Something to look forward to: In their never-ending quest to improve power efficiency in portable computing, leading manufacturers are increasingly turning to novel display technologies. A new solution from Korea boasts a massive increase in battery life, and Dell is already using it.
LG Display recently announced Oxide 1Hz, a brand-new display technology that it says can significantly improve battery efficiency. The new display type, which has just entered mass production, is designed to automatically change the refresh rate between 1Hz and 120Hz depending on the context.
The main idea behind Oxide 1Hz is that PC consumers tend to have different usage patterns, and a laptop's display doesn't always need to keep the same high refresh rate all the time. When a laptop is essentially showing still images – such as checking emails or reading ebooks – Oxide 1Hz can operate the display at its lowest refresh rate. Conversely, the technology will enter its high-rate mode during video streaming tasks or gaming sessions.
LG Display said that a modern, fast refresh rate reduces flickering and other issues with video content but requires more power. The company, one of the largest manufacturers of TFT-LCD panels and OLED displays in the world, created new "circuit algorithms" and panel designs to develop Oxide 1Hz. It also experimented with new oxide materials to discover the most power-efficient solution.
Oxide 1Hz's final result is "dramatically improved battery efficiency, including 48% more use on a single charge compared to existing solutions," the LG-owned corporation said.
Most laptops are specifically designed to be moved around, running on the battery alone when an external power source is not readily available. LG Display thinks that greater battery efficiency can bring actual improvements and convenience to end consumers. Needless to say, power-hungry AI workloads can also benefit from the additional efficiency.
The Oxide 1Hz laptop panel is already being used by Dell in its recently introduced XPS laptops. After starting mass production, LG expects the new panel technology to become widespread in different laptop brands as well. Furthermore, the same refresh tech should become part of the company's OLED line starting from 2027.
LG is not the only company working on display solutions that can massively reduce the refresh rate when needed. Some OLED smartphones have been using a technology known as LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) for a few years now, while Intel and Chinese manufacturer BOE introduced their own 1Hz display solution in 2024. We expect to see this kind of technology gain wider adoption among all major laptop brands.