Just when you thought 2021 was maybe going to be better than 2020, Samsung's prices leak for its Neo QLED televisions and the majority are more expensive than the equivalent sets in last year's QLED range. As reported by FlatPanelsHD, the prices have been revealed in Switzerland and while there are a few bits of maths to do, thanks to Swiss VAT being 7.7% and the obvious currency exchanges, there seems to be a bit of a step up in terms of cost.
The Mini-LED range's base 55-inch model, the Samsung Neo QLED QN85A 4K TV, is priced at 1999 Swiss Francs or £1640/$2240. Comparatively, if we look at the launch price of the 4K Q80A model from 2020, the 55-inch display launched at 1599 Swiss Francs or £1300/$1800. 8K-wise, there's a price jump again. The 65-inch Samsung Neo QLED QN900A 8K will cost 6499 Swiss Francs in comparison to the 5999 cost of last year's Q900T 8K screen of the same size. While there will be some changes from country to country, these prices suggest that the change to Mini-LED is a more expensive venture for the tech giant.
Samsung told us that its unable to reveal official UK or US prices for at least another few weeks.
Not to be confused with Samsung's MicroLED screens also revealed at CES 2021, Mini-LED is making its way to many manufacturer's displays in some form this year. Instead of the self-emissive pixels of the screens in our best OLED TVs, LCD TVs depend on backlighting. Mini-LED refers to a new type of backlighting technology that uses, well, Mini-LEDs to make things brighter and to offer more control over local dimming of the backlight. While OLED offers rich colours and contrast, it hasn't been able to perform in terms of brightness, which is where Mini-LED can deliver.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 20 FE is the cheap Note 21 alternative we've been waiting for
- This new iPhone Podcasts app feature will help beat stay-at-home boredom
- Samsung Neo QLED TVs unveiled: next-gen Quantum Mini-LED tech changes the game in 4K and 8K
The Samsung Neo QLED range has eyes on our best gaming TVs with a stack of gaming specific features. The entire Neo range comes with HDMI 2.1 to make the most of the Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) , Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and 4K gaming at 120Hz features available with the new generation of consoles. As well as guaranteeing low latency for PS5 and the Xbox Series, Samsung is also adding a specific Game Bar in Game Mode that will allow us to adjust aspect ratios and check input lag.
“Consumers want premium TVs that can enhance the gaming experience – whether they are playing on PC or on a console,” said Younghun Choi, Executive Vice President from Samsung's Visual Display Business. “This is why it was critical for us to build upon and optimize key gaming features from both our award-winning monitors and TV displays in 2021. These enhancements will allow consumers to unlock the full power of next-gen gaming on our Neo QLED and QLED line.”
• Where to buy PS5
Samsung has also added support for AMD's FreeSync tech to its QLED range if you're plugging in your PC. These are the first TVs to add this functionality and means you can ensure low latency and better HDR when PC gaming. This along with the ability to play with your aspect ratios on TV is an interesting update that means even more options when it comes to personalising your gaming experience. We'll just be paying more for the privilege when it comes to Neo QLED.
If you’re looking for a new TV and want to make sure you’re getting the best price, check out our constantly updated best TV deals.
- The best 32-inch TVs – perfect for bedrooms and offices
- The best 43-inch TVs – great entry-level 4K sets
- The best 48- to 50-inch TVs – beautiful mid-size 4K TV sets
- The best 55-inch TVs – premium TVs that still fit most living rooms
- The best 65-inch TVs – beautiful big-screen TVs
- The best 75-inch TVs – giant 4K and 8K TVs packed with features
