Samsung Display announces 90Hz OLED panels for laptops

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Samsung Galaxy Book S Review Keyboard Keys (Image credit: Daniel Rubino/Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Samsung Display announced a 90Hz OLED display for laptops.
  • Laptops with the 90Hz OLED display will be mass produced starting in Q1 2020.
  • People generally have to use LCD panels to get refresh rates of 90Hz.

Samsung Display announced that it will soon mass produce 90Hz displays for laptops. The company will start producing the faster displays by the end of March 2021. Joo Sun Choi, Samsung Display CEO, states that the company will initially produce a large quantity of 14-inch 90Hz OLED displays for laptops beginning in March.

Up to this point, OLED displays on laptops were capped at 60Hz. Samsung Display refers to the upcoming devices that will use the tech as the "world's first 90Hz OLED laptops." The faster refresh rate of the upcoming OLED panels will be welcome by people that want the deep blacks and vivid colors of an OLED display without sacrificing speed.

Because of the nature of OLED tech, the OLED displays with a refresh rate of 90Hz will also have quick response times in comparisson to competing LCD displays. According to Samsung Display, "the 90Hz OLED display offers high-speed driving that is actually on par with that of 120Hz LCD screens."

90Hz is the natural evolution of OLED displays, which have been held back due to their lower speeds in some markets, such as gaming. Gamers value fast refresh rates, which is why you see devices like the Razer Blade Pro with a refresh rate of 360Hz. That laptop, of course, uses an LCD display.

The 90Hz OLED panels coming from Samsung Display should be a good compromise between speed and the benefits of OLED.

Samsung Display did not specify which laptops will have the new 90Hz OLED displays. The company produces displays for some of the biggest names in the laptop industry, so we'll likely see it in hardware from companies we recognize.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He's covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean's journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.