OLED wins

OLED has overtaken LED as the dominant choice in the high-end TV segment.

The high-end TV market has been “struggling” for many years between two development trends. LG chose to focus on OLED, continuously improving to overcome weaknesses in brightness and panel durability. Samsung prioritized LED, increasing resolution to 8K with mini-LED and micro-LED solutions.

Sony has yet to decide on a direction when it launched its MiniLED-backlit Bravia 9 flagship last year, following the success of its OLED-powered A series in 2023.

However, market share indicators show that global TV buying trends are more about display quality than resolution. OLED’s increasingly accessible price point gives it an edge over liquid crystal solutions. After LG, Samsung is also selling OLED TVs in more markets. However, they still lag behind their compatriots in terms of market share.

According to Omdia 's report, more than 2 million OLED TVs were sold globally in the fourth quarter of 2024, the highest ever recorded, up 12.6% year-on-year. LG was the top seller last year, with more than 3.18 million units. It has also led the OLED segment for 12 years. The Korean company currently accounts for more than 50% of the global market share. GfK 's report shows similar signs in Vietnam. LG currently holds 64% of the domestic market share, far surpassing Samsung, Sony or Caspers.

Difference between LED (front) and OLED (back) when displaying the same type of content.

In terms of technology, OLEDs contain independent light-emitting diodes. Thanks to that, they can be completely turned off, providing absolute black compared to the gray tones on LCDs. In addition to contrast, the color tones of OLED TVs are rated higher for their display capabilities.

When it first came out, this solution faced concerns about its applicability. Bio-diodes have a short lifespan and can degrade after long-term use. The maximum brightness of OLED is also lower than that of LED TVs. The high price makes the product difficult to popularize.

However, these problems have now been solved. MLA solutions and mini-LED backlights help improve brightness. The lifespan of new OLED lines is not inferior to LCD.

In Vietnam, the hierarchy of brands and products is gradually becoming clear. The high-end group including LG, Samsung, and Sony sells well in the segment above 15 million VND, with high technology content. These companies also have long warranty policies for electronic products.

In the low-end segment, representatives from China dominate in terms of manufacturers and models. Typical representatives are TCL, Cooca, Hisense, Xiaomi. They focus on products from 6-15 million VND, often with better configurations than Korean competitors. However, the applied technology often only reaches LED or QLED, making it difficult to compete in the high-end segment.