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Which Type of LED TV Is Best? Led TVs Explained

TV switched on with some writing on it

Following the last article on ‘are Element TVs smart TVs?’, we did promise a full write-up on display panels. So if you are wondering which type of LED TV is best, you are in luck. Following some sleepless nights, here is your dose as promised. Flat-screen TVs are now the norm, with many of them preferring LED technology for their display. Given the different types of screens available, it can be hard to determine which one suits you.

So, which type of LED TV is best? The answer depends on several factors. Your preferences will determine what you consider best. The information below explores the world of TV LED technology, looking at each type and how it aligns with your preferences. However, you are better off with an OLED TV.

The Technology

LED is short for Light Emitting Diode. It is a device that illuminates every time an electric current goes through it. They come in different varieties, each purpose-built. However, there are three types of LED that feature in television manufacturing.

Quantum Light-Emitting Diode (QLED)

QLEDs are TVs that have tiny particles in their LEDs that further enhance the display’s brightness and color. You can thank the innovation team at SONY for this amazing technology from 2013. Samsung also produces its own version of QLED displays. Additionally, it licenses the tech to other manufacturers such as Hisense and TCL.

samsung QLED TV showing an image of the mountains

Similar to standard LED TVs, QLEDS require a backlight and an LCD panel to function. Over a thousand LEDs line the backlight. They adjust their brightness and color according to the picture input. Additionally, the LCD panel further filters and dims the light to produce the perfect image. Finally, QLEDs are some of the most expensive TVs in the market, with some models fetching close to $5000 per unit. 

Organic light-Emitting Diode (OLED)

These LEDs produce their own light and can turn off and on depending on the image input. As a result, they offer the best picture quality in the bunch. Furthermore, the lack of a backlight and LCD panel allows manufacturers to create some of the market’s thinnest units. You have LG Display to thank for this technology. So superior is this technology that you can now buy a curved TV for your home.

Different types of LED TV screen types displayed

LG’s are not the only OLED TVs you can buy. Other manufacturers buy the technology from LG to make their own sets. However, the picture quality may vary among brands depending on their proprietary image processing technology. For example, you will notice a slight difference in Sony and Samsung models.

Standard LED

These are the pioneers in LED technology. You can identify one by its thickness. Standard LEDs tend to be bulkier than their OLED and QLED descendants. Additionally, you will find more of them as computer monitors in many commercial establishments. 

Given that these were among the first flat-screen TVs, the technology continues to get better. As a result, LED TVs are slowly losing market share. If you are looking for a cheap second television for your home, a standard LED will do just fine.

Are Led Tvs Good to Buy?

Now that you are up to speed with the different LED TVs, here is how they stack up to each other. Although standard LEDs are the ancestors of the bunch, they too have their strong points.

1. Image quality

Lots of factors determine picture quality. However, contrast, brightness, and color range are the comparative factors in this case. OLED TVs have the best contrast in comparison to the other two. The individual lights allow for deeper blacks as they entirely switch off. 

which type of LED TV is best

A QLED screen will give you better brightness and color. However, the difference is barely noticeable unless you have a really keen eye. The presence of an independent backlight allows manufacturers to illuminate the panel to whatever level. The nanoparticles in the QLED panel further enhance the brightness and produce richer hues from pictures.   

2. Input lag and response times

Input lag refers to how quickly your TV can process images, while response time is the speed at which the LEDs change their outputs. It varies among brands since every manufacturer has its proprietary technology. 

However, the difference in input lag on OLEDs and QLEDs is barely noticeable. You can adjust the screen mode in both types, meaning the TV can adapt its resources depending on the input. For example, you should set your TV to ‘Game mode’ when playing fast action games from your console. 

To be clear, input lag is not dependent on the type of display. It depends on the graphics processing unit (GPU) available on your device. But, OLEDs tend to have a faster response time than QLEDs. They tend to have higher GPUs allowing for some models to clock response times of 0.1 milliseconds. In contrast, QLEDs range between two and eight milliseconds at best.

3. Screen Burn and image retention

Does your screen have a shadow of your favorite movie? If your answer is yes, then you have image retention. Additionally, if you experience lower resolutions or complete darkness in portions of the screen, you have screen burn. 

An LED TV showing a date

The occurrence of the two depends on your viewing habits. However, you are less likely to experience either if you have a standard LED or QLED TV. Unfortunately, prolonged screening of a single image can damage the organic lights in OLEDs. Consequently, they are not popular among commercial properties such as cafes and fashion stores.

4. Viewing Angles

If you always have friends over for movie night, then an OLED television is your best pick. Regardless of where you sit in the room, your image quality remains unaffected. Most OLED TVs offer you a viewing angle of up to 84 degrees. Additionally, you can manipulate an OLED screen to different styles to suit the viewing pleasure. For example, there are plenty of curved and foldable OLED screens now available in the market.

5. Product variety

Finally, it boils down to the availability of each screen type. The qualifying factors to consider here are price and screen size. LED TVs offer you the widest variety and are the most affordable. For example, you can get a 19″ LED TV for as little as $60 if you look carefully. However, LED screens are falling out of favor, with most consumers opting for QLEDs and OLEDs.

The minimum screen size for both OLED and QLED is around 48 inches, ideal for a standard home. Using this as the baseline, OLED TVs tend to be much cheaper and offer a wider selection.

Final Word

The above criteria, you now have an idea of which type of LED TV is best. However, they are the basic aspect that you will look at as an average shopper. Unless you have a top-secret lair, you need not concern yourself with any other technological gab. So, after a thorough analysis, OLED TVs are the best.

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