OLED (LG, Panasonic and Sony) and QLED (Samsung) are two television technologies with quite a few differences. In this article we explain how these two types of televisions differ.

What does OLED mean?
OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode , which we can translate as organic light-emitting diode . A diode is an electronic device, and the term organic refers to the fact that the light on the screen is generated (emitted) by organic molecules: they contain carbon!

What does QLED mean?
QLED stands for quantum dot LED TV , according to Samsung, the brand that created this technology. We can translate it as LED television with quantum dot technology.

What is quantum dot?
Quantum dot is the technology that makes the difference in Samsung QLED Smart TVs. Quantum dot televisions are a new type of LCD ( Liquid Crystal Display ) television with LED ( Light Emitting Diodes ) backlighting.

The image is created as it has always been created on LCD screens, and what quantum dot technology does is enhance color and brightness.

What is the main difference between OLED and QLED televisions?
Despite having a very similar name, OLED and QLED televisions are very different.

The main difference is that QLEDs are LCD televisions , the type with the most market share now, while OLEDs are not LCD televisions.

A QLED is an LCD television.
As we have said, a QLED belongs to the family of LED LCD TVs. In fact, it is a specific type of high-end LCD LED television, whose main distinguishing feature is quantum dot technology.

Like all LCD TVs, QLEDs verschil oled en qled need a backlit panel . The differences in quality are given by the way that lighting is implemented.

QLED is a transmissive technology , relying on light coming from the back of the screen.

An OLED has pixels that emit their own light.
OLED televisions are a totally different technological category. They lack a rear lighting panel. In contrast to LCDs, each pixel in an OLED can generate its own light. One of the great graces of that is that an OLED can turn off pixels and get absolutely perfect blacks.

OLED is an emissive technology (pixels emit light directly).

Blacks and contrast
Contrast is the difference between the brightest white and the darkest black that a screen can display. For many, this parameter is key to providing perfect image quality.

OLED screens can turn off their pixels (the light disappears altogether), so in theory the contrast ratio is infinite.

OLED: deep blacks ideal for watching TV in a dimly lit space
This is an ideal technology for a space in the home where natural light can be easily dimmed, where a movie or football game can be watched in relatively dark. In those low ambient light conditions, deep black colors are much more important than a super-bright image.

If a television is capable of true black, it does not need to overdo the brightness to ensure a certain level of contrast.

QLED: better dark grays
No one is perfect, so OLED screens falter a bit with dark grays, when pixels are no longer off.

LED screens like QLED, on the other hand, offer better dark grays, but their blacks are not as true. LED manufacturers have tried to get around this with local dimming , a technology that can create a halo effect in the parts of the image it enhances.

Brightness: QLEDs shine brighter
OLED screens are great for watching TV in the dark, but they don't have the same level of brightness as an LED LCD. OLED pixels are organic (contains carbon), so they lose intensity over time. To compensate for this tendency to age prematurely, manufacturers have to limit pixel brightness to a reasonable level.

This is why QLED displays (and LED LCDs in general) can be much brighter than OLEDs. If the room has a lot of light, you will not get as much benefit from the OLED.

OLED screens are bright enough for most people. However, if you are looking for brightness, what you need is an LED panel.

Response time: OLEDs are faster
The response time of a screen is the time it takes for the pixels to go from one color to another. QLED televisions have a response range of 2 to 8 milliseconds , while OLEDs can be as fast as 0.1 milliseconds .

Therefore, OLEDs are much faster, which is of interest to gaming enthusiasts who want to use the TV as a screen for their games.