LED vs LCD for Gaming

Modern video game consoles offer high-definition graphics output giving you crystal clear images and a stunning visual experience. But it is a fact that these video games cannot be optimally enjoyed unless you are viewing them on a HDTV set that is capable of delivering the highest quality images and videos. Gone are the days of the boring CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) television sets, and the technology for visual effects has reached a point from which there is truly no going back.

Today one can pick an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) TV, an LED (Light Emitting Diodes) TV, a Plasma TV or even a DLP (Digital Light Processing) TV set for this purpose. When it comes to gaming, only the best will do, so we will tell you the differences between an LCD monitor and an LED monitor with the sole purpose of high quality video gaming in mind.

LED TV sets are the newer of the two and they are in fact, a subset of LCD monitors. Most LED TVs are actually LED-backlit LCD monitors but they are simply known as LED TVs for the sake of convenience and distinction. LCD monitors use the light from an external source and then crystallize it with the help of crystals and then manipulate the image. LED TVs offer their own light source in the form of light emitting diodes and then manipulate this light. This is the primary difference between these two technologies, but the results are vastly different.

At first glance of a comparison between the two, one would say that LED is better than LCD simply because it is newer and it incorporates LCD technology as well. But now we will see why LED is better than LCD for gaming, and what this means for a gamer.

Best TV for Gaming

There are several factors of the image processing technique of these technologies that come into play when you wish to compare the final output. The first and the most important factors is the Contrast Ratio. This implies the difference between the darkest black and the whitest white. The higher the contrast ratio the better it is, because a low contrast ratio will show very little details about the differences in a dark scene. LED monitors have the edge over LCD monitors because they can shut down the light source for a particular area and make it completely dark. Since LCD monitors get a uniform light source they can shut down the brightness for the entire screen together and not individual parts. Hence video games set in dark backgrounds will be much easier to comprehend on an LED TV set. The next important aspect is the Color and this can also be produced better in an LED TV because the entire spectrum of colors can be controlled and regulated. Though LCD TVs have good control over brighter colors, LED TVs are far better.

The next factor is the Viewing Angle. A higher viewing angle implies that the screen can be seen from almost any angle, and there will be no loss of contrast and brightness. LED TVs are again better at this than LCD TVs because of the decentralized lighting source. Each area of the screen receives its own lighting so it is easier to view. For video gaming purposes this is beneficial because most games are played by multiple gamers and each person should get an ideal angle and view no matter where they sit. LED TVs are also superior when it comes to Power Consumption and they consume around 40% less power than their LCD counterparts. LED TVs also offer 100,000 hours lifespan vis-a-vis the 60,000 hours provided by LCD TVs, so they are superior in the matter of Lifespan as well.

Another essential factor as far as video gaming is concerned is the Motion and Refresh Rate that the TV set offers. Video games involve fast-moving images and characters so it is best to have a faster refresh rate for clearer images without any trailing jitters. LCD TVs now come with a refresh rate of 100Hz, this means that they update the images 100 times per second. Some models also come with 200Hz rate but these are few and far between. Unfortunately, LED TVs also offer the same refresh rate so this is an area where both these TV sets are at par with each other. But you can rest assured that when this technology progresses further, LED TVs will incorporate them before LCD TVs.

After considering all these factors, it is easy to see why LED TVs win the battle between the LED and the LCD for all gaming purposes. There are many significant advantages of an LED monitor, but they are also much more expensive in the market. High quality video gaming requires the best possible video output, and this is why LED TVs are the ideal television sets for this purpose.