From tandem-stack OLEDs to Micro RGB backlights, here’s what changed this year, who’s leading, and what 2026 will bring

2025 at a glance

Televisions made a major leap this year: OLED panels got brighter and more glare-resistant, Mini-LEDs pushed value and size, and a new wave of “AI TVs” arrived with on-device upscaling and built-in assistants. Samsung stayed the global market leader by revenue, while TCL and Hisense gained ground fast in premium tiers.

The display tech race: OLED, Mini-LED, MicroLED and “Micro RGB”

  • QD-OLED vs. (LG) Primary RGB Tandem OLED: Samsung’s 2025 flagship S95F moved to a tandem QD-OLED stack (five layers), upping efficiency and peak highlights; meanwhile LG Display’s Primary RGB Tandem (four-stack) powers TVs like LG G5 and Panasonic Z95B, bringing huge brightness gains without quantum dots.
  • Mini-LED: Still the value/performance sweet spot, with thousands of local-dimming zones and very high brightness - think TCL’s QM8K line.
  • MicroLED (true self-emissive): Still ultra-premium, but Hisense’s 136-inch 136MX made the tech feel more “consumer-ready” at CES 2025 - even if prices remain sky-high.
  • Micro RGB backlights: Samsung launched a 115-inch Micro RGB TV - an advanced RGB backlight (not self-emissive MicroLED) intended to bridge Mini-LED and MicroLED with wider BT.2020 coverage and 144Hz.

The brightness & anti-glare arms race

Two concrete examples of 2025’s step-up:

  • Samsung S95F (QD-OLED): measured HDR peaks approaching ~2,400 nits and a new Glare Free 2.0 coating that tames reflections in bright rooms.
  • LG G5 (Tandem OLED): runs on the Alpha 11 Gen2 processor and supports up to 4K/165Hz, with across-the-board HDMI 2.1.

Size inflation goes mainstream (98–115 inches)

If 77–85 inches felt “big” last year, 2025 made 98–115 inches surprisingly attainable:

  • TCL’s 115-inch QM89/QM8 family pushed Mini-LED to wall-like sizes with high peak brightness and thousands of zones.
  • Hisense 98UX continued the “giant TV for less” trend in Mini-LED, backed by its Hi-View Engine X.
  • And for the truly bleeding-edge, 136-inch MicroLED showed up on show floors - jaw-dropping, but priced for the few.

“AI TVs” become a real feature - not just a buzzword.

  • Samsung Vision AI headlined the company’s 2025 lineup pages (with new upscaling and recognition features).
  • Microsoft Copilot landed on Samsung’s 2025 smart TVs as a built-in assistant (show recaps, recommendations, Q&A) inside Tizen.
  • LG’s 2025 webOS + Alpha 11 Gen2 emphasizes AI picture/sound personalization across G5/C5/M5.

Gaming upgrades: 4K at 144–165Hz, wider HDR, and smarter calibration

Gamers got big wins: 4K 144–165Hz on select OLEDs (LG G5; Samsung S95F), widespread VRR, and expanding HDR10+ Gaming support across titles and hardware this year.

Broadcast & standards: ATSC 3.0 inches forward

“NextGen TV” (ATSC 3.0) continued to expand with fresh deployments and new regulatory moves. The FCC took steps aimed at accelerating the transition, while ATSC highlighted rollouts in the U.S. and internationally (e.g., Trinidad & Tobago beginning transition in 2025).

Who’s leading in 2025?

  • Samsung: #1 in global TV revenue (19 years running), with QD-OLED S95F, Neo QLED 8K, The Frame, and new Micro RGB.
  • LG: OLED segment leader; 2025 G5/C5 and wireless M5 made waves for brightness and Zero Connect.
  • Sony: The 2025 Bravia 8 II (QD-OLED) and Bravia 5 (Mini-LED) anchor the lineup with Google TV.
  • TCL & Hisense: Fastest risers in premium share, riding massive, ultra-bright Mini-LED models (QM8K; 98UX) and aggressive pricing.
  • Panasonic/Philips (EU): Flagship OLEDs like Z95B (Panasonic) impressed at CES 2025, even if not sold in every region.

Standards & formats watch: Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Gaming

Just announced at IFA 2025, Dolby Vision 2 adds a “Content Intelligence” engine (Precision Black, Light Sense, Gaming/Sports Optimization, Authentic Motion) and two tiers (Max/Standard). Hisense is the first TV brand to commit, with initial TVs expected in 2026. In parallel, HDR10+ Gaming kept gaining support across games and displays.

What to expect in 2026

  • Dolby Vision 2 TVs begin shipping on select premium models—watch for Hisense first, with broader adoption in 2027.
  • Micro tech evolution: Samsung’s Micro RGB family is poised to expand globally; separately, reporting suggests smaller MicroLED models could finally reach more stores around CES 2026, though timing isn’t confirmed.
  • ATSC 3.0 momentum: With recent FCC action, expect more local markets and receiver options to light up.
  • Even bigger “big screens”: 98–115 inches will keep getting cheaper via Mini-LED, while OLED continues pushing brightness and anti-glare—especially tandem-stack panels on 2026 flagships. (Trend inferred from 2025 lineups and panel roadmaps.)

Quick tech glossary

  • QD-OLED: Blue OLED light + quantum dots for colors; high brightness/color volume. 2025’s S95F uses a 5-layer tandem stack.
  • Primary RGB Tandem (Four-Stack) OLED: LG’s multilayer OLED approach for brighter highlights and better efficiency (e.g., G5/Z95B).
  • Mini-LED: Very dense local dimming behind an LCD - great brightness/contrast per dollar (TCL QM8K, Hisense 98UX).
  • MicroLED: Self-emissive modules; best-in-class but ultra-premium (e.g., 136-inch demos and limited releases).
  • Micro RGB (backlight): New RGB LED backlight claiming near-BT.2020 coverage and 144Hz on a 115-inch Samsung set - not self-emissive, but a notable step forward.
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