LG Launches World's First 88-Inch 8K OLED TV And It Costs More Than A Tesla Model 3
Whoever opined that money does not buy happiness has never ridden on a jet ski or dined on a seafood feast at an expensive restaurant. If anything might change that person's mind, however, it could be LG's new 8K OLED TV. I mean, just look at how happy those people are in the press image above! Sure, it's totally staged, but the specs on this thing are beastly.
For one, it's the world's first 8K OLED TV (88Z9), according to LG. That works out to a delightful 7680x4320 resolution, or 33 million self-emitting pixels. For comparison, that is a whopping 16 times pixels than a Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) TV, and four times higher than a 4K (3840x2160) display.
Sure, there's a definite lack of 4K content, and who knows how long it will take for 8K content to become even remotely commonplace. A long time, for sure. Even so, this is still an OLED panel, which is objectively superior to LCD panels (save for that pesky problem of burn-in). It also boasts four HDMI 2.1 ports, so if you actually find 8K content, you can view it at up to 60 frames per second.
Content aside, the real stumbling block is the price. It's been reported this set will cost $42,000 when it goes on sale. To put that into perspective, a Tesla Model 3 starts at $30,315 for the rear-wheel drive variant, and the even the pricier dual motor all-wheel drive starts for less, at $39,315. Or put another way, LG's 8K OLED TV costs around $477 per inch of real estate. Even real estate in San Francisco is not quite as obscenely priced.
The 88Z9 is actually one of two 8K TVs LG is launching. A second model is its 75-inch 8K NanoCell TV.
"LG’s 75-inch 8K NanoCell TV also delivers a total immersive experience thanks to an 8K picture with impressive color, contrast and detail. LG’s Nano Display technology renders stunningly sharp images on a truly grand scale. Nano Color filters out impurities to enhance color reproduction and Nano Black—advanced Full Array Local Dimming Pro technology optimized for 8K—precisely controls the TV’s backlighting for deeper blacks and greater contrast," LG explains.
Both models are supposed to be stellar at upscaling content, which is obviously necessary on an 8K display (for most content). They also both support HDR visuals, have Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit baked in, and built-in versions of Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant (in select markets).
It's not clear how much the NanoCell model will cost, or when exactly either TV will be available to purchase (only that they are "coming soon").
