The topic of 8K TVs has become complicated over the past few years. At one stage, many brands including LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL and Hisense jumped on the 8K TV bandwagon, embracing the new technology in an attempt to future-proof their TVs. So if 8K TVs were the next big thing, what happened?
The main factor is the price. You often pay double for one of the best 8K TVs compared to a 4K equivalent, For example, Samsung’s flagship 2024 8K TV, the Samsung QN900D, costs around $4,999 / £4,999 / AU$6,499 for the 65-inch model. The Samsung QN95D, its 4K equivalent, costs £2,899. (The QN95D is a UK-only model and its US/Australian price would be approximately $2,699 / AU$4,099). Also, there is a continued lack of 8K content available, with the exception of a limited number of YouTube videos. As a result of these factors, 8K TVs lost popularity among consumers and companies began to move away from the technology.
I never really bought the 8K TV hype when I worked in AV retail, mostly for the reasons mentioned above. However, after testing the Samsung QN800D, a fantastic 8K midrange TV, that skepticism turned to faith – I’m getting 8K TVs. However, there’s no getting around the fact that 8K TVs are expensive.
Recent developments suggest that this may change in the future. Hisense, maker of some of the best TVs including the Hisense U7N and Hisense U8K, has joined the 8K Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the future investment and development of 8K technologies. But why is this such a big deal?
Could affordable 8K TVs be on the way?
Hisense TVs are popular among consumers and critics alike for offering solid picture quality and features at a fraction of the price of some competitors. I tested a budget and premium mini-LED TV side by side, with the budget model represented by the Hisense U6N and the premium represented by the Sony X95L. Although the X95L was clearly the superior TV thanks to its richer contrast, deeper blacks and more natural textures, the U6N delivered solid performance across the board at a cheaper price than the X95L (X93L in the US).
If Hisense can achieve this in the world of 4K TVs, why not 8K TVs? The company joining the 8K association could signal the arrival of more affordable 8K TVs with features similar to more premium options from key rivals like Samsung.
In a statement, David Gold, president of Hisense USA and Hisense Americas, said:We are eager to contribute to the 8K ecosystem and collaborate with other industry leaders to accelerate the integration of 8K technology into the home entertainment experience.So it seems Hisense wants to bring 8K TVs into more homes – hopefully by selling them at lower prices.
8K TVs – should they stay premium?
My excitement for cheaper 8K TVs comes with reservations. 8K TVs, especially those from Samsung, are designed with not only 8K in mind, but 4K as well. The aforementioned Samsung QN900D and QN800D both use AI enhancement on 4K sources, and this processing gives a tremendous boost to textures, details, colors and high dynamic range in photos.
Samsung’s AI technology is boosted by the mini-LED lighting quality used in its TVs. Part of this is the number of local dimming zones used – the more zones the better, as I discovered during a mini-LED backlight demo.
Hisense sometimes makes performance sacrifices, such as the number of local dimming zones used in the TV, to achieve low prices. But can this be done at the 8K level, where there is not so much room for compromise of picture quality? This isn’t Hisense’s first foray into 8K TVs, with the U80G from 2021 and the latest ULED X 8K shown at IFA 2023 among its contributions. But both of these sets were premium models, which begs the question: Does Hisense believe 8K should remain premium?
Final thoughts
Ultimately, Hisense’s commitment to the 8K association signals that it is looking at an 8K future for both TVs and projectors. Hisense has been offering budget alternatives to higher-end 4K models that offer unmatched bang for your buck, so if there’s a chance the company will do the same with 8K TVs, then sign up.