HDR Plus vs. Quantum HDR: Key Differences and Full Comparison

With advancements in TV technology coming very rapidly, it can be hard to keep up with the latest craze. Add in some creative marketing that designates new terms for existing technology, and you can quickly become lost in a sea of confusion. Just one example of that is HDR Plus and Quantum HDR technology.

Both HDR Plus and Quantum HDR are not official terms, but are instead terms used primarily by marketing departments to describe why one company’s products are better than another. You’ve probably heard of HDR, which allows for a wider variety of colors. Below we will cover the official technologies and standards, as well as some of the unique phrasing.

HDR Plus vs. Quantum HDR: Side-By-Side Comparison

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09/28/2023 09:37 am GMT

HDR Plus vs. Quantum HDR: What’s the Difference?

The main difference between HDR Plus and Quantum HDR is that HDR Plus refers to a color gamut standard, whereas Quantum HDR refers to backlighting technology. The two things can exist side by side on the same TV. However, you should still pay careful attention to what both have to offer and understand the limitations of each.

Picture

The main difference between HDR Plus and Quantum HDR is going to be the picture. HDR 10+ and Quantum HDR can technically exist side by side. Therefore you should look at both technologies separately and understand what each has to offer. For instance, many of the higher-end TVs available in the market today will have both Quantum Dot and HDR 10+ technology.

What’s most important to understand is that Quantum Dot specifically refers to the type of lighting that the TV uses. In comparison, HDR refers to the color gamut a TV is capable of producing. When these two technologies are put together, what you end up with is a phenomenal picture that offers both contrast as well as vivid colors.

HDR Technology

Unlike other parts of TV technology, like resolution and refresh rates, there is no officially accepted definition for HDR. HDR, or High Dynamic Range, specifically refers to how wide the color gamut is on a TV, and its presence indicates that a TV is just capable of higher ranges than the ones without the designation. Most newer televisions offer some form of HDR, but the degree of which can vary.

The use of the term HDR isn’t heavily regulated, so it is often used as a blanket term by TV manufacturers to upsell their products. However, other terms like HDR 10 do have official criteria, and it is even regulated by the UHD Alliance and Consumer Electronics Association. Most HDR TVs do comply with the HDR 10 designation; however, some higher-end models go a step further.

There are quite a few proprietary HDR technologies and standards, such as Dolby Vision, Dolby Vision IQ HDR 10+ and HDR 10+ Adaptive. As for HDR Plus, the term is likely being used interchangeably with HDR 10+, which was developed in part by Samsung. Although developed by Samsung, the technology is licensed to other companies, so you can find HDR 10+ on other TVs.

Quantum Dot Technology

The words Quantum Dot and Quantum HDR refers to Quantum LED or QLED for short. You’ve probably at least heard of the term QLED as it is used by many TV manufacturers. The technology has been around for a little while now, and it produces some of the best pictures available. What makes QLED stand out is its bright colors and vibrant darks.

QLED TVs work by having a large LED array directly behind the display. This allows the TV to achieve great local dimming compared to older options. These older TVs would use larger LEDs or even a fluorescent panel to light up the display. However, the more LEDs present means the more local zones you can achieve.

Now what that means for you is portions of the TV will be able to get absolutely black like that of an OLED. We’ll get into OLED technology in a minute, but the takeaway is that Quantum Dot and HDR technology can work hand in hand to provide a great picture. Even better is that Quantum Dot technology is improving vastly and is getting very competitive with OLED technology.

OLED

It’s worth taking a moment to mention OLED TVs since they are very similar to QLED ones and should be considered. While QLEDs have individual LEDs to backlight their display, OLEDs do not. Instead, OLED TVs have displays that are bright enough not to require backlighting. Similarly, these TVs do offer HDR 10+, and their lighting is arguably better than Quantum Dot’s.

Dolby Vision

One final phrase you may hear people bring up when looking at high-end TVs is Dolby Vision. This isn’t exactly a technology but more so a standard that TVs bearing the name must hold true to. This is very similar to HDR, and it is becoming widely adopted on higher-end models. With it, you can be assured that you’re getting a TV with one of the best image qualities available.

HDR Plus vs. Quantum HDR: 5 Must-Know Facts

• Quantum HDR simply refers to QLED TV technology where small LEDs illuminate the panel.
• TVs can have both HDR plus and quantum HDR, with nearly all QLED TVs having HDR.
• HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which means the TV has a larger color gamut.
• Both HDR Plus and Quantum HDR TVs are typically 4K.
• Some devices, like cable and streaming boxes, will not be able to deliver HDR-quality content.

HDR Plus vs. Quantum HDR: Which One Is Better? Which One Should You Use?

Now it’s time to choose which is better, HDR Plus or Quantum HDR. Fortunately, the decision here is very easy; get both. Because HDR Plus and Quantum HDR are commonly offered together, it’s not that difficult to find a TV that offers both features. Additionally, the cost of getting both technologies on a single TV is pretty affordable.

As TV technology advances, features are added, and prices come down, which greatly helps consumers. With HDR Plus, which, as we’ve noted, refers to HDR 10+, it is very common to find TVs using this Standard. Additionally, you should be on the lookout for TVs that meet other standards, such as Dolby Vision, HLG, or HDR vivid.

As for the Quantum part, this will come down to personal preference, but many people do like QLED technology over OLED technology. The benefit is that you get dark blacks as well as very bright colors. The brightness of QLED combined with the wide range of HDR means you get one of the best pictures available.

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