At the present, OLED and LCD are the two most popular screen technologies. They are dominating television and mobiles market. So, which technology is better? 

OLED and LCD: The differences

One of the differences between OLED and LCD is the contrast ratio. That is the ratio between the “darkest black” and the “brightest white” the screen can create. (white:black). As for OLED, it is better in viewing black colors. In contrast, LCD is better in viewing white colors. However, the smaller black level will result in the bigger value of contrast ratio. So, with a very small level of black (near zero), an OLED screen will have a huge contrast ratio which is bigger than a LCD screen’s.

Besides a higher contrast ratio, an OLED screen also comes with more enhanced features than a LCD screen. It is thinner, lighter, more flexible, and more sensitive. That’s why some smartphone manufacturers such as LG and Samsung are using OLED screens to develop flexible smartphones. Most importantly, OLED screens provide better viewing angles (170 degrees) and higher contrast than LCD screens.

However, at the same level of the brightness, a LCD screen uses less power than an OLED screen. That means your smartphone can work longer if it comes with a LCD screen. With high brightness, LCD screen is also better for outdoor usage. Besides, LCD’s production cost is less than OLED’s. For example, a 50-inch LCD screen costs around $500 while an OLED screen price is 5 times higher (about $2500).

OLED and LCD : Conclusion

As you can see, the OLED screen outshines its rival LCD in almost factors. However, the production cost is the biggest limitation of this screen type. This screen technology is still in research process to reduce cost, so we can expect that OLED screens will be cheaper in the future. On the other hand, LCD screens will save the power and display images better when you are outdoor. Most importantly, LCD screens are cheaper than OLED screens. That’s why LCD screens still exist in televisions and mobiles market. As a result, choosing LCD or OLED will depend on your usage as well as your budget.