OLED TV technology has progressed tremendously over the past decade to deliver the most stunning high definition images possible. Self-illuminating pixels allow for both perfect blacks and vibrant colors. Now Samsung and LG are pushing OLED panels even further with new innovations that boost brightness, color and sharpness.
LG‘s latest 2023 C3 model features their new "OLED evo" panel architecture for better brightness thanks to deuterium compounds in organic layers. Samsung‘s debut QD-OLED TVs from 2022 utilize quantum dot nanocrystals to achieve wider color gamuts and intensity enhancements.
I break down how these two flagship OLED TVs compare on paper and real-world performance. Which brings the best mixture of cutting edge display tech and smart connectivity for various buyer needs and room setups?
OLED History and Technology Summary
OLED stands for organic light emitting diode. Rather than requiring a backlight like traditional LCDs, OLED pixels directly emit their own colored light. This enables unprecedented local dimming – the ability to turn off individual pixels completely to produce truly infinite contrast ratios between bright and dark areas of the image. Removing the backlight also allows for ultra thin panels.
OLED‘s self-illuminating pixels also provide the most accurate colors possible, achieving 100% of cinema standards like DCI-P3 with ease. Their response time is lighting quick, reducing motion blur. Viewing angles are also unaffected by color shifting issues that LED/LCD panels still exhibit.
Peak Brightness and Remaining OLED Challenges
Early OLED televisions were held back most notably by peak brightness caps, making highlights less impactful especially in brighter viewing environments. Manufacturing larger screen sizes consistently has also plagued yield rates. Costs remained challenging as well for the complex panels.
Recent generations have tackled brightness in particular…
| OLED Generation | Peak 2% Window Brightness |
|---|---|
| Early (2016-2018) | ~650 nits |
| 2019-2021 | ~850 nits |
| 2022 LG G2 evo | ~900 nits |
| 2023 LG C3 evo | ~800 nits |
| 2022 Samsung S95B QD-OLED | ~1050 nits |
LG‘s C-Series incorporates the newest "OLED evo" design learnings for up to 30% boost over their past base models, closing the gap with Samsung‘s QD-OLED technology…
Samsung QD-OLED Breakthrough
The Samsung S95B line represents a major breakthrough – the first ever quantum dot OLED TV. It combines the precision self-illuminating pixels of OLED with a quantum dot layer. Quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductor particles that can be tuned to emit extremely narrowband colored light unmatched by filters alone.
By directly enhancing red and green spectra, quantum dots extend OLED‘s color volume by over 15% for deeper more saturated imagery. Their efficiency also enhances brightness potential substantially, allowing the S95B to hit over 1000 nits peak in lab tests.
Between brightness, accuracy and color improvements, Samsung‘s QD-OLED tech enables images more striking than OLEDs before it. But what about LG‘s latest OLED evo panels found in the C3?
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