What is Primary RGB Tandem OLED? Explaining the OLED TV technology

When OLED as a TV technology first launched, the main critiscm against it was that it wasn’t bright enough. Compared to an LCD TV, an OLED wouldn’t be able to show the same range of colours or levels of brightness.

Since then, LG Display has led the production of OLED panels for TVs, bringing out new technologies to up the brightness of OLED TVs. The latest innovation is called Primary RGB Tandem.

Not to be confused with Tandem OLED screens present in the iPad Pro. But as we’ll explain it could herald a much brighter and colourful future for OLED TVs.

What is Primary RGB Tandem OLED?

Unlike the Tandem OLED panel used in the iPad Pro. Primary RGB Tandem OLED is designed for larger screens such as TVs.

The structure of the panel use four stacks of material that produce the light that emits through the screen.

Primary RGB Tandem uses two layers of blue elements and in-between which are independent layers of red and green elements – hence the name RGB. By organising the structure this way, LG Display says it’s improved the maximum brightness of the screen by upping the amount of light each element produces.

According to LG Display, this increase results in the screen being able to hit up to 4000 nits of brightness in certain situations.

Other benefits from separating the structure into separate red, green, and blue layers, is the improvement to colour brightness to 2100 nits.

Primary RGB Tandem OLED vs Micro Lens Array

Primary RGB Tandem displays are brighter than Micro Lens Array OLED but by how much?

The third-generation of LG’s META technology was called Micro Lens Array (MLA for short), and was capable of 3000 nits of peak brightness. They used three stack light source that featured two layers of blue elements along with another layer that feature red, green, and yellow elements. TVs such as the LG OLED G3, OLED G4, and Panasonic Z95A used MLA panels.

That’s changed with the fourth-generation RGB Tandem panels. They feature two layers of blue elements with red and green layers sandwiched in the middle.

Primary RGB Tandem OLED takes the brightness factor up a notch with its ability to hit 4000 nits of peak brightness, which is a third greater than MLA was capable of. Brightness will factor into colour improvements as well, so RGB Tandem OLED should display a wider and more accurate range of colours.

Colour brightness is expected to be around 2100 nits, while full screen brightness is said to be about 400 nits. That’s still half as much in terms of full screen brightness than a Mini LED such as the Sony Bravia 9.

And it’s not just improvements to the panel that potentially makes Primary RGB Tandem better than MLA OLED.

Advancements in AI processing along with improvements to the power supply system has resulted in RGB Tandem OLEDs being more energy efficient than previous generations of OLED TVs. LG Display claim they’ve achieved 20% greater energy efficiency based on a 65-inch panel.

In short, a TV with a Primary RGB Tandem panel should be brighter, more colourful, and use less energy than non-Primary RGB Tandem OLEDs.

Which TVs have RGB Tandem OLED?

Just like Micro Lens Array, RGB Tandem OLED is viewed as premium display technology. Therefore, it’s very likely that it’ll only appear in premium priced TVs.

So far we know that the LG OLED G5 and OLED M5 will feature Primary RGB Tandem OLED panels. Panasonic has announced that its flagship 2025 TV, the Z95B, will also have it; and Philips confirmed that its OLED+910 and OLED+950 models will feature the technology when they launch.

Rumours are suggested that Sony may have switched from QD-OLED to RGB Tandem OLED for its next flagship OLED TV, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

Should you buy an RGB Tandem OLED TV?

We’ve not yet reviewed an OLED TV that has a Primary RGB Tandem panel. But based on what we’ve seen at trade shows or briefing sessions of the LG OLED G5 comapred to older OLEDs, it’s an intensely brighter and more colorful watch.

Add to the equation OLED’s pixel level dimming whereby it can control each individual pixel in the screen, and you get superb levels of contrast with high brightness and inky, but detailed black levels.

We do know that any TV with this technology will incur a premium. Primary RGB Tandem OLED technology will not feature in mid-range or less expensive OLEDs. If you want a TV with a Primary RGB Tandem OLED panel, you’ll have to pay a premium price for it. But judging from what we’ve seen so far, it could be worth it.

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