What is the difference between LED and OLED TVs

Television

The world of television has evolved significantly since the introduction of the first sets. In the past, consumers had limited options due to the lack of technological advancements. However, the era of kinescopes and plasma TVs has long been forgotten. Today, individuals looking to enjoy video content at home have a plethora of choices, including LED and OLED technologies.

When it comes to purchasing a television for your home, it is important to consider your preferences – whether you want the ultramodern OLED technology or another type of screen. So what sets LED and OLED technology apart?

Features of LED-TVs

We will begin with the most popular type of entertainment devices currently available – the Led-TV. But what exactly is a Led-TV?

The term "LED" stands for "light-emitting diode". In LED-based televisions, the LCD screen is illuminated by small semiconductor devices known as diodes. These diodes emit light when an electrical voltage is applied to them.

Within the television, the LED backlight can be found either on the side panels or behind the LCD screen. The latter option is considered more favorable, as the side backlighting typically uses only white LEDs. The backlighting process involves the use of red, green, and blue elements, often referred to as RGB LED backlighting, or dynamic backlighting. Sharp is a brand that frequently incorporates this technology into its products.

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Sometimes, the indication of white LEDs ("W – White") in a device is referred to as WGRB. Another abbreviation that can be encountered is WLED – White Light-Emitting Diode. In essence, there is no significant difference between LED and WLED. The creation of the term WLED is merely a marketing tactic, as the use of white diodes is standard for displays that utilize Edge LED technology. This technology involves a white side backlight that emits radiation through specific channels in a unique substrate. Companies like Samsung and Sony actively employ this approach. To provide the desired coloring for the image, special color filters are utilized.

The placement of the backlight behind the screen enhances the brightness of the picture, but also results in a thicker screen and higher power consumption. Initially, fluorescent lamps were employed as the backlighting source for plasma TVs, and this approach was subsequently adopted for LCD TVs as well. So, what sets LED technology apart from its predecessors? Well, the next wave of monitors featured liquid crystals that were illuminated through electroluminescence, wherein radiation emitted by LEDs was utilized. Consequently, an LED-screen is essentially a conventional liquid crystal display panel that is illuminated by a multitude of colored diodes, or by filtered white light.

Features of OLED TVs

What exactly is an OLED? An OLED is a novel kind of LED, known as an organic light-emitting diode. This cutting-edge technology is founded upon the utilization of the conductive properties of specific organic polymers. OLEDs are predominantly employed in the manufacturing process of state-of-the-art televisions belonging to the latest era.

OLED technology employs a layer of organic LEDs to light up the display. OLED illumination is generated by multiple layers of organic polymers which are capable of emitting light when an electric current is passed through them. The compact size of the individual compounds enables the creation of pixel arrays based on them. As each pixel emits light, there is no requirement for any supplementary backlighting.

What is the difference between LED and OLED models of modern TVs?

One important distinction between led and oled is their respective image quality and cost. However, the differences between LED and OLED technologies encompass many additional intricacies that are worth exploring.

When it comes to thickness, OLED TVs are much slimmer than LED or LCD panels because the latter must accommodate the backlighting system in addition to the matrix.

It’s worth noting that currently, LG Display is the primary provider of OLED TVs, accounting for approximately 80% of the market. Smaller companies make up the remaining 20%. LG continues to dominate the field.

Color rendering

When it comes to this particular aspect, the distinction between led and oled becomes apparent in terms of how colors are transmitted. For an oled device, each LED possesses its own distinct color. By increasing or halting the current supply to the elements, different hues are created. On the other hand, when color filters are employed, coloration is determined through them. In the OLED matrix, the pixels consist of primary colors, which are then combined to produce the desired shades.

Brightness

The LED display is designed to prevent burn-in, while also providing a remarkable brightness of up to 1,800 nits.

LEDs in OLED TVs have a relatively short lifespan. On average, these elements only last for about 15,000 hours of continuous operation. The longevity of the organic pixels is further reduced by the increased luminous intensity. It’s worth noting that adjusting the brightness settings on an OLED TV can also decrease the overall lifespan of the device.

Furthermore, the maximum brightness level for an OLED TV is limited to 700 nits. As the brightness of individual pixels increases, the overall video brightness decreases. The lighting of an OLED screen is dependent on the response of organic compounds to electricity. The amount of electricity supplied directly impacts the brightness level. However, this also means that the device consumes power at a faster rate. Additionally, prolonged and intensive use of the OLED lighting can cause the polymers to degrade over time, leading to a longer recovery period for them to regain their ability to emit light.

Contrast and black level

The LED display’s black depth is lacking in quality. Even when the liquid crystals are arranged in the correct patterns, the backlight still functions, causing the image on the screen to appear completely dark. The crystals overlap the light source, resulting in a faded black color that makes it uncomfortable to view scenes filmed in low light or at night. Additionally, dark images may have shadows around them, while white images may have glowing halos.

Even on the highest quality LED TVs, the black depth will only be 0.05 nits. In contrast, OLED TVs always have a black depth of 0 nits, highlighting the significant difference between LED and OLED displays.

On an OLED screen, organic LEDs do not receive any electric current to display the black color. This means that even a small amount of light in the dark areas of an image will be perceived as much brighter.

This enables an OLED TV to achieve its highest possible contrast ratio. The purity of the black hue is achieved through complete suppression of the required pixels. OLED illumination controls each individual pixel, eliminating the need for backlighting and preventing the formation of halos around black areas in videos.

Viewing Angle

If you observe the LED display from a different angle, you will observe a noticeable alteration in the image. The contrast and colors tend to alter based on the viewing perspective. This phenomenon occurs due to the diffusion of the backlight, as the manufacturing process assumes that the viewer’s eyes will be positioned perpendicular to the screen.

In contrast, the OLED TV screen offers a smooth and undistorted image from all vantage points. The display receives equal illumination from all directions.

Resolution

Currently, the accepted standard for resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels, enabling the playback of videos in Full HD.

Nevertheless, the more contemporary Ultra HD format is gaining popularity and is often referred to by manufacturers as 4K. TVs with this label boast an increased resolution.

When it comes to resolutions, 4K offers a horizontal image resolution of 4000 pixels. Present-day content usually utilizes the 1080p resolution, which is similar to 2K resolution. A 4K image, therefore, is approximately twice the size of a 2K image. This not only enhances the overall aesthetic but also caters to the requirements of professionals.

Television and cinema use different standards to measure image quality. In cinema, resolution is determined by the length of the picture, while in television, the number of lines in the height of the picture is important. As a result, there are multiple image sizes that meet the 4K standard.

Ultra-high definition television, known as UHDTV, includes both the 4K and the advanced 8K standards. The 8K standard utilizes 8 million active pixels to create a high-quality image. Currently, there are also ongoing developments for devices with 10K and 12K resolution.

In order to have a comfortable viewing experience for 4K images, a screen with a diagonal of at least 50 inches is recommended. Additionally, it is advisable to watch the content from a distance of 10 meters. If it is not possible to purchase a large screen and maintain a safe viewing distance, then it is better to consider more compact models.

The selection of the pixel density for the LED display should depend on the distance between the viewer and the screen. If the TV is installed closer to the viewing position, the LED elements should be denser in order for the eye to merge the pixels and perceive a seamless image. Otherwise, the image may appear fragmented or grainy. The pixel density plays a crucial role in determining the realism of the video. For LED TVs, it is recommended to have a pixel density of at least 8789 per square meter.

In this aspect, there is no apparent difference between LED and OLED. Both types of products can have a maximum resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels, also known as Ultra HD. This digital cinema standard is commonly compared to the professional production standard in the 4K movie industry.

Response time

Response time is the duration between input and the device’s response. In an LCD display, this duration determines how quickly a pixel changes its brightness in response to an electrical signal. A shorter response time implies no delay. The shorter the response time, the less noticeable distortion will be when watching dynamic videos.

Methods for assessing response time may be proprietary information and therefore not publicly accessible. Some known techniques for measuring this indicator include:

• BtW (black to white) – activating a "dormant" pixel at full brightness;
• GtG (grey to grey) – transitioning the brightness of a gray color from 90% to 10%;
• BtB or BWB (black-white-black) – transitioning between black and white colors, and vice versa.

To improve response time, various methods of overclocking the matrix are utilized. For instance, one technique is to apply a brief and intense electric signal to a pixel and then normalize the voltage.

The disparity between LED and OLED lies in the fact that OLED displays generate images using luminescent diodes directly, without any intermediaries, resulting in faster light transmission. As a result, when watching an OLED TV, the frame rate increases and the level of comfort is heightened.

IMPORTANT: The quality of the electronics supplying current to the TV also impacts image lag time. Additionally, the retention ability of the human eye, which pertains to its capacity to retain visual information in the retina’s memory, can influence perception as well.

Power consumption

How does the electricity consumption differ between these two types of devices? The primary distinction between LED and OLED is the inclusion of backlighting in LED TVs.

The electricity consumption of an LED TV varies based on the brightness level of the backlight installed. The user has the ability to manually adjust the intensity of the illumination. Typically, a 55-inch diagonal requires 80-150 watts of power. A 65-inch diagonal necessitates 110-180 watts. The HDR format consumes additional energy, resulting in a difference of 40-90 watts.

Power usage of OLED televisions is directly impacted by the brightness of the displayed image. The amount of electricity consumed fluctuates depending on the illumination of the scenes in the video. A typical 55-inch screen typically utilizes around 80-150 watts, while a 65-inch TV will require 110-180 watts. When viewing content in HDR format, power consumption increases by approximately 20-50 watts.

Cost

The distinction between LED and OLED is most strikingly evident in the prices of these products. The price of OLED TVs will always be 3-4 times higher than that of LED devices. Currently, OLED TVs start at 90,000 rubles for devices with a 55-inch screen. A TV with a 77-inch screen can cost up to one and a half million rubles. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to discern the discrepancy in terms of picture quality.

The purchaser has the convenience of selecting an LED television with the desired specifications that align with their personalized budget. All they need to consider are the key factors – whether it be the renowned brand, extended warranty duration, or outstanding picture quality. The immense popularity, well-established mass production, and the gradual obsolescence of technology contribute to a decline in prices and an increase in larger-sized devices. Moreover, the continuous efforts of manufacturers to enhance their offerings have resulted in a slight leveling of the qualitative disparity between LED and OLED.

Let’s summarize

The consumer’s budget is what determines whether a purchase is feasible or not. When it comes to quality, OLED technology-based TVs come out on top. However, the lifespan of OLED devices is quite short, they are more expensive, and there are limited options in terms of screen size and manufacturers. The decision on what is better ultimately depends on how much one is willing to pay for the enhanced image clarity that OLED technology provides. Nevertheless, as OLED TVs gain popularity, their prices will inevitably decrease.