LG C1 OLED
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Location of TV
The location of your TV will help you determine which black levels, brightness, and viewing angles will meet your needs.
Black Levels
Poor black levels result in a lack of true black in outer space scenes, dark indoor shots, and end credits. Instead, the blacks appear as more of a gray color.
The dark colors provided by good black levels won't be as visible if you watch your TV in daylight or bright rooms. Good black levels are much more noticeable in low-lit rooms, like a dark family room, bedroom, or theater.
LED
|
Okay
|
|---|---|
|
QLED
|
Okay
|
|
OLED
|
Excellent
|
| Mini-LED | Very Good |
| MicroLED | Excellent |
Brightness
If you are going to be watching TV in daylight or a bright room, choose a TV that can handle higher brightness levels. The brightness of the TV matters most when viewing it in bright lighting conditions since it'll have to compete with other lighting in the room. For example, in a well-lit living room or office, you'd want to use a TV with good brightness levels.
|
LED
|
Good
|
|---|---|
|
QLED
|
Excellent
|
|
OLED
|
Good
|
| Mini-LED | Very Good |
| MicroLED | Excellent |
Light bleed, or backlight bleed, is more noticeable during nighttime viewing or rooms with low light. So if you're planning to put your TV in a dark room, you'll want to get a TV that doesn't have as much light bleed.
You can learn more about backlight bleed in LED TVs.
|
LED
|
Yes
|
|---|---|
|
QLED
|
Yes
|
|
OLED
|
No
|
| Mini-LED | Some |
| MicroLED | No |
Viewing Angles
Are you planning to view your new TV with your family or others in a family room or theater room? If so, you'll likely want to buy a TV with good viewing angles. Wider viewing angles allow you to see the TV at optimal levels (brightness, colors, contrast) even when looking at the TV indirectly. If you are viewing your TV directly straight-on, then better viewing angles won't matter.
|
LED
|
Good
|
|---|---|
|
QLED
|
Good
|
|
OLED
|
Excellent
|
| Mini-LED | Very Good |
| MicroLED | Very Good |
TV Type Comparison
Here we compare all of the qualities of most types of TVs.
|
LED
|
QLED
|
OLED
| Mini-LED | MicroLED | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viewing Angle |
Good
|
Good
|
Excellent
| Very Good | Very Good |
| Black Levels |
Okay
|
Okay
|
Excellent
| Very Good | Excellent |
| Color Accuracy |
Good
|
Excellent
|
Very Good
| Excellent | Excellent |
| Burn-in |
No
|
No
|
Yes
| No | No |
| Brightness |
Good
|
Excellent
|
Good
| Very Good | Excellent |
| Lifespan |
Good
|
Excellent
|
Very Good
| Excellent | Excellent |
| Native Contrast |
Okay
|
Very Good
|
Excellent
| Very Good | Excellent |
| Motion |
Good
|
Good
|
Excellent
| Very Good | Excellent |
| Light Bleed |
Yes
|
Yes
|
No
| Some | No |
| Price | $ | $$ | $$$ | $$$$ | $$$$$ |
Types of TVs
There are many different types of TVs out there. Below we break down the various aspects of each type to better understand them. The TV types all offer different trade-offs when compared to each other, but you can choose what best fits your needs.
Check out my OLED TV Recommendations and QLED TV Recommendations below.
Price: $$
For Those Who Want: The best colors and don't want to worry about screen burn-in.
Description: QLEDs (quantum dot light-emitting diode) use LEDs that light up LCD panels. Between the two layers is a quantum dot layer that filters the light to produce more saturated and pure colors. TVs made with quantum dots are termed QLED by Samsung, TLC, Vizio, and Hisense.
Price: $$$
For Those Who Want: Watching in large groups, benefiting from the wide viewing angle. Not made for those who'll watch static scenes like a PC monitor due to screen burn-in.
Description: OLED (organic light-emitting diode) TVs have pixels that can individually adjust the brightness, allowing for darker black levels. OLED TVs have excellent picture quality and wide viewing angles.
Price: $
For Those Who Want: The best value with the best range in sizes.
Description: LED (light-emitting diode) is a widely used technology for lighting up an LCD panel. Most LED TVs have a reasonable contrast ratio, high brightness, and narrow viewing angles.
Neo QLED
Price: $$$$
For Those Who Want: The great colors of QLED but with better contrast, larger screen size, and higher resolution options (8K).
Description: A mix of QLED and Mini LED, allowing a better contrast ratio. These TVs use the Mini LED backlight array to more precisely show bright scenes with dark objects without washing out the darker parts (halo effect).
MicroLED
Price: $$$$$
For Those Who Want: The benefits of OLED without the chance of screen burn-in.
Description: Similar to OLED, with self-emitting light, but doesn't suffer from burn-in. The smallest version of LED lights.
NanoCell
Price: $$
For Those Who Want: A less costly alternative to QLED and OLED and better than LED/LCD.
Description: Increased image quality compared to LED. Lower contrast than QLED or OLED. Wide viewing angles.
Mini LED
Price: $$$$
For Those Who Want: Good contrast ratio.
Description: Mini LED refers to the backlight array that more precisely shows bright scenes with dark objects without washing out the darker parts (blooming/halo effect). Mini LED displays use around 30,000 mini LEDs for lighting the screen and have around 2,500 dimming zones.
QNED
Price: $$$$
For Those Who Want: A compromise between QLED and OLED.
Description: QNED (Quantum NanoCell Emitting Diodes) is a combination of NanoCell LCD and Mini LED. This limits blooming and improves contrast ratio and peak brightness. Not as dark blacks as OLED, but better than QLED.
Resolution
The higher the resolution, the more crisp the picture will be, as long as the content you're displaying is in that resolution. Sometimes 4K TVs have an upscaling feature, though, which can enhance lower resolution content.
4K resolution is the most popular currently. While 8K is the best, most content doesn't support that high of a resolution, so it's not really needed at this time since 4K is more than enough already.
You can learn more about TV resolution.
| Resolution | |
|---|---|
| 8K UHD (Ultra HD) | 7680 x 4320 |
| 4K UHD (Ultra HD) | 3840 x 2160 |
| 1440p / QHD (Quad HD) | 2560 x 1440 |
| 1080p / FHD (Full HD) | 1920 x 1080 |
| 720p / HD (High Definition) | 1280 x 720 |
TV Resolution Comparison
Motion Handling
Response time and refresh rate determine how a TV can handle motion — the lower the response time and the higher the refresh rate, the better. If you're watching movies and TV shows, you probably won't need the best of the best. However, you will need better motion handling if you're playing games on the latest consoles or watching sports often.
|
LED
|
Good
|
|---|---|
|
QLED
|
Good
|
|
OLED
|
Excellent
|
| Mini-LED | Very Good |
| MicroLED | Excellent |
Color Accuracy
Excellent color accuracy will determine whether or not you'll get the best and naturally vivid images on your screen. Color accuracy is one of the most important aspects to look for in a TV.
|
LED
|
Good
|
|---|---|
|
QLED
|
Excellent
|
|
OLED
|
Very Good
|
| Mini-LED | Excellent |
| MicroLED | Excellent |
HDR
High-dynamic-range (HDR) is an increasingly popular feature. It can enhance your picture further by expanding the contrast ratio and colors to create a more realistic, natural image. To enjoy this feature, however, the content you watch needs to be HDR specifically.
|
LED
|
Okay
|
|---|---|
|
QLED
|
Very Good
|
|
OLED
|
Excellent
|
| Mini-LED | Very Good |
| MicroLED | Excellent |
Lifespan
Most newer TV types can last up to ten years or more with heavy use. Better brands and models usually have a longer lifespan due to the components being made from better materials. Just because a TV is less expensive and has the same stats doesn't mean it's equivalent to higher-end models. You usually pay for better quality.
| Lifespan | |
|---|---|
|
LED
|
Good
|
|
QLED
|
Excellent
|
|
OLED
|
Very Good
|
| Mini-LED | Excellent |
| MicroLED | Excellent |
My OLED TV Recommendations
LG C2 Evo OLED (Best)
- The LG C2 evo OLED TV has self-lit OLED pixels with superior image quality, extreme contrast, perfect blacks, and over a billion colors.
- This is an exceptional TV for any use, whether for movies, games, sports, or as a PC monitor.
- This TV has Nvidia G-Sync, FreeSync Premium, and variable refresh rates which are great for games.
- These new OLED models can now work well in brightly-lit rooms with their brightness booster and a9 processor.
- Check the latest price of the LG C2 evo OLED TV on Amazon (affiliate link).
LG 65-Inch Class OLED evo C2 Series Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Sony Bravia XR A80K OLED TV
- This TV has superb picture quality with an extreme contrast ratio, perfect for your home theater room.
- The Sony A80K OLED has excellent color out of the box, so there's no need for color calibration.
- A negative to this TV is that it might not be bright enough for very bright/
sunny rooms. This is common among most OLED TVs. - This TV has Google TV built-in, allowing you to watch from most of your streaming services quickly and smoothly.
- The Sony A80K OLED has very low input lag and quick response time, both of which are excellent for sports and gaming.
- Check the latest price of the Sony Bravia XR A80K OLED TV on Amazon (affiliate link).
Sony Bravia XR A80K OLED TV Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
My Samsung QLED TV Recommendations
Samsung QN90B Neo QLED (Best)
- This is an exceptional TV for any use, whether for movies, games, sports or as a PC monitor.
- It's the "Neo" QLED variant, which has an excellent contrast ratio and deep blacks.
- This will also work great in a bright room.
- The Samsung QN90B Neo QLED also supports low input lag, variable refresh rate, and fast response time, all of which are needed for gaming.
- Check the latest price of the Samsung QN90B Neo QLED on Amazon (affiliate link).
SAMSUNG QN90B 50-Inch Class Neo QLED 4K Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Samsung QN85B QLED
- This is an excellent Neo QLED TV variant for use in bright rooms while having fantastic response time, low input lag, and vivid natural colors.
- The Samsung QN85B QLED has wide viewing angles and high brightness to overcome screen glare.
- It's superb for HDR content due to its high brightness and wide color gamut.
- A negative to this TV is that it has lower contrast compared to the QN90B.
- Check the latest price of the Samsung QN85B QLED on Amazon (affiliate link).
SAMSUNG QN85B 55-Inch Class Neo QLED 4K Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Samsung Q80B QLED
- Great for watching sports or TV shows together with family and friends due to the wide viewing angles while keeping accurate colors.
- It's also quick enough for gaming and great for using as a PC monitor.
- A negative to this TV is that it has lower contrast compared to the QN90B and lower local dimming compared to both TVs mentioned above.
- This TV also has high brightness for HDR along with wide viewing angles.
- Check the latest price of the Samsung Q80B QLED on Amazon (affiliate link).
SAMSUNG Q80B 65-Inch Class QLED Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Learn More About OLED TVs
Want to learn more about OLED TVs? Check out the articles in my OLED TV series:
- Ultimate Guide to OLED TVs.
- Are OLED TVs Good for Gaming?
- Do OLED TVs Have Good Viewing Angles?
- What Is the Response Time of an OLED TV?
- Do OLED TVs Have True Black Levels?
- How Bright Are OLED TVs Compared to Other TVs?
- What Is the Refresh Rate of an OLED TV?
Learn More About TVs
Want to learn more about TVs? Check out the articles in my TV series:
- Best TV Display Types
- TV Resolution Explained - 8K UHD vs. 4K vs. QHD vs. FHD
- Choosing the Best TV for Your Room
- Best TV for Playing PlayStation 5 Games
- What Type of TV Is Best for Gaming?
- Ultimate Guide to Samsung QLED TVs
- Best Type of TV for Bright Rooms
- What Type of TV Has the Best Refresh Rate & Response Time?
- What Type of TV Has the Best Viewing Angle?
- Do LED TVs Have Backlight Bleed?
- How to choose the best soundbar for your TV
A Note From the Authors
As technology experts, we are dedicated to providing accurate and helpful information on various technology products and services. Our goal is to provide valuable insights and recommendations that help our readers make informed decisions.
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