Best TVs of CES 2017: What to expect

CES 2017 kicks off in Las Vegas in a little over a week and one of the biggest draws of the show every year is new TVs. CES is the place where all the TV manufacturers go to show off their ranges for the year ahead and the new technologies they’ve been working on.

It’s so often been the proving ground of many important TV technologies over the past few years, including 4K, Dolby Vision, HDR and Quantum Dot.

But with those technologies already having firm foundations in the TV market, what new things could 2017 possibly bring?

Let us run through what TVs we can expect to see at the world’s largest consumer electronics show.

• CES 2017: What is it and what to expect

Hisense

Pocket-lint

Purveyor of affordable 4K and 4K HDR TVs, Hisense will return to CES 2017 armed with what will no doubt be another range of budget screens. From our experience with Hisense TVs, the drop in price doesn’t necessarily mean a drop in quality. The screens haven’t always been able to compete with the very best from the LG and Samsung’s of the world, but when they cost a fraction of the price, we’re happy to compromise.

The Chinese electronics manufacturer introduced a new H7 series of screens at CES 2016 which started at $399 for a 43-inch 4K TV, an absolute bargain. In 2017, we expect to see yet more affordable screens, with hopefully an improvement in picture quality to keep them hot on the heels of the leading brands.

LG

Pocket-lint

LG announced a new Signature OLED series of TVs at CES 2016, which included the OLED G6 and OLED E6, arguably two of the best TVs to come out of 2016. LG is still the only manufacturer really pushing for 4K OLED screens while others are sticking with LCD.

Will that change in 2017? We shall see.

As for what TVs LG will give us, well the company usually announces its new offerings before the show actually starts so we don’t have long to wait. However, we expect more 4K OLED screens with HDR and Dolby Vision support, along with improved picture performance on last year’s models – as tricky as that may be.

Of course it won’t just be OLED screens from the South Koreans, as CES 2016 ushered in a new range of Super UHD LCD TVs. 2017 will likely give us the same, hopefully with improved contrast and brightness levels to enhance HDR images.

As for screen sizes, there will likely be everything from 49 up to 75 inches, although we may see a huge 100-inch plus screen as an indication into what the company can do.

• Best TVs of CES 2016: LG, Samsung, Panasonic and more

Panasonic

Pocket-lint

Panasonic was first out the blocks to announce the first 4K TV with the illustrious Ultra HD Premium mark of approval at CES 2016 in the DX902. Ultra HD Premium is a set of criteria a TV must meet to show it’s capable of the very best picture performance. Criteria includes a 10-bit colour-capable panel and a brightness of more than 1000 nits for the best HDR performance.

• Panasonic Viera DX902 4K TV review: Honeycomb-sweet picture quality

And what a TV the DX902 was, delivering bright whites, impressive contrast and deep blacks. We’re hoping Panasonic can deliver much of the same in 2017 and trickle some of its impressive picture technology down to lower ranges.

Philips

Pocket-lint

Philips always has a fun stand to visit at CES because of all the lights! Yes, Philips is the only company to attach strips of LEDs to the back of their TVs, called AmbiLight. The result is rather effective too, delivering a more immersive picture experience by essentially removing the bezel of the TV and extending the picture.

At CES 2016 Philips even introduced the PUS8901 AmbiLux TV that had nine mini projectors fitted to the back instead of LEDs. While the LEDs can only produce colours that relate to whatever is on screen, the projectors are able to actually continue the image of what’s on screen.

We expect to see more lights, more projectors and more Ultra HD panels at CES 2017.

Samsung

Pocket-lint

Samsung is always one of the star attractions at CES because it usually has a world’s first or two. CES 2016 saw the arrival of the flagship KS9500 series, part of its SUHD TV range. To this day, nobody knows exactly what the ‘S’ stands for, Samsung? Super? Splendid?

• Samsung KS9500 SUHD TV review: Brightest HDR, pitched on a curve

Either way, Samsung’s TVs were some of the best of this year and were a real testament to just how well LCD can perform against OLED. We expect much of the same from 2017, although Forbes journalist John Archer has said Samsung will introduce a new range of QLED TVs in Las Vegas.

The range will be a more intricate marriage between Quantum Dot – a technology that appears in some of its 2016 TV – and LCD LED panels. The new sets are said to have three distinct features: HDR 1500, which likely refers to the brightness of the panel, increasing from 1000 nits to 1500 nits, which should make HDR images even better. Q HDR likely refers to how Samsung will use Quantum Dot as a means to improve HDR pictures and Real Black should result in deeper blacks, one of the areas where LCD just can’t quite compete with OLED sets.

Sony

Sony

Sony waited until late 2016 to unveil the excellent ZD9 series TV, which ended up winning a Pocket-lint Award. CES 2016 however saw the introduction of the XD93 series, which had full HDR capabilities and was powered by Android TV.

• Sony is getting in on the OLED TV action with two new models

In 2017, we expect Sony to carry on with HDR-capable LCD TVs, although there is speculation that the Japanese manufacturer will turn its hand to OLED screens too. If Sony does venture into OLED waters then we’ll probably only see prototypes at CES, as the full production models aren’t expected until IFA later in the year.

TCL Corporation

TCL will bring with its latest range of flagship Quantum Dot TVs to Las Vegas, as well as announce plans for future progression. The company’s TVs aren’t sold here in the UK, but being the world’s third-largest TV manufacturer, they’re available in a lot of other territories, and are incredibly popular in America.