TV Panels
Once December kicked in, TV brands started thinking two things:
1) panel prices have probably hit rock bottom,
2) the memory chip shortage and crazy price spikes are bound to hit TV products eventually-and it's likely going to get worse next year.
So, a lot of them are pulling some of their Q1 2026 panel orders forward right now to get ahead of it.
Right now, TV panel demand is still holding up nicely. Panel makers are keeping their factories running at pretty high utilization rates, which is giving prices decent support.
With demand not weakening much, panel factories are starting to talk up the idea of price increases. For this month (December), prices for 32-inch to 65-inch TV panels are expected to stay completely flat. But keep in mind: Chinese New Year in February 2026 means fewer working days, so some demand will shift earlier to January and later to March. If January demand stays solid, TV panel prices could very well start going up as early as next month.
Monitor Panels
Overall demand for monitor (MNT) panels has been soft in Q4, but a few customers have still bumped up their orders a bit. Mainstream monitor panels have been losing money for ages, so panel makers are flat-out refusing to cut prices anymore-and brands seem okay with that for now. As a result, most monitor panel prices in December are expected to stay flat.
On top of that, the positive mood around TV panels potentially rising is spilling over a little to monitors. Panel makers have started floating the idea of monitor price increases too-but whether that actually happens will depend on real demand trends and how the negotiations go between buyers and sellers.
Notebook Panels
December is when the memory shortage and huge price jumps are really starting to bite notebook panel demand. Some brands are trying to rush out more mid-to-low-end laptops before they have to officially raise full-system prices next year, which has given panel demand a short-term boost.
That said, 2026 demand looks pretty uncertain because of the memory situation, so even with this temporary uptick, panel makers are getting a lot softer on pricing. Their priority right now is keeping good relationships with customers. Under that mindset, December notebook panel prices are forecast like this: TN types stay flat, while most IPS types drop by $0.1 to $0.2. Looking ahead to Q1 2026, with demand possibly even weaker, notebook panel prices are likely to keep facing downward pressure.
Bottom line: December marks the end of the long TV panel price slide-finally some stability! With brands stocking up early and panel makers holding supply tight, the TV side could see the first small price bump as soon as January. Monitors are hanging steady with a bit of hope, but notebooks are still feeling the squeeze. The display industry might be turning a corner, at least in the TV space.
If you want more details on specific sizes or what this means for certain brands, just say the word!
