We have some updates from LG.Display about their panel development plans which is always interesting to see. This is LG.Display as a panel manufacturer, as opposed to LG the monitor/display manufacturer, but it gives an indication of where monitors are likely to go in the future by looking ahead at the panel production plans. LG.Display make a large portion of the IPS-type panels in the market which is always of interest. Please keep in mind that the production dates are not set in stone and may change, and there is then also a lag of several months before a panel is produced, then used in a display and launched to market. We have updated our panel parts database with all the new information we have as well as best we can. Here are the highlights.

Mini LED Backlights for improved local dimming

LG.Display are also focusing on improving the HDR options they offer. There are a wide range of HDR600 panels planned or in production, but of particular interest are plans to produce more Mini LED backlights. These are a step beyond current FALD backlights, offering smaller dimming zones and far more of them. This helps provide more finite control over the content on the screen, reduce blooming and halos, and creating an improved HDR experience. They will aim to offer peak brightness of up to 1250 cd/m2 as well from these new panels.

The forthcoming 31.5″ sized IPS panel that we discussed in our last update in Dec 2019 has slipped back slightly and is expected to go in to mass production in Q4 2020 as opposed to Q3. The panel part is now known and will be the LM315WR3-SSA1. This has a 4-side borderless design and offers a 3840 x 2160 resolution and has a Mini LED backlight with >2000 dimming zones. It will also offer a DCI-P3 colour gamut and HDR 1000 certification.

Other Mini LED panels are not currently listed, but expect to see others emerge later on. These are likely to be reserved for more professional grade screens as opposed to gaming screens at this time we believe.

31.5″ IPS Panel with 4K, 144Hz Refresh Rate and HDR 1000

A new panel planned planned is the LM315WR4-SSA1 which will offer a 3840 x 2160 resolution combined with support for 144Hz refresh rate. It also has HDR 1000 support although the local dimming type is not listed (not expected to be Mini LED we don’t believe). It also offers a 3-side borderless design and wide gamut covering 98% DCI-P3. This isn’t expected to go in to production until Q4 2021 (next year!) so it’s a long way off yet sadly.

If you can’t wait that long and are ok with something a bit smaller, there is a 27″ panel already in production now from LG.Display which offers 3840 x 2160 resolution and 144Hz. This is their LM270WR8-SSA1 panel (also talked about below) in their new “Oxide” line-up of true borderless panels.

Narrower borders and slimmer design from new “Oxide” Panels

We talked about this in our last update in Dec 2019 as well. There is a focus from LG.Display on creating even thinner borders and thinner screen profiles on a range of their panels in the future. This is even more so than current 3-side and 4-side “borderless” options in production already. While there are plenty of screens with very thin plastic bezels of <3mm around the sides and top, there is still a black inner panel border before the image starts on all of those which adds to the overall edge of the screen.

LG.Display are now producing the World’s first “Real borderless” panels with an extremely narrow side profile as well. Some of these so-called “Oxide” panels are now in mass production, with quite a few others expected to go in to production in the near future. These are all IPS technology.

Those in mass production already include:

• LM315QU1-SSA1 – 31.5″ in size with an 8K 7680 x 4320 resolution, 1300:1 contrast ratio, 400 cd/m2 brightness, Adobe RGB/DCI-P3 wide colour gamut
• LM270WR8-SSA1 – 27″ in size with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, 4-side Oxide borderless design, 1000:1 contrast ratio, 144Hz refresh rate and HDR 600 support. We talked about this one in our Dec 2019 update and it looks like it has gone in to production already which is interesting. A new 4K @ 144Hz option in the 27″ space
• LM270WQB-SSA1 – 27″ in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. This has a 4-side Oxide borderless design (3mm thickness listed), 98% DCI-P3 colour gamut and HDR 600 support.

Other Oxide panels expected to go in to production in the near future:

• LM270WR8-SSB1 – 27″ in size with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, 4-side Oxide borderless design, 1300:1 contrast ratio, 60Hz refresh rate and HDR 600 support. This is expected to go in to production in Q4 2020.
• LM270WR8-SSC1 – 27″ in size with a 3840 x 2160 resolution, 4-side Oxide borderless design, 1300:1 contrast ratio, 60Hz refresh rate and HDR 400 support. This is expected to go in to production in Q4 2020.

240Hz IPS Panels

LG.Display have a few new 240Hz IPS panels planned:

• LM270WQB-SSA1 – mentioned already above in the section about borderless Oxide panels, this is 27″ in size with a 2560 x 1440 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. This has a 4-side Oxide borderless design (3mm thickness listed), 98% DCI-P3 colour gamut and HDR 600 support. This is expected to go in to production in Q4 2020.
• LM245WF9-SSA2 – a 24.5″ sized panel with a 1920 x 1080 resolution and 240Hz refresh rate. This model will offer a 3-side borderless design (not part of the Oxide line-up though) and standard sRGB gamut. This is expected to go in to production in Q4 2020.

A new 5K2K Ultrawide IPS Panel in 40″ Size

An interesting new panel size/format has appeared in their plans as well. The LM400RW1-SSA1 is expected to go in to production in Q1 2021 and will offer a 40″ sized IPS panel. It has a 5120 x 2160 resolution which is an ultrawide format close to 21:9 aspect ratio. This panel would be curved with a 2500R and offers 1000:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness and 98% DCI-P3 specs so far.

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