{"id":25322,"date":"2022-12-22T13:40:26","date_gmt":"2022-12-22T13:40:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/22\/is-a-qd-oled-monitor-worth-it\/"},"modified":"2022-12-22T13:40:26","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T13:40:26","slug":"is-a-qd-oled-monitor-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/22\/is-a-qd-oled-monitor-worth-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Is a QD-OLED Monitor Worth It?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Samsung Display<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A QD-OLED monitor may be worth it to the gamer who has to have it all. If you’re a regular user, someone on a budget, or a professional, QD-OLED won’t become a compelling choice for you until more models hit the market and the overall price drops.<\/p>\n

QD-OLED combines techniques first seen in QLED LCD panels with self-emissive OLED technology, improving on both for better colors and a brighter picture. Prices for QD-LED monitors at the time of writing exceed $1000, though, so should you consider buying one?<\/p>\n

What Is a QD-OLED Monitor?<\/h2>\n

A QD-OLED monitor is simply a computer monitor that uses a QD-OLED panel, rather than a competing technology. The \u201cQD\u201d in QD-OLED stands for \u201cQuantum Dots\u201d and \u201cOLED\u201d stands for \u201cOrganic Light Emitting Diode\u201d. QD-OLED is an evolution of existing OLED display technology which competes with standard LED-LCD<\/a>. QD-OLED is a Samsung Display technology with all QD-OLED panels produced by this manufacturer.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already covered the basics of QD-OLED technology<\/a> in detail, but the key difference over standard OLED is the addition of a QD layer that is responsible for color reproduction. This is the same layer of quantum dots that lends its name to QLED<\/a>, which uses a different underlying display technology that relies on a backlight.<\/p>\n

\"The
Samsung Display<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

OLED displays of all kinds use self-emissive display technology. That means that these displays have exceptional contrast ratio<\/a> since individual pixels can be switched off to reproduce near-perfect blacks. This is an important aspect of display quality, providing both standard OLED and newer QD-OLED displays with better perceived image quality in the right viewing conditions.<\/p>\n

QD-OLED first made its way into televisions in 2022 like the Samsung S95B<\/a>, but monitor manufacturers have been slow to adopt the technology. The risk of \u201cburn-in\u201d or permanent image retention, cost, and the size of most OLED panels (rarely under 42 or 48 inches) likely hasn\u2019t helped.<\/p>\n

How Does QD-OLED Improve on LCD or Regular OLED?<\/h2>\n

Compared to older LED-lit LCD monitors, QD-OLED monitors include all the benefits of an OLED display. Self-emissive pixels mean an unbeatable contrast ratio with no need for local dimming<\/a> algorithms that may introduce latency. OLED displays also have excellent response times<\/a>, consume less power, and usually offer thinner and lighter designs.<\/p>\n

\"The
Samsung Display<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The differences between standard OLED and QD-OLED are a little more subtle. Standard OLED, also known as WOLED, relies on an RGB sub-pixel layout where each pixel comprises smaller red, green, and blue sub-pixels. These are combined to create different colors. Most modern OLED panels also use a white subpixel for added brightness.<\/p>\n

A QD-OLED panel only outputs blue light at the pixel level. This is then passed through the QD layer, which converts blue light to color with no loss of energy in the process. The presence of a QD layer also means that QD-OLED panels can theoretically display more colors than standard WOLED panels.<\/p>\n

QD-OLED panels should also get brighter than old-fashioned WOLED since the blue light generated is converted with no energy lost. Standard OLED panels are less efficient when relying on the WRGB subpixel structure to create color, which results in a dimmer image.<\/p>\n

Which QD-OLED Monitors Are Available?<\/h2>\n

So far, Alienware (a division of Dell) is the only brand to have released QD-OLED to market. The first was the G-Sync Ultimate\u00a0AW3423DW<\/a> which retails for around $1,300. G-Sync Ultimate pairs well with an NVIDIA graphics card, enabling up to 175Hz with variable refresh rate<\/a> (VRR) and guaranteeing a peak brightness<\/a> of 1000 nits in HDR content.<\/p>\n

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Best Curved Gaming Monitor<\/p>\n

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Dell Alienware AW3423DW <\/h3>\n

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A stylish and well-built 34in curved display, that produces incredible colors, deep blacks, and bright HDR images. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\nAmazon<\/a><\/p>\n

$1226.38 \"\"
$1293.84<\/del> Save 5%<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

Alienware followed this up with the\u00a0AW3423DWF<\/a> which lacks G-Sync Ultimate in favor of AMD FreeSeync Premium Pro and VESA AdaptiveSync certification for $200 cheaper. The refresh rate<\/a> on the cheaper version has been revised down to 165Hz, but VRR works with NVIDIA, AMD, and even Intel graphics cards.<\/p>\n

Both monitors use an ultrawide 21:9 aspect ratio<\/a> with a resolution of 3440\u00d71440 and an 1800 curve. Both are aimed squarely at gamers, with the standard Alienware \u201cgamer aesthetic\u201d and glowing extraterrestrial logos to boot.<\/p>\n

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The Best Ultrawide Monitors of 2022 \"\"<\/a><\/h4>\n
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Best Ultrawide Monitor Overall<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

LG 38GN950-B<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n
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Best Budget Ultrawide Monitor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

AOC CU34G2X<\/h5>\n
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\nAmazon<\/a><\/p>\n

$339.99 \"\"
$399.99<\/del> Save 15%<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Best Curved Ultrawide Monitor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Samsung Odyssey Neo G9<\/h5>\n
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$1653.86 \"\"
$2299.99<\/del> Save 28%<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Best Ultrawide Gaming Monitor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

LG 34GP950G-B<\/h5>\n
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$846.99 \"\"
$1299.99<\/del> Save 35%<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Best Ultrawide Monitor For Productivity<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Dell UltraSharp U4021QW<\/h5>\n
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\nAmazon<\/a><\/p>\n

$1899.99
$2099.99<\/del> Save 10%<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Best 4K Ultrawide Monitor<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

LG 34WK95U-W<\/h5>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Even though the QD-OLED panels in these monitors are manufactured by Samsung Display, Samsung\u2019s consumer division is still yet to bring a product to market at the time of writing. If you\u2019re interested in QD-OLED but aren\u2019t ready to drop over $1000 on a 21:9 monitor, consider waiting a little longer to see what materializes.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, consider something like the 42-inch LG C2<\/a> if you\u2019re happy with a standard 4K WOLED display in a size should fit on a well-sized desk. It may not have the QD layer or additional brightness but now available for less than $1000 for the first time, has more screen real estate (in a 16:9 aspect ratio), and works great as a TV to boot.<\/p>\n

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OLED Alternative<\/p>\n

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LG 42-Inch Class OLED evo C2<\/h3>\n

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The 42-inch C2 is an affordable OLED at a perfect size for a monitor, supporting the latest variable refresh technologies for gaming, and offering all the benefits of OLED, as long as you have an HDMI 2.1 GPU!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\nAmazon<\/a><\/p>\n

$796.99 \"\"
$895.50<\/del> Save 11%<\/small><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n

If you have room for a 48-inch monitor,\u00a0LG\u2019s UltraGear OLED<\/a>\u00a0and the AORUS OLED<\/a> are other options.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Do You Need a High Refresh Rate Monitor for Office Work?<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

What About Burn-In?<\/h2>\n

QD-OLED may be more burn-in resistant, but only time will tell. The technology hasn\u2019t been on the market long enough to put this to the test.\u00a0On the plus side, manufacturers are familiar enough with the issue that burn-in mitigation measures are there from the start.\u00a0Websites like RTINGS have performed burn-in tests on older OLED models in the past<\/a> and are now in the process of testing newer models using similar methodology.<\/p>\n

This wasn\u2019t the case with standard OLED, and techniques to prevent image retention<\/a> like static logo dimming and pixel refreshers only made it into later revisions.\u00a0The threat of burn-in is likely one of the main reasons that OLED monitors haven\u2019t taken off in a big way yet.<\/p>\n

You can mitigate burn-in on a TV by avoiding static content. Most people display a range of content on their TVs including movies, sports, video games, YouTube, and so on. On a monitor, the same static elements are frequently on display. Things like your Windows taskbar<\/a>, the macOS dock, system tray or menu bar icons, the user interface of your browser, or any app you use a lot.<\/p>\n

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