It looks like Samsung’s next-generation Odyssey gaming monitor will have a mini-LED backlight. An updated version of the Odyssey 9 could arrive around June this year, if Samsung announces the screen at about the same time as last year.
The rumor comes from the LetsGoDigital data leak site, which has noticed a number of Samsung trademarks in the EU and Korea. The European and Korean applications were submitted on March 23 and cover the use of the name Odyssey Neo. Anyone watching Samsung’s TV program will be aware that the Neo name has been assigned to the company’s mini-LED TV range.
This suggests that a completely new gaming range with quantum dots and a mini LED could arrive this year. This would be a major boost for monitor technology, also giving QLED color advantages with deep black and a reduced halo effect of mini-LED backlighting. These arrays of tiny light-emitting diodes significantly improve edge brightness and even LED backlighting throughout the array due to their reduced size.
Mini-LED screens use light emitting diodes with a diameter of 0.2 mm, which means you could fit 1000 or more of them behind the screen. This gives you more control over where light is created, which means you won’t see the effects of bloom or halo around a bright object on a black background.
The downside is that these monitors will probably be more expensive than this year’s screens. Samsung’s 49-inch G9 was already very premium, with a retail price of around $ 2,000. It is difficult for a mini-LED screen to be cheaper. So get ready for something that could be an extremely expensive new screen.
Smaller models may offer a more affordable option, but it seems it could be first-generation technology and worth the wait to increase efficiency to lower the price. Once Samsung TVs and monitors using mini-LEDs become more popular, the price is likely to fall sharply.