This year's OLED TVs are set to be a lot less expensive than you think, particularly if you're looking to buy very big, or very small. In fact the best OLED TV bargain of 2021 is set to be anything in the 42-inch size which should come in at less than £1000/$1000. It all boils down to geometry.
According to the Advanced TV Display Cost Report report, unearthed by HDTVtest, an OLED panel manufacturing technology called MMG (multi-model glass) allows displays to be cut out of the large OLED substrate sheets in different orientations. The result is that LG Display can squeeze 10 42in TVs out of the same OLED sheet instead of just eight and that significantly reduces the cost-per-panel figure.
The key comparison, though, is that LG can only get six 55in TVs out of that same size of OLED substrate. That puts that cost price of each 42in panel at around $250 to produce while a 55in TV panel is closer to $375 – 50 per cent more.
The cost of production of these OLED giants is thought to be $1150. The standard mark-up of 4-5 times – once other TV components, distribution and sales are factored in – should give a decent estimate of the ticket tag, although more luxury models like this may carry a separate premium of their own.
