OLED vs LED Monitors: What’s the Difference?

A group of colleagues standing in a group watching a presentation on an interactive display.

Published: November 11th, 2024

When choosing a screen or monitor, you might find yourself wondering what type of screen best suits your needs. This will likely depend on the application for which you intend to use your screen, but it’s also worth considering the goals and values of your business, as you may find certain types of screens more complementary than others. Firstly, it’s useful to understand what types of screens are available on the market, and some of their key differences.

LED Monitors

Over the last few years, the prevalence of LED screens within modern technology has become increasingly dominant, with the market size projected to reach USD 13.1 billion by 2032. LED is an acronym for light emitting diode; a tiny bulb that you will almost certainly have seen in a variety of electrical devices, from stage lights to street signs to bicycle lights and, of course, screens and monitors.

An LED screen consists of thousands or sometimes even millions of tiny diodes, which allow the screen to display any colour by combining red, green, and blue. They are particularly prolific in computer monitors, television screens, billboard adverts and even in interactive displays.

There are many reasons why LEDs have become a dominant technology in the lighting market, but chief among these is their efficiency. Compared to more traditional lighting technologies, LEDs take very little energy to power and yet offer both brightness and high resolution for images and videos. Perhaps what makes them more ubiquitous though, is their versatility and adaptability to a variety of environments, with both indoor and outdoor variants available, as well as modular designs that allow for expansive displays to cater to large-scale requirements.

What is an OLED Screen?

OLED stands for organic light-emitting diodes. The ‘organic’ part refers to a series of thin films, which are placed between electrical conductors. When electricity is applied, the films emit a bright light. You’re most likely to have seen this technology on your smartphone screen.

What’s the Difference Between LED and OLED?

The chief difference between LEDs and OLEDs is that in LEDs, the light source is the tiny light bulbs. In OLEDs, the source is the organic strip of material that connects the conductors. This means that screens using OLED technology are lighter and require less energy to power because they’re not backlit. They also offer superior image quality but do not perform as well in a brightly lit or outdoor environment.

At Promethean, we use LED backlights combined with LCD screens to incorporate touchscreen technology – something that LED screens cannot otherwise support. This means that our screens are ideal for use in any environment, and are not compromised by direct sunlight.

Is OLED Better than LED?

When it comes to OLED vs LED, there are a number of advantages of OLED technology compared to LED technology. Chief among these is its flexibility and lack of bulk, making it an appealing prospect for large-scale, complex lighting solutions or car manufacturers. It’s also often favoured in office-based applications as it produces less heat and less glare while emitting a light that is closer to natural light. This makes it ideal for workplace lighting, or for use in screens and displays owing to its colour performance – OLEDs are particularly well known for producing deep blacks.

One of the key advantages of OLED screens is that they have a quicker response time than LEDs, meaning that the picture can refresh faster. This makes them a particularly popular choice for touchscreens, as the image is more responsive offering a seamless, more natural experience with reduced latency.

OLED technology is still relatively new and although developments are being made, it currently comes at a higher cost and tends to have a shorter lifespan. It can also be very susceptible to environmental factors, making it a less ideal option for outdoor applications or technologies that might be exposed to the elements.

LED vs LCD

Now that we have a better understanding of the ins and outs of LEDs and OLEDs, and what differentiates the two technologies, it may be useful to illuminate some misunderstandings around a related technology – LCDs.

LCDs (or liquid crystal displays) are often thought of as an alternative technology to LEDs, but the two technologies are more complementary than one might assume. An LCD screen is made up of liquid crystals which, more often than not, are lit by LEDs. The crystals filter the LED backlight producing the colour that you see on the screen.

LCDs are most commonly found in televisions, laptops, and screens on devices such as digital cameras or calculators. If you’ve ever touched a screen and noticed that the area to which you’ve applied pressure changes colour or shimmers, then you’ve most likely been using an LCD screen – though we recommend avoiding touching LCD screens as it can cause permanent damage!

A professional using an interactive display to give a presentation to colleagues.

Choosing an OLED or LED Monitor

For most commercial applications, the difference between LED and OLED lighting is likely to be most notable in the product’s energy efficiency levels. One area in which you’re likely to see substantial differences is when choosing a screen or monitor, so it’s useful to understand the effects of these technologies on displays before making an investment.

As a long-established technology, LED monitors are certainly more prolific than OLEDs, and this tends to make them a cheaper and more reliable option. They offer a great picture and, because they’re backlit, won’t be compromised by bright rooms or direct sunlight. They are an ideal choice if you’re looking for a display screen to mount outside or perhaps in something like a well-lit reception room, and this is where they have a clear advantage over OLEDs. Their reliability, adaptability and affordability is why we feel they are a great choice for Promethean screens.

OLED screens don’t require a backlight. This means that, in addition to offering a superb viewing experience, they are both thinner and lighter, making them a great choice for smaller, adaptable spaces or teams who might want to move them frequently. The lack of a backlight also means that these screens offer absolute black – something that LEDs cannot do. With rich blacks and bright whites, the image quality is generally better and free of dark patches. You’ll get a sharp picture free of blur from fast-moving images, and a near-perfect view from any angle. This makes them an ideal choice if you’re looking to impress – whether through a presentation with stunning image quality or in front of large audiences.

OLED screens have a higher upfront cost and tend to have shorter lifespans than LED screens, owing to the degradation of the organic materials. but you may find that their superior energy efficiency negates this investment (lower electricity bills!). As the technology continues to improve, we are likely to see the cost of OLED screens decrease, while their lifespans are extended.

What Does the Future of OLED Technology Look Like?

OLED technology is a fertile field of research and developments are being made thick and fast with the aid of EU funding.

Research by LEO (the low-cost / energy-efficient OLEDs for lighting project) has led to recent enhancements in brightness, colour, energy efficiency, and lifespan, improving their recyclability while decreasing the environmental impact associated with their production. Meanwhile, their development of moisture resistant materials will likely lead to increased use in outdoor applications.

One of the most challenging and perhaps more surprising problems for the OLED industry has been – of all things – the colour blue. The pixels that comprise OLED screens are made up of three different coloured subpixels – red, green, and blue. The sub-pixels that produce the blue light have traditionally been less stable, which has made them susceptible to screen burn-in, reducing the colour quality of the display.

The University of Cambridge has been a leading force in this area, developing a new light emitter molecule that blocks the destructive energy pathways, while a shield controls the way they interact. The result is improved colour quality that lasts longer.

The research of the University of Cambridge and collaborating institutions continues to shed light on the way that OLEDs work allowing us to make developments that improve the energy efficiency of our devices – from smartphones that can last longer between charges, through to other household appliances that can be made more energy efficient.

OLED vs LED: Making the Right Choice for You

The field of lighting and screen technologies is rapidly evolving, with new advances being made as our understanding improves. OLED technology certainly has a bright future, but competing technologies are not without their merits and it’s important to invest in solutions that meet the needs of your business.

If you’re interested in learning more, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of experts for a free virtual demo of our interactive screens and to find out how the technology can help you meet your business goals.

Further reading:

OLED or LED: Some Common FAQs

Is OLED or LED better for gaming?

For a quality gaming experience, OLED screens are certainly the better option, offering pristine image and colour quality, while remaining responsive so that you can keep on top of the action.

Is OLED or LED better for watching films or television?

Again, when it comes to image quality, OLED is certainly the better option and particularly good for fast-moving action such as sports, owing to the image responsiveness. It also offers deeper blacks for a more immersive viewing experience.

Is OLED or LED better for presentations?

OLED screens will offer better colour and image performance if you’re looking to impress, but their lack of a backlight makes them a particularly good option for presentations as they offer an undistorted view from any angle.

Is OLED or LED better for outdoor use?

Outdoor use – or use in well-lit rooms – is one of the key areas in which LED screens currently outperform OLED screens. They offer superior image quality in direct sunlight and are also more resilient when it comes to outdoor environments.

Is OLED or LED more environmentally friendly?

When it comes down to sustainable technology, LED and OLED screens each have their own advantages and disadvantages. OLED screens contain fewer components and a higher proportion of organic materials, making them more recyclable. LEDs on the other hand, have a longer lifespan.