One letter can change everything. Let's take the word: tennis... Okay, scratch that. Buying a new TV in 2025 isn't such an easy task. LED TV, QLED TV, OLED TV, or QD-OLED? Are we playing Scrabble? No, although the stakes are high – it's your home screen. We'll tell you which technology to choose so that your streaming gigabytes don't go to waste.
Key takeaways from the article:
- LED is the cheapest and most popular technology, good for everyday use, but with average contrast and black levels – especially in budget models.
- QLED offers better brightness and colors thanks to quantum dots – a great choice for watching sports and content in a bright room.
- OLED provides perfect black and excellent contrast, making it ideal for dark rooms, evening movie nights, and gaming.
- QD-OLED combines the advantages of OLED and QLED, offering the highest image quality without compromises – but at a higher price.
Choosing a TV depends on viewing conditions and budget – there's no single right answer, only different needs.
What does "LED TV" mean? It all started with it
Well, maybe not entirely, because before that there was, for example, shadow theatre, and CRTs along the way – but let's not go back that far. LED TVs are today's standard and essentially an modernized LCD (the difference is backlighting with LED diodes instead of lamps). It's also the lowest entry point; also in terms of cost.
An LED TV can shine quite brightly even on a sunny day – it's suitable for watching the news, following the Champions League, and Netflix (here, a decent mobile network will, of course, come in handy). It's also energy-efficient and durable. So, is this it?
If the TV is meant to talk to you, and incidentally display moving images like a morning show or news program – yes. If it's for watching movies in the evenings – also yes. Remember, however, that neither the colors, contrast, nor black levels will be breathtaking here, especially in the cheapest models.
More expensive TVs will be (at least) okay and can satisfy even a Viking movie buff.
And that's even considering the embarrassing fact that in LEDs, the entire backlight is located behind the screen. Theoretically, this means that dark scenes will have a halo, and black will be closer to gray than to ink. Theoretically, because in practice – for example, thanks to local dimming – it won't look bad. It might even look very good.
This does not apply, however, let's repeat, to the cheapest models from the discount store display.
A good LED with a 4K panel and a high refresh rate, with a satisfying HDR effect – that is possible. You just need to put a few more zlotys on the counter.
A weaker TV will provide a better picture if professionally calibrated than a slightly better one with default settings. And all those extras, image enhancers, etc. Turn them off immediately!
What is a QLED TV – quantum dots guarding colors and brightness
This isn't a silent "Q" like the "D" in "Django". Here, the letter is pronounced, and it's an important answer to the limitations of a regular LED. It comes from the technology name Quantum Dot. Sounds like science fiction? And rightly so. In a QLED TV, a layer of nanocrystals, which emit pure primary colors, is added between the LED backlight and the panel. This makes colors more vibrant and saturated. QLED can also achieve high brightness. HDR on such a screen is much better, highlighting details in the darkest parts of the image. QLED will be brighter even than OLED – and will be great for watching sports in full sun.
Check out: How to connect your phone to a TV
OLED TV – every pixel shines with its own light
It has been called to the board. The king. At least until recently, but more on that in a moment.
OLED TVs are the choice for movie buffs and gamers. Here, there's no separate backlight behind the screen anymore. Each pixel is simultaneously a miniature organic diode that lights up independently or turns off completely. The result? When the screen needs to be black, the pixels simply turn off, and we get absolute, perfect black. Next to it, there can be a pixel shining at full power. This means that OLED's contrast is excellent – forget about any halo or gray scale. Colors also impress with their vibrancy and faithful reproduction, as they don't need to be passed through additional filters.
An OLED picture looks excellent in a darkened room – cinematic black gives scenes true depth, just like in a cinema. An additional plus is excellent viewing angles – even when looking from the side, you won't notice a loss of contrast or color distortion. Gamers, in turn, will appreciate the lightning-fast response time of the panel – the lack of matrix backlighting means no delays or ghosting; dynamic scenes and action games look fluid.
Limitations of OLED TVs
This doesn't mean, however, that 4K OLED TVs don't have their limitations. TVs with an organic panel don't achieve the same brightness as top-tier QLEDs. In a bright room, OLED might seem less impressive – intense sunlight is its natural enemy. But not the only one. A worse adversary here is the risk of static element burn-in. Prolonged display of the same element (like a logo in the corner of the screen, a red news ticker, or an in-game map) can leave a permanent mark on the panel. Manufacturers are fighting this with various protective mechanisms, and it seems they are coming out on top in this skirmish – but the risk remains.
LED vs. QLED vs. OLED – which TV to buy?
Something for everyone; there's no bad choice here, you just have to decide on something. We have duels in several categories.
Brightness and colors
QLED comes out on top. A good LED is hot on its heels. OLED? In a dark room, it also performs brilliantly thanks to excellent contrast.
Black and contrast
OLED sweeps the competition off the board.
Viewing conditions
If you watch movies in the evenings, OLED. If the TV is playing during the day, QLED and LED will be better.
Gaming and sports
OLED has the lowest input lag. QLED and LED will also do the job.
Durability and burn-in
LED and QLED are not threatened by burn-in. They are durable, and a good purchase can last for years. You shouldn't be afraid of OLED either – especially newer models.
Price
LED will be the cheapest. QLED and OLED are more expensive and can cost the same.
OLED or QLED TV? Yes!
Because the answer is QD-OLED. What does that actually mean?
Imagine a technology that takes the best of QLED and OLED, combines them, and creates a hybrid without compromises. Since 2022, this is not a dream, but a reality. Quantum Dot OLED is an OLED supported by quantum dots. Samsung, which for a long time did not enter the OLED market dominated by LG, focusing on QLEDs, finally gave in, and when it gave in, it turned the tables. And created a perfect panel.
The result? Higher brightness, a wider color palette, and all the advantages of OLED simultaneously. A perfect TV? In short: yes. You no longer have to choose between contrast and brightness. Additionally, in the latest models, we get a matte panel, which enhances the effect. Wow, wow, wow. Only that price…
TVs with QD-OLED panels are characterized by exceptionally high brightness, high contrast, and the most intense, saturated colors on the TV market. That’s a fact!
Which TV to choose in 2025?
The answer is: it depends. If you have plenty of gold in your pockets, don't hesitate and grab a QD-OLED TV. Are you a movie buff who watches films in the evenings? Go for OLED. If you watch football on Sunday afternoons, then choose QLED. Don't want to spend much? LED will be perfect.
