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If TCL has anything to do with it, your 2019 resolutions will be in 8K

My eyes are only so good, dang it.

Tcl 8k tv with roku on display at ces 2019
Image: Digital Trends

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is for a new, higher-resolution TV, you might want to wait a bit. 8K is the new buzzword in resolutions, and TCL has now thrown its hat into the ring. That’s a bold move from the popular, lower-cost Chinese maker, joining the likes of Samsung and LG who already have revealed 8K sets for this year.

During CES 2019, TCL announced that its 8K TV model will be available “late 2019” and also that it will continue the partnership with Roku, making this the first 8K TV with Roku built-in.

If you’re confused by the naming convention of 8K, you’re not alone. With 1080p being 1,920 x 1080 pixels, 4K at four times the pixels is 3,840 x 2,160. 8K is four times the pixels of 4K, at 7,680 by 4,320 pixels. If the existing naming convention scaled, wouldn’t that make it 16K?

8K is overkill (for now)

If you do decide to get an 8K TV, you’ll be limited to watching lower-resolution content upscaled for a while. With production companies only really getting behind 4K recently, the wait for 8K content will likely be long.

You’ll also likely need new devices to deliver that content, as you need HDMI 2.1-enabled devices to push 8K over a cable. That means your existing streaming boxes, consoles, and possibly even your PC’s graphics card will need an upgrade. With TCL including Roku on its 8K TV, one part of the equation is already solved for you, possibly giving the company an edge over the competition.

Far-field voice control from TCL

Another first for Roku-enabled TVs was also announced by TCL – far-field voice control for certain 4K models. That means you won’t need to pick up the remote to search for the next show to binge-watch or change settings. The versions for the US market will use Roku’s voice system while TVs for the rest of the world will ship with Google Assistant. Not sure why the US gets the raw deal again on this, it reminds me of Samsung’s Qualcomm/Exynos split and I don’t like it.

TCL also announced improvements to its top-end TVs, like quantum-dot film technology for some models to improve color, as well as more local dimming zones to aid in HDR content.

Pricing for the 2019 range of TCL’s TVs hasn’t been announced yet, neither has release dates, but we’ll cover it when the information is made available.

What do you think? Ready to upgrade to 8K? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

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Maker, meme-r, and unabashed geek with nearly half a decade of blogging experience. If it runs on electricity (or even if it doesn't), Joe probably has one around his office somewhere. His hobbies include photography, animation, and hoarding Reddit gold.

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