OLED SE: THE CHEAPEST OLEDs IN HISTORY ARE COMING

The era of luxurious, yet prohibitively expensive OLED televisions is coming to an end. According to the FlatpanelsHD website, the year 2026 will bring a true breakthrough in the availability of this technology. LG Display is introducing OLED SE (Special Edition) panels to the market – a solution that is set to ultimately dethrone miniLED LCD technology in the mid-range price segment.

What will OLED SE be?

OLED SE is the result of a new strategy by LG Display aimed at bringing organic technology into the mainstream. This panel is positioned in the offering below the advanced OLED EX constructions and the flagship Tandem WOLED. The key to success is expected to be cost optimisation in production, which will allow for direct competition with LCD televisions in similar price ranges.

The most significant technological change is the removal of the polariser layer – a costly component that has previously been standard. It has been replaced with a new reflective film. Although the absence of a polariser means a higher level of reflections (4.4% compared to 0.3% in top models of Tandem WOLED), this solution allows for freer light transmission. As a result, OLED SE panels achieve a peak brightness of 1000 nits.

Unlike earlier budget attempts (such as the LG A series with 60Hz refresh rates), OLED SE supports a full 120Hz. Although the coverage of the DCI-P3 colour palette has been slightly reduced to 95%, LG Display assures that the key advantages of the technology remain intact: perfect black and instantaneous response time.

The mass production of OLED SE panels in sizes 48, 55, 65, 77, and 83 inches will begin in February 2026. Although LG Display has not provided an official list of partners, industry leaks (including reports from Daily Korea) suggest that the new technology will debut in televisions such as the LG B6, Philips from the series 7, and Samsung S85H (or another model from the S8 series). Interestingly, according to these leaks, Samsung plans to increase orders for panels from LG by 30%, focusing specifically on versions without a polariser.

Source: FlatpanelsHD: "Cheaper OLED SE panels to debut in 2026 TVs up to 83”, Daily Korea