Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the latest Onyx (ICD model) 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 highest-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 the world’s first DCI-certified1 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,2 delivering ultra-smooth motion and razor-sharp details.
Every auditorium has unique dimensions, and screen size requirements vary from theater to theater. To accommodate this, Onyx offers four standard sizes3 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.
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 brightest details to remain clear and visible.4 As a result, high-brightness scenes retain their full impact, rather than appearing washed out or overexposed.
“As the entertainment industry looks ahead to the future of cinema, innovation is more important than ever,” said David Phelps, Head of Display Division, Samsung Electronics America. “By delivering truly immersive experiences in theaters, we can ensure that the magic of the big screen not only endures, but thrives. The new generation of Onyx Cinema LED screens enables theater owners and operators to engage, thrill and remind moviegoers why the theater remains the ultimate place to experience visual storytelling at its finest.”
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 the industry’s first and longest 10-year warranty for cinema LED,5 setting a new benchmark for reliability in cinema display technology. This extended coverage helps reduce the 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 the highest-quality 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.”
Looking ahead, Cannon Beach — a 37-acre mixed-use development blending lifestyle and adrenaline in Mesa, Ariz. — will be the first location in the United States to introduce the latest generation of Samsung Onyx in its seven-screen movie theater, LVL 11 Entertainment. Opening in Fall 2025, LVL 11 Entertainment will offer an exciting mix of movies, go-kart racing, bowling, arcade games, karaoke, private event spaces and more. Moving iMage Technologies (MiT) played a key role in consulting and designing LVL 11 Entertainment’s innovative theater experience featuring Samsung Onyx technology and Dolby Atmos immersive audio to elevate the out-of-home cinema experience.
“We chose to partner with Samsung because its commitment to innovation and cutting-edge technology aligns perfectly with our vision for LVL 11 Entertainment. By premiering the Samsung Onyx Cinema LED Screen in Arizona, we will be offering an entirely new experience, not just a movie,” said Adam Saks, Chief Operating Officer, LVL 11 Entertainment. “Samsung’s ability to push the boundaries of entertainment technology ensures that LVL 11 at Cannon Beach remains at the forefront of the industry.”
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.
