Samsung's high-priced SUHD TVs hit stores this month

The curved- and flat-screen flagship models cost $3,000 to $10,000

Published: April 02, 2015 03:00 PM

Samsung showed high-dynamic-range UHD scenes from "Exodus" on its JS9500 TVs.

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Ever since CES 2015, we've been wondering about the pricing of Samsung's flagship SUHD TVs, which use quantum dot technology for a wider range of colors.

At a press event earlier today, we found out: Prices start at $3,000 and climb to $10,000 for screen sizes ranging from 40 to 88 inches. The first of these sets, which will include a mix of both curved and flat screens, hit stores this month. Like other smart TVs announced this year, these use a new Tizen operating system that Samsung claims offers a more intuitive user interface, along with what it calls an "OctaCore" processor, presumably more powerful than the quad-core processors it used in last year's step-up models.

Here are some details about the new SUHD TV lineup:

The top series is the JS9500, which has all the company's bells and whistles, including the quantum dot nanocrystals, a full-array LED backlight with local-dimming, and Auto Depth Enhancer (which is supposed to produce a greater sense of depth). The TV has a curved screen and comes with a new upgradable One Connect Box, which houses the TV's brains and connections. The JS9500 curved SUHD TV Series starts at $6,500, according to Samsung. On Samsung's website the UN65JS9500FXZA is selling for $6,000, on sale from $8,000.
For those with both big rooms and big TV budgets, the JS9100 series will kick off in May with a single model: a 78-inch set that will cost $10,000. The TV has a curved screen and as you'd expect, a ton of features.
For those living in slightly smaller abodes, the JS9000 curved sets are available in more reasonable screen sizes: a 48-set is $3,500, the 55-inch TV is $4,000, and a 65-incher can be had for $5,000. These TVs feature a stylish metal-bezel look.
If curved screens aren't your thing, the JS8500 SUHD TV series 55- and 65-inch sets ($3,000 and $4,000, respectively) might be just the ticket. The sets are available now.

We'll follow up this article with a more detailed look at some of the features; we already have one of the new SUHD Tvs in our labs for full testing. We'll also provide more information about how beneficial some of the new features really are.

—James K. Willcox