CES 2021 showed us that the future 8K is almost here

It feels like 4K is just getting started and 8K is already overtaking it.

During the all-virtual version of CES this year, many of the biggest names in TV making such as Sony and LG showcased their upcoming products. While the majority of TVs shown hit their peak at 4K resolution (which is still stunning and is supported by more movies and video games than 8K), there were a few sets that went above and beyond. Companies like Samsung and TCL have proven that 8K is real, and it’s here – just in time, with the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, both of which will support it as soon as 8K games start to exist.

If you are not familiar with the distinction between 4K and 8K, you may want to review our explicator, but the main thing you need to know is that it has 16 times the number of pixels for a 1080p display. If that sounds interesting to you, here are some of the coolest 8K TVs showing at CES this year.

Sony Z9J Bravia XR

The first is the latest 8K entry in Sony’s Bravia TV line, the Z9J. It’s listed at both 75in and 85in on Sony’s website, promising an 8K LED display with HDR, 120Hz support, and a Google-powered smart TV interface. The good thing about it is that it won’t be the old Android TV UI; Instead, it will be the new Google TV UI introduced in last year’s excellent Chromecast with Google TV.

Sony also touts a “cognitive intelligence” processor within the Z9J range. This will supposedly use AI to analyze individual elements on the screen and make them look “like the way our eyes see the world,” according to Sony. We will have to wait and see if this promise is kept. And the same goes for pricing and availability, which Sony did not specify at CES.

Samsung Q900A Neo QLED

If for some reason you absolutely hate having a bezel of some sort around your TV screen, the Samsung Q900A 8K TV it showed off at CES might be for you. It has all the bells and whistles you would expect from a high-end TV, like HDR, 120Hz support, and a variable refresh rate, the latter two being especially appealing to those with gaming consoles. new generation. As you can see, it hardly has a bezel around the screen.

Samsung claims the new Q900A uses “Neo QLED”, a new display technology that uses extremely small LEDs to give more nuance to the image. They are apparently 1/40 the size of normal LEDs, to give you an idea of ​​how small they are. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly what sizes it will ship in, or how much each model will cost at this time. Samsung’s previous 8K QLED sets all cost at least $ 2,000, so don’t expect them to be cheap.

LG QNED Mini-LED 8K

Speaking of tiny LEDs, LG’s QNED Mini-LED 8K bundle was announced in late December and showcased at CES. Like Samsung’s model, it uses a massive number of tiny lights to theoretically produce more lifelike images with richer colors and deeper blacks than what you’ll find on older TVs. It’s available in 75-inch and 86-inch models, and includes Google Assistant and Alexa support.

Stop us if you’ve heard this before: we don’t know exactly how much they’ll cost or when they’re coming out again. It’s probably safe to assume that the price won’t be low.

TCL 6 8K Series

Finally, TCL has jumped on the 8K bandwagon this year by announcing that its 6 Series will get 8K models in 2021. For those not in the know, the 6 Series is where TCL puts premium features. such as 4K, Mini-LED, 120Hz, and VRR in TVs that cost less than $ 1000 somehow.

Unfortunately, TCL’s announcement didn’t have much to say about sizes, pricing, or availability of the 8K 6 Series models beyond “later this year.” An 8K TV that costs less than $ 1,000 almost certainly won’t happen in 2021, but don’t be surprised if TCL’s entry into the 8K world is more affordable than most.