Samsung announced 8 Series HDTVs

Samsung normally doesn’t go out of its way to release a new line of HDTVs in the middle of the year, but we guess the 8 Series of HDTVs proved to be too important to be delayed till next year. The 8500 models will come with new technology that features newer, pure white LED backlights alongside local dimming capability that will work in tandem, boosting the dynamic contrast ratio up to an unprecedented 7,000,000:1. This is a couple million more compared to the 8000 model, which is its predecessor by the way. Apart from that, the newer LCD display will further improve brightness and visibility in ambient light, while the inclusion of a Natural mode attempts to replicate color behavior of normally more vibrant plasma displays without sacrificing its brightness. Other features include 240Hz panels and a response time of 2ms. You can pick up the 46″ and 55″ sets for $3,600 and $4,500, respectively as they ship later this September. [Press Release]