It’s been a rollercoaster ride into the world of OLED TVs in 2024, and we’ve only just reached the halfway point of the year. We’ve seen big releases from LG, Samsung and Sony, with a number already taking their place among the best TVs. But there has also been some surprising and, unfortunately, unwanted news about what we expected to be some of the best OLED TVs.
Keeping up with the latest OLED TV news can be difficult, so we’ve compiled a list of all the major releases and reviews over the past six months. That list follows, along with our thoughts on OLED technology as it looks to maintain its place as the most popular TV option.
Biggest OLED TV Launches of 2024
The Samsung S95D is one of the flagship OLED TVs of 2024. Samsung’s flagship QD-OLED (a combination of brightness-enhancing QLED technology with a contrast-rich OLED panel) has done what its predecessor, the Samsung S95C, did brilliant – stunning photos, unbeatable gaming performance – but adds the company’s new OLED Glare Free technology to eliminate reflections. This worked extremely well during our testing, and the S95D earned every bit of its five-star review from us.
Next is the LG C4. The C4’s predecessor, the LG C3, was a bit of a disappointment in 2023, as it didn’t improve much on the fantastic LG C2 apart from a modest increase in brightness. The C4 thankfully changed that, exceeding 1,000 nits in brightness, improving HDR handling and introducing a 144Hz refresh rate, making its 42-inch model ideal for PC gaming. It’s one of the strongest OLED TVs of 2024 so far and will offer tough competition in the mid-range.
The LG B3 was my personal dark horse OLED TV in 2023, so when LG unveiled its 2024 OLED TV lineup, a few key specs for the new LG B4 series caught my eye: a new 48-inch model, four HDMI 2.1 ports AND LG’s new Alpha 8 AI processor, which LG said would mimic the performance of the LG C3. This ticks almost all the boxes, and although we haven’t fully tested it yet, the B4 is my most anticipated OLED TV of 2024.
We haven’t forgotten about the LG G4, one of LG’s OLED flagships for 2024. From what we saw at CES 2024, it offered a significant increase in brightness over its predecessor, the LG G3, and features a 144 Hz refresh rate and a new Dolby Vision Filmmaker Mode (available on most LG 2024 TVs). It certainly looked as impressive as expected and we’re eager to test it, although it doesn’t capture our imaginations as much as the C4 and B4.
One of the biggest TV stories of 2024 has been Sony’s decision to move away from OLED as the panel technology of choice for its 2024 flagship TV, the Bravia 9, and instead opt for mini-LED. One of the main reasons for this is the company’s new BVM-HX3110 professional monitor, which can be used to master movies with up to 4,000 nits in brightness – something Sony believes only mini-LEDs can match. His decision paid off, as in our review of the Bravia 9, we were blown away by its brightness, refined local dimming, and OLED-quality black levels and contrast. Sony OLED fans needn’t worry, though, as its 2024 TV lineup features the new Bravia 8 OLED (the successor to the Sony A80L). Also, the Sony A95L QD-OLED will continue to be available.
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news for OLED in 2024. The Samsung S90D, the eagerly awaited successor to the Samsung S90C, TechRadar’s 2023 TV of the Year has proven controversial due to reports of a ‘panel lottery’, something that Samsung has. denied. What the panel lottery means is that you can pay QD-OLED-level prices but end up with a TV with either a QD-OLED panel or a standard ‘W-OLED’ panel. Adding to the punch, Samsung has confirmed that the 42- and 48-inch models of the S90D only come with a W-OLED panel.
More OLED TVs to look forward to in 2024
Although every major OLED brand has revealed their TV lineup for the year, models from Panasonic, Philips and Loewe, which are not available in the US, have yet to be released to the public. We haven’t had a chance to fully test any of these TVs, but we’ve already seen a few of them in action.
Panasonic’s 2024 lineup of stacked TVs features five OLED models in total. The new flagship Panasonic Z95A comes from the phenomenal Panasonic MZ2000 of 2023, one of the best TVs for sound. It will still come with an MLA panel, but promises even higher brightness plus a 144Hz refresh rate for gaming. Panasonic’s OLEDs (and all its TVs) will come with Amazon’s Fire TV smart TV platform, replacing my somewhat sluggish Screen8.0 display, which I found to be the MZ2000’s biggest drawback when I reviewed it. The Z90A, one of my three most anticipated Panasonic TVs of 2024, will also have an external soundbar in its smaller 42-inch model. Could there finally be a 42-inch OLED rival to the LG C4?
Philips’ popular range of Ambilight TVs in 2023, including the brilliant OLED808 and Philips OLED908, which made me feel like a kid at Christmas when I tested them, are tough acts to follow. But when Philips announced its 2024 line-up of TVs, it made headlines by claiming that its flagship OLED+959 and OLED+909 would be the first OLED TVs to reach 3,000 nits – a brightness level that rivaled mini-TVs. LEDs. They will also feature 144Hz gaming and 5.1.2 and 3.1ch speaker systems on the OLED+959 and OLED+90 respectively, in a bid to rival the built-in audio capability of Panasonic and Sony TVs.
Recently, Loewe, whose TVs are as much about design as performance, is set to release its dr+ range of OLEDs (some of which are now available). These functional panels built by Loewe with glass provided by LG. Loewe will also launch its Stellar range of OLEDs, which will cost significantly more than LG’s G4 OLED TV, but will come with a concrete back and a powerful 200W sound system.