On the hunt for a new TV? Then you’ll probably have come across TV jargon like QLED, OLED and mini-LED. Loads of the big brands take full advantage of both bits of telly tech. Samsung, Hisense, LG, Sony and Panasonic are the top dogs here, making a massive range of quality OLED, QLED and mini-LED TVs.
But is there actually much of a difference between them? Let’s find out by going head-to-head with QLED vs. OLED vs. mini-LED…
What is an OLED TV?
OLED stands for ‘Organic Light Emitting Diode’ and is a type of TV display panel. It’s made up of loads of tiny pixels which illuminate themselves – all without the need for an LED backlight.
How does it work?
Each of the pixels are super, super thin. You shouldn’t underestimate their size though. They can generate colour and light in just the one element. And because of that, it makes a backlight completely obsolete. So, it doesn’t even need one.
OLED TV benefits
Black depth
Love your horror films? Then you’ll really appreciate the level of black that an OLED TV can create. They do this by switching off any pixels that make up the dark bits of the display. Which means no colour or light gets pumped out at all. And you get blacks that are as dark as when the telly is switched off. So, you might not spot that monster lurking in the shadows until it’s too late!
Thin screen
Because there’s no backlight, the screens can be incredibly thin. Giving you a seriously slim telly that’ll look good, while taking up a whole lot less space. Some brands are even developing sci-fi esq models, from rollable designs to transparent TVs. You’ll have to stay tuned though, as these aren’t available to the public just yet.
Power consumption
No backlight means the TV doesn’t use as much power. And less power means you’ll save a little bit on your energy bills. Nice.
Contrast
OLED TVs have an infinite contrast ratio. Contrast ratio is just the difference between the darkest and brightest areas on your screen. Because the black levels of an OLED telly are literally 0 nits of brightness – and nothing can actually be divided by 0 – there’s an infinite contrast ratio.
What are nits?
They’re not just the scourge of kids’ hair everywhere. Nits are a measurement of screen brightness on TVs, smartphones, PC monitors and laptops.
Viewing angles
Most OLEDs have a whopping field of view (around 170 degrees). And that wider viewing angle is partly down to the way that OLEDs create their own light. This light and colour don’t degrade at the more extreme angles. Meaning no matter where you’re sat, you’ll still have a great view of the action. Even from that chair that’s crammed into the corner.
What is QLED TV?
QLED stands for ‘Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode’ and is also a type of display panel that sits inside your TV. It’s got a built-in layer of miniscule quantum dots, which send out a broad spectrum of colour when it’s exposed to a backlight.
How does it work?
The quantum dots sit between the LCD screen and the backlight. When the backlight shines onto the dots, they light up – blending colours together to make a picture that’s chock full of more lifelike shades. Not to mention a much brighter image.
QLED TV benefits
Brightness
You won’t be struggling to see the picture on a QLED TV, that’s for sure. Quantum dot tech gives the telly really high luminance. This is just a fancy way of saying how bright your screen looks. And of course, that brightness is a big factor when it comes to improving the overall quality of your picture.
This higher level of brightness boosts the contrast ratio and whatever you’re watching should be even more crisp and rich. While colours really pop and look accurate and vivid. For example, you might have a character who’s wearing a red robe. And you’ll be able to see the range of darker and brighter reds that run through it, instead of just one simple mass of colour. Giving everything onscreen a very realistic feel.
Burn in
If an image or video is repeated over and over for ages on your telly, it can leave a permanent mark. This is called burn in. But with a QLED TV, you don’t even have to worry about it, as the tech isn’t susceptible to it. Phew.
Is OLED or QLED better?
Like lots of tech, this is really going to come down to personal preference. QLED TVs work great in brightly lit rooms, have a much higher peak brightness and a long lifespan. Whereas OLED TVs have much deeper blacks, wider viewing angles and better colour accuracy and contrast. The choice is up to you.
What is a mini-LED TV?
A mini-LED telly uses incredibly tiny LEDs (light emitting diodes) to light up its screen. The LEDs here are way smaller than the ones found in a run of the mill LED TV too. And that means the display can have thousands of them packed really tightly together. The result? Better contrast, brighter colours, and a more vibrant picture.
How does it work?
The mini-LEDs we’ve mentioned above are grouped into a set of zones across the screen. Each area can then light up or dim on its own, letting the TV control brightness in different parts of the display. Clever, right?
Mini-LED TV benefits
Contrast and brightness
Regular LED TVs have got nothing on the brightness and contrast of these ones. So, when you’re watching a film and there’s a scene at night – with dark shadows and bright city lights – the mini-LEDs can bring out the details in both equally well.
Those murky areas will be deep and inky, while the shiny spots stay super clear, vivid, and intense. It makes whatever you’re watching way more lifelike. And you won’t miss a thing either.
Colour accuracy
The precision of mini-LEDs helps a lot with creating colour that’s actually realistic. Your images will be far more natural. With deep blacks and brighter whites, that look especially good in movies and sports. When we eventually bring home a trophy for England in the footie, that home shirt is going to really pop.
Design
If space is a problem (or you just want something that looks slim and smart), mini-LED might be the way to go. They tend to be thinner, giving them a neat look that doesn’t skimp on picture quality.
Like watching the footie at home? Find the best LG TVs for the beautiful game right here. Or, if you prefer the idea of a stunning star player, Samsung have got you covered. Our in-store experts can give you a hand too. Head to ShopLive and they can help find the right telly for you, whether it’s a QLED TV, an OLED TV, or a mini-LED one. You won’t even have to leave the sofa either.
