MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36

This is a review of the 5th Gen QD-OLED panel as featured on the new [ASUS ROG Swift PG32WCDN](https://tftcentral.co.uk/news/asus-rog-swift-pg34wcdn-unveiled-with-34-360hz-5th-gen-qd-oled-panel) and [MSI MPG 341CQR X36](https://tftcentral.co.uk/news/msi-announce-the-mpg-341cqr-x36-with-34-ultrawide-360hz-5th-gen-qd-oled-panel). Here's the summary from the video along with some extra info from [TFTCentral](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2nHKDMYifg) [reviews](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAOMAExqX6o) and [HDTVTest new video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN9P2TaU0vg): - The 2026 QD-OLED panels used on the ultrawide monitors now feature the V-Stripe ([a.k.a. "True RGB"](https://tftcentral.co.uk/news/samsung-display-announce-mass-production-of-new-34-qd-oled-panel-with-v-stripe-sub-pixel-layout)) sub-pixel layout. Text quality is "effectively identical to LCDs of the same pixel density", by far the biggest upgrade from these new panels. As described by Tim, there's no "green and pink fringing at the top and bottom of text edges" from older QD-OLED panels, and there's also no "horizontal shadowing" from W-OLED's "RWBG & RGWB pixel layouts". [The whole section on the sub-pixel layout is really worth watching](https://youtu.be/c90FLTWQiSY?si=-UfhjovdEhBqqrlW&t=140). - [The screen coating doesn't raise black levels as much as 1st and 2nd generation QD-OLED panels](https://youtu.be/c90FLTWQiSY?si=dZ3ENqLgtAPe-kOv&t=325), but the issue still persists. A 4th Gen Tandem WOLED panel with a "TrueBlack" screen coating handle black raise the best, although the coating on those panels is far glossier than the one found on QD-OLED. Tim prefered the coating of 5th QD-OLED over the "True Black" 4th Gen Tandem WOLED. EDIT: [TFTCentral found an 11% improvement on contrast levels as the screen reflects more light.](https://youtu.be/UAOMAExqX6o?si=TvJe_5JTs7hFCMyM&t=318) WOLED panels (with matte AG coating or "TrueBlack" glossy coating) still handle black raise better than their QD-OLED counterparts. - HDR brightness values with their APL (Window) values, [based on Tim's testing](https://youtu.be/c90FLTWQiSY?si=_Nqum6IIUDaYDxxO&t=732): "Around 300nits" at 100%, "Around 520nits" at 10%, "Around 1300nits" at 2%. SDR brightness can go up to 307 nits. - 5th-Gen QD-OLED 3440x1440 panels now feature a 360Hz refresh rate. Tim highlighted the better compatibility with 4x DLSS Multi Frame Generation than with an older 175Hz panel. - Samsung Display's aggresive ABL is still present on these new panels, but both ASUS and MSI have added some hacks (a.k.a. an "EOTF boost" mode) in their OSDs to try to work around the aggresive ABL. Monitors Unboxed will touch on this in the future, but [HDTVTest already has a more in depth explanation on how this "EOTF boost" was implemented on the MSI monitor's OSD (the rest of his video is also pretty good and highlights a few bugs on MSI's HDR implementation)](https://youtu.be/tN9P2TaU0vg?si=kpLyFN5j0rB4_SCt&t=391). - From the TFTCentral articles that I shared at the beginning, both monitors share the same Semi-Glossy coating (despite the marketing name used by ASUS and MSI), an 1800R curve, improved panel hardness from 2H to 3H, VESA DisplayHDR TrueBlack 500 certification, "factory calibrated Delta<2 accuracy", 2x HDMI 2.1 ports and a USB-C Type C port with DP Alt Mode and 90W of Power Delivery. The MSI monitor features a single DisplayPort 2.1, UHBR13.5-tier port ([the monitor requires DSC to run at 360Hz, HDR at 3440x1440, as reported by HDTVTest](https://youtu.be/tN9P2TaU0vg?si=DHmZo36I5-YD0JXN&t=727)) with an MSRP of $1,099. The ASUS features a single DisplayPort 2.1, UHBR20-tier port with no announced MSRP. - HDTVTest also teased the announcement of an "even higher tier QD-OLED monitor" from MSI right at the end of his video. I wonder if we're getting a new 4K or even a 5K2K monitor to compete with LG's most recent monitors! EDIT: [MSI announced a new QD-OLED monitor in their MEG series](https://tftcentral.co.uk/news/msi-introduces-the-meg-x-34-qd-oled-monitor-with-built-in-a-i-features). The panel is the same but this one it's an "AI" monitor... Overall, I'm really glad that text fringing seems to be solved on both 5th Gen QD-OLED and [4th Gen Tandem WOLED RGB-Stripe monitors](https://tftcentral.co.uk/news/lg-display-announce-a-new-27-4k-oled-panel-with-rgb-stripe-layout). However, unlike the RGB-Stripe Tandem WOLED which have brightness levels comparable to 1st Gen QD-OLED (1000nits@2% APL, 500nits@10% APL, 250nits@100% APL), 5th Gen QD-OLED will be far brighter while having a (mostly) similar text quality, from the info that we have so far. For those interested on more monitor reviews that are not from the usual sources (Monitors Unboxed, TFT Central, HDTVTest), you can wait for a future review from chinese reviewer [小雪人评测](https://www.youtube.com/@%E5%B0%8F%E9%9B%AA%E4%BA%BA%E8%AF%84%E6%B5%8B/videos) to check how text-fringing shows up on more complex chinese characters as well as Stroboscopic Visibility Measure (SVM) testing and a teardown of the monitors.