Whereas cathode ray tube technology used to limit TV size, the move to flat screen technologies has seen the creation of some monster panels. Although it's not quite as impressive as the 262-in (6.65-m) TV we covered last month, the latest 88-inch offering from Samsung is the largest QLED TV to hit the market.
Before we jump into the 88-inch Q9 specifically, here's a refresher on what QLED actually means. In quantum dot televisions, there's a thin layer of semiconducting crystals wedged between the backlight and LCD screen. In QLED televisions, those little dots are made with a metal alloy designed to reproduce color and contrast that rivals OLED panels. Samsung claims the technology allows its Q-Series televisions to recreate the DCI-P3 color space – most naturally occurring colors – with 100 percent accuracy, something no other brand has managed.
Of course, you'll need to wrap your head around the sheer size of the Q9 before you're able to actually enjoy that picture. The latest Samsung television is 197.9 cm (78 in) wide, and has a bigger display area than four 43-inch panels arranged in a rectangle. For readers who are smartphone obsessed, that's equivalent to the display area of 200 S8s. Make sure you have enough wall space before purchase, then.
That enormous screen offers a 240 Hz refresh rate and 3840 x 2160 UHD resolution along with a 10-bit HDR system. Connectivity is provided by four HDMI ports, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Rather than forcing buyers to hide cabling within their walls or – shock, horror – having messy wires dangling beneath their TV, there's a transparent optical cable in the box for a near-invisible connections to peripherals.
Like the rest of the Samsung QLED range, the 88-inch screen has been designed with thin bezels and a very thin profile. Combined with the dedicated wall mounting system, it sits flush against the wall.
As you might expect, this big-screen unit isn't cheap. You'll pay US$20,000 for the privilege of mounting this massive monument to "Peak TV" on your wall. Samsung also offers QLED sets in 55-, 65- and 75-inch sizes, with the 55-inch Q7F QLED TV going for a far more palatable $2,500.
Then again, that is pocket change compared to the aforementioned C Seed 4K panel measuring 262-in. It's worth a cool US$549,000 before installation.
Source: Samsung
