Difference Between OLED And QLED TVs

The world of television technology has been rapidly evolving, presenting consumers with an array of cutting-edge options to elevate their home entertainment experience. Among the prominent contenders vying for the top spot in the market are OLED and QLED TVs. With both technologies boasting impressive picture quality and stunning visuals, it can be challenging to discern the nuances that set them apart.

Well, let us look into the key differences between OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) and QLED (Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode) TVs, hopefully this will help you equip to make an informed decision when investing in your next television.

What is LED?

LED stands for light-emitting diode, which emerged in the market much before QLEDs and OLEDs came out and stood out as a dominant technological discovery. LED TV use LEDs to light up an LCD panel, offering the best value for the audience and comes in a wide range of sizes, including extra-large sizes. Many LEDs also have a VA panel, which usually has a high contrast ratio and narrow viewing angles which tend to get very bright.

What is QLED?

QLED stands for quantum-light emitting diode. QLED TV has no difference from LED TV but uses quantum dots to maximize its brightness and color. Quantum dots are nano-sized semiconductor particles that emit light of specific colors when stimulated by an external light source or an electric current. These quantum dots are used in QLED TVs to enhance the color performance and provide a wider color gamut compared to traditional LED TVs.

In QLED TV, the light shining on quantum dots is provided by LED backlight since they are contained in thin films. The light then passes through several other layers inside the TV, including a liquid crystal (LCD) layer, to create an image.

In other words, Quantum Dot or QLED TVs as Samsung likes to call them, is basically an LCD on steroids or rather a better more refined version of an LCD. It still requires a backlight to illuminate the panel from behind to work, but due to advancements in technology, it can produce more vibrant and true to life colors when compared to traditional LCD/LED TVs.

Advantages of QLED TVs

• QLED TVs offer a high color volume, which means they can maintain accurate and vibrant colors even at various levels of brightness.
• Most QLED TVs support High Dynamic Range technology, which allows them to display a broader range of brightness levels and contrast. HDR content enables more detail in both the darkest shadows and the brightest highlights.
• Many QLED TVs come with Direct Full Array backlighting, where the backlight is divided into multiple zones and individually controlled.
• Samsung introduced “Ultra Viewing Angle” technology in some of its QLED models to improve the viewing angles. This means that the picture remains clear and vibrant even when viewed from off-center positions.
• QLED TVs are powered by advanced image processing chips known as Quantum Processors. These processors can upscale content to higher resolutions, reduce noise, and optimize the overall image quality.
• QLED TVs often feature an “Ambient Mode” that allows the TV to blend in with its surroundings when not in use. It can display artwork, photos, or mimic the appearance of the wall behind it, making the TV less obtrusive when idle.

Disadvantages of QLEDs

• Low contrast
• Narrower view angle
• Thicker display compared to OLED
• Slower response time and lag
• Consumes more power due to the backlight

What is OLED?

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are semiconductor films composed of an organic compound having electroluminescent properties which utilize an electrical current to emit light. The technology has wide applications and has been incorporated into digital displays for mobile phones, automotive dashboards and television screens. OLEDs can be constructed to be thinner and lighter than liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and also provide better black levels and higher contrast ratios than LCDs.

Since OLEDs don’t require a backlight and can illuminate themselves so they can have ‘infinite contrast ratio’(Brightest point/Darkest Point), since if a part of the picture is ‘black’ that particular part of the OLED screen can be turned off, effectively creating perfect ‘black’ color.

Advantages of OLEDs

• OLED TVs offer exceptional picture quality due to their ability to produce true blacks. When a pixel is turned off, it emits no light, resulting in a perfect black level.
• OLED TVs can reproduce a wide range of colors with remarkable accuracy. They support high dynamic range (HDR) content, which preserves both bright highlights and subtle shadow details.
• OLED technology provides excellent viewing angles, ensuring that the picture quality remains consistent even when viewed from extreme angles.
• Since OLED panels do not require a separate backlight, they can be incredibly thin and lightweight.
• OLED TVs have a very fast response time, which means they can handle fast-paced action scenes and gaming with minimal motion blur, delivering smooth and sharp visuals.
• OLED displays are power-efficient, especially when showing content with a lot of dark or black areas, as the black pixels are essentially turned off, requiring no power.

Disadvantages of OLEDs

• Higher chances of image burn-in. Burn-in is a more severe and permanent condition where elements of a static image get permanently imprinted on the screen, even when displaying different content.
• Higher chances of image retention. Image retention occurs when a faint, residual image is temporarily retained on the screen after displaying a static image for an extended period.

Common scenarios where image retention and burn-in can occur include:

1. Watching content with static elements, such as channel logos, video game heads-up displays (HUDs), or persistent on-screen graphics, can contribute to image retention and potential burn-in.
2. Tickers and news banners that run across the screen continuously on certain channels might lead to image retention if displayed for extended periods.
3. Video game interfaces, health bars, and other static elements displayed during gaming sessions could pose a risk of image retention if not managed carefully.

Also Read: Difference Between Satellite, Cable And Terrestrial TV

Difference Between QLED And OLED Displays In Tabular Form

Also Read: Difference Between CRT And LCD Monitors

Conclusion

OLED and QLED TVs are similar to each other as they each use LCD panels with LED backlights; the only difference is that QLED TVs use a quantum dot layer that allows them to produce a wider range of colors. OLED panels are completely different, as the pixels are self-lit and can turn themselves off when needed, allowing the TV to produce perfect blacks.