Ranking of TV Technologies
- QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED): Combines OLED’s deep blacks and contrast with quantum dots’ brightness and color accuracy. Best for premium home theater setups.
- MicroLED: Superior brightness, perfect blacks, no burn-in risk, and scalability. Best for high-end, large displays.
- OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode): Perfect blacks, infinite contrast ratio, wide viewing angles, and fast response times. Best for dark room viewing.
- Mini-LED: Improved contrast and black levels, higher brightness, and better HDR performance. Suitable for various environments.
- QLED (Quantum Dot LED): High brightness, wide color gamut, and no burn-in risk. Great for bright rooms.
- Traditional LCD/LED: Affordable and bright, good for general use.
Review:
- QD-OLED: Combines the strengths of OLED and QLED, ideal for premium setups.
- MicroLED: Best for high-end, large displays with superior brightness and no burn-in.
- OLED: Best for perfect blacks and contrast, ideal for dark rooms.
- Mini-LED: Offers a good balance of brightness and contrast, suitable for various environments.
- QLED: Best for bright rooms and vibrant colors, with no burn-in risk.
- Traditional LCD/LED: Affordable and bright, good for general use.
QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED)
- Advantages:
- Best of Both Worlds: Combines the deep blacks of OLED with the brightness and color accuracy of quantum dots.
- High Brightness: Brighter than traditional OLEDs.
- Wide Color Gamut: Excellent color reproduction.
- Disadvantages:
- Cost: Generally more expensive than standard OLED and QLED.
- Best For: Premium home theater setups and high-quality video content.
Top 3 QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED) televisions currently on the market:
- Sony XR-A95K (more information)
- Highlights: This TV combines OLED’s deep blacks with the brightness and color accuracy of quantum dots. It features Sony’s Cognitive XR processing engine, which delivers stunning image quality. The XR-A95K also supports Dolby Vision HDR and has Acoustic Surface Audio technology, where the screen itself acts as the speaker for immersive sound.
- Approximate Cost: $3,000 for the 55-inch model and $4,000 for the 65-inch model.
- Samsung S95C
- Highlights: Known for its excellent dynamic range and brightness, the Samsung S95C is a top choice for gamers with its 144Hz refresh rate. It uses Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor, which enhances picture quality and ensures smooth performance. The S95C’s QD-OLED panel provides superior local contrast and vibrant colors.
- Approximate Cost: $2,500 for the 55-inch model and $3,500 for the 65-inch model.
- Samsung S95B
- Highlights: This model offers great value for money with its Neural Quantum Processor 4K and 120Hz refresh rate. The S95B excels in both picture and sound quality, making it suitable for a variety of content, including movies and games. Its slim design also makes it easy to wall-mount. S95B uses QD-OLED technology, which offers brighter images and high color accuracy
- Approximate Cost: $2,200 for the 55-inch model and $3,000 for the 65-inch model.
MicroLED
- Advantages:
- Superior Brightness: Extremely high brightness levels.
- Perfect Blacks: Similar to OLED, each pixel emits its own light.
- No Burn-In: No risk of burn-in.
- Scalability: Can be used to create very large displays.
- Disadvantages:
- Cost: Currently very expensive and primarily used in high-end installations.
- Best For: Large displays, high-end installations, and premium home theaters.
Top 3 MicroLED televisions currently on the market:
- Samsung The Wall (more information)
- Highlights: Samsung’s The Wall is a modular MicroLED TV that offers stunning picture quality with perfect blacks, high brightness, and incredible color accuracy. It’s designed for both commercial and luxury home installations.
- Approximate Cost: Starts at around $150,000 for a 110-inch model.
- LG Magnit
- Highlights: The LG Magnit is another high-end MicroLED TV designed for luxury clients. It features excellent brightness, deep blacks, and vibrant colors, making it ideal for premium home theaters and commercial use.
- Approximate Cost: Approximately $237,000 for the 118-inch model.
- Sony Crystal LED
- Highlights: Sony’s Crystal LED technology offers exceptional picture quality with high brightness, deep blacks, and precise color reproduction. The Crystal LED uses micro LEDs, which are incredibly small but powerful, providing bright and vibrant images with high contrast and a wide color gamut. It’s used in professional settings like broadcasting and high-end home theaters.
- Approximate Cost: Prices vary widely based on configuration, but a typical setup can cost upwards of $200,000.
OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode)
- Advantages:
- Perfect Blacks: Each pixel can be turned off completely, resulting in true black levels.
- Infinite Contrast Ratio: Because of the perfect blacks, the contrast ratio is extremely high.
- Wide Viewing Angles: Colors and brightness remain consistent even from sharp angles.
- Fast Response Time: Excellent for fast-moving content like sports and gaming.
- Disadvantages:
- Brightness: Generally not as bright as some other technologies.
- Burn-In Risk: Static images can cause permanent burn-in over time.
- Best For: Dark room viewing, high-quality video content, and home theaters.
Top 3 OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) televisions currently on the market:
- LG G4 OLED (more information)
- Highlights: The LG G4 OLED is renowned for its outstanding picture quality, featuring LG’s latest MLA (Micro Lens Array) technology, which enhances brightness and color accuracy. It also includes LG’s AI processor for superior image processing and supports Dolby Vision HDR.
- Approximate Cost: $3,000 for the 55-inch model and $4,500 for the 65-inch model.
- Sony A95L
- Highlights: The Sony A95L offers exceptional picture quality with its Cognitive Processor XR, which enhances contrast and color. It supports Dolby Vision and IMAX Enhanced, providing a cinematic experience. A95L uses QD-OLED technology, which combines Quantum Dots with OLED panels to deliver exceptional color accuracy, deep blacks, and high brightness. The Acoustic Surface Audio+ technology delivers immersive sound directly from the screen.
- Approximate Cost: $3,200 for the 55-inch model and $4,800 for the 65-inch model.
- Samsung S95C
- Highlights: The Samsung S95C features a QD-OLED panel that combines the deep blacks of OLED with the brightness and color accuracy of quantum dots. It includes Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor for enhanced picture quality and supports HDR10+.
- Approximate Cost: $2,500 for the 55-inch model and $3,500 for the 65-inch model.
Mini-LED
- Advantages:
- Improved Contrast: More precise local dimming compared to traditional LEDs.
- Higher Brightness: Can achieve higher brightness levels, enhancing HDR performance.
- Better Black Levels: Closer to OLED in terms of black levels.
- Disadvantages:
- Complexity: More complex and potentially more expensive than traditional LEDs.
- Best For: A balance between brightness and contrast, suitable for various viewing environments.
Top 3 Mini-LED televisions currently on the market, along with their approximate costs:
- Hisense U8N
- Highlights: The Hisense U8N offers excellent brightness, refined local dimming for deep shadows, and supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10+ formats. The U8N uses Mini-LED Pro+ technology combined with QLED Quantum Dot, providing stunning brightness, deep blacks, and over a billion shades of vivid color. It also features built-in speakers with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X support, making it a great all-around TV for movies and gaming.
- Approximate Cost: $1,000 for the 65-inch model.
- Samsung Neo QLED QN90B
- Highlights: This TV features Samsung’s Neo QLED technology with over 900 dimming zones for precise Mini LEDs control over brightness and contrast. It supports Quantum HDR 32X, Dolby Atmos, and DTS:X audio, and includes a 120Hz refresh rate with VRR support, making it ideal for gaming.
- Approximate Cost: $2,000 for the 65-inch model.
- Sony X93L
- Highlights: The Sony X93L offers a 75-inch Mini-LED display with XR Backlight Master Drive and XR Triluminos Pro for precise colors and contrast. It supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and features exclusive PS5 enhancements like Auto HDR Tone Mapping.
- Approximate Cost: $3,500 for the 75-inch model.
QLED (Quantum Dot LED)
- Advantages:
- High Brightness: Quantum dots enhance brightness, making it suitable for bright rooms.
- Wide Color Gamut: Produces vibrant and accurate colors.
- No Burn-In: Less risk of burn-in compared to OLED.
- Disadvantages:
- Black Levels: Not as deep as OLED, though local dimming helps.
- Viewing Angles: Can suffer from color and brightness shifts at extreme angles.
- Best For: Bright rooms, HDR content, and general use.
Top 3 QLED (Quantum Dot LED) televisions currently on the market, along with their approximate costs:
- Hisense 65U8H QLED U8H Series
- Known for its excellent value, this TV provides great picture quality with high brightness and deep blacks, making it a solid choice for budget-conscious buyers.
- Approximate Cost: $1,399.99, but it is often available for about $999.99 during sales.
- Samsung QN90C Neo QLED
- Highlights: The Samsung QN90C Neo QLED is known for its high brightness and excellent HDR performance. It features Samsung’s Quantum Matrix Technology for precise control of the Mini-LED backlight, resulting in deep blacks and vibrant colors. It also supports 4K at 120Hz, making it great for gaming.
- Approximate Cost: $1,700 for the 65-inch model.
- TCL QM8 QLED 4K Mini-LED
- Highlights: The TCL QM8 offers stunning HDR performance with class-leading brightness and excellent black levels. It supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HLG, and features a 120Hz refresh rate with VRR support, making it a solid choice for both movies and gaming.
- Approximate Cost: $1,400 for the 65-inch model.
Traditional LCD/LED
- Advantages:
- Affordability: Generally more affordable than other technologies.
- Brightness: Can be quite bright, suitable for well-lit rooms.
- Disadvantages:
- Contrast and Black Levels: Not as good as OLED or Mini-LED.
- Viewing Angles: Can suffer from color and brightness shifts at angles.
- Best For: Budget-conscious consumers and general use.
Top 3 traditional LCD/LED televisions currently on the market, along with their approximate costs:
- Hisense U8N Series
- Highlights: The Hisense U8N Series is known for its advanced features, including mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots, and a 120Hz refresh rate. It supports all major HDR formats and runs on the Google TV platform. This TV offers excellent black-level performance and high brightness, making it suitable for both movies and gaming.
- Approximate Cost: $1,500 for the 65-inch model.
- Samsung QN90D Series
- Highlights: The Samsung QN90D Series features Quantum Matrix Technology with mini-LED backlighting, providing precise control over brightness and contrast. It supports HDR10+ and has a 120Hz refresh rate, making it ideal for HDR content and gaming. The TV also includes Samsung’s Tizen smart platform and an eco-friendly, solar-powered remote.
- Approximate Cost: $1,600 for the 65-inch model.
- Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED
- Highlights: The Sony BRAVIA 9 QLED offers superb reflection handling and SDR brightness, making it suitable for bright rooms. It supports Dolby Vision and DTS audio formats, providing an excellent viewing experience for high-quality streaming and Blu-ray content. The TV also features HDMI 2.1 ports, making it compatible with the latest gaming consoles.
- Approximate Cost: $2,800 for the 65-inch model.
