Skip to main content

Google’s upcoming OLED display for VR headsets may pack a 3182p resolution

Google plans to introduce a 4.3-inch display with an 18-megapixel resolution during the Society for Information Display’s (SID) conference, dubbed Display Week, in late May. The screen will likely be manufactured by South Korea’s LG Display and target virtual reality headsets, delivering a wide field-of-view and a pixel-per-inch ratio of 1,443 pixels using OLED display technology. 

“White OLED with color filter structure was used for high-density pixelization, and an n-type LTPS backplane was chosen for higher electron mobility compared to mobile phone displays,” says a listing for the display’s presentation in May. “A custom high bandwidth driver IC was fabricated. Foveated driving logic for VR and AR applications was implemented.” 

As a reference, the upcoming HTC Vive Pro and the current Samsung Odyssey headsets rely on two 3.5-inch AMOLED screens with a 1,440 x 1,600 resolution each supporting a 90Hz refresh rate. Meanwhile, the current Oculus Rift and HTC Vive VR headsets rely on two AMOLED displays measuring 3.54 inches each that pack a lower 1,080 x 1,200 resolution. 

The presentation in May, listed as “18 Mpixel 4.3-in. 1443-ppi 120-Hz OLED Display for Wide-Field-of-View High-Acuity Head-Mounted Displays,” reveals that the LG-manufactured screen will support a 120Hz refresh rate, higher than the vomit-preventing 90Hz required for virtual reality. Anything lower than 90Hz, or rather 90 frames per second, can produce an experience that may cause nausea due to motion sickness stemming from a “skipping” environment. 

But what is the resolution of a single 18-megapixel screen? With a 16:9 aspect ratio, that could equal to around 5,657 x 3,182. That is per eye as well and would require a PC with extremely high-powered components to render visuals at 3182p on each screen at 90Hz or more. To help alleviate some of the work, the experience would need to rely on eye-tracking and a method called foveated rendering, according to Google Vice President of AR/VR Clay Bavor. 

The idea with foveated rendering is to monitor the user’s focal point with eye-tracking hardware. Everything existing outside the wearer’s peripheral vision – scenery not picked up by the eye’s fovea centralis – isn’t fully rendered by the PC. Google revealed that it is currently working on foveated rendering in December, leading to speculation that Google may be working on its own high-definition virtual reality headset.  

Google’s presentation at Display Week won’t be a big reveal in a keynote, but instead during a session on May 22 presented by Google hardware engineer Carlin Vieri. Also listed for the session is Grace Lee and Nikhil Balram from Google, and Sang Jung, Joon Yang, Soo Yoon, and In Kang from LG Display. It follows Bavor’s keynote during Display Week in 2017 where he revealed Google’s “secret project.” 

At the time, Bavor said Google wanted more pixels in VR and teamed up with “one of the leading OLED manufacturers” to create a VR-capable OLED display. It would have ten times more pixels than VR-focused screens currently available on the market. It would also deliver 20 megapixels per eye, aka the number of pixels comprising two and a half 4K TVs, he said. 

Editors' Recommendations

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
We just learned an important spec about Apple’s upcoming VR headset
A woman reaching out while wearing a VR headset.

Apple's rumored VR headset wasn't mentioned in today's "California Streaming" event, but we did a learn an important detail about the rumored product.

Very little is known about the experimental device, but according to The Elec, Apple’s upcoming VR headset could reportedly feature "micro-OLED" displays boasting 3,000 pixels per inch.

Read more
The best VR headsets for the iPhone
best VR headset for the iPhone

If you want to sample virtual reality (VR) without spending loads of cash, a VR headset built for smartphones is the best option. They're affordable, equipped with a slot to cradle your phone, and support many VR apps and games. Our current pick for the best VR headset for the iPhone is the family-friendly Merge VR. We also list five additional options that may be a better starting point for your mobile VR journey.

Before you embark, be sure to pay attention to device compatibility. Some models only support specific iPhone sizes, while others may require a sensor not included in your phone. To determine if a specific headset supports your device, try VR Test Ninja.

Read more
Apple’s first VR headset could have dual 8K displays and an eye-watering price
A woman reaching out while wearing a VR headset.

Apple’s interest in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) is well-known, as evidenced by a recent report that it is working on a VR headset that might also offer AR capabilities. A new report from The Information has now given us a rumored price for the device, and at $3,000, it sure ain’t cheap. That is less than the $3,500 Microsoft HoloLens 2, but its price hardly makes it a consumer-friendly gadget.

If you are interested in this premium headset, what will you get for your (considerable) outlay? Well, the device will pack in dual 8K displays, giving an eye-poppingly good experience for your grateful peepers. By way of comparison, the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite has a resolution of a “mere” 2880 x 1700 pixels. Apple is pulling no punches here.

Read more