QLED vs OLED vs LED: Which TV Is Best For You?
When it comes to shopping for a new Smart TV there’s certainly no shortage of choice - but with choice, comes decisions! And which display technology you opt for is a pretty big decision. How do you decide between an OLED, QLED, or even a Neo QLED display? How do they even differ? We’re here to help with our TV buying guide. We'll break down the acronyms and compare the latest display tech so you can determine which TV panel type is best for you. We’ll even throw in some recommendations for the best Samsung TVs along the way.
What does LED TV mean?
Let’s start with the basics. What is LED? LED stands for light-emitting diode and simply refers to the backlight that lights up your TV. You’ll notice that LEDs are present in both OLED and QLED technology. In fact, virtually every Smart TV today uses LEDs as its lighting source. But not all LED TVs are created equal - the technology around them varies, and so too will your picture quality. This is why OLED and QLED TVs are seen as superior displays. With standard LED TVs, you’ll find big differences not only in the number of LEDs but crucially the quality of each LED. This can lead to big differences in colour, contrasts and the brightness of pictures you see on TV.
What does QLED mean?
QLED stands for quantum light-emitting diode. Samsung QLED TVs have ‘Quantum Dots’ – a layer of tiny nanocrystals that transforms light into pure, lifelike colour. This state-of-the-art technology results in greater brightness and more accurate colours - far beyond the average LCD screen – to bring greater detail and realism to your picture.
Interested to find out more about the QLED technology in Samsung’s flagship TVs? Check out our ‘What is QLED TV?’ guide.
What does Neo QLED mean?
Samsung Neo QLED technology is an advancement of Samsung’s QLED technology. Samsung’s Neo QLED range boasts Quantum Mini LEDs. These are only 1/40th of the size of traditional LEDs - approximately the size of a grain of sand. These lights are expertly controlled so you get better contrast and detail across the screen. And, since their size means the TV can fit more Mini LEDs in, Neo QLED TVs have a higher brightness level and exceptional picture quality on every inch of the screen. The light from Quantum Dots is now even more efficient, allowing Neo QLED TVs to be brighter, richer and more colour accurate compared to previous models. Find out more about the latest Samsung Neo QLEDs here.
What is an OLED TV?
So, you’ve probably heard of the acronym OLED, but have you ever wondered what it actually means? OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. Unlike standard LED TVs, which use a backlight to produce colours, OLEDs produce both light and colour from a single diode or pixel. Their ability to be self-illuminating means they produce ‘real’ blacks. Deeper blacks allow for higher contrasts and richer colours, which in turn leads to a more natural and realistic image. This innovation means that OLED TVs no longer need a separate backlight and instead produce bright, colourful pictures from individually operated pixels.
What is Samsung OLED?
Following last year’s release of the stunning S95B OLED 4K Quantum HDR Smart TV which TechRadar* and What Hi-Fi?** awarded 5* rave reviews, Samsung have since released the refreshed and revamped 2023 OLED TV range. Combining the best of both technologies, Samsung OLED TVs supplement the best of OLED with Quantum Dots to enhance the display. This additional Quantum Dot layer allows for more accurate colours and intense brightness, making Samsung OLED TVs stand out from the crowd.
OLED vs Neo QLED: Which is better?
So, which is better when it comes to OLED or Neo QLED? Well, both come with their own unique benefits, so really it comes down to personal preference and what you value most out of a TV. Here is a quick rundown of how the two display technologies differ.
Colour
In truth, both OLED and Neo QLED displays have incredible colour accuracy, volume and brightness making them excellent choices. Each TV will have its own display specs. If you’re seeking a brighter image with a higher level of contrast between light and dark areas onscreen, it's worth looking for TVs that have a vast colour gamut (that is the spectrum of colours) and HDR technology. Neo QLED in particular have high HDR brightness levels and a wide HDR range. Why not check out the 5-star awarded* QN90B Neo QLED 4K HDR Smart TV? You will enjoy spectacular detail in every shot, exactly as you should. Whether it's gloomy shadows to sun-scorched scenes, the true-to-life colours make for a remarkable contrast.
Brightness
If you plan to have your TV in a darker room, an OLED display is a great choice as it will give you a great cinematic experience. Overall, however, LED TVs have a slight advantage here because the main backlight is made from powerful LEDs. Adding Quantum Dots into the mix means the brightness gets even better. That’s certainly not to say that OLEDs don’t get bright - they do. Take a look at our QN95B Neo QLED 4K HDR Smart TV. Its leading HDR brightness will be sure to leave you in awe, producing stunning, true-to-life pictures with incredible colour volume and contrast.
Contrast
Black is black, right? Not always. When it comes to TV displays, there’s a wide spectrum of what’s considered black. True blacks allow for richer colours and greater contrast. OLED has the advantage here because an OLED pixel can turn on and off individually. If an OLED pixel isn’t getting any power, it doesn’t produce any light, so it is simply turned off to produce a ‘true’ black. However, let’s not underestimate our Neo QLED TVs. Thanks to thousands of precisely controlled Mini LEDs acting as the backlight, higher brightness levels overall drive incredible contrast ratios to deliver stunning picture quality no matter what.
Viewing angles
OLED comes out on top here and can be viewed at a wide range of angles without any reduction in image quality. In contrast, the best viewing angle for LED TVs is typically right in the middle. As you move to either side, the picture quality tends to diminish. However, Samsung’s innovative Ultra Viewing Angle with Anti Reflection screen, which many of our epic Neo QLED TVs benefit from, help combat this. This anti-glare TV screen absorbs reflections, meaning you can enjoy your favourite shows on the screen from anywhere in the room and without the sun or lights in the room getting in your way.
Is OLED or Neo QLED better for gaming?
When it comes to gaming, the display technology in your TV is important. It can impact whether you win or lose and we know for sure that no one likes losing! The key things to consider when choosing between an OLED or Neo QLED display for gaming are the response time, refresh rate and input lag of the TV.
Refresh Rate
The refresh rate is important because it refers to how often the entire image on-screen changes. The faster the rate, the smoother things look, and the easier it is to pick out the finer details in fast-moving content. Many Samsung TVs have fast 120Hz refresh rates, which means the entire image is updated 120 times every second. The sensational Samsung QN90B Neo QLED takes things further with refresh rates up to 144Hz on the 43” and 50” models*. What’s more, video games often use something called variable refresh rates (VRR), which means that the rate changes throughout the game. For the best gaming TVs, you’ll want one with VRR to avoid jerkiness and blurring in your game.
*QN90B 43”/50” have Motion Xcelerator Turbo Pro with max 4K @144Hz. Supports VRR/4K@120Hz as specified in HDMI 2.1
*QN90B 43”/50” have Motion Xcelerator Turbo Pro with max 4K @144Hz. Supports VRR/4K@120Hz as specified in HDMI 2.1
Response rate
The response rate refers to how long it takes for each pixel to change colour and brightness. With a faster response time, there’s less motion blur in action-packed games keeping you ahead of the game. OLED pixels can change incredibly fast because each diode works independently. Likewise, the Quantum Dots in QLED TVs are able to respond super quickly, so both the latest Samsung OLED and QLED TVs are a great choice here.
Input Lag
Input lag is the delay between pressing your controller and seeing a response on the screen. It links closely with response times and can be a problem if the TV display is slow at moving between images. As discussed above, OLED displays are highly responsive, so input lag normally isn’t an issue with these displays. However, if either an OLED or QLED TV has ‘Game Mode’ you’ll find no issue with input lag. Learn more about what Game Mode is in our guide.
We’ve curated a handy chart below to compare our three top picks for Samsung gaming TVs. Each TV has different display technology but is an exceptional gaming TV.
| Picture Quality | |||
| Screen Size Options | 85/75/65/55/50/43 | 65/55 | 85/75/65 |
| Resolution | 4K (3840 x 2160) | 4K (3840 x 2160) | 8K (7,680 x 4,320) |
| Refresh Rate | Up to 144Hz* | Up to 120Hz | Up to 120Hz |
| Variable Refresh Rate | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Processor | Neo Quantum Processor 4K | Neural Quantum Processor 4K | Neural Quantum Processor 8K |
| Anti Reflection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Game Features | |||
| Auto Game Mode (ALLM) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic Black EQ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Super Ultra Wide Game View | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Object Tracking Sound | OTS+ | OTS | OTS Pro |
| Gaming Motion | Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus/Pro | Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus | Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus |
| Gaming Hub | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Want to find out more? Check out our 'Best TV for gaming' guide which has everything you need to know about buying a new Samsung TV optimised for epic gaming.
*QN90B 43”/50” have Motion Xcelerator Turbo Pro with max 4K @144Hz. Supports VRR/4K@120Hz as specified in HDMI 2.1
Which OLED TV is best to buy?
The Samsung S95B OLED takes ordinary pictures and makes them extraordinary. With the addition of Quantum Dot technology, you’ll enjoy naturally bright and colourful images every time. The supercharged AI processor delivers breath-taking cinematic picture details in 4K quality.
You’ll no longer need to struggle to make out what’s on the screen with the beauty of Quantum OLED HDR, powered by Adaptive HDR10+. Thanks to the remarkable brightness that HDR brings, you experience only the richest blacks, brightest lights and deepest contrasts. What’s more, the Adaptive HDR10+ makes sure that every frame is optimised to perfection so you’ll enjoy every detail, all of the time.
There’s even anti-glare technology which ensures that every seat in the house is the best! Whether you’re on the edge of your seat or stretched out on a corner sofa, you’ll never miss any of the drama thanks to Ultra Viewing Angle and clever anti-reflection technology.
You won’t find any compromise when it comes to gaming either. With Motion Xcelerator Turbo Plus you’ll experience ultra-smooth, lightning-quick, immersive 4K gaming. With ultra-high 120Hz refresh rates* and ultra-low input lag, there’s no blur between fast-paced images so you’re right in the driving seat.
Want to know more about Samsung’s flagship Neo QLED and QLED TVs? Check out our guides for advice on the best Neo QLED TV and the best QLED TV for you. Alternatively, explore our TV buying guide for hints and tips about finding your best Samsung TV.
*Supports VRR/4K@120Hz as specified in HDMI 2.1
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