As the size of the average screens at home has evolved, so has the technology within them. This provides users with greater detail, colour and motion so content looks even more brilliant in this larger format.

Ushering in the Era of Premium Viewing With Neo QLED 4K

At the forefront of premium screens lie Samsung Neo QLEDs — with state-of-the-art Mini LED and Quantum dot technology that offers superb contrast and vivid, accurate colour reproduction. The exceptional picture quality of the Neo QLEDs is even more evident when taken to a larger screen.

The QN100B 98” — Samsung’s Neo QLED 4K — offers consumers the pinnacle of ultra-fine light control thanks to Quantum Matrix Technology powered by a massive grid of Quantum Mini LEDs. This allows viewers to see every single detail on the screen, even in the darkest of scenes, with deeper colour and contrast. Subtle nuances in light and colour are analyzed and shifted scene by scene so that each and every frame is of the highest quality.

Beyond its unrivaled performance as a television for consumers’ favourite movies, shows and games, this screen has been praised by many industry experts and users as well. IMAX recently commended the massive 98” Neo QLED 4K for its performance in their critical reference environment producing a highly accurate precise image.

“After calibrating and reviewing this new model TV, I can tell you that we were excited to see how closely the image quality matches our reference mastering monitor that we use in post-production finishing work,” said Bruce Markoe, the SVP and Head of Post Production at IMAX Corporation. “We see value in using very large, high-quality displays in mastering content for IMAX Enhanced masters. Having a large sized screen with proper image quality creates the best way to apply and utilize our DMR technology during the mastering process.”

Bruce Markoe, the SVP and Head of Post Production at IMAX Corporation

A reference monitor is a specialized display device used for colour grading during post-production. Reference monitors must produce a highly accurate image so teams can create the most precise, high-quality output possible.

In order to provide an outstanding cinematic experience, IMAX films are produced with cameras up to 16K resolution, which means the mastering monitor used must be extremely accurate in order to accurately display the creators’ intent.

Elevate the Premium Viewing Experience With Neo QLED 8K

Stepping above and beyond the already high-performing Neo QLED 4K, consumers find Samsung Neo QLED 8K. These screens offer the dazzling picture quality users have come to expect from Samsung in even more brilliant 8K resolution. Powered by Neo Quantum Processor 8K, the state-of-the-art upscaling neural networks ensure that all content is displayed with utmost precision and immaculate picture quality.

As streaming platforms begin to offer content optimized for a larger 1.9:1 screen ratio, perfect for an immersive cinematic experience, having an 8K TV with premium picture quality is a sure-fire way to future-proof a home entertainment set up.

Premium TV Sales Are on the Rise With Neo QLED 4K and 8K

In fact, more content, better features and more things to do on your TV mean the trend of purchasing larger and larger TV screens is not simply expected to continue to even to grow. According to Omdia, the over-80-inch TV market is expected to grow from 2.8 million units in 2022 to 3.5 million units in 2023 — over 24%.

Samsung’s premium TV lineup has also helped solidify its leadership in the TV industry for an impressive 17 years. In 2022, Samsung sold a staggering 9.65 million units of QLED and Neo QLED TVs, bringing the cumulative sales to 35 million units since its QLED product launch in 2017.

Samsung also dominated the ultra-large TV segment in 2022, reporting 36.1% and 42.9% in terms of market share for TVs over 75-inches and 80-inches respectively.

“Neo QLED offers one of the most premium viewing experience for large screens over 75-inches, and we believe they are the future of home entertainment,” said Seokwoo Yong, Executive Vice President and Deputy Head of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “As more content and features become available to consumers, Neo QLED 4K and 8K TVs will help consumers get the most out of these new contents while providing breathtaking visuals packed with lifelike details.”

Samsung Electronics, a top tier gaming monitor company, recently announced the launch of its next-generation curved gaming monitor, the Odyssey Neo G9, enhanced with Quantum Mini LED technology. The Odyssey Neo G9 joins the Odyssey lineup, taking gaming to the next level with Quantum Matrix technology supported by Quantum Mini LED display and Quantum HDR 2000 for an immersive gaming experience.

With the previous launch of the Odyssey G9 in 2020, Samsung pushed the boundaries of premium gaming monitors with smooth and brilliant picture quality. Now with a Quantum Mini LED curved display delivering refined detail regardless of the game played, the Odyssey Neo G9 is catapulting the gaming monitor category forward. Featuring Quantum Matrix Technology combined with super-fast response and refresh rates, Odyssey Neo G9 delivers a superb dynamic picture and premium performance for all gamers.

“At Samsung, we are committed to demonstrating our leadership in the gaming market through new and immersive gaming experiences,” said Pat Bugos, VP/Head of Consumer Electronics, Samsung Electronics Canada. “With this year’s launch of the Odyssey Neo G9, we are excited to continue building our momentum with a state-of-the-art gaming monitor for Canadian consumers.”

The Odyssey Neo G9 utilizes the same Mini LED technology built into Samsung’s latest Neo QLED lineup. This next-generation display technology is enabled by a new light source, Quantum Mini LED. At 1/40 the height of a conventional LED[1], the Quantum Mini LED has incredibly thin micro layers filled with many more LEDs.

In addition, Quantum Matrix Technology, which harnesses enhanced 12-bit gradation for greater control of the light source – contains Quantum Mini LEDs that make dark areas darker and bright areas brighter with 2,048 dimming zones, ensuring viewers enjoy the content as it is meant to be seen. Quantum HDR 2000 offers a peak brightness of 2,000 nits, with certification received from VDE[2], together with a static contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1. In addition, Samsung’s cutting-edge picture quality technology provides clear black and white levels for sharp contrast and immaculate detail.

Based on the high performance technology pioneered by the current Odyssey G9, the Odyssey Neo G9 features an ultra-wide 49-inch display with a 32:9 aspect ratio that offers Dual Quad High-Definition (DQHD; 5,120×1,440 resolution) with a rapid, 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time[3]. The futuristic and immersive 1000R curvature of the monitor was certified by TÜV Rheinland,[4] awarding it their Eye Comfort certificate.

The Odyssey Neo G9 provides Adaptive Sync on DP1.4 and HDMI2.1 VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) through HDMI 2.1 with NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, delivering dynamic and seamless action scene-by-scene for a groundbreaking gameplay experience.

The display seamlessly fits into any gaming setup or environment, with a glossy white exterior and futuristic rear infinity core lighting system, which includes 52 colours and five lighting effect options. The monitor also comes with the CoreSync feature, allowing users to personalize their setup with the multiple colour mode for world-blending immersion.

Samsung’s Odyssey Neo G9 with Quantum Mini LED is available for pre-order now ahead of its official Canadian launch later this year.

For more information, please visit Samsung.com.

[Spec Table]

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[1] Compared with LED module height featured in the 2020 Samsung UHD TV, each Quantum Mini LED is 1/40 the size.

[2] Verband Deutscher Elektrotechniker.

[3] Based on Gray to Gray industry standard measurement for measuring how long it takes a pixel to change gray levels.

[4] The monitor received certification in 2021 from TÜV Rheinland, one of the world’s leading testing service providers.

In order to understand more about how those innovative features of the Neo QLED transcend technological hurdles to meet user’s growing demands for next-level quality displays, Samsung sat down with the next-generation TV developers to find out more.

▲ (From left to right) Engineers Bonggeun Lee, Kyehoon Lee, and Minhoon Lee from the Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics

The Beginning of QLED: the Quantum Mini LED

The culmination of a range of leading innovations, the journey to developing the Neo QLED began with the creation of the Quantum Mini LED, a light source just 1/40th the height of conventional LEDs. Samsung’s engineers managed to reduce the size of the LED down to almost that of a dust particle, and applied a micro layer that softly disperses light into the LED itself, allowing the chip to emit and disperse light on its own. The resulting self-emitting LED removes the noise possessed by previous technologies and enables the era of natural, smooth display presentation.

“In those TVs that utilize the typical LEDs, there is an additional lens that has to sit on top of the LED so that the light can be dispersed, so our focus for our new LED product was on allowing it to disperse light independently,” noted Engineer Minhoon Lee. “Not only is the Quantum Mini LED smaller and more space-effective than its predecessors, but it also does not require the extra lens layer, allowing us to align more LEDs together in a more compact manner.”

As the Quantum Mini LED is just 1/40th the height of previous LEDs, the engineers encountered many hurdles in the production process. There was not enough equipment available to work with these new LEDs that were of such a minute size, and the production process was inevitably intricate and tricky. “Not only is the Quantum Mini LED small, but we also needed to ascertain the accurate location of where electricity enters the LED in order to align the tens of thousands of elements around it,” said Engineer Kyehoon Lee. “This meant that expertise and advanced technologies became key. Samsung already has the know-how when it comes to developing next-generation displays, including micro LED products, so we could address this issue by applying existing Samsung processes that deal specifically with microfine elements.”

Presenting Fine Details Through Precise Control: the Quantum Matrix

Local dimming is a technology that enables better picture quality by optimizing the brightness appropriately and dimming or brightening parts of the screen that respectively need to be adjusted through distinguishing the screen backlights into multiple zones. Increasing the on-screen contrast not only provides life-like watching experiences but it also significantly reduces the amount of electricity used. Samsung has championed local dimming technology for a long time and has been able to improve and advance this technology through dedicated research and development efforts. As a result, the Neo QLEDs feature an evolved and optimized local dimming technology – Quantum Matrix.

However, if the lens that is used to disperse the light on top of an LED is removed and the backlights are exposed, wouldn’t this result in users being able to notice the changes in brightness and contrast happening? The engineers had already considered this, and tackled this obstacle by including even more precise adjustment into the Quantum Matrix’s processes.

Neo QLED increases the luminance scale to 12-bit with 4,096 steps. When the light level on-screen is not detailed enough, it can result in an impression of lag or freezing, and the light could be absorbed by nearby local blocks. However, Quantum Matrix technology is able to express a colour at dozens of different levels without any glitching and present it with no blooming. If you enjoy playing games on your TV, for example, you will be able to easily distinguish a foe in a dark cave with your own eyes.

“The range of brightness that the human eye can see is called the dynamic range,” noted Minhoon Lee. “When it comes to Quantum Matrix, the light can be adjusted within a 4,096 level range, meaning that this dynamic range has also been maximized.”

“The human eye is very sensitive, so we are helping each colour to play its own role and show itself as it is instead of getting mixed up with other ones,” continued Minhoon Lee. “In addition, Quantum Matrix technology brings the extra electricity that isn’t being used in darker parts of the screen to the brighter parts so that the concentration is maximized. With this technology, we’ve achieved brightness of up to 4,000 nits[1] with the Neo QLED.”

Quantum Matrix technology not only precisely controls all those Quantum Mini LEDs, but it also controls the light source for each individual content. “This technology works by analyzing the content source being played so that users can enjoy even more vivid, realistic experiences,” noted Engineer Bonggeun Lee. “For instance, if there is a scene on-screen that requires a maximized sense of dimension, the technology will provide a sense of depth by focusing the light on the object that is at the front while darkening the background. It is a completely different technology from something as simple as lights that just turn on and off.”

More Detailed AI Upscaling: the Neo Quantum Processor

When it comes to enjoying an immersive viewing experience, content picture quality is just as important as a next-level display. In order to ensure that users can enjoy high-quality content even if the original source is of a lower resolution, and regardless of local internet speed, Samsung’s engineers developed a picture quality engine to automatically convert any content to an optimized picture quality – the advanced AI-powered Neo Quantum Processor.

The innovation key to the Neo Quantum Processor’s high performance is that its neural network has been increased from 1 to 16. This allows the processor to map different contents by their type, significantly enhancing its upscaling capability[2]. “The Neo Quantum Processor works like this: the selected video’s attributes will be analyzed in real-time by the processor, and then the most optimized neural network out of the 16 available will be applied for the best possible upscaling result,” explained Bonggeun Lee. “This means that each one of the 16 neural networks is capable of playing a different role so that the processor can perform even more detailed upscaling.”

The processor’s method of filling the gaps between low-resolution and high-resolution contents has also become more precise. If the gap between the pixels is widened, then simply copying and pasting the same pixel repeatedly will make the video unclear and blurry. With the Neo Quantum Processor, the correlation is constantly analyzed through neural network learning and the change between pixels is estimated to fill in the gap between pixels in a way that is as close to reality as possible. This allows for a pattern to be analyzed in real-time and the best possible upscaling solution to be applied to the content, regardless of the resolution of the input video (be it SD, HD, FHD or 4K).

The Epitome of Samsung’s Display Innovation: 2021 Neo QLED

Samsung’s TVs have been number one in the global market for 15 consecutive years[3]. This achievement illustrates the synergy between the different innovations the company develops for each of its products, and how they work together to consistently provide the viewing experiences that users expect. The Neo QLED, a TV in a whole new league of its own, was made possible only due to the company’s existing work into developing advanced display technologies.

“Neo QLED isn’t simply a display made out of small LEDs,” highlighted Engineer Kyehoon Lee. “From including small yet effective elements to developing precise screen control, there are so many different technologies that have converged in the Neo QLED to bring beautiful display screen experiences to users. We’re very excited to see how our team’s efforts in research and development over the years have finally led to such an achievement in display technology.”

Each year, the trends within the display business change. When developing the Neo QLED, all the engineers agreed that the trend they paid the most attention to was “the bigger, the better”. Out of the many factors that users consider when purchasing a TV, size is always at the top of the list. The engineers expect that the market is set to move forward with this mindset, too.

“In the past, some people felt uncomfortable with large-screen TVs, as they wouldn’t be able to see all the pixels on-screen vividly and this led to visual discomfort,” noted Bonggeun Lee. “However, Neo QLED is a TV that has reached the technological level that allows for satisfying viewing experiences across the board. In line with the leading trends within the TV market that prioritize ultra-large screens, we will continue to work towards realizing the perfect picture quality on a large screen.”

Samsung’s Neo QLED, which presents its contents to users as if it were actually right there in front of their eyes, has been realized with the aim of opening up a new era for displays. Following this, it won’t be long until we can all enjoy next-level viewing experiences right in our own living rooms.

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[1] Maximum brightness may vary by model.

[2] 8K / 4K AI Upscaling enhances content to near-8K / near-4K picture quality. Based on laboratory testing. Viewing experience may vary according to types of content and format.

[3] Source – Omdia, TV Sets Intelligence Service, Jan-2021. Ranking in terms of unit shipments for 15 years consecutive years ending 2020. Results are not an endorsement of Samsung. Any reliance on these results is at the third-party’s own risk.