What Is LED TV? Complete Guide to LED, OLED And QLED

In the past decade, television technology has advanced a great deal. Of all the alternatives used today, the most widely utilized- and the most misconceived- is the term LED TV. Sometimes people mix LED with LCD, Smart TVs, OLED and QLED. When you have been asking the question, What is LED TV? or whether to buy OLED or QLED, then this step-by-step guide will help you figure it out.

In this article, we will discuss the functionality of LED TVs, how they are superior to other advanced technologies, what brand is reliable, and what TV to buy at home.

What Is LED TV?

LED TV refers to a kind of LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) television which makes use of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) as the backlight. LED is not the name of the screen technology, it is simply a description of how the screen is lit. 

The traditional LCD televisions were lit with the help of CCFL tubes, making televisions to be more bulky and energy consuming. The replacement of those tubes with LEDs made TVs thinner and brighter and more power efficient. This is why, LED TVs soon became the most popular choice in the market. In simple terms: 

LED TV=LED backlight + LCD screen. 

The combination provides a more vivid, sharper image with stronger control over brightness and that is why LED TVs are affordable and can be found in all sizes and price ranges.

How LED TVs Actually Work

To learn more about LED TVs, it is better to consider what is behind the screen. All LED televisions are layered. The LEDs are positioned either behind or around the sides of the television screen and illuminate through an LCD layer that regulates the display of light. The LCD pixels themselves do not emit light, but only manipulate the light going through them.

The Role of LED Backlighting

LEDs are the ones that regulate the brightness or dimness of the overall display. The brighter the LED backlight, the brighter the screen can be. This is essential in terms of HDR performance, color accuracy, and visibility within brightly lit rooms.

Types of LED Backlighting

Various LED TVs have varying ways of backlighting. In edge-lit LED TVs, the LEDs are mounted around the edges and can be designed as ultra-thin, which offers moderate contrast. Full-array LED TVs mount the LEDs directly behind the screen, with greater control over brightness and more even lighting. A newer and higher-end form of LED technology is mini-LED TVs, which are thought to have thousands of microscopic LEDs to provide greater contrast, darker blacks, and more effective HDR output. Such differences justify why certain LED televisions are affordable and some compete with expensive ones.

LED vs LCD vs Smart TV

LED TVs are often confused as people believe that LED is different technology. In practice, it is nothing more than a better LCD. LCD panel is the fundamental display technology, and the LED component is merely a reference to the way the display is lit. 

A Smart TV, however, has nothing to do with screen technology. The presence of an internet connection, in-built applications, and software makes Smart TVs. It can be a Smart LED TV, a Smart OLED TV, or even a Smart QLED TV. The distinction is important to prevent problems with the comparison of models.

LED vs OLED vs QLED – Which Is Better?

Among the most inquired questions nowadays is: What is the best between OLED and QLED or “Which is best, OLED or QLED?” or “Which is better, QLED or OLED?”

To provide an answer to this, we must examine each of the technologies in more detail and compare them to LED.

Understanding QLED Technology

QLED is the abbreviation of Quantum Dot LED. It is a technology that improves traditional LED TVs by introducing the layer of quantum dots that increase the color accuracy and brightness. QLED televisions continue to provide a backlight, but the color layer has been enhanced to deliver incredible color and saturation.

Advantages of QLED TVs

QLED TVs are also characterized by their extraordinary brightness, which qualifies them in brightened living rooms. They provide deep colors, high contrasts, and deep HDR functionality. Nor do they experience burn-in, which makes them a safe bet in families or any other person who regularly watches news broadcasts, gaming visuals, or just what appears on a single logo.

Drawbacks of QLED TVs

Since QLEDs are based on the backlight, they cannot reach the absolute black levels that are achievable with OLEDs. Although QLEDs can be extraordinarily bright, the contrast ratio remains subject to local dimming quality.

Which Is Better: OLED or QLED?

The response to this question will be based on the use of the TV. In dark rooms, where the ideal cinematic experience is desired, OLED is the definite winner with the black as perfect and contrast as perfect. OLED is frequently called by movie lovers and enthusiasts as the nearest to real-life images. 

Nonetheless, when your room is exposed to much sunlight or you want vibrant, colorful, and bright screens, then QLED is usually the more appropriate. It is also longer lasting without worry of image retention and is usually cheaper than OLED in larger sizes.

Which Television Brand Is the Best?

The selection of the most suitable TV brand depends on what is important to you. Various brands are always on the top of the list because of their technology and reliability.

LG

LG is reputed to make the best OLED televisions in the world. Cinema lovers prefer their OLED models due to the deep blacks, luminous clarity, and high-quality color reproduction.

Samsung

QLED technology was introduced by Samsung and it is the pioneer in this category. Brightness is outstanding on their QLED and Neo QLED models, and they can be used in highly lit rooms. Another area where Samsung shines is Smart TV features and general design.

Sony

Sony enjoys a good reputation regarding strong picture processing. Their television sets provide crisp movement, true colors, and high quality of viewing. The premium models, both OLED and LED, are rated as some of the best at Sony as far as movies and gaming are concerned.

TCL and Hisense

These brands deliver high-performance at affordable prices. Their Mini-LED and QLED are excellent value products and can perform better than other high-priced rivals in the same price bracket. No best brand but according to performance categories: 

• Best OLED: LG 
• Best QLED / Brightness: Samsung. 
• Best Cinema Quality: Sony 
• Best Value: TCL & Hisense

How to Choose the Right LED TV for Your Home

The selection of a TV is all about knowing your room conditions, seeing behaviors, and available finances. Begin with choosing the right screen size to fit in your space. The larger rooms are suited to 55-inch or 65-inch screens, and the smaller bedrooms may have better access to 32-inch or 43-inch screens. 

Then there is the resolution. The majority of buyers now prefer 4K, which offers great sharpness at reasonable price. A TV with a 120Hz refresh rate is recommended in case you are a gamer or sports enthusiast because it provides smoother movement. The next critical element is the support of HDR which increases brightness, color, and contrast, providing you with an even more realistic image. 

The Smart TV operating system is also critical. Different systems such as Google TV, Tizen, and webOS have varying degrees of support on apps and users experience. Lastly, ensure the TV has sufficient HDMI ports, and HDMI 2.1 in case you intend to use the next-generation gaming consoles.

Conclusion

The concept of What LED TV can also help you better comprehend how the current display technology functions. LED TVs have continued to be a great choice in the majority of households because of their affordability, brightness, and accessibility. Nonetheless, more upgraded technologies such as OLED and QLED provide superior picture quality and expert advantages. When you would like to have cinematic appearances in a dark room, choose OLED. 

QLED is at an advantage in case you like a vivid, bright display that can be used in a bright room. And when you want to get good performance day in day out at a fair price, LED and Mini-LED televisions are amazing value.

FAQs About What Is LED TV?