LG Starts Selling its 88-inch 8K OLED TV
LG Electronics on Monday started accepting selling pre-orders for its the 88-inch, 8K OLED TV (model 88Z9) set in South Korea, with availability in key markets of North America and Europe to follow in the third quarter of the year.
The TV employs an advanced panel with over 33 million self-emitting pixels, ensuring lifelike colors in a wide viewing angle, an infinite contrast ratio and true blacks. Images are sharp on the 88-inch TV thanks to 8K Ultra HD resolution (7,680 x 4,320) equivalent to 16 times the number of pixels in full HD and four times that of UHD.
The performance of LG’s 8K OLED panel is enhanced by the company’s second- generation α (Alpha) 9 Gen 2 8K intelligent processor. The processor elevates picture and sound quality with deep learning technology and access to a database of visual information. This allows the chip to optimize content by recognizing source quality and implementing the best algorithm to create real images. With the α9 Gen 2 8K processor, LG’s 8K 88-inch 8K OLED TV boasts processing capabilities with effective 8K upscaling and improved noise reduction to 6-steps from 4-steps in the 4K version, resulting in life-like 8K picture when upgrading from 4K (3,840 x 2,160) or 2K (1,920 x 1,080) content. The processor also analyzes ambient conditions to achieve the perfect level of screen brightness.
Sound quality is boosted by an intelligent algorithm that can up-mix two-channel audio to deliver virtual 5.1 surround sound. Deep learning improves output by analyzing source content to produce enhanced sound effects in movies, deeper bass in music and clearer voices in sporting events. Users can adjust the sound to suit viewing conditions or let the TV set the best sound levels based on the environment.
To ensure a great HDR experience, the LG 8K OLED TV comes with Dolby Atmos for realistic sound and intelligently fine-tunes content compatible with Dolby Vision. The TV supports HDMI 2.1, allowing viewers the opportunity to enjoy 8K content at a fast 60 frames per second. The TV also supports automatic low latency mode (ALLM), variable refresh rate (VRR) and enhanced audio return channel (eARC).
In some markets the LG 8K OLED TV will offer built-in versions of both the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for flexibility and control of the TV and connected smart devices.
Tthe TV’s retail price is 50 million won (~$42,000), but preorders taken in June will have a reduced price of 40 million won (~$34,000) and come with a free air purifier, according to LG.