Samsung’s entry-level Mini LED is as low as 2499, will the strategy shift in 2026?

Recently, two major news came from Samsung Electronics. One is that the TV production lines disclosed at CES are being put on sale one after another, including a new entry-level series of Mini LED TVs, with the lowest price reaching 2,499 yuan; the other is that the Slovak TV factory will officially cease production in May this year, and this factory covers high-end QLED TVs to mid-to-low-end LCD TVs.

Judging from this year’s situation, Samsung’s VD division has continued to suffer losses since Q3 of 2025. Coupled with the continued pursuit of Chinese brands, the market share gap between TCL and Samsung will further narrow in 2025. As the equity transfer between Sony and TCL Electronics enters final negotiations, Samsung's two-decade long position as the number one in global TV shipments is in jeopardy.

In this context, these two news from Samsung may be its new strategic signal: to reconstruct its product matrix, shrink inefficient production capacity, and focus on profit-first and high-value-added markets.

▋ 2026 Product Matrix

Samsung’s 2026 TV product line has been released at CES 2026, covering four major technical routes: QD-OLED, Micro RGB, Neo QLED, and Lifestyle Art TV.

Compared with 2025, Samsung's overall technology layout has not changed much, but it is gradually tilting towards Mini LED technology.

In terms of Micro RGB, there are only two sizes of 100 and 115 in 2025, and 55-139 inches will be laid out in 2026 and positioned as flagship models.

In terms of Neo QLED, entry-level models have been added, starting at 2,499 yuan, eliminating quantum dots and simplifying configurations. While focusing on cost-effectiveness, it also makes product stratification more obvious.

In terms of QD-OLED, the main change lies in the technological upgrade, using the fifth-generation QD-OLED + Penta-Tandem five-layer stack structure to further improve the brightness and hour-lasting effect of the product.

It can be seen that in terms of product positioning, Samsung’s high-end product prices have been maintained. The prices of Neo QLED 2026 and 2025 are exactly the same, and profits have been maintained. The price of entry-level products has been greatly reduced, the M series has been added, and the price of Samsung Mini LED has dropped to 2,500 yuan for the first time.

▋ Competition between international giants and Chinese brands

The second news is that Samsung plans to close its Slovakia factory in May. One of the reasons is to transfer European production capacity to factories in Poland and Hungary to reduce manufacturing costs and improve efficiency.

Behind this is the dilemma faced by Samsung - sluggish global TV demand and the impact of low prices of Chinese brands. Reflected in the financial report, Samsung VD's operating profits have continued to decline. In 2024, Samsung VD achieved a profit of over 10 trillion won. Starting from Q3 of 2025, Samsung VD began to suffer losses, with a loss of approximately 200 billion won in 2025.

On the other hand, TCL Electronics’ TV business revenue increased by 8% year-on-year, and Hisense Video revenue increased by 7% simultaneously. Under the strategy of increasing Mini LED volume, large-screen, globalization and mid-to-high-end, the market share of Chinese brands has gradually increased.

Compared with Chinese brands, Samsung has a stable brand and channel TV in the core regions of Europe and the United States. In North America, Western Europe and other regions, Samsung’s share exceeds 40%; however, due to outsourcing of Samsung’s supply chain, it is difficult to achieve high cost performance in the mid-to-low-end market.

TCL has a full industry chain + scale advantages and can promote rapid product iteration. The current challenge lies in insufficient accumulation in the high-end market. Once the equity transfer between Sony and TCL Electronics is completed, it is expected to further expand its influence in the European and American markets.

Hisense focuses on deep technological development and differentiation, promoting the development of RGB-Mini LED TVs and empowering sports marketing. Under the globalization route, it also accelerates its layout and achieves rapid development in markets such as Japan.

In the face of market competition, Samsung still chooses to continue to stabilize the mid-to-high-end market, prioritize profits, reconstruct the product matrix, shrink inefficient production capacity, and focus on high value-added markets.

Experts say that Research believes that the current global TV market has entered a pattern in which China and South Korea are competing for hegemony, and Japanese brands have almost completely withdrawn. On one side is Samsung, which insists on high-end, shrinks production capacity, and strives to maintain its profit and share throne; The three major brands are competing head-on in terms of shipment scale, technical routes, high-end processes, and global channels. The industry structure has rapidly shifted from one dominant player in the past to multiple powers competing for hegemony. Samsung's global number one position is facing unprecedented pressure, and the rise of Chinese brands has become an irreversible industry trend.