- Architecture
- Working
- Backlighting
- IPS and AHVA
- Picture Quality
- LED and LCD Resolution
- Power Consumption
- Lifespan
- Shape and Size
- Price
Displays like LCDs and LEDs are a fundamental part of systems in all operations, affecting the user experience. In some cases, the higher resolution provides a faster and better performance output, especially in design studios. However, the debate between LCD and LED is endless, and creates confusion in the buyer’s mind, because both are available in various resolutions and prices. Then, what exactly is the difference between LCD and LED monitors? To answer your question, the following sections will cover a comprehensive comparison between LCD and LED monitors, and their pros and cons.
LED versus LCD Monitors: Differences
The key difference between LCD monitors and LED monitors is their backlighting technology, contrast ratio, and refresh rate. The following section will compare LED and LCD monitors to highlight some major differences between the two in detail.
LCD vs. LED Monitors: Architecture
Both LCD and LED monitors use crystal liquid to create an image. They use different backlights like fluorescent backlights and Light-Emitting Diodes (LED). Other than that, both have a similar architecture. The liquid crystal is sandwiched between the two glass sheet screens, while the backlights are placed behind it.
LCD vs. LED Monitors: Working
LCD uses a liquid crystal that toggles pixels on and off to expose certain colors. The liquid crystal stops light from passing through, but the moment an electric charge is passed, the liquid crystal allows light to pass, forming a display on the front screen. In contrast, LEDs are semiconductor devices that generate energy in various wavelengths and colors. This phenomenon is known as electroluminescence.
LCD vs. LED Monitors: Backlighting
In LCD CCFLs fluorescent lamps are used as backlights. These backlights are evenly placed behind the screen to deliver uniform lighting. In contrast to LCD, LEDs do not use fluorescent lamps but instead use Light Emitting Diode (LED). There are two ways backlighting is placed in LEDs:
- Full-array backlighting
- Edge lighting
Full-array backlighting
The full array backlights in LEDs are arranged in zones, where each zone has the ability of local dimming. This ability dims the LEDs at certain places on the screen to provide an authentic display. It’s important to note that LCDs do not have local dimming capabilities which give LEDs an edge over them.
Edge Lighting
In edge lighting, the backlights are placed on the sides or bottom of the screen due to which the picture quality is greatly affected. But on the bright side, edge-lighting LEDs are much more cost-effective than full-array backlighting.
LCD vs. LED Monitors: IPS and AHVA
The LED and LCD monitors have In-Plane Switching (IPS) and Advance Hyper-Viewing Angle (AHVA) technology to enhance the picture quality, refresh rates, and brightness. However, AHVA is supposed to have a faster response time than IPS but reduces color accuracy slightly. Both monitors come in several other panel technologies as well, such as AH-IPS, e-IPS in LCDs, and OLED, Edge LED in LEDs. That said, many consumers believe that there is no visible difference between different IPS and AVHA, but it depends from eye to eye.
LCD vs. LED Monitors: Picture Quality
The best way to measure the picture quality between LCD and LED is to know how many pixels are displayed on the screen, also known as resolutions. The highest quality monitors have a resolution of at least 1920×1080 pixels by area. Here is a list of resolutions offered by both LCD and LED. The following table highlights the available LCD resolution, standards, and terminologies to help you understand better.
LCD Monitor Resolution
Explore the different screen resolutions offered by LCD manufacturers for your enterprise needs.
| LCD Standard | LCD Resolution | LCD term |
| SVGA | 800 x 600 | Super VGA |
| XGA | 1024 x 720 | Extended Graphics Array |
| HD | 1280 x 720 | High Definition |
| 1080p | 1920 x 1080 | Full HD |
| 4k | 3840 x 2160 | Ultra HD |
| 8k | 7680 x 4320 | 8K UHD |
LED Monitors Resolution
The following table highlights the available LED resolution, standards, and terminologies to help you understand better.
| LED Standard | LED Resolutions | LED term |
| WXGA | 1366 x 768 | Wide XGA |
| 1080p | 1920 X 1080 | Full High Definition (FHD) |
| WQHD | 2560 x 1440 | Quad High Definition (QHD) |
| 4K | 3480 x 2160 | Ultra HD |
| 5K | 5120 x 2880 | Ultra HD |
| 8K | 7680 x 4320 | Ultra HD |
LCD vs. LED Monitors: Refresh Rate
Refresh rates are a very important aspect of both LCD and LED monitors. They are responsible for refreshing or updating the display with new pixels making picture movement as smooth as possible. Fast motion workloads such as animation or video editing require a speedy refresh rate of 30Hz to 60Hz to prevent screen tearing.
LED vs. LCD Monitors: Power Consumption
The power consumption in both monitors via power cables depends primarily on the usage and load such as display resolution or brightness level. Modern LCDs with backlight consume less power than older fluorescent lamp LCDs. As a rule of thumb, the higher the size, resolution, and brightness of your LCD, the more power it consumes.
In contrast, LED monitors offer better picture quality within a cost-effective range of total power consumption, reducing electricity costs. LED monitors produce more light with less power due to the modern technology explained earlier. Additionally, both LCD and LED have power-saving options that conserve energy by reducing brightness and contrast ratio.
LED vs. LCD Monitors: Lifespan
LED and LCD monitors that don’t consist of moving parts giving them longer lifespans. However, there are exceptions for Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) and other accidents causing damage to your monitor. Therefore, it’s better to secure your electronic devices with power backups like UPS to safeguard them from sudden power disturbances. The average life of LCD is said to be 50,000 hours (varying with size, quality, and brand). In contrast, LED monitors’ working life is up to 100,000 hours, offering better picture quality and lifespan than LCDs. However, factors like humidity, moisture, degrading diodes, and high temperature can lead to early monitor failures.
The type of workload you perform on your LCD or LED also affects the lifespan. For example, intensive graphic designing impacts the diode’s life, especially during color variations, which shortens the monitor’s overall lifespan.
LED vs. LCD Monitors: Shape and Size
LCD manufacturers use standard shapes and sizes, limiting the enterprise’s choices. In contrast, LEDs have a wide range of shapes and sizes, offering variety to enterprises such as flexible, curved, and ball-shaped LED displays. This results in different applications of both monitors in enterprises. For example, LCDs have thicker monitors and occupy more space causing inconvenience in small cubicles. On the contrary, LEDs are thinner, some even are foldable, allowing better space optimization.
LED vs. LCD Monitors: Price
LEDs come with a higher price tag than LCD. This is because of the local dimming feature that can produce an authentic picture quality in LED monitors. However, the overall price may increase with cables such as KVM, DVI, or DisplayPort cables.
LCD vs. LED Monitors: Pros and Cons
The following section will highlight the advantages and disadvantages of LCD and LED monitors in a tabular format.
LCD Pros and Cons
Reviewing the specifications of LCD monitors is crucial to reap the full benefits of your purchase. Some of them are mentioned as follows.
| LCD pros | LCD cons |
| Cost-effective compared to LED | Lower brightness and contrast |
| No backlight bleeding | Energy inefficient |
| No Local dimming to cause eye strain | Bulkier design |
LED Pros and Cons
Considering the pros and cons of LED is important before making any decisions for your enterprise.
| LED pros | LED cons |
| Superior brightness and contrast | Potential backlight bleeding |
| Energy efficient | Local dimming can cause eye strain (rarely) |
| Thinner and lighter | Expensive |
LED or LCD Monitors: Which One to Choose?
LEDs are more expensive than LCDs but provide better picture quality and refresh rate. That said, before buying monitors always evaluate your requirements, budget, and needs. Computing Worlds offers a list of LCD and LED monitors for sale online and a variety of different cables like HDMI, video, DVI cables, and more.
Popular LEDs
Popular LCDs
You can also request a bulk quote online for the required monitors.
Frequently Ask Questions:
How to Tell If a Display is LED or LCD?
LED displays generate its light, while LCDs use a fluorescent backlight to light up the pixels.
Which Display is Better to Eyes LED or LCD?
LEDs are generally better for the eyes due to their improved contrast and brightness control.
Does LCD or LED have hot plugging Features?
Yes, both LCD and LED have hot-plugging, but it varies based on the model. Therefore, always check the specifications before purchase.
