Hands-on with Samsung’s new 8K QLED TV – The ultimate experience

September 30, 2020 Mark Kean

This review unit was provided by Samsung.

Samsung’s new lineup of QLED TVs is now available in South Africa, offering the latest in high-resolution, high-quality display technology.

The headline product of the new 8K QLED TV lineup is the Samsung Q950TS QLED 8K Smart TV, which is available in 75-inch and 85-inch sizes.

This display comes with a hefty price tag but also offers the latest in QLED display technology and an overhauled design for even thinner bezels and more immersion.

While consumers are still adjusting to the incredible visual fidelity and quality of 8K displays, Samsung has been regularly improving its industry-leading 8K QLED technology.

This latest generation of 8K QLED TVs is the most impressive yet, offering everything from improved upscaling to better colour quality and contrast ratios.

Samsung provided us with the Samsung 8K QLED Q950TS to review, and we were blown away by the viewing experience it delivers.

An epic picture

The Samsung 8K QLED Q950TS we received was the 75-inch model, which is priced at R149,999 – making it among the most expensive TVs on the market.

As soon as we had set it up and connected it to our Wi-Fi network, we understood why it has such a high price tag.

Last year, we tried out Samsung’s 65-inch 8K QLED Q900 and while it was the most impressive television we had tried out at the time, it pales in comparison to the Q950TS.

This is because not only does the Samsung QLED Q950TS sport the same 8K resolution, it also packs an array of technological improvements that have led to drastic improvements in everything from upscaling to improve colour ratios.

The first thing we did when trying out the TV was to start up the built-in YouTube app and see if we could play some 8K content.

While there is not much content available, the YouTube app on the TV does support 8K playback, and we were able to enjoy all 33 million pixels of native 8K through one of the few YouTube videos which offer the resolution.

Even at 75 inches of display size, the picture quality of 8K video is absolutely amazing. It is impossible to discern individual pixels, and the high-fidelity images are so clear they look almost 3D.

There are a number of features that work with the high-resolution panel to deliver this superior image, and they are exceptional at providing the ultimate viewing experience.

Contrast, viewing angles, and features

The Samsung QLED 8K Q950TS is not just a standard smart TV with a high-resolution panel, it is one of the first TVs to deliver a truly exceptional viewing experience that makes the most of 8K resolution’s possibilities.

The viewing angle, for example, is almost flawless. Whether you are seated far off to the side of the TV or directly in front of it, there is no noticeable contrast wash-out or colour range loss.

Contrast and brightness on this TV are also exceptional thanks to the highly-advanced 32x Direct Full Array backlighting system, which comprises densely-concentrated backlight zones that automatically adjust scene-by-scene for the fullest range of dark and light.

It supports the HDR 10+ standard via Samsung’s Quantum HDR technology, and it provides 100% colour volume according to the DCI-P3 standard.

Among the myriad smart features which automatically tweak your settings for the ultimate viewing experience, one of those which stood out most was the TV’s gaming optimisation.

We connected a PlayStation 4 Pro to the Samsung QLED 8K Q950TS, and it was delivered one of the best gaming experiences we have ever had.

The motion rate of the TV paired with its Real Game Enhancer+ technology gives greater clarity and provides a silky-smooth gaming experience.

There was minimal input latency or blur in fast-moving scenes, making this TV one of the best we have seen for gaming.

Of course, it is important to note that there is not a lot of 8K content available at the moment, but adoption is slowly increasing.

Samsung’s QLED 8K TVs also include AI-powered upscaling technology, meaning you can upscale your lower-resolution content to 8K.

While it is one of the most expensive Samsung QLED 8K TVs available, the QLED Q950TS demonstrates the pinnacle of what Samsung’s technology can deliver, and makes a strong case for buying an 8K TV in 2020.

Check out our photos of the Samsung QLED 8K Q950TS below.