In 2023, Samsung is advancing in all directions (and all of its competitors).
Samsung, the leader of the TV market, is not going to let go. The Korean manufacturer chose to participate in all the important TV technologies.
The couch of the television market is still not satisfied. In 2023, Samsung should repeat the strategy launched last year to be present in all display technologies, including OLED. Indeed, if the Korean announced OLED during CES 2022 without showing it, this year is clearly not the case. The market leader hits hard with new models in the three most prominent display technologies. What Samsung’s TV lineup will look like in 2023.
Neo QLED: why simplify when you can…
Let’s start with Samsung’s historical display technology QLED. Since last year, it has been happily named Neo QLED. What’s new? Mini LED lighting technology. Again in 2023. The Neo QLED range will be available in 4K and 8K and will aim to bridge the gap with OLED.
To achieve this, Samsung essentially relies on a new version of its processor, the Neo Quantum Processor 2023. It’s based on deep learning, like before, and a built-in algorithm to improve image quality in real-time. But while previous versions had 16 or 20 deep learning modules, this year’s Neo QLED range will be based on 64 modules, each able to analyze a specific aspect to best match the incoming signal. At Samsung, this step is called Neural Analysis, and it even promises to improve a compressed image from, for example, a streaming site.
Another notable processor improvement in Samsung’s QLEDs is the AI Real Depth Enhancer Pro algorithm. Behind this barbaric term hides a noble desire, the desire to improve the quality of the image by playing on the contrast between the foreground and background objects. What’s new this year is that this feature is specifically focused on the focal point where the viewer is looking when the image is displayed. Obviously, it is artificial intelligence that allows you to set this area of the screen. Finally, the 2023 Neo QLEDs also promise better light intensity control thanks to a technology called Shape Adaptive Light Control. These innovations, quite nice, will require confirmation during our future tests.
In full OLED
Last year, Samsung made an almost timid return to OLED, leaving its Display division to take care of the announcement, and Sony launched its first QD OLED screen, the A95K. In 2023, none of these. Samsung is not going to give flowers to its competitors and has decided to press hard on the sore spot in OLED.
This year, Samsung’s QD OLED range will be based on six TV models grouped around two references. So the catalog will revolve around the SC90C and SC95C, available in three diagonal sizes. Another innovation is the arrival of a very large 77-inch panel, which was one of the weak points of QD OLED last year. In terms of references, the following should be considered:
- Samsung QE55SC90C
- Samsung QE65SC90C
- Samsung QE77SC90C
- Samsung QE55SC95C
- Samsung QE65SC95C
- Samsung QE77SC95C
Of course, both series have common technical bases, but a slightly different design. First of all, the S95C will have greater brightness. At Samsung, we’re talking about the possibility of going past 2000 nits, which 01Lab will be happy to check. Finally, Samsung seems to have further improved the capabilities of the One Connect box, which allows you to deport the connection to make it easier to hang the TV on the wall.
Micro-LED, Samsung prepares a sequel
Every year since 2018, CES is an opportunity to see Samsung’s advances in Micro-LED. Since last year, it’s not just about the giant star character of the show, “The Wall”, but the marketing of this technology. Specifically, it was reduced to a few units for professional purposes, but in 2023, the Korean manufacturer still intends to take one more step. Of course, democratization is out of the question just yet, but the arrival of the Micro LED CX series has the advantage of making this technology more concrete…provided you’re paid like a professional soccer player.
The Micro LED 2023 range will add three diagonal sizes to the catalogue, 50 inches, 63 inches and a “small” 140 inches. Yes, it really is a screen over 3.50m. These three newcomers will be added to the four existing sizes (76, 89, 101 and 114 inches). This change in size is the most notable evolution of this range, the technology of which has changed little or not since last year.
New, more advanced game mode
In addition to its new range, Samsung has taken into account the arrival of new features (except for Micro-LED) that users will find in each of their TVs.
The most interesting of them is, without a doubt, the arrival of a new version of the game mode. In Samsung, this year, the Gaming Hub, which launched version 3.0 of the Game Bar, its interface. With the arrival of Super Ultrawide view mode, there are many new features and very special customization features such as 16/9 format zoom. There is also talk of Virtual Aim Point mode, which is intended to improve game performance in FPS. As for the features that have been popular with gamers so far, for example, screen sharing with the ability to display another source, they have all been updated. In addition, the maximum refresh rate is 144Hz, and Samsung also emphasizes compatibility with FreeSync Premium Pro or Nvidia G-Sync. The Korean manufacturer doesn’t forget the basics with a declared input lag of 5.8 ms at 4K/120 Hz and less than 5 seconds at 4K/144 Hz.
Other features to appear in the new range include ConnecTime, which lets you transfer a video call from the TV to another device, or 3D Map Review, which turns the TV into a control center for connected devices in the home. Samsung’s new range of TVs should hit the market in the spring, with prices for each series expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
For the rest, the announcement of this full range has the merit of clarifying Samsung’s strategy for the coming years. The sector leader intends to divide the market into three levels. The upgraded NEO wants to maintain its LCD advantage with QLED. But it wants to force itself into this technology in the long run, especially to upend the table on OLED and better prepare for the arrival of Micro-LED, which should continue it and is already arch-dominant.
