Somehow, Samsung Might Make QD-OLED Displays Even Higher

What’s higher than 4? Five, after all, for those who’re Samsung. The Korean tech large is creating new show know-how which will additional improve the fantastic thing about QD-OLED shows. Samsung is promoting its “Penta-Tandem” know-how, which will probably be out there in TVs and screens you possibly can really purchase in 2026. If you’re confused about what meaning, simply know that we may see extra OLEDs with the identical deep blacks however with even higher brightness and effectivity.

Typical natural light-emitting diode shows use a layer of self-emissive natural polymers that may show purple, inexperienced, and blue gentle. These display screen varieties sometimes provide wonderful distinction, because of extraordinarily darkish ranges that distinction with the wealthy colours on-screen. Today’s high-end TVs and screens are typically enhanced with an additional quantum dot layer—the QD in QD-OLED. It’s made up of extraordinarily tiny semiconductor nanocrystals that react to gentle emitted from the OLED diodes, enhancing colours and the general image high quality. Previous Samsung screens have been already categorized as tandem OLED, that means a number of diode layers are stacked to reinforce brightness.

With all that in thoughts, we will perceive what Samsung’s touted “Penta-Tandem” really means in context. Samsung’s earlier screens used a four-layer stack of blue light-emitting layers. Now, it’s utilizing 5. So why does that matter? Samsung claims it permits them to attain increased resolutions as much as 4K with out sacrificing pixel density. Samsung claims it might hit 160 PPI (pixels per inch) on the 27-inch QD-OLED Odyssey monitor launched final yr, doubtless referring to the G81SF 240Hz gaming monitor. Samsung claims Penta-Tandem know-how extends the display screen’s lifespan by enhancing effectivity by means of stacked OLED layers.

Samsung could also be making a brand new Odyssey G9 QD-OLED ultrawide

Is this simply one other branding stunt for Samsung? Yes and no. The know-how is probably not new, however the result’s that much more screens will characteristic the Penta-Tandem sticker in 2026. Essentially, we’ll have much more screens with excessive pixel density in 2026, capable of obtain a forty five,000-nit peak brightness on TVs and 1,300 nits on screens. Samsung claims its new 31.5-inch 4K penta-tandem monitor meets the VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, which suggests it might obtain very low black brightness and at the very least 500 nits of peak luminance.

What’s extra, Samsung guarantees a large 49-inch curved ultrawide with a acknowledged decision of 5120×1440, set to enter mass manufacturing this yr. Based on this decision, we could also be in retailer for a brand new model of the fabled G9 monitor—virtually the king of gaming screens for ultrawide nerds. That’s one more Samsung monitor to look ahead to, alongside the 6K Odyssey 3D, which is a brand new model of the corporate’s odd, although compelling, Odyssey 3D from 2025.

I far desire increased pixel density and brightness with new screens to the increasing glut of shows boasting increased refresh charges. At CES 2026, LG pushed a brand new tandem OLED dual-mode monitor with a max 720Hz refresh fee. I’m extra all in favour of shows that deal with QD-OLED’s ache factors, akin to lower-than-typical brightness. Asus ROG is coming in 2026 with a Swift Tandem OLED that makes use of a further black movie layer to stop ambient gentle from turning the display screen purple. And for those who have been questioning about OLEDs’ burn-in potential, a number of long-term exams present it’s not an enormous deal, supplied you maintain your display screen. OLED is already in its stride, however 2026 could also be a landmark yr for this panel kind.