LED TV, OLED TV, QLED TV… This is the technological and commercial war of the moment in the television market. You don’t understand much about it? And that’s okay! What exactly is a QLED TV? We try to explain it all to you simply.
In order to understand what a QLED TV is – and isn’t – let ‘s first compare it to an LED TV (the most popular and best-selling type of TV) and then to an OLED TV (a more recent for high-end televisions). Let’s go !
1. LED TV: The “classic” TV
LED = Light Emitting Diode = Backlit liquid crystals
It is the most popular TV on the market. The range is very wide, you can find them in all sizes, flat or curved, in all definitions (HD, Full HD, 4k) and at all prices (from entry-level to high-end).
In short, how does an LED TV work?
LED TV is composed of an LCD liquid crystal panel and an LED backlight.
NB: Before the advent of LED TV, we had LCD TVs, which always consisted of an LCD screen but with a neon-based backlight (CCFL), thicker than LEDs and with less efficiency.
The LCD panel is made up of red, green and blue pixels. And behind these pixels (and/or on the edge of the panel) are placed “white” LED bulbs which produce light. For an LED TV to display an image, the LCD panel must be (back)lit with LEDs.
Results ?
The performance of LED TVs is therefore variable. High-end LED TVs offer very high quality.
2. OLED TV: Another LG technology
OLED = Organic Light Emitting Diode = Light emitting diodes
If there is however only one small additional letter, OLED technology is very different from LED technology.
The OLED screen is exclusively manufactured by LG and marketed by other brands like Sony, Philips or Panasonic . TVs with OLED panels are all high-end televisions.
The vast majority of OLED televisions have a 4K UHD definition and a minimum size of 55 inches (134 cm).
In short, how does an OLED TV work?
The OLED TV is neither composed of an LCD screen nor an LED backlight (no longer needed!). The back of the OLED display is actually lined with light-emitting diodes (made up of pixels) that emit their own light. On the OLED, each pixel is an LED that emits its own light and can be switched on independently.
Results ?
To display black, it’s simple, all the pixels turn off. We can’t do better! The image is therefore strongly contrasted. In addition, the responsiveness of the panel can be excellent for moving images (action movies, sports, video games), depending on the quality of the processors used for this purpose. And on the design side, the fact that OLED TVs do not have a backlight system allows them to gain in screen finesse.
3. QLED TV: Another new technology?
QLED = Quantum-dot Light Emitting Diode = Backlit liquid crystals + a film of nanocrystals
QLED is a technology registered by Samsung, in direct competition with LG’s OLED. OLED – QLED, all the same? Well not at all, another fake friend…
Unlike OLED, QLED TV is part of the LED TV family. But we are talking about high-end LED TVs here. It’s actually Samsung’s top-of-the-range TV. There are also QLED TVs at TCL. All QLED TVs have 4K UHD definition and a minimum size of 49 inches (123 cm).
NB: Quantum Dot technology is not completely new to Samsung. Rather, it is an evolution of the SUHD.
QLED TV: So what is the difference with a classic LED TV?
QLED TVs therefore remain LED LCD TVs (advanced).
The technology is actually based on nano liquid crystals (metal alloy) called Quantum Dots (or quantum dots). These do not create the image but help to make the backlight more effective.
Concretely, a film of nano crystals is inserted between the LEDs and the LCD panel. And it comes to boost the red and green colors on the screen.
Results ?
Compared to a conventional LED TV (entry or mid-range), the colorimetric spectrum is wider and fairer, the colors have more tones (64 x more colors), are more intense, the rendering is brighter, the blacks and the whites are better balanced. Another advantage is that the image is constant regardless of the viewing angle.
OLED vs. QLED
We are not going to list here all the criteria which make it possible to differentiate between an OLED TV image and a QLED TV image. What you have to understand is that we are talking here about high-end televisions and two competing brands that are fighting a technological battle (because we have two different display technologies).
4. Samsung’s QLED technology in detail
Now that you understand what a QLED TV is, we can go into the details of its technical characteristics. Samsung’s QLED TV is based on three pillars: Q PICTURE, Q STYLE and Q SMART.
Q Picture: Pure light for perfect colors
It is the light that defines the color. And QLED offers better contrast (very white whites and very black blacks) as well as a much larger color space and volume than on a conventional LED TV. A QLED TV can display 99% of the DCI color space (reference space used by filmmakers). In translation, a QLED TV can render 100% of colors at every level of brightness.
In addition, the viewing angle is better than on a conventional LED TV thanks to the completely redesigned structure of the panel.
The Samsung pitch
With the QLED range, no more compromises. In the dark as in the middle of the afternoon, in the brightest and darkest scenes, the image quality will always be impeccable. Whether it’s colors, blacks, brightness, viewing angles, QLED will make you forget everything you thought you knew. There is no picture more realistic than that of QLED TVs.
“ Quantum Dots are nano-particles that transform light into billions of colors. Like diamonds, Quantum Dots are inorganic materials that do not change over time and guarantee perfect image quality.”
- Q Color : 100% Color volume
- Q Contrast : Perfect contrasts whatever the light conditions
- Q HDR 1500 : See even the smallest details like in the cinema
- Q Viewing angle : The best image from any viewing angle
Q Style: Enhance your interior
We’ve talked about image quality, but QLED is also a “style” of TV.
QLED TVs are compatible with the Connect Box , Samsung’s remote box that allows you to “cleanly” connect all your devices and thus avoid a mess of cables. You therefore connect your TV to this box, itself connected to your TV via an “invisible cable”, that is to say a fiberglass cable of a few millimeters. The power cable, white and thin, is also discreet.
o mount the QLED TV on the wall, Samsung provides an ultra-thin mounting system that leaves no space between the screen and the wall. Installation is simple and only takes 15 minutes. It is also possible to use different types of universal wall brackets. And if you prefer not to wall-mount your TV, no problem, Samsung has released a range of compatible stands and brackets .
Finally, the QLED TV has an advanced standby mode (ambient mode).
No more big black screen when the TV is off, you can choose to display content or images of your choice (personal photos, news notifications, reproduction of the color and patterns of your wall, etc.)
The Samsung pitch
“The QLED range lets you assert your style. Whether you choose to literally attach it to the wall with the wall hook or present it on one of the compatible design feet, it will look just like you. But above all, it will make all the cables disappear with its ‘One Connect’ box and its invisible cable. And the universal remote control will replace all the others that were lying around on the table until now. Style, without compromise. »
- Invisible connection : a single cable to replace all the others
- An ultra-thin wall hook for perfect & ultra-fast integration (less than 15 min)
- Personalize your TV with a range of ultra-design stands/brackets
- Ambient Mode : Make the black screen disappear as you wish by displaying decorative content, your personal photos or news notifications.
Q Smart: Control all your devices and content with its unique remote control
Last pillar of QLED TVs: connected and smart TV .
Thanks to the universal remote control supplied with the QLED TV, you will be able to control your television as well as all your auxiliary devices. Plus, with voice control, your QLED TV obeys your voice.
The smart TV interface can automatically and quickly detect all connected devices. You will be able to access your applications like Netflix or Youtube. You also benefit from an application that allows you to control the same interface from your smartphone. You can simply navigate from one device to another.
Thanks to the ” SmartThings ” application, you can also control and control the equipment in your connected home (lighting, heating, washing machine, etc.).
The Samsung pitch
“Don’t you understand why the content you like to watch is so easily available on your mobile but not on your TV? Why do you have to change source and remote control to enjoy your TV box? With your QLED TV, find everything you like to watch, right away, and without constraints. Now all your services, all your sources and everything you love is at your fingertips. Enjoy, without compromise »
- A single remote control to control all your devices
- Smart view : Enjoy content from your smartphone on your TV
- Smart Hub : Direct and easy access to all your content