Decades ago, consumers may only have two options in buying a television: a black-and-white TV set or a colored television. A lot has changed in the years since, with TV technology upgrading in leaps and bounds, and this includes the development of LCD TV. However, as more technologies arise, LCD TV seems to be on the verge of becoming obsolete.
OLED TV: The Biggest Threat to LCD TV
LCD TV may sound like a long-lasting piece of tech in the field of television, but some developments are threatening its existence. One of the biggest trends in technology is OLED (or organic light-emitting diode) TV, which produces outstanding picture quality and crisp color details.
This technology has been used in various devices such as mobile phones, tablets, and other small screen applications. In 2013, OLED has been applied to large-screen TV applications.
Its screen is made of pixel-sized, organically based elements. It also has some of the characteristics of both LCD and plasma TVs, but it has one unique advantage: Its pixels can be activated individually (i.e. on or off), which produces the deepest blacks and the perfect whites that a screen image needs. In contrast (pun intended), LCD TVs require backlighting to illuminate the pixels.
When you put LCD and OLED TV products side by side, the difference is stark – the contrast is clearer, the colors are significantly brighter, and a real black color can be seen in the latter. In short, it’s safe to say that OLED TVs create a better overall picture quality than LCD TVs.
Why LCD TV Will Still Remain in the Market
With the competition arising, you might think that LCD TVs are bound to be rendered extinct. However, that’s not the real case in the consumer market. In fact, some customers still prefer to buy LCD TVs over the newer and more advanced models, for a number of reasons:
Cost
The biggest advantage of LCD TV over OLED is its lower price tag. These days, OLED TVs are priced at just a little under $10,000, probably because only a handful of manufacturers are offering this kind of technology. Besides, the technology is relatively new, which means that the hype for this upgrade has a huge influence on its price.
Screen size
A 42-inch television is already more than enough for the average couch surfer, and only a fraction of the TV viewing population may be yearning for more than 55 inches of screen size. OLED TVs are available at 55 inches or larger, which may turn off some consumers.
If you prefer using LCD TVs for various purposes, then you need to check out the best 40-inch TVs to help you decide which one can perfectly meet your needs and standards.
More manufacturers
Due to cheaper production costs, majority of TV manufacturers continue to manufacture LCD TVs. There’s a big chance that the home appliance brand that you trust is carrying a product line of LCD TVs in its arsenal. This is the same scenario with smartphones and tablets, most of which contain screens that are made of LCD.
Because of the overwhelming majority of TV manufacturers still churning out LCD units, LCD TVs are still cheaper than OLEDs.
Evolving industry
Also attributable to the sheer number of manufacturers behind this TV technology is the potential for upcoming developments. Much like how open-source systems such as blogging platform WordPress last long in the industry, LCD TV technology welcomes ongoing development to improve the standards.
Some of the exciting developments in LCD TVs include the following:
- 8K: If you think 4K is already awesome, wait until you see 8K – yes, that’s 8,000 pixels!
- Quantum dots: This technology enhances picture color by getting activated when exposed to the LCD backlight.
- HDR: High dynamic range aims to enhance the brightness and darkness of the LCD screen.
Other features
Comparing how it stands against OLED, below are more of the positive points of LCD TV:
- Easy disposal
- Energy efficient; low power consumption
- Immune to screen image burn-in
- Longer lifespan compared to OLED
- Low flicker rates
Judging from these benefits alone, it’s no wonder why LCD TV continues to dominate the home entertainment market.
Ultra HD 4K: The solution for LCD TV Technology
Ultimately, a new tech trend that brings LCD TVs back into the race is Ultra HD 4K. While this isn’t really a new piece of tech development, what makes Ultra HD 4K a worthy competitor is the addition of pixels. An HD TV follows a standard of 1080p (or 1,080 pixels), but Ultra HD 4K uses 3,840 pixels.
What it means is that each space that holds a pixel of a 1080p screen will be holding about 4 pixels in an Ultra HD 4K. The result is a huge boost in sharpness and clarity. Of course, you need to have a native 4K feed to maximize the excellent qualities of the Ultra HD 4K TV.
If you’re into TV screens larger than 55 inches, Ultra HD 4K technology is sufficient to bring amazing images onto the screen.
Because the technology isn’t too different from traditional HD screens, expect the price of Ultra HD 4K units to be a lot cheaper than OLED TVs. That means getting a similarly excellent TV product at a more affordable price. The promise of increasingly better pictures is already enough for many consumers to prefer 4K LCD over OLED.
Overall, regardless of what OLED TVs promise, the new generation of LCD TVs can still come out as the winner because of its fantastic features and competitive price. If better picture quality is in question, purchasing an Ultra HD 4k LCD may be your best bet.
The type of technology you choose depends on your needs and desires, but LCD TV technology remains as the primary choice for some customers. No matter how other types of technology will be created in the future, as long as there is room for improvement in LCD TV technology, LCD televisions will definitely stay for the long haul.
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LCD TVs now use LED lights and are often called LED TVs. The LCD was LED’s predecessor and will always remain special, but the more efficient and energy saving inventions will make it to the future, I guess.