The economics of OLED TV manufacturing are shifting fast. According to a new report from South Korea’s The Chosun Ilbo, the production cost of large OLED panels, like the 65-inch variety powering premium living room setups, has halved over the past five years. In 2020, LG Display reportedly spent close to $1,000 per panel. That figure is now on track to fall below $500 by the end of 2025.

That is not just a financial footnote. It is a warning shot to RGB Mini LED, the latest LCD-based tech trying to rival OLED on contrast and brightness. It also signals a potentially massive change in how high-end TVs are priced, marketed, and adopted in the next wave of living room upgrades.

OLED’s Price Collapse Isn’t Random

This steep drop is no accident. LG Display, the dominant supplier of large OLED TV panels, is systematically reworking its DDI (display driver IC) architecture to improve output efficiency. While material costs and scale improvements play their role, the bigger shift is that OLED is no longer the exotic, high-cost panel it was when LG introduced its first OLED TVs over a decade ago.

What we are seeing is the tech maturing at scale. Production bottlenecks, yields, and backend integration have reached a point of steady optimization. In short, OLED’s premium tax is eroding.

Cheaper Panels, Cheaper TVs

Lower upstream costs mean downstream brands, whether it is LG Electronics, Sony, or even budget disruptors like TCL, have more room to play with pricing. With OLED panels now at a much more palatable cost base, brands can aggressively push mid-premium and even upper mid-range OLED models without bleeding margin.

This accelerates the trickle-down of OLED tech into living rooms that would have otherwise defaulted to high-end LCD or QLED. We are talking about mainstream 65-inch TVs that look like flagship models from just two or three years ago, but without the eye-watering price.

RGB Mini LED Has Work to Do

On the other side of the fence, RGB Mini LED is still finding its rhythm. While it delivers stunning brightness and refined backlight control, it remains a newer technology with more complex manufacturing and quality control overhead. Component tuning, consistency in dimming zones, and supply chain optimization are still very much in progress.

This does not mean Mini LED is falling behind. It still outperforms OLED in raw brightness and is often a better pick in bright-room environments. But the value calculus is shifting fast. OLED now has momentum, scale, and price on its side.

The Takeaway

For years, OLED held the crown for picture quality, but its price kept it out of reach for most buyers. That is changing quickly. By 2026, OLED may no longer be the premium pick. It may become the default choice. Unless RGB Mini LED can compress its cost curve at a similar pace, OLED’s renaissance could turn into total dominance.

In related news, LG Display CEO Jeong Cheol-dong also said LCD panels need 1.5 million dimming zones to match OLED, highlighting OLED’s superior contrast and precision. He added that LG is cautiously evaluating new OLED lines while investing in Micro LED and other next-gen display technologies.

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TCL has entered the U.S. gaming monitor market with the launch of its new G64 Series, marking a significant expansion for one of the world’s top-selling consumer electronics brands. The company also announced it is now the official gaming monitor partner for Call of Duty, alongside its existing roles as the TV and soundbar sponsor.

The partnership debuted during the Call of Duty: Next showcase event, where TCL displayed its new monitors ahead of the Black Ops 7 Beta. The monitors were featured during the livestream, and fans had a chance to win them during TCL’s “Power Hour” segment.

TCL introduced two models in the G64 Series: the 27-inch 27G64 and the 32-inch 32G64. Both monitors use TCL’s QD-Mini LED display technology, which combines Quantum Dot and Mini LED backlighting. The displays support QHD resolution (2560×1440), a 180Hz native refresh rate, and 1ms GTG response time. Each monitor also supports AMD FreeSync and is G-Sync compatible for smooth, tear-free gaming.

The 27G64 includes 180 local dimming zones and covers 97% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The 32G64 increases the dimming zones to 336 and includes built-in stereo speakers. Both models feature DisplayHDR 600 certification, a peak brightness of 600 nits, and TCL’s proprietary Precise Dimming and Halo Control technologies to reduce blooming and improve contrast in dark scenes.

TCL also focused on color accuracy and consistency. Both monitors support 10-bit color (via 8-bit+FRC), factory tuning with ΔE<2, Demura pixel-level uniformity tuning, and professional color modes including DCI-P3, sRGB, and Adobe RGB. These features are designed for both gamers and content creators.

TCL equipped the monitors with ergonomic stands offering tilt, swivel, height, and pivot adjustments. Both models received TÜV Rheinland certifications for low blue light and flicker-free operation to reduce eye strain during long gaming sessions.

TCL has priced the 32-inch 32G64 QD-Mini LED Monitor at $649.00 in the U.S., but it is currently available at Walmart for $449.99. The company has not yet confirmed pricing for the 27-inch 27G64 model.

In related news, LG Display claims LCDs need 1.5 million dimming zones to rival OLED quality, while TCL’s printed OLED tech positions it strongly for the AI era.

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LG Display CEO and president Jeong Cheol-dong said that current LCD technology is still far from matching OLED in picture quality. He made the remarks during an event held in Seoul on September 26, according to South Korean outlet The Elec.

Jeong explained that the most advanced mass-produced LCD technology today is RGB Mini LED. This type of display can support local dimming with tens of thousands of zones. However, he stated that to reach OLED-level picture quality, LCD panels would need at least 1.5 million dimming zones, about 100 times more than the current standard.

OLED panels deliver superior contrast and precise lighting control because each pixel can emit light independently. LCD panels rely on backlighting and require increasingly complex dimming techniques to approach the same level of performance. Jeong’s estimate reflects the technical limitations that continue to separate the two display technologies.

Jeong also spoke about LG Display’s plans for OLED manufacturing. He said the company is still evaluating whether to build a G8.6 OLED production line. Other companies, including Samsung Display, BOE, TCL CSOT, and Visionox, have already announced or started construction on similar facilities. LG Display appears to be taking a more cautious approach.

In addition to OLED, LG Display is investing in the development of Micro LED and other next-generation display technologies. Jeong noted that some of these technologies are already close to reaching commercialization and mass production stages.

His comments suggest that while LCD continues to evolve, OLED remains the benchmark for high-end visual performance. The industry is also preparing for a possible transition to Micro LED, which promises even greater brightness, durability, and modular design, though it still faces manufacturing challenges.

In related news, TCL CSOT is confirmed as the exclusive supplier of both displays for the Xiaomi 17 Pro and Pro Max, while TCL also introduced the Tab 8 NxtPaper 5G tablet with an eye-friendly display and Android 15, priced at $199.

(Via)