Toshiba L9300 84in UHD TV leads 4K push, 58in and 65in models due soon

Toshiba has revealed the L9300 84in ultra-high definition TV, its flagship set for 2013 that will be joined by two other 4K models, in different sizes for the first time.

By committing to UHD TV, Toshiba has thrown down the gauntlet to the likes of Sony, LG and Samsung, who have all announced 84in 4K sets but have yet to confirm other sizes. If you’re looking forward to 4K but can’t fit an 84in monster in your living room, Toshiba could quickly make its way to the top of your list with its forthcoming 58in and 65in models.

Although we have no hope of squeezing one into our house, we were still impressed by the 84in L9300 in the flesh. During our short time with the set, we saw native 4K content that looked sublime, with absurd levels of detail and stunning colour reproduction.

Despite this, Toshiba is being realistic about the availability of 4K content – its demos were mostly timelapse videos created using photo stills, so is putting a big emphasis on its proprietary up-scaling technology. Unfortunately it wasn’t on display during the company’s pre-CES event, but representatives claim its CEVO 4K Quad+Dual core processor is the best up-scaling system around. Hopefully we’ll be able to test this claim over the next few days.

It will also include Toshiba’s “Cloud TV” smart TV system, which is now Smart TV Alliance-compliant for better app compatibility and includes a messaging system, family calendar and companion mobile apps. Miracast wireless streaming will be integrated alongside Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, for compatible smartphones and tablets.

The L9300 shares the same uniform design scheme as the rest of Toshiba’s 2013 line-up, with a silver metallic bezel and a glowing circular power button. On closer inspection the bezel appeared to be made from plastic, which is pretty disappointing given its flagship status.

This could change between announcement and release, which Toshiba has yet to confirm. We also have yet to be told about pricing, but we’ll be keeping our ears to the ground here at CES to see if any firm figures are mentioned.