OLED and QLED TVs Aren’t the Same [Product vs. Product]

When you’ve browsed the electronics aisle, you might have come across impressive-sounding TV features vying for your attention. Alongside “4K” and “UHD,” the terms “OLED” and “QLED” have been printed on the boxes of modern television sets for some time now.

But while they bear a passing resemblance in name, it turns out that the tiny line that distinguishes an “O” from a “Q” makes a world of difference. To put it simply, both technologies establish how TVs are lit to produce the image you see on the screen, enabling perks like enhanced screen uniformity, higher contrast, and additional viewing angles.

Read on to discover where 4K UHD OLED and QLED TVs compete—and where they don’t compare.

Before we delve into the distinct OLED and QLED technologies, we need to touch on some basics. We can’t talk about TV image display without mentioning LCD and LED.

In truth, when it comes to the production of modern flat-panel TVs, LCD (liquid crystal display) and LED (light-emitting diodes) technologies work together as opposed to being adversaries. It used to be the case that older LCD TVs relied on compact fluorescent lamps to control where light is displayed on a TV screen, whereas LED TVs used an array of smaller lighting diodes to illuminate the screen.

Now, modern LED TVs can technically be referred to as “LED LCD TVs” or “LED-lit LCD TVs”—although, unofficially, these sets are known as “LED TVs” and are termed as such in most electronics catalogs.

Fresher on the scene, OLED and QLED TVs have amped up picture quality for the best home-theater experience, thanks to their distinct lighting techniques that we’re about to unravel.

Now, onto the main event: Let’s see how both types of TVs duke it out.

In this corner, we have QLED TVs. Of the two technologies we’re discussing, QLED (quantum dot LED) is the most similar to LED LCD—in fact, industry experts say that QLED is simply a variation of its predecessor.

QLED and LED LCD are similar in that they are transmissive forms of lighting that rely on an LED backlight, but QLED TVs are stocked with a quantum dot film. The light from the LED backlight hits these microscopic dots and then travels through other layers inside the QLED TV, including an LCD layer, to compose the hard-hitting action on the screen.

Compared to OLED TVs, QLED sets are favored for having a brighter picture quality and for being available in larger sizes.

In addition, it should be noted that, while other TV manufacturers (like Vizio and Hisense) reap the benefits of quantum dots in their LED LCD TVs,  “QLED” is a term specific to Samsung.

Pictured: Samsung Class Q60T QLED 4K UHD HDR Smart TV

Sizing up QLED sets from the other side of the ring, OLED TVs use a fundamentally different technology than that of LED LCD TVs. Compared to most televisions on the market, OLED sets do not rely on an LED backlight and are often regarded as “self-lighting” TVs—hence their name, which stands for “organic light emitting diode.”

And whereas QLED and current LED LCD lighting technologies are transmissive, OLED is emissive, meaning millions of individual subpixels emit their own light to compose the image.

If OLED TVs sound like they work harder, in a way, they do. With LCD being the dominant technology behind the production of flat-panel TVs, LED TVs and QLED are more cost-effective to manufacture, making them the more affordable options compared to their OLED counterparts.

That said, you’ll be happy to hear you get what you pay for with an OLED TV. Because OLED sets don’t need LED backlights, they can be designed to have an incredibly thin profile, exuding a luxurious appearance for a modern home theater.

And by virtue of their emissive lighting, OLED TVs are said to have better image contrast (boasting the deepest blacks and the brightest whites), enhanced screen uniformity (no dark patches!), and more viewing angles (so you can watch from your adjoining kitchen).

Currently, LG is the leading brand behind OLED TVs. Fun fact: While other familiar brands, like Panasonic, Philips, and Vizio, distribute OLED sets, these brands all use panels manufactured by LG Display.

Pictured: LG CX Class 4K Smart OLED TV

For direct QLED and OLED comparisons, we turn your attention to Spencer’s two best-selling TVs, the Samsung Class Q80T QLED 4K UHD HDR Smart TV (QN65Q80TAFXZ and QN75Q80TAFXZA) and the LG CX Class 4K Smart OLED TV (OLED55CXPUA, OLED65CXPUA, and OLED77CXPUA):

In terms of resolution, color, and video processing, QLED and OLED TVs are virtually the same. But when it comes to image quality, it depends on what you are willing to sacrifice.

Along with being the more budget-friendly choice, QLED TVs display brighter imaging, which bodes well for sunlit entertainment spaces and when viewing HDR content. On the other hand, QLED sets are often dinged for having variant picture quality compared to OLED TVs.

OLED TVs are touted for having an enhanced black level, which might be alluring to gamers who appreciate graphics as much as gameplay. For the best viewing parties, OLED’s boosted screen uniformity and viewing angles are more conducive to larger households and sports dens.

For other expert opinions regarding your home theater setup, reach out to our friendly staff at Spencer’s TV & Appliance. Check out our catalog or visit any of our stores today!