There's a new 8K TV in town. The Samsung Q700T QLED has been announced amid a flurry of announcements around IFA 2020, with the new entry-level 8K television now being available to buy online.
Samsung notably expanded its 2020 lineup of 8K models, with the Q800T, Q900T and Q950TS supplementing 2019's Q900R/Q950R. But there now appears to be a fourth 8K set for this year, the Q700T.
Retailing at £1,999 (around $2,700 / AU$3,600) for its smallest 55-inch size, the Q700T is by far the cheapest way to get a Samsung 8K TV for your home – with the Q800T starting at $3,199 / £3,799 / AU$4,999 for a 65-inch size. It's only confirmed for the UK so far, though we expect to see it on Samsung's US website soon enough – we've reached out to Samsung to find out either way.
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We expect the savings are at least partially in the materials – from a quick glance at the product image supplied above, it looks like the Q700T sports a simple cylindrical support rather than the more stylish angles of the Q800T's TV stand. You won't be getting Q950TS' zero-bezel display, either.
You're getting the same Quantum Processor 8K, meaning processing shouldn't be taking a hit, though the Q700T makes do with half the dimming zones of the Q800T, with a lower HDR rating, meaning both brightness and brightness control are likely to be lower.
You're still getting premium features such as OTS+ (Object Tracking Sound) for three-dimensional audio, too: "Consisting of eight dedicated speakers built-in to the four sides of the Q700T 8K TV, Samsung’s OTS+ places the viewer right in the heart of the scene."
Size matters
It's not the first time Samsung has offered a 55-inch 8K TV, but it's certainly been missing as an option from the 2020 lineup so far.
A 55-inch model means that this 8K set can fit into a wider variety of homes – especially those a bit more short on space – though it's worth noting that the benefits of 8K are less obvious the smaller the screen you have. The cheaper that 8K TVs become, too, the muddier the divide between 4K and 8K models, especially now that there's an 8K set with a lower RRP than Samsung's flagship 4K TV, the Q95T.
Still, as an entry point to 8K, the Q700T wins on its more accessible price point – and we'll be sure to find out if the cost savings were worth it in our incoming review.
