While both OLED and LED have a long development history, the brand-new generation of displays is what makes them so attractive.
With each technology having its advantages and disadvantages, knowing which one will be right for your application is essential.
When deciding which type of screen to use, the most crucial factor is the end-user experience you want to have. The lifespan of the product will also play a role in your final decision.
In this article, we will compare the similarities and differences between OLED and LED to provide a better understanding of which technology is best for your specific situation.
OLED Vs. LED Lifespan
The lifespan of an LED is approximately 8-13 years. The lifespan of an OLED is about ten years if it’s turned on for 4 hours daily; however, it only has a lifespan of 5-6 years if you leave it on 24 hours a day.
LED screens will last up to 50,000 hours if you turn them on for 3 hours per day. That means it is going to be good for at least 12 years.
OLED technology lasts much longer than LED screens. This type of screen stays up to 100,000 hours if you turn it on for 3 hours a day or 60,000 hours if turned on 5 hours a day.
OLED: How It Works
OLED is short for organic light-emitting diodes, which are super-thin displays that use organic compounds to emit light.
OLED displays are thinner than conventional LCDs, use less power, and have better color saturation. As such, they are already showing up on high-end phones like Samsung Galaxy S4 and the iPhone 6.
While OLED panels have been around since the 1990s, they have recently become more affordable for everyday consumers due to the advancements made by companies such as Apple and Samsung.
The technology has evolved from just inexpensive smartphones into being used in televisions, laptops, and other consumer electronics.
They work by using a layer of organic materials sandwiched between two electrodes. By applying a voltage between these electrodes, an electrical current will result in the material and cause it to emit photons (light).
Most OLED displays today are used as small indicators such as those on computer monitors, watches, calculators, digital cameras, or mobile phones. However, some larger OLED panels exist, such as those on TVs.
They’re used in most smartphones today because they provide high contrast ratios and can be made to look like any color you want.
It features a more profound display than its size, which, combined with its thinness and lightness, makes it the perfect choice for wearable devices like smartwatches.
Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) are the future of display technology. The most significant advantage that OLED displays have over LED displays is that they do not need backlit.
LED: How It Works
Light-emitting diodes are easily some of the most exciting innovations in display technology over the past decade. They are used widely today, especially in cell phones and flat-screen televisions. But they aren’t entirely new to us – they have been around for decades.
Nick Holonyak Jr. invented the first LEDs in 1962 at General Electric’s Advanced Materials Lab.
LEDs are an invention that is currently replacing the majority of fluorescent lighting in offices and homes worldwide. LED bulbs use at least 75 percent less energy than traditional lighting sources.
They’re also faster to install than fluorescent lights because there’s no need for professional electricians to hardwire them into your home or office electrical grid.
LEDs function by using a semiconductor material that excites electrons from one energy state to another.
This creates a flow of electrons called “current” that generates light along with heat. The electrons flow across a diode to form a circuit with positive and negative terminals while connecting with the cathode end of the diode.
LED is inarguably the most energy-efficient lighting technology in the world today. It’s also one of the most economical, thanks to its low power consumption and long lifetimes.
Similarities Between OLED And LED
There are several similarities between OLED and LED technologies, making it hard for people to decide which one is the best choice.
- Both OLED and LED screens come with optional features like touch control or camera support. Still, both technologies offer a wide range of display sizes, resolutions, brightness levels, refresh rates, color gamut, and color depths.
- The next similarity you can find in both displays is that they use emissive technology. For example, when you turn on an OLED TV, there’s no need to wait until the pixels warm up; they show full brightness right away.
- Both types of displays rely on light-emitting material to produce color. This means that both technologies can be used for lighting display purposes. They can also be used in TVs or cell phones, where the screen is the entire face of the device.
- Both OLED and LED screens provide high contrast ratios and great viewing angles because they don’t require backlighting. This makes them more energy-efficient than LCD screens.
- Both can be used with an equally wide array of connectors, including HDMI, MHL, or DisplayPort.
- Both types are not able to be repaired if they break down.
Difference Between OLED And LED
Although OLED and LED share similarities, they are vastly different technologies.
Backlight
OLEDs’ most significant advantage over LED is that they don’t require a backlight, making them thinner and flexible with better color production. They can be bent at any angle without damaging or affecting their performance.
Devices with an OLED screen (like Samsung’s Galaxy line) have their display’s pixels built right into the screen itself, whereas devices like Apple’s iPhone 6S feature LED screens.
The key feature that makes OLED stand out from LED TVs is its capability of showing perfect black pixels.
This means when a pixel is displaying black, it emits no light at all. This can’t be done on LED TVs because they use LEDs for backlighting which need to emit light whether the screen shows black or white pixels. The result is less contrast.
Brightness
OLED displays also provide a brighter and more vivid picture than most LED screens on the market today. While LED TVs can display HDR content, their brightness isn’t nearly as good as what you will find with an OLED TV.
Components
OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays use organic materials to emit light while LED (Light Emitting Diode) display uses inorganic materials to emit light.
The organic compound is made of carbon-based material that emits light when electricity passes through it.
The oxide layer of an LED display does not emit any visible color but reflects white or color lights from external sources.
On the other hand, LEDs are made up of three components: a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two conductive layers. When an electric current is applied, the crystals align to allow light through from behind them.
Contrast ratios
Since the OLEDs don’t require a backlight, this advantage gives them better contrast ratios than LCDs.
Lifespan
The lifespan of an LED is approximately 8-13 years. The lifespan of an OLED is about ten years if it’s turned on for 4 hours daily; however, it only has a lifespan of 5-6 years if you leave it on 24 hours a day.
Price
Large OLED screens used to be expensive and cost five times as much as an LED screen. But lately, the price of OLED has become very competitive and is only twice as much as an LED screen.
But you can’t just look at the price tag because bigger isn’t always better.
Power Consumption
They also use less power than regular LED-backlit displays, meaning they can operate for more extended periods on battery power.
Color Gamut
The color gamut on OLED TVs is much more vibrant compared to LED TVs. This means you get a better range of reds, greens, and blues with an OLED TV.
Which Is The Perfect Display Technology?
Recently, OLED has been gaining ground as a viable competitor to LED. It has many advantages over LED, including better color quality and lower power consumption. Thus, it is becoming the preferred choice for TV manufacturers.
OLED TVs have better contrast, deeper blacks, and a much more comprehensive viewing range than any other type of television screen on the market today.
Conclusion
Choosing the right display technology for a particular application isn’t always straightforward due to the many options. OLED and LED display each to have their strengths and weaknesses.
Each technology has unique benefits that make it the best choice for different applications. For example, OLED is better for small screens because it can be placed behind a flexible display.
However, if you’re looking to create a high-quality video or graphic presentation, LED is likely your best choice. It all depends on what you need from your display and how much money you have.
