If it’s been a while since you’ve shopped for a new TV, all the choices may seem a little bit overwhelming. It’s so much more than just choosing a size that fits your room these days. Do you want an LCD? OLED? QLED? Plasma? Is there a certain pixel count you should look for? Which do you need, 4K or 8K? Flat or curved?
It can help to research your options before heading to the electronics store or making a purchase online. Here’s what you need to know about the advantages of OLED TVs.
More Energy Efficient
OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode. In these TVs, each pixel on the display puts out its own light without need for backlighting, which means that individual pixels can stay dark. When pixels are dark, they don’t use the energy that would be required if the whole screen needed to be backlit. They also don’t produce as much heat, leaving an OLED screen cool to the touch.
In an LCD TV, most of the power consumed goes to backlighting the entire screen regardless of which pixels are in use. Therefore, OLEDs use much less power and are the more energy-efficient choice.
Better Picture Quality
The images you’ll see on an OLED screen will look deeper, richer, and crisper than those you’ll see on an LCD or plasma TV. This is again due to the way individual pixels can remain dark, with no backlighting. OLEDs also make use of white light —in addition to the traditionally used colours of green, blue, and red — to create images that appear more true-to-life.
On LCDs and plasmas, the need for whole-screen backlighting can make a single pixel almost seem to bleed into the next. However, with each OLED pixel providing its own light source, the result is a sharper overall image.
Thinner and Lighter
OLED technology allows for some of the thinnest TVs ever manufactured, at just a few millimetres thick. OLEDs use electric current, not rigid substrates, to create a picture; this eliminates the need for a boxy set. It’s also possible to get a TV with a flexible screen, although this isn’t something that’s widely available to consumers yet. All this translates into a much lighter and sleeker television.
Environmentally Friendly
The lighter, organic layers of an OLED are generally made with plastics rather than the light-absorbing glass required by liquid crystal displays and the mercury used by compact fluorescent light bulbs. Not only are OLED materials thinner and more flexible — they are also greener.
Larger Sizes and Fields of View
Because of how easy it is to manufacture large sheets of plastic, OLEDs can be quickly produced in larger sizes than TVs that rely on liquid crystals. Best of all, as mentioned above, these large TVs remain relatively light.
OLEDs also allow for a wider viewing range since they produce their own light. This, combined with a larger screen, gives you a much more theatre-like viewing experience.
Better for Gaming
The ability of individual pixels to switch instantly from one state to another give the OLED a quick response rate, which means a faster refresh for the moving elements present in competitive gaming. There’s also no danger of burn-in because OLEDs don’t use rigid substrates. These two factors make an OLED TV ideal for gamers who want a superior playing experience and picture quality.
If you’re looking for a new TV, keep these advantages in mind as you shop. The energy efficiency, environmental friendliness, lighter weight, and superior picture quality are features that may make an OLED TV the best option for you.