Introduction

There was a time when televisions used to be big and bulky boxes with Cathode Ray Tubes (CRT). But technology has evolved so much that most of us don’t even remember them. The “idiot box” is no longer a box; it's more like a rectangle now with LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) technology taking over. 

Presently, there are two leading and premium TV technologies available - QLED (Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode) and OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). With many companies offering products in both technologies, selecting the one that suits your needs and requirements can be confusing and even intimidating.

In this blog, we will explain all of the differences between QLED and OLED technologies, and what are their advantages and disadvantages, so that you can make an informed decision. Let’s dive right in.

What is a QLED TV?

Let’s start with QLED (Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode). These TVs incorporate quantum dot colour technology into their screens. Quantum dots are nanocrystals that emit different colours when exposed to light. Essentially, it is an LCD screen that relies on LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) that have quantum dots. It is this layer or screen of quantum dots that enables a QLED TV to produce a wider and brighter range of colours compared to a regular LED TV. 

What is an OLED TV?

OLED TVs use a completely different technology called Organic Light Emitting Diode, which gives them their name. While a QLED TV needs a backlight to illuminate its pixels, the OLED doesn’t need any backlight. Because each sub-pixel in an OLED panel can emit its own light. This gives better and more precise colour control to OLED TVs. Moreover, the lack of a source of backlight can make them extremely thin.  

QLED vs. OLED: Quick summary of the TV technologies

The table below shows the strengths and weaknesses based on a few important parameters that you should consider before deciding on which type of TV to buy. You can even rank your favourite models based on their performance in the parameters mentioned in the table. 

Now that you have a fundamental understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of both QLED and OLED technologies, let’s dive a bit deeper into each of these parameters.

QLED vs. OLED: Contrast and Black Levels

This is an area where OLED reigns supreme, even though a few high-end QLEDs can come close. The pixels in OLEDs are self-illuminating and can turn off completely. This unique ability allows OLED TVs to produce perfect black levels and infinite contrast ratio. 

On the other hand, QLED TVs require a backlight source. This causes black levels to increase and give out a greyish or bluish appearance. It makes the images look washed out and milky, especially when you are watching TV with the lights off. Some high-end QLED TVs with local dimming can reduce this effect to a large extent, but not completely. 

QLED vs. OLED: Brightness

Brightness is one area where QLED TVs hold the upper hand. In the TV industry, each brightness is measured by a unit called “nit”. The more “nit” units a TV can produce, the brighter its images. 

This is where things get a bit technical and maybe a bit complicated. Entry-level QLED TVs can produce 250-400 nits of brightness, while entry-level OLED TVs can produce 500-700 nits. In the mid-range, QLED TVs produce 600-1500 nits, while OLED TVs produce 800-1200 nits. It is in the high-end that QLED TVs really shine bright, literally with 2000-3000+ nits, while even the very best OLED TVs can produce only 1400-1700 nits. 

High brightness is very useful if you are watching TV in a room that lets in a lot of light. Increasing the brightness will help eliminate glares and reflections. 

QLED vs. OLED: Colour Performance

Colour is an area where both QLED and OLED TVs offer very similar performance. However, QLED TVs have a slight edge in this department. Let us tell you why.

High-end QLED TVs offer a wide spectrum of colours and a very high colour volume, thanks to quantum dot technology. Both these qualities enable QLED TVs to offer very bright colours when needed. OLED TVs can produce a wide spectrum of colours, even without quantum dot technology. But the compromise is that they cannot offer the same level of colour volume as that of QLED TVs with quantum dot technology.

What this means to you as a user is that in an OLED TV, some very bright colours would look a bit dimmer or would not look as bright. Whereas a high-end QLED TV can offer a near-perfect vibrancy of colour.

QLED vs. OLED: Viewing Angles

There are several areas in which OLED TVs excel when compared to QLEDs. Thanks to their technology, OLED TVs offer better viewing angles than even the best QLED TVs. As a viewer, you can sit off to the side of an OLED TV and experience excellent picture quality without noticeable changes in colour or contrast.

QLED TVs struggle with this big time, and entry-level models can't even come close to OLED TVs in this department. While image quality will be great with QLED TVs when viewed from the centre, colours will start to fade and black levels will distort as soon as you start moving to the sides. There are certain QLED panel types and screen filters that can reduce this problem, but only to a limited extent. 

QLED vs. OLED: Burn-in

Burn-in is a problem that happens to a display when a static image is left unchanged on the screen for an extended period. Once it happens, a faint outline of the image gets stuck on the display, which affects picture quality and viewing pleasure.

Burn-ins are not considered a risk for QLED TVs even though they are not 100% protected from it. However, they are a risk factor for OLED TVs in extreme cases. But that should not be a deal breaker for you, as all OLED TVs have features designed to reduce the risk of burn-ins built into them. They include logo dimmers, pixel shift modes, and pixel refreshers.     

QLED vs OLED: Price

Now for the deal-breaking aspect of TV, the cost. QLED TVs are available in a wider range of budgets with a lot more affordable entry-level and mid-range options. However, OLED TVs usually cost more. QLED TVs start from QAR 499, but they can go all the way up to QAR 21,999 depending on the size and brand. Meanwhile, OLED TVs are available from QAR 14,499, going all the way up to QAR 24,999.  

One important thing to keep in mind is that different QLED TVs will offer varying levels of image quality, especially depending on the segment and budget class. The more you pay, the better the image quality. But with OLED TVs, the difference in image quality and picture performance is a lot less substantial. You pay more for the size and brand. 

Which One You Should Buy

Both QLED and OLED TVs have their set of positives and negatives. While OLED TVs offer better contrast and viewing angles, QLED TVs provide better brightness and colour volume. But your decision should be based on your unique needs, requirements, the space where you intend to place the TV, and most importantly, how much money you are willing to spend. 

Here are some pointers to help you choose between an OLED and a QLED TV.

Why Jumbo Souq?

No matter which TV you decide to buy, there is no need to ponder about where to buy it from. It is Jumbo Souq and here is why.

Being the trusted name in Qatar’s customer electronics segment for nearly four decades, there is no better place for you to buy TVs from. Moreover, we offer a wide range of both OLED and QLED TVs in a wide spectrum of sizes and specifications, all at affordable prices.

We have 12 stores all across Qatar where our experienced staff will help you choose the best TVs and other electronic items according to your needs. We also offer exclusive deals to ensure that our customers get the best value for their purchase. You can make any purchase from Jumbo Souq with complete peace of mind, as the warranties and after-sales service we provide are unmatched. 

Checkout our TV varieties:

1. LED Smart TV in Qatar

2. NanoCell LG TV in Qatar

3. QNED TV Online in Qatar

4. UHD TV Online in Qatar

So whenever you think of electronics, think of Jumbo Souq.