Without televisions, imagining life right now is obsolete. Even this article that I am writing is viewed on a display, and you are reading it from a monitor or a phone screen that has a display no matter what it is. QLED and OLED are such types of display technologies that make the image sharper, uses the pixels in a display so efficiently that it will leave you star-struck.
They have produced some of the best-looking displays ever, Samsung using their QLED displays while LG using their OLED displays. Since their debut in the technological world, these two types of displays have been at odds with each other. To the untrained eye, both OLED and QLED look the same.
I have had the pleasure of experiencing almost all the products that use either of the two technologies and found some notable differences between the quality and other aspects. But, on a side note, these displays are simply impressive when you look at them. The on-display models are so beautiful to look at, and each individual pixel lights up on its own.
The glory of QLED and OLED is beyond comprehension. Only an expert would know the difference and judge them, but if you are a regular consumer like me, these displays will not look any different when placed beside each other. To think of the immense technology that is involved in the production of these technologies is mind-blowing.
These TV panel technologies are capable of running resolutions from HD (High Definition), which is 1920 x 1080p to 4K resolution that is 3840 x 2160p. These higher resolutions mean that many pixels on the screen and each pixel works individually and collectively with the display to produce a visual experience unlike any in the world. And lately, these panels even support 8K resolution; this is something I cannot begin to comprehend.
OLED is LGs signature technology, and Samsung specializes in QLED. Both of these technologies have differences, but they are both clearly the winner in terms of color accuracy. Samsung and LG have tried implementing these panels to smartphones, and they compromised to AMOLED, Samsung’s signature panel, which is the world’s best display on a smartphone.
LG and many other brands use Samsungs AMOLED technology, which is a smaller version of the OLED. Compressed into a smaller screen, the colors and definition are so accurate and immaculate that you cannot take your eyes off them. It is part of the reason why you will catch yourself staring at a Samsung screen without even realizing it.
Both displays are impressive, and to know more about each, keep reading, trust me, you will not be disappointed. There is a lot to learn about these panels than you think, and it might surprise you how all these technologies came to be. The small components that make such beautiful colors are genuinely something to reckon.Keep reading, and you might also come to a conclusion about your choice.
Comparisons Table: QLED vs OLED
What is an OLED Display? An Overview
OLED, short for Organic Light Emitting Diode, is a display technology that mainly involves pixels. These panels can be seen in many TVs and monitors and all around you. They are pretty standard if you ask me, but when it comes to the image quality, it is unparalleled. I can say with utmost confidence that an OLED display is definitely something to look at, and you should all grab if you can.
The mechanics behind an OLED display is the pixels. These pixels are what make this panel phenomenal to watch. The pixels quantity, which depends on the resolution, has no effect on the quality of the picture. The main feature lies within the pixels themselves. Let us take an OLED panel on a 4K TV, for example.
To the naked eye, it looks fantastic and beautiful; the colors are vivid and accurate. When you are watching a movie like a horror movie or a DC movie where the theme is dark, the blacks of the screen are entirely black. It is as if those parts of the screen are not lighting up. And that is exactly what is happening with the pixels.
During the dark scenes where light is not reflected or needed by the video, the pixels do not light up. Let me tell you, with OLED screens, each and every individual pixel emits light. This means each LED in the display lights up according to what is playing and with efficient algorithms, it determines when to cast and when to dim.
Gaming on OLED screens is also something to look out for as once you start, you will not get up until hours and hours later. The OLED panel monitor delivers an immersive gaming experience, unlike any other display.
With this technology, there is no need for the displays to be bulky. You will notice that compared to previous TV display panels, OLED TVs are much more thinner. In fact, they are way too thin even to handle, and I am surprised as to how sturdy they can be. I have one in my house, the LG OLED 4K TV, and that bad boy is thin. I was scared even to mount them or hold them in my hands and know that I got big hands. But, they are durable and will stay strong, so there is nothing to be worried about.
Another prominent feature I found upon my usage is that OLED panels are power efficient. It is strange, isn’t it? How can displays that have such high brightness be power efficient? Well, as I have mentioned above, the pixels only light up regions where the light is needed. So when there is a dark scenery playing on the screen, most of the pixels are off, this saves energy, and well the numbers are reflected on your electric bill.
OLED technology is something to be reckoned with. It delivers top-notch quality, which makes it worth the while no matter what size or resolution TV you buy. A 1080p display still looks perfect if not better than other 4K displays without an OLED panel. Of course, if you get a bigger TV, the resolution will be better, and you can see things even clearer, but OLED by itself stands on top.
Some of the applications of OLED displays and their examples:
OLED panels are clear and wonderful and you can see them almost everywhere. Starting from big TV screens to your smartphone in your pocket. You are probably using one right now to read this article. OLED is deemed as the best smartphone display and it is true. Unlike other smartphone screens, you can see the high definition images and quality.
These displays are also a great marketing strategy to attract customers. You might have walked to a store and saw smartphones that feature this display and remained at awe as to how beautiful it looks and probably asked the price for them. I know I did and was tempted to buy one myself. There are many devices that use OLED display panels, some of which are described below:
Television displays
Many TVs use OLED panels to make their displays of high quality and thinner. Since now the competition is who can make the thinnest TV, OLED panels are the key to achieving that. Companies such as LG and Sony use this technology to deliver the best possible product for the consumers.
LG CS Series OLED TV:
This TV is something. When it comes to the best OLED display of all time, the LG CG series, specifically the LG OLED77CX. Here the number 77 denotes the size of the display and there are other sizes as well, 48 inches, 55 inches, and 65 inches to be exact. I bought this TV for my review and was astonished by how good it looks and not only does it nail the looks department, the sound is equally amazing.
This features the Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision that handles sound brilliantly and accurately. The sound is full and the bass is impactful. There are no losses or distortions in the sound department just like the display. Each and every detail can be seen clearly and with great precision.
Sony A8H OLED TV:
This is yet another great TV that features the OLED panel. Sony is always known for its displays and with the OLED technology, the quality has upped a notch. You are getting the premium OLED experience from this product and I do not know anyone who was disappointed by this. A great sound system paired with the best display panel, the movies you watch will be remarkable.
Points for the praise of OLED:
- This makes the TV thinner and lightweight.
- The display is brighter since each pixel lights up with full power which can be adjusted of course.
- Since it does not require backlighting, OLED consumes less power.
- Has a larger field of vision, you can look at them from the sides and the quality will still be the same.
Demerits of the OLED displays:
- They have a much lower life span than other displays.
- They damage easily with water or a slight hit.
- Manufacturing OLED is expensive.
- May cause screen burn-in.
What is a QLED Display? An Overview
QLED displays, short for Quantum Light Emitting Diode, is a display that is not the brightest but is definitely cheaper compared to high-end displays. If you think about it, QLED is anchored more to the normal consumers who are looking for a big display and efficient technology. You are getting everything packed in a rectangular box and it is pleasing to the eye.
Now, the QLED technology might have a fancy name but the mechanism behind it is simple. What the QLED does is, it uses an LCD panel to light the pixels. These pixels are all backlit and do not have a light of their own. They are easily distinguishable from OLED displays by their thick heavier design.
The functionalities behind the backlighting are the four big LED lights that illuminate the pixels. They shine a light on the specific part of the screen where the scenery is loaded. You will understand this when playing a video with dark sceneries. Let’s take a space video, for instance, turn off your lights and watch the stars on the screen. They are not bright but they light up equally.
Watch the blacks of the screen and you will see a shade or a grey hue on the screen. This is the backlighting at works. The four LEDs are responsible for four quadrants of the screen. If you tear down your TV or have watched JerryRigEverything on YouTube, you will see that he features the QLED technology, specifically the one Samsung uses on their TVs.
It consists of layers and at the far end of the last layer, you will see large LEDs fixed at the back. These LEDs get significantly bright and they shine through the pixels illuminating them to show the image that you want. In terms of color accuracy, these are great and precise, there are no distortions and most importantly there is no burn-in on the screen.
Burn-in is a side effect that happens due to the direct exposure of the pixels lights on the screen. They leave a mark on the display of the most used pixel color. If you have a Samsung Galaxy device with you, you will notice your keyboard marks etched into the display as if it is charred in. This effect is called a burn-in and QLED panels do not have burn-ins since the pixels do not light up themselves but rather act as a passthrough.
QLED has its demerits and advantages but these are the best budget displays you can find that will live up to your expectations. I have tested several Samsung QLED displays and trust me, they are really good. The details are clean and clear, the pictures are bright and the TV is durable. You will not have to be afraid the next time you are trying to mount a TV up. These are thicker and have a good hold.
Some of the applications of QLED displays and their examples:
QLED displays are only exclusive to televisions. Samsung is the only brand that uses them and is proud of its technology. Incorporating QLED into smaller devices such as smartphones can be a hassle since the layers have to be put in ergo, your smartphone will have the shape of a brick.
QLED displays are pretty common in monitors and TVs and Samsung uses them effectively. You will surely turn your head when you see a Samsung display in front of you. Even at high resolutions, QLED retains its quality and longevity giving you a product that will last a long time.
Some of the best products that have QLED technology are discussed below:
Samsung Q80T QLED TV
This TV is impressive all around. It delivers stunning picture quality and great dynamic range that you will just stare at the screen for hours and never get enough of its marvel. With extremely low input lag and a high refresh rate, gaming on this TV is absolutely amazing. Especially with the PS5 coming soon, you will get top-notch performance.
Samsung Q800T QLED TV
An 8K affordable TV you should buy. This TV features the same QLED panel all Samsung TVs feature and the performance is unwavering if not better even at higher resolutions. You can even use this as a monitor for gaming and with the new graphics card around the corner, the Nvidia RTX 3090 that supports 8K at 60 FPS, this TV can run it smoothly. Although getting an 8K TV is overkill, the experience is breathtaking.
Points for the praise of QLED:
- These have a high color accuracy, up to 40% – 50% color accurate than traditional LCDs.
- They have a longer lifespan and are durable.
- The manufacturing of QLED is cheap.
- They are not susceptible to burn-in on the display.
Demerits of the QLED displays:
- The blacks are artificially produced and are not black enough for the backlighting.
- Has a poor viewing angle, look at it from the sides and you will see that it is unclear.
- Not energy efficient since the backlight is always turned on.
OLED vs QLED: How I differentiated both of them
The differences by now are clear since you have already read this far. But, for a quick overview, here are the major differences between QLED and OLED that are the key deciding factors for anyone who is looking into buying a new TV.
Blacks of the screen
First and foremost is the blacks of the display. OLED has pixels that light up individually with no backlights. So when on a dark screen, the pixels go off and the and black color is more deep and real, unlike QLED where you will see a hue of grey over the screen since the backlight is on all the time.
Power Consumption and Efficiency
Then comes the power consumption, OLED is much more power-efficient than QLED because of the pixels lighting up only when needed by the image or video. The input lag is almost nonexistent. As for QLED, the backlight is on and so, it consumes more power.
Screen Burn-in
Another difference is the screen burn-in. This is an issue every OLED screen faces. You can notice it from the most used app that you use. In general, everyone uses the keyboard most often and so when you change screens, you will notice that the keyboard marks are etched on the background.
On the other hand, QLED does not have this issue since there is no direct exposure of the pixels on the display. However, this burn-in issue is solved with a feature such called Pixel refreshing that refreshes the entire screen pixel and repairs this screen burn-in. LG TVs have this feature making OLED flawless.
Display thickness
Since QLED requires multiple layers, the display is thick and heavier due to more components on the TV. On the contrary, OLED displays are much thinner because of the fact that only pixels are lighting up on the screen, there is no additional component inside the display so the TVs are generally thinner and lightweight.
Final Verdict
Al the differences discussed above should give you an overview of which to buy. I know what I will get for my next TV and monitor. Remember, no matter what you buy, do not trust your eyes entirely, change the settings, dig a little deep. You will be surprised by what you have been missing and what misses the eye.
FAQs
In case we haven’t answered any concerns or raised new ones with anything here, don’t worry–we’ve got an entire section dedicated just to answering those pesky little Q&A’s down there.
Is OLED truly superior?
OLED TVs continue to outperform LED TVs in terms of picture quality, despite recent advancements in the latter technology. OLED is also lighter and thinner, consumes less energy, has by far the best viewing angle, and, though still more expensive, has gone down significantly in price.
How long does an OLED TV last?
LG claims that their OLED TVs have a 30,000-hour lifetime, which is the equivalent of watching TV for three hours a day for 27 years.
Is QLED a better option than LED?
A QLED TV would, on average, have superior color display capabilities than a conventional LCD, enhancing brights and blacks while still depending on an LED backlight, bringing out over a billion colours and shades of color with deep darks and sparkling lights.
Engineer and Tech Journalist.Read More