QLED or OLED TV – this is one question that will confuse you when buying a new television.
Should you pick the excellent quantum-dot contrast & brightness of QLED technology or the amazing self-emissive experiences of OLED?
Which is the best television technology for you to enjoy premium picture quality?
Both QLED and OLED are reigning the smart TV industry today, bringing enhanced television experiences for all.
But which technology should you choose? What do these mean for you as a viewer? How your choice of technology affects the price of television? All these can be difficult to unpack when you buy a new TV.
Thankfully, we have this comprehensive article that will guide you to choose between QLED and OLED. So, let’s spill the beans!
Src – Samsung.com
What is QLED & How does it Work?
QLED, or Quantum Light-Emitting Diode, is a regular LED television but uses tiny semiconductor particles, also known as quantum dots, which help enhance the color and brightness significantly – often better than OLED.
QLED technology leverages traditional Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) and adds a layer of quantum dots of a certain size to remarkably improve the color output when focused by light from the back.
When additional quantum layers are added, it results in more vibrant and diverse display colors.
However, quantum dots need a backlight to illuminate the display colors. This light is generated by LEDs located along the television’s edge or at the behind.
To address this concern, Samsung – the leading manufacturer of QLED TV – states to augment the contrast by treating quantum dots with “low-reflectivity finish” and generating peak luminance of 1,500 to 2,000cd/m2.
What is OLED & How does it Work?
OLED, or Organic Light-Emitting Diode, is a type of technology that uses organic pixels, which when activated, emit their own light.
OLED televisions use a powerful OLED panel that produces and illuminates the display picture. The panel comprises solely of OLEDs that themselves determine the color of the pixel. This causes it to produce brighter and crisper light.
As such, OLED televisions do not require any backlight to display the colors. At the same time, the pixels can be switched on and off distinctly.
Since OLED does not need an external source of light for illumination, it generates the highest possible contrast when compared to other display technologies.
That means if any part of the display picture is black, the pixels will turn off automatically and not emit any light.
This is a big difference between OLED and QLED televisions that work on LED lighting. Even the best-in-class LEDs will generate at least 0.01cd/m2 of light for black sections of the picture.
Which Renders Sharper Picture Quality? QLED or OLED?
Technology-wise, OLED is sharper because it has the ability to turn on and off each pixel individually.
On the contrary, there is always some light leakage and afterglow behind the LCD layers in QLED television sets. This is because quantum dots require a support backlight for illumination. As such, it blurs the edges around brighter pictures, affecting the sharpness.
QLED sets with local or active dimming may help in improving sharpness, but there is still some light leakage. Therefore, you will find a sort of halo effect around brighter objects on QLED sets.
Winner: OLED
Picture Quality – Which is Brighter? OLED or QLED?
In well-lit areas that demand high brightness, quantum-dot LED televisions certainly deliver brighter picture quality. They generate more light than OLEDs and therefore, brighter than the latter.
On the other hand, if you want to watch your favorite movie in that dimly-lit cozy corner of your home, OLED tends to appear brighter because it has higher contrast levels.
In general television viewing conditions, QLEDs display a brighter picture than OLEDs.
Winner: QLED
Which Renders Precise Black Levels? QLED or OLED?
Want to buy a television that delivers clear, crisp, and precise picture reproduction? Focus on the level of black display it renders.
TVs that offer deeper blacks tend to deliver sharper, crisper, and more realistic television viewing experience.
And to have true levels of black, OLED technology is the best you can trust.
When viewed next to an OLED TV, QLED looks grayish…and not deep black as it should appear when the subject or picture has black elements.
That is because quantum-dot televisions use a backlighting system to illuminate the display and therefore, it is impossible to eliminate light leakage completely.
As a result, you would get an “elevated black” or glowing grey with QLEDs instead of deep blacks with OLEDs.
Winner: OLED
Which Delivers Better Color? OLED or QLED?
An advanced QLED TV or quantum-dot LCD renders a broad spectrum of vivid colors as compared to an OLED television. So you can expect true-to-life colors.
However, modern OLED sets are also not lagging behind in the color accuracy score. Brands like LG and Sony are constantly upgrading their models to deliver true colors at par with QLED television giants like Samsung.
Winner: Tie
Which has Better Viewing Angles? QLED or OLED
When you watch television, of course, you do not always do it from a single straight point. This is especially true when you are watching the television with your family, sitting at different corners of the room.
When viewed from different angles, the colors and luster in a QLED TV tend to lose or appear skewed.
On the contrary, OLED televisions are more likely to hold their colors, crispness, and images even when you are viewing off-center.
Winner: OLED
Which is More Expensive?
Price is an important determinant when choosing between QLED and OLED technologies. Typically, OLED TVs are pricier than QLED TVs and you have to shell bigger prices if you want to buy a large-sized OLED television.
Winner: QLED (In terms of affordability).
QLED vs. OLED – Which is Better?
From the above comparative guide, we can clearly state that OLED is a winner.
However, the differences are fading out fast as QLED televisions are getting better with more accurate backlight control and black levels.
If you want an affordable alternative to OLED, go for QLED. However, if you prefer pristine picture quality over cost, OLED is the right choice for you.
QLED vs OLED [Detailed Comparison Video]