Over the past decade, Samsung has used a variety of names for its premium TVs: SUHD, QLED, Neo QLED, QD-OLED, and now Micro RGB. Some of these terms reflect actual technological changes, while others are primarily marketing names. This guide explains what each term means, how they differ from one another, and which ones still matter when buying a TV today.
SUHD and QLED are LCD TVs with a layer of quantum dots. Neo QLED uses the same basic concept but with significantly improved Mini LED backlighting. QD-OLED is a different technology in which each pixel generates light independently. In 2026, Samsung positioned its Micro RGB lineup above Neo QLED, making it the flagship line of its backlit LCD TVs.
What Are Quantum Dots?
Quantum dots are tiny semiconductor crystals just a few nanometers in diameter. When light passes through them, they emit light in a very precise color, depending on their intended function. In a TV, a layer of quantum dots converts the blue backlight into pure red, blue, and green colors. The result is purer colors, a wider color gamut, and better brightness compared with a standard LED-backlit LCD TV.
That said, quantum dot technology can vary significantly. The generally accepted standard involves installing a separate film, as specified by the IEC standard, but many manufacturers interpret the concept of quantum dots in their own way.
An important detail is that in SUHD, QLED, and Neo QLED TVs, quantum dots only improve color reproduction, while the image itself is still formed by a conventional liquid crystal layer. The pixels do not consist of quantum dots.
SUHD (2015–2016)
SUHD (“Super UHD”) was the brand name Samsung used for its first LCD TVs with quantum dots, introduced in 2015 and 2016. These TVs offered better color reproduction and higher brightness than conventional LED TVs of the time.
The name did not last long. The term “Super” was too vague, and in 2017 Samsung replaced it with a new brand, QLED, which provided a simpler way to market this technology.
QLED (2017–Present)
In 2017, QLED replaced SUHD. Initially, the two lines were technically based on the same type of panels, but over time, as new generations of QLED displays were introduced, the QLED line gradually shifted toward the budget segment.
QLED became Samsung’s main market segment. Premium models moved to more advanced backlighting systems and display panels, while QLED is now primarily used as a brand for budget and mid-range TVs.
Neo QLED (Since 2021)
Neo QLED is the name Samsung uses for TVs that combine quantum dots with Mini LED backlighting. Mini LEDs are much smaller than traditional LEDs, allowing a TV to use a significantly larger number of LEDs and divide the screen into many more local dimming zones.
A greater number of dimming zones allows for more precise local dimming, resulting in deeper blacks, less blooming around bright objects on a dark background, and higher peak brightness for HDR content. Samsung also offered 8K Neo QLED models, although this resolution was excessively high, which eventually led to the discontinuation of these panels.
Samsung states that its current Neo QLED models use blue backlighting together with a genuine quantum dot layer. The company also highlights its “Real QLED” certification from TÜV Rheinland.
QD-OLED
QD-OLED technology debuted in Samsung’s TV lineup in 2022. It combines quantum dots with OLED technology, allowing each pixel to generate its own light and turn off completely. This provides virtually perfect blacks and excellent contrast, along with the color benefits of quantum dots.
In 2026, Samsung’s OLED TV lineup includes flagship models using QD-OLED technology, such as the S95H and S99H. Some models in the lineup use WOLED panels from LG, particularly in larger screen sizes.
Micro RGB (2025–2026)
Micro RGB represents the most significant change in Samsung’s premium LCD lineup. Instead of using blue backlighting combined with quantum dots, Micro RGB uses individually controllable red, green, and blue micro-LEDs as the backlight. This provides more precise control over color, and Samsung claims that its top-of-the-line models achieve 100% coverage of the BT.2020 wide color gamut.
Micro RGB is still an LCD technology, not OLED. In the 2026 lineup, the R95H, R90H, and R85H series are positioned above Neo QLED as Samsung’s premium backlit TV models, with the flagship model available in sizes up to 130 inches.
| Label | Years | Panel type | Backlight | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUHD | 2015–2016 | LCD + quantum dots | LED | Historic; found second-hand |
| QLED | 2017 → today | LCD + quantum dots | LED (mostly edge or direct) | Budget and mid-range buyers |
| Neo QLED | 2021 → today | LCD + quantum dots | Mini LED | Bright rooms, HDR, gaming |
| QD-OLED | 2022 → today | Self-emissive | None (each pixel emits light) | Dark rooms, contrast, movies |
| Micro RGB | 2025 → today | LCD | RGB micro LEDs | Premium colour accuracy, very large screens |
Samsung Display has ceased production of LCD panels, just as LG did. Its factories were sold to the Chinese companies TCL and Hisense, and Samsung now purchases all of its LCD panels from other manufacturers. However, this has not marked the end of LCD technology. It remains in demand, although it is gradually being replaced by OLED.
