Embedded Files
posted 1/10/21 by Achyut Shastri
Ever since 1927, when TVs were invented, our lives were changed forever. It took some time (until 1946) for them to become mainstream, but no new invention grew faster in a home. Nowadays, we have advanced that invention further and further. Today, we have technology like LCD and OLED that take TVs to a whole new level. However, these two technologies are quite different. To understand them better, we need to ask a question: How are they different?
Let's start with how they work. LCDs, or Liquid Crystal Displays use backlights to help them display content. In an LCD screen, at the very back of the display, there is a backlight which shines light through 2 polarized sheets of glass. In between these sheets, there is a liquid crystal substance that responds to electrical currents. When the TV needs to display a certain color, it sends an electrical current through the liquid crystal in a certain way that makes the substance block certain light from the backlight that passed through the first piece of polarizing material. Then, the level of light the TV allows passes through the second piece of polarized glass and creates the image you want to see on the TV.
OLEDs, or organic light-emitting diodes, work differently. They use a series of layers to stimulate these organic diodes using electrons. These layers add and remove electrons to give the right OLEDs the correct amount of energy. The color of the light emitted by the OLED is determined by the type of organic diode that the electrons are flowing through. Manufacturers use a variety of the diodes to produce millions of colors.
Now that we know how they work, we can go over the spec difference between each type of technology. First up is brightness. Unfortunately, OLEDs are not bright enough to match LCDs. While they have gotten brighter and brighter since their creation, the organic diodes are still no match for the backlights in LCD displays. For example, the OLED-equipped iPhone X has a typical peak brightness of 625 nits, the unit of measurement for brightness. Meanwhile, the LG G7, with an LCD display, has a peak brightness of 1000 nits.
The next specification to consider is the contrast of a display. Oleds come out much better in this category. Contrast is the difference between the darkest and lightest color a display can provide, black and white. If you were to turn off the lights in your room and place a completely black image on your TV screen, you would see a slight gray color on the screen rather than black. This is because an LCD's backlight cannot turn off to create a dark black color whereas OLEDs can. This means that an OLED’s contrast ratio is almost infinite compared to an LCD, where it would have a contrast ratio of 1:1000, meaning that its white colors are 1000 times brighter than its black colors. Also, OLEDs would look better and better the brighter the other OLEDs with different colors get.
Another category to consider when comparing these is the color a display can produce. In this category, OLEDs and LCDs have their upsides. Both types of displays can produce a variety of colors, however LCDs require certain technology in order to produce those colors. This technology is named quantum dot technology. Quantum dots are microscopic particles hidden in the display that, when hit by light, will create a different color. The color they emit is determined by the size of the quantum dot. This makes the colors emitted by the TV much richer. However, this technology is sometimes very expensive due to its beneficial effects. So, OLED wins by a close one here.
Finally, the last aspect to consider is the availability and the price. In this category, OLED falters. Since LCD Tv’s have been around for longer, they are cheaper and more available. Plus, LCD’s can come in a variety of resolutions, whereas OLED can only come in high resolutions, increasing the price. Therefore, if you need to get a budget TV or laptop, you most likely will end up with an LCD screen. However, OLED is a good luxury option. For its benefits, it is worthwhile when you want a higher resolution screen. Plus, OLED is advancing further and further, making it cheaper and more readily available on different types of screens. Who knows? Maybe someday it will usurp the LCDs in terms of price!
With all of their advancements, LCD and OLED technology both have their benefits and their caveats. However, when it comes to pitting them against one another, it depends on the person buying the technology. LCDs are great for budgets, whilst OLED is a great luxury screen option. In my opinion, I would go with LCD for its ability to go brighter and to have great color contrast with the help of other technologies like quantum dots.
Sources
Sources
Page updated
Report abuse