8K TVs are not very popular yet. They have limited content to watch, and the difference between 4K and 8K can be hard to tell in a home theater setup. But perhaps the most obvious hurdle is cost. And if you add OLED to the mix, the price becomes astronomical. LG’s current 8K OLED TV proves that with a $20,000 starting price. The company’s 2022 models will be slightly cheaper, though they’re still out of reach for most consumers.
After announcing the Z2 series of 8K OLED TVs in January, LG said on Monday that the Z2 TVs will launch in April. The 76.7-inch TV will cost $12,999, while the 87.6-inch model will cost $24,999. It’s $7,000 cheaper than the 2020 ZX 76.7-inch 8K OLED TV and $5,000 cheaper than the 88-inch class.
LG’s upcoming Z2 line is pricey, but the kits are one of the only options if you want 8K in contrast OLED. B&O’s 8K OLED TV starts at $18,125 for 65 inches. Samsung 8K TVs use Mini LED backlighting, but the 2022 Neo QLED costs $6,500 for the 84.5-inch model. Meanwhile, the 74.5-inch version costs $4,700.
The new 8K OLED TVs upgrade LG’s α9 Gen 3 AI processor lineup to Gen 5, enabling deep learning-based scaling. Gen 5 introduces LG’s Dynamic Tone-mapping Pro algorithm, “which individually processes more than 5,000 areas on the screen, enhancing each one for a brighter and more detailed image”in both bright and dark areas, LG says. The α9 Gen 5 also supports 7.12 virtual surround sound on TVs.
The software updates include a more customizable webOS 22. This also applies to user profiles. Like previous 8K TVs, the 2022 models will run at 120Hz with a 0.1ms grey-to-grey response time and HDMI 2.1. The kits will support variable refresh rates for both AMD and Nvidia graphics cards.
LG 4K OLED TVs 2022
Today, LG also announced pricing for its lineup of more affordable 4K OLED displays for this year. The high-end G2 “Gallery Edition”series, with supposedly brighter LG’s “OLED Evo”panel, will start at $2,199 for 54.6 inches in April, while the flagship C2 series, which also uses OLED Evo, will start at $1,399 for 42. 1 inch in May..
The B2 series starts at $1,499 (54.6 inches) in March. We’re still waiting for prices and release dates for the entry-level A2 series.
LG’s announcement comes days after Samsung announced that its first OLED TV in a decade, the Samsung OLED (S95B), which uses quantum dot color technology called QD-OLED, will start at $2,200 for $54. 6 inches.
Listing image from LG