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Uncalibrated – Maximum Backlight Level
OLED tech hasn’t come up to the brightness level of Mini LED yet, but the PD49 and its competition deliver more than enough output for any indoor space. With any OLED, I always recommend leaving Uniform Brightness off so the panel will modulate brightness dynamically. It allocates power to the brighter elements and ultimately gives the image more pop. For this reason, I measure a 25% window pattern for all OLED reviews. The PD49 peaks at the same 449 nits as the PG49WCD, excellent performance. Black levels are too dark to be measured by currently available instruments so contrast cannot be determined.
After Calibration to 200 nits
Adjusting the 25% window to 200 nits lowers the peak brightness just enough to be comfortable in a dim-to-dark room scenario. Black levels and contrast are unchanged. The ANSI test shows the same results. I can’t measure the black squares of the checkerboard pattern so intra-image contrast is theoretically infinite.
Test Takeaway: OLED isn’t the brightest tech out there but with its perfect black levels, it provides the most realistic and textured image possible in a display. The PD49 is on par with all OLEDs in all size and resolution categories. It looks stunning, but no more so than any other OLED.
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