LED TV Vs LCD TV

When the LCD TV came out, it created a revolution in the TV market as the most popular TV type and effectively ousted the CRT. It was sleek and slim and looked better giving a fantastic output. But recently, there is new buzz about an LED TV. It sort of looks like the normal flat screen TVs but seems to compound the benefits of the LCD TV somehow. Not many people know much on the subject of LED TV vs LCD TV, but people who are looking to buy a new TV are all interested in this new phenomenon so that they can make an informed decision. So, LED TV or LCD TV?

What is an LED TV?

You will be surprised to know that there is no such thing as an 'LED TV'. The contraption we popularly call it the LED TV is simply an LCD TV with LED back-lights. Confused?

When the first Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TV came out, a lot of questions were asked about the display output that it gave, the contrasts and their display of blacks and brighter colors. The LCD TV came with what was known as the CCFL back-light which left much to be desired, when it came to the display brighter colors and more contrast. Enter LED. LED is the acronym for light-emitting diode. This is a popular technology when it comes normal lighting and when the LED lights was inserted in place of the CCFL back-lights, the result being fabulous. LED back-light was quite the panacea which the existing LCD TV owners were looking for. Thus you can see that there is no such thing as an LED TV. There is an LCD TV with LED back-lights, and there is the more common LCD TV without an LED back-light.

So what TV should you be looking for? What are the factors which will effectively solve the debate of LCD vs LED HDTV?

Compare LCD vs LED

LCD vs LED Display
On the display parameter, LED completely outstrips the competition. The LED back-light shows great sense when it comes to blacks, and twists the crystals into a closed position, giving a more realistic black color and better overall contrast. When it comes to color display, one cannot see too much of a difference between the LCD and the LED TV. Although some companies have come out with the colored LED back-lights which gives their TV an edge over the LCD when it comes to color display. Viewing angle was another drawback which the LCD TV suffered from but it has been corrected to a good measure. But still, the LED TV gives a much better display when viewed from odd angles. Another feature which people observe while buying a TV, is fast-moving video playback. But the refresh rate and response time of both types of TV is quite similar and is only subject to differences in production.

Thus comparing the display of the two, the LED definitely comes out on top with its better contrast, blacks display and ability to be watched from odd angles.

Physical Attributes for LED TV vs LCD TV
An LED TV is slimmer and lighter, making it beautiful to the eyes and much lighter in weight. The power consumption of the LCD TV is also higher than the LED TV because CCFL lights consume more electricity than LED back-lights and hence we can say that the LED TV is greener than its LCD counterpart. The question of comparing these two TVs on the parameter of longevity remains unanswered as LED TV is quite a new technology, hence cannot be compared.

Thus we see that on the physical attributes front too, the LED TV comes out on top as it is slimmer, lighter and consumes much less power.

So if the LED TV is so much more awesome, why is there a debate regarding LED TV vs LCD TV anyway?

The Flip-side of the LED TV

Well the LED TV is truly a marvelous bit of technology, and has got brilliant TV reviews, then what stops it from being a runaway hit? The price! The LED TV comes at a pretty high price as it does not enjoy the economies of large scale production. While, the normal LCD TV is produced on quite a large scale, which gives it a price advantage. But the LED back-lit one is still in its nascent stage, which is not much in demand, and hence is produced less, which makes it a more expensive TV. How much more expensive? Well sometimes, it is almost twice as expensive as its CCFL back-lit counterpart.

The other problem with the LED TV is that it comes in a very large size. Most LED TVs produced are above 40" and hence are too large and too expensive for many people. The normal LCD TV on the other hand comes in all sizes.

Aspersions are also cast on the longevity of the LED back-light and although not proven, some LED back-lights are believed to have a very short life. There are also questions about the screen burn-in in the LED back-light, while the CCFL LCD TV is proven to have no such problems.

So, this was an article on LED TV vs LCD TV. You can read on to know more on how to choose an lcd TV. The debate is now not only restricted to TV, but has also created another one, LED vs LCD laptop! But most of the features are expected to be same for laptops as is the case with TVs. As we come to the end of this article, we can see that the LED TV is clearly a winner for the present, with its better picture quality and looks. But the future remains to be seen as it tries to answer questions asked about its longevity and its price.