Sharp’s comeback as a TV brand of note appears to be continuing apace with the company showing off a new range of its AQUOS XLED TV’s at CES, including a set measuring a massive 120-inches.
The brand’s XLED panels combine mini LED backlighting with Quantum Dot color systems similar to what was seen on Samsung’s QN95B Neo-QLED from last year.
According to Sharp, the combination of screen tech allows for more color volume and brightness via the Quantum Dot layer, alongside excellent contrast and deeper black levels thanks to the Mini LEDs' and their localized lighting control.
The new sets also appear to include an interesting built-in speaker array, with drivers that sit below and above the panel which the company claims will provide a wider sound field.
Sharp TVs using XLED panels have already been available in Japan and China for a while, but today’s unveiling in Las Vegas marks the global launch of TVs featuring the tech, as well as marking the company’s re-entrance to the US market after a seven-year break. The new models are expected to be available in most territories sometime in spring 2023.
Sharp is showcasing the new panel tech at a special stand at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, showcasing it on a 120-inch AQUOS XLED model. Sadly, at this stage, the mammoth display is just a prototype, with the super-sized screen likely to only go into production for business and commercial customers.
Nevertheless, the demo device points to where the company intends to go with XLED and how the display tech can be scaled up.
We’re awaiting full details of what sizes the Sharp’s XLED TV’s will be offered in, along with pricing and availability, so stayed tuned to our coverage of CES 2023 for updates.
Analysis: New XLED TV could make Sharp a big screen contender once more
Now majority-owned by Taiwanese manufacturing giant Foxconn following a stint of its badge being licensed to the likes of Hisense and Vestel, Sharp has been promising a big relaunch for its return as a global brand and this new XLED line-up certainly appears to hit the spot.
Having been likened to the panel that earned the Samsung QN95B Neo QLED TV a five-star review from us last year, expectations will be high for how well the XLED tech performs on these new TVs.
If Sharp can tame the aggressive dimming that sometimes hampered the QN95B, it could mark a major comeback for a fondly remembered brand and see the Sharp moniker feature in our best TV for 2023 list.
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