QD-OLEDs express color using quantum dots that respond to light, with a blue-emitting layer acting as a light source due to high energies in the visible spectrum. Since last year, Samsung Display has evolved the stack of blue light emitting layers from four to five layers, and by applying the latest organic materials, it has completed a new generation of QD-OLED that achieves excellent image quality, efficiency, and peak brightness.
In particular, multilayer stacking of organic light-emitting materials has emerged as a key differentiator in the increasingly competitive high-resolution monitor market. Achieving higher resolution and increasing pixel density for the same panel size reduces the light-emitting area of each individual pixel. Under these technical constraints, effective dispersion of the energy applied to organic materials is essential to maintain stable high brightness levels.
Launched last year, Samsung Display’s 27-inch UHD (3840×2160) QD-OLED monitor panel achieves the highest pixel density of any self-emissive gaming monitor at 160 pixels per inch (PPI). QD-OLED Penta Tandem forms the core of this breakthrough technology foundation. Currently, Samsung Display is the only company mass producing 27-inch UHD self-luminous displays with 160 PPI specifications.
Increasing the number of organic material layers increases luminous efficiency, making it possible to obtain higher brightness at the same output level or maintain the same brightness with lower power consumption. This is similar to having five people carry a load that previously took four people to carry, increasing your endurance or your ability to lift heavier objects. Compared to last year’s 4-layer QD-OLED, Penta Tandem improves luminous efficiency by 1.3 times and extends lifetime by 2 times. As a result, products featuring QD-OLED Penta Tandem technology achieved industry-leading peak brightness of 4,500 nits for TVs and 1,300 nits for monitors, based on a 3% OPR (on-pixel ratio, the percentage of active pixels out of all the pixels that make up the screen).
Equipped with QD-OLED Penta Tandem technology, the panel enables customers to achieve VESA’s “DisplayHDR True Black 500” certification. True Black certification is a standard that evaluates a display’s HDR (high dynamic range) performance, including its ability to reproduce deep black levels. To achieve a True Black 500 rating, a display must maintain a black level of 0.0005 nits or less while simultaneously reaching a peak brightness of 500 nits (at 10% OPR). Currently, the only 31.5-inch UHD monitor certified with DisplayHDR True Black 500 is built on Samsung Display’s QD-OLED Penta Tandem panel.
Samsung Display plans to expand QD-OLED Pentatandem to a full range of panel sizes this year and supply the technology to key customers’ flagship products. Following last year’s 27-inch UHD panel and the 31.5-inch UHD and 34-inch WQHD products announced earlier this year, the technology will also be applied to the 49-inch dual QHD (5120×1440) model. In the TV sector, Penta Tandem has been featured in leading customers’ top-of-the-line self-emitting TV display lineups since 2025.
“Multilayer organic light-emitting structures are more than just adding layers; they require deep expertise in selecting materials and optimizing their thickness and combination,” said Brad Jung, vice president and head of large display marketing team at Samsung Display. “Building on nearly five years of QD-OLED mass production experience starting in 2021, Penta Tandem is the ultimate choice for customers who want to demonstrate the premium value of QD-OLED.”