LED vs. LCD Monitors

LED Computer Monitors  vs. 

LCD Computer Monitors

It is great, If you are looking for a computer monitor to replace your old and bulky CRT monitor, either an LCD or LED monitor is a major upgrade. If you are deciding between an LED or LCD model, there is not much difference for the regular computer user. If, however, you have to get the newest gadget on the market, get the LED because it is new. For all others, the only reason to justify the extra expense of the LED is if you are a professional in the visual arts or a gaming enthusiast. Computer animation artists, graphic designers, and video producers will enjoy more vivid colors and sharper images on the LCD monitor. You should know the differences in LCD and LED technology, and what that means to the objective specifications and your subjective viewing experience.

Liquid Crystal Diode (LCD) Monitors

An LCD monitor is one with a fluorescent panel and cold cathode technology. This type of monitor is an improvement over the older cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors, which used a vacuum tube to emit electrons onto the fluorescent panel. LCD offers improvements with almost half the power usage, a mercury-free environment, and low electromagnetic interference (EMI). Also of importance to consumers are the weight reduction and the much slimmer design of about 1/2-inch thick.

Liquid crystal diode (LCD) technology is a form of lighting used in computer monitors, laptops, and televisions, along with various other forms of home and outdoor lighting. It uses cold-cathode fluorescent lights known as CFL lights to illuminate the screen for viewing graphics, text, and video. LCD contains a cold cathode and twisting crystal lights as the defining technology. 

If you want to give up your old CRT monitor, an LCD monitor is the next step. They come in a wide range of sizes. They take up little space on your desk, and they are lightweight, so you can move them around easily. Many people can sit around the monitor and view it easily from all angles. They do well in brightly lit rooms, either with natural or artificial light.

Some people may be sensitive to blurring, such as those with neurological problems, so a high Hz LCD monitor is better. Companies often give this added benefit proprietary names. For example, Sony calls it "Motionflow." For most people though, the ordinary 120 Hz is sufficient.

These monitors are widely available from a range of manufacturers, and therefore are relatively inexpensive. They also save you money in the end, as they are much more energy efficient than the old CRT monitors, and they are environmentally safe with no mercury.

Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Monitors

Light-emitting diode (LED) computer monitors do not use cold-cathode technology and fluorescent technology. Instead, light diodes illuminate the screen in one of two different ways, or a combination of both. White LED lights are clustered around the rim of the screen and diffuse evenly, called edge lighting. LED lights are also spaced evenly behind the screen, and they are either not controlled or are controlled with a "local dimming" option. If you are looking for an LED monitor, look for this local dimming on/off option.

LED Advantages

The advantage of LED backlighting is an even better energy savings, the best on the market, in fact. LED also offers better color quality, clarity, and faster refresh rates. The local-dimming option found in some models allows fine tuning of color, especially in the black-and-white ranges. When the black-and-white range is clearer, it provides a better contrasts to the true colors, and therefore a more dynamic and realistic image. LED monitors offer even thinner construction than LCD monitors because of the LED lights around the edge of the panel.

Comparing LED to LCD Monitors

The main difference between these two technologies is the lighting technology: cold-cathode fluorescent lighting vs. light diodes.

Resolution

Bigger screens usually mean better resolution. The resolution refers to the amount of picture pixels up by the number of pixels down. Pixels are the little dots that are the smallest unit used to create the picture. More pixels equal a richer, more colorful, and clearer image.

Contrast Ratio

This specification refers to the shading capabilities between black and white. A higher ratio means that color reproduction is more accurate. The LED wins here.

Brightness

The measure of brightness means that the image is clear and visible especially in very bright light. LED and LCD tie here, but may differ in some manufacturer’s models.

Weight

These models tie here, but LED is often lighter comparatively. Both LED and LCD monitors totally outclass bulky CRT monitors in weight.

Energy Star

While LCD monitors are 40 percent more efficient than the old CRT monitors, LED monitors offer a 20 percent energy efficiency over the LCD monitors, which qualifies them for official energy savings recognition.

[Source: Print and Electronic Media]