Sony has revealed that it will drop a new monster 84-inch TV with 4K technology next month, with a price tag of an eye-watering $25,000.
At last month’s IFA tech event in Berlin the big guns of TV tech wheeled out the latest in HD television technology. While most people have just gotten to grips with terms such as ‘HD Ready’ and ‘Full HD’, companies like Sony, LG and Samsung are pressing forward with the next best thing, called 4K. The easiest way to explain 4K is a resolution that’s 4 times higher than Full HD – 4K is a resolution of 3840 x 2160, whereas Full HD is 1920 x 1080.
Unfortunately, as with all new technologies, it’s going to take a fair few years to take off. Barely anything is shot in a resolution as high as 4K right now, although Sony is hoping to change that with a new camcorder that shoots in 4K quality. For now, the TV will be capable of upscaling HD content to near-4K quality, which should still be mind-boggling.
The new set is 84-inches in size, and it stands on a monolithic stand which makes it look like something of a cinema display. Speakers adorn the sides of the TV, but aren’t actually built in to the bezel surrounding the screen. Sony’s exact asking price is $24,999, and those with a thirst for the latest gadgets and a wedge of spare cash can pre-order one in the US right now. Stock is expected to land in stores in November.
LG also revealed a 4K TV of its own, and as a marker it has a price tag of $22,000 in South Korea. LG typically prices lower than Sony, but from what we’ve heard Sony’s offering was superior in person when shown off at the IFA event.
We reckon it’ll be a good 3 to 4 years at least before 4K TVs enter the realms of possibility for many home owners, and possibly longer than that before movies and TV content starts becoming available in this crystal clear high resolution format.
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