OLED SE: THE CHEAPEST OLEDs IN HISTORY ARE COMING

The era of luxurious but prohibitively expensive OLED televisions is coming to an end. As reported by FlatpanelsHD, the year 2026 will bring a true breakthrough in the availability of this technology. LG Display is introducing OLED SE (Special Edition) panels into the game – a solution that is expected 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 designs and the flagship Tandem WOLED. The key to success will be the optimization of production costs, which will allow for direct competition with LCD TVs in similar price ranges.

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

Unlike earlier budget attempts (like the LG A series with 60Hz refresh rate), OLED SE supports full 120Hz. Although the coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut 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 start in February 2026. Although LG Display does not provide an official list of partners, industry leaks (including reports from Daily Korea) indicate that the new technology will debut in TVs such as the LG B6, Philips from 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 variants without a polarizer.

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