LG Electronics to release first OLED gaming monitor

LG Electronics announced Wednesday it will release its first gaming monitor fitted with organic light emitting diode (OLED) panels, an advancement from mainstream products based on liquid crystal display (LCD).

A professional gamer tests LG Electronics' first 48-inch OLED gaming monitor. [LG ELECTRONICS]

LG Electronics announced Wednesday it will release its first gaming monitor fitted with organic light emitting diode (OLED) panels, an advancement from mainstream products based on liquid crystal display (LCD).

The electronics maker said the 48-inch OLED-based gaming monitor will be released under its UltraGear brand.

It sports a refresh rate of up to 138 hertz and comes with a price tag of 2.09 million won ($1,700). Refresh rate, also known as the scan rate, refers to the number of times a display updates with new images each second.

As OLED panels deploy a film of organic compounds that emit light directly, without the need for a backlight, the monitor is able to deliver improved contrast, a rich color range and lower energy consumption compared to other LCD-based screens.

OLEDs have been more widely used in smartphones and TVs than monitors.

“The latest LG UltraGear gaming monitors apply cutting-edge technology and design to raise the bar for the gaming display category,” said Seo Young-jae, senior vice president and head of the IT business unit of LG Electronics.

“Ideal for both PC and console gaming, our new monitors offer features and capabilities that take the entire gaming experience to the next level. We will continue to solidify the UltraGear brand’s strong reputation with innovative products that put the needs of gamers first.”

The first region to receive the newest UltraGear gaming monitors will be Japan this month, followed by Korea and other key regions in North America, Europe and Asia.

BY PARK EUN-JEE [park.eunjee@joongang.co.kr]