TVs: New models and display trends highlighted at CES 2026

CES 2026 featured a strong industry push toward Micro RGB backlights and TCL's Super Quantum Dots, alongside brighter OLED flagships and extra-large screens up to 130 inches.

CES in Las Vegas (January 6–9) showcased new consumer TV models and display technologies. The article identifies Micro RGB backlighting as a central trend, while also noting TCL's Super Quantum Dots (SQD), brighter OLED flagships, and a continued push toward very large screens. Several companies announced models expected to reach buyers in 2026, though many prices and release dates remain pending. The author draws on years of TV reviewing to separate substantive technical changes from marketing language. Key points: - Micro RGB is being promoted by Samsung, Hisense, LG, and TCL; these displays use red, green, and blue LEDs in the backlight (Hisense also adds cyan on some models) to enable purer color production and a wider range of hues. - Early Micro RGB sets released last year were extremely large and costly (115–116 inches at about $30,000), but manufacturers are expanding the lineup for 2026 with sizes starting at 55 inches, which could lead to more mainstream price points. - TCL's SQD (Super Quantum Dots) is presented as an evolution of QLED that pairs larger quantum-dot crystals with an Ultra Color Filter; TCL says its premium SQD model can reach up to 10,000 nits. TCL's X11L is available for preorder (85-inch $8,000) and 75- and 98-inch sizes are set to launch soon (reported as $7,000 and $10,000); lower-cost QM8L and QM7L models are planned later. - OLED makers introduced brighter flagship models: LG's G6 is announced as about 20% brighter than the prior G5 and adds a polarizer filter to reduce reflections, plus the ultra-thin Wallpaper W6 returns with a wireless connection box; Samsung's S95H is announced as about 35% brighter than its S95F and offers a metal art-style bezel, built-in inputs, and an optional wireless box to add four more HDMI ports (for a total of eight). - Brands continue to expand very large screens and design-focused sets: Samsung showed a 130-inch R95H Micro RGB flagship with a "Timeless Frame" stand, a new 98-inch LS03H Frame TV with ports built into the TV and an included bezel, and LG revealed a Gallery TV with anti-glare screen, magnetic bezels, a Mini LED panel, and a Gallery+ service offering more than 4,500 works; the Gallery TV is slated for 55- and 65-inch sizes. Summary: These announcements point to a 2026 TV market emphasizing wider color gamuts, higher peak brightness, and a broader range of large and design-oriented screen options. Undetermined at this time