Quality is not cheap
But higher price is well worth it
“IT WOULD only be a man compensating for something who would spend that much money”, was the emphatic response from a female co-worker to my latest recommendation.
It was clear from the murmured agreement that spread across the office floor that her view was shared – spending almost $6999 on a television, no matter how good, was crazy.
Buying a top-of-the-range TV over a cheaper model is a no-brainer for a self-proclaimed geek like myself. But I know a lot of people, both men and women, are not so easily persuaded.
So to support my case – and defend my manhood – here’s why I think you should consider dropping more than a month’s wage on a new TV. I’m using Samsung’s new 2018 QLED TV range, in particular the Q9, to make my case.
DESIGN
The 2018 QLED range avoids any over-the-top Samsung branding distracting from the sleek and modern design.
The quality build starts with the tiny bezel around the frame of the screen, which barely stands out when watching.
The Q7 or Q9 has Samsung’s One Mount system – interchangeable and easily removable stands. Likewise, users can wall-mount the TV. The Q7 and Q9 come fully integrated with Samsung’s One Connect Box and One Connect Cable as they did in last year’s models.
But this year’s super-thin invisible cable that connects the external input box for all your standard connection ports also carries power, meaning you no longer need to figure out what to do with that ugly black power cord when wall-mounting the unit.
QLEDs have never been the thinnest TVs around and this year’s range is no exception, but the tactile texturing on the rear means the unit is anything but an eyesore.
AMBIENT MODE
As well as hiding ugly connection cables and the power, the 2018 QLED range takes things a step further with a feature that helps it remain almost hidden from the naked eye.
Known as ambient mode, it requires you to take a picture of the wall the television unit will be mounted on. This image is then used as the TV’s background picture. The idea is that you can blend the TV almost seamlessly with the wall. The only noticeable aspect being the small bezel that surrounds the unit. Samsung tries to further disguise it by casting a digital version of the shadow this rectangle would create on the background.
PICTURE QUALITY
Each of the five QLEDs in the range use alloy coated quantum dot technology – tiny semiconductor particles around one billionth of a metre in diameter, engineered to emit light in its purest possible form.
In short, this improves the TV’s range of colours and better peak brightness – QLEDs can produce 100 per cent colour volume and have a brighter display than its competitors.
Having a larger amount of colours that can be displayed and higher brightness means the TV has more realistic, accurate and vibrant images, in both bright and dark scenes.
FUNCTIONALITY
The Samsung QLED smart hub puts all of your streaming services, apps and connected devices in one easy to navigate menu.
Coming as standard on the TV are Netflix, Stan, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube and Google Play Movies, alongside catch-up apps like 9 Now, ABC iView, 7 plus.
One useful feature is it recognises the name of the product you have plugged into the television, which is reflected in the smart hub – so it will show “Xbox One X”, not “HDMI 2”.
The TVs also offer the ability to monitor and control compatible devices and appliances via the SmartThings platform. This means you can control smart lights, speakers, locks, thermostat and sensors all from your QLED.
FINAL VERDICT
The Q9 range is nothing short of amazing and I would recommend it for anyone in the market for a new TV.
With spectacular picture quality and design, plus an easy to use operating system, you would not be disappointed with this as your next upgrade. And if the price tag is still a little daunting, Samsung’s Q8 and Q7 QLEDs offer the same benefits for a slightly cheaper price point.