Which is better: LCD or LED TV

When choosing a modern TV, the buyer is faced with a large number of questions, including what is the difference between LCD and LED TVs. After all, at first glance, these flat TV panels are no different. And the technology they use is the same - an LCD matrix consisting of two plates. Liquid crystals located between them, under the influence of electric current, like a camera shutter, transmit or block light. Depending on the level of applied voltage, an image is formed on the screen. However, each type of TV has its own characteristics that allow you to determine which one is better.

Functions of modern TV

Before moving on to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these types of televisions, it is worth defining the significance of modern television equipment. A variety of models allows you to satisfy different user needs. Today TV appears in different capacities.

Home cinema. LCD and LED are ideal for viewing high-resolution videos in the popular HD and Full HD formats today. Any diagonal solutions, low weight, which allows you to mount the panel on a wall, a wide range of models, excellent image quality (color rendition, contrast) - all this applies to the types of TV under consideration.
Game screen. According to statistics, more than 10 million Russian citizens are fond of computer games, most of them are active gamers. To enjoy the video game, you need the ability to connect to the widescreen panel of the latest gaming consoles (learn how to connect xbox to your TV), support for HD formats and 3D functions. The response speed of the matrix, viewing angle and color rendition are also important when choosing a TV for gaming.
Design element. The latest achievements and developments will help complement the chosen interior style or become its highlight. Narrow TV panels, whose width can reach only a few millimeters, stylish curved displays, mirror screens in which you can easily see your reflection - all this is present in modern TV models.

Before buying a TV, you should first of all decide what needs it should satisfy. If we consider the price criterion, then LCD models will be somewhat cheaper than similar LED TVs. But is it worth saving in this case, and how are these TVs fundamentally different?

Tips for choosing

All types of TVs are good in their own way; to choose a model that suits your needs, you need to decide what is your priority. The comparison above and these five tips from the experts will help you with this:

If high contrast and deep colors are important to you, a plasma TV is perfect;
For those whose TV works almost 24 hours a day or for use in public places, such as cafes and bars, an LED TV will be the best choice: they have a long service life and low power consumption;
If the budget is very limited, but you want a large screen, then it is more profitable to purchase an LCD TV;
Pay attention to the ability to play multimedia from a USB flash drive - this way you can save on purchasing an additional player;
Access to the Internet via TV will make it easier for older people to learn new technologies, and will also be useful for those who have small children to play cartoons on Youtube.

Watch a video about which TV to choose

Features of LCD TVs

As already noted, a liquid crystal TV is based on a multilayer structure (glass plates with polarizing filters and a layer of liquid crystals). Light from the sources - in this case, thin cold cathode fluorescent lamps that are located behind the matrix - passes through the LCD grating. It consists of many cells, each of which, depending on the voltage, transmits a different amount of light (polarization). Thus, thanks to the combination of primary colors (green, red and blue), a picture is formed on the screen.

The LCD grille needs backlighting, which is what distinguishes the LCD (LCD) and LED models.

When LCD TV appeared on the market, they immediately gained the trust of consumers. Their advantages over previous types of televisions were obvious:

narrow TV panels that can be easily mounted on a wall or ceiling using a bracket;
low energy consumption (specific figures are given in the article on the energy consumption of various types of TV);
no screen flicker or static voltage;
correct image geometry;
Full HD resolution support.

Dimensions

LCD: 32-150 inches.

These displays come in almost every size imaginable, from 20-inch TVs to 150-inch giants. Plus, LCD matrices are used in watches, phones, tablets and other devices.

OLED: 55-77 inches.

Currently, OLED TVs are only available in three sizes: 55, 65 and 77 inches, but displays made with this technology are also used in watches, phones and tablets.

Conclusion: LCD panels have many more options in terms of size than OLED

Features of LED TVs

Thanks to the good work of marketers, ice technology is positioned as innovative. Although, in fact, this is all just a type of LCD TV, which is distinguished by backlighting. RGB LEDs, which are more advanced in this regard, are used as light sources. Today LED TV is the most popular and in demand models. They use two types of backlighting: Direct LED and Edge LED.

In the first case, the LEDs are located directly behind the matrix, like lamps in LCD models. In the second, the backlight is located at the edges of the screen and is evenly distributed thanks to a special scattering film. Depending on the diagonal, LEDs can be installed on one side or on two. In models with a large diagonal, lighting can be installed around the entire perimeter.

Direct LED technology allows you to avoid side lights and use Local Dimming technology. At the same time, the side-type Edge LED is more energy efficient and allows the creation of models less than a centimeter thick.

Main advantages of LED TVs:

light weight and thin body;
clear, contrasting picture with rich color rendition;
three-dimensional and realistic image, without distortion;
premium models use a local screen dimming system, which greatly improves picture quality.

LED TV can be considered an improved type of LCD TV. But besides the backlight used in the devices, there are other differences.

Comparison and advantages of both options

First, we list the features of LCD TVs. The following properties should be noted as advantages.

Flat screen that can be mounted on a vertical surface.
Long service life - it is believed that such displays have a working life of 60 thousand hours.
Light weight compared to traditional picture tubes.
Low level of energy consumed during operation, which is due to the absence of the need to constantly turn on and off the light source.
The highest clarity of the image obtained on the screen, which is characteristic of liquid crystals.
No screen flickering.
Such displays do not accumulate dust on their surface, since there is no static electricity on the screens.
Relatively low cost.

At the same time, such TVs cannot create true black color, the color rendition is not saturated enough, and picture distortion when viewing television programs from the side is also noted as disadvantages. Some experts also note such a feature as insufficiently high response time, but such a specific indicator is completely invisible to the average consumer.

TVs made using LED technology, in comparison with the LCD models described above, have a thinner screen, convey color shades much better, consume 40% less electricity, transmit saturated 100% black color, practically do not flicker, and do not have image distortion when lateral viewing angle, and also weigh slightly less.

The main disadvantage is their higher cost compared to conventional LCDs.

What is the difference between LCD and LED

Due to the absence of lamps, LED models do not use mercury. This makes them environmentally friendly and safe to dispose of.
LEDs are more energy efficient than lamps. According to statistics, such light sources can save up to 40% of the electricity used to operate the TV.
LCD TVs are not always inferior to updated models. For example, they outperform some budget LED devices. Due to the cheaper technology, they have difficulties with controlling diodes.
The ability to distribute LEDs evenly is provided only by Direct LED backlighting - these are the models that outperform conventional LCDs. Local dimming, which gives LED models a certain advantage, is not possible with Edge technology.
As for video games, both devices support modern gaming consoles and consoles.
In terms of service life, LED also outperforms LCD, since fluorescent lamps burn out faster during service. Thanks to RGB LEDs, LED color accuracy remains much longer.

Which TV is better? Of course, LED models outperform LCD. But image quality depends not only on the type of backlight; it should not be the deciding factor. It is important to pay attention to screen resolution and additional technologies that affect the video signal. Therefore, some models of LCD TVs with CCFL lamps, if they have a good video processor, may well be a worthy competitor to LED TV.

How to choose the right one?

In general, the average consumer will not feel a significant difference between LCD and LED technologies. Therefore, it is recommended to make a choice based on availability of funds, screen size and design.

But still, we note that the characteristics of ICE are somewhat higher, and the technology itself continues to improve. Surely new models will soon appear on sale, devoid of all the shortcomings listed in this article. People who believe that they keep up with the times should buy televisions of the latest modifications.

Maximum brightness

LCD: up to 1,800 nits.

The current generation of LCD panels are capable of producing a lot of light - noticeably more than 1,000 nits at peak brightness. The crystals' ability to block light is unchanged, so at high brightness levels the black level drops noticeably. Simply put, the dynamic range is placed higher at the expense of worse blacks.

OLED: less than 700 nits.

The limitations of OLED panels come from how much power the panel can draw from the network in a given period of time: a few pixels can reach maximum brightness, but as more pixels increase brightness, the overall brightness of the image becomes lower. For 2021, the peak brightness of OLED displays is 600-700 nits. It is important to note that next to the brightest pixel there can simultaneously be a completely black, switched-off neighboring pixel: in OLED technology it is possible to control each pixel individually over the entire width of the dynamic range.

Note: Brightness values correspond to those of different models for 2021.

Decide on resolution

The display resolution directly affects the level of image detail, of course, subject to a high-quality signal. In 2020, there are four standards available on the market, but HD is almost never seen anymore, and 8K is still considered exotic. In fact, you have to choose between Full HD and 4K.

The rule “the more the better” does not work here again, since a TV with a high-resolution screen can only open fully if there is an appropriate signal. The whole choice comes down to understanding the content in what resolution you plan to watch more often.

HD (1,280 × 720) is morally outdated, but at the same time it is an ideal option for viewing terrestrial TV channels and TVs with a diagonal of up to 32 inches. It is found only in the most budget models and is suitable only for a summer house or kitchen.
Full HD (1,920 × 1,080) - is gradually being replaced by the more progressive 4K, but at the moment it is still in demand and remains the most popular. The vast majority of content is available in 1080p.
UHD or 4K (3,840 × 2,160) is a growing format that will become mainstream in the next couple of years. Ideal for YouTube videos, movies, TV series, games. For TV channels it will be worse than Full HD.
8K (7,680 x 4,320) is a newly introduced standard that has twice the resolution of 4K and four times the resolution of Full HD. There is no point in buying in the next 3-4 years, since there are only a few models available on the market, and all content is limited to a dozen videos on YouTube.

What to buy

Samsung UE40NU7170U TV with 4K support, 27,490 rubles →
Samsung QE55Q900RBU TV with 8K support, 219,990 rubles →
HYUNDAI H‑LED40ET3001 TV with FullHD support, 11,990 rubles →
TV Prestigio 32 Muze with HD support, 7,990 rubles →