TechTvsWhat is QD-OLED? The latest TV tech explainedWhat QD-OLED is and why it matters if you’re looking for the best in next-gen TV techWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TechTvsWhat is QD-OLED? The latest TV tech explainedWhat QD-OLED is and why it matters if you’re looking for the best in next-gen TV techWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
What QD-OLED is and why it matters if you’re looking for the best in next-gen TV tech
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future)
(Image credit: Future)
Thebest OLED TVsand QLED TVs have been competing for our attention over the last few years, with both display types offering superb picture quality thanks to cutting-edge technology making them amongthe best TVsyour money can buy.
OLED uses a self-emissive panel to deliver deep blacks and precise highlights, while QLED adds Quantum Dots and an LED backlight to existing LCD panel technology to produce brighter images and more saturated colours.
But what if you could combine the best aspects of both types of display? Welcome to the wonderful world of QD-OLED. Here’s why this next-gen TV technology matters.
QD-OLED: Price and availability
Before we get into the history – as you’ll need to learn more about OLED and QLED ahead of QD-OLED’s deep dive – can you buy QD-OLED TVs right now? The short answer is yes, absolutely. The leaders among the pack come in the form ofSamsung’s S95B andSony’s A95K.
Today’s best Samsung S95B OLED and Sony A95K QD-OLED TV dealsSamsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-A95K$2,799ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung S95B OLED and Sony A95K QD-OLED TV dealsSamsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-A95K$2,799ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung S95B OLED and Sony A95K QD-OLED TV dealsSamsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-A95K$2,799ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung S95B OLED and Sony A95K QD-OLED TV deals
Samsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-A95K$2,799ViewSee all prices
Samsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all prices
Samsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all prices
Samsung S95B
Samsung S95B
$1,847.95View
$1,847.95
$1,847.95
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Sony XR-A95K$2,799ViewSee all prices
Sony XR-A95K$2,799ViewSee all prices
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Sony XR-A95K
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
What is an OLED TV?
(Image credit: LG)
(Image credit: LG)
But now back to our history lesson, so you can better understand where QD-OLED is coming from.
OLED stands for Organic Light-Emitting Diode, which uses an electrical component to conduct current through a carbon-based compound, causing it to glow and create light. This makes each ‘pixel’ in an OLED panel self-emitting, which results in deep blacks and precise specular highlights.
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An OLED TV has a number of other benefits, including thinner designs and wider optimal viewing angles, which means it doesn’t suffer from a drop-off in contrast or colour when viewed off-axis (horizontal or vertical). So no matter where you’re sat in the room, you’ll get the best picture.
However, there are also a couple of possible downsides, because the self-emissive nature of OLED means it can potentially suffer from image retention and even screen burn. This is where a static picture becomes temporarily, or in the worst cases permanently, burnt into the screen.
The other downside is the limited brightness. The best OLED TVs can hit a peak brightness of 1,000 nits and deliver these highlights with pixel precision, but with overall brightness the OLED struggles to energise the entire panel, and the TV’s automatic brightness limiter kicks in.
The best and brightest OLED TV on the market at the time of writing is theLG G2, which we’ve priced up in the widget below to tempt your OLED desires.
Today’s best LG G2 OLED deals192 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆$1,699.99View$1,915ViewLow Stock$3,999.99$2,996.99ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best LG G2 OLED deals192 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆$1,699.99View$1,915ViewLow Stock$3,999.99$2,996.99ViewShow More DealsWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best LG G2 OLED deals
192 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
192 Amazon customer reviews☆☆☆☆☆
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$1,699.99View$1,915ViewLow Stock$3,999.99$2,996.99View
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$1,699.99View
$1,699.99View
$1,699.99
$1,699.99
$1,915View
$1,915View
$1,915View
$1,915
$1,915
Low Stock$3,999.99$2,996.99View
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Low Stock
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$3,999.99$2,996.99View
$3,999.99$2,996.99View
$3,999.99$2,996.99
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
What is a QLED TV?
(Image credit: Samsung)
(Image credit: Samsung)
But a QD-OLED isn’t just an OLED panel of course. It’s a bit like OLED combined with QLED. So what’s the latter all about?
A QLED TV is essentially an LCD panel with an LED backlight, which is nothing new as this type of display has been around for years. Any LCD TV uses a panel composed of up to six layers with a backlight, glass substrates containing a liquid crystal layer and then polarising filters.
Where a QLED differs from previous LCD TVs is in the addition of a filter composed of Quantum Dots. These are minute semiconductor particles only a few nanometers wide, and depending on their size, create different colours that are brighter and more saturated.
A QLED TV is therefore capable of delivering wider colours and brighter images, which results in a larger colour volume. They can also produce much brighter highlights and brighter full-screen images, while the use of an LCD panel means there’s no danger of image retention or screen burn.
However, since the backlight has to be passed through an LCD panel, a QLED TV will struggle to deliver deep blacks, even when using local dimming zones. The optimal viewing angles are also usually fairly narrow, with a drop-off in contrast and colour performance off-axis.
The best 4K QLED TV right now is theSamsung QN95B(sometimes QN90B depending on region), which is a Neo QLED capable of delivering even greater brightness still. Or, if you’re after an 8K panel, then theSamsung QN900Bis the champion QLED in that resolution. Price information is below:
Today’s best Samsung QN95B and Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K dealsLow StockSamsung QN95B Neo QLED$2,297.99$1,207.31ViewSee all pricesLow StockSamsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV$4,468.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung QN95B and Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K dealsLow StockSamsung QN95B Neo QLED$2,297.99$1,207.31ViewSee all pricesLow StockSamsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV$4,468.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung QN95B and Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K dealsLow StockSamsung QN95B Neo QLED$2,297.99$1,207.31ViewSee all pricesLow StockSamsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV$4,468.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Samsung QN95B and Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K deals
Low StockSamsung QN95B Neo QLED$2,297.99$1,207.31ViewSee all pricesLow StockSamsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV$4,468.99ViewSee all prices
Low StockSamsung QN95B Neo QLED$2,297.99$1,207.31ViewSee all prices
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Samsung QN95B Neo QLED$2,297.99$1,207.31ViewSee all prices
Samsung QN95B Neo QLED
Samsung QN95B Neo QLED
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$2,297.99$1,207.31
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Low StockSamsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV$4,468.99ViewSee all prices
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Low Stock
Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV$4,468.99ViewSee all prices
Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV
Samsung QN900B Neo QLED 8K TV
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Why the wait for QD-OLED?
Early OLED TVs used red, green and blue (RGB) sub-pixels to create each pixel, and while the images produced were excellent there was an issue – the organic material that produces blue light decays faster than the materials used to create red and green.
Samsung’s first OLED TV used this approach, and the issue of blue decay was a major reason why the company decided to pull out of the OLED market. Sony continued to manufacture RGB OLED panels for expensive professional-grade monitors, but recently ceased production.
What is a QD-OLED TV?
(Image credit: Sony)
(Image credit: Sony)
The idea behind QD or Quantum Dot OLED is to combine the strengths of traditional OLED and QLED displays, creating a hybrid capable of delivering brighter images and more saturated colours, while also retaining deep blacks, pixel-precise highlights, and wider viewing angles.
In front of the blue self-luminescent layer is a QD filter that creates three sub-pixels for each pixel. There’s a blue sub-pixel composed of the original blue light, and red and green sub-pixels which are created using Quantum Dots. The result is a longer-lasting and more robust RGB OLED panel.
Quantum dots are more efficient than a regular filter, thus retaining more light energy and allowing a QD-OLED panel to produce brighter images and more precise colours. These displays are also capable of delivering up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness.
Who makes QD-OLED TVs?
(Image credit: Samsung)
(Image credit: Samsung)
The primary manufacturer of QD-OLED panels is Samsung Display, and it’s these that are being used in the Samsung S95B and Sony A95K. That’s an important change as it’s not LG in control of this market, like it is with OLED panels.
TCL has also announced its own QD-OLED panel, called H-QLED, which uses a more efficient inkjet printing process to keep costs down. We’re yet to see such panels in reality, though, so are uncertain on what the quality will be like.
TheSamsung S95Bcomes in two screen sizes: the QE55S95B, which retails for £2,199; and the QE65S95B, which you can pick up for £3,199. TheSony A95Koffers the same screen sizes, but is slightly more expensive, with the XR-55A95K costing £2,699, and XR-65A95K setting you back £3,499. Check the real-time price widget below for full current pricing info:
Today’s best QE55S95B, QE65S95B, Sony XR-55A95K and Sony XR-65A95K dealsSamsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-65A95K$2,997ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best QE55S95B, QE65S95B, Sony XR-55A95K and Sony XR-65A95K dealsSamsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-65A95K$2,997ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best QE55S95B, QE65S95B, Sony XR-55A95K and Sony XR-65A95K dealsSamsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-65A95K$2,997ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best QE55S95B, QE65S95B, Sony XR-55A95K and Sony XR-65A95K deals
Samsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all pricesSony XR-65A95K$2,997ViewSee all prices
Samsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all prices
Samsung S95B$1,847.95ViewSee all prices
Samsung S95B
Samsung S95B
$1,847.95View
$1,847.95
$1,847.95
See all prices
Sony XR-65A95K$2,997ViewSee all prices
Sony XR-65A95K$2,997ViewSee all prices
Sony XR-65A95K
Sony XR-65A95K
$2,997View
$2,997
$2,997
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We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
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