LED and OLED are the most common terms used in display technologies nowadays. Though they emerge from the same LED technology, their uses for display technologies fundamentally differ.
How is an LED TV different from an OLED one, and what are their similarities and differences?
1. LED Display
LED stands for “light-emitting diodes.” In simplest terms, the process involves using those diodes to illuminate the liquid crystal molecules in display technology, which generates images with all their colors and details.
LEDs illuminate display technology by running an electric current through diodes. The electricity causes them to emit photons, lightening the liquid crystal molecules.
This technology relies on backlights. There are ways to arrange those backlights in a display technology: edge-lit, direct-lit, and full-array.
In edge-lit displays, backlights are on the edges of the display technology, usually on top and below. Those backlights illuminate the liquid crystal molecules from a certain angle, generating images.
In a direct-lit display, manufacturers arrange backlights in a matrix-like formation at the back, directly illuminating molecules. Since there are more backlights in a direct-lit display than an edge-lit display, a direct-lit LED display is brighter, has more vibrant colors, and solves the problem of viewing angle by having uniform illumination of molecules.
As the term suggests, the Full-Array display employs a greater concentration of backlights arranged neatly together at the back. That allows for a greater concentration of illumination, which results in more excellent brightness, better illumination, and more vibrant colors than either edge-lit or direct-lit.
2. OLED Display
OLED stands for “organic light-emitting diodes,” named as such because it uses organic materials to illuminate and generate images. However, unlike LCD TVs employing LED backlights, an OLED display does not have backlights as a feature.
An OLED TV has pixels that emit photons themselves, and those photons are responsible for generating images. Since the pixels emit the necessary colors, they do not need to emit any color if the pixel is black.
Thus, an OLED TV presents a better contrast between dark and colored, black and white. With pixels themselves emitting photons and responsible for illumination and color, OLED technology solves specific issues, like concentration of color, uniformity, and viewing angles.
3. LED vs OLED: Similarities
Manufacturers use LED or OLED for displays because it entails several advantages for their consumers.
Excellent Images
LED and OLED generate images with fantastic clarity and excellent precision. LED lighting is responsible for vibrant images and colors. Meanwhile, the emissive nature of pixels, which generate their light, ensures accuracy and better contrast in OLED displays.
Better Response Rate
LED and OLED both have better response times than other display technologies. That means greater fluidity and image motion. Possibilities of lag, blurring, and other image display issues are minor, if not absent.
For this reason, LED and OLED are favorites of those who watch movies involving fast-paced action and gamers who need faster response times for their gaming. Aside from picture clarity and image precision, fluidity and smoothness also play an essential role in the aesthetic experience and immersive viewing.
Thinness
Compared to other display technologies, LED and OLED have thinner panels, which allows for excellent design flexibility. Because of this, manufacturers can create panels and design them according to certain specifications and customer preferences.
Thinner panels, for instance, make for slimmer gadgets and TVs. They are also lighter than others. That makes LED and OLEDs adaptable to specific environments because they are easy to carry and will easily fit in specific locations because of their lighter weight and slimness.
4. LED vs OLED: Differences
The fundamental difference between an LED and an OLED display is the presence or absence of backlights and how they illuminate and generate images. This difference leads to others and, depending on the use, can spell the difference between choosing one over the other.
Wonderful Graphics
Both produce superior image quality, but OLEDs have better graphics than LEDs due to the technology involved. The photon-emitting pixels produce better white and black colors, providing superior accuracy and better black levels.
LEDs do not have that feature. Their pixels do not emit light independently; instead, they rely on backlights for illumination and image generation.
Brightness
However, the presence of backlights makes LED displays brighter than OLED ones. Since they illuminate the pixels, they produce brighter colors and images, and depending on whether the LED uses edge-lit, direct-lit, or full-array displays, it can get even brighter.
Viewing Angle
Since the pixels emit light and are everywhere in an OLED display, they provide better uniformity, unlike LED, which has backlights in specific locations. Because of this, OLED displays have better, superior viewing angles than most LED displays.
That makes OLEDs ideal for viewing involving large audiences, such as film showings, seminars, lectures, and gaming competitions, where viewers might be seated at an angle or specific location.
Energy-Efficiency
Both use LED technology and are deemed energy efficient. However, there is still a difference due to the nature of illumination. Since LEDs employ backlights, they consume more energy than an OLED one, which does not have a lighting source and instead relies on pixel-emitting light to generate images.
More energy consumption means higher electricity costs: the more backlights, the higher the energy consumption and the higher the electricity cost.
Durability and Lifespan
OLED displays have shorter lifespans, mainly due to the degradation of the organic material used for them. The prolonged hours of use and duration and their impact over the years may also affect the performance of pixels, affecting the way they emit light.
OLEDs are susceptible to what they call “burn-in.” Here, ghost images remain on the screen due to the long exposure of specific images to the pixels. Examples are the logos of a particular television station or the watermarks of media content producers.
Because they use backlights, LED TVs are not susceptible to burn-in. Also, because backlights illuminate molecules, LED pixels do not quickly deteriorate. That accounts for LEDs’ durability and a longer lifespan than OLEDs.
Cost
The higher production cost and the sophisticated technology employed by OLED displays make them more expensive than the LED ones. If you factor in the durability and lifespan of LEDs over OLEDs, then the price discrepancy becomes more significant.
However, the higher production costs and sophisticated technology account for a better aesthetic experience and immersive viewing. The better a particular display provides practical advantages and aesthetic enjoyment, the higher its price. That is the case for OLEDs.
5. Which Should You Choose?
Ultimately, deciding which is better, LED or OLED, depends on balancing your practical needs, desire for an aesthetic and immersive viewing experience, and budget. The essential thing is getting the best and the most out of your display technology.
Having an LED makes sense if you live in a household where people always watch TV. They are durable, not susceptible to pixel deterioration and burn-in, and less expensive than OLEDs.
If you only use TV intermittently but want superior quality for your images and videos and have a budget, you can go right with an OLED one. It has a high response time, precise imaging, and fantastic clarity for your images.
The same applies if you care about finer details, uniformity, and superior angles. If you always have a large audience for your display technology, OLED undoubtedly has the superior viewing angle, at least in contrast to most LED display technologies.
If it is for business and advertisement, it depends on time and location. OLED will make more sense indoors and for only specific, shorter periods. If used outside and for prolonged use, having a brighter display technology and a durable, lasting one will make more sense. It would be best if you went for an LED one.
The LED will also make more sense if you need something brighter for your display content to catch the public’s attention. Individuals, like gamers and film enthusiasts, who enjoy better contrast and incredible, finer details of images might go for an OLED one.
Finally, those who want durable, long-lasting display technology will do well with an LED display. On the other hand, those who want a more energy-efficient display technology that can give a superior aesthetic experience while not costing much in electricity will do well with an OLED display.
Whatever the case, we at LEDSINO offer LED and OLED displays. We have various brands that employ the best-advanced technology for both. We can help you choose the best display technology that suits your preferences and needs.
6. Final Thoughts
LED and OLED are excellent at giving consumers the aesthetic experience they want. No wonder most manufacturers and leading brands have many versions of LED TVs employing various technologies and a particular OLED TV for a specific niche market.
However, the difference in how they generate images accounts for all the other disparities. Your choice will depend on balancing your needs and preferences and whether you have the budget.
