Samsung 8K Q950T and Q800T QLED TVs – Aussie price and availability

Samsung 8K

Samsung has made sure it is the first cab off the rank with its 8K top-line TVs being available in major retailers from today – 14 May.

Now before you rush out remember that these are 8K and that means $$$ouch. Still, if you want 8K, we think the prices are pretty reasonable.

Q950T (website here)

  • 85” $21,999
  • 75” $13,499
  • 65” $9,999
Samsung 8K

Q800T (website here – note the website prices appear different to those below)

  • 82” $11,649
  • 75” $8,699
  • 65” $6,399
Samsung 8K

Why 8K QLED?

GadgetGuy covered the ‘release’ on 2 April so we won’t repeat that. The article covers both 8K, 4K QLEDs, its entry-level 4K Crystal LED/LCD, Frame, Serif and Sero.

So, if I were flush with cash, what would encourage me to buy an 8K QLED. Well, Samsung has that market almost to itself, so it is banking on you buying 8K to future proof your purchase. That is always wise, but technology is superseded the moment you buy it, so that is not the strongest argument. There will be faster, cheaper and better 8Ks in 2021 and later.

OK, what about picture quality?

As there is little native 8K content, the reality is that almost everything you watch will be 720/1080/2K/4K upscaled to 8K.

Samsung has nailed upscaling (especially from 1080/4K content). Its AI adds several kinds up upscaling – not just adding the same pixels around an original one as lower-cost TVs do. It estimates what the image will look like before it is shown and then cleans it up in a multi-stage process.

And QLED colour ‘pops’ in all light conditions – it is the saturated DCI-P3 colour we all crave.

And let’s not forget Samsung’s TV reputation

If you are going to invest a motza, then you want to do it with a company you can rely on. One that makes everything from the panel to the electronics in a modern, QA assured factory in Samsung’s South Korean homeland.

Which one – Q950T or Q800T?

We have not reviewed either yet or had time to make detailed comparisons. From first looks both perform well and use the same processor. But the difference is in the FALD (Full Array Dimming Backlighting).

The Q950T has FALD 24x, HDR10+ (HDR2000), One connect box, and wall mountable.

The Q850T has FALD 16x, HDR10+ (HDR1000), all electronics built-in and desktop stand only.

So, the ideal Samsung 8K owner does not need to ask the price and will shell out for a decent Dolby Atmos soundbar or AV system. They won’t even quibble that the wall mount and labour to do so costs a few hundred dollars.

https://youtu.be/Tpu51WWS5Tk