LCD vs LED
If you are in the market for a new television or computer monitor, chances are that you are wondering about the differences between LCD vs LED displays, and that’s how you ended up on this page. The world of flat screen TVs and monitors is a rapidly changing one and unless you are an expert in the field, it can get pretty confusing. For decades, the only choice that we were faced with was which brand of CRT television or monitor to buy. Sure as the years progressed we had to keep up with things like 720p vs 1080p vs 1080i, LCD vs LED, but the choices were still pretty simple. Then came along Plasma TVs and the choices began to get a little bit more complicated, and customers were now faced with the question “Plasma vs LCD”. Plasma and LCD displays dominated the market for quite some time, however the manufacturers were hard at work developing even more advanced technologies.
LCD vs LED – Introducing “LED LCD”
The next innovation introduced by manufacturers was to use LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) in TVs and monitors, as a source for lighting. That is the major difference when talking about LCD vs LED. This is where things began to get confusing for a lot of folks looking to buy a good quality flat screen display. By now many people were at least somewhat familiar with LCD displays, and probably also familiar with LEDs, but had no idea how these 2 technologies existed in a television or monitor together. In fact, it is fairly common for people to think that there is a “LED TV” that exists without a LCD display. Or maybe they even think that LEDs are used in Plasma TVs. (Plasma TVs don’t even require a “light source” because the electrically charged gases produce their own light, but that’s another subject)
LCD vs LED – difference between old CRTs and LCDs
So the question on your mind is “What’s the difference between LCD vs LED?” Flat screen LCDs use what are called CCFLs, which are essentially fluorescent bulbs, to illuminate the images on the LCD display. You see the acronym “LCD” stands for “Liquid crystal display” and is only describing one aspect of the TV or computer monitor, “the display”. What I mean by the “display”, is the actual screen where the images are viewed. But LCD vs LED is referring to something else. An LCD TV or computer monitor requires a lighting source, so you can see the images on the LCD display. Without a lighting source, you would not be able to see the images. This is where the terms “Back-Lit” or “Edge-Lit” come in to being. The first generation of “Back-Lit” LCD Flat Screen TVs and monitors used CCFLs (fluorescent bulbs) to illuminate the images on the LCD display. (Remember, you need light to see the images on the LCD display) This allows for TV screens to be much larger, lighter, and thinner. (Flat Screen) Although the first generation of LCD Flat Screen displays that use CCFLs (fluorescent bulbs) are pretty cool, manufacturers knew they could produce a unit that was much more energy efficient, much lighter, much thinner, and would produce a much higher quality image. One of the problems with using CCFLs in a TV or monitor, is that there is “light leakage”. Another difference between LCD vs LED. This means that when you want to project a true black color, CCFL LCDs tend to show gray, because light leaks through. This means you have poor contrast.
LED LCD – The Best Displays So Far
What “LCD vs LED” really means is “LED LCD vs CCFL LCD”. So the LED TVs that you have been hearing about, or maybe already saw at Best Buy, are still LCD type TVs. LED LCDs are the next generation of LCD TV that is taking LCD TVs to the next level, with better picture quality, “local dimming” capabilities, lower power consumption, thinner and lighter displays, and longer lasting performance. This is achieved because instead of using a CCFL to light the LCD screen, you now have a much smaller, more controlled light source called a LED. If you have looked at flat panel TVs or monitors at Best Buy or Walmart lately and noticed that some of them are extremely thin, chances are that you were looking at a LED LCD display. Leading manufacturers like Samsung and LG are creating screens that are just 3/16ths of an inch thick, and even thinner.
LCD vs LED – LED LCDs Are Still A Little Pricey (But Getting Cheaper)
The only downside to this relatively new technology (LCD vs LED) is the fact that they tend to be the more expensive option when it comes to large displays, say 42″ and above. The price difference is much less in the smaller size computer monitors. In fact you can pick up a very nice quality LED LCD computer monitor for a couple hundred bucks, especially if you find one on sale. The good news is that the prices are coming down pretty fast and as manufacturers begin rolling out other types of displays like OLEDs, LED LCDs are going to be more affordable than ever. Just this last year, the sale prices on various LED LCDs were unbelievably inexpensive, and we are not talking about “cheap TVs” either. Many sale price LED LCDs have a more advanced refresh rate, 1080p Full HD resolution, integrated internet TV, and many more bells and whistles.
LCD vs LED – The Future Is Bright For LED LCD
Even though LG and Samsung are introducing a 55″ OLED TV in 2012 that promises to be absolutely amazing, LED LCDs are here to stay for quite a while. There is no word on how much a OLED TVs are going to cost, but you can bet they won’t be cheap. Some rumors state that the first 55″ OLED HDTV may run $5,000 or more. Given the fact that you can buy a “top of the line LED LCD” for less than $2,000, I think it’s safe to say that you will be seeing quite a few of them in America’s living rooms for years to come. You can also bet that the next big question will not be LCD vs LED, but OLED vs LED.
