When you look at Samsung’s current smart TV lineup, it’s organized by the type of panel technology each TV uses, such as Micro RGB, OLED, and Mini LED. However, for 2027, Samsung is reportedly planning a major overhaul of its TV lineup in an effort to simplify its naming structure.
According to ET News, Samsung plans to organize all its new smart TVs into three tiers next year: Ultra, Plus, and Basic.
Reportedly, Samsung’s new Ultra TVs will include its high-end, more expensive models, such as its Micro RGB and OLED TVs, while the Basic tier will consist of its Mini LED TVs. ET News didn’t report what the Plus tier might include, but I’m wondering whether it could be reserved for Samsung’s Neo QLED TVs.
The only TVs Samsung reportedly plans to exclude from its new tiered naming structure are its standard Crystal UHD TVs, which are its most affordable LCD models.
Samsung seems to be drawing inspiration from its phones for its TVs
Its new TVs will likely be revealed at CES 2027
If the naming structure Samsung might be using for its new smart TVs next year sounds familiar, it’s likely because you’ve heard it before with its Galaxy S-series phones.
Samsung already organizes its Galaxy S-series phones into three tiers: the standard base model, the Plus, and the Ultra, with this year’s models being the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra.
That said, I can see what Samsung might be trying to accomplish by shaking up its TV naming. For people who aren’t familiar with the different types of TV panel technologies, being able to identify a TV by its Ultra, Plus, or Basic branding should make it easier to identify its quality. Plus, these names give buyers a better idea of what to expect in terms of pricing, with Ultra being the most expensive, Plus falling somewhere in the middle, and Basic being the most affordable.
My biggest concern, however, is that these new names could make it harder for buyers to tell what kind of panel technology a TV actually uses. Hopefully, Samsung will still make that abundantly clear in the name.
Quiz
Mini-LED vs OLED
TV Tech Trivia Challenge
Think you know your pixels from your backlights — put your display IQ to the ultimate test.
OLEDMini-LEDDisplaysTV TechHistory
What does OLED stand for?
Correct! OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode. Each pixel contains an organic compound that emits light when electricity is applied, which is what allows true blacks with no backlight needed.
Not quite. OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode. The ‘organic’ part refers to carbon-based compounds used in the emissive layer — a key difference from traditional LCD panels that rely on a separate backlight source.
What is the primary structural difference between Mini-LED and standard LED LCD TVs?
Exactly right! Mini-LED TVs pack thousands of tiny LEDs — often just fractions of a millimetre — into far more local dimming zones than traditional LED LCD displays. This dramatically improves contrast and HDR precision.
Not quite. Mini-LED still uses an LCD panel with a backlight, but that backlight is made up of thousands of tiny LEDs grouped into many more local dimming zones. This finer control is what gives Mini-LED its contrast edge over conventional LED LCDs.
Which company is widely credited with bringing the first OLED TV to mass market, launching a 55-inch model in 2013?
Spot on! LG launched its 55-inch OLED TV in 2013, marking a turning point for premium home displays. LG Display remains the dominant manufacturer of large-panel OLED screens used by many TV brands today.
Actually, it was LG that launched the first mass-market OLED TV in 2013. While Samsung was an early OLED pioneer in mobile displays, LG cornered the large-panel OLED TV market and still supplies panels to numerous rival brands.
What is ‘blooming’ or ‘haloing’ in the context of Mini-LED TVs?
Correct! Blooming or haloing occurs when bright on-screen elements bleed light into surrounding darker areas, revealing the boundaries of local dimming zones. It’s Mini-LED’s most notable weakness compared to per-pixel OLED control.
Not quite. Blooming refers to light from bright objects bleeding into neighbouring dark areas because a local dimming zone covers more than one part of the image. It’s the visual artefact most often cited when arguing OLED’s per-pixel control is superior.
What is the main reason OLED TVs are susceptible to burn-in?
That’s right! Because each OLED pixel generates its own light via organic materials, prolonged display of static content wears those organics unevenly, potentially leaving a faint permanent image. Modern OLED TVs use various mitigation techniques to reduce this risk.
Not quite. OLED burn-in happens because each pixel’s organic emissive material degrades with use. Static elements — like news tickers or game HUDs — that stay on screen for hours can cause some pixels to age faster than others, leaving a ghost image behind.
Apple’s Pro Display XDR, launched in 2019, used which backlighting technology to achieve its high contrast performance?
Well done! Apple’s Pro Display XDR used a Mini-LED backlight with over 576 local dimming zones, delivering impressive HDR performance. It helped put Mini-LED on the map as a serious professional-grade display technology.
Actually, Apple’s Pro Display XDR used Mini-LED backlighting with 576 local dimming zones. It was a high-profile early endorsement of Mini-LED tech and helped signal the format’s potential as a premium alternative to OLED.
Which display metric, often used in HDR specifications, measures peak brightness in nits?
Correct! A nit is simply another name for one candela per square metre (cd/m²). Mini-LED TVs can often exceed 2,000 nits peak brightness, a significant advantage over most OLED panels when it comes to HDR highlights in bright rooms.
Not quite. A nit equals one candela per square metre (cd/m²). This matters a lot in the Mini-LED vs OLED debate because Mini-LED panels can typically achieve much higher peak nit counts, making HDR specular highlights look more dazzling, especially in well-lit rooms.
Micro-LED is often cited as a future technology that could outperform both OLED and Mini-LED. What is its key distinguishing feature?
Exactly! Micro-LED uses microscopic inorganic LEDs as individual self-emissive pixels, promising OLED-level contrast and per-pixel control combined with Mini-LED-level brightness and longevity. The challenge remains manufacturing cost and yield at scale.
Not quite. Micro-LED technology places tiny inorganic LEDs at every single pixel position, making each one self-emissive without organic materials. In theory it gets the best of both worlds — OLED’s contrast and Micro-LED’s brightness — but production costs currently keep it out of mainstream reach.
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Samsung reportedly wants to boost its TV shipments from 35 million this year to 40 million next year, so the company could be betting that its simplified naming system will help it reach that goal.
ET News also reports that Samsung may plan to restructure parts of its TV business around AI subscription services next year, in addition to simplifying its naming structure, to help “lock in” customers to its ecosystem. However, it’s not exactly clear what kind of AI subscription services Samsung could have in the works for its TVs.
As for what TVs Samsung will actually release in 2027, we’ll likely find out early next year when the company unveils its new lineup at CES 2027 in January.
