Samsung's QD-OLED gaming monitors could soon face tough competition

Earlier today, Samsung unveiled its new gaming monitors, featuring both LCD and OLED-based models. The new OLED monitor, the Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SH), uses Samsung Display's QD-OLED panel, which has a very high refresh rate and a glare-free coating. However, LG could soon offer tough competition to Samsung with the launch of its new OLED gaming monitor.

Ahead of CES 2026 early next month, LG has announced that it will launch the world's first OLED monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate and an RGB stripe sub-pixel structure in which each pixel has three sub-pixels. LG's previous OLED monitors use an RGBW (pentile) sub-pixel structure. In comparison, Samsung's QD-OLED monitors use an RGBG (pentile) sub-pixel structure in which two pixels share some pixels, resulting in around two sub-pixels per pixel.

Display panels with RGB stripe sub-pixels have around 50% more sub-pixels than similarly sized and similar resolution display panels with RGBG or RGBW sub-pixel structures. Such displays are usually better for text rendering, especially on operating systems like Windows.

Since traditional OLED monitors with pentile sub-pixels can't render text as clearly as monitors with an RGB sub-pixel structure, they are generally not preferred for office work that tends to be text-heavy. However, LG's upcoming OLED monitors will not have that disadvantage and could be used for both gaming and office-related work.

LG says it will offer this technology in high-end gaming monitors. Over time, it plans to bring the same RGB stripe sub-pixel structure to mid-range and entry-level OLED monitors. Samsung will have to come up with newer technology for its OLED monitors if it wants them to be as competitive as LG's upcoming OLED monitors in terms of text sharpness.

Image Credits: LG