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OLED TV Panel Costs Are Plummeting and It Could Upend the Premium TV Market
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.
News
TCL Launches 5G Mobile WiFi P50 and WiFi Router BE36 at CES 2026
TCL is done waiting for the future of connectivity; it just launched it. At CES 2026, the company unveiled the 5G Mobile WiFi P50 and WiFi Router BE36, two devices designed to cover the entire spectrum of modern connectivity needs, from your backyard to your basement office.
The TCL 5G Mobile WiFi P50 is more than a pocketable hotspot. It’s the first 5G mmWave mobile router that also supports both fast charging and wireless charging. It packs a 5000mAh battery for up to 12 hours of portable use, doubles as a power bank, and features a 2.4-inch touchscreen for live network stats. On the connectivity side, it delivers up to 3.97Gbps via full-spectrum 5G (mmWave + Sub-6), and tri-band Wi-Fi 7 speeds topping 5.8Gbps for up to 64 devices. There’s even a Gigabit Ethernet port for times when wireless just won’t cut it.
While the P50 is built for mobility, the TCL WiFi Router BE36 is focused on home performance. It offers 3.6Gbps Wi-Fi 7 across dual bands, supports up to 512 device connections, and leverages 3T3R (2ss) antenna tech to boost range. It’s EasyMesh R6 compatible too, meaning you can deploy multiple units to blanket large homes in a seamless, zero dead-zone network.
Security hasn’t been left behind either. The BE36 includes firewall-level protection with malware filters, brute-force attack detection, and smart-home security baked in. There’s even a built-in VPN suite and a dedicated gaming acceleration mode. Rounding it off is a 2.5GE port for serious wired performance.
In related news, TCL also unveiled the RayNeo Air 4 Pro, billed as the world’s first HDR10-enabled AR glasses, alongside the NxtPaper 70 Pro tablet with a dedicated eye-care display and stylus support at CES 2026.
News
TCL Unveils World’s First HDR10 AR Glasses: RayNeo Air 4 Pro at CES 2026
TCL’s RayNeo has introduced the RayNeo Air 4 Pro AR glasses at CES 2026. The device is the world’s first AR glasses to support HDR10, aiming to deliver a cinema-like viewing experience in a lightweight wearable form.
RayNeo originally launched the Air 4 Pro in China last year. The company is now taking the product global, positioning it as a new category of “head-mounted TV.” The glasses feature a 201-inch virtual display at a 6-meter distance and weigh just 76 grams. They connect to USB-C display output devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, and gaming consoles such as the Nintendo Switch 2.
The Air 4 Pro is powered by the custom Vision 4000 chip. The processor enables real-time video enhancements, including upscaling SDR content to HDR and converting 2D video into 3D. The glasses support HDR10 for richer contrast and more vibrant color reproduction.
For audio, RayNeo collaborated with Bang & Olufsen to design a four-speaker system. The glasses use directional sound tubes to provide immersive audio while minimizing sound leakage. The sound system has been fine-tuned by B&O’s audio engineering team.
The design focuses on comfort and portability. Adjustable nose pads and a balanced frame allow for extended use. The lightweight build makes it suitable for travel and on-the-go entertainment.
RayNeo plans to launch the Air 4 Pro globally on January 25 for $299. The price undercuts many other AR glasses in the market, making it one of the most affordable options in its class.
If you are planning to buy an AR headset right now, the Air 3s Pro is also worth considering, as it is currently on sale for $249.
News
TCL NxtPaper 70 Pro unveiled with dedicated eye-care display and stylus support
TCL has unveiled the NxtPaper 70 Pro at CES 2026. The new smartphone expands the company’s NxtPaper lineup with upgraded display technology and built-in AI features aimed at reading, writing, and eye comfort.
TCL NxtPaper 70 Pro Specifications
The phone introduces NxtPaper 4.0 and includes a physical “NxtPaper Key” that switches between three screen modes: Color Paper Mode, Ink Paper Mode, and Max Ink Mode. The Max Ink Mode transforms the screen into a monochrome interface for focused reading. TCL claims it can deliver up to seven days of reading time and up to 26 days on standby. The mode includes a built-in library and AI tools such as AI Outline, Q&A, Audiobook, and Podcast.
The phone uses a 6.78-inch display with nano-matrix lithography and adaptive tuning to reduce glare and reflections. The screen is certified by TÜV and SGS and supports seven eye-care features, including blue light purification down to 3.41%, flicker-free DC dimming, and dim-light protection. It can drop brightness to as low as 1 nit for bedtime use and uses Circular Polarised Light for color accuracy with Delta E below 1.
The NxtPaper 70 Pro runs on the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor with up to 8GB physical RAM and 16GB virtual RAM. It supports up to 512GB of storage. TCL equips the device with a 50MP rear camera with OIS and a 32MP front camera. The MuseFilm imaging system supports night mode, motion capture, and CCD-style film filters.
AI features include Smart Interpreter, voice memo transcription, and support for Google Gemini. TCL also supports stylus input through the T-Pen and offers AI handwriting tools. The phone has a 5,200mAh battery with 33W fast charging and carries an IP68 rating.
Pricing and Availability
TCL will launch the NxtPaper 70 Pro in February. Prices start at €339 for the 256GB model and €389 for the 512GB version. The phone will be available in Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East.
In related news, TCL launched the X11L SQD Mini LED TV series at CES 2026, highlighting up to 10,000 nits of peak brightness and Gemini AI features. The company also introduced the TCL Note A1 NxtPaper e-note tablet with an 11.5-inch 120Hz color display and stylus support.