Samsung unveils rotating 2022 Australian Neo QLED and The Frame TVs

Samsung’s new QLED TV screen can flip between horizontal and vertical making it suited to displaying columns of social media feeds as well as movies.

Samsung 2022 Neo QLED TVs will rotate between horizontal and vertical orientations, making them suited to displaying columns of social media feeds as well as TV and movies. They can mirror contents from a phone in vertical mode.

That’s one of the capabilities of the 2022 range which goes on sale in Australia by the end of March. Another innovation is wireless Dolby Atmos sound transmitted from select TVs to a Wi-Fi direct connected Samsung soundbar.

The range is spearheaded by Samsung’s QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV range with a display that runs edge-to-edge across the front. The QN900B TVs go to 85 inches screen size and are only 15mm thick.

All Samsung 2022 Neo QLED sets and the decorative ‘The Frame’ TV models have 4 fast HDMI 2.1 ports for displaying up to 120 frames per second fast action from connected games and set-top boxes.

The ability for TVs to swap from landscape to portrait orientations has been available on Samsung’s Sero TV, but will now apply to much of the broader range: wall and stand mounted Neo QLED and The Frame TVs of sizes 43 to 50 and 55 to 65 inches.

You buy special mounts for the rotation: $499 for a wall mount and $599 for a stand mounted rotating accessory. You press a button on the remote control to switch the TV between horizontal and vertical modes.

Samsung is also promoting its lifestyle range which comprises the Frame which looks like a large painting. The Sero TV is set high on four legs in the room rather than on a wall, while the Sero has the qualities of a billboard display.

All three have antiglare matt displays designed to minimise reflections and fingerprints.

The Frame TV can display 1600 classic and modern artworks from around 600 artists. The works can display when you’re not watching TV. You get artworks from Samsung’s subscription based art store and you can change the frames around the edges.

Samsung The Frame TV shows the subtle colours of art displayed on the wall

The matt finish gave artworks a more subtle watercolours appearance when viewed at Samsung’s Australia launch.

Samsung hasn’t announced a brand new screen technology this year. It’s sticking to its mini LED technology unveiled in 2021 comprising tens of thousands of tiny LEDs that offer a finer control of the TV image.

Its 2022 range is about improving on existing screen technology, such as using the TVs artificial intelligence capability to analyse lines, shapes and surfaces to improve their appearance.

A ‘real depth enhancer’ improves how an object is represented on the screen against its background to create a sense of depth while 14-bit high dynamic range quadruples greyscale levels on Neo QLED displays with better delineation of dark and light objects.

The new Neo QLED range calibrates the screen’s brightness and tone based on a built-in light sensor and sunset/sunrise information when you activate EyeComfort mode.

You can automatically calibrate the screen to the surroundings using your smartphone held directly in front of it. There are two calibration modes – the short calibration takes a few moments, the longer calibration around 15 minutes.

The company has revamped its TV menu interface with favourite apps laid out across the screen. You can quickly scan through content showing on free-to-air and streamed channels in one interface. That includes around 50 extra channels courtesy of Samsung TV.

The main menu includes rows for each app showing recommended content – a similar feature to Android TV.

Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV remote

Samsung says you can access international and Australian streaming services, and all Australian catch-up TV apps. Y

For the first time, Neo QLED and The Frame sets will support the display of ‘non-fungible tokens’ or NFTs – which offer a proof of ownership of digital assets such as animated 3D art which you can display.

The TVs will support NFTs available through the Nifty network. You make your NFTs from your wallet available to your Nifty account which then display in a menu on the TV. From there you can view artworks in full resolution.

The QLED TV range supports Dolby Atmos sound which can be transmitted to new Samsung soundbars wirelessly. The soundbars range from the HW-Q990B/XY costing $2099 to the HW-S60B/XY at $599.

This year’s TV range supports Samsung’s Q-Symphony audio experience which combines sound from TV upfiring speakers, the soundbar and rear speakers to offer what Samsung describes as 22 channels of sound.

Samsung’s Neo QLED 8K series costs from $4699 for a 65-inch set to $11,999 for the top-of-range 85-inch model. The top QN95B 4K series ranges from $3299 for a 55-inch set to $5499 for a 75-inch one. There are cheaper QN90B and QN85B 4K Neo QLED ranges and even cheaper QLED and UHD ranges.

In 2022, The Frame will range from $799 (32 inches) to $4999 (85 inches), The Serif from $1199 (43-inches) to $2199 (65 inches), while a 43-inch Sero is $1499.

Samsung also is selling its $1299 Freestyle projector which we reviewed in February.