OLED vs. LED: Which TV Is Best for You in 2024?

Television manufacturers love a good acronym when marketing their latest must-have large displays. But it doesn’t make our lives any easier when browsing through QLED, OLED, and LED models to determine the best new TV to buy.

If you manage to navigate beyond UHD, 4K, USB ports, and other buzzwords, the spec sheets begin to look remarkably similar. However, both OLED and LED have unique strengths and weaknesses. So, choosing the best set of specs for you will be determined by your room size, specific needs, and budget.

Is OLED better than LED in 2024? In this article, we provide a detailed OLED vs. LED TV screens comparison, helping you confidently choose a technology that delivers everything you expect from a new TV.

Key Takeaways

OLED offers better black levels, contrast, and viewing angles than LED.
LED TVs excel in brightness and are more affordable for larger screen sizes.
OLED has faster response times, ideal for gaming and fast-moving content.
LED provides a wider range of screen sizes, from small to extremely large.
OLED risks burn-in, while LED TVs have longer lifespans and better durability.
OLED is thinner, creating a sleek, premium design for wall mounting.
Consider a 5-year warranty for long-term protection against potential issues.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Key Takeaways
OLED vs. LED: Side-By-Side Comparison
OLED vs. LED: Which Is Better For You in 2024?
OLED vs. LED: Overall Winner
Screen Showdown: LED vs. OLED vs. QLED
The Bottom Line
FAQs
References

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways
OLED vs. LED: Side-By-Side Comparison
OLED vs. LED: Which Is Better For You in 2024?

Show Full Guide

OLED vs. LED: Overall Winner
Screen Showdown: LED vs. OLED vs. QLED
The Bottom Line
FAQs
References

OLED vs. LED: Side-By-Side Comparison

What is OLED vs. LED? OLED uses self-lit pixels for richer contrast and deeper blacks, while LED relies on backlighting for brightness and durability.

What Is an OLED TV?

OLED stands for “organic light-emitting diode” and is a display technology that uses self-emissive panels. This means that each pixel in the screen emits its own light without needing a separate backlight. In simple terms, an OLED TV display delivers stunning visuals with perfect blacks, vibrant colors, and faster response times compared to traditional LED technology.

What Is an LED TV?

LED TVs use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a backlight source for their LCD (liquid crystal display) screens. LED backlights generally come in two varieties.

Edge-lit designs have LEDs positioned around the edges of the screen, allowing for thinner TV profiles.
Direct or full-array backlights place LEDs behind the LCD panel, potentially offering better contrast and brightness control.

The contrast ratio and black levels are noticeably lower than those of newer technologies like OLED. However, they offer a much more affordable TV screen.

What’s The Difference Between OLED & LED?

Picture quality is probably top of your wishlist when choosing a new TV. But the intended location brightness of the room and required viewing angles should all play a big part in your final decision.

Feature	OLED	LED
Picture Quality	✅ Perfect blacks, infinite contrast ratio	❌ Limited black levels, lower contrast ratio
Brightness	⚠️ Good, but not as bright as LED	✅ Excellent, ideal for bright rooms
Black Levels	✅ Perfect blacks, pixels turn off completely	❌ Limited black levels, some light bleed
Viewing Angles	✅ Excellent, consistent from all angles	❌ Color and contrast can degrade at wider angles
Response Time	✅ Near-instantaneous pixel response	⚠️ Fast, but not as quick as OLED
Panel Thickness	✅ Extremely thin and flexible designs	❌ Thicker due to backlight layer
Screen Sizes	❌ Limited to smaller sizes (typically up to 88″)	✅ Available in very large sizes (100″+ possible)
Lifespan	⚠️ Potential for burn-in with static images	✅ Longer lifespan, no burn-in issues
Price	❌ Generally more expensive	✅ More affordable options available

OLED vs. LED: Which Is Better For You in 2024?

Your unique needs, location, budget, and the content you intend to view will help you determine whether you should consider OLED or LED. Let’s examine the top features in a showdown between these two popular choices.

Black Level

Winner: OLED

Characteristics

Even with advanced dimming, LED TVs can have light bleed, making blacks appear more like dark gray. OLED’s ability to control light on a per-pixel basis gives it an edge in producing deeper, more realistic blacks.

There can only be one winner here. 4K OLED TVs have a reputation for producing stunning 4K OLED TVs, one area where LED cannot compete.

Samsung’s affordable OLED | Source: Samsung

Brightness

Winner: LED

Characteristics

LED TVs can reach much higher brightness levels than OLED, making them ideal for bright rooms or outdoor use. Although newer models of OLED TVs are improving brightness, they still can’t match the peak brightness of LED TVs.

However, OLED’s deep blacks can create a striking contrast with its brightness, making it a very close call between the two.

Still, LED TVs are undoubtedly better for brightness. Both technologies offer sufficient brightness for most indoor settings, but LEDs have the upper hand in very bright environments.

Natural Colors in Samsung LEDs. Source: Samsung

Color Space

Winner: Tie

Characteristics

OLED once led this category, but with advancements like quantum dots, LED TVs have caught up in color accuracy, brightness, and volume.

OLED and LED TVs now support features like Wide Color Gamut and HDR. While OLED’s superior contrast gives it an edge in HDR in dark rooms, premium LED TVs excel in producing vibrant, saturated colors at higher brightness levels that OLED can’t reach.

When it comes to color space, it’s a draw between OLED and LED. Both technologies now offer excellent color performance, depending on the viewing environment.

Response Time, Refresh Rate & Input Lag

Winner: OLED

Characteristics

OLED has the advantage here because it offers near-instant response times under one millisecond, resulting in clearer images during fast scenes. While LED can reach higher refresh rates, like 360Hz, OLED’s 240Hz is more than enough for most users.

OLED and LED TVs can provide low input lag, especially in gaming modes. But OLED’s faster response times and motion clarity make it better for gaming and fast-moving content.

Viewing Angles

Winner: OLED

Characteristics

Once again, OLED has a clear advantage in terms of viewing angles. OLED TVs offer consistent image quality with minimal color, contrast, or brightness loss, even from extreme side angles.

Each pixel in an OLED display emits its light, ensuring excellent performance from almost any position in the room. In contrast, LED TVs can suffer from color shifting and contrast loss when viewed off-center.

OLED is the clear winner here. While some LED TVs with IPS panels perform better, they still fall short of OLED. OLED provides a more consistent experience across all angles for rooms with wide seating or multiple viewers.

Size

Winner: LED

Characteristics

OLED TVs, while offering superior picture quality, have a more limited range, typically starting at 42 inches and going up to 88 inches.

OLED sizes are expanding, but producing large OLED panels remains more expensive. LED TVs are more affordable and widely available for giant screens, while OLED excels in the standard sizes, especially for premium viewing.

LED TVs secure a win here due to the affordability and availability of screens up to over 100 inches in size.

Panel Thickness

Winner: OLED

Characteristics

OLED panels are extremely thin, often just a few millimeters thick, giving them a sleek, minimalist design that looks great on the wall. The display portion can be as thin as 2.57mm, though the bottom section housing electronics is slightly thicker.

In contrast, LED TVs are generally thicker due to the need for a backlight, with depths ranging from 1 to 3 inches.

OLED’s ultra-thin profile makes it perfect for wall-mounting.

Lifespan & Reliability

Winner: LED

Characteristics

LED displays generally last longer and are more reliable than OLEDs. While modern OLEDs have improved, they are still more prone to burn-in and faster wear.

LED displays also withstand harsh conditions better, making them ideal for industrial and outdoor use. Overall, LED technology tends to last longer, but both displays can serve consumers well before they become outdated.

LED TVs win this category for their durable reputation. However, I have a few reservations about the lifespan of OLED TVs after joining the many users online who tried to fix a mainboard failure using a hairdryer and even an oven.

Price

Winner: LED

Characteristics

LED TVs can be found at budget-friendly prices of under $500. Large LED TVs are also much more affordable. OLED TVs are considered premium TVs with a superior picture and thinner, sleeker design. But this means that even the smaller models will begin at around $1,200. While OLED prices have been decreasing, they remain higher overall.

LED TVs generally have a clear price advantage over OLED. LED TVs offer more affordable options for those on a budget, whereas OLED delivers superior picture quality at premium prices.

OLED vs. LED: Overall Winner

Winner: Tie

There is no definitive “better” option between OLED and LED TVs. Each excels in different areas.

You Should Buy an OLED Display or Device If

OLED offers superior black levels, contrast, viewing angles, and faster response times, making it ideal for dark room viewing and fast-moving content like gaming.
It also has a sleek, flexible design.
Ultimately, OLED TVs provide a stunning performance at a premium price.

So, if you have the budget available, it’s the perfect TV for your living room, but as a secondary TV set, it might be overkill or even decadence, depending on your viewpoint.

You Should Buy an LED Display or Device If

LED TVs deliver higher peak brightness
They come at more affordable prices, especially for larger screens
Generally, they have a longer lifespan with less risk of burn-in.

LED also provides a wider range of sizes, making it perfect for your secondary TV set.

Screen Showdown: LED vs. OLED vs. QLED

When comparing LED vs. OLED vs. QLED, LED is reliable, affordable, and long-lasting. OLED offers stunning contrast and deep blacks but has a shorter lifespan and risks burn-in. QLED, a variant of LED, uses quantum dots for brighter colors and better brightness, especially in well-lit rooms.

Settling the debates around which is better, LED, OLED, or QLED, depends on your use case.

OLED is better for deep contrast and cinematic visuals.
QLED is ideal for bright environments and vibrant colors.
LED is a cost-effective, durable choice for general viewing.

The best option depends on your priorities in picture quality, longevity, and budget.

Full-Array LED vs. OLED

In full-array LED vs. OLED, LED offers better brightness and improved backlighting for more uniform images, but OLED still provides superior contrast and black levels since each pixel emits its own light. OLED is the winner for picture quality, while full-array LED is more budget-friendly and offers good performance in bright settings.

OLED vs. Mini LED

What is Mini LED vs. OLED? Mini-LED is capable of much higher contrast between the lightest and darkest parts of an image. This means that the blacks will look blacker, and whites will look even brighter, which is causing considerable excitement in the industry.

The Bottom Line

The choice between the two depends on your preferences. OLED is typically superior for picture quality in dark rooms. For bright environments or budget concerns, LED might be the better option. Both technologies have narrowed the performance gap, especially with advancements like mini-LED in high-end LED models.

Ultimately, your choice between LED vs. OLED should be a balance of personal preference with practical considerations like viewing environment, budget, and warranty protection.