Back in January, we were suitably impressed by the viewing experience offered by the 55-inch curved OLED TVs debuted by LG and Samsung at CES 2013. Since then, LG has been leading the race to consumer release, beating its rival to both the South Korean and US markets. Samsung's TV has now landed on US shores, and is considerably more affordable than LG's similarly-sized goggle-box.
Samsung America says that its KN55S9C Curved OLED TV is the first television to feature MultiView, where two users can watch different Full HD (and even 3D) content at the same time via the two pairs of included 3D Active glasses, which sport built-in speakers. This means that you can watch a favorite game show while your partner gets lost in a classic movie, and each viewer can hear stereo audio from their chosen source. There's also no need to change glasses to switch between content, such functionality is available at the touch of a button.
The KN55S9C comes with Samsung's Smart TV, which includes a Smart Hub for content organization and a recommended viewing mode. The supplied TV remote packs a microphone for voice commands, and users can also control some functionality with the wave of a hand. AllShare wirelessly links your TV to your portable devices, and the unit is compatible with Samsung's Evolution Kit technology, so users don't need to shell out for a new TV to keep up to date.
The TV is mounted in a metallic Timeless Arena frame, which gives it overall dimensions of 55.8 x 30.6 x 14.2 in (1418.1 x 777.7 x 359.7 mm). It comes with a One Connect box that allows a single cable to run to the TV by housing the four HDMI ports, two USB 2.0, and ethernet, analog and digital audio out, antenna input, and component and AV connectors in one external media receiver.
The curved TV also boasts Quad-Core processing, two 10 W front-firing, full range speakers and a 20 W woofer, integrated Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and MHL, an ambient light sensor that auto adjusts onscreen image brightness, and a webcam front and center for video calls.
The best news for US consumers wanting to take advantage of curved OLED screen technology that's claimed to give video content a presence not available on standard flat screen televisions, while also benefiting from faster response times for blur-free viewing and nipping crosstalk in the bud, is the price tag Samsung has given its model. The KN55S9C is shipping now for US$8,999.99, a good deal cheaper than LG's offering.
Product page: KN55S9C