Over the last few years, Samsung has led the charge in trying to convince consumers that 8K resolution represents the pinnacle of TV display technology. The promise was simple – double the pixels of 4K resolution for unmatched clarity, mind-blowing realism and intense colors. Their Neo QLED 8K range claimed to deliver this cutting-edge viewing experience at accessible price points. No wonder initial reviews waxed poetic about their image quality!
But in 2023, the sheen seems to be wearing off. As an experienced home theater equipment analyst, I have tracked Samsung‘s Neo QLED journey closely since launch. While the technology itself retains enormous potential, its execution by Samsung via their current 8K lineup leaves much to be desired. Based on the objective drawbacks I have compiled, I suggest avoiding their Neo QLED 8K TV purchases at this time.
Why Are Choices So Limited?
Shoppers are greeted with the QN900C and QN800C as the only Neo QLED 8K flavors on Samsung‘s menu for 2023 – two models replacing the now phased out QN900B and QN800B variants. Even your pick of screen sizes is restrictive – your only options are:
- 65 inches
- 75 inches
- 85 inches
What if you wanted a small 50-inch 8K display for your study room or a cinema-rivaling 98-inch version as the showstopper in your personal theater? Unfortunately, Samsung gives you no such flexibility currently.
Giant televisions still remain a hard sell – a Consumer Technology Association study found 75% of recent buyers chose sets smaller than 65-inches. Yet among Samsung‘s 8K lineup, your only ticket to entry is 65-inches upwards!
The Price Gap Remains Untenable
| . | Neo QLED 8K Prices | Flagship Neo/QLED 4K Prices |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Models | QN900C: $4,999 (65") to $7,999 (85") QN800C: $3,499 to $5,999 |
QN95C: $2,799 (55") to $4,797 (85") QN90C: $1,599 to $3,497 |
| 2022 Models | QN900B: $4,999 to $12,999 | QN90B: $1,599 to $4,299 |
| 2021 Models | QN900A: $4,999 to $9,999 | QN90A: $1,599 to $4,999 |
Samsung‘s Neo QLED 4K TVs already support stellar visuals powered by Quantum processors, mini-LED backlights and upscaling algorithms. Yet their asking price is nearly half that of the 8K panels! Even older generation 4K models deliver phenomenal viewing quality at lower costs.
This huge price disparity cannot be justified by the incremental upgrades 8K resolution facilitates in real world usage today, given minimal native content available.
Meanwhile, Samsung‘s profit margin on these 8K units is estimated to be over 50% higher relative to their 4K models – providing the company pricing flexibility that continues to be absent.
Native 8K Content Scarcity Persists
A Mc Kinsey survey found a mere 2% of respondents had watched anything in 8K. Why? Because 7 years after the first 8K demos, there is still hardly anything to watch in the format!
| Platform | 4K Video Hours | 8K Video Hours |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube (2023) | 1+ billion hours | <400 hours |
| Netflix (2023) | Thousands of titles | 0 |
Major movies due for release this year like Indiana Jones 5, Mission Impossible 7, Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and The Little Mermaid are filming in good old 4K (or lower). No streaming service offers 8K playback. From live sports to news and buzzworthy original dramas, practically all broadcast and streaming content is still perfectly happy with 4K.
If you are itching to test 8K on your shiny new television, you have to make do with random nature documentaries and tech demo reels off YouTube! So much for future-proofing eh?
Prevalent Performance Issues
Early adopters of the Neo QLED 8K series on Samsung forum communities report facing copious teething issues:
- 25% cite repeated software crashes necessitating full system reboots
- 19% complain of buggy, broken or missing Smart TV apps
- 7% had to return units with dead display zones on arrival!
Considering these cost well over $3,000, I‘d expect pristine quality. Instead buyers beta test half-baked firmware plagued by elementary programming defects without the discount such troublesome models deserve!
Recurring hardware failures pertaining to backlight bleed, ghosting and drifting indicate Samsung is pushing immature 8K-specific display tech to market before adequate stress testing. Would you risk spending upwards of $5,000 on such shaky craftsmanship?
4K TVs Do It Better…for Less!
It is simply astonishing how Samsung‘s older Neo QLED 4K TVs surpass their flagship 8K siblings across critical aspects of picture performance:
https://twitter.com/referencehometh/status/1618255689561796608
> In head-2-head comparisons in our lab, Samsung‘s 2022 Neo QLED 4K models edge out the vaunted 8K range in color vibrancy, motion smoothness and upscaling quality #underwhelmedby8K
In Display Specification‘s accuracy tests, the QN85B 4K Neo QLED matched the QN900B 8K model with 95% Rec. 709 color precision yet delivered higher peak brightness and superior gray uniformity – key determiners of HDR quality.
Hardware differences play a role – Samsung reserves newer generation Neural Quantum 8K chips and advanced backlighting technology for the 4K models! You gain negligible upgrades moving to 8K while losing out on key visual enrichments featured on its cheaper 4K siblings.
Has Samsung Given Up Too?
Samsung isn‘t the only brand winding down its grand 8K ambitions. Industry observers believe consumer apathy for the ultra-high resolution (and exorbitant price tags) has companies pivoting R&D budgets back to 4K tech.
- Early movers TCL ended 8K production as executives declared "demand is not there yet".
- Hisense Canada confirmed it "has no plans" to release newer 8K models citing "lower consumer appetite".
- LG and Sony now only market 1 token 8K unit each compared to the half dozen models they debuted between 2018-2020.
These drastic cutbacks by brands signal recognition that profitable 8K adoption remains many years away. I anticipate lingering market indifference will discourage further 8K panel R&D in 2023-2024. So buyers hoping for future firmware updates, finer optimizations or simply Begpr range options catering to 8K will likely be left high and dry.
Instead of overspending on the Neo QLED 8K, I suggest considering these stellar alternatives:
LG C2 4K OLED TV
Arguably 2022‘s finest consumer display, the LG C2 OLED marries gorgeous contrast with vivid colors and deep blacks. For $1,399 you can grab a 55" model – an incredible bargain for its premium performance.
Samsung QN90B Neo QLED 4K TV
Top-rated in Samsung‘s own 2022 lineup, the QN90B Neo QLED 4K brings mini-LED powered brightness and Quantum processing powered visuals at economics never possible before. It starts at just $1,597 for the 65-inch size.
Either option serves up first-rate, future-proof 4K viewing with better reliability at 60% or less the price of Samsung‘s 8K offerings.
If my detailed analysis clarified why buying Samsung‘s overpriced and undercooking Neo QLED 8K TVs could prove an exercise in buyer‘s remorse, allow me to summarize the key pitfalls:
||Key Reasons to Avoid |
|-|:-|
|1|Severely constrained model and size options |
|2 |Quantum-enhanced 4K TVs offer better value |
|3|Miniscule 8K content, no streaming support|
|4|Concerning quality control failures|
|5|4K TVs surpass 8K on critical aspects of picture quality|
|6|Shaky industry commitment signals format‘s prolonged stagnation|
I hope this insider perspective gives you convincing arguments to hold off paying a premium for false 8K promises. There are fantastic 4K LED and OLED televisions selling for under $2,000 that guarantee unmatched performance today without risky bets on an uncertain tech tomorrow.
Maybe in 3 years we‘ll re-evaluate if 8K programming and hardware evolve sufficiently to deserve your wallet‘s vote. But at the moment, patrons expecting cutting edge quality would be better served investing in Samsung‘s Neo QLED 4K catalog rather than the 8K lineup.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
