Question Would you buy a OLED TV for a monitor? Which there of these would you prefer?

[MtSeldon]

I have an Asus MG278Q monitor right now. It’s ok. Very fast panel, Free sync is supported but color reproduction is poor. So, I’m looking for a new monitor. I did a little research, some are advising to look TV’s, specially OLED TV’s for this generation.
Min 120 hz and Freesync/Gsync support is must for me. So, I found these three candidates.

1. LG OLED48CXPUB

This one has a OLED panel and said to have the best color productions, specially blacks. But I never used a 48” TV as a monitor. Does anyone has a personal experience with these big panels? Isn’t it too big to put on a desk and use it at a desktop monitor distance (about 70cm)?
OLED’s are great for movies, games but how good are they for text related work? Like for Excel or Visual Studio?
I can see Ultrawide monitors being useful if you put two apps side by side but is 21:9 ratio at this size good for multitasking Office related work?

2. SAMSUNG 43-inch Class QLED Q60T Series
This one was advised as a cheaper alternative. Reviews seems ok but nothing very positive. 43” is more suitable for computer monitor, I think. But as far as I can see, It supports Freesync.

3. LG 38GL950G-B 38-inch Ultragear Nano IPS 1ms Curved Gaming Monitor with 144HZ Refresh Rate and NVIDIA G-SYNC
This is the monitor I’m thinking of buying If I don’t find other usable. But at 1800usd it’s more expensive than an OLED TV, makes me think it’s a reasonable price.

Do you have any experience with any of these? Which one would you go for?

 

[mnewsham]

Ok, I'll take your word for it. So then it seems to me that a CX is a downgrade from the C9. Unless you are looking for the 48", I see no reason to get a CX. Care to disagree?

Besides a few differences in picture modes, yep i'd agree.

 

[Dranoche]

Per the Rtings reviews the CX has some measurements that are slightly lesser than the C9, but nothing particularly significant. No reason to pay more for a CX, but it's not an obvious downgrade if you can't get a C9. There really haven't been any major year to year improvements other than the addition of VRR with the series 9 last year, mostly some incremental response time improvements.

Most consumer TV's are now using 10-bit panels, and there aren't any 12-bit consumer-level displays. Some devices with Dolby Vision support have a 12-bit setting, though I'm not sure why. I think it repackages the 10-bit signal as 12-bit with pixel subsampling, which is necessary due to bandwidth limitations. But it doesn't add anything and might make the image worse. The spec for Dolby Vision includes 12-bit, just like it includes a peak brightness of 10k nits. But nothing is presently being mastered at 12-bit or that brightness level. Dolby Vision color depth profiles are presently only 10-bit and mastering isn't done with brightness beyond 4k nits. Most consumer TV's are peaking at 1-1.5k nits.

Even an 8k display technically shouldn't have banding issues with 10-bit. The benefit with eventually going higher is less potential for banding when downsampling from an even higher bit-depth capture device, but that shouldn't be a significant issue for the end user at 4k and higher resolutions.

 

[Majcric]

If I were to entertain the idea of going with OLED,I would get the LG CX but only after the software matures. As I understand from Vincent’s review it has floating blacks. For those that don’t know they are gamma shifts that will drive you insane with what looks like pulsating in and out. (Had this on a Panny plasma once and I ended up selling It less than a year after purchase)

Hopefully at least by that time it will have a nice price drop to boot.

Also I would favor the 48”Variant with ppi equivalent to a 24” 1080p monitor. Which I think is only available with the CX or at least here in the states.

 

[MtSeldon]

Samsung is also making the extra effort for TV's . With the low input lag ,Freesync Premium support , Samsung maybe an alternative to for use who is afraid of OLED image burn problems.

Samsung optimises its latest 4K TVs for Gaming with FreeSync Premium and 9.8ms of input lag - OC3D

Samsung optimises its latest 4K TVs for Gaming with AMD FreeSync Premium and 9.8ms of input lag Over the past number of years, TV manufacturers have been working to create the best gaming screens, focusing on lowering input lag while delivering higher levels of image quality though HDR support...

www.overclock3d.net

 

[mnewsham]

Samsung maybe an alternative to for use who is afraid of OLED image burn problems

For now sure, but Samsung has already confirmed they're closing down LCD manufacturing and going all-in on QD-OLED.

 

[VirtualLarry]

For now sure, but Samsung has already confirmed they're closing down LCD manufacturing and going all-in on QD-OLED.

Really??? Wow. I had no idea, that the tech. behind QD-OLED had matured that much. I thought that LCD was still very much a "Thing".

What about laptops? Will they move to QD-OLED too, in the future, if these major companies shut down their LCD lines? Or will we still be able to get 1080P IPS screens for our laptops?

Edit: Or was your statement basically circumscribed by the context of TVs, and unrelated to PC and laptop monitors?

 

[mnewsham]

Really??? Wow. I had no idea, that the tech. behind QD-OLED had matured that much. I thought that LCD was still very much a "Thing".

What about laptops? Will they move to QD-OLED too, in the future, if these major companies shut down their LCD lines? Or will we still be able to get 1080P IPS screens for our laptops?

Edit: Or was your statement basically circumscribed by the context of TVs, and unrelated to PC and laptop monitors?

Samsung Display to end LCD production

It will end LCD production by the end of the year and focus on QD displays instead.

www.zdnet.com

The majority of the LCD panels produced by these factories are used by Samsung Electronics' TV business for the production of its QLED TV brand.

It seems mostly TV, but not sure entirely.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

I can't decide if a TV monitor is the way to go. The OLED is tempting because monitors always seem such poor quality for the price. I can sit up to 5-6ft away by wall mounting, but I suspect that would be uncomfortable for productivity work and webbrowsing since you'd be reading at a different focal distance. And what do you guys make of this chart about viewing angle? Everyone talks about visual acuity, but whether you can make out pixels or not seems pretty irrelevant until you first address appropriate field of vision.

Screen Size	Recommended Mixed Usage Distance (30°)	Recommended Cinema Distance (40°)
25"	3.4' (1.04 m)	2.5' (0.77 m)
30"	4.1' (1.24 m)	3' (0.92 m)
35"	4.8' (1.45 m)	3.5' (1.07 m)
40"	5.5' (1.66 m)	4' (1.22 m)
45"	6.1' (1.86 m)	4.5' (1.37 m)
50"	6.8' (2.06 m)	5' (1.53 m)
55"	7.5' (2.28 m)	5.5' (1.68 m)
60"	8.2' (2.48 m)	6' (1.83 m)
65"	8.9' (2.69 m)	6.5' (1.98 m)

TV Size to Distance Calculator and Science

Our TV Sizes to Distance Calculator helps you choose the right size TV for your space. The optimal viewing distance is about 1.6 times the diagonal length of the television. For example, for a 55” TV, the best distance is 7 feet.

www.rtings.com

None of these distances seem to make sense for to how PC monitors are used, although it does give some support to the oddball pro gamers who use 24" monitors and letterbox down to 4:3 aspect ratio.

 

[mnewsham]

None of these distances seem to make sense for to how PC monitors are used, although it does give some support to the oddball pro gamers who use 24" monitors and letterbox down to 4:3 aspect ratio.

I agree, it's a bit non-sensical for PC usage, I use 27" 1440p at ~2-2.4 feet comfortably, and a 43" 4k at 2.8-3 feet.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

I agree, it's a bit non-sensical for PC usage, I use 27" 1440p at ~2-2.4 feet comfortably, and a 43" 4k at 2.8-3 feet.

I wasn't quite clear, but my point was that theoretically you would want a PC monitor in a tighter field of view to maintain focus but based on the chart most people probably use monitors in a 45*-50* FOV.

 

[mnewsham]

I wasn't quite clear, but my point was that theoretically you would want a PC monitor in a tighter field of view to maintain focus but based on the chart most people probably use monitors in a 45*-50* FOV.

Yup, my 27" 1440p at 2.2-2.4 feet is 46-49 degree FOV.
My 43" 4k at ~3 feet is ~55 degree FOV.

I mean, I could easily move my monitors further back if I felt it was beneficial, but for my uses, it simply isn't. I wouldn't be able to read text without GUI scaling if I moved the monitors further back to give a tighter FOV.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

The rtings article may be a bit misleading. I think 30*/40* may be considered minimum FOVs for a good experience (movies/media standards). However highest recommend FOV / shortest distance appears to be ~70*, although the below site doesn't list a source. This is more consistent with PC usage typically ~50*.

This translates to ~4ft on a 48", ~4.3ft on 55", and ~5.1ft on a 65" screen.

TV Monitor Viewing Distance Calculator

Viewing Distance Calculation Screen Size Resolution (W) Resolution (H) Update Data Display details: Screen Diagonal: inches Screen Resolution: Screen Width: Screen Height: Aspect Ratio: Dot Pitch: PPI: Minimum distance Maximum distance Visual Acuity distance

stari.co

 

[Dranoche]

Those distances were generated for viewing video and getting the most out of a selected resolution, with 30 degrees being the optimal according to SMPTE, and 40 degrees (or 36 in some sources) the optimal according to THX. I think those optimums also work pretty well for everything else for most people.

Productivity throws in a few variables with regards to individual visual acuity, text preferences, and specific use case. I would imagine most people lean in or move the monitor closer for reading more than for other productivity, and closer for general productivity and gaming than for viewing video. We're talking a few inches difference at the most with typical monitor sizes. Not anywhere near the minimum viewing distance for any normal use. Greater than 50 degrees is going to have you moving your eyes and head a lot in using the entire display area, particularly with a larger display where a little tilt of your head is no longer producing a significant change in FOV.

 

[Muadib]

So I ordered my 48" Oled, and had to go with Best Buy because Amazon doesn't even have it on site yet.

The rtings article may be a bit misleading. I think 30*/40* may be considered minimum FOVs for a good experience (movies/media standards). However highest recommend FOV / shortest distance appears to be ~70*, although the below site doesn't list a source. This is more consistent with PC usage typically ~50*.

This translates to ~4ft on a 48", ~4.3ft on 55", and ~5.1ft on a 65" screen.

TV Monitor Viewing Distance Calculator

Viewing Distance Calculation Screen Size Resolution (W) Resolution (H) Update Data Display details: Screen Diagonal: inches Screen Resolution: Screen Width: Screen Height: Aspect Ratio: Dot Pitch: PPI: Minimum distance Maximum distance Visual Acuity distance

stari.co

I looked at your chart, and a 50' 4K set looks like it 3' and change, not 4'. Do you agree?

 

[GoodRevrnd]

So I ordered my 48" Oled, and had to go with Best Buy because Amazon doesn't even have it on site yet.
I looked at your chart, and a 50' 4K set looks like it 3' and change, not 4'. Do you agree?

That's the Visual Acuity Distance whether you can make out individual pixels or not. You need to also consider how much of your FOV the screen consumes for comfort, attention, immersion, etc. My understanding is that less than 30*-40* is a crappy media experience, you don't want more than 70* (when looking at one edge center vision the other edge is still in your peripheral), and it appears most people view PC monitors in the 45*-55* range. 4' puts a 48" screen at 50* FOV. I really can't say with certainty if this is ideal, gauge my input with what others here have said. Also keep in mind how high the monitor will be mounted and how much you will need to look up (bad) at any seating distance.

 

[mnewsham]

4' puts a 48" screen at 50* FOV

At 4 feet I believe it's actually ~47 degrees.

At 3.2 feet it's ~57 degrees.

I'd personally shoot for the visual acuity distance of 3.2ft or slightly further. I wouldn't go all the way to 4 feet though.

 

[delonm]

So I ordered my 48" Oled, and had to go with Best Buy because Amazon doesn't even have it on site yet.
I looked at your chart, and a 50' 4K set looks like it 3' and change, not 4'. Do you agree?

I know it is only Friday, but inquiring minds want to know, did you receive your new display? If so, what do you think? I am really debating pulling the trigger on one of those as well. I currently have a 38" ultrawide, but I just don't care for the aspect ratio.

 

[Muadib]

I know it is only Friday, but inquiring minds want to know, did you receive your new display? If so, what do you think? I am really debating pulling the trigger on one of those as well. I currently have a 38" ultrawide, but I just don't care for the aspect ratio.

I won't have it until Monday sometime. I'll be sure to post once I have it setup.

 

[Muadib]

Just hooked up my new display, and it's broken. Calling Best Buy to do an exchange, and hold time is over an hour.

 

[delonm]

Just hooked up my new display, and it's broken. Calling Best Buy to do an exchange, and hold time is over an hour.

Ah, crap that sucks man. Nothing worse than getting a cool new tech toy and having it be DOA. Good luck with a smooth return. I am sure BB will treat you right.

 

[Muadib]

Ah, crap that sucks man. Nothing worse than getting a cool new tech toy and having it be DOA. Good luck with a smooth return. I am sure BB will treat you right.

You were right they were good, but I had to get a refund. They are out of stock until the end of July.

 

[mnewsham]

You were right they were good, but I had to get a refund. They are out of stock until the end of July.

Abt claims they'll have it shipping in a week and a half or so.

But yeah, everywhere else I see it is end of July or early August. Or no date given.

LG 48" CX 4K HDR Smart OLED TV With AI ThinQ - OLED48CXPUB

3840 x 2160 Resolution/ a9 Gen 3 Processor 4K with AI Picture & AI Sound/ Dolby Vision IQ & Dolby Atmos/ Pixel Level Dimming/ 120Hz (Native) Refresh Rate/ OLED Motion Pro/ AI Upscaling/ G-SYNC Compatible/ Intelligent Voice Recognition/ Google Assistant And Alexa Built-In/ Apple Airplay2, Apple...

www.abt.com

 

[Muadib]

Abt claims they'll have it shipping in a week and a half or so.

But yeah, everywhere else I see it is end of July or early August. Or no date given.

LG 48" CX 4K HDR Smart OLED TV With AI ThinQ - OLED48CXPUB

3840 x 2160 Resolution/ a9 Gen 3 Processor 4K with AI Picture & AI Sound/ Dolby Vision IQ & Dolby Atmos/ Pixel Level Dimming/ 120Hz (Native) Refresh Rate/ OLED Motion Pro/ AI Upscaling/ G-SYNC Compatible/ Intelligent Voice Recognition/ Google Assistant And Alexa Built-In/ Apple Airplay2, Apple...

www.abt.com

Never bought from Abt. Are they authorized for LG?

 

[mnewsham]

Never bought from Abt. Are they authorized for LG?

They're on the first line of LG's retail partner's page.

 

[Muadib]

They're on the first line of LG's retail partner's page.



View attachment 24614

I went with email when available. I did the same with b&h, as they list it as a pre-order. First to email me wins.