If you’re in the market for a new TV, you’ve likely encountered a bewildering array of acronyms and tech terms. While you might be familiar with HD, 4K, and LED, the world of TV technology has evolved, introducing new buzzwords like OLED, QD-OLED, and the focus of this guide: QLED.
What is QLED?
QLED, short for ‘quantum dot LED,’ is a display panel technology that leverages quantum dots to enhance picture quality. Quantum dots are tiny, phosphorescent crystals that emit light with exceptional efficiency when exposed to light. This technology was initially introduced by Sony in partnership with QD Vision, but Samsung quickly brought its own version to market and currently owns the QLED trademark. QLED technology has become increasingly common and affordable in recent years, with many of today’s top TVs featuring this technology.
How Does QLED Work?
Traditional LED TVs face a challenge: achieving vivid, accurate colors requires a pure, full-spectrum source of white light. However, even the best white LEDs produce light that’s not perfectly white. QLED solves this problem by adding a layer of quantum dots to the TV’s LED backlight. These quantum dots absorb blue light from the LEDs and convert it into red and green light. When combined with the original blue light, this creates a very pure, full-spectrum white light, giving the color filter a perfect starting point for producing vibrant, accurate colors.
The efficiency of quantum dots ensures that almost no brightness is lost in this process. This translates to a TV capable of displaying more colors with greater accuracy and, with a powerful enough LED backlight, exceptional brightness. This benefit extends to standard dynamic range (SDR) content but is particularly noticeable when displaying high-dynamic range (HDR) video, which relies on high brightness and contrast.
Beyond Samsung: QLED Adoption
While Samsung popularized quantum dot technology and owns the QLED trademark, many other TV manufacturers have incorporated quantum dots into their TVs. Samsung, along with Hisense and TCL, established the QLED Alliance to promote the QLED term to consumers. However, other brands, like Vizio, use their own terminology, referring to their quantum dot-based models as ‘quantum,’ while Sony and LG, despite using quantum dots in some of their TVs, tend to avoid the term altogether.
Best QLED TVs in 2024
There are a variety of excellent QLED TV models available in 2024 from brands like Samsung, Sony, Hisense, and TCL, each offering its own unique strengths. Our current top choice is the Sony Bravia 9 Series, which delivers a stunningly clear picture with exceptional HDR highlights and top-notch motion handling, making it a fantastic option for action movie fans and video game enthusiasts. However, the Sony Bravia 9 comes with a premium price tag. Budget-conscious consumers might prefer options like the Hisense U8N Series and TCL’s QM8 Series, which offer excellent brightness, colors, and contrast, along with impressive local dimming capabilities on specific models.
QLED vs. OLED
QLED and OLED are distinct display technologies, so direct comparisons are tricky. OLED, or organic light-emitting diode, utilizes a thin panel of pixels that produce their own light, eliminating the need for backlighting used in LED panels. This results in exceptionally slim panels, vivid colors, exceptional contrast with deep blacks, and no light-bleeding issues. If your primary concern is contrast, OLED is likely the superior choice. However, OLED has its drawbacks. While prices have fallen, it remains more expensive than QLED. OLED also faces concerns about image retention or burn-in, depending on usage, and inherent brightness limitations.
QLED and 4K
QLED technology is independent of resolution. It enhances LED backlighting and color filtering, while 4K (UHD) refers to the number of pixels on the panel. As such, QLED technology can be implemented on 4K, 8K, or any other resolution.
QLED and Gaming
QLED’s enhanced colors and brightness can elevate the gaming experience, even at lower resolutions. However, you may need to experiment with settings and modes, as game modes don’t necessarily offer universal improvement on QLED TVs.
Choosing between QLED and OLED for gaming presents a more complex decision. OLED’s exceptional color and contrast, combined with high refresh rates, make it an excellent choice for immersive gaming experiences, especially for fast-action titles. However, OLED’s susceptibility to burn-in makes it riskier for gaming, where static elements on the screen for extended periods can cause damage. QLED, with its lack of burn-in risk, offers a more worry-free option for gamers.
Neo QLED: A Step Forward
Neo QLED, introduced by Samsung, represents an advanced version of QLED technology. It replaces traditional LED arrays with mini-LED backlighting systems. These mini-LEDs, which are significantly smaller than traditional LEDs, provide exceptionally accurate lighting zones, resulting in enhanced image quality. TVs like the Sony Bravia 9 Series and TCL QM8 utilize highly advanced mini-LED backlighting to deliver bright, colorful images with excellent contrast levels.
QLED Price Range
QLED TVs come in a wide range of prices. Currently, they are more expensive than traditional LED TVs but more affordable than OLED TVs. Prices can vary significantly, from around $700 for a budget 4K model to over $4,000 for a high-end 8K version.
Conclusion
QLED technology offers a compelling combination of vibrant colors, enhanced brightness, and accurate image reproduction, making it a strong contender in the TV market. While OLED delivers exceptional contrast and deep blacks, QLED offers advantages in terms of brightness, cost, and burn-in resistance. Ultimately, the best choice for you depends on your budget, viewing priorities, and specific needs. Exploring the available QLED TV models, including the options highlighted in this guide, can help you determine the perfect match for your home entertainment setup.
