Micro RGB TVs are finally here, but they have a long way to go before they dethrone OLEDs

A side-by-side composite of two images: On the left is the LG C2 OLED, wall-mounted and displaying a mountain in front of a galaxy-rich night sky. On the right is Samsung's Micro RGB TV, also wall-mounted, displaying a colorful, abstract image.

(Image credit: LG / Samsung)

A good sign that newfangled TV tech is right around the corner is when there are several variations of a similar-sounding term flying around in every direction, such that it’s tough to keep track of what’s-what. We’re seeing that right now with Micro RGB technology — also known as RGB Mini-LED, True RGB, and of course, Micro RGB evo.

Samsung, Hisense, Sony and LG are each tinkering with their own variation of this RGB-based display technology. It’s the next step in the evolutionary line of Mini-LED TVs, and if several of the industry’s biggest brands are to be believed, it’s about to blow the lid on the whole dang business.

But for all of the purported advantages of Micro RGB (and despite the full-court press), I don’t see these TVs lapping OLED this year. It’s not that I don’t believe in the technology’s potential — it’s just a matter of OLED having a head start.

Pricing matters

Several TVs on display in a well-lit retail setting. Some are on a table while others are mounted on walls above signs that list their specifications. — (Image credit: Shutterstock / 8th.creator)

Last year, if you wanted to get your hands on a TV that used this nascent, RGB-based technology there were two models to choose from. Each was over 100 inches big and cost tens of thousands of dollars.

This year, brands like Samsung and Hisense are expanding their respective RGB catalogues to include screen sizes at more popular size points — some as small as 55 inches. While this downscaling is great news for viewers (and for the future of RGB TVs), it’s not necessarily a sign that the price of these sets will be aggressive enough to sway the average shopper.

My hunch — and I must admit that my hunches have been wrong in the past — is that the RGB TVs that make their way to more-accessible size points this year will be pricier than their Mini-LED counterparts.

In other words, my hunch — and I must admit that my hunches have been wrong in the past — is that the RGB TVs that make their way to more-accessible size points this year will be pricier than their Mini-LED counterparts. An average shopper might opt out of spending the premium.

If that same RGB TV cost the same (or even just a bit less) than a mid-range to high-end OLED TV, a high-end spender looking for the best possible picture might look beyond pricing altogether and opt for the better-performing TV. And, as hyped as I am to get my hands on an RGB TV, I can’t envision any of them eclipsing the best OLED TVs in 2026.

Contrast is king

RGB TVs reportedly have two big advantages over OLED TVs: brightness and color. The technology is engineered first and foremost for brighter, purer color, and this is at the heart of every tech demo and product showcase we've seen so far.

And while a brighter, punchier palette is certainly enticing (and from what I've seen, RGB TVs deal in some serious hues), they still can't compete with OLED when it comes to contrast. More specifically, OLED displays offer pixel-level dimming, and this has a tremendously positive impact on picture quality.

Without self-lit pixels, though, you're probably still dealing with things like light bloom, haloing and, for some, compromised uniformity.

As bright as Mini-LED and RGB TVs are capable of getting, they're still reliant on an array of backlights. They can't beam a ton of light to a tiny cluster of pixels in the way that makes an OLED-driven picture look eerily realistic.

Just like Mini-LED TVs have often found their niche in bright-room viewers who feel more comfortable shopping for a high-end TV that won't run the risk of burn-in, I suspect that RGB TVs will also play well with that crowd. Without self-lit pixels, though, you're probably still dealing with things like light bloom, haloing and, for some, compromised uniformity.

Micro RGB vs OLED: 2026 outlook

The Samsung RGB Micro TV on a grey background. — (Image credit: Samsung)

Until the TV-makers that have promised RGB-based TVs in conventional screen sizes unveil 2026 pricing, all any of us can do is speculate about the technology's pricing. And, until we officially put some of these sets through their paces in our testing lab, all I can do is make an educated guess about how they'll perform.

My first hope is that the best RGB TV of 2026 — be it a Samsung Micro RGB TV, a Sony True RGB TV or a Hisense RGB Mini-LED TV — is substantially better than the best Mini-LED TV of 2026. My second hope is that the price of the former isn't substantially more than the latter (though I suspect it will be).

And, to all of the A/V enthusiasts, home theater-enjoyers and all-around high-end TV-buyers shopping for a TV in 2026, here's my prediction: An OLED TV will probably be at the top of your list of candidates this year. There really isn't a substitute for pixel-level dimming — at least not until we start getting smaller, cheaper Micro-LED TVs.

I'm not excited for the day that Micro RGB TVs dethrone OLEDs. I am excited for the ways in which they'll shape the industry in the years to come.

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Michael Desjardin is a Senior Editor for TVs at Tom's Guide. He's been testing and tinkering with TVs professionally for over a decade, previously for Reviewed and USA Today. Michael graduated from Emerson College where he studied media production and screenwriting. He loves cooking, zoning out to ambient music, and getting way too invested in the Red Sox. He considers himself living proof that TV doesn't necessarily rot your brain.

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