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Do OLED TVs Have True Black Levels?

Find out if OLED TVs have true black levels.

Entertainment system Loewe / Unsplash

Last Updated: October 29, 2021

Written by Brandon Jones

Do OLED Displays Have True Black?

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Excellent black levels on a TV can help enhance the overall experience by making it look more lifelike from the improved contrast.

OLED displays have perfect 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 extreme blacks are the benefit of OLED displays not having an LCD backlight.

Black Levels
LED Okay
QLED Okay
OLED Excellent
Mini-LED Very Good
MicroLED Excellent

OLED Contrast Comparison OLED Contrast Comparison Brandon Jones / TechReviewer

Room Conditions

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.

If you need help finding the best TV for a room's conditions, check out my article: Choosing the Best TV for Your Room.

Learn More About OLED TVs

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Learn more about OLED TVs in my article: Ultimate Guide to OLED TVs.

Find OLED TVs on Amazon (affiliate link).

My OLED TV Recommendations

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LG C1 OLED (Best)

  • This is an exceptional TV for any use, whether for movies, games, sports, or as a PC monitor.

  • Fast refresh rates reduce motion blur and make animations smoother.

  • This TV has wide viewing angles, perfect for many people watching TV together (like most OLED TVs).

  • It has an extreme contrast ratio capable of producing pitch-black scenes without suffering from blooming.

  • A negative to this TV is that it might not be bright enough for bright/sunny rooms, which is common among most OLED TVs.

  • This has the fastest response time for smooth fast-moving content, great for games or sports.

  • The LG C1 OLED also supports very low input lag and variable refresh rate, both of which are also needed for gaming.

  • It's superb for HDR content due to its extreme contrast ratio and wide color gamut.

  • Check the latest price of the LG C1 OLED on Amazon (affiliate link).

    LG C1 OLED

Sony A80J OLED

  • This TV has superb picture quality with an extreme contrast ratio, perfect for your home theater room.

  • The Sony A80J 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 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 A80J 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 A80J OLED on Amazon (affiliate link).

    Sony A80J OLED

LG GX OLED

  • The LG GX OLED is capable of sitting flush against the wall.

  • This TV has some of the best built-in speakers compared to other OLED TVs.

  • A negative to this TV is that it has a more noticeable Automatic Brightness Limiter (ABL), meaning sometimes it changes the screen brightness based on brighter content.

  • This TV includes many features of the LG C1 OLED TV (shown above); wide viewing angles, extreme contrast ratio, and all of the elements needed for gaming and sports.

  • Check the latest price of the LG GX OLED on Amazon (affiliate link).

    LG GX OLED