You don’t have to be a K-pop fan to enjoy Samsung’s new 219-inch Micro LED TVs. But it probably helps. Because at this size, whatever’s on TV pretty much looks like real life. And you’d better believe Samsung is blasting some pop culture from home on it.
That’s what we learned after witnessing the goliath TV for ourselves at CES 2019. If you’re shopping for your own house, Samsung’s 75-inch Micro LED probably makes more sense. But if you wanted to see a spectacle from CES, this is it.
Like all Micro LED screens, the black levels are true, but the brightness at this scale is what really blows you away. When there’s a picture of the sun coming over the horizon, it’s blisteringly, almost uncomfortably bright. And the color gamut is outstanding.
The screen is made from modular panels that Samsung has stitched together to make a TV of almost unprecedented size. One of the things that we complained about last year was that we could see the lines. This year, Samsung condensed everything. The LEDs are closer, so they get a little bit more play, and more importantly, the seams are smaller. The stitching together is much better than it was before.
If you get really close, you can absolutely see the seams. But that’s not how anyone watches TV. Step back, then step back some more. When you get to about 6 feet, you can no longer see the seams, and that’s still way too close to comfortably watch, anyway. This is a legitimate display technology. You could forgo a conventional projector and get a much, much brighter image.
In fact, that’s already happening. Samsung has theaters across the U.S. and in Korea that use this type of screen technology. It’s 4K, not 8K, but at this size, you won’t be bothered. It looks amazing, and the contrast is off the charts.
At CES 2019, it doesn’t get much bigger than Samsung’s 219-inch Micro LED display.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
Technology evolves every day, transforming how we live and work. Our devices are becoming more than tools we use. They are increasingly capable companions that help streamline day-to-day routines and spark creative ideas. If you have been waiting for the right moment to upgrade your tech setup, the Discover Samsung Shopping Event offers an opportunity to explore what connected, AI-powered living can look like.