5 differences between OLED and LCD

Choosing the ideal display technology, whether for a TV, smartphone or notebook, can be a challenging task. With so many options available, each promising the best image quality, it’s easy to feel lost. Currently, the most common screens on the market are OLED and LCD. Understand the main differences between technologies OLED e LCD It can make all the difference in your decision.

Knowing which technology is best suited for your specific use not only ensures a better visual experience, but can also impact the durability and efficiency of your device.

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In this article, you will discover the five main differences between OLED and LCD technologies. Our goal is to help you understand the strengths and weaknesses of each type of screen, so you can choose the option that best meets your needs, whether you want to watch movies in the best possible quality, play games, or even use the device in brightly lit environments.

Difference 01: Lighting technology

The main difference between OLED and LCD is in the how light is emitted to produce the image.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays use an emissive lighting technology, which means that each pixel emits its own light. This allows specific areas of the screen to be completely turned off, providing perfect blacks and precise control of lighting in each part of the image. As each pixel lights up independently, OLED screens are able to reproduce images with higher contrast and more realism.

On the other hand, LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) displays use backlighting, where a light panel is always lit behind the pixels, which act like “windows” opening and closing to let light pass through or block it. This backlight illuminates the entire screen, regardless of the content, making it more difficult to achieve deep black levels. LCD technology relies on control systems, such as local dimming, to try to improve contrast, but it still cannot achieve the lighting precision of OLEDs.

Due to this difference in the way light is emitted from each panel, OLED screens also end up being more economical. Because they have the ability to turn off the LEDs individually, this type of screen ends up using less energy. An LCD panel always has a backlight on, consuming energy continuously.

Difference 02: Contrast and black levels

One of the biggest advantages of OLED screens is the ability to offer a virtually infinite contrast. This is because the pixels in OLED displays can be completely turned off to produce absolute blacks. As each pixel is self-sufficient in terms of light emission, when there is a dark scene, the corresponding pixels simply do not emit light, resulting in a deep, authentic black. This creates a sense of greater depth and realism in images that contain both very light and very dark areas.

On the other hand, LCD displays struggle to achieve the same level of contrast. This is due to the fact that the backlight stays on all the time, and the liquid crystal panel just tries to block that light to create dark areas. While technologies like local dimming have improved the ability to achieve deeper blacks, there is still light leakage in many situations, which causes dark areas of the image to appear grayer.

OLED’s superior contrast also significantly improves display quality in high dynamic range (HDR) scenes. In these cases, the ability to control light at the pixel level results in a more immersive experience, especially in content with marked differences in brightness, such as films and series. The result is a much more vivid image, with details in shadows and highlights that LCD, in general, cannot replicate with the same precision.

Difference 03: Brightness and use in bright environments

When it comes to maximum brightness, LCD displays have a significant advantage over OLEDs. This is because the backlight of LCD panels can be adjusted to provide high levels of brightness, which is especially useful in brightly lit environments such as daytime rooms or outdoors.

The ability to achieve high brightness levels makes LCD a popular choice for those who need to use their devices in situations where there is a lot of ambient light. This feature is particularly important in devices such as notebooks and TVs that are frequently used in different lighting conditions.

On the other hand, OLED screens, despite offering adequate brightness for most situations, cannot reach the same brightness peaks as LCDs. This means that, in extremely bright environments, the visibility of content on an OLED screen may be impaired, resulting in a less satisfactory viewing experience. However, it is important to note that, in controlled lighting conditions, such as indoor environments with moderate light, the difference in brightness is less noticeable, and the contrast and color benefits of OLEDs end up prevailing.

Difference 04: Burn-in effect and durability

One of the most common concerns regarding OLED screens is the burn-in effect. Burn-in occurs when a static image is displayed for too long, causing a ‘ghost’ of that image to remain visible on the screen. This can be a problem in situations where static elements, such as channel logos or status bars, remain fixed for long periods. On the other hand, LCD screens do not suffer from this type of wear, which makes them more durable in terms of avoiding permanent image retention.

However, it is important to highlight that OLED display manufacturers have invested heavily in technological improvements to minimize burn-in.

Currently, several mechanisms have been implemented, such as pixel switching and automatic brightness adjustment in static areas. These improvements have made burn-in a much less recurring problem, to the point where it is no longer a significant concern for most users. Therefore, although the burn-in effect is real, advances in OLED panels make their durability satisfactory for the vast majority of everyday uses.

Difference 05: Viewing Angles and Color Accuracy

OLED displays have a significant advantage when it comes to viewing angles. Due to the nature of its technology, where each pixel emits its own light, image quality remains consistent even when the screen is viewed from extreme angles. This means that no matter where you are in relation to the screen, colors and contrast remain virtually unchanged, providing a great viewing experience for everyone in the room.

LCDs, on the other hand, tend to show changes in image quality when viewed from off-center angles. This is because the backlight must pass through several layers before reaching the viewer, resulting in a greater propensity for color deviation and loss of contrast when the screen is viewed from the side. Although technologies such as IPS (In-Plane Switching) panels have considerably improved the viewing angles of LCDs, they still cannot compete with the quality offered by OLEDs.

In addition to viewing angles, color accuracy is also a strong point of OLED displays. Due to their ability to individually turn off or adjust each pixel, OLEDs can reproduce vibrant, lifelike colors with unparalleled black depth. LCDs, while they can offer good color accuracy, especially in models with high-quality panels, still have difficulty achieving the same level of vividness and accuracy that OLEDs can offer.

Conclusion

After exploring the key differences between OLED and LCD, it’s clear that each technology has its own advantages and disadvantages. Choosing between one and the other will mainly depend on your needs and the environment in which you will use the device. Below, we summarize the main points covered:

• Lighting technology: OLED uses pixels that emit their own light, providing perfect blacks and greater energy savings. LCD relies on a backlight, which makes it difficult to achieve deep blacks.
• Contrast and black levels: OLED offers virtually infinite contrast, while LCD still leaks light, especially in dark scenes.
• Brightness and use in bright environments: LCD stands out for its maximum brightness, making it ideal for brightly lit environments. OLED, despite having a more limited brightness, provides excellent image quality in controlled environments.
• Burn-in effect and durability: Burn-in is a real concern in OLEDs, but recent technological improvements have made this problem less common. LCD does not suffer from burn-in, which guarantees greater durability in this aspect.
• Viewing angles and color accuracy: OLED offers better viewing angles and more accurate colors compared to LCDs, which can suffer from color and contrast deviation when viewed from less favorable angles.

Each of these characteristics must be considered when choosing the ideal display for your needs. If you value vibrant colors, deep blacks, and wide viewing angles, OLED may be the better choice. If use in bright environments and concerns about durability are important points for you, the LCD may be more suitable.