Katarzyna Petru
TCL CSOT has presented one of the most impressive displays ever shown in the AR segment. It is a miniature micro-LED panel with a diagonal of just 0.28 inches, offering a resolution of 1280×720, an absurd 5131 ppi, and a claimed brightness of 500,000 nits. Yes — half a million nits.
This screen is not for Vision Pro or Galaxy XR goggles, but for AR glasses that are much closer to the eye and require extreme pixel density to avoid any visible grid.
Micro-LED instead of weak LCoS? Finally a real alternative
The market for lightweight glasses displaying content is still waiting for a true breakthrough. Meta Ray-Ban Display uses outdated LCoS 600×600 panels, which look simply mediocre — and that's putting it mildly. TCL micro-LED is a completely different league. If this technology goes into production, it could pave the way for the first true AR glasses, rather than just accessories with a simple HUD.
What about the premiere? TCL responds, but does not reveal dates
FlatpanelsHD asked TCL CSOT about timelines and competitiveness against micro-OLED. One of the key people in the company responded — Ming-Jong Jou, head of the Technology Planning Center. Here is a translation of his statement:
“To support ultra-high resolution in AR/VR, TCL CSOT has developed the world’s highest resolution single-chip, full-colour Si-Micro LED display (0.28”). With a resolution of 1280×720 and a density of 5131 PPI, it provides an incredibly detailed and realistic image, practically eliminating visible pixels.”
“The self-emissive display offers high brightness, high contrast, and wide colour coverage, delivering ‘retina-grade’ experiences in near-eye applications such as AR glasses and ultra-light VR devices. Combined with miniaturisation, ultra-high resolution, and low power consumption, it sets a new standard for future lightweight and efficient displays.”
Sounds great, but… for now, no declaration on when. TCL also does not specify when micro-LED may compete on price with micro-OLED.
What does this mean for the industry?
If TCL actually brings micro-LED technology to mass production:
light AR glasses will cease to be a fantasy,
the brightness and efficiency of micro-LED could far surpass micro-OLED by light years,
XR manufacturers will enter a new race—not just for content, but also for image quality,
Vision Pro and Galaxy XR may eventually receive a completely new type of displays.
For now, this is a demo, but a demo that shows the future of AR will be bright—literally.
