CES is back, and as quickly as it started, it’s already coming to its end as the show winds up for another year.
We’ll be focusing on what LG and Samsung had to say at this year’s event. Early signs point to another competitive year with Mini LED, gaming and refreshed interfaces looking to be key points of focus.
What was announced?
A new 42-inch and 97-inch OLED were introduced, and its bringing its OLED Evo panel technology to the 2022 C2 OLED (but only on models 55-inches and above).
The Korean firm is focusing more on its QNED TVs, while it has revised webOS to be more customisable. It’s catering to more lifestyle services, too, offering ways of keeping fit, keeping in touch with others and enjoying virtual experiences in the home.
Samsung’s unveiled new iterations of its Neo QLED, MICRO LED, and lifestyle TVs. Advancements made to the Neo Quantum processor look to extract more brightness, depth, and contrast from images. The Object Tracking Sound system supports Dolby Atmos through the OTS Pro version that integrates up-firing speakers into a TV’s chassis.
The MICRO LED model will come in an 89-inch model, and this year’s model will be able to flesh out express HDR content better thanks to new technology. Dolby Atmos sound is also supported.
New models of the Frame, Serif and Sero TVs were revealed, and like LG, Samsung is retooling its interface with the introduction of a gaming hub, the new Watch Together feature, an NFT platform and smart calibration for optimising picture.
What are the key areas?
Gaming. Both have ramped up their presence in this field, with LG become leading proponent of gaming features in the TV market. The addition of cloud gaming services such as Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce NOW is another string in both brand’s bows as they look to offer experiences that appeal to all parts of the market.
The new Mini LED sets and 8K models aren’t quite in competition with each other – if anything it’s LG’s OLEDs vs Samsung’s Neo QLEDs. That means another round of OLED’s contrast against Mini LEDs searing brightness. This battle will likely come down to a question of price
What’s new about the upcoming TVs?
Both brands have revised interfaces for 2022. This year LG is calling its UX webOS 2022, with the aim of making content discovery easier while also adding profiles that personalises content for each user. The Matter feature will also expand LG TV’s reach as a controller for connected smart devices.
Samsung’s new Smart Hub similarly puts content curation and discovery at its forefront. The Gaming Hub will tie together games from cloud services, while the presence of NFTs for purchasing digital artwork may prove controversial but is a space where Samsung can plant a flag in with its extensive library of curated artwork.
And while Samsung didn’t officially unveil its new QD Display TVs, it did win a CES Innovation Award. The key point we want to know is how much will they cost?
Conclusion
Who knows who will come out top at this early stage? Both look to expand the experience of using a TV in the home, while iterating further on display technology introduced in 2021. It could come down to a case of mass market appeal and pricing.
We won’t know much about that until later in the year, but with OLED TVs going down in price each year, it could be that LG has the edge.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
