What you need to know
- The iQOO 16 is set to debut as the first smartphone with a 2K resolution OLED display running at a 165Hz refresh rate.
- Co-developed with Samsung Display on a dedicated production line, the panel marks the Android debut of Samsung’s latest M16 luminescent material and LEAD 2.0 architecture.
- The screen reaches 2,800 nits global peak brightness (10,000 nits local peak), features 508 PPI, and delivers sub-pixel-level calibration for color accuracy.
Rumor has it that the iQOO 16 will be released soon, and iQOO has now confirmed one of the upgrades that could make this gaming-focused flagship stand out from the crowd. The next phone from the company is said to be the first to sport a 2K OLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate from Samsung, which iQOO is calling a smartphone first.
The announcement also confirms earlier reports that the iQOO 16 would sport Samsung’s newer M16 OLED technology. The company says the phone will be the first Android smartphone to use the material, along with its new 2K LEAD 2.0 technology.
For context, we saw the original LEAD OLED panel debut with the iQOO 15. LEAD 2.0 has been developed in partnership with Samsung, built on a dedicated production line just for iQOO’s flagship.
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The two companies also designed a custom high-refresh-rate display IC and a dedicated production line for the phone.
The panel is rated at 2,800 nits for global brightness and 10,000 nits for local brightness. It also offers 508 ppi, wide P3 color coverage, DC dimming, and better brightness and color uniformity than the iQOO 15. iQOO also claims sub-pixel-level calibration leads to extremely tight color accuracy.
There is also a less obvious upgrade here: Samsung recently said the new display uses roughly 31 percent less power at 150 nits than a similarly sized 1.5K panel. That’s particularly useful, as improving both resolution and refresh rate often comes with a battery cost.
The target is clearly gaming. The display features 500Hz multi-touch sampling and 5,000Hz instantaneous sampling rate, while iQOO’s Q-Flex technology focuses on reducing input lag. There’s also 3,300Hz PWM dimming and many eye-comfort features.
The iQOO 16 is expected to launch in China sometime near the end of September. If the rest of the hardware is up to the mark as this display, the top gaming flagships out there will have a serious new competitor on their hands.