True 10-bit 4k Monitor

OLED displays don't rely on a backlight to produce an image, which allows them to generate true blacks for a basically infinite contrast ratio.

Moreover, they have an instantaneous pixel response time speed for minimal motion blur in fast-paced games.

There are already numerous OLED TVs available that take full advantage of the points mentioned above, but what about OLED monitors?

In this article, we'll keep you posted about everything related to OLED monitors, including potential release dates or any market status updates.

Updates +

September 2021:
– Revamped the article for better readability.
– ASUS announced the new ProArt PA32DC based on the same panel as the LG 32EP950, as well as two new portable OLED screens.
August 2021:
– The Gigabyte Aorus FO48U 48′ 4K 120Hz OLED gaming monitor is now available on Newegg.
– LG postpones 42″ OLED TVs to 2022.
June 2021:
– Skyworth revealed the G90 48″ OLED monitor.
– The LG 32GP950 is now available on Amazon.
– Added more information about the Gigabyte Aorus FO48U: HDR (HDR10, HLG) support and 750-nit peak brightness.
– Added the Xtendtouch_Pro_XT1610UO 15.6″ 4K portable OLED monitor for professionals.
– We now have more information about the Gigabyte Aorus FO48U monitor.
May 2021:
– AUO revealed their 32″ 4K 144Hz and 32″ 8K 120Hz OLED panel prototypes.
April 2021:
– The article was completely proofread and language improved wherever possible. This article is now more readable.
– Gigabyte announced the AORUS FO48U, a 48″ 4K 120Hz OLED monitor with HDMI 2.1.
March 2021:
– The 32″ 4K OLED monitor, the LG 32EP950 is now up for pre-order as well – for $4000, while the release date is set for 22 April, 2021.
– In addition to the LG 27EP590 and 32EP950 OLED monitors, LG will also release 27BP95E and 32BP95E variants with a built-in calibration sensor and included shading hood; all the other features and specifications are identical.
February 2021: LG will also release a 27″ 27EP950 variant of the LG 32EP950 4K OLED monitor with the same specifications. Update: It's now available for pre-order for $3,000.
January 2021: Added more information about the LG 32EP950; it will have a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz and have VESA's DisplayHDR 400 True Black certification.
– Added the LG UltraFine 32EP950 OLED monitor.
November 2020: Added the LG CX OLED TV to the buyer's guide as it's a popular display to be used as a monitor.
January 2020: Acer announced the Predator CG552K, which will use the same OLED panel as the AW5520HF. Viewsonic announced their model as well, the ViewSonic Elite XG550.
October 2019: Added the EIZO FORIS NOVA, a new 21.6″ 4K OLED monitor.
August 2019: Added more information about Dell's 55″ 4K 120Hz OLED display.
March 2019: Added more information about the ASUS ProArt PQ22UC, including the pricing and release date.
January 2019: Added the Dell Alienware 55″ OLED 4K HDR 120Hz gaming monitor.
December 2018: Added new OLED monitors including a 22″ 1080p 144Hz OLED eSports gaming monitor dubbed as the Burning Core.

Click on the monitor in the table above to jump to the section of the article that contains more information about it.

Best OLED Gaming Monitor

If you're looking for an OLED monitor for gaming, the Gigabyte Aorus FO48U is currently the best model available. It's essentially the LG CX/C1 TV, but without the integrated smart TV features.

Gigabyte Aorus FO48U

Best OLED Gaming Monitor

Size: 48″
Resolution: 3840×2160
Refresh Rate: 120Hz

The Pros:

Wide color gamut
Low input lag, quick response time
Plenty of features including MBR and VRR up to 120Hz
Rich connectivity options, including HDMI 2.1

The Cons:

Too big for regular desktop use for most users

About The Monitor

The Gigabyte Aorus FO48U is the first viable (in terms of being reasonably priced and not drastically flawed) OLED gaming monitor available.

To be fair, the Gigabyte FO48U is nothing "new" as it's based on the same 48″ OLED panel as LG's 48″ 2020 CX and 2021 C1 TVs.

So, you're getting the same image quality and performance with an addition of a DisplayPort input, but without the TV tuner and smart OS – for around the same price.

Image Quality

4K UHD resolution looks sharp even on a 48″ sized screen!You get roughly 92 pixels per inch, which is equivalent to the pixel density of a 24″ 1080p monitor. So, at a regular viewing distance (~ 4ft or 120cm), you won't be able to distinguish individual pixels.

The monitor also has a decent peak brightness of ~800-nits for HDR content, while the brightness under SDR amounts to 150-nits typical and 400-nits peak.

10-bit color depth is supported without dithering and you get a wide 98% DCI-P3 color space coverage. An sRGB mode is also provided for an accurate representation of sRGB content.

All in all, you get an incredible image quality with true blacks, vivid colors and crisp details.

Whlie the FO48U doesn't get as bright as some high-end LED-backlit screens, its decent peak brightness, infinite contrast ratio and lack of backlight bleed more than make up for it and offer an overall more immersive viewing experience, especially in dark rooms.

The main issue of the monitor, besides potential burn-in, is the automatic brightness limiter (ABL). Depending on the content on-screen, ABL will dynamically change the monitor's brightness in order to preserve its lifespan.

For instance, with a mostly white/bright background, the brightness is reduced; when only a part of the screen is white/bright, the brightness increases. This can be annoying as the changes in brightness become hard to ignore with varying content.

On LG's TVs, there is a workaround for this issue as adjusting the TV's contrast or brightness setting can disable ABL; but, so far, it seems that there's no way to do this on the Gigabyte FO48U.

Features

Whlie the risk of burn-in and sometimes annoying ABL behavior can take away from the otherwise amazing image quality of OLED, the display's performance is uncompromising.

To start with, you get imperceptibly low input lag, so there's no delay between your actions and the result on the screen.

Further, the pixel response time speed is faster than that of any LED monitor; it's instantaneous, making for a ghosting-free gaming experience.

Next, the monitor features variable refresh rate (VRR) with FreeSync Premium and HDMI 2.1 Forum VRR support for tear-free gameplay up to 120FPS with a 40-120Hz range. It's not officially certified as 'G-SYNC Compatible' by NVIDIA, but VRR works with compatible GeForce cards without issues.

Other features include Aim Stabilizer (backlight strobing, or BFI – black frame insertion, Motion Blur Reduction technology), PiP/PbP, Black Equalizer (improves visibility in darker scenes), various picture presets and crosshair overlays.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is sturdy, but lacks ergonomic adjustments. You can, however, mount the screen via the 300x300mm VESA pattern.

Another thing that makes the Gigabyte FO48U different than most monitors is that it, like all OLED screens, has an anti-reflective glossy screen surface that allows for more vivid image quality, though not as effective glare mitigation as matte coatings.

Connectivity options include DisplayPort 1.4 with DSC, two HDMI 2.1 inputs, a headphone jack, an audio line-out port, a dual-USB 3.0 hub, and a USB-C port with DP 1.4 Alt Mode and 18W PD.

Alternatives

As they use the same OLED panel, LG's 48″ CX and C1 TVs are also worth considering. You may even be able to find them at a bit lower price.

In China, you can find the Skyworth G90 F48G9U based on the same panel.

42″ OLED Displays

Keep in mind that in 2022, LG plans to release 42″ OLED TVs – and monitors based on the same panel will likely follow.

Best Professional OLED Monitors

Looking for an OLED monitor for professional color-critical work? Here, you will find the best models available (and announced).

LG UltraFine 27EP950, 32EP950

Best Professional OLED Monitors

Size: 27″, 32″
Resolution: 3840×2160
Refresh Rate: 60Hz

The Pros:

Wide color gamut
Low input lag, quick response time
Factory-calibrated

About The Monitor

For most users, 48″ and even 42″ sized displays are too big for regular desktop use, so they have to wait for smaller OLED monitors.

The LG 32EP950 and 27EP950 are the first OLED displays available in the more common desktop monitor form factor, but they're aimed at professionals.

Image Quality

Both the 32EP950 and 27EP950 offer the same key specifications, performance and features – the main difference between them is in screen size and, therefore, pixel density or PPI (pixels per inch).

The 27″ model has a bit sharper image quality with 163 PPI, whereas the 32″ variant still offers a crisp image, but with less scaling necessary at 140 PPI.

Their main feature, besides the infinite contrast ratio, is the exceptional 99% Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color gamut combined with professional-grade factory calibration, making them ideal for professional work involving all common color spaces.

The peak brightness amounts to 250-nits for SDR content, and ~540-nits for HDR; true 10-bit color depth is supported as well.

Features

Due to their low 60Hz refresh rate and high $3,000 – $4,000 pricing, the monitors won't really appeal to gamers.

Still, due to their excellent image quality, low input lag and instantaneous response time speed, games look and run great. However, variable refresh rate is not supported, so you'll have to resort to V-Sync in order to prevent tearing.

Another thing worth mentioning is that the ABL implementation is a lot less aggressive on the LG 27/32EP950 than that of the Gigabyte FO48U or the CX/C1. So, during normal use, changes in picture brightness won't be noticeable.

Design & Connectivity

The stand of the monitor is robust and versatile with up to 130mm height adjustment, 90° pivot, tilt and 100x100mm VESA mount compatibility, but not swivel option.

Connectivity options include two DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, HDMI 2.0, USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode, 90W PD), a headphone jack and a USB 3.0 hub (1 upstream + 3 downstream).

Alternatives

LG also plans to release the LG 27BP95E and LG 32BP95E variants with built-in calibration.

ASUS ProArt PA32DC

Additionally, ASUS has a model in the works based on the same panel as the 32EP950/32BP95E with an integrated calibrator as well, the ASUS ProArt PA32DC.

32″ 4K High Refresh Rate OLED Displays

LG mentioned that high refresh rate OLED monitors are on the horizon, but there's no word on anything specific, including release date or pricing.

Moreover, AU Optronics plans to develop 32″ 4K 144Hz and 32″ 8K 120Hz OLED panels, but again, there's no other information available than that.

Other OLED Monitors

If you're not interested in any of the above-mentioned OLED displays, here you'll find all the information about all other OLED monitors and announced panels. However, most of them are discontinued, overpriced, or have very little information available.

55″ 4K 120Hz OLED Gaming Monitors

You'll be able to find 55″ 4K 120Hz OLED gaming monitors, including:

Dell Alienware AW5520QF
Acer Predator CG552K
ViewSonic Elite XG550

However, we don't recommend these models as they're terribly overpriced (~$3,000) and don't even support HDR. You can get a 55″ OLED TV at half the price with better image quality and just as good performance.

32:9 UltraWide OLED Gaming Monitor

BOE revealed a 32:9 ultrawide curved gaming monitor with an OLED panel. It boasts a 49″ 3840×1080 240Hz screen with a wide 95% DCI-P3 color gamut and a 500-nit peak brightness (150nits typical).

Sadly, we don't have any other information about it, but we'll update the article as soon as something comes up.

Burning Core

Back in 2018, JOLED showcased a 21.6″ 1080p 144Hz OLED gaming display called the Burning Core, after the eSports team that helped develop the monitor.

At that time, they also mentioned that a 27″ 4K 60Hz OLED model is in the works, but there haven't been any updates regarding neither monitor since.

Dell UP3017Q

Another monitor worth mentioning is the discontinued Dell UP3017Q with a 30″ 4K 60Hz OLED panel, which was the very first OLED monitor available.

It boasted a wide color gamut with 100% Adobe RGB, 97.5% DCI-P3 and 85.8% Rec2020 coverage. However, it was very expensive at ~$3,500, it didn't support HDR, and had a low 300-nit peak brightness.

Best Portable OLED Monitors

If you need a good portable monitor, you're in luck. Most OLED monitors available today are, in fact, portable. So, you'll at least have a somewhat decent selection in this category.

ASUS ProArt PQ22UC

Best 22″ Portable OLED Monitor

Size: 21.6″
Resolution: 3840×2160
Refresh Rate: 60Hz

The Pros:

High pixel density
Wide color gamut
Precise factory-calibration

About The Monitor

The ASUS ProArt PQ22UC was the second OLED monitor to be announced. It's based on a JOLED panel by Sony and Panasonic.

4K UHD resolution on such a small display provides you with an incredible pixel density of 204 PPI (pixels per inch), which guarantees stunning detail clarity.

It also boasts a wide 99% DCI-P3 color gamut with true 10-bit depth, a 330-nit peak brightness, it's factory-calibrated at Delta E ≤ 2, and supports HDR (HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision).

Other features include ASUS ProArt Calibration (hardware calibration) and 14-bit 3D LUT.

Design & Connectivity

It comes with a foldable stand for desktop use, as well as a magnetic smart cover for easy transport. Connectivity options include two USB-C ports and mini-HDMI.

Alternatives

The main drawback of the PQ22UC is the $4,000 price tag. There's one more 22″ 4K OLED monitor called the Eizo Foris Nova. However, there were only 500 units made and it's sold out now.

Innocn PU15-PRE

Best Value 16″ Portable OLED Monitor

Size: 15.6″
Resolution: 3840×2160
Refresh Rate: 60Hz

The Pros:

High pixel density
Wide color gamut
Precise factory-calibration

About The Monitor

If you're looking for a more affordable portable OLED monitor, you should check out the Innocn PU15-PRE.

In comparison to the ASUS PQ22UC, the PU15-PRE is based on a smaller 15.6″ screen, which results in an even higher pixel density of 282 PPI! So, the screen is smaller, but the details are sharper. It also has a higher 400-nit peak brightness.

The monitor has a wide color gamut with 100% DCI-P3 and ~99% Adobe RGB coverage. It's factory-calibrated, so it's ready for professional color-critical work right out of the box.

Design & Connectivity

The monitor comes with both a magnetic cover and a foldable stand, and it supports touch-screen (10-point touch).

Connectivity options include two USB C ports, mini-HDMI and dual integrated speakers.

Alternatives

Intehill also plans to release a 15.6″ 4K OLED portable monitor through Kickstarter, the YTH156KN.

The Xtendtouch Pro XT1610UO is another 15.6″ 4K OLED portable monitor with a wide 100% DCI-P3 color gamut and a higher 550-nit peak brightness, but it's significantly more expensive (~$1,300).

ASUS ZenScreen MQ13AH, MQ16AH

1080p Portable OLED Monitors

Size: 13.3″, 15.6″
Resolution: 1920×1080
Refresh Rate: 60Hz

About The Monitor

ASUS announced two portable OLED monitors with 1080p resolution, which should make them more affordable than the 4K models.

There's the 13.3″ MQ13AH and the 15.6″ MQ16AH. On such small screens, even 1080p resolution results in a high pixel density of 166 PPI and 141 PPI, respectively.

Further, both models feature 10-bit color depth and a wide 100% DCI-P3 gamut coverage with Delta E < 2 factory-calibration, as well as HDR10 support.

Design & Connectivity

The ZenScreen OLED portable displays feature a smart magnetic case and a tripod socket, while connectivity options include three USB-C ports and mini-HDMI.

No word on pricing and availability yet though.

Conclusion

That's all the information regarding OLED monitors we have so far.

If something new comes up, we'll update the article first thing, so feel free to visit us again, and hopefully, you'll find more OLED monitors!