CES is downright lousy with televisions, and the accessories that accompany them. Some are legitimate products, destined to land in living rooms over the next year or so. Others are a bit more ... aspirational, though no less cool.
But when you have an event like CES, winners must be declared, even with the stipulation that there's too much awesome tech to be whittled down into such a short list. It's one of those things that is, quite literally, impossible. It leaves out things like Samsung's rotating Sero television, which can be viewed horizontally or vertically, or the Samsung Serif television, which is as much art as it is appliance. Or what about Sharp's "see through" television, which puts images on a semi-transparent display, allowing you to effectively see through it?
And is 8K really a thing we should concern ourselves with? Yes, because it's this year's big thing , and because it is, indeed, real. But it's also not exactly something a rational consumer would purchase just yet. But that doesn't mean it's not very, very cool.
So with the caveat that there's no true best of CES when it comes to televisions, here's what stood out to us nonetheless.
OLED ZX Real 8K
Best of CES 2020
The best you can get
When it comes to televisions, it's all about OLED displays. And the next big thing is OLED in 8K resolution. And at CES 2020 LG brought us some truly stunning ZX Real 8K models, in 88- and 77-inch sizes. They surpass the criteria recommended by the International Committee for Display Metrology, which apparently is a thing.
Vizio OLED
Best of CES 2020
Vizio gets into the OLED game
Vizio is known for making good televisions that normal folks can afford. And it's now making its first OLED TV. We don't actually have all that many details about it. It doesn't (yet) have a fancy name. We don't yet have a price. But we have seen it, and it's gorgeous. Figure Vizio will do its usual magic to make it more attainable than the competition.
Vizio Elevate Sound Bar
Best of CES 2020
A soundbar with a little something extra
Soundbars are a dime a dozen at CES. But the Vizio Elevate does something new. The speakers can rotate depending on the sound profile, giving even more depth to Dolby Atmos-enabled content — while giving nerds something to show their friends. It's very cool, and sounds fantastic. And it's a perfect pair to the VIZIO OLED TV.
Samsung Q950 TV
Best of CES 2020
Shut up and take my money, eventually
You really can't talk about high-end televisions without talking about Samsung. And the new Q950 ticks nearly every box you can throw at it. It's got 8K resolution. It's nearly bezel-less, with a screen-to-body ratio of almost 99 percent. And somehow it's only 15mm thick, with a completely flat back. In a word? Wow.