TV changeover season is in full effect, and one of the biggest brands is ready with models seemingly for every price point.
The TV may not be the focal point and centre of the house as it once was — now that we can view entertainment on practically any portable device — but it’s still the place we go for big screen viewing.
Whether your big screen experience is a rather obvious large TV or a small projector able to show an even bigger movie experience, there’s a good chance you still have something in your home and in your life made for films that isn’t your phone, tablet, or computer.
It’s no wonder then that companies are talking up what’s coming, with new tech on the way for the living space. Yes, it’s TV changeover season again, a yearly occasion between March and May (with a bit of June) that sees new screens from all the big players. So far in Australia, we’ve seen new TVs from the likes of LG, followed by brand new Bravia displays from Sony, with Hisense showing up with what’s new for the year only recently.
That leaves easily one of the other big players, as Samsung reveals what’s coming to Australia for the 2025 year.
A few months on from the company’s TV news at CES 2025, there are a few newbies on their way, as Samsung embraces OLED and QLED, offering an assortment of options across both, much of which has the industry’s favourite buzzword inside: AI.
“With a Vision AI TV at the centre of your connected home, the more SmartThings compatible products you own and use, the smarter and more secure your home becomes, making the everyday more wonder-filled,” said Phil Gault, Director for Consumer Electronics at Samsung Australia.
QLED vs Neo QLED, and 4K vs 8K
The biggest and brightest offerings from Samsung could well be in a category known as “QLED”, or quantum dot-enhanced LED-backlit TVs, something that competes with their range of organic LED TVs known as “OLED”.
There are two variants: QLED and Neo-QLED, with the differences mainly being the type of backlighting technology. You’ll find a standard backlighting array in QLED, while Neo-QLED uses Mini LEDs with quantum dots to improve to backlighting entirely.
It’s a technology Samsung will bring to TVs sporting both the standard Ultra HD 4K resolution, as well as a more impressive Ultra HD 8K option in screens.
Granted, finding 8K content is still a bit difficult a few years since it initially popped up, but for people who want the best in everything and may be considering gaming in 8K, the resolution will essentially offer the best of the best.
To get that, you’ll need to splash out on the Neo QLED variety, a screen that will use what the company calls a “Quantum Matrix Mini LEDs”, which sounds like a complex system of tiny LEDs (which is exactly what Mini LED is), arranged to support the 33 million pixels in an 8K TV.
The Neo QLED 8K screens will support up to a 240Hz panel for slick visuals with AI enhancing the frames dependent on the media, and there’s support for running art like on Samsung’s The Frame, though the Neo QLED’s use of AI will go further with Generative Wallpaper. Think of this as AI-assisted wallpaper from scratch based on your preferences, kind of like how the Galaxy phones can make wallpaper using AI.
Samsung’s Neo QLED will see the 240Hz panel in the 85 inch QN990F, while a 165Hz variant of the 8K Neo QLED will arrive in the QN900F, a variation priced from $5174 for a 65 inch, $7244 for a 75 inch, and $9774 for an 85 inch.
If you don’t need the 8K resolution and are happy with Ultra HD’s more standard 4K resolution (with 8 million pixels), there will be a lot more choices.
The QN70F will kick start the range and support similar AI features and Mini LED technology, priced from $2069 for a 55 inch all the way up to $4599 for an 85 inch, while the QN80 and 85F will see screens sized from 55 inches ($2529) to 100 inches ($9199).
Samsung’s most premium 4K mini-LED Neo QLED will arrive with a 165Hz screen and a glare-free panel to cut back on distractions, priced from $4024 for 65 inches, stretching all the way to 85 inches ($6899) and 98 inches ($11499).
Art on everything and The Frame Pro
Lifestyle TVs are a fairly big area for Samsung, what with the art-focused model in “The Frame”, and that will continue this year with mini LEDs in “The Frame Pro”.
The main difference between The Frame and The Frame Pro appears to be the use of Mini-LEDs and quantum dots, both of which designed to get more colour control, something Samsung says is helped with colour validation from Pantone.
The Frame Pro technically goes deeper than that, coming with a matte display and a slim fit wall mount to support a more art-like frame mounting, so the TV is flush with the wall. Handy if you happen to have a Samsung The Frame speaker to go with it.
In terms of availability, the standard “The Frame” TV will still be sold, but now that Samsung is bringing the art made to all Samsung QLED and Neo QLED TVs in 2025, it may not be as big of a deal. As such, you’ll find the 43 inch and 55 inch regular models of “The Frame” for $1724 and $2299 respectively, while The Frame Pro will start at $4024 in a 65 inch model, with a 75 and 85 inch option also available.
Soundbars, projectors, standard QLED, and more
Samsung will also still have a standard QLED variety for folks who don’t need mini LED and want to save some money, while a less expensive TV will be found in the company’s U8000 and U8500 range, too. Not everyone needs the best of the best of, well, the best.
In projectors, that vibe will continue with two ultra short throw projectors built to provide 4K in a room. The Premiere 7 and Premiere 9 are focused on that, while Samsung has several soundbars on the way.
The most interesting could be the upgrade to Samsung’s Dolby Atmos spatial soundbar in the HW-Q990F. It’ll support an 11.1.4 sound system, essentially covering 11 channels of surround, four upward firing channels (two in front, two behind), and one subwoofer. The system also includes voice amplification, adaptive sound, bass control, and wireless Dolby Atmos, handy if you have a room where you’re trying to minimise the cables.
Priced at $2099, the HW-Q990F is Samsung’s biggest soundbar, though a 9.1.4 variant will arrive in the $1699 Q930F.
Another option will arrive in the $999 QS700F, a soundbar able to be mounted to the wall or placed on a home entertainment unit, achieving the same 3.1.2 spatial audio setup in either position.
Australian availability
There are clearly a lot of TVs on the way for Samsung, and many of these are heading to stores across the country now.
They’ll join Samsung’s OLED offerings, which arrived a little earlier, though the 100 inch Neo QLED QN80F will be a little later, set to land locally from June.
Interestingly, they’ll also be supported by seven years of updates through Samsung’s Tizen operating system, making them a TV you should be able to keep around for almost a decade with support, and possibly the entire decade even without a regular update or two at the end.
