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Cheaper OLEDs may be here even quicker than we thought as TCL CSOT says its new inkjet printing facility could be up and running as soon as this time next year
TCL CSOT says its new inkjet printed OLED factory has entered the equipment installation phase, with production targeted for the fourth quarter of 2027. If that schedule holds, the facility could bring lower cost OLED panels to market sooner than previously reported estimates of a 2028 production start.
Inkjet printing deposits OLED materials directly onto the panel substrate, potentially reducing waste compared with processes that use masks. The resulting cost savings could make gaming monitors cheaper, though the article notes that conventional OLED prices have already fallen, citing a 240 Hz model available for $269. The factory’s timeline remains a target, and cheaper panels would arrive amid high PC hardware costs and a global memory shortage.
In short
- TCL CSOT targets OLED production in late 2027.
- Inkjet printing could reduce material waste.
- Lower production costs may mean cheaper gaming monitors.
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The case for
If TCL CSOT meets its target, inkjet printing could reduce material waste and bring OLED panels to market at lower cost sooner than expected. More affordable panels could widen access to OLED’s picture quality and high refresh rates, particularly for gaming monitors, while adding competition to a market where prices have already begun to fall.
The case against
The cost and timing benefits remain uncertain: the factory is still being installed, and its 2027 production date is a target rather than a guarantee. Existing OLED monitors have already become much cheaper, and broader PC hardware costs and memory shortages may limit how much a new panel process improves affordability for buyers.