Mini-Monitors
We have noted that a number of popular TV brands have released relatively extensive Mini-LED TV lines this year as the technology becomes more widespread, but we have also seen a number of monitors also entering the market, with the most recent entry from China’s HKC (248.HK). The HKC entry is a rather small (27”) UHD (2560x1440) display that has a typical brightbess of 550 nits and a 165Hz refresh rate, but sells for ~$600, quite a bit above non-Mini-LED monitors with simialr specifications that sell between $200 - $275. HKC has not given much more detail as to the number of zones or other specifications that would help to compare it to other monitors, but considering this is their first entry into the Mini-LED monitor market, our expectations are low.
Samsung has also added to its Mini-LED montor line with a 32” model that will be available in early June. This model has 1,196 zones, 4K resolution, a 240 Hz refresh rate, and a 2,000 nit peak brightness (1000R curve), but will sell for ~$1,500, above the $300 to $800 prices for similar non-Mini-LED monitors (although there are a number of non-Mini-Led gaming monitors that sell for more). The new Samsung Mini-LED monitor is a step down from the company’s original 49” Mini-Led monitor previously released which has 2,048 zones and similar specifications, but sells for $2,500. While Mini-LED backlights are still more expensive to produce than tradional full array backlight systems, the premiums for such monitors remain high, but we expect the number of potential brands entering both the Mini-LED monitor and TV market this year and next to increase rapidly and for the number of Mini-LED backlight suppliers to increase even more quickly. We expect major brands will still collect premiums for Mini-LED TVs and monitors this year, but we expect the competition to increase substantially next year, which means Mini-Led BLU prices will fall and such premiums will get harder to justify. Since Mini-LED backlights give a short in the arm to LCD panel manufactuers, we expect much of the promotion for same will come from Chinese panel producers and OEMs in 2023 as they will need to add alue to commodity panels during another year of oversupply.
Samsung has also added to its Mini-LED montor line with a 32” model that will be available in early June. This model has 1,196 zones, 4K resolution, a 240 Hz refresh rate, and a 2,000 nit peak brightness (1000R curve), but will sell for ~$1,500, above the $300 to $800 prices for similar non-Mini-LED monitors (although there are a number of non-Mini-Led gaming monitors that sell for more). The new Samsung Mini-LED monitor is a step down from the company’s original 49” Mini-Led monitor previously released which has 2,048 zones and similar specifications, but sells for $2,500. While Mini-LED backlights are still more expensive to produce than tradional full array backlight systems, the premiums for such monitors remain high, but we expect the number of potential brands entering both the Mini-LED monitor and TV market this year and next to increase rapidly and for the number of Mini-LED backlight suppliers to increase even more quickly. We expect major brands will still collect premiums for Mini-LED TVs and monitors this year, but we expect the competition to increase substantially next year, which means Mini-Led BLU prices will fall and such premiums will get harder to justify. Since Mini-LED backlights give a short in the arm to LCD panel manufactuers, we expect much of the promotion for same will come from Chinese panel producers and OEMs in 2023 as they will need to add alue to commodity panels during another year of oversupply.
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