Samsung said this week that it will be making its new design-centric SERIF TV available for sale in the United States.
The 40-inch LED/LCD TV, which was designed by the Parisian design duo Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, is said to “redefine the television experience through its minimal yet solid exterior form and refined user interface.”
The Samsung UN40LS001AFXZA/UN40LS001CFXZA SERIF TV model (in white or blue colors), carries a $1,499 suggested retail price each, and is available for presale now on Samsung.com and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MoMA) Design Store.
In an unusual distribution expansion, Samsung said the TV also will be available in August at high-end design-centric retailers including Vitra, Bo Concept NY and Ligne Roset stores in major markets.
The TV will be offered in white across all retail partners and in blue, exclusively through the MOMA Design Store and on Samsung.com.
Read more about Samsung’s SERIF TV high fashion 4K display after the jump:
Samsung said the partnership with the Bouroullec brothers, marks the first time that the company “has aligned with a designer to not only re-envision how the TV looks but also how it functions.”
The Brothers Bouroullec were said to have re-imagined every aspect of the TV, “from its minimal yet solid exterior form to its refined user interface and even its simplified remote control.”
Samsung developed the TV to deliver advanced picture quality and high-fidelity sound.
“Our research also tells us that there is a subset of consumers, largely under served by the TV industry thus far, who care just as deeply about design and how their TV complements the aesthetics of their home environment,” said Dave Das, Samsung Home Entertainment senior VP.
A profile shot of the Samsung SERIF TV.
The TV was designed using “the simple elegance of typography,” the company explained. The Samsung SERIF TV forms a capital “I” shape in profile, and the slim body broadens to form a flat surface like a shelf at the top.
However, Samsung said the TV was not designed to be wall mounted and does not include VESA mounting equipment.
The form is said to enable the SERIF TV to be displayed seamlessly in the home, either on top of a credenza or via attachable legs that make the TV look like a painting on an easel.
The style of the set is said to blend “harmoniously with its surroundings, whether in a den or in a bedroom, an urban oasis or a suburban retreat.”
“The TV features an exclusive Curtain Mode interface that veils content on the screen to give an abstract impression of what is happening in the background, shutting down content without turning off the TV itself,” the company said.
The TV will offer such features and services as a clock, Bluetooth speakers, apps and a photo gallery.
However, many of the features and performance specs seem more in line with Samsung’s 2015 mid-range 4K UHD TVs than its top-performing 2016 SUHD TVs.
The designers said their concept was “to craft a modest and accessible object that fused our furniture design expertise with technology.”
Best Selling Soundbars and 5.1 Surround Systems
Unusually, the TV manufacturing source is listed as Hungary.
Other features in the high-end display include 4K UHD (3840x2160p) resolution with high dynamic range (HDR) conforming to Samsung’s “HDR Premium” classification to enhance the picture’s contrast range, color and brightness for a more natural, realistic image.
However, the TV uses Samsung’s step-down PurColor technology (no quantum dots), Motion Rate 120 (which usually denotes a 60 Hz native refresh rate), UHD Dimming, and the 2015 Smart Hub, smart TV platform.
Also included is a quad-core processor for more fluid browsing and switching between live TV, apps and streaming content.
By Greg Tarr
Have a question for the HD Guru? HD GURU|Email
Copyright ©2016 HD Guru Inc. All rights reserved. HD GURU is a registered trademark.
Stay connected