There are a lot of words and abbreviations that get thrown around by television manufacturers these days. These phrases represent various features that the TVs have. However, many manufacturers create their own terminology to confuse buyers. Neo QLED and OLED are just two terms that are used to distinguish the type of lighting in a TV.
In short, OLED is considered the “gold standard” for TV lighting because each pixel is individually lit. Neo QLED, on the other hand, is a term created by Samsung to refer to their quantum dot technology which uses mini-LED rather than the larger LEDs found in other QLED TVs.
If you’re still a little confused, don’t worry! We’re going to cover all the differences between Neo QLED and OLED TVs. Let’s get into everything you need to know!
Neo QLED vs. OLED: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Neo QLED | OLED | |
|---|---|---|
| Backlight? | Yes | No |
| Burn-in Risk | Low | High |
| Good in Bright Rooms? | Yes | No |
| Manufacturers | Samsung | Samsung, LG, Sony, and more |
| Technology | Quantum Dot | Organic LED |
Neo QLED vs. OLED: What’s the Difference?
Let’s first start with the similarities before getting into the differences. Both TV types use an LCD panel and are backlit with LEDs. To provide some context, older LCD TVs from the late 2000s and early 2010s used an LCD panel that was backlit with a fluorescent lamp. That is why those TVs were so much larger and heavier than modern LED TVs.
It is important to distinguish older LCD TVs because newer LED TVs still use LCD panels. This really helps illustrate how convoluted the names of TV technology can be. Making matters worse, TV manufacturers will literally create abbreviations to help distinguish their products from their competitors. That desire to stand out is leading to even more confusion between technologies.
Neo QLED
Neo QLED is a term used exclusively by Samsung to distinguish between their new and existing QLED technologies. Samsung already has a line of QLED televisions that rely on quantum dot technology. However, this new version uses much smaller LEDs that give the TV more dimming zones, which allows for much better blacks.
Dimming zones have become an increasingly important topic for television buyers. To put it simply, a TV’s backlight can be split into segments that can be individually turned on or off. When a part of the screen is supposed to be black, the LEDs in the segment will turn off. As technology has improved, manufacturers have been able to pack in more dimming zones than ever.
Neo QLED TVs have many more dimming zones than traditional LED TVs that support local dimming and even the amount in regular QLED TVs. The exact amount of dimming zones will vary by screen size, with larger TVs having more zones. The other major difference between Samsung’s Neo QLED and their regular QLED is that the new TVs use a more powerful processor to control all the extra dimming zones.
- Powered by a huge grid of Samsung’s ultra precise Quantum Mini LEDs
- With Quantum HDR 32X and its wide range of vivid shades of color, you’ll discover all the nuances in the latest movies and shows made for High Dynamic Range
- The Neo Quantum Processor 4K uses AI based deep learning to analyze your content and optimize it to full 4K
- You’ve got the best view from every seat. Designed to reduce glare and deliver brilliant color across your screen, Ultra Viewing Angle makes sure you’ve got amazing picture quality, from virtually anywhere in the room
QLED
Now that you know that Neo QLED is just a more advanced version of QLED technology, let’s take a look at what QLED actually is. It relies on tiny LEDs behind the panel to light the LCD display. Therefore, you get the benefits of a QLED TV, such as wider color ranges and a brighter picture, while also getting good blacks and dimming.
OLED
OLED TVs have been the gold standard for a number of years now, and they are drastically coming down in price. They do not use a backlight; instead, each pixel serves as its own lighting source. Previous LCD and LED TVs used an LCD panel that was very dim, so they needed lighting behind them to illuminate the picture.
The benefit of lighting each pixel individually is that they can be turned on or off to achieve complete darkness. The downside, however, is that most OLED TVs cannot get as bright as their QLED counterparts. This may be problematic in rooms that are bright or get lots of sunlight. Similarly, they are unable to produce the number of colors that a QLED TV could.
One last problem to consider with OLED TVs is burn-in. This is when part of a picture gets permanently embedded in the display. This is typically caused by leaving the screen on one thing for too long. Therefore, they are a bad choice for computer monitors. With all that said, OLED TVs still offer exceptional picture quality in a razor-thin frame.
©Grzegorz Czapski/Shutterstock.com
Alternatives
One last thing to consider is some of the unique terms that other TV manufacturers use. For example, there is XLED, ULED, and nanocell. These are all proprietary terms that manufacturers use for their technologies. In most cases, these are very similar to QLED technology, but they may not use as small of LEDs as true QLED TVs.
Neo QLED vs. OLED: 5 Must-Know Facts
- Samsung is the only manufacturer of Neo QLED TVs.
- Neo QLED TVs are not susceptible to burn-in like OLED TVs.
- OLED TVs do not use a backlight.
- Neo QLED TVs have more dimming zones than regular QLED TVs.
- OLED TVs are razor-thin compared to Neo QLED.
Neo QLED vs. OLED: Which One is Better?
Neo QLED and OLED each have their own advantages and disadvantages that you should weigh out. Additionally, you need to look at both TV types carefully with your own eyes to see if one looks better. Some people like the brightness of QLED TVs, while others prefer the super deep blacks that OLEDs provide.
However, you should also consider some other factors, such as cost. Both of these TV types are pretty expensive, so it is not like you will want to replace them in a year or two. Ideally, you should try to find someone who has a NEO QLED or OLED TV in their house to look at. If that is not possible, look at them in a store, but keep in mind that the store’s lights mess with the picture.
Also, TVs at most stores are in a demo mode which turns up certain parameters to get bold colors in contrast. They are also fed video signals in the best format possible. Keep this in mind because the TV’s picture will look very different when it is in your house and hooked up to cable or satellite.
You can’t go wrong with either TV, but Neo QLED is probably the better option since you won’t have to worry about burn-in, and it will perform better in bright rooms.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Chikena/Shutterstock.com.
