LG's new OLED monitor hits 720Hz, pushing screen tech into uncharted territory

[Daniel Sims]

Something to look forward to: OLED panels are about to get faster, brighter, and weirder. From 720Hz refresh rates to 4,000-nit tandems and stretchable surfaces that mimic physical buttons, LG's latest prototypes preview features that could define the next wave of gaming, automotive, and commercial displays.

LG has confirmed it will showcase a new 720Hz OLED monitor at the upcoming K-Display 2025 event, along with other products. Depending on release timing, LG might become the first or second company to achieve that refresh rate with an OLED panel.

The 27-inch screen defaults to 540Hz at 1440p, a cutting-edge benchmark for OLED technology. An optional setting boosts the refresh rate to 720Hz while lowering the resolution to 1080p. Using LG's fourth-generation OLED technology, the monitor delivers 99.5-percent DCI-P3 color reproduction and a maximum brightness of 1,500 nits.

Another manufacturer, SDC, unveiled a monitor with a similar resolution, refresh rate, brightness, and color gamut in June. However, a flyer shared on Reddit remains the only proof of the WOLED panel's existence. LG will likely become the first company to demonstrate an OLED screen reaching 720Hz. Samsung released a 500Hz OLED in May, while the 750Hz Koorui G7 TN panel holds the title as the world's fastest commercial monitor.

Ultra-high refresh rates significantly improve motion clarity in fast-moving PC games, making them crucial for esports titles. They also enable Nvidia's multi-frame generation technology to overcome CPU limitations.

Meanwhile, LG will showcase an 83-inch, 4,000-nit OLED screen at K-Display, featuring its Primary RGB Tandem technology, which stacks red, green, and blue light in independent layers. It will also reveal a 45-inch screen with its highest-ever OLED resolution: 5,120 by 2,160 pixels.

Another demonstration will showcase multiple new panels for automotive infotainment. The centerpiece is a 57-inch pillar-to-pillar LCD screen that occupies the entire dashboard, displaying driver-side and passenger-side functionality. A 36-inch OLED slides downward from above the LCD to provide additional information when needed, and an external 29-inch LCD screen can display ads and other messages.

Lastly, the company will showcase a micro-LED display that can stretch up to 53 percent. A video demonstration shows the screen creating customizable indentations that haptically mimic physical buttons.

The K-Display 2025 expo runs for three days starting August 7 at the COEX convention center in Seoul.

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LG's new OLED monitor hits 720Hz, pushing screen tech into uncharted territory

 

[yRaz]

But you'll need frame gen and upscaling to get close to that which all increase latency. You know how when you're watching a movie and you turn interpolation on and it just "feels" weird? That's what using frame gen to reach that refresh rate will feel like. I can't see anything past 120/144. Im sure some 15 year olds on Adderall can see 240-300, but these numbers are just silly. It'd be one thing of these extra hz were free, but they aren't. They are very expensive so what's the point?

 

[NotYourITguy]

I can't see anything past 120/144. Im sure some 15 year olds on Adderall can see 240-300, but these numbers are just silly.

The NIH has papers showing that refresh rate is asymptotic into the kilohertz for what is perceptible to average humans. Even if you can't consciously notice, your brain is still unconsciously aware that what you are seeing is flickering and will become fatigued more than looking at normal objects.

 

[godrilla]

The NIH has papers showing that refresh rate is asymptotic into the kilohertz for what is perceptible to average humans. Even if you can't consciously notice, your brain is still unconsciously aware that what you are seeing is flickering and will become fatigued more than looking at normal objects.

True but their might be some limitations on that study on Inferencing to the general population. If their is a level of stress in the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system that gamers a niche demographic who might compensate for those stresses over time might have a subjectively more positive experience potentially. I subjectively would rather have a 4k 240 hz oled experience with peaks of the g5 and color accuracy of the S95F all a 48 inch for factor to replace my 5 year old cx 48 inch TV.
700 hz oled should have better motion clarity than a even a 1000 hz tn panel due to the 1.5x scaling that Tim from Hardware Unboxed in his videos.

 

[daffy duck]

I hadn't realised every body is now an e-sporter.

Absurd arms race in refresh rates.

 

[amghwk]

Ummm....yeah. It's good. But no graphics card even at 1080p could achieve that high of FPSs.

Plus, developers keep pushing the graphics envelope too high every generation that a new graphics card couldn't keep up, especially at 4K resolution. Instead of optimizing the engine and providing deep, good gameplay.

What does LG expect people to play? Counter-Strike at 640x480 resolution, with all details at rock bottom?

 

[Burty117]

What games can you play at this high refresh rate?
Half-Life 2?
Call of Duty 2?
Halo 2?

Basically, anything before 360/PS3 I would assume, there’s probably a bunch from the PS3/360 era you can as well, this isn’t a huge help on modern non-esports titles though.

 

[MakeMSGreatAgain]

I'd be curious to play a Quake game, any of them, at 720Hz and then play it some more at say, 144... and see if I could notice a difference.

 

[godrilla]

Update you don't need 700hz oled to be great at competetive gaming. Here is today's result on my 5 year cx in Vermitide 2 ( Cataclysm difficultly in Chaos wastes )@ 4k 120 hz gaming maximum settings using latest dlss dlaa quality.
Just like someone mentioning here that the benefits are in a plautau of diminishing returns the higer you go above the individual percieved minimum threshold. Cheers!

 

[bandit8623]

But you'll need frame gen and upscaling to get close to that which all increase latency. You know how when you're watching a movie and you turn interpolation on and it just "feels" weird? That's what using frame gen to reach that refresh rate will feel like. I can't see anything past 120/144. Im sure some 15 year olds on Adderall can see 240-300, but these numbers are just silly. It'd be one thing of these extra hz were free, but they aren't. They are very expensive so what's the point?

not for val or cs2. those frames are reachable without that stuff

 

[toooooot]

I played bf6 on medium a bit yesterday. My fps was locked at 144hz as it is maximum for my IPS monitor. I wish it could run at a higher rate. One day 720hz could become a standard for gaming monitors. We are moving there. 144hz is truly the lowest end of gaming monitors today.

 

[godrilla]

I played bf6 on medium a bit yesterday. My fps was locked at 144hz as it is maximum for my IPS monitor. I wish it could run at a higher rate. One day 720hz could become a standard for gaming monitors. We are moving there. 144hz is truly the lowest end of gaming monitors today.

Last year TVs came with 4k 144hz over hdmi 2.1 this year's Flagships at clocked at 165 hz. It's probably inevitable that the refresh rate will swell when hdmi 2.2 standard comes out as well.

 

[trieste1s]

I hadn't realised every body is now an e-sporter.

Absurd arms race in refresh rates.

Not absurd:
https://blurbusters.com/blur-buster...000hz-displays-with-blurfree-sample-and-hold/

 

[Macar]

Ahah, I remember a rocket league champion (Kaydop). After buying a 240Hz (or 360Hz, I don't remember) monitor, he did blind tests where he had to guess the frame rate (between 60Hz and 240/360Hz). From 120Hz onwards, he wasn't sure of anything and made several mistakes. In my opinion, from 240Hz onwards, the effect is placebo.

 

[bandit8623]

Ahah, I remember a rocket league champion (Kaydop). After buying a 240Hz (or 360Hz, I don't remember) monitor, he did blind tests where he had to guess the frame rate (between 60Hz and 240/360Hz). From 120Hz onwards, he wasn't sure of anything and made several mistakes. In my opinion, from 240Hz onwards, the effect is placebo.

For most people. Yes

 

[Y2JB47]

99% of people cannot tell the difference between 60/120hz. Beyond 120hz is absurd.

 

[trieste1s]

Ahah, I remember a rocket league champion (Kaydop). After buying a 240Hz (or 360Hz, I don't remember) monitor, he did blind tests where he had to guess the frame rate (between 60Hz and 240/360Hz). From 120Hz onwards, he wasn't sure of anything and made several mistakes. In my opinion, from 240Hz onwards, the effect is placebo.

Dependent on screen size / pixel density. His screen's probably quite small.

Blur Busters Law: The Amazing Journey To Future 1000Hz Displays - Blur Busters

A Blur Busters Holiday 2017 Special Feature by Mark D. Rejhon 2020 Update: NVIDIA and ASUS now has a long-term road map to 1000 Hz displays by the 2030s! Contacts at NVIDIA and vendors has confirmed this article is scientifically accurate. Before I Explain Blur Busters Law for Display Motion...

blurbusters.com

 

[bandit8623]

99% of people cannot tell the difference between 60/120hz. Beyond 120hz is absurd.

True comp gamers though are a special breed. I'm talking the 1%

 

[gamerk2]

Isnt it great what you can do when pixel response times are basically 0?

 

[gamerk2]

Ahah, I remember a rocket league champion (Kaydop). After buying a 240Hz (or 360Hz, I don't remember) monitor, he did blind tests where he had to guess the frame rate (between 60Hz and 240/360Hz). From 120Hz onwards, he wasn't sure of anything and made several mistakes. In my opinion, from 240Hz onwards, the effect is placebo.

I did a test once where I made a small application that for a given refresh rate would draw all black to the screen, but would randomly replace one black frame with a single grey one. I could "see" up to 240Hz (meaning I could pick out the grey frame).

 

[NotYourITguy]

I did a test once where I made a small application that for a given refresh rate would draw all black to the screen, but would randomly replace one black frame with a single grey one. I could "see" up to 240Hz (meaning I could pick out the grey frame).

The absolute bare minimum for this type of test would be >500Hz for average people. >1kHz for younger people and likely into the multiple kilohertz for F1 drivers and people with ridiculously fast reaction times. It's not that you "see" the gray frame so much as your brain notices a change happened. If you try random colors and ask other people what they think is happening without telling them, you likely won't get very many correct color guesses for the single frame.

 

[gamerk2]

The absolute bare minimum for this type of test would be >500Hz for average people. >1kHz for younger people and likely into the multiple kilohertz for F1 drivers and people with ridiculously fast reaction times. It's not that you "see" the gray frame so much as your brain notices a change happened. If you try random colors and ask other people what they think is happening without telling them, you likely won't get very many correct color guesses for the single frame.

I agree; I think it's more the brain interpolating the grey frame rather then being able to pick it out specifically.

 

[Gezzer]

Ahah, I remember a rocket league champion (Kaydop). After buying a 240Hz (or 360Hz, I don't remember) monitor, he did blind tests where he had to guess the frame rate (between 60Hz and 240/360Hz). From 120Hz onwards, he wasn't sure of anything and made several mistakes. In my opinion, from 240Hz onwards, the effect is placebo.

But, but... what about my ability to brag about my useless and expensive cutting edge purchase?? Us gamers with more money than brains need to stay on the bleeding edge to sooth our fragile egos you know...