Tomasz Wadowski
Large format, big ambitions and even bigger questions. Samsung has commenced test production of a new television with a diagonal of as much as 115 inches, which it describes as RGB MicroLED. It sounds impressive, but the matter is not as straightforward as the name suggests.
What will RGB MICRO LED be?
According to information provided by The Elec, the largest version has been launched first – a powerful screen that will not fit in a typical flat. However, it should be remembered that this is not a classic MicroLED, known for its astronomical prices and self-emissive pixels. Samsung's new model is actually Mini LED with RGB backlighting – meaning it is still LCD, but with a more advanced diode system. Instead of white LEDs, red, green and blue ones have been used, which allows for purer colours and higher brightness without the need for filters or quantum dots (at least in theory).
Therefore, it is not yet a competitor to OLEDs or a full-fledged MicroLED, but a definite step towards improving the quality of backlighting in large LCD televisions. It is no coincidence that this technology can also be found in upcoming models from Hisense and TCL – these manufacturers are also turning to RGB Mini LED in their top variants, and next year Sony is expected to join this group as well.
During the CES 2025 trade show, this model was presented very briefly, but the editor HDTVTest, Vincent Teoh, had the opportunity to see it live. The video shows that visually the television makes an impression. Although, for now, it is unknown what the final picture quality will look like. (4:05 in the video)
How much will it cost?
The price remains equally uncertain. Samsung emphasises that the new RGB MicroLEDs will be cheaper than true MicroLEDs, but it's still hard to talk about models "for everyone". For comparison: Hisense recently announced that their 116-inch model with similar technology will cost around 12,000 euros in China. That's still a lot, but significantly less than the current 76-inch MicroLEDs from Samsung priced at 80,000 euros.
Samsung's new direction is an attempt to find a golden mean – to improve quality without ramping up costs. The line between genuine innovation and clever rebranding is beginning to blur. Will RGB Mini LED gain a new identity as "almost-MicroLED"? We will likely find out in the coming months – hopefully sooner than the prices of genuine MicroLEDs drop as anticipated by 90%.
Source: The Elec, HDTVTest
