QLED vs OLED: Weighing Different TV Options

If you are shopping for a new television, you may need to weigh the pros and cons of QLED vs. OLED Television show. These two types of technology are named the same but are fundamentally very different.

QLED is short for quantum dot light emitting diode, and OLED stands for organic light emitting diode. These technologies affect the television picture in different ways, each with distinct advantages and trade-offs.

But both are leaders in display technology, making the choice between the two a personal one. To better understand what sets a QLED TV apart from an OLED TV, it’s helpful to review how the two technologies work.

QLED TVs and Quantum Dot Technology

QLED TVs use something fancy called quantum dot technology. Quantum dots are semiconductor nanocrystals that can act as a backlight in a display.

QLED TVs add a layer of quantum dots to traditional liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. This layer boosts the color accuracy and brightness of a QLED TV display by converting the light from the LEDs into highly saturated primary colors.

While QLED TVs may not be able to match the pure black of an OLED TV, they can achieve what engineers call “peak brightness”. This makes them better suited to well-lit environments.

Advantages of QLED Technology

• No burn in: Unlike OLED TVs, the picture quality of QLED TVs does not suffer from burn-in problems, which makes them better for extended use, such as long gaming sessions or displays of static content such as news tickers.

• Superior brightness: QLED TVs typically offer higher peak brightness levels than OLED TVs, making them better for bright rooms or spaces with lots of natural light.

• Vibrant color: Quantum dot technology enables QLED TVs to maintain their color accuracy and primary color vibrancy even at higher brightness levels, but an OLED panel cannot achieve a brighter picture without sacrificing a certain amount of its picture quality.

OLED TVs and Self-Lighting

For each of their pixels, OLED TVs feature a single semiconductor device called an organic light-emitting diode, or LED. When an electric current passes through each light-emitting diode, it lights up, essentially acting as its own light source.

As the pixels in an OLED TV have these dedicated LEDs capable of emitting their own light, there is no need to pair a separate backlight with the OLED panels. This gives OLED TV the ability to produce images with great contrast ratios, true blacks and rich, deep colours.

Advantages of OLED Technology

• Excellent picture quality: OLED panels deliver exceptional picture quality with deep blacks, vibrant colors and better contrast.

• Slim profile: The LEDs in OLED TVs require very little room and act as their own light source, so OLED displays can be extremely thin, saving space in a home entertainment console.

• Superior viewing angles: OLED TVs offer wide viewing angles, ensuring consistently high image quality regardless of where you are sitting in the room.

OLED vs QLED: Picture Quality

When it comes to overall picture quality, both OLED and QLED excel in several areas. OLED TVs are unrivaled in their ability to produce deep dark colors and infinite contrast ratios, making them extremely effective in dark room settings.

Consider choosing an OLED TV screen if you have a dark home theater setup or a TV room that doesn’t get much light.

Meanwhile, QLED TVs can produce incredible brightness and vibrant colors that pop off the screen. Consider choosing a QLED TV screen over OLED TVs if you have a sunny TV room or if you are watching TV in a very bright area.

Other Aspects of Picture Quality Matter

While picture quality is undoubtedly a critical factor when choosing a TV, there are plenty of other factors you should consider when deciding between OLED and QLED TVs:

• Durability: OLED panels are susceptible to image retention and burn-in – especially when viewing static content – but QLEDs are less likely to experience these issues.

• Future developments: OLED and QLED technologies continue to evolve, with advances such as mini LED and QD-OLED technologies promising even better performance in the future.

• Gaming performance: Gamers may prefer QLED TVs due to their higher refresh rates and lower input lag, although OLED TVs can produce cinema-quality images.

• Price: OLED TVs tend to be more expensive than QLEDs, mainly due to the manufacturing costs associated with OLED technology and OLED panel production, which involves sourcing organic materials and using organic manufacturing processes.

We created this article in collaboration with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.

Original article: QLED vs OLED: Weighing Different TV Options

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