Raising the bar for cinema innovation, Samsung unveiled its latest model of Onyx (ICD) in March. The next generation of cinematic experiences will be defined by immersive visuals, improved comfort, and a reliable viewing experience.

In this article, Samsung Newsroom takes a closer look at the company’s vision for the future of cinema in terms of Visuals, Space and Consistency.

▲ Samsung Onyx was the center of attention at the company’s booth at CinemaCon 2025, the industry’s largest exhibition

Visuals – An Out-of-This-World Screen Experience

Immersion is at the heart of the cinematic experience — a setting designed to transport audiences into the world of the film. Only in an environment free from the everyday distractions such as constant calls, notifications and household chores can viewers fully engage with the story unfolding on the screen.

A true cinematic experience faithfully delivers the filmmaker’s vision, presenting every detail, color and shadow exactly as intended. Onyx brings that vision to reality.

▲ Pixar’s Inside Out 2 shown on Samsung Onyx, demonstrating the display’s peak brightness and vibrant color accuracy

Onyx, Samsung’s first cinema LED display certified[1] by Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI), delivers superior picture quality in 4K HDR resolution with vivid colors, deep blacks and infinite contrast. The clarity, precision and rich detail in each frame help give life to the narrative. Gone are the days of poor edge resolution and inconsistent brightness.

▲ Samsung Onyx enhances Pixar’s Lightyear (top) and Soul (bottom) with outstanding contrast, making dark scenes more vivid and immersive

The Onyx screen can lend its brightness and clarity to applications other than movie screenings – live sports, concerts, gaming events and corporate presentations, for example. The ability to host alternative content empowers theaters to diversify their offerings and create new revenue streams without compromising the premium viewing experience.

▲ A live concert seen on Onyx, demonstrating the display’s color accuracy and sharp details

Space – More Room for Comfort and Flexibility

Comfort and spatial design are also key factors that set premium cinemas apart. Much like the distinction between economy and business class on an airplane, the seating experience can make or break a theater’s appeal. As theaters evolve into premium auditoriums, spacious, comfortable seating becomes essential.

Onyx helps enable this transformation. Unlike traditional projectors which require separate projection rooms and large setups, Onyx’s cinema LED technology maximizes the available space in a theater. This allows cinemas to optimize their auditorium spaces and provides more flexibility to install specialized seating like larger recliners or dining tables.

Furthermore, new Onyx (ICD) offers flexible scaling options, allowing screens to be customized to fit the dimension of each auditorium, maximizing space efficiency without compromising picture quality and comfort.

▲ Pixar’s Elio screened on Samsung Onyx featuring luxury seating for a premium cinema experience

With Onyx, every seat in the theater offers a reliable high-quality visual experience – no edge distortion or resolution loss – ensuring that the entire audience is fully immersed in the story. The combination of optimized space, enhanced comfort, and stunning visuals elevates the overall cinema experience.

▲ Samsung Onyx empowers theaters to deliver a premium cinema experience and luxury dining for customers

Consistency – Reliable Viewing Quality with Smarter Management Tools

We go to the theater to be transported—to lose ourselves in the world of a story. But experiences in traditional projection-based theaters can deteriorate with picture quality that varies depending on the age and condition of the equipment.

Samsung’s Cinema LED screen, on the other hand, features an ‘Auto Calibration Solution’ that automatically adjusts color consistency across each module, maintaining optimal picture quality—not just at installation, but every step of the way through ongoing maintenance.

Onyx introduction of Samsung’s first 10-year warranty for cinema LED[2], raising the bar for long-term reliability in cinema technology.

▲ Samsung Onyx, an out-of-this-world cinema LED display

Since debuting Samsung’s first Cinema LED screen in 2017, Onyx has built strong partnerships with major global film studios, earning trust and recognition across the industry. As the leader in Cinema LED technology, Samsung is committed to pushing boundaries—so the magic of the movies is always seen exactly as it was meant to be.

With Samsung Onyx, the future of premium cinema is brighter, clearer, and more immersive than ever before.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.samsung.com/my/business/

[1] Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) is a consortium of major film studios established to define specifications for an open architecture in digital cinema systems.

[2] Based on internal research and publicly available information. Onyx includes a standard three-year warranty, with options to extend coverage up to 10 years.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. announced the latest Onyx  (ICD model)[1] cinema LED screen at CinemaCon 2025, marking a new era for cinema display technology. Building on its legacy as a cinema LED pioneer, which began in 2017, Samsung is setting new standards with unmatched picture quality, industry-leading reliability and expanded screen scalability to meet the evolving needs of theaters worldwide.

“The cinema industry is shifting its focus towards delivering a more immersive and visually captivating experience,” said Hoon Chung, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “With Onyx, Samsung delivers not only the high-quality visuals but also the flexibility that allows theaters to redefine the movie-going experience and cater to evolving audience expectations.”

Brighter, Bolder and More Immersive: The Future of Cinema is Here

As our first DCI-certified[2] cinema LED display, Samsung Onyx delivers an unparalleled cinematic experience with true black levels, infinite contrast ratio and exceptional color accuracy. The screen is capable of supporting frame rates up to 4K 120Hz,[3] delivering ultra-smooth motion and razor-sharp details.[4]

Every auditorium has unique dimensions, and screen size requirements vary from theater to theater. To accommodate this, Onyx offers four standard sizes[5] and additional flexible scaling options, allowing theaters to maximize their available space and present films in the largest possible format without compromising image quality:

• 5 meters (16ft) – Ideal for boutique and smaller-format theaters (Pixel pitch: 1.25mm)
• 10 meters (33ft) – The industry standard for premium cinemas (Pixel pitch: 2.5mm)
• 14 meters (46ft) – A versatile format that delivers an impressive, large-scale cinematic experience (Pixel pitch: 3.3mm)
• 20 meters (66ft) – A large-format solution for premium auditoriums (Pixel pitch: 5.0mm)

Samsung Onyx cinema LED screens natively support both scope (2.39:1) and flat (1.85:1) aspect ratios, ensuring films are displayed in their intended formats without the need for additional adjustments. When scaling beyond standard sizes, Onyx maintains both aspect ratios while maximizing the screen size, allowing content to expand proportionally without distortion.[6]

Unlike traditional projectors, which can appear dim in larger theaters and struggle with washed-out colors in bright scenes, Onyx’s enhanced brightness ensures richer details in shadows, more intense highlights and superior color accuracy across the entire spectrum. Powered by Samsung’s HDR technology, Onyx reaches peak brightness levels of 300 nits (87.6fL) — six times brighter than conventional cinema standards — allowing even the bright details to remain clear and visible.[7] As a result, high-brightness scenes retain their full impact, rather than appearing washed out or overexposed.

With its industry-leading brightness and precision, Onyx enables clear and vivid playback even in brightly lit environments, making it ideal for alternative content such as live sports, concerts, gaming events, and corporate presentations. This allows theaters to deliver a premium viewing experience beyond traditional movie screenings.

Built for Reliability and Seamless Integration

Onyx is built for long-term performance, offering 10-years warranty for cinema LED,[8] setting a new benchmark for reliability in cinema display technology. This extended coverage helps reduce total cost of ownership and ensures a future-proof investment for theater owners.

To maintain optimal picture quality, Samsung provides an auto calibration solution that enables theaters to easily calibrate their screens during installation and routine maintenance.

Designed for seamless integration, Onyx is compatible with both Dolby and GDC IMB media servers, making it easier for theaters to transition from traditional projection systems. Because of this, theater networks can enjoy seamless content playback and efficient management.

Onyx is fully compatible with leading cinema audio solutions, including Dolby Atmos, Meyer Sound, QSC and custom-designed sound systems, providing theaters with the flexibility to customize their sound experience to meet their specific needs. For theaters using HARMAN’s JBL surround sound technology, Onyx also offers seamless integration to ensure optimized audio performance.

A Proven Legacy with Global Recognition

Samsung Onyx is one of the most widely adopted cinema LED screens in theaters worldwide — setting a new industry standard for premium cinema display technology. As it expands its presence, Onyx continues to showcase its unmatched reliability, versatility and ability to elevate the cinematic experience.

One of the most recent installations is at Pathé Palace in Paris, where Onyx was selected to enhance the premium viewing experience in one of the world’s most visually stunning cinemas.

“At Pathé, we are committed to delivering high cinematic experience for our customers,” said Laure de Boissard, Managing Director, Pathé Cinéma France. “Samsung Onyx allows us to achieve stunning visuals with exceptional brightness and contrast, ensuring that every film is presented exactly as intended.”

Samsung Onyx is redefining how movies are experienced through its collaboration with the film industry as well. One such example was Samsung partnering with Pixar Animation Studios to master films like “Elemental,” “Inside Out 2,” and this summer’s “Elio” in HDR for Onyx, which led to the films being shown with exceptional brightness, contrast and color accuracy. Through close collaboration with filmmakers, Onyx continues to push the boundaries of display technology, ensuring that creative visions are brought to life with unmatched precision and clarity.

“At Pixar, we believe cinema can be a grand, shared experience — a place where stories feel larger than life and memories are made with friends. That’s why we’re driven to bring something truly new to the big screen with our pioneering HDR-1 theatrical releases,” said Dominic Glynn, Senior Scientist, Pixar Animation Studios.

“In rising to meet this ambition, the ONYX screen technology delivers astonishing brightness, clarity, and color — an image so clear and uniform it elevates every moment of the story. Even the casual moviegoer will feel the difference. It’s about creating that unforgettable ‘Wow!’ — the kind of experience that reminds us why cinema is, and always should be, special.”

CinemaCon attendees can experience the next-generation Onyx firsthand at Samsung’s booth at Caesars Palace, where the company will showcase its latest advancements in cinema display technology. Running March 31-April 3 in Las Vegas, CinemaCon is the largest annual gathering for the motion picture theater industry, bringing together theater owners, filmmakers, studio executives, and industry professionals from all over the world.

For more information, visit: www.samsung.com/my/

[1] Product availability may vary by market.

[2] Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) is a consortium of major studios formed to establish specifications for an open architecture for digital cinema systems.

[3] Based on the screen’s internal data bandwidth. Actual frame rates may vary depending on the connected IMB.

[4] Product availability may vary by market.

[5] All measurements in meters and feet refer to screen width, while all measurements in inches denote diagonal;
The 10-meter Onyx screen is now available for order, with other models arriving in a phased rollout.

[6] Product availability may vary by market.

[7] Peak brightness supported when using DCI-HDR supported IMB.

[8] Based on internal research and publicly available information. Onyx includes a standard three-year warranty, with options to extend coverage up to 10 years.

Samsung Electronics unveiled its largest-ever 3D-ready Onyx screen at Capital Cinema located in the Xicheng district in Beijing, China at a grand opening ceremony on December 7. Samsung’s latest 14-meter Onyx Cinema LED screen is now available in the market for movie theaters across the globe.

“Our new Onyx display reflects a momentous step for the industry, as we usher in the next generation of cinema around the globe,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re excited to partner with Capital Cinema to help showcase the new industry standard for picture quality on the big screen.”

Samsung first launched Onyx in July 2017 with a model measuring roughly 10 meters (33.6 feet) wide. Responding to consumer demand for ultra-large screens and business demand to drive higher profit and ticket sales, Samsung’s new Onyx model stretches 14 meters (46.2 feet) wide. The new Onyx variant is 1.4 times wider and features nearly twice the surface area of the original model, providing movie-goers with an unprecedented immersive, high-end cinema experience.

Samsung Onyx Cinema LED screens accommodate virtually any venue configuration while also delivering unparalleled picture quality, technical performance and reliability beyond that of traditional projector-based operations. The extraordinary display installed at Capital Theater combines 4K resolution, HDR picture quality and peak brightness level of 88fL — nearly six times greater than standard projector technologies. Onyx is also 3D-ready and Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-certified, providing the flexibility to display a wide variety of content types.

Founded in 1937, Capital Cinema has been at the forefront of China’s film screening industry for more than 80 years. Today, it maintains its status as a leading destination for theatrical film releases and is one of the top five theaters in China based on ticket sales.

“We’re always looking for new ways to enhance our customer experience,” said Deng Yonghong, CEO of Capital Cinema. “That’s why we are absolutely thrilled to incorporate the world’s first 14-meter Onyx Cinema LED screen into our theaters as it creates a best-in-class cinema experience that is truly unmatched, and an immersive environment unlike anything our customers have experienced before.”

Samsung’s Onyx LED screens have been installed across the world, through partnerships with Pacific Theatres in Los Angeles, USA, and Arena Cinemas’ Sihlcity theater in Zurich, Switzerland.

For more information about Samsung Onyx, visit: https://displaysolutions.samsung.com/led-signage/onyx.

Kuala Lumpur, 7 June 2018 – In its efforts to continue creating enriching cinema experiences for customers, Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) today unveiled the country’s first cinema LED screen, Onyx. Powered by the innovation at Samsung Electronics, Onyx is designed to transform the traditional cinema-going experience with a futuristic LED theatre display that delivers ultra-sharp high definition visuals and superior sound.

Located at Hall 11 of GSC’s flagship Mid Valley Megamall cinema, the 33.8 feet wide and 16.4 feet high Onyx Cinema LED screen enlivens content by showcasing greater detail and colour vibrancy in cutting-edge 4K. It is the world’s first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-compliant High Dynamic Range (HDR) LED theatre display, which can achieve peak brightness levels of 146fL (foot-lambert), enabling the screen to capture even the most pristine whites and deepest blacks with a nearly infinite contrast ratio.

Supplementing the next-generation viewing experience is world-class audio technology from Samsung’s Audio Lab and JBL by HARMAN Professional Solutions. By integrating powerful speakers on the edge of the screen, Onyx is able to establish an expanded audio “sweet spot” throughout the theatre’s seating area, so audiences can enjoy a more impactful and immersive aural experience. Additionally, the hall also features plush eco-leather seats that makes watching a movie a luxuriously comfortable treat from start to finish.

“Innovation is the lifeblood of Golden Screen Cinemas and we are committed to pioneering new technology and advancements that reinvent the way our customers enjoy the magic of the movies. The arrival of Onyx in Malaysia is a momentous milestone for the cinema industry, as it is poised to reshape the way we look at the cinema in the future,” said Ms. Koh Mei Lee, Chief Executive Officer of Golden Screen Cinemas.

She added: “As a leading cinema exhibitor, we are constantly seeking ways to provide our customers great value through our range of value promotions, F&B offerings, and the latest cinema tech. We believe that Onyx complements the variety of high-quality alternative content that we offer at our cinema like e-sports, live musical performances and more, giving our customers unforgettable movie experiences that they can only enjoy with us at Golden Screen Cinemas.”

Customers will be able to enjoy GSC’s Onyx hall at only an additional RM1.50 surcharge on top of the regular ticket price. Tickets to catch Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom on the Onyx Cinema LED screen are now available for purchase.

For more information, please visit GSC’s website at www.gsc.com.my, check out GSC’s Mobile App, or GSC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GSCinemas.

For more information about Onyx, please visit https://displaysolutions.samsung.com/led-signage/onyx

About GSC

Golden Screen Cinemas Sdn Bhd (GSC), Malaysia’s largest cinema exhibitor, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the PPB Group (a member of the Kuok Group). GSC operates a total of 433 screens in 50 locations across Malaysia and Vietnam, with 344 screens in 36 locations in Malaysia, and 89 screens in 14 locations in Vietnam through a partnership with Galaxy Studio. Aspiring to be a regional cinema and content operator that is recognized for providing total quality movie entertainment, GSC offers THX-certified halls and the multi-dimensional Dolby Atmos® audio surround technology across Malaysia. The 21-screen GSC Mid Valley Megamall holds the record of being the largest multiplex in Southeast Asia, while GSC Paradigm JB houses the largest GSC Maxx screen in Malaysia. GSC Signature offers exclusive cinema experience with its luxurious Gold Class and Premiere Class halls, while GSC Lite brings urban-class cinema entertainment into smaller towns. For more information, log-on to www.gsc.com.my.

Just one year after offering CinemaCon attendees a first look at its initial Cinema LED screen, Samsung Electronics will officially launch its new Onyx brand at this year’s event. All venues featuring Samsung’s enhanced screen will operate under the “Samsung Onyx Theater” name moving forward.

Inspired by the gemstone of the same name, the Samsung Onyx brand alludes to the display’s ability to showcase cinema content with true, deep and realistic black colors. Combining an infinite contrast ratio and specialized low-tone grayscale settings, this pinpoint representation produces brighter and more detail-rich content.

“By aligning brilliant, uniform color presentation with LED picture quality and crystal-clear audio, the Samsung Onyx screen invites movie enthusiasts into the most immersive and memorable viewing arena available and repositions the theater as an entertainment haven,” said Seog-gi Kim, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “We are thrilled to deliver a new and exciting theater experience to operators, managers and consumers around the world, and we look forward to working further with leading decision-makers in the movie industry to usher in the next generation of cinema.”

The Next Generation of Cinema

Available in variations extending between 5 and 10.3 meters (16.4-33.8 ft.) in width, the Samsung Onyx display accommodates any venue configuration while delivering visual quality, technical performance and reliability beyond that of traditional projector-based operations. With the 4K model earning validation as the world’s first Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI)-certified theater display, the Samsung Onyx translates the combination of advanced LED and High Dynamic Range (HDR) picture quality to lifelike big screen content.

CinemaCon 2018 attendees also will be among the first to experience the Samsung Onyx’s powerful multi-sensory viewing environment. Each Samsung Onyx screen features state-of-the-art surround sound from HARMAN International, bringing scenes to life through clear and consistent audio. This integration eliminates rearward bias by expanding the audio “sweet spot” within Onyx theaters, and ensures that all attendees can enjoy the same presentation regardless of seat location.

Samsung will also preview the Onyx’s ready-made sequel at CinemaCon 2018. The 3D Onyx Cinema LED screen makes 3D movie content more realistic through enhanced brightness and consistent color amplification. Glass-wearing viewers can now enjoy subtitle text, images and even minor visual details with unprecedented clarity, and without the dark, blurry shadowing and potential dizziness that can occur in traditional 3D movie theaters.

Expanding Presence through Worldwide Partnerships

The Onyx’s debut at CinemaCon 2018 comes as Samsung continues to expand its presence among global cinema operators and audiences. Last week, Samsung and partner Moving Image Tech (MIT) opened the first U.S. Onyx theater at Hollywood’s Pacific Theatres Winnetka w/XD. Samsung also recently announced partnerships with Golden Screen Cinemas – the largest cinema company in Malaysia, with 35 venues and 328 screens throughout the nation – and Cineplexx Cinemas – the largest cinema company in Austria, with 171 screens nationwide – to bring the Onyx screen to movie-goers in each country. The first locally revamped Samsung Onyx theaters are expected to open in Kuala Lumpur and Vienna, respectively, later this year.

“As the heart of the American film industry, Hollywood is an appropriate and symbolic location to introduce a game-changing technology in the Samsung Onyx for movie producers and consumers,” said Ron Gazzola, SVP, Sales and Marketing, IT B2B Division at Samsung Electronics America. “We are excited to revolutionize the cinema experience, and look forward to sharing the Samsung Onyx with even wider audiences both in the U.S. and throughout the world.”

As more theaters upgrade to the Onyx screen, Samsung is working with cinema content developers to ensure that the display can optimize upcoming films. Samsung will collaborate with leading cinema technology services provider Ymagis Group and its Eclair content development business unit to deliver EclairColor^® HDR-compliant pictures that shine on the Onyx screen. CinemaCon 2018 attendees will get a sneak peek at the benefits of this alliance, as Samsung will unveil EclairColor-enhanced visuals on its next-generation display. Samsung additionally has forged a partnership with Hollywood-based post-production company Roundabout to develop specialized Onyx-ready HDR content.

“Today’s movies feature the most sophisticated production and advanced graphics ever, and producers and directors need powerful theater technology to showcase their works as intended and at optimal quality,” said Jean Mizrahi, president and co-founder of Ymagis Group. “We anticipate dynamic and powerful cinema displays like the Onyx becoming the accepted industry standard in the coming years, and we are honored to partner with Samsung to drive change throughout the industry and ultimately improve the content experience for cinema-goers everywhere.”

At CinemaCon, Samsung will additionally highlight its partnerships with production equipment businesses, such as the new research and development initiative performed in conjunction with Arnold & Richter Cine Technik (ARRI), a Munich-based designer and manufacturer of specialized motion picture camera and lighting systems, to create Onyx-optimized content. Samsung is also collaborating with GDC Technology, a leading global provider of end-to-end digital cinema solutions, to develop Onyx-compatible cinema servers.

Taking place April 23-26, 2018 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, CinemaCon is the official convention of the National Association of Theater Owners with participants from more than 80 countries expected to attend.

For more information about Samsung Onyx, visit: https://displaysolutions.samsung.com/led-signage/onyx.