Samsung Q900R

Wildly ambitious precursor to a new era of TV or wizardly marketing wheeze? Perhaps the first 8K TV in the UK is actually a bit of both…

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SPECIFICATION

Display sizes 65, 75, 85 inches Panel 7680x4320 QLED Image processor AI Quantum Processor 8K OS Eden 2.0 Connectivity 4x HDMI 2.0, 3x USB, 2x satellite, optical, Wi-Fi, Ethernet Weight 29.5kg (65-inch model) Dimensions 1452x836x34mm (65-inch model)

From £4,999 samsung.com

Though we know our loyal T3 readers are ahead of the pack, 4K screens have only just elbowed regular HD out of the picture. So do we really need another resolution revolution? No, of course not. But when did that ever stop the march of technological progress? The TV industry will always embrace the next big thing, and Samsung is the first major brand to break cover with a screen that goes where no telly has ventured before: a whopping 8K resolution in all its 33-million-pixel glory.

So many pixels

Needless to say, the prospect of 8K for the home has had us salivating. Just as 4K UHD offered a four-fold jump in resolution over 1080p HD, now 8K introduces a screen resolution that’s four times as dense again.

The catch, of course, is that there is effectively no 8K content to be had right now. Not even a sniff. That means the real appeal of this pricey pixel pusher hangs on its ability to upscale 4K content, regular HD Blu-rays, and that pile of dusty DVDs you have in the spare room.

Smart connectivity is no different from other high-end Samsung screens. The Q900R employs the familiar Tizen Smart OS of other Samsung TVs, accessed via horizontal bars on-screen. One of these has curated content from various services, the other a list of apps and services themselves.

Available apps for streaming video include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube. The set doesn’t support Freeview Play, but there is a full complement of UK catch-up TV available (BBC iPlayer, My5, All 4, ITV Hub) to make up for it. It’s a solid smart platform with much to like.