Samsung 8K Neo QLED TVs: everything we know so far about the 2022 models

Samsung has finally unveiled a new lineup of 8K Neo QLED TVs for 2022.

Samsung has shown off the new QN700B, QN800B, and the QN900B 8K Neo QLEDS, offering us three new ways for us to upgrade our home cinemas to include ultra-sharp 8K images. If you’re currently rocking a 4K TV then an 8K offering would deliver four times more pixels than you’re used to; while those still stuck with HD would see a 16 times more sharp image if you upgrade to 8K.

Plus, thanks to Samsung’s impressive Neo QLED tech you can expect bright images with fairly decent contrast in darker scenes. The contrast won’t be quite as good as standard OLED TV – or one of Samsung’s rumored QD-OLED screens – but there are still plenty of great reasons to opt for the QN700B, QN800B or the QN900B over anything else.

Below we’ve rounded up everything we know about Samsung’s 8K Neo QLED lineup for 2022 so read on to find out about what we expect to be some of the year’s best TVs.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV price: Not yet confirmed but we expect Samsung’s 2022 8K Neo QLED TVs will cost a little more than the 8K models it released last year.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TVrelease date: April 6th if you’re in the UK and Europe, release dates in the US and Australia haven’t been confirmed

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV design: Expect barely noticeable bezels and sizes of 55, 65, 75, and 85-inch depending on your choice of model.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV picture quality: You’ll get a crisp 8K image with bright colors and decent dark contrast thanks to the impressive panels on these TVs.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV audio performance: This year, Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs will come with multi-directional speakers and Dolby Atmos support.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV gaming: Some models will support a max refresh rate of 144Hz and a gaming hub is launching soon.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV price

Right now, we don’t have any Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV price details yet, however, we likely won’t have to wait too much longer to find out as preorders will go live on March 16.

That said, we can look back at what Samsung’s 2021 lineup of QLEDs launched to get an idea of what price we’ll likely see this year. 

(Image credit: Samsung)

The cheapest Neo QLED currently, the QN85A, starts at $1,299 (around £900 / AU$1,650) for a 55-inch size, but the largest 85-inch size of the QN900 8K QLED costs you a whopping $8,999 (around £6,500 / AU$11,700). 

Expect to see Samsung’s 2022 lineup fall nearer the upper end of this scale – especially if you’re after a sizable TV. The upgrade to an 8K resolution from 4K won’t come cheap.

Much like what we saw last year, we expect the smaller Samsung QN700B 8K QLED will be the most budget-friendly, followed by the QN800B and QN900B respectively – with the 85-inch QN900B likely to cost at least much as Samsung”s most expensive 2021 set.

We’ll have to wait and see what Samsung has planned for us though.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV release date

Announced via the official Samsung Newsroom website, all three of Samsung’s 2022 8K Neo QLED TVs will launch on April 6, with pre-orders starting from March 16. You’ll also be able to pre-register your interest in a pre-order from February 22, if you’re dead set on purchasing one of Samsung’s latest Neo-QLEDs for yourself.

Well, in Europe and the UK at least. Unfortunately, the US and Australian launch details aren’t yet set in stone.

However, we expect that a global launch won’t be far behind April 6 date for those in Europe. We’ll have to wait and see what Samsung announces, but hopefully, we’ll all be able to enjoy its new Neo QLED TVs soon.

Samsung Neo QLED TV: Picture Quality

The most impressive entries in Samsung’s 2022 TVs will come with 8K and Neo QLED, that’s amazing… but what does that actually mean?

Starting off with the resolution, 8K means that the TV will have a resolution that’s four times higher than 4K. Rather than being 3840 x 2160 pixels, it’s twice as long horizontally and vertically (7680 x 4320) – resulting in four times as many pixels overall.

The benefit of this more dense pixel count is that images will become even more sharp and clear than what we’ve seen before. Plus, Samsung’s TVs will have upscaling tech built-in – so if you watch something in 4K the TV will automatically sharpen it so that it looks more like an 8K image. This won’t be quite as good as viewing a native 8K image but will still be a step up from using a 4K screen.

As for the Neo QLED part, this is the type of TV panel used in the TVs. Neo QLED is an evolution of Samsung’s existing QLED technology, which stands for ‘quantum dot LED’. These kinds of TVs offer more bright and vivid colors than standard LCDs or OLEDs.

Neo QLED changes things up a little by using a Mini LED backlight – made up of tens of thousands of tiny LEDs – for vastly more precise brightness control. It’s not quite as good as an OLED but will offer users a more happy medium between OLEDs and QLEDs.

(Image credit: Samsung)

On top of all that these TVs will come with support for HDR10+ and 14-bit HDR mapping. This should add even more detail to particularly dark and bright areas of the image. Meanwhile, Sharp Adaptive Light control will be attempt to output the highest quality, most accurate picture possible on a moment-to-moment basis.

The TL;DR here is you can expect some very good image performance from Samsung’s 8K Neo QLEDs in 2022.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV: Design & Smart TV features

Unfortunately, while Samsung is introducing new smaller Neo OLED TVs in its 4K QN90B line up – adding 43 and 50-inch sizes – its 8K offerings will remain just as big as ever.

The Samsung QN700B will give users the choice between 55, 65, and 75-inch models, while the QN800B and QN900B will be available in 65, 75, and 85-inch sizes.

Additionally, it looks like the TV bezel will be almost completely absent save for a sliver around the top and sides – with a slightly thicker bar at the bottom. If you’re looking for a TV that offers zero distractions from what’s on-screen, this year’s Samsung QLEDs could be for you. 

As for the smart TV features, you can expect Samsung’s Tizen OS to make a comeback this year.

This easy-to-use and speedy OS is one of the best out there as it cuts down on clutter, offers a great blend of customization options, and quick access to your most recently used apps. 

The only downside is that the universal search feature has been rather hit-or-miss in the past, however with these premium sets coming out we might see some upgrades come to the operating system to fix up some of these issues.

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV: Audio Performance

While we’d always recommend you pair a TV with one of our picks from the best soundbars of 2022 for a premium home cinema experience, Samsung’s 8K lineup could be capable of some impressive audio on their own.

The new Neo QLEDs will come equipped with multi-directional speakers that, for the first time, will support Dolby Atmos surround sound. This is excellent news even if you decide to opt for a soundbar or another external sound system. That’s because the TV’s Dolby Atmos codec support will allow you to get the most out of your sound system – if it also supports Atmos that is.

We don’t yet know how powerful the new speakers will be, but Samsung is promising something special with its upcoming 8K TVs – so we expect we’ll be impressed.

(Image credit: Samsung)

Samsung 8K Neo QLED TV: Gaming

Samsung’s 2022 Neo QLED TVs look like they could be a huge win for gamers looking to get the most out of their Xbox Series X or PS5.

Later in 2022, the TVs will be updated with Samsung Gaming Hub, a dedicated interface that makes cloud gaming services like Nvidia GeForce Now and Google Stadia available to play directly from the TV with no external devices needed.

Plus, on the hardware side, you can expect low input lag (which Samsung 4K TVs have traditionally been fantastic at) and support for a 144Hz refresh rate on some models to get that all-important 4K@120HZ gameplay. Or maybe even 8K@60Hz if you have the right rig.

It’s not clear which of its TVs will get this high refresh rate support – but we expect it’ll come to its premium 8K sets. We’ll have to wait for the official specs for each model and size to be sure though.

Check out: our picks for the best TV in 2022