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LED and OLED televisions - what to ask before you buy

If you're confused about what type of TV to buy, here are some suggestions to help you understand a bit more about LED and OLED televisions.

Note: The questions raised here apply specifically to LED and/or OLED televisions. For more general questions to consider when buying a television, see our section on flat screen tvs.

If you're considering 3D, see our question lists for 3D televisions.

Click on a question below for more information.

Comparison: What's the difference between LCD, LED and OLED televisions?
Cost: How much do the LED and OLED televisions cost?
Quality: Are LED and OLED televisions actually better?

1. What's the difference between LCD, LED and OLED televisions?

Make sure your seller knows the difference.

LCD

In an ordinary LCD tv, the screen display light is provided by cold cathode fluorescent (CCF) tubes behind the screen.

LED

An LED television is essentially and LCD but instead of CCF, the light is provided by LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) to provide the colour and contrast. With LEDs there is no need for the fluorescent 'backlighting' required for LCDs, which can cause a slight unevenness of colour and contrast. Instead the manufacturer can use 'edge lighting' which enables the screen to be thinner than a standard LCD screen.
The display of black on LED screens using edge lighting may not be really true black because the edge lighting must remain on to illuminate the other pixels and some of this light 'seeps' into the black areas.
There can also be a loss of 'uniformity' of light across the screen when edge lighting is used. However, the. LEDs can be used across the screen, in a similar way to CCF, which makes for a more even display but will increase the thickness of the TV.
Find out if the LED TV you are considering has its lighting at the edge or across the screen.

OLED

OLED uses a different kind of LED (the 'O' stands for 'organic', meaning carbon based). These OLEDs provide their own light across the screen, so no edge lighting is required... and wherever a dark black is required on screen, the light can be turned off completely, resulting in exceptional contrast and true black.
Because neither fluorescent nor edge lighting is required in an OLED tv, the screen can be extremely thin - perhaps only a few millimeters.

2. How much do the LED and OLED televisions cost?

These televisions are expensive. The OLED in particular is not yet made for a mass market so its cost is still high.

Make sure you compare the cost of LED and OLEDs with existing LCD and Plasma televisions, to determine if the improved display is worth the extra cash.

Specifically, look for good contrast, intensity of colour and black, and power usage.

3. Are LED and OLED televisions actually better than LCDs?

LEDs and OLEDs will cost a lot more than the average LCD television, at least in the short term.
Both LED and OLEDs are more energy efficient and cheaper to run than LCDs.
They produce less heat than LCDs.
OLEDs have a fast refresh rate - this makes motion video smoother and easier to watch.
While LEDs don't contain the mercury vapour used in LCDs, they still contain toxic chemicals such as arsenic, so from an environmental standpoint, they are not much of an improvement.
LEDs and OLEDs are likely to be thinner than a similar LCD.
While LEDs and OLEDs use less power than LCDs, they also cost a lot more to buy.
LEDs may suffer from an uneven light display from the edge lighting, while OLEDs are evenly lit because they have a light source for every pixel on the screen.
LEDs and OLEDs will have better, more intense black and contrast compared with LCDs, but OLEDs will have the most intense black because the individual light sources can be turned completely off if a dark black is required.
LEDs and OLEDs are lighter in weight than LCDs because they don't require the CCF backlighting.
OLEDs are more flexible and therefore better resistant to shock and twisting.
OLEDs are more tolerant to temperature changes.
OLEDs generally have a wide viewing angle.

Compare the prices and the actual screens you are considering, to determine that you're getting value for money.