Samsung's 90Hz OLED panels could be bound for MacBook Pro

Apple display supplier Samsung Display on Wednesday announced a start to mass production of 90Hz laptop OLED panels, a major advancement that could find its way into Apple's MacBook Pro range.

While Samsung Display does not specify what panel dimensions are being cut from its 90Hz OLED mother glass, the company notes 14-inch versions of the Asus Zenbook and Vivobook Pro will be among the first laptops to benefit from its high refresh rate technology.

According to Samsung Display, the 90Hz OLED panels exhibit a blur length of 0.9mm during video playback, a 10% improvement when compared against a 120Hz LCD panel. The result is reduced motion blur and clearer movement.

Along with ASUS, Samsung Display has been providing OLED panels to Lenovo, Dell, HP and Samsung Electronics. Apple is not mentioned as a customer, but rumors suggest the tech giant will tap Samsung's "Gen 8.5" OLED line for MacBook Pro panels in 2022.

Whispers of an OLED-equipped 16-inch MacBook Pro circulated in March, but word of a 14-inch variant has yet to surface.

Currently, Apple's MacBook Pro LCDs are set at a default 60Hz refresh rate.

In the near term, Apple is expected to unveil 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with mini LED screens later this year. Recent reports suggest production of the laptops began in August ahead of a launch this fall.

6 Comments

fastasleep 6451 comments · 14 Years

About 3 years ago

AppleInsider said:

In the near term, Apple is expected to unveil 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with mini LED screens later this year.

Or rather LCD screens with mini LED backlighting.

wood1208 2932 comments · 10 Years

For MBP, Apple switching from MiniLED screen to OLED in one year does not make sense unless price of OLED has come down.

DAalseth 3035 comments · 6 Years

So OLED has a slow refresh rate compared to LED, and as I've heard is prone to burn in, and costs more. What's the advantage again? Oh the blacks are a tiny bit blacker. I honestly don't understand why people are drooling over them. What am I missing?

crowley 10431 comments · 15 Years

DAalseth said:

So OLED has a slow refresh rate compared to LED, and as I've heard is prone to burn in, and costs more. What's the advantage again? Oh the blacks are a tiny bit blacker. I honestly don't understand why people are drooling over them. What am I missing?

There are dozens of articles on the internet about this. Google OLED vs LED and find out.

crowley said:

DAalseth said:

So OLED has a slow refresh rate compared to LED, and as I've heard is prone to burn in, and costs more. What's the advantage again? Oh the blacks are a tiny bit blacker. I honestly don't understand why people are drooling over them. What am I missing?

There are dozens of articles on the internet about this. Google OLED vs LED and find out.

I read those when Apple started using OLED. A bit thinner, draws a bit less power, the aforementioned darker blacks, that many people have said in the real world you can't really notice, and a few other things. But it sure seems like those advantages are outweighed by the disadvantages.