Samsung Display has unveiled 2024 QD-OLED, claiming it can achieve up to 3000 nits peak and 300 nits full-screen. TV sizes remain unchanged, but there are new monitor sizes.

First introduced in 2022 and enhanced in 2023, QD-OLED improves further in 2024 with a 3rd generation panel. According to Samsung Display, the new panel delivers higher overall and peak brightness, a larger color volume, improved durability (2x for TVs, 1.5x for monitors) for a longer life, reduced color fringing, better panel uniformity, and higher pixel density (for monitors).

During a CES 2024 pre-briefing, Chirag Shah, Senior Director of Marketing Business Development at Samsung Display, informed FlatpanelsHD that these advancements are mainly attributed to two breakthroughs, referred to as 'Quantum Enhancer' and 'Pico-inkjet Process'.


 Advancements in QD-OLED since the launch in 2022. Slide: Samsung Display

Brighter, better colors
The Quantum Enhancer, which Samsung Display calls the "soul of QD-OLED", is the upgraded driving logic of the TCON (display timing controller) that controls millions of self-emissive pixels within the 2024 QD-OLED TV panel.

This is what allows the 2024 QD-OLED TV panel to reach 300 nits in full-screen and up to 3000 nits peak in a 3% window with the same power consumption as the 2023 panel, claims Samsung Display. The monitor panel retains a peak brightness of 1000 nits.

Here, we must emphasize that Samsung Display is the panel manufacturer who supplies panels to Samsung Electronics, Sony Electronics, and various monitor brands. You may recall that last year, Samsung Display quoted 2000 nits peak for the 2023 QD-OLED panel, but it did not reach quite those heights in the consumer TVs released by Samsung (review) and Sony (review). Therefore, it is advisable to approach these figures as best-case scenarios, with real-life performance subject to the tuning choices made by individual TV makers.

Because QD-OLED is true RGB, with blue OLED plus red and green QD sub-pixel converters (without a white booster pixel like LG Display's WOLED), the higher brightness is a result of increased RGB brightness. In other words, color volume is significantly larger for saturated colors at even higher luminance levels.

And QD-OLED can look even brighter than its numerical specification as compared to LG Display's WOLED due to brightness being made up exclusively of red, green and blue, argued Chirag Shah. It is a scientifically backed concept that Samsung Display has dubbed 'Experienced Color Range' (XCR), which FlatpanelsHD covered last year. He likened it to the difference between actual temperature and the "feels like" temperature commonly used in weather forecasts.


Same TV sizes, new monitor sizes
Samsung Display is not introducing new TV sizes for QD-OLED this year, which is a little disappointing considering WOLED's wider range. So we are still on 55", 65" and 77" in 2024.

Chirag Shah told FlatpanelsHD that the decision has to do with Samsung Display's wish to prioritize and expand the monitor line-up this year after having focused on TVs last year. He indicated that we will get additional QD-OLED TV sizes in 2025.

We are, however, getting new monitor sizes, which is not at all surprising as Samsung Electronics and other brands have already announced 32" and 27" QD-OLED monitors, the latter with 360Hz for the first time, and now in both flat and curved versions.

 Also read: Samsung announces 2024 QD-OLED monitors in 27-49" with up to 360Hz

This is made possible by the advancement that what Samsung Display refers to as its 'Pico-inkjet Process' which can deposit the QD ink more precisely, enabling an increase in pixel density from 110ppi last year to 140ppi this year, and as such 4K resolution in a 32" panel.

While the higher pixel density also enables Samsung Display to manufacture 8K QD-OLED TV panels, Shah said that there are no immediate plans to do so in 2024, owing to the current market situation.


 QD-OLED advances in 2024 but without new TV sizes. Slide: Samsung Display

QD-OLED challenges
The pixel structure in the 2024 QD-OLED panel maintains its triangular design, a choice introduced in 2022 that sparked some controversy as it can cause color fringing around text and certain objects in the image.

Chirag Shah explained that efforts were made in 2023 to refine the pixel structure and minimize the color fringing effect. In 2024, the refinement continues with "sharper edges". Shah asserted that this brings QD-OLED very close to graphics and video editing applications, but all QD-OLED monitors are nevertheless still marketed as gaming monitors.

Asked about QD-OLED in IT devices such as laptops, tablets, or even smartphones, Shah shot down the suggestion, explaining that Samsung Display's AMOLED (RGB OLED) is better suited for smaller screen sizes due to AMOLED's higher pixel density as well as QD-OLED production limitations in inkjet printing of the QD layer, despite the advancement this year. Conversely, AMOLED is challenging to produce in larger screen sizes. As a result, QD-OLED is, for now, intended only for 27" and above.

And then there is the dark cloud hanging over OLED; the risk of burn-in. Shah asserted that Samsung Display has already made significant progress in the area and that the risk is further reduced in 2024 as a result of the Quantum Enhancer driving algorithm that can now more accurately predict temperature and compensate accordingly, leading to an increase in durability of 2x for the 2024 TV panel and 1.5x for the 2024 monitor panel compared to last year's panels.

Advancements in QD-OLED continue at an impressive rate, putting LG Display on its toes with (W)OLED – rivalry that benefits consumers. FlatpanelsHD is excited to get our hands on the consumer TVs and even if we do not expect them to hit 3000 nits in calibrated HDR mode, we expect 2024 QD-OLED to be a good upgrade overall.