Difference Between LCD vs LED
It’s time to finally settle the question, what is the difference between LCD and LED? This has been a source of confusion for many entertainment lovers over the years and the goal of today’s post is to provide you with a full understanding of how these two different display screen technology formats work.
Though they’re both widely used for entertainment purposes, it’s important to understand that the means by which they project images are entirely different. Once you understand precisely how both forms of projection work, you’ll then be able to determine which one works best for you.
Read on for everything you need to know about LCD and LED screen technology.
Definition of LCD
The definition of LCD is: “A display type that projects imagery and text via photon rays passing through liquid crystal.”
The difference between LCD and LED primarily lies in the construction of each screen variety and the integrity of the image being displayed. LCD displays are regarded as being of a slightly inferior quality to LED.
Whether you agree with this or not, what is absolutely true is that both display formats are vastly different from one another due to the means by which they achieve image and text manifestation. When we’re speaking about LCD, this manifestation is achieved via light passing through liquid.
When photon rays strike the liquid crystal, the resulting energy is then capable of producing moving and static imagery. The issue with this is that the power all comes from a backlight and the liquid isn’t always a consistent medium for creating a constant result. This is where LED can sometimes outperform LCD.
One of the benefits to LCD is that it requires less power to operate than LED technology, but it also expires over time due to the integrity of the liquid crystal reducing. The resolution is also typically lower as is the switching time from frame to frame.
Definition of LED
The definition of LED is: “A form of static and moving image projection via the use of light-emitting diodes.”
When comparing LED vs LCD the fundamental basis of comparison is the means by which each type of technology projects the user’s desired imagery and text. In this instance, images are projected via the use of diodes.
These diodes produce energy that then passes through conducive material that is housed behind glass. This conducive material then displays the intended imagery or text. What makes this type of technology advantageous is the fact that diode power is both constant and reliable.
Diodes don’t degrade over time, and even though the energy requirements involved in projecting images using this format are higher than for LCD, the switching time from frame to frame is more rapid as is the resolution capacity.
This means that for some, it’s a superior form of image display.
Main Differences Between LCD vs LED
We can easily separate LCD vs LED using the below table:
| Basis of Comparison | LCD | LED |
| Resolution capacity | Lower | Higher |
| Achieves images by? | Projecting light through liquid crystals | Projecting light through conducive materials and glass sourced from diodes |
| Cost | Less expensive | More expensive |
| Best viewing angle | Front face on, viewing is diminished from the side | Picture quality is good from all angles |
| Frame switch time | Slower | Faster |
| Can burn in occur? | Impossible | Very rarely occurs |
| Screen size capacity | 57 inches maximum only | As much as 90 inches |
| Longevity | Degrades over time | Long lasting |
| Power | Uses less power | Uses more power |
Difference Between LCD and LED: Conclusion
After reading through today’s post, we hope that you now feel more confident about summarizing the key areas of differentiation between these two display types. They both seem similar at first, but upon closer inspection it becomes clear that they have very unique independent properties.
It’s easy to provide a summary of the two by saying that one (LED) is more reliable but power hungry whereas the other (LCD) is less power hungry but degrades over time. To the naked eye, both display types will likely lead to satisfaction, but it’s important to weigh their unique pros and cons before purchasing any screen-based entertainment.
