Today, at its virtual Unbox & Discover 2021 event, Samsung formally announced its entire line of 2021 TVs and soundbars, and shared news that it will be bringing a 76-inch version of its MicroLED TV to the U.S. market “in the future.” The company reiterated many of its previously announced models and specs, including 8K and 4K Neo QLED TVs featuring Mini-LED backlights and a new, full-sun version of its Terrace outdoor TV. Samsung also said it plans to roll out support for TikTok on all of its 2021 smart TVs later this year. Here’s everything Samsung announced.
MicroLED TV gets smaller
One of the biggest pieces of news coming out of CES 2021 was Samsung’s announcement that its MicroLED technology had moved from being a display that could only be installed by professionals — and at very large sizes — to a fully self-contained TV that anyone (with enough money) could buy and set up themselves.
Samsung repeated that it will start selling these MicroLED TVs “for the home” later this year, with 110- and 99-inch sizes available at the end of this month, an 88-inch size launching in the fall, and a 76-inch model that has no specific release date, but which the company says “is on the future road map.”
All four sizes of MicroLED will have 4K resolution and will feature 4Vue — a system that lets you split the screen into four separate sources of content that can be watched simultaneously (which gives us some serious Back To The Future II vibes). No other technical specs or pricing for these TVs was discussed.
Neo QLED’s got game
Samsung had previously announced its mini-LED-powered Neo QLED TVs, which will be available in 8K and 4K versions. Today, the company spoke about its renewed partnership with Microsoft, which makes Samsung the official TV partner of Xbox Series X in the United States and Canada.
The popular gaming console is expected to work seamlessly with Samsung Neo QLED and QLED TVs, which will support 4K gaming at 120 frames per second, and with a 5.8ms response time.
Also on the gaming front, Samsung says its partnership with AMD means that all of its TVs, from the Q70A 4K and up, will have FreeSync Premium Pro support for both PC and console games, making them the first TVs on the market to offer this advanced flavor of variable refresh rate (VRR) technology.
The company noted that its new Game Bar feature will also be a boon to gamers, letting them quickly monitor critical aspects of play, and giving them access to Super Ultrawide Gameview. This feature lets TVs display ultrawide aspect ratios, which have normally only been supported by ultrawide gaming monitors.
Samsung’s 8K Neo QLED models (QN800A and QN900A) will be available in 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes, while the 4K models (QN90A and QN85A) will come in more sizes starting at 50 inches.
The Premiere
Ultra-short-throw (UST) projectors have been steadily gaining in popularity and the pandemic has given interest in these devices a big boost. Samsung’s Premiere is a triple-laser UST projector that boasts 4K resolution, an industry first according to the company. It can display image sizes as large as 130 inches, from only a few inches from the wall.
Samsung also plans to offer a custom motorized roll-up screen for the Premiere, so that you aren’t staring at a big, blank projector screen when not watching TV or movies.
Health gets smarter
Samsung Health launched last year as a suite of apps that run on the company’s smart TVs. This year, the company is augmenting what Samsung Health can do with Smart Trainer. Using an optional camera sold separately, the Smart Trainer uses A.I. to analyze your posture and provide real-time feedback to improve your form as you follow instructional videos.
The Frame gets a shelf
Samsung’s The Frame line of lifestyle-oriented TVs has been popular with folks who want something other than a big black rectangle to look at when not actively watching TV. If offers various subscriptions available to download and view works of art, and Samsung is expanding both the types of art and the storage for that art in 2021.
The Frame models see a boost in local art storage, from 500 MB to 6 GB (enough room for 1,200 4K images), while a new A.I.-based curation engine recommends art based on your preferences, so you can have a constantly updated selection from a collection of more than 1,400 pieces of art in Samsung’s Art Store.
Samsung is also upping The Frame’s physical decor game. The 2021 model is thinner at 24.99mm and has a new Slim Fit Wall Mount, as well as five new bezel options. But the big surprise is My Shelf, an accessory that frames The Frame with a series of shelves that can be used to give the TV an even more decorative feel. My Shelf will be released later this year in four different colors — beige, white, brown, and black — and it will be compatible with the 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes of The Frame .
The Sero spins
The Sero will be getting AirPlay 2 support later this year so that users of iPhones and iPads can pair their devices with the rotating TV. Cleverly, when you turn your phone from portrait to landscape, The Sero will automatically rotate its screen to match the new orientation.
The Terrace meets the sun
In 2020, Samsung launched its Terrace line of weather-resistant outdoor TVs in 55- and 65-inch sizes. This year, a new 75-inch size joins the Terrace lineup, and Samsung says it has been designed to withstand full-sun conditions. In practice, this means that its panel is protected for up to 6 hours in sunlight at 700 watts and up to a maximum temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sound gets bigger
Samsung also reminded us that its soundbar efforts haven’t taken a back seat in 2021 with the arrival of its HW-Q950A, a massive 16-channel system that works with Samsung’s Q-Symphony feature. Q-Symphony lets Samsung’s compatible TVs and soundbars collaborate on audio, using all available speakers to deliver an even more immersive sound than the TV or soundbar could accomplish on their own.
