Samsung's flagship 8K projector receives industry-first certification

What just happened? The 8K Association (8KA), a non-profit organization tasked with advancing the adoption and standardization of 8K technology, has handed out its first 8K projector certification. The recipient, Samsung's flagship 8K projector, was unveiled at CES 2024 back in January yet still is not available to purchase.

The Premiere 8K was billed as the industry's first wireless projector. It utilizes ultra-short throw (UTS) technology combined with advanced aspherical mirrors to beam images from a short distance, effectively eliminating the need for ceiling mounts and other impractical installation hurdles.

The projector, which is expected to retail in the five-figure range, features a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 pixels and up to 4,500 ISO Lumens of brightness. Samsung claims the unit is capable of producing vibrant, lifelike visuals, even in well-lit spaces. Advanced upscaling tech, meanwhile, can enhance the appearance of lower-resolution content while immersive audio capabilities are said to support the latest formats.

The 8KA certification considers a range of attributes including resolution, brightness, contrast, and color gamut, as well as high dynamic range performance, upscaling, and audio. The Premiere 8K passed the test with flying colors, and is now the first to receive the coveted certification.

According to What Hi-Fi, the consortium is working on a logo program that will allow consumers to easily identify certified projectors when shopping.

8K has been around for longer than most realize. Japanese broadcasting company NHK started researching on the tech way back in 1995, but it wouldn't be until 2012 that Sharp announced the first 8K TV at CES. That was nearly 13 years ago, and 8K content is still incredibly rare. Heck, 4K content arguably has not even gone mainstream yet, especially with regard to live broadcasts like sporing events. Sure, it exists, but such content is not the norm.

With CES 2025 just a few weeks away, perhaps we may finally get pricing information and a release date? CES 2025 kicks off on January 7 and runs through the 10th in Las Vegas.