Google and LG Display unveil OLED display for VR headsets with 1,443ppi and 120Hz refresh rate

by Alan Friedman / May 23, 2018, 1:01 AM

Google and LG Display unveil OLED display for VR headsets with 1,443ppi and 120Hz refresh rate

Back in March, Google and LG Display mentioned that the pair were working together on a new VR/AR display that would be unveiled in May. And sure enough, the 4.3-inch panel was introduced yesterday at the Display Week 2018 expo in L.A. The new display features a resolution of 3,840 x 4800 and 1,443ppi. It features a 120Hz refresh rate and a 120 x 96 Field of View. Two of these panels can be used together, each covering one eye. The panel is optimized for mobile VR and AR use and weighs in at 18MP. It currently is the "world’s highest-resolution OLED-on-glass display."

Google's own research paper on the display points out that the upper bounds of human sight is a resolution of 9000 x 9600 and a Field of View of 160 x 150. A custom high bandwidth driver Integrated Circuit is in use, and a technique known as foveated rendering allows the user to see what he/she is looking at in HD, while the background fades around that subject.

How the panels would be configured for a VR headset

When used with a mobile device and powered using a mobile chipset, the refresh rate might have to be reduced to 75Hz. Still, the new panel is far and away superior to the current displays used on VR headsets, which average 2MP.

Comparing the specs on Google and LG Display's new VR panel with the upper bounds of human vision

source: WileyOnlineLibrary via 9to5Google

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6 Comments

2. TechSceptic

Posts: 1156; Member since: Feb 05, 2018

That's a massively impressive display that is certain to make VR an even better experience. VR is a cool tech that is undoubtedly here to stay. Being able to move from a 2d experience to a 3d experience is quite a massive immersion difference.

posted on May 23, 2018, 2:09 AM 0

3. Ayman123

Posts: 34; Member since: Sep 01, 2017

Nice job LG Display and Google!! OLED now can go up to 120hz

posted on May 23, 2018, 2:09 AM 1

4. Macready

Posts: 1792; Member since: Dec 08, 2014

OLED could already do 120 hz or fps for years. A more recent example of that is the OLED EVF in the Sony A9. Sony's micro OLED displays have also been capable of more than 2,000 ppi, so the real novelty here, is the much higher total resolution and the blurring around the area you're looking at, to massively save on processing.

posted on May 23, 2018, 3:10 AM 3

5. TerryD

Posts: 540; Member since: May 09, 2017

Very impressive. This is what VR needs. Just going to need a couple of gtx1180's to get a half decent experience.

posted on May 23, 2018, 4:48 AM 2

7. Marienx

Posts: 115; Member since: Aug 27, 2013

Maybe you can buy one of those mining rigs in a year when crypto crashes and the prices for video cards drop so drastically, you can get 2x 1080ti for the price of one regular 1080 in today's market.