As the UEFA European Championship 2024 approaches, football fans worldwide are gearing up to take in the tournament from the comfort of their sofas.
But with advancements in TV technology, the question arises: which TV tech is best to watch football? Is OLED top of the table? Is QLED a high scorer? Will Mini LED make your starting line up? The truth is that they’re all great in different ways. So it’s more about knowing the difference between each TV technology.
So we’ve asked 3 tech experts (and TechTalk writers themselves) to pick a side and explain why each TV tech is suited to catching the Euros. Let’s kick off…
OLED TVs
Traditional TVs rely on backlighting, but not OLED. So, what does OLED mean? Organic Light-Emitting Diodes. The picture on the screen is made up of lots of tiny pixels that light up independently, allowing for deep blacks and amazing colour contrast. We asked TechTalk writer Elliot Stent for his take…
Elliot's on Team OLED!
“When Euro 24 kicks off in June, OLED TVs are great. These world-class tellys offer lifelike detail with their individually lit pixels. And that contrast makes the vibrant colours of the footie kits, flags and pitch really pop. Why bother buying a ticket for Germany, when it'll feel like I'm sitting right there on the sidelines?
Rapid refresh rate is really important when watching a fast-paced game. It reduces motion blur and helps me catch every matchday moment the first time round. No need to reach for the rewind button. I'm also planning on having a few friends over, and as OLEDs have wider viewing angles than other TVs, we can skip any arguments about who has the best seat.”
QLED TVs
Next to strap on its shooting boots is the QLED (Quantum Dot LED). They’re known for both their vibrant colours and the fact that their screens can be boosted to be really bright. Since the tournament happens in June, this should help with the sun streaming onto your TV screen. (We’re ever the optimists).
For QLED FC, we’ve asked TechTalk regular Judd Clarke. He’s a fan of both Chelsea and Scotland, so seems to have a thing for blue.
Judd backs QLED FC!
“I’ll be supporting Scotland in Euro 2024, and I’m choosing QLED to get the best view of all their inevitable victories.
QLED TVs (short for 'Quantum Dot Light Emitting Diode') have tiny quantum dots sandwiched between the TV screen and the backlight. When the backlight hits the dots, they light up to produce a huge combination of colours for a vivid and lifelike picture. Plus, the brightness is amazing.
This clever tech makes QLEDs my favourite TV for watching sports on, no contest. Those brilliant colours and high brightness levels really bring the big match atmosphere home, with the colourful crowds and cool team kits all coming to life.
QLED TVs also have ultra-fast response times, and this really comes into play when the action’s moving fast. I feel like I’m always seeing every single detail – in fact, I can spot the slightest infringements on my team long before VAR does.”
Mini-LED TVs
Mini-LED TVs are a big step up from traditional LCD screens. They use small blue LEDs to backlight the screen - giving you brightness, colour contrast and lots of other top tier features.
Our final TechTalk writer, Will Brook-Jones, is a Mini-LED fan. He also supports Reading FC, so let’s hope his TV choice performs better than his football team.
Will picks Mini-LED TV
“I reckon if you're looking for a star player this summer, go for a Mini-LED telly. One of those will be coming home with me in June - and fingers crossed the Euro trophy finally will too...
These TVs are rocking higher refresh rates - usually around 120Hz or more. Which means they'll display more frames per second, reduce motion blur and make all that fast-paced action way smoother. So, they'll actually be able to keep up with Mbappe when he whizzes down the line. Unlike that defender...
Plus, the colour accuracy and saturation are in a whole league of their own. The advanced backlighting tech creates colours that are true to life and super vibrant. From the fluorescent boots and kits, to the flags flying in the stands.
So, that's why I think they're definitely a keeper!”
Which TV will you pick?
OLED TVs have amazing motion handling and a wide viewing angle. And as for those deep blacks and colour contrast, they’re hard to beat.
QLED TVs are great because they’re bright and bold. No matter how bright your room is, you’re likely to get a great picture. And since QLED colours are vibrant, everything will come to life on matchday.
Mini-LED TVs may be backlit like traditional screens, but the increased number of LEDs gives way more opputunity for immense colour contrast that are a serious rival to OLED or QLED TVs.
Still stuck? To help you dig deeper and get you match ready, check out our TV Buying Guide.
