Are you looking for a new television for your home, well, you might be overwhelmed by the plethora of options available to you. In this fast-paced age of technology, we have new developments and new tech products coming in on a regular basis, and televisions are no exception.
So, you are trying to choose a good television, and you keep hearing OLED and QLED again and again, but you cannot comprehend what that means or why do you even have to know about it in the first place. That is why you are here to find out the secret behind this QLED vs OLED debate.
Well, don’t worry, there is no rocket science behind it, both of these are new technological displays that are attached to your television, and these displays ensure your streaming or gaming experience. While you would be aware of OLED displays a little, QLED displays are a recent technology. And since its introduction in the market, people are confused between OLED vs QLED displays and which one to buy. Here we have brought to you a detailed comparison that will help you make an informed decision. So stay with us till the end of this article.
However, before we get down to the side-by-side comparison of both in detail, let’s just understand what both the displays are and how they work.
What do OLED and QLED stand for?
OLED is an abbreviation for ‘Organic light-emitting diode.’ OLED displays have backlit LED attached to them and each pixel on the OLED display has its own independent light source.
On the contrary, the QLED display is a short-form for ‘Quantum light-emitting diode.’ This is a normal LCD that we already have in the market, the only difference between a QLED display and a normal display is that it uses quantum dots to enhance the brightness of the screen and improve color vibrancy in the display.
All in all, OLED is a wholly unique display technology whereas QLED is just a type of LCD technology with nicer colors.
QLED vs OLED Comparison
While many of you who are here might have some knowledge about OLED displays, however, QLED is a new term for them. If you are one of those, then all you need to know is that QLED displays have enhanced color reproduction. However, if you are someone who is not knowledgeable about either display, worry not because now we are about to start a detailed analysis of both to give you a comprehensive run down.
Just before that, here is a short summary of what we’re going to talk about in the next part of this article. First, we’ll look at the brightness and contrast of OLED and QLED displays, next we will see which has better color vibrancy. After that, we’ll have a look at the performance of each, then we’ll discuss which is durable and lastly which one is affordable and which will cause a dent in your wallet.
How do OLED and QLED affect the Brightness and Contrast on the Display?
One of the main aspects of the display that makes it or breaks it is how well does the display handle contrast and brightness.
Let’s have a look at how an OLED display and how it handles brightness and contrast. As we have already established that an OLED display has an independent light source for each pixel, therefore the contrast on an OLED display is unmatchable with any of the displays available. It is because OLED displays don’t have any type of LED backlight to support its display, therefore, each pixel can be turned off independently. Moreover, only OLED displays can take pride in producing true black color currently, which makes its display unmatchable with any other option available in the market. However, due to the reasons, the OLED displays can produce amazing contrast, for the same reasons, which is lack of LED backlight, the brightness is compromised.
On the contrary, when we compare QLED displays in terms of brightness and contrast, we can safely say that QLED produces brighter results as it has LED backlights to support its display. However, the contrast is not the same as OLED displays.
Now to make a choice, which one to buy, depends upon you totally. It is because if you wish to make a home theater and have a little light in the room, almost as much as that is in average movie theaters, then an OLED display would do wonders. However, if you like to binge-watch series on your couch in a brightly lit room, you will want to get a television with a QLED display.
Color Vibrancy in OLED vs QLED Displays
Another point of interest that defines exceptional user experience is how vibrant are the colors on the display. And as OLED uses an independent light source for its pixels, it is sure to have an unmatchable color vibrancy. However, QLED displays are also not behind. With LED Backlit support, it has enhanced color vibrancy and has made it better compared to other usual LCDs that you get in the market. If we are to compare which one, QLED vs OLED has better color vibrancy, we can safely say that both have equal user experience when it comes to color vibrancy. However, you cannot expect the same because an OLED display takes the lead.
When we are discussing color accuracy, viewing angles are hard to miss because it is also one of the main aspects that either enhances or decreases overall color accuracy. In this regard, we have to accept that the OLED display is better in terms of QLED TVs because QLED is nonetheless a usual LCD with only one distinction and that is LED backlight support. And usually, LCDs distort color and image if viewed from a different angle. However, because an OLED display has an independent light source to its pixels, you can view OLED displays from a much wider angle.
Performance OLED vs QLED
For those looking to stream on their new television, this part of the article would not be much of a concern for you. However, if you are someone who is looking for a display for gaming purposes, this part is of paramount importance for them. For the best and detailed performance review, we had to break this part into three parts. In the first part, we’ll see the pixel response rate of the OLED and QLED displays. Next, we will give a rundown on the input lag of both the displays and lastly we’ll have a look at the refresh rate of the two displays.
However, before we evaluate both the displays on the three categories that we have divided the performance part into, let us explain what each category means and why it is important to assess.
What are Pixel Response Time, Input Lag, and Refresh Rate?
Pixel Response Time | Pixel response rate is the speed at which pixels change their color from black to white. Many sometimes refer to it as a speed of display changing from one shade to another. Nonetheless, it is the same. To see if the display is capable of eliminating motion blur, the response rate should be low. |
Input Lag | Input lag refers to how fast or slow your input shows up on the screen. |
Refresh Rate | Refresh rate tells you how many times the display on your screen would be refreshed each second and refresh rates are measured in Hertz. |
Now that we have explained to you the terms on which we are analyzing the performance of QLED vs OLED displays, let’s see which one is better in terms of performance.
The Pixel Response Rate in OLED and QLED Displays
The response rate of an OLED display varies between 2 and 8 milliseconds. On the contrary, OLED displays have 0.1 milliseconds of pixel response rate, which is unmatchable to any. Nonetheless, the OLED display wins the race by a clear margin.
Input Lag in QLED vs OLED Displays
This comparison is especially for the ones who are looking for a choice between OLED and QLED for gaming purposes. The reason we mentioned gamers is because this is one of the important things they should consider when looking for a gaming display. A high input display would destroy a gamer’s experience because it would take too long to make the input visible on the screen and most games need precision and accuracy, if this lacks, then it is a total disaster for a gamer. However, input lag is not managed by the display itself, but by the processor of the TV. Therefore, you need to pick a tv that has a game mode for low input lag and smooth gaming. Moreover, when comparing the input lag of an OLED display and a QLED display, both took even scores concluding it in a tie.
Refresh Rate in QLED vs OLED Displays
Refresh rate is another very important aspect for the gamers looking for an OLED or QLED display to consider. In most of the LCDs and QLED, the maximum refresh rate is 60 hertz which is not a good option for gamers as it caps the frame rate and makes gaming a nightmare at 120FPS. However, when the OLED display comes into the picture, it is on par in this regard with a refresh rate between 60 and 120 Hertz. However, it depends on the model you are buying.
Usually when you see that many TV manufacturers boast that their LCD has a refresh rate of 120 hertz, which is a lie as the Refresh rate is also connected to the TV’s processor and not the display and most of the LCDs don’t have the capability of having more than 60 hertz. However, you may seem to enjoy streaming on those televisions and might wonder that the manufacturer was right, but little does the audience know that instead of increasing the refresh rate, they install technological devices to match the display of a 120-hertz refresh rate display. However, there are some models that offer native 120 Hertz refresh rates, but not all, so be mindful when selecting a display for yourself. Moreover, you can also find a television with a QLED display that has a refresh rate of more than 60, but the chances are slim.
How durable is OLED and QLED Display?
One of the major setbacks of an OLED display is that it has image burning. Image burning is when pixels lose their luminosity and become dimmer than before. And as an OLED display has an independent light source for each of its pixels, the image that remains static on the display for a long time gets affected by burning and thus creates uneven colors. To understand better, let’s take an example of a channel logo. Regardless of the moving images, the logo of a channel sits on one side of the screen. And because a channel logo doesn’t get enough dynamic exercise, it starts burning and eventually loses its luminosity. However, due to advancements in technology, the companies using OLED displays have taken care of it, but it still poses a threat.
On the contrary, QLED displays have LED backlight support therefore these are immune to image burning.
However, both OLED and QLED displays can get affected by image retention. Image retention is per se, you have switched off the TV, but the logo of the channel is still visible on the screen. This is also called a ghost image. Most people confuse it with image burning but know both are two different things and image retention is temporary, while image burning is permanent.
If durability is compared, QLED takes the lead, but OLED is also a durable option because image burning doesn’t set in very quickly, it takes years to show the distortions.
Pricing OLED vs QLED
Finally, we have to consider the price. After all, no matter how good something may be, if it’s not cost-effective many people will simply not buy it, and rightfully so. As things stand, OLED displays are still prohibitively expensive. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a brand new OLED display anywhere close to triple-digit territory. This will change with time as the manufacturing process gets refined but for the time being OLED displays aren’t anywhere close to being classified as cost-effective.
On the other hand, QLED display prices are fairly approachable. Sure you can’t expect a $500 QLED TV to perform on par with an OLED TV that costs more than twice as much but rest assured that the difference in quality will not be as large as the price gap.
In summation, OLED and QLED are two entirely separate display technologies that both come with their own pros and cons.
Why buy QLED Display TV?
- QLED offers higher brightness
- Great color reproductions
- Costs less
Why buy OLED Display TV?
- OLED offers unmatched contrast
- Superb color accuracy
- Better performance
Conclusion
While both technologies are different, you have to consider all the major aspects of both displays depending upon your needs and wants. We hope that this short guide will come in handy when you are out looking for OLED vs QLED display and which one to purchase.