Something to look forward to: Chinese tech giant TCL is reportedly developing OLED monitors with refresh rates of up to 700Hz. While most US consumers know TCL as a TV brand, the company manufactures a wide range of consumer electronics, including smartphones, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, and other smart devices.
According to market research firm Omdia, TCL's planned 700Hz panels will come in 32- and 34-inch sizes and be manufactured at the company's Gen 8.6 OLED factory in Guangzhou, China. Production is expected to begin in 2028, although the potential launch timeframe remains unclear. Other specifications, including pixel resolution and response time, have yet to be revealed.
The report suggests that the high-refresh-rate displays will use inkjet-printed OLED (IJP OLED) technology. The process sprays picoliter-sized droplets of liquid-dissolved organic materials directly onto a panel through piezoelectric nozzles, much like a conventional desktop inkjet printer applies ink to paper.
By comparison, traditional OLED panels are manufactured using the vacuum thermal evaporation (VTE) technique, in which the entire process takes place inside a vacuum chamber. This method involves heating red, green, and blue light-emitting organic compounds and depositing the vaporized molecules onto a substrate through perforated, ultrathin metal sheets known as fine metal masks.
Proponents believe IJP could significantly reduce OLED manufacturing costs by cutting waste of expensive organic compounds by up to 90%. The technology is also more scalable for large panels, potentially making the production of massive 4K and 8K OLED TVs more economical. IJP is also expected to support advanced pixel structures and deliver high production yields for custom displays.
OLED monitors are becoming increasingly common among gamers, driven largely by substantial price cuts. So far in 2026, mainstream 27-inch, 240Hz gaming OLED monitors have fallen in price by more than 40%, reaching around $350. The trend is expected to continue next year, with prices edging closer to $300 and potentially accelerating adoption among gamers and general users alike.
According to Omdia, global OLED monitor shipments are expected to reach a record 6.1 million units in 2026, up 79% from the previous year. Shipments are projected to exceed 7.5 million units in 2027 as prices continue to fall. Asus is expected to become the largest OLED monitor vendor in 2026, accounting for 23% of all shipments, followed by MSI with a 14% market share.