The $1099 Innocn 48Q1V: A Massive 4K OLED PC Monitor with Impressive Performance
The Innocn 48Q1V is a remarkable 4K OLED PC monitor that offers a variety of features that make it an attractive choice for gamers. With DisplayPort and HDMI 2.1 inputs, a matte finish, and a refresh rate of up to 138Hz, this monitor ticks off many boxes on the wishlist of PC gamers. As someone who appreciates OLED technology, I was excited to test it out and see if it could indeed function like a regular LCD monitor without concerns of burn-in. After a month of rigorous testing, I am ready to share my preliminary results.
Design and Features
Built around one of LG’s TV-sized OLED panels, the Innocn 48Q1V boasts an impressive 48-inch display. Unlike traditional monitors, it features a speaker bar covered in soft gray fabric, adding a unique aesthetic touch. The monitor also includes five adjustment buttons, a power switch, and a remote for convenient settings changes. It comes with a height-adjustable stand with tilt functionality, but no swivel option. Additionally, it offers VESA mount compatibility for wall installation. The back of the monitor houses a range of inputs, including DisplayPort 1.4, three HDMI 2.1 ports, USB-A and USB-C ports with Power Delivery, and a 3.5mm audio output. Two RGB LED strips running along the sides of the display provide customizable illumination.
While the speaker bar adds to the overall height of the monitor and may not appeal to everyone, it offers superior audio quality compared to built-in monitor speakers. The addition of a matte finish on the panel enhances the monitor’s LCD-like appearance and reduces glare without compromising color reproduction.
Impressive Image Quality
One of the standout features of the Innocn 48Q1V is its superb image quality. As an OLED display, it delivers perfect black levels, vibrant colors, and instant pixel response. The depth of the panel is immediately noticeable, especially when compared to an LCD monitor. The monitor’s inky black levels truly enhance the overall viewing experience and make everything more visually striking.
However, using an LG OLED panel as a monitor does have a couple of downsides. The WRGB subpixel structure of these panels is not well supported by Windows 11’s ClearType feature, resulting in slightly less crisp text and color combinations. Although this is not overly distracting, some users might notice it with certain color combinations like yellow highlights. Additionally, to prevent burn-in, the monitor dims slightly when static imagery remains on-screen for an extended period. This can be slightly distracting, particularly during tasks like typing in Microsoft Word, where the lack of motion causes a gradual dimming effect. However, the monitor’s automated screensaver function and pixel orbiting help mitigate this issue, ensuring that burn-in risk is minimal and no specific user actions are required.
Unmatched Gaming Experience
When it comes to gaming, the Innocn 48Q1V truly shines. The improvement in image quality compared to an IPS LCD monitor is remarkable. The contrast is richer, colors are more vibrant, and motion clarity is greatly enhanced. During my testing, I played the System Shock Remake from Nightdive, and the OLED levels of contrast, color vibrancy, and motion clarity made the gaming experience extremely immersive.
The monitor supports a maximum refresh rate of up to 138Hz, with a recommended usage of 120Hz to prevent judder during video playback. It also features AMD FreeSync Premium for variable refresh rate (VRR) support, although it is not G-Sync Certified. However, I had no issues utilizing VRR with an RTX 4090 after enabling the necessary settings. HDR support is also available and proves to be beneficial for gaming, although it disables most monitor settings. The HDR mode does introduce a slight blue push and increases sharpness subtly, which may be noticeable in system fonts within the Windows interface.
No Signs of Burn-In
One of the major concerns with OLED displays is the risk of burn-in, especially with static imagery. However, during my testing, I found no evidence of image retention or burn-in on the Innocn 48Q1V. Even when using full white and gray screens to scan for imperfections, the monitor remained unscathed. Temporary image retention, which is more common with LG’s OLED TVs, was minimal, indicating that the 48Q1V utilizes a panel that is less susceptible to such issues. Therefore, I confidently recommend this monitor for normal PC usage, as the risk of burn-in is minimal and does not require any specific precautions from the user.
The Innocn 48Q1V is an impressive 4K OLED PC monitor that offers stunning image quality and an unmatched gaming experience. While it does have a few drawbacks, such as the WRGB sub-pixel structure and auto-dimming, they are far from deal-breakers. As a PC gamer, the immersive visuals and vibrant colors make this monitor a fantastic choice. With its outstanding performance and minimal risk of burn-in, the Innocn 48Q1V is definitely worth considering.