Augmented reality is an important human-machine interface platform for the metaverse, and optical imaging units and microdisplay screens in a system are the key to the display performance. At present, there are five popular microdisplay devices, namely, the liquid crystal on silicon, organic light-emitting diode (OLED) on silicon, micro light-emitting diode (micro LED) on silicon, digital light processing (DLP), and laser scanning galvanometer, all of which has their own special features. This study introduced the construction, manufacturing process, silicon driving circuit, status quo, and the challenges of different microdisplay screens. For the silicon-driving part, this study analyzed topics such as the pixel-driving circuit and its pros and cons and the challenges related to the design and index of different display technologies. Furthermore, the indicators that can be achieved by different technologies were also summarized and compared. The design focus and development trend of silicon-based backplanes were also discussed. Finally, the application scenarios and development of different microdisplay chips were discussed.