HardwareGaming MonitorsIn the weirdest pitch for a buddy movie this year Samsung and LG are getting together to stop China taking over the OLED panel marketWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
HardwareGaming MonitorsIn the weirdest pitch for a buddy movie this year Samsung and LG are getting together to stop China taking over the OLED panel marketWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future)
The UK’s venerable financial pink paper, the Financial Times, reckons that Samsung and LG have decided to stop fighting each other for OLED display dominance and work together. The reason for this unlikely outbreak of fraternal cooperation? The looming threat from China.
Exactly what this all means for OLED panels in PC monitors is complicated. Hold that thought for a moment. TheFT points out [paywall]that China is already well on the way to forcing Samsung and LG out of the LCD display market. Apparently, Samsung closed its last LCD panel factory in China in 2021 while LG is said to be looking to sell its last LCD plant in the China.
So, what do we make of all this? There are reasons to worry, for sure. The FT claims that China’s strategy has been to massively subsidise its display industry, effectively making huge losses in the pursuit of market share. The idea is that once China owns the market, it can begin to crank pricing up to profitable levels.
That all implies the current display market is artificially skewed and that, eventually, screens could become more costly once China’s masterplan is achieved.
Then there’s the question of quality. China’s OLED panels offer nowhere near the performance of those from LG and Samsung, the FT says, but they are far, far cheaper. We can’t comment on that—all of the OLED monitors we have reviewed have been either LG or Samsung based. But in devices like smartphones, it’s easy to see how lower cost would help win market share.
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Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G9 G93SC has a second-gen QD-OLED panel.(Image credit: Future)
Anyway, the FT doesn’t provide any details on how Samsung and LG will work together on OLED tech. Currently, the two firms offer their own bespoke take on OLED, with Samsung’s QD-OLED panels having certain advantages and weaknesses and LG’s WOLED tech likewise.
Screen queens(Image credit: Future)Best gaming monitor: Pixel-perfect panels for your PC.Best high refresh rate monitor: Screaming quick.Best 4K monitor for gaming: When only high-res will do.Best 4K TV for gaming: Big-screen 4K gaming.
Screen queens
(Image credit: Future)Best gaming monitor: Pixel-perfect panels for your PC.Best high refresh rate monitor: Screaming quick.Best 4K monitor for gaming: When only high-res will do.Best 4K TV for gaming: Big-screen 4K gaming.
(Image credit: Future)
Best gaming monitor: Pixel-perfect panels for your PC.Best high refresh rate monitor: Screaming quick.Best 4K monitor for gaming: When only high-res will do.Best 4K TV for gaming: Big-screen 4K gaming.
So far, it’s felt like LG and Samsung have been pushing each other on to produce ever better OLED screens, to everyone’s benefit. Already, we’ve seen some decent advancements in OLED panel tech, with second-gen OLED PC monitors likeSamsung’s Odyssey OLED G9 G93SCand theAsus ROG Swift OLED PG34WCDMalready offering some clear improvements over first-gen models.
What happens to that dynamic if LG and Samsung are working together to cut costs in order to fend off cheap Chinese panels isn’t clear. You could argue it implies the focus will be less on quality and performance. And you might expect at least some technological convergence and therefore less choice and competition.
Then again, maybe the Chinese threat will focus South Korea’s efforts to make their OLED panels both better and cheaper and ensure that China doesn’t take over? Watch this space.
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