Samsung will officially unveil its 2018 TV line-up on March 7 but details about a new Q9N have leaked, revealing that it will offer HDR10+ support, “Full Array Elite” backlight, and LCD technology. It will be available in 65 and 75-inch sizes starting at $3799.
Samsung 2018 high-end TVs
The Q9N – also referred to as Q9FN – will be one of Samsung’s high TVs for 2018 and replace last year’s disappointing Q9F. Luckily, Samsung has listened and will move away from edge LED, which belongs on mid-range LCD TVs, and switch to a “Full Array Elite” LCD panel with zone dimming.
We do not know how many dimming zones the TV will employ but we hear that it will have “twice the local dimming zones as the Q8N” (or Q8FN). Samsung is also expected to launch new Q7N and Q6N with edge LED LCD panels. The flagship Q9N will available in 65 and 75-inch sizes for $3799 and $5999, respectively. This is considerably cheaper than last year’s flagship Q9F TVs.
Update: We have received additional information on the flat Q8FN model, which will feature a less advanced full array local dimming system as well HDR10+. The 65" will cost $2999. Unlike the 9 and 7 series, the 8 series will not feature the One Connect box but it will feature the other new "smart" features. See specifications table at the bottom.
Amazon already has the 65” Q9N listed along with a bunch of photos.
It is clear that Q9N cannot match the thinness of high-end TVs based on OLED technology but on the other hand it comes without the attached electronics box. Like previous Samsung TVs, it again has an external ‘One Connect’ box. It will apparently also come with the ‘no-gap wall mount’ solution.
LCD with quantum dot
Q9N will be based on an LCD panel enhanced by quantum dots. There have been rumors about Samsung switching to a “QDCF” design, meaning that the quantum dots replace the color filters (CF) but we will have to wait for the official word on March 7 to confirm or deny.
Samsung will in 2018 continue to sell its LCD TVs as “QLED TVs” to peg them against the more popular OLED TVs. Over the last couple of years, the Korean company has been abolished from the high-end segment of the market after its failure to mass-produce OLED TVs. Korean media have reported that “there is a sense of crisis felt among employees at Samsung” after its market share in the premium TV segment has dropped from more than 50% to less than 10%. The company is hoping that LCDs enhanced by quantum dot can fill the gap until it can launch TVs based on new display technology. Samsung is preparing to launch the first TVs based on microLED technology and is also rumored to have revived development of OLED TVs.
Also read: Samsung unveils first 2018 TVs with new NU8000 & NU7x00 ranges
The new TVs will include an updated version of the Tizen TV operating system and add on top new features such as Bixby voice assistant, Universal Guide, and SmartThings support. Q9N will also come with the nifty ‘One Remote’.
- “More than a billion shades of our most phenomenal quantum color and our best full array backlighting redefine luxury viewing. Exquisite design with clutter-free cabling and Ambient Mode transform TV into art,” the product description on Amazon said.
It is hardly surprising that Samsung will continue to shun the Dolby Vision format in favor of its own HDR10+ format. In addition, the new TVs will support the HDR10 base format and the HLG HDR broadcast format.
The 65 and 75-inch Q9FN TVs are apparently scheduled to ship in mid-April for $3799 and $5999. We will learn more on March 7 when Samsung officially unveils the new models. Until then, we have included some additional tidbits in the table below.
Samsung Q9N - specifications
| 65”, 75” & 88” sizes |
| LCD panel with ‘Full Array Elite Backlight’ |
| 4K resolution |
| Ultra Black Elite filter |
| HDR formats: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
| 60W speakers (4 speakers, 2 woofers) |
| 4x HDMI, 3x USB, 1x optical |
| Tizen Smart TV with Universal Guide and SmartThings |
| Ambient Mode |
| One Connect Box & One Remote |
| Bixby voice assistant |
Samsung Q8N - specifications
| 55”, 65” & 75” sizes |
| LCD panel with ‘Full Array LED’ - fewer zones than Q9N |
| 4K resolution |
| Ultra Black Elite filter |
| HDR formats: HDR10+, HDR10, HLG |
| 40W speakers (4 speakers, 1 woofer) |
| 4x HDMI, 2x USB |
| Tizen Smart TV with Universal Guide and SmartThings |
| Ambient Mode |
| One Remote |
| Bixby voice assistant |
- Source: 4KFilme, Value Electronics, Amazon, CNET
