Major brands like LG, Acer, and Asus have recently released new OLED gaming monitors, but all of them feature matte panels, ignoring customer demand for glossy options. The norm of using matte panels in the monitor industry has led manufacturers to overlook feedback from consumers who prefer glossy panels. While matte panels are suitable for environments where lighting cannot be controlled, such as open offices, it's clear that many gamers prefer to play in a dark room where they can control the lighting for optimal visual experience.
Source: r/monitors
At Dough, we understand the importance of community feedback and input, which is why we're proud to say that our approach is driven by our community's needs and wants. This dedication to our community is what sets us apart, as it has allowed us to create something truly unique and unparalleled in the world of gaming monitors. Our glossy OLED gaming monitors were developed in response to our community's desire for a more immersive and lifelike gaming experience. These monitors combine cutting-edge OLED technology with a glossy polarizer for deep blacks, sharp details, and vibrant colors. But let's also explore why glossy OLED monitors have not yet become more widespread among display manufacturers.
OLED technology delivers natural visual and auditory experiences
OLED gaming monitors
OLED, or organic light-emitting diode, is a type of display technology that is used in televisions, smartphones, and computer monitors. Unlike traditional LCD displays, which require a backlight to function, OLEDs generate their own light when an electrical current is applied to the organic compounds that make up the display.
Infinite contrast ratio
One of the main advantages of OLED gaming monitors is their high contrast ratios. Because each pixel in an OLED display generates its own light, pixels that are turned off appear truly black, rather than simply dark. This results in a more vibrant and lifelike image, with deep blacks and bright whites. This is especially useful in games that have a lot of dark scenes or in fast-paced action games where high contrast ratio helps to better distinguish the details.
Perfect Black' shows all vivid colors and even fine details in the dark
High-performance
Another benefit of OLED gaming monitors is their fast response times. Through self-emissive structure with no backlight, OLED’s superior response speed is 100 times faster than the previous gaming monitor. Because OLED pixels can turn on and off very quickly, they can keep up with fast-moving action without any blurring or ghosting.
Glossy OLED gaming monitors also have higher refresh rate than traditional LCD monitors. LCD monitors typically have a refresh rate of 60Hz, which means that the display is updated 60 times per second. While some advanced gaming monitors like our Spectrum 4K 144Hz can achieve a refresh rate of 144 frames per second, it may not meet the demands of some gamers, especially those who play first-person shooter games that require a fast-paced and responsive display. On the other hand, OLED gaming monitors can have refresh rates as high as 240Hz, providing a smoother and more responsive gameplay experience for those users.
Immersive gaming experiences
OLED gaming monitors also have wide viewing angles and excellent color reproduction, making them perfect for immersive gaming experiences. OLED pixels emit light at all angles, which means that the image on an OLED monitor can be viewed from nearly any angle without losing color accuracy or contrast. Furthermore, due to the self-emitting nature of OLEDs, these monitors also have no backlight bleed, which is common on LCDs, this could affect the gaming experience and make the image less sharp.
‘Wide viewing angle’ for accurate image quality without distortion from any position from the front or the side
In addition, OLED monitors tend to be thinner and lighter than LCD monitors, making them more portable and easier to mount on a wall or other surface. This sleek design can also be pleasing to the eye. Lastly, OLED monitors are generally more energy-efficient than LCD monitors, as they do not require a backlight to produce an image. This can help to reduce power consumption and save money on electricity bills.
Overall, OLED gaming monitors offer a number of benefits, including infinite contrast ratio, excellent color reproduction, wide viewing angles, fast response times, energy efficiency, and a sleek design, that make them a top choice for gamers and enthusiasts.
Glossy panels aka glossy monitors
A glossy monitor is a computer display that has a shiny or reflective surface on its screen. This surface is typically made of a layer of glass or a similar material that is coated with a glossy finish.
Glossy monitors may not be as common in the computer monitor industry, but they are still a familiar technology that is widely used in other types of devices, such as TVs and mobile devices. Additionally, major tech brand Apple has used glossy screens in many of its products. If you are reading this article on a MacBook, iPhone or Apple Display, it's 100% chance that you're using a glossy device.
Excellent image quality and color reproduction
How light is reflected on a matte monitor vs a glossy monitor
The main benefits of glossy panels is that it offer a higher level of image quality and color reproduction compared to matte panels. Glossy surfaces reflect less light than matte surfaces, which allows for more accurate color reproduction and more vibrant images. This can make the overall visual experience more enjoyable, and is especially beneficial for displaying high-quality images and videos.
The glossy polarizer ensures a crisper image and that extra pop of color we all want (think more vibrant colors and deeper blacks!)
Image source: Dave2D
Improved perceived contrast and colors
Another benefit of glossy monitors is that they offer better contrast ratios. Glossy displays are able to produce deeper blacks and brighter whites, creating a more dramatic and dynamic image.
Improved perceived contrast and colours (Source: Dave2D)
The glossy polarizer adds extra crispiness and pop to the monitor’s colours (aspecially blacks!). Below you can see pictures of Spectrum 4K 144Hz’s sub-pixel structure and as you can see, the glossy coating has less haze and colours appear clearer and crispier.
Above: photos taken with a digital microscope capturing sub-pixel structure clarity (Source: TFTCentral).
Improved text sharpness and image quality
The reduced haze and clearer image of the glossy coating allow for sharper text and an overall better image quality. This will enable you to enjoy each and every small detail during your game play.
Sharper texts on glossy monitors
Above: Text clarity and sharpness comparison – zoomed in on a normal font of 11-point size (Source: TFTCentral)
Above: photos taken with a digital microscope capturing optimal sharpness of text close up (Source: TFTCentral)
Additionally, glossy panels are often more durable and scratch-resistant than matte panels. This can help prolong the life of the device, as scratches and other signs of wear and tear are less visible on a glossy panel.
Glossy X OLED aka Glossy OLED gaming monitors
Why no glossy gaming monitors?
Many enthusiasts have been asking why other brands have not yet adopted glossy OLED displays. Some have even taken to LG's OLED product page to ask questions directly. The overwhelming support of our community made it clear that a glossy coating was in high demand. Some have asked if the matte film can simply be removed or if a glossy coating can be applied manually at the factory, but the implementation is not that simple.
The absence of glossy OLED gaming monitors or even glossy gaming monitors in general on the market is due to the extensive research and development required to create a glossy coating, as well as the necessary factory recalibration. Glossy coatings require additional changes to the polarizer film, which is a crucial part of the panel module. The polarizer acts as a filter that controls light waves and makes the display content visible. Without the polarizer, no image would be visible.
The implementation of glossy displays requires a significant amount of effort from manufacturers and may involve re-calibrating their automated assembly line, modifying the certification process, fine-tuning color performance, and conducting durability testing. We believe that major brands may be hesitant to make such significant changes due to the large upfront cost and effort required for development and production.
The first glossy gaming monitor
Our Spectrum 4K 144Hz Glossy is the first and only glossy gaming monitor available in the market as of the time of this writing. When we first set out to create our Spectrum 4K 144Hz with a glossy panel, it took us significant effort and persuasion to convince the right people at LG Display to make this a reality. It was a challenging task, but thanks to the support and enthusiasm of our community, we were able to convince LG to make our glossy coating a reality.
And the first glossy OLED gaming monitor
OLED technology is the most advanced and cutting-edge in the display industry, offering an immersive and lifelike gaming experience. However, some manufacturers opt for matte polarizers on their OLED panels to reduce reflections.
At Dough, we believe that this reduction in reflections is not worth sacrificing the true potential of OLED technology. Our gaming community agrees, stating that the visual experience is just as important as gameplay. That's why we've chosen to use a unique glossy polarizer, unlocking the full potential of our OLED panels. Whether you're playing the latest games or streaming content, our monitors offer a truly immersive and unparalleled visual experience.
With Spectrum OLED, we are once again pushing the boundaries and making history as we introduce the world's first glossy OLED gaming monitors.