One of the biggest bits of news to come out of CES for pixel-pinchers and display geeks like me is news concerning the continuing story of QD-OLEDs. In my discussion about the best monitor out there, it was hard to come away with a conclusion other than: QD-OLEDs are what to watch out for. While I heaped (mostly) praise on Alienware’s new AW3432DW which came out just last year, I was more impressed by the technology that drove such a display to achieve what many were unwavering in suggesting was the #1 rank for gaming monitors. And while we’ve certainly seen some wild monitors coming out in just the last few months, including Samsung’s giant ARC display, a handful of adjustable-curve OLEDs, and even a few competitors in the QD-OLED space, many ultrawide die-hards were holding their breath for what was presumed to be the next leap forward and, frankly, an inevitable product, at least for those of us who have been paying attention: a 49-inch Ultra Wide QD-OLED. And yet, Samsung’s display lineup didn’t include the 49-inch QD-OLED we were all hoping for. Instead, Samsung did unveil a new display with that size and form factor, but instead of it being a QD-OLED, it looks like it’s just going to be the first OLED in this space. 

So what’s the difference? LG’s WRGB OLED display technology has been around for a few years now. One of the major drawbacks of this technology is the color filters utilized to allow pixels to display colors with any accuracy. These displays use a blue and yellow OLED compound which projects something that is kind of close to white, and then the color filter layer is used to take that white light and separate it out into the appropriate colors. The obvious problem here is that you’re losing light. So while OLEDs are known for their high contrast and deep colors, they also get a bad rap for being on the somewhat dimmer side, and typically not being able to compete in the realm of peak brightness. In other words, having one of these OLEDs in a basement den or in a dark bedroom is great. A bright living room, on the other hand, presented a challenge for traditional OLEDs. That’s where QD-OLEDs shined… literally. They work by utilizing a Quantum Dot layer (hence “QD”) to achieve accurate colors without the need for color filters nor their associated dimming effects. 

These differences are some of the big reasons why Alienware’s AW3423DW was considered top dog last year in the world of gaming monitors. While it did come with some drawbacks like active cooling (an audible fan), a unique subpixel layout, and even a few horror stories about Dell’s shipping practices, it was difficult to dethrone this champ when it went head to head with any other display technology. Even larger OLEDs, which are often marketed as TVs and yet have seen tremendous recent success in the worlds of PC gaming and productivity thanks to ongoing improvements to the technology, it was still hard to call anything else “the best” besides the Alienware champ. Especially when reports of poor shipping/QC died down and when users got used to (or never cared about in the first place) things like the G-Sync fan and the subpixel layout (which can impact the legibility of text theoretically, but which hasn’t been anything close to a deal breaker in practice). 

And yet, one of the major holdout groups, those who crossed their arms and turned up their noses to the AW3423DW, was the super ultra-wide fanboys. Not because they didn’t believe in the QD-OLED technology. Not because they were unimpressed with any of the other specs. But simply because they couldn’t imagine going from a 49-inch super ultra-wide to a 34-inch regular ultra-wide. And I’m not sure I can blame them. After using a QD-OLED for some 5 or so months now, it’s difficult to imagine going back to something like an IPS display. And yet, with even a cursory understanding of Samsung’s lineup and development patterns, we were all more or less certain that a super ultra-wide QD-OLED display would be here soon. Instead, they’re coming out of the gate with another 34-inch QD-OLED, and jamming classic OLED panels into their upcoming 49-inch displays. 

Will we get a 49-inch QD-OLED eventually? Surely. But, the fact is, people really aren’t going to miss much by jumping on board with a WRGB OLED monitor in the same form factor. Not unless there’s a window directly behind your desk. Given the advancements already seen in anti-glare, boosting peak brightness, etc. I don’t think anyone who goes for the upcoming Odyssey G95SC is going to be disappointed, nor will they be sitting there pining for a QD-OLED version of what they have in front of them. My guess is this upcoming super ultra-wide OLED is going to knock it out of the park, and “drawbacks” like lower peak brightness, or increased occurrence of burn-in, are probably going to have more or less the same impact that a weird subpixel layout and a semi-audible fan had on the AW3423DW’s ability to sell and gain recognition. Which is to say very little at all.