The gadget world has been buzzing about Samsung’s show-stopping new “Ultra-HD” TV ever since it was announced at CES in January, but now it’s finally available for pre-order. Before you pull the $39,999 trigger, here are four things you should know about the S9 Series Smart TV.
1. The size: It’s huge. And by huge, we mean it measures 85-inches, making it the largest TV currently on the market (Sony and LG recently announced 84-inch offerings). If you’re having trouble wrapping your head around how large that is, check out our story on Tyson Chandler of the New York Knicks – then picture him lying diagonally across your living room wall.
2. The design: Considering how massive the unit is, it still has a super-slim profile – on its own, the TV is only 2.8 inches thick. It comes on a sleek, minimalist metal frame that’s intended to mimic an easel, so it won’t compete with your décor.
3. The picture: If you’ve been hearing the term “4K TV” tossed around these days and you have no idea what it means, don’t fret. All you need to know is that 4K means the TV is four times the resolution of your current HDTV. The disclaimer here is that there’s virtually no 4K content available yet (remember when only certain channels were offered in HD?), but you can expect to see it rolling out over the next year.
4. The functionality: Like many new-to-the-market flat screens, the S9 is being touted as a “Smart TV.” Change channels the old-fashion way (you know, by pressing buttons), or if that seems like too much work, the TV will respond to hand gestures and voice interaction. To further enable laziness, the remote’s built-in microphone allows viewers to ask things like “What football games are on?” They might call the technology “smart” – but we call it genius.
