LCD vs. OLED - the differences
If you want to buy a new television, you first have to choose between LCD, OLED and plasma screen. We explain the differences between LCD and OLED technology in this article.
How does an LCD screen work?
- Liquid crystals are used in the LCD screen. Each of these crystals represents a pixel, i.e. a pixel.
- The backlight is located behind the liquid crystals. Either by LEDs that shine from the corners or by fluorescent tubes directly behind the crystals.
- The crystals can be aligned individually so that they allow less or more light to pass through and reflect the respective color.
- More about how LCD TVs work.
What is the difference with the OLED screen?
- The OLED screen does not require a backlight. Instead, each OLED lights up on its own, so each pixel is a light source.
- This works with two electrodes, one of which is transparent. Various organic semiconductor layers are located between the two electrodes.
- If current is sent through the electrodes, the semiconductor layers glow. The current regulates the brightness.
What are the advantages of OLED technology?
All advantages of the OLED screens result from the self-illuminating pixels:
- Because no backlight is required, the OLED screen is thinner and lighter than a comparable LCD screen.
- OLED devices achieve a significantly higher contrast and thus a better image depth. This is because the brightness of each individual pixel can be adjusted, while the LCD TV can only be darkened in certain areas.
- Another advantage is the low energy consumption. Even though LCD televisions are already very energy efficient, the OLEDs theoretically require even less power. In practice, however, the energy consumption for OLED TV is just as high as for LCD, because the preset brightness is very high. If you dim the brightness, the power consumption is significantly lower.
- OLED technology creates perspectives: with the OLEDs, for example, a transparent television is conceivable.
Disadvantages of OLED devices
Of course, the new technology not only has advantages over the LCD screen:
- Because production is more complex, OLED televisions currently cost a lot more than comparable LCD devices.
- The biggest shortcoming is the lifespan: While OLED devices are currently reaching their limit with an operating time of around 20, 000 hours, LCD devices still manage around 100, 000 hours.
In the next practical tip, we will show you how to find the best 3D TV.