OLED monitors are finally going mainstream
OLED gaming monitors have spent years sitting in the premium corner of the market, but that is changing fast. Recent data from Trendforce shows that 2025 has been the best year yet for OLED monitors, and that shift is great news if you are a PC gamer thinking about upgrading your display.
According to the latest report, OLED monitor shipments have exploded to an estimated 2.62 million units in the third quarter of 2025 alone. That represents a 65 percent jump compared to the same period last year and a 12 percent increase over the previous quarter. Year on year, total shipments are up by a massive 84 percent.
This follows an even more dramatic surge in 2024, when OLED monitor shipments reached 1.44 million units, a 181 percent increase over the previous year. While the growth curve has calmed slightly, the market is still accelerating strongly, and OLED is rapidly moving from niche to mainstream.
For gamers, this growth usually leads to more models, better specs, and increasingly competitive pricing. More competition in OLED means you are less stuck with a handful of ultra expensive flagship options and have more choice across sizes, refresh rates, and features.
Who is leading the OLED monitor race
Trendforce also broke down which manufacturers are shipping the most OLED monitors. Here is how the current market share looks:
- Asus with 21.9 percent
- Samsung with 18 percent
- MSI with 14.4 percent
- LG Electronics with 12.9 percent
- Other brands making up 32.7 percent
Asus sits at the top of the pile with just under a quarter of the market. It is worth noting that these numbers cover all OLED monitors, not only gaming focused models. Asus has a strong ProArt line aimed at creators and productivity users, and those panels help boost its overall share.
Asus has celebrated the report publicly, calling itself the leading OLED monitor brand worldwide and crediting its success to a user first strategy and a broad lineup of OLED panels. On the gaming side, Asus offers enthusiast models such as the ROG Swift PG27UCDM OLED which delivers stunning image quality in a 27 inch form factor, though it comes with a hefty price tag.
However, when it comes to pure gaming quality rather than raw shipment volume, MSI is making a strong case. The MSI MPG 321URX QD OLED is widely regarded as one of the best gaming monitors on the market, combining a fast OLED panel with quantum dot technology for improved color and brightness. It has become a go to recommendation for gamers who want a high end 4K experience with all the benefits of OLED.
Brands like Samsung and LG are also pushing hard with their own OLED and QD OLED offerings, which helps drive innovation and gives PC gamers a wide range of choices across sizes and resolutions.
Why OLED is such a big upgrade for PC gaming
So why is everyone suddenly paying attention to OLED monitors and what makes them so appealing for gaming rigs?
The main advantages of OLED include:
- True blacks Each pixel can turn off completely, so dark scenes look genuinely black instead of dark gray.
- Vibrant colors OLED panels can deliver rich colors with high contrast that really make games pop.
- Fast response times Pixel response is essentially instant, which reduces motion blur and makes fast paced shooters and racing games look incredibly smooth.
- Great HDR potential The combination of deep blacks and strong highlights gives OLED a big edge for HDR gaming compared to many traditional LCD panels.
Many gamers who switch to an OLED display say it is one of the most noticeable visual upgrades they have ever made, even compared to GPU or CPU upgrades. Scenes look more cinematic, dark environments are easier to read, and the overall experience feels more immersive.
There are still some concerns and trade offs. Burn in has been a long standing worry with OLED technology. Long term static elements like HUDs or desktop icons could theoretically leave faint permanent marks on the panel. However, recent long term tests suggest that degradation slows after the first several months, and modern OLED gaming monitors ship with various protections such as pixel shifting, logo dimming, and screen refresh routines. Careful use and reasonable brightness levels can go a long way in reducing risk.
Another issue some users notice is font fringing, especially at lower resolutions. This can make text appear slightly less crisp compared to a high quality LCD with a traditional subpixel layout. For pure desktop productivity and text heavy work, that might be a downside, but for gaming first setups the trade off is usually worth it.
What this means for your next PC upgrade
The rapid growth of the OLED monitor market hints at a few important trends for PC gamers planning their next build or upgrade.
- More choice at more price points As shipments climb and more brands compete, OLED panels are slowly becoming more affordable. You can expect a wider selection of sizes, resolutions, and refresh rates in the coming years.
- Better specs each generation Manufacturers are working on higher brightness, improved anti burn in features, and refined subpixel layouts that should reduce issues like font fringing.
- A clearer split between components While some PC hardware has been hit hard by chip shortages and demand spikes, displays have generally trended toward better value. RAM prices have climbed and AI related demand has distorted parts of the market, but monitors including OLEDs have become more reasonably priced over time.
If you already have a powerful gaming PC and are wondering what upgrade would make the biggest visual difference, an OLED monitor is worth serious consideration. You will see immediate benefits in contrast, motion clarity, and overall image quality across almost every game you play.
With OLED shipments climbing year after year and 2025 marking a major milestone, the future of PC gaming visuals looks bright. If these trends continue into 2026, we can expect even better OLED gaming monitors, stronger brightness, more refined panels, and hopefully prices that make this level of visual quality accessible to more players.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/gaming-monitors/oled-monitors-are-starting-to-get-their-flowers-as-2025-marks-a-65-percent-increase-in-shipments/
