Katarzyna Petru
TCL CSOT 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 declared brightness of 500,000 nits. Yes — half a million nits.
This screen is not for Vision Pro or Galaxy XR class goggles, but for AR glasses, which are located 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 Meta Ray-Ban Display uses outdated LCoS 600×600 panels that look simply mediocre — and that’s putting it mildly. TCL micro-LED is in a completely different league. If this technology goes into production, it could pave the way for the first real AR glasses, not just accessories with a simple HUD.
What's up with the premiere? TCL responds, but does not disclose 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 the translation of his statement:
“To support ultra-high resolution in AR/VR, TCL CSOT has developed the world's highest resolution single-chip, full-color Si-Micro LED display (0.28”). With a resolution of 1280×720 and a density of 5131 PPI, it provides an extraordinarily detailed and realistic image, virtually eliminating visible pixels.”
“The self-emissive display offers high brightness, high contrast, and wide color coverage, delivering 'retina-grade' experiences in near-eye applications such as AR glasses and ultra-lightweight VR devices. Combined with miniaturization, ultra-high resolution, and low power consumption, it sets a new standard for future lightweight and efficient displays.”
Sounds great, but… for now with no declaration of when. TCL also does not state when micro-LED might compete in price with micro-OLED.
What does this mean for the industry?
If TCL indeed brings micro-LED technology to mass production:
lightweight AR glasses will cease to be a fantasy,
the brightness and efficiency of micro-LED may outshine micro-OLED by light years,
XR manufacturers will enter a new race — not just for content but for image quality,
Vision Pro and Galaxy XR may eventually receive an entirely new type of screens.
For now, it’s a demo, but a demo that shows the future of AR will be bright — literally.
