The topic of 8K TVs has become more complicated in recent years. At one stage, many brands including LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL and Hisense jumped on the 8K TV bandwagon and adopted the new technology in an attempt to future-proof their TVs. So if 8K TVs were supposed to be the next big thing, what happened?
The main factor is price. You’ll often pay double for one of the best 8K TVs compared to the 4K equivalent. For example, Samsung’s 2024 flagship 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 would be roughly $2,699 / AU$4,099 in the US/Australia). There is also a persistent lack of 8K content available, the exception being the limited number of videos on YouTube. As a result of these factors, 8K TVs lost popularity among consumers and companies began to move away from the technology.
When I worked in AV retail, I never bought into the 8K TV hype, mainly for the above reasons. However, after testing the Samsung QN800D, a fantastic mid-range 8K TV, that skepticism turned into conviction – I’m getting into 8K TVs. Still, there’s no getting around the fact that 8K TVs are expensive.
Recent developments suggest that this could 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 technology. But why is this such a big deal?
Could affordable 8K TVs be on the way?
Hisense TVs are popular with consumers and critics alike because they offer solid picture quality and features at a fraction of the price of some competitors. I tested a cheap and a premium mini-LED TV side by side, with the budget model represented by the Hisense U6N and the premium model by the Sony X95L. Although the X95L was clearly the best TV thanks to its richer contrast, deeper blacks and more natural textures, the U6N offered a solid performance for $1,200 / £700 more than the X95L (X93L in the US).
If Hisense can achieve this in the world of 4K TVs, why not 8K TVs? A company joining the 8K association could signal the arrival of more affordable 8K TVs with similar features to more premium options from big rivals like Samsung.
David Gold, president of Hisense USA and Hisense Americas, said in a statement: “We are eager to contribute to the 8K ecosystem and work with other industry leaders to accelerate the integration of 8K technology into the home entertainment experience.So it seems Hisense wants to get 8K TVs into more homes – hopefully selling them at lower prices.
8K TVs – should they stay premium?
My enthusiasm for cheaper 8K TVs comes with caveats. 8K TVs, especially those from Samsung, are not only designed with 8K in mind, but 4K as well. The aforementioned Samsung QN900D and QN800D use AI upscaling on 4K sources, and this processing gives incredible support to textures, details, colors and high dynamic range of images.
Samsung’s AI technology is enhanced by the quality of the mini-LED backlight used in its TVs. Part of this is the number of local dimming zones used – the more zones the better, as I found out during the mini-LED backlight demo.
Hisense sometimes sacrifices performance, such as the number of local dimming zones used in the TV, to achieve low prices. But can it be done at 8K, where there isn’t as much room for compromise in image quality? This isn’t Hisense’s first foray into 8K TVs, with entries including the U80G from 2021 and the recent ULED X 8K on display at IFA 2023. But both of those sets were premium models, which begs the question: Does Hisense believe 8K should stay premium?
Final thoughts
Ultimately, Hisense’s commitment to the 8K association signals that it is looking at the future of 8K for both TVs and projectors. Hisense has provided cheap alternatives to higher-end 4K models that offer unbeatable bang for your buck, so if there’s any chance the company can do the same with 8K TVs, get on board.