Samsung has just unveiled pricing for its 2022 Neo QLED 4K TVs in the UK, and when combined with the prices its revealed so far in the US and elsewhere in Europe, we get a clear picture: you'll be able to get one of the best Samsung TVs this year without suffering the kind of price rises that we're seeing from LG's 2022 OLED TV.
There aren't price cuts across the board, but there are notably lower prices on the sets that are likely to sell the best, making this fantastic picture tech affordable for more people – in particular, the Samsung QN85B and Samsung QN90B (via flatpanelshd (opens in new tab)). Some models have also held their price the same, which is basically a win in 2022…
These are the two most affordable models with the Neo QLED panel, which is a major upgrade over the regular QLED panel used in cheaper Samsung TVs. Neo QLED uses mini-LED backlighting, which means it's much thinner while being bright, and also offers more precise local dimming, improving contrast massively – especially in these next-gen models, which offer much more fine-grained dimming options for the backlight.
The really exciting price drop is the Samsung QN85B, as the cheapest Neo QLED option to begin with – in our Samsung QN85A review, we gave the 2021 model the full five stars, so the idea of the new version adding even more cinematic nuance while coming down in price is a dream come true.
I've been hoping that the on-going drops in LCD panel prices would translate into real price drops, but costs have obviously been rising in other areas recently, and that was definitely thrown into doubt.
Recently, LG has shaken up the list of the best OLED TVs with some majorly cheaper new models, which managed to undercut Samsung's Neo QLED TVs on price, keeping OLED as a hot choice for people looking at the premium mid-range options. But the Samsung QN85B looks set to give that a real run for its money – given how much brighter it'll be than cheaper OLED sets, it's going to be a tough choice.
As hinted above, not all 2022 Samsung TVs are seeing the price drops, though. Sadly, the popular Samsung The Frame TVs will actually go up in price. It's not entirely clear why, since there doesn't seem to be a major improvement in their specs, aside from a new matte display.
Here are Samsung's 4K TV prices to know, with last year's prices in brackets:
Samsung QN85B
55 inches £1700/$1500 (£1800/$1600)
65 inches £2500/$2000 (£2500/$2200)
75 inches £3500/$2800 (£3800/$3000)
85 inches £5000/$4000 (£5000/$4500)
Samsung QN90B
43 inches £1300/$TBC (£1300/$1300)
50 inches £1500/$TBC (£1800/$1400)
55 inches £1900/$1800 (£2000/$1800)
65 inches £2700/$2500 (£2800/$2600)
75 inches £4000/$TBC (£4000/$3500)
85 inches £5500/$5000 (£5500/$5000)
Samsung The Frame 2022 (all US prices TBC)
43 inches £1300 (£1000)
50 inches £TBC (£1200)
55 inches £1700 (£1500)
65 inches £2200 (£2000)
75 inches £3400 (£3000)
85 inches £4700 (N/A)
You might notice that we've been focusing on 4K TVs during all this – that's because the news is less good for Samsung's 8K TVs, where prices have held in some cases, but risen in others. I still suspect Samsung will maintain its place at the top of our list of the best 8K TVs, but maybe this leaves a chance for other companies to undercut it…
