OLED, AMOLED and LCD screens: which one is better?

Listen this article

LCD screens have been the most common in recent years, however, OLED and AMOLED technologies are changing the market, what is the difference?

Whether for a smartphone, television or computer, the screen is an essential element that has evolved over the years, in order to offer a better image, higher brightness and less battery consumption, so new technologies have emerged. They have succeeded in replacing the LCD screens, which despite not being able to see their differences at a glance, each one has its advantages.

Leer en español: Pantallas OLED, AMOLED Y LCD: ¿Cuál es mejor?

First of all, we must know that the screens are composed of pixels, which are small points that are not easily perceived, they are accumulated in the area of the screen and are what shape the image and they are illuminated to show the colors, according to the web portal Technology Area.

LCD screens

The oldest and most common of this list, the LCDs are formed by a liquid crystal. For this reason, when you press the screen hard, it distorts around the pressure – in which all the pixels are illuminated at the same time from the inner part of the screen, this makes it consume more battery and its structure is thicker and heavier than the others, however, its manufacturing is cheaper, according to Engadget.

Also read: Project Soli: is it the end of touch screens?

Now, according to El Comercio, the LCD technology allows us to appreciate colors in more natural and real tones, as well as giving exact targets. However, the quality of the black colors is not as precise because they are not deep, as the other colors may turn off at times, but also offers well-defined colors.

OLED screens

In this case, the pixels work organically, which means that they are independent from each other, turning on and off as required, this generates deeper and darker blacks because the pixel is completely turned off, in addition to increasing the duration of the battery. On the other hand, the pixels are smaller and thinner, allowing enough flexibility to make curved or flexible screens, according to Digital Trends.

However, in spite of allowing a better brightness and more vivid and clear colors -which for some can be very saturated-, OLED screens have the disadvantage of being more expensive and having a shorter life, since the light emitters may "get burned", causing an image to be marked for life on the screen and not disappear even if you change the image, however, CNET notes that this usually occurs only when the same static image remains on repeated occasions, such as the logo of a channel of TV.

AMOLED screens

This technology works the same as OLED, with the only difference that it has an active matrix, that is, only the pixels turn on when there is an electrical impulse, this further improves the performance of the battery and in some cases increases the quality of the colors as in other occasions can saturate it in excess. The rest have the same advantages, flexibility, and disadvantages, cost, and durability, as OLEDs, according to Terabytine.

And then which is better?

For DisplayMate, a scientific laboratory specialized in screens, LCD technology is the most recommended for computers and televisions, because they provide excellent image quality at a lower price. However, OLEDs go better with mobile devices, since it grants a faster response, allows better vision from different angles, greater accuracy of colors and contrasts as well as a more free form of the screens-with curves, for example- with better battery performance.

LatinAmerican Post | Juan Manuel Bacallado

Translated from "Pantallas OLED, AMOLED y LCD, ¿cuál es mejor?"