While Hisense and TCL will be introducing RGB miniLED LCD TVs in 2025, Samsung showcased the first LCD TV with an RGB microLED backlight at CES 2025. Here's our first look.

The day before CES 2025 began, during Samsung's First Look event, one of the new displays attracted a lot of confused looks. It was labeled 'RGB Micro LED,' but Samsung has already offered – extremely expensive – microLED TVs for several years. So, what is going on here?

During a closed-door session, FlatpanelsHD received more details and had the opportunity to take a closer look at the TV. As confirmed by Samsung's Korean engineers, this is actually an LCD TV that, for the first time, uses a microLED backlight, an upgrade from current miniLED backlights.


 Samsung's prototype 98-inch RGB microLED LCD TV. Photo: FlatpanelsHD

May launch in 2025
The TV on display was a 98-inch model with 8K resolution. It is a prototype, currently without an official name or model number, but Samsung said that it is planning to later it in 2025 as its flagship 8K TV, available in 98 inches and likely other sizes as well.

It will sit above both QN900F and QN990F, though we can only guess what it will be called – perhaps the QN1000F?

Samsung explained that by switching from miniLED to microLED, the number of LEDs can be significantly increased. Compared to miniLED, the TV will have "at least three times" more LEDs, a Samsung representative told FlatpanelsHD and other media attending the presentation. This will increase luminance, increase the number of dimming zones and improve energy efficiency – and affect another aspect of picture quality.


An impressive demo
The TV was seemingly set to Vivid picture mode and we only saw demo content, but Samsung clearly wanted to highlight that an RGB microLED backlight behind the VA LCD panel delivers an increased color volume compared to the typical miniLED backlight using blue LEDs and quantum dots.


 Photo: FlatpanelsHD

The prototype display produced very saturated and bright colors, which is likely why many initially mistook it for a true, self-emitting microLED TV – understandable given Samsung's 'RGB Micro LED' wording.

We expect the TV to come with a hefty price tag, and we are still not fully convinced Samsung will follow through with its plans this year. However, it could represent the next evolution beyond RGB miniLED, which Hisense and TCL are also adopting later this year. We'll see.


 As seen from the side. Photo: FlatpanelsHD