Two acronyms you’ll run across when shopping for a new TV are QLED and OLED. If you’re interested in learning the difference between these two display types, you’ve come to the right place.
We’ve put this guide together to explain all the major differences between QLED and OLED displays, including how they work and the advantages and disadvantages of each one when in key areas such as image quality and gaming.
What’s the difference between QLED and OLED?
QLED is an acronym that stands for Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode.
A QLED display is one that combines traditional LCD technology with Quantum Dots. However, where LCD TVs use filters, QLED employs an array of tiny dots at varying sizes that have been designed to produce different wavelengths – i.e. colours – when light is shone through them.
Each dot focuses on one colour, allowing QLED displays to deliver more precise and a wider range of colours than LED displays. They are also more efficient at absorbing and emitting light, meaning they can also reduce energy consumption.
OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode and they are made up of pixels crafted from organic materials that produce their own light when charged with electricity.
Different materials are used to produce the red, green, and blue pixels that end up on screen, and the stronger the electrical current used results in a brighter image.
Each OLED pixel works independently of its neighbours, so you can have a pixel that’s ‘on’ (bright) next to a pixel that’s ‘off’ (completely black). As we’ll explain more in the next section, that offers a more precise image, especially when displaying dark images.
QLED vs OLED picture quality
When it comes to image quality, both QLED and OLED displays can hit high levels of brightness.
QLED TVs often offer higher peak brightness for less than an OLED TV. The Samsung Q80D QLED, for example, can hit 1000 nits of brightness for less than £1000. OLED displays can also push past 1000 nits, but OLED TVs are more expensive to make and tend to cost more than QLED TVs.
The biggest advantage of an OLED TV is that it offers ‘perfect’ blacks. Since every pixel is illuminated individually, it is possible to have a pitch black pixel next to a bright white one, offering deeper blacks, higher contrast and better sense of brightness across the screen.
The benefits become apparent with HDR content as bright highlights can shine without compromising the dark areas around them. There’s no greying over of dark elements and no distracting blooming or striping around bright elements, both of which can be experienced with LED TVs.
By being able to illuminate specific pixels also allows OLED displays to reveal subtle shadows and details even in the darkest corners of the picture. These self-emissive pixels also enable wider viewing angles than those on QLED TVs, allowing people to sit at wider angles without losing any significant colour or contrast information from the picture.
Because QLED TVs are brighter than standard LED ones, they offer more lifelike colours with HDR content. While QLED TVs can’t often reach the same contrast that OLED ones can, they can deliver bolder, more vibrant colours as opposed to OLED’s richer, more saturated colours.
Do QLED TVs suffer from burn in?
One of the biggest drawbacks to picking up an OLED TV is the possibility of image retention or burn-in.
Image retention refers to static elements within an image that remain on the display for temporary periods of time. These are usually elements that have remained in a fixed position for an extended time, such as a news ticker or the scoreboard in a football match.
Burn-in is a more severe form of image retention where the ghost of an element remains permanently on your screen.
Thankfully, both of these phenomena have been less prevalent in recent years, with older OLED TVs more susceptible than newer ones. You can also learn how to manage burn-in and image retention on OLED TVs with our guide.
QLED TVs are not susceptible to image retention, making them the safer option if you’re nervous about burn-in or have been affected by the issue before.
Is OLED better for gaming?
Aside from the differences in image quality, both TVs also offer their own advantages as gaming TVs.
OLED TVs are better at handling motion thanks to how quickly the image refreshes (i.e. updates) itself, which makes them ideal for fast-paced action games.
The contrast and black-levels also make OLED displays better for traversing darker environments in-game as it’s easier to pick out subtle details in the shadows.
QLED TVs, meanwhile, can offer a higher brightness, which can be beneficial for gaming in the daytime. And as we’ve mentioned previously, they’re less susceptible to suffering from burn-in or image retention.
Which is better OLED or QLED?
Ultimately, it comes down to what you want from a display.
If you’re looking for the best in contrast and HDR, along with wider viewing angles and don’t mind spending a bit more, OLED is the way to go.
However, QLED screens can offer a brighter, more colourful performance at less expensive prices; though they’re not as good at delivering perfect blacks like OLED. Nevertheless, they’re a good choice for those who want to spend less.
