OLED vs. QLED: The ultimate TV showdown

You've probably come across the terms OLED and QLED while browsing for a new TV, but understanding their fundamental differences isn’t always easy. OLED and QLED both have their strengths and weaknesses, although advancements have bridged the gap between them in recent years.

Selecting the ideal TV isn't just about budget and brand loyalty — it's about creating an immersive viewing experience tailored to your screen time needs. So, whether you're competing in intense gaming sessions or enjoying your favorite cinematic masterpieces, choosing between OLED and QLED is a decision worth carefully considering. 

Keep reading to discover the information you need to make the best decision for your visual lifestyle.

OLED vs. QLED: Which TV is better?

Everyone has different needs and wants in life. When comparing OLED and QLED TVs, your choice depends on your viewing environment and priorities.

TV makers like LG, Sony, and Philips have supplied OLED TVs for years. While Samsung is the main manufacturer of QLED TVs, you can also find them from other brands, like Sony, Hisense, and TCL.

Leading TV manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, Philips, Skyworth, Hisense, and Vizio offer both OLED and QLED TVs, providing a wide selection for consumers. LG Electronics and Panasonic focus on OLED TVs, while TCL specializes in QLED models, each emphasizing different strengths in picture quality and technology.

Keep reading to discover the information you need to make the best decision for your visual lifestyle. 

Bottom line: While OLED technology wins in the picture quality category, QLED tends to be less expensive while still offering a quality viewing experience. 

If you’re looking to stay budget-friendly, buying a verified refurbished TV is a great way to save some extra dollars while also contributing to environmental sustainability.

What is OLED? 

OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode. Inside an OLED panel are individual pixels that light up when electricity passes through. These pixels provide their own light source and use green, red, or blue color filters to deliver vibrant and consistent colors across the screen. 

One of the key advantages of OLED TV technology is its ability to achieve “true blacks.” Because OLED pixels can switch off completely when displaying black content, they produce deep, rich blacks that enhance the overall picture quality. 

Additionally, OLED panels offer wider viewing angles than traditional liquid crystal display (LCD) technology, allowing for consistent image quality from virtually any viewing position. 

Home theater enthusiasts seem to prefer OLED screens over QLED screens because of their detailed picture quality. Additionally, OLED displays are typically much thinner than their competition because no backlight is needed, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of home theater setups.

An additional variation is the QD-OLED TV, which adds a quantum-dot layer to an OLED panel. This variation results in a brighter screen with more vibrant colors without sacrificing its high-end wide viewing angles and deep contrast. 

What is QLED? 

While Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode (QLED) may seem similar to OLED, their technology differs significantly.

QLEDs are essentially a variant of LCDs with an additional layer that improves the color display. These TVs utilize an LED backlight, sometimes multiple, to light up the screen. 

One of the standout features of QLEDs is its ability to achieve impressive brightness levels. Positioned between the backlight and pixels, the quantum-dot layer contains various-sized dots, each corresponding to a color. This results in richer, more saturated colors than a traditional LED LCD TV.

If you're dissatisfied with the amount of blooming or the halo effect around objects, consider the Mini-LED QLED. These screens feature more backlights compared to the standard QLED display, adding thousands of LED backlights. The increased backlighting results in better contrast, delivering picture quality that closely rivals the OLED display.

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