CES, the tech extravaganza that takes place in Las Vegas every year, has gadgets galore. The event has always placed the TV on a very high pedestal and CES 2020 was no exception. While there were no revolutionary developments this year like 8K, HDR, or 3D, as we’ve seen at previous CES events, manufacturers came to town with new models that improve on virtually all aspects of the TV-watching experience. From hands-free voice commands to mini-LED backlights, here are the best TVs from CES 2020.
Samsung Q950TS 8K TV
Samsung didn’t bring anything groundbreaking in the way of TV tech this year, but it still managed to wow us with this gorgeous, bezel-less 8K TV. OLED-based TVs have always had an edge when it comes to tiny edges because they don’t require a backlight. QLED TVs are a different story, which is what makes Samsung’s engineering achievement on the Q950TS’s so-called Infinity Screen all the more amazing. It isn’t an OLED TV, but it sure looks like one.
Of course, looks aren’t the whole story here. The Q950TS also boasts some impressive technology on the inside. It has a unique A.I. picture engine that teaches itself how to upscale non-8K content to 8K resolution over time. This means the more you watch it — in theory — the better your content will look. There’s also a new backlighting design that should improve brightness while avoiding the halo and bloom effects that are often associated with non-OLED displays. The cherry on top is a clever sound feature called Active Voice Amplifier, which automatically compensates for loud sounds in your environment by boosting the dialog volume.
TCL 6-Series Mini-LED
TCL didn’t talk much about its new TVs at CES 2020, deciding to focus instead on its new Vidrian Mini-LED backlight technology. That meant that one of the most notable TVs of the show kind of slipped under the radar. We’re talking about the updated TCL 6-Series. In 2019, the 6-Series was already an incredible value — with a bright QLED display, the superb Roku OS, support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and prices that made it a no-brainer for most buyers, we recommended it. But TCL’s latest version of the 6-Series could be a game-changer.
New for 2020, TCL is giving the 6-Series its mini-LED backlight technology, which drastically increases the number of individual LEDs and local-dimming zones compared to traditionally backlit QLED TVs. This change could give these highly affordable TVs the kind of black-level performance typically only seen on OLED TVs that cost twice as much or more on a size-by-size basis. We’ll keep our expectations in check until we get one in for testing, but the new 6-Series could redefine the picture quality we can expect from 4K TV in the sub-$1,000 range.
Philips 804 Series OLED TV with Ambilight
Technically, the Philips 804 Series OLED TV was not a CES 2020 launch — it’s been available in the EU for a few months already. But CES 2020 brought the news that this would be the first Philips OLED TV that has ever been sold in the U.S., which is pretty big news.
Not only does the 804 Series offer an excellent OLED picture, on par with what we’ve seen from LG, but it also has some unique features like Ambilight, which illuminates the wall behind the TV for a dazzling, color-synced light display. It has hands-free voice commands via its Google Assistant-equipped Android TV OS, and it supports all of the major HDR formats like HDR10, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision.
But we’re particularly intrigued by the 804 Series’ price. It hasn’t been announced yet, but Funai (the company that licenses the Philips brand in the U.S.) says it will be very affordable. Here’s hoping!
Vizio 4K OLED TV
Vizio is another company that is bringing its first OLED TV to the U.S. in 2020. Precious little is known about this model other than its size — it will be available in 55 and 65inches. We’re including it in this list simply because Vizio has consistently delivered TVs that boast exceptional value for the money. If the company has decided to sell an OLED TV, you can bet it will set a new bar for affordability., Price is something that had kept the stunning picture quality of OLED displays out of the homes of average consumers for far too long.
Given that all OLED panels come from the same source — LG Display in South Korea — what makes one OLED TV different from another is design, price, and image processing. We doubt that Vizio will match the image processing Sony has achieved with its superb A9G OLED TVs, but there’s every reason to think Vizio’s pricing will make that consideration fade into the background.
Vizio P-Series Quantum X
For 2020, Vizio is refreshing its flagship P-Series Quantum X TVs with some welcome upgrades. They get the latest and greatest version of Vizio’s image engine, the IQ Ultra CPU, which features machine-learning capabilities. Combined that with its new 3D color engine and image quality is significantly enhanced, especially when upscaling content to 4K resolution.
This year, the Quantum X becomes a master of HDR, supporting all of the major flavors, including HDR10, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+, the dynamic Samsung-backed competitor to Dolby Vision. You’ll be able to buy the Quantum X in an enormous 85-inch size in addition to smaller models, and all sizes will benefit from both VRR and AMD FreeSync technologie, which make gaming on a big screen a far better experience.
LG’s roll-down OLED
What’s better than an OLED TV that rolls out of the top of a floor-mounted cabinet? Why, an OLED TV that rolls down from the ceiling, of course! It may seem a bit (ahem) over-the-top, but LG is simply demonstrating the incredible flexibility of its OLED technology. No other kind of TV display can be flexed and rolled like OLED, and it’s great to see LG exploring the limits of these properties in the name of products that have the ability to totally disappear when not in use.
LG GX Gallery Series
Speaking of disappearing when not in use, LG has taken a page out of Samsung’s The Frame TV playbook with its new GX Gallery 4K OLED TVs. These TVs offer all of the benefits of OLED technology, but they’ve been built to double as high-resolution art displays when you’re not watching video. At less than an inch thick, these TVs are thinner than most framed artwork, and a special wall mount lets you hang them flush to the wall, which completes the art gallery effect.
However, its art-friendly design is really just the icing on the cake — the GX Gallery Series is also packed with LG’s latest OLED improvements. It’s an Nvidia G-sync and AMD FreeSync-compatible display, which means gamers can now use a 55-, 65-, or 75-inch TV without experiencing the tearing and frame-stutter common on TVs that don’t have this variable refresh rate (VRR) technology.
It has hands-free voice commands, Disney+ and Apple TV apps, Dolby Vision IQ for picture settings that automatically adjust to room lighting, and a 3rd-gen image-processing engine that makes all content look spectacular. We’re also thrilled that LG has added Filmmaker Mode to all of its new 2020 TVs, letting you banish the dreaded soap opera effect with just one button on the remote.
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