Samsung Thursday announced in the U.S. its new 8500 HDTVs with a dynamic contrast ratio of 7,000,000:1. The new 46 and 56-inch models feature local-dimmer LED backlighting. Samsung said that their new LED technology delivers a more uniform illumination across the full width of the frame, and improves black levels, contrast and color saturation.

Samsung 8500-series LED HDTV

The 8500 also features an integrated color enhancer, a 240Hz refresh rate and an ultra clear panel that ensures consistent clarity irrespective of external lighting conditions. In addition, the Yahoo Widget Engine offers on-screen access to web-based content from various sites, including Yahoo, Flickr, Twitter and YouTube.

The 8500-series sets will be available in August, with the 46.9-inch priced at $3,599.99 and the 54.6-inch model at $4,499.99.