dimming zones than the flagship, and gets an inferior version of this wide-angle tech (as does the Q70T).
The edge-lit Q70T and Q60T models introduce what Samsung is calling 'Dual LED', a system that combines both warm and cool LED backlights to enhance contrast and colour reproduction.
More advanced AI upscaling
While the flagship 8K Q950TS QLED TV, which Samsung announced at CES, gets a new 8K processor over last year's 8K models, the 2020 4K QLEDs are powered by a new 4K processor, too.
The Quantum Processor 2.0 4K harnesses next-generation AI upscaling wizardry that utilises deeper, more nuanced machine learning processing. Where the AI on 2019 TV's used machine learning to build algorithms in order to improve picture quality for lower-than-4K content, the new process uses numerous algorithmic layers to advance the effect.
Meanwhile, the new Adaptive Picture+ mode can optimise the brightness of the TV based on room conditions. Active Voice Amplifier automatically bolsters voice clarity when an increase in surrounding noise is detected, too.
Every 2020 QLED TV is compatible will Samsung's new Symphony concept, which sees the TV's top and side drivers working in conjunction with the speakers within a connected Samsung 2020 Q-Series soundbar. As opposed to TV speakers being muted when a soundbar is connected, here they all work together in perfect... symphony.
A smarter OS
Samsung's user interface is already one of the most intuitive around, but new tweaks aim to make it even more so in 2020.
A new universal guide will combine OTT services (such as Netflix) to display a one-stop-shop of content, organised into sections labelled 'On Now' and 'Continue Watching'. Which services' content will be included depends on what service metadata Samsung can pull, but we're told by a Samsung representative that the bigger services such as Netflix and Amazon will be onboard at launch.
Owners will also be able to see more services at once on the home page's pull-up scrollbar following Samsung's move to change their icons from rectangular to square. In addition to built-in Bixby voice control, there's support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant too.
Last but not least, Tap View allows compatible (which could just mean Samsung) phones to mirror their screen to a 2020 Samsung TV simply by touching the two devices together.
Samsung also used its European 2020 QLED TV launch to clarify its 8K TV offering for this year. In addition to the flagship Q950TS (65in, 75in and 85in), there will be Q900TS and Q800T ranges offering sizes between 55in and 98in.