10+ Differences Between LCD vs. LED

Apr 23, 2023

LCD, or "liquid crystal display," refers to a flat display technology that is often used in computer monitors, instrument panels, cellular phones, video cameras, televisions, laptops, tablets, and calculators. These display devices support high-resolution image quality. LCDs supplanted the earlier cathode-ray tube (CRT) display technology; however, other display technologies, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), have begun replacing LCDs in recent years.

LCDs are often seen on laptop computers and are available as active-matrix and passive-matrix displays. The RCA Laboratories in Princeton, New Jersey, invented the LCD in 1964. 1970 saw the discovery of the twisted-nematic (TN) method of operation, which brought LCD to mainstream applications. Initially, LCD manufacturers offered small screens for portable items like watches and calculators.

Using a thin-film-transistor (TFT) array, Sharp Corporation presented a 14-inch active-matrix full-color, full-motion screen in 1988. Consequently, Japanese manufacturers like Hitachi established a bonafide — and eventually, burgeoning — LCD business. Personal computers were the first to adopt large LCD screens, followed by television receivers.

LCDs utilize an active or passive matrix for their display grid. Active-matrix LCDs are frequently referred to as thin-film transistor (TFT) displays. A passive matrix LCD comprises a matrix of conductors containing pixels at each junction. A current is delivered through two conductors in the matrix to regulate the light for each pixel.

A transistor is situated at every pixel intersection in an active matrix, using a lower current to adjust the brightness of a pixel. Therefore, the power in an active-matrix screen may be turned on and off more often, enhancing the panel's refresh rate.

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A LED display is a flat-panel video display that employs an arrangement of light-releasing diodes as pixels. Due to their brilliance, these devices can even be utilized outside, where any visual output is apparent even in sunlight — for store signage and billboards. Modern computer displays use a mix of LCDs and LEDs to illuminate the display regardless of ambient lighting conditions.

LED stands for light-emitting diode; when current travels through such diodes, it produces light. In the semiconductor material within an LED, electrons reunite with electron holes, emitting energy as photons. This is the foundational principle of LEDs and LED screens.

LEDs have several benefits compared to incandescent light systems, such as reduced power consumption, longer lifespan, enhanced physical durability, smaller size, and quicker switching.

The LEDs on an LED display are tightly spaced. By adjusting the luminosity of every LED, the diodes collectively produce a picture on display.

To generate a vibrant color image, the concepts of additive color mixing are used, in which new colors are made by combining various colors of light. A LED display comprises red, green, and blue LEDs arranged in a predetermined pattern. These three hues come together to create a pixel. A LED device can create billions of colors by altering the diode's intensity. When seen from a fixed distance, the arrangement of colored pixels on an LED display appears as an image.

In 1927, the first LED was invented by the Russian inventor Oleg Losev. Only infrared, red, and yellow LEDs were implementable for many years. These diodes were used in various gadgets — from remotes to alarm clocks.

In 1994, the Japanese physicist Shuji Nakamura developed a functional blue LED. Soon after, green and white LEDs emerged, setting the groundwork for the boom of LED applications in illumination and screen technologies.

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To sum up, light emitting diode (LED) and liquid crystal display (LCD) are terms used to describe types of display technology. Technically speaking, LED uses a backlight technology instead of a fluorescent tube. LED monitors have longer lifespans and provide sharper and higher-quality images than LCD monitors.

The twelve key differences between LED and LCD are explained in detail:

They require a source of light as they do not produce light themselves. Traditionally, cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) provided a light source in LCDs but have been replaced by other sources such as LEDs or electroluminescent panels (ELPs).

Unlike LCDs, LED displays produce light of their own. They use light-emitting diodes as a source of light to illuminate the crystal solution from behind to create images on the screen.

Importantly, LCDs usually have a light source placed behind the screen.

Direct-lit LED displays emit light from the back. This type of lighting eliminates the need for a separate backlight, resulting in a more energy-efficient display. When the light source is located on the edge of the screen, it is known as an edge-lit LED display.

In this type, the light can be directed toward the center of the display by using a light guide plate to ensure that light is spread evenly.

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Manufacturers of LEDs and LCDs face the challenge of reducing the rate of change of hue and saturation while retaining the RGB percentage of a particular image irrespective of angular position with respect to the center of the screen.

In general, LED displays have a wider viewing angle than LCDs of up to 178 degrees, enabling consumers to see images clearly from different angles.

It is important to note that the image quality of LED displays may not be as good as that of LCDs when viewed from a regular, vertical angle.

Video walls of several tiled LCD panels have a narrow viewing angle and offer high resolution with vibrant colors. However, they are not as bright as those made of LED displays and are thus suitable for control rooms.

While LCD tiles have bezels that cause gaps and visual barriers, LED tiles have excellent uniformity with no bezel appearance, making LEDs a popular choice for video walls.

Although LED and LCD monitors can provide gamers with an immersive gaming experience, they exhibit differences in performance.

Gamers should strive to get value for money by striking the right balance between performance and price.

An LED monitor with high-display resolution (HDR) technology is a plus as it produces astounding-quality game images. They also have lower average response times, which allows for more distinct motion.

Ultimately, one should consider buying LED monitors for the best gaming experience as they score higher than LCD monitors in these essential parameters.

It is important to note that LCD monitors produce good-quality images, though not as great as LEDs. However, their image quality reduces when viewed at vertical angles, a parameter where LCDs can outperform LEDs.

For instance, in terms of color accuracy, full-color LED monitors have a wider color gamut, ensuring less color distortion and producing realistic images. They also display images with higher brightness and contrast.

LED monitors also have higher refresh and rendering rates, producing sharper and clearer images.

Monitors with bigger screens and higher resolutions consume more power. Also, monitors displaying animation with a lot of motion consume more energy than static pictures. Similarly, the higher the screen brightness settings, the more power is consumed.

Additionally, consumers could activate power-saving modes to save more energy.

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Compared to older models that used cathode-ray tubes (CRTs), LCDs are environmentally friendly as they consume less power and last longer, reducing waste.

However, LCDs contain trace amounts of mercury which are harmful to the environment and contribute to pollution after disposal.

They also consume less power and have a longer working lifespan. LCDs contain trace amounts of mercury which are harmful to the environment and contribute to pollution after disposal.

LCD and LED monitors generally have relatively long lifespans as they do not have moving parts (like hard-disk drives) that suffer from wear and tear. The average shelf life of an LCD is 50,000 hours.

The type of content you consume can also affect the lifespans of your display monitor. For example, working on graphics-heavy tasks like computer-aided design (CAD), with lots of color variation for extended periods, will impact the diode's life, resulting in a shorter lifespan.

The prices of both LCD and LED monitors also increase with increased screen size and resolution. Different models and manufacturers also have different prices for their monitors.

For instance, gaming LED monitors are more expensive than a typical workstation display used by a web developer, as they are built and optimized to handle even the most intensive graphics to provide gamers with an immersive experience with hyperrealistic images.

Moreover, LCDs with CCFL backlighting have thicker monitors as they take up more space than LED monitors that are equipped with backlighting technology.

Further, edge-lit LED monitors are even thinner than back-lit LED monitors.

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Despite dramatic advancements in display technology (e.g., the rise of organic LED or OLED), both LCD and LED remain a staple in computing displays. LEDs are used more for televisions and signage, while LCD screens are a staple in regular workstations and desktops. However, even LED monitors are reasonably priced today, making it harder for IT managers to choose. By knowing the differences between LED and LCD technology, you can make the right decision for your needs.

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Technical Writer