Today we’re speaking with Dominic Jainy, an IT professional whose work at the intersection of artificial intelligence and hardware has given him a unique perspective on the evolution of consumer technology. With the television market on the cusp of another major shift, we’re diving deep into the emergence of Micro RGB, a display technology that promises to redefine our expectations for picture quality. Our conversation will explore the fundamental mechanics of how Micro RGB achieves its near-perfect color, how it strategically positions itself between established LCD and OLED technologies, and the role advanced AI processors play in unlocking its full potential. We’ll also touch upon the competitive landscape as major brands like LG, Samsung, and Sony enter this ultra-high-end space and forecast what this means for the future of our living rooms.
The article explains that Micro RGB generates color at the source using tiny red, green, and blue LEDs. Could you walk us through the step-by-step process of how this differs from a standard mini-LED backlight and what specific metrics demonstrate its superior color volume?
Absolutely, the difference is fundamental. Think of a standard mini-LED TV as a sophisticated puppet show. You have a powerful white or blue light source in the back, and in front of it, you have a layer of color filters, like little stained-glass windows, that block out light to create the colors you see. It’s an effective but subtractive process. Micro RGB completely throws out that playbook. Instead of one big light source, you have millions of tiny, individual red, green, and blue LEDs. These generate pure primary colors directly at the source, which are then mixed precisely before even hitting the LCD layer. This additive approach is far more efficient and pure, allowing it to produce incredibly difficult tones, like deep, rich reds, with an intensity that filtered light just can’t match. The proof is in the certification from Intertek, which confirms it achieves 100 percent coverage of the demanding BT.2020 color gamut.
You mentioned that Micro RGB is a “bridge” between high-end LCD and OLED. Beyond its improved contrast and reduced haloing, what specific visual trade-offs, such as in response time or off-axis viewing, will consumers still notice compared to a self-emissive OLED panel?
That “bridge” concept is key. Micro RGB is essentially the ultimate evolution of LCD technology. It gets astonishingly close to the performance of a self-emissive display like OLED, especially in reducing that distracting haloing effect around bright objects on a dark background. However, it’s still a transmissive technology; there is a backlight and an LCD layer. An OLED panel, by contrast, has pixels that are their own individual light sources. This means that while Micro RGB can achieve “OLED-level perfect blacks,” it’s by dimming zones rather than turning off individual pixels. A discerning viewer might still perceive a subtle difference in the absolute inkiness of the blacks and the crispness of a starfield, for instance. Because it retains that LCD structure, there might still be minor limitations in off-axis viewing angles or pixel response time compared to the instantaneous nature of OLED, but it closes that gap significantly.
LG’s new sets pair the α11 AI Processor with “Micro Dimming Ultra” technology. How do these two components work in tandem to manage the 1,000-plus dimming zones and achieve the certified 100% BT.2020 color gamut coverage, especially in challenging deep reds and bright greens?
It’s a beautiful synergy of brain and brawn. The α11 AI Processor is the intelligent command center. It analyzes the incoming video signal frame by frame, understanding the content and identifying where the deepest shadows and brightest highlights are. It then makes millions of calculations to choreograph the light with incredible precision. The “Micro Dimming Ultra” is the physical hardware—the grid of over 1,000 local dimming zones—that executes the processor’s commands flawlessly. The AI tells each of those zones exactly how bright to be and what color mixture to produce. This granular control is what prevents light from bleeding into dark areas and allows the pure RGB LEDs to push the color boundaries, hitting those vibrant greens and deep reds needed to satisfy the full 100% BT.2020 specification.
With Samsung already selling a $32,000 Micro RGB TV and rivals like Sony and TCL expected in 2026, what market strategy will LG likely use for its different series, like the premium MRGB95B and the wireless MRGB9M, to stand out in this emerging ultra-high-end category?
LG appears to be playing a very smart, multi-pronged game here. They are not just dropping a single, prohibitively expensive model to make a statement. With the MRGB95B series, available in massive sizes up to 100 inches, they are clearly aiming to compete head-on with Samsung at the absolute peak of the market. However, by also announcing a “cheaper” MRGB85B series, they’re signaling an intent to build a ladder for consumers into this new technology. The most clever move, in my opinion, is the MRGB9M with its redesigned ZeroConnect wireless box. This isn’t just about picture quality; it’s about lifestyle and aesthetics. In an ultra-high-end market where buyers expect the best of everything, offering a solution that eliminates cable clutter is a powerful differentiator that appeals to a specific design-conscious consumer, carving out a unique space for LG amidst the competition.
What is your forecast for the premium TV market? Considering the rise of Micro RGB, how do you see it competing with or complementing OLED and other self-emissive display technologies over the next five years?
My forecast is for a fascinating and healthy rivalry at the top. I don’t see Micro RGB as an “OLED killer,” but rather as its first true peer competitor from the LCD world. For the next five years, they will likely coexist, representing two distinct philosophies of peak performance. OLED will continue to be the champion of perfect per-pixel contrast and absolute blacks, appealing to cinema purists. Micro RGB, on the other hand, will appeal to those who crave blistering brightness, incredible color volume, and complete freedom from any concerns about burn-in. It will push the boundaries of what’s possible in bright-room viewing. This competition will drive innovation on both sides, and ultimately, the biggest factor determining market dominance will be how quickly manufacturers can scale production and bring the currently astronomical prices down to a level that’s merely “premium” instead of “luxury.”