How do I know which type of digital display is best for my use case?
From LCD to dvLED, we know the technology can be confusing. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the five major types of digital displays.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)
With LCD screens,Liquid crystals are sandwiched between two glass sheets. Backlights behind the screen emit white light, and the light can’t pass through the liquid crystals while they’re in a liquid arrangement.
LCD Pros
- A lower price point due to being on the market for a longer period of time.
- Extremely high-resolution technology.
- Can display text, images and video in sharp detail.
- Bright, affordable and reliable.
LCD Cons
- Limited size options.
- Bezels create visible seams when screens are tiled together.
- Serviceability.
LED (Light-Emitting Diode)
Light-Emitting Diodes produce red, green and blue light. By combining and balancing these three primary colors, the user can produce virtually any color on the spectrum.
LED Pros
- Long life span compared to other displays, they are highly reliable and low maintenance.
- Consume less energy and therefore save a lot of power.
- Guarantees optimal viewing conditions at any time of day.
- Better contrast and color quality for sharper image.
LED Cons
- Contrast ratio is not as consistent.
- More expensive than its counterparts.
- Higher risk for image retention/screen burn.
OLED (Organic LED)
OLED is a flat light-emitting technology. “Emissive,” meaning the pixels emit their own light and do not require a backlight.
OLED Pros
- Improved image quality – better contrast, higher brightness, fuller viewing angle, a wider color range and much faster refresh rates.
- Simpler design that enables ultra-thin, flexible, foldable, and transparent displays.
- Better durability – OLEDs are very durable and can operate in a broader temperature range.
- Lower power consumption.
OLED Cons
- Higher cost to produce than LCD & LED.
- Poor sunlight readability. Not recommended for outdoor use.
- Shorter lifetime compared to other displays.
QLED (Quantum Dot LED)
A variation of LED, adding a quantum dot film to the LCD “sandwich,” which enhances the colors and brightness of images. Screens relyon LED backlight.
QLED Pros
- The application of quantum dot technology can result in the production of large, thin, and flexible LCDs, which allows for thinner and lighter displays without sacrificing screen size.
- Wider contrast ratio due to their ability to display deep natural black tones.
- The production of more vibrant and accurate colors offers better color accuracy than conventional LCDs.
- Energy efficient (uses 3-50% less power than LCDs).
QLED Cons
- Slower response time makes QLED unsuitable for applications that require high frame rates.
- “Light bleed” effect, which is visible in certain scenes. There can be a slight haze around bright objects which blurs lines that should be sharp.
- Poor viewing angle. The color and contrast diminishes when a viewer moves away from the center of the screen.
dvLED (Direct View LED)
Hundreds of tiny LEDs mounted directly to a panel and no liquid crystal or polarized glass is used. “Pixel Pitch” is the distance between LEDs; the lower the pixel pitch, the closer the comfortable viewing distance.
dvLED Pros
- No bezels creates a seamless video wall, including curved applications.
- Extremely bright, reliable, energyefficient, and has the best color accuracy and refresh rates.
- Best choice for large-scale and high-impact visual applications.
- Serviceability.
dvLED Cons
- 2-3 times higher cost than LCD.
- Not the best option for ultra-high resolution application, however, advacements in the technology are quickly closing the gap.
- High power consumption.
