Thinking about upgrading your TV? Then you’ve probably come across the terms QD-OLED and OLED. But what do they actually mean? And which one is right for you? Both offer superb picture quality, but like any gizmo, come with their own list of unique features and benefits.
In this mini guide, we’ll break down the key differences between both – running through how they work, how they perform and what’s right for your space and budget. In the battle of QD-OLED vs OLED, there can only be one winner…
What is OLED?
It’s fair to say that the world of TVs has a lot of acronyms. And along with QLED, OLED is one of the major ones. It stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode, which is a type of display tech that uses organic compounds to create light. Sounds smart, right? They’re known for their deep blacks, vibrant colours and fast response times, making them a top telly all-rounder.
How OLED works
OLED works by using a layer of organic material that sends out light when an electric current passes through it. Each pixel in an OLED telly is its own light source, which lets them turn on and off independently. This allows for true blacks and an infinite contrast ratio, as pixels can be completely turned off when displaying black. When there’s a night scene, or the main character’s creeping around a haunted house, it’s going to be genuinely dark. Spooky.
WOLED (White OLED)
WOLED – or white OLED – is a fancy-schmancy type of OLED tech used by LG. Instead of using red, green and blue subpixels, WOLED uses a white subpixel. This is then filtered through red, green and blue colour filters to make the final image. And that gives your picture finely tuned colours and a more consistent look.
Primary RGB Tandem OLED
It might sound complex, but it’s just another type of OLED tech. It uses three layers of red, green and blue organic materials stacked on top of each other. And this handy trio allows for far more precise colour control, with better volume and colour accuracy to boot.
What is QD-OLED?
QD-OLED stands for Quantum Dot Organic Light-Emitting Diode. It’s a newer technology that combines the best parts of OLED and quantum dots. Basically, they aim to give you the same fast response times and dark, inky blacks of OLED, while cranking up the brightness and colours to epic new levels.
How QD-OLED works
Time for another quick tech lesson. QD-OLED starts with a blue OLED layer that emits blue light. This light then passes through a layer of quantum dots, which convert some of the blue light into red and green light. The process creates a full RGB spectrum that can produce a wider range of colours, with super high brightness.
Key features of QD-OLED
We’ll dig into what makes QD-OLED tick down below. But if you’re in a rush, here’s a quick summary:
Brightness – Compared to a regular OLED, QD-OLEDs will hit a higher peak brightness level. Don’t worry though – you won’t have to grab your shades.
Colour accuracy and volume – The quantum dots bump up the volume and accuracy of colours. And that means a realistic image that’s a whole lot nicer to look at.
Viewing angles – Like OLED, QD-OLED has pretty amazing viewing angles from wherever you’re sat. Nobody should be moaning that they can’t see anything!
Burn-in risk – They’ve got a lower chance of burn-in. And that’s all down to the use of quantum dots. More on that later though.
QD-OLED vs OLED: key differences
Brightness
QD-OLED TVs can get much brighter than your standard OLED telly. And that’s all down to the tech under the hood. The quantum dots help to amplify the light from the blue OLED layer, which pumps out higher peak brightness levels. So, if you’re in a room with a lot of ambient light, QD-OLED might be the better option.
Colour accuracy and volume
Both kinds of telly will give you excellent colour accuracy. But if we’re getting into the nitty gritty, QD-OLED does have a slight edge. Remember those quantum dots we spoke about? They can produce a much wider range of colours. And that creates a picture that’s more vibrant and seriously lifelike. We reckon that’s a win-win.
Burn-in risk
One of the biggest worries with buying an OLED TV is the risk of burn-in. And this is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. After watching a lotttt of telly, static images can leave a permanent mark on the screen. QD-OLED has a lower chance of burn-in though because of its smart quantum dots. These distribute light more evenly, which reduces the strain that’s usually placed on individual pixels. It’s as clever as it sounds.
Viewing angles
It’s tough to split the two when it comes to viewing angles. OLED and QD-OLED are both solid, and you won’t notice much difference in picture quality when you’re sat off centre. That’s particularly good for larger rooms or when you’ve got your mates over for the big match. Nobody’s going to miss a goal, that’s for sure.
QD-OLED vs OLED for different content & uses
For movies and streaming
If you’re a big film buff OLED and QD-OLED will give you that blockbuster experience at home. The deeper blacks and perfect contrast on an OLED make them ideal for dark scenes and shadow details. So, those creepy, shadowy corners in a horror flick are about to look way freakier. Time to hide behind the sofa.
QD-OLED is kind of like the opposite. It’ll offer better brightness and a much wider spectrum of colour. Bright scenes become, well, brighter – and any vibrant colours, like Spiderman’s iconic red and blue suit, are going to leap off the screen.
For gaming
For us, gaming on a QD-OLED TV is always a bit more fun. Why? Well, it’s got higher brightness and better colour volume. So, your favourite titles are going to look a whole lot nicer from the off. And you’ll genuinely see more. The extra brightness makes it way easier to spot details in bright and dark environments during gameplay. Meaning your opponents shouldn’t get the drop on you again!
Response times are lightning-fast as well - which creates smoother motion and completely eliminates annoying lag. If you’re currently stuttering your way through matches, QD-OLED is going to be a real dream screen. And maybe now you won’t be propping up the leaderboard too.
For bright rooms
Sunlight on your screen can be a right pain. For one, you can’t see a thing. And two, you’ve got to get up to shut the curtains – and you just got comfy too!
If your room has a lot of natural light (or bright ambient lighting), QD-OLED is the better choice. The higher peak brightness levels will help the picture to stand out and remain clear, even when it’s sunny out.
Prices and availability
Screen sizes
When you’re looking for a big telly, QD-OLED’s got you. At the moment, you can only get them in larger screen sizes, usually starting from around 55” going up to 65”. On the other hand, OLED TVs have a wider range of sizes to pick from. You can grab one anywhere from 42” to 88”. So, there’s a lot more choice, especially if you can’t find a QD-OLED that’ll fit your space.
Pricing trends
QD-OLED TVs are newer. So, they cost more than a normal OLED does. At the moment, you can get your hands on a 55” model for about £1400 to £1700. While a 55” OLED will range anywhere from around £650 to £1500.
Like anything though, the price will drop as the tech becomes more widespread. If you can bear to wait, you’ll be able to pick up a better deal a bit later on.
QD-OLED vs OLED: which should you buy?
It completely depends on what you want from your telly. If you’re looking for the best picture quality in a dark room – and don’t mind running the risk of burn-in – then OLED is a great shout. But if you need a TV that’ll easily handle bright spaces, and comes with better brightness and colour volume, QD-OLED is the way to go.
All in all, both technologies are excellent, and you can’t go wrong with either. Have a think about your budget, the size of your room and what you’re planning to watch/play on your new telly. Once you’ve done all that chin stroking, make a decision and go from there.
Need more advice?
Our TV tips keep on coming. If you’re wondering what size TV should I buy? then wonder no more. And when it’s time for some TV spring cleaning, you’ve got make sure you do it right. Follow our guide, how to clean a TV screen, and you’ll have a dust-free picture in no time.
