The world of premium televisions is witnessing a seismic shift as RGB technology takes center stage, challenging the long-standing dominance of OLED displays. At the recent CES in Las Vegas, the largest consumer electronics show globally, manufacturers unveiled cutting-edge innovations that signal a new era in TV technology. The focus is now on microscopic red, green, and blue (RGB) LEDs, which promise to deliver unparalleled brightness and color purity.
RGB technology represents a significant departure from traditional white or blue backlighting and color filters. This advancement aims to overcome the peak brightness limitations of older, self-emissive displays like OLED, offering viewers a more vibrant and immersive experience.
Micro RGB and RGB Mini LED: The New Contenders
Among the latest innovations are two variants of RGB technology: micro RGB and RGB mini LED. Micro RGB, a refinement of LED technology, utilizes sub-100μm red, green, and blue LEDs to achieve exceptional brightness and precise color control. This technology is designed to combine the perfect blacks of OLED with the high brightness and longevity of inorganic LEDs.
Samsung’s unveiling of a massive 130-inch micro RGB TV at CES exemplifies this technology’s potential. Described as a “vast, immersive window,” it challenges traditional notions of what a television can be. Meanwhile, LG is focusing on micro RGB for the Australian market, bypassing the less distinctive mini RGB step.
In contrast, the RGB mini LED variant, championed by Chinese-owned Hisense, offers an elevated transmissive display. Hisense has introduced a fourth backlight color, ‘Sky Blue – Cyan,’ which expands the color spectrum and enhances precision. This innovation forms the foundation of their new flagship 116-inch UX TV series.
OLED: The Gold Standard Under Siege
For years, OLED has been revered as the gold standard for image fidelity, primarily due to its ability to produce perfect black levels. Each pixel in an OLED display is a self-illuminating element made of organic material, capable of being individually switched off. This results in an infinite contrast ratio, delivering stunning depth and realism.
However, OLED displays typically suffer from lower peak brightness compared to LED-based sets. They are also susceptible to permanent image retention or “burn-in” due to the degradation of organic materials. Manufacturers like LG are actively working to address these challenges with innovations such as ‘hyper radiant color technology,’ which increases luminance up to 3.9 times brighter than conventional OLEDs.
Mini LED and QLED: Bridging the Gap
Mini LED technology represents an evolution of traditional LCD displays, using thousands of tiny LEDs for backlighting. These LEDs are grouped into numerous local dimming zones, offering superior black control and significantly reducing light spill or ‘blooming’ compared to standard LEDs. This technology excels in delivering vibrant high dynamic range content with very high peak brightness.
QLED, or quantum dot LED, is Samsung’s branding for an LED-backlit LCD panel that incorporates a layer of quantum dots. These microscopic crystals produce highly pure and vibrant colors when illuminated by the LED backlight. Known for their excellent color volume and high peak brightness, QLEDs, like all transmissive technologies, cannot achieve the perfect black levels of self-emissive displays like OLED or micro RGB.
The AI Battleground: The Future of Smart TVs
The integration of artificial intelligence processors and platforms is emerging as the true battleground for the future of television. AI is transforming TVs from passive viewing devices into highly personalized, intelligent hubs. AI processors enhance picture quality by upscaling older content to 4K/8K and performing simultaneous image processing.
Generative AI platforms, such as Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot, are being integrated to enhance content search capabilities and provide interactive experiences. AI sound controllers offer customized audio experiences, allowing viewers to mute commentators while preserving crowd noise during sports events, or vice versa.
The Bottom Line: A New Era in Television Technology
While OLED continues to reign supreme in terms of contrast, the massive investment and innovation in RGB technologies mark them as the most aggressive contenders in the quest for the ultimate combination of contrast, color purity, and extreme brightness. As manufacturers push the boundaries of what televisions can achieve, consumers stand to benefit from an unprecedented viewing experience.
The author attended CES in Las Vegas with support from Samsung, LG, and Hisense.
