Following LG and Samsung both unveiling their contenders for the world's largest curved Ultra HD TV at CES earlier this year, the game of one-upmanship between the Korean electronics giants continues. Samsung announced last week that it was starting to take pre-orders for its model, and LG has quickly followed suit.
Both 105-inch offerings support 3D content and boast 5K resolution of 5,120 x 2,160 pixels, outdoing the 4K standard of 3,840 x 2,160 by around three million pixels and leaving the 1,920 x 1,080 pixels of Full HD sets far behind. With 4K content, let alone 5K content, still thin on the ground, both sets make use of up-scaling technology to increase the quality of lower-resolution content.
And being 21:9 aspect ratio screens, everything other than CinemaScope content will leave some space at the sides. However, both models allow that unused space to be put to use, with LG's 105UC9 allowing the space to be filled with additional info or programming details, while Samsung's UN105S9W features the company's Quad Screen Multi-Link feature that allows the screen to be split into four to display live TV, streaming video and the web all at the same time.
LG's unit also incorporates a 7.2 channel, 150 W sound system and surround sound system developed in partnership with Harman Kardon, while its Smart TV features are powered by LG's webOS platform.
Samsung is attempting to future-proof its model with a swappable One Connect Box that will allows users to maintain compatibility with future standards without needing to buy a whole new TV. Buyers will also be eligible for the "Samsung Elite Service," which will see Samsung Field Engineers pay a visit to set up the TV and explain its features.
Samsung's UN105S9W TV is built to order for US$119,999.99, with US customers able to place an order for it now. LG's 105UC9 will be available for pre-order to customers in South Korea from this week, with exact pricing and availability to be announced locally. There's no word on wider availability for Samsung's set, but LG plans to roll its unit out in other markets in Q4 of this year.
Awfully impressive, and awfully nice. We'll need a comparison from Will.
Interesting how Korea has overtaken Japan on electronic devices, thanks to perhaps a less zenophobic approach and many students here in the US perhaps some studying at the University of Dayton.
No American Companies picked up on it but they sure did and now we are loaded with Kitchen Equipment and Automobiles. Who'da thunk it?