Comparison of Display Technologies

CRT (Cathode Ray Tube)

CRT displays use electron beams to excite phosphors on the screen. These were common in old TVs and computer monitors.

Pros: Great color and motion performance, deep blacks.

Cons: Bulky, heavy, high power usage.

Uses: Legacy computer setups, retro gaming.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

LCDs use a backlight and liquid crystals to control light. The crystals align to let different amounts of light through.

Pros: Lightweight, low power, cheap.

Cons: Limited contrast, narrow viewing angles.

Uses: TVs, monitors, laptops, phones.

LED (Light Emitting Diode)

LED displays are LCDs with LED backlighting instead of fluorescent.

Pros: Thinner, more energy-efficient, brighter than older LCDs.

Cons: Still suffers from backlight bleeding.

Uses: TVs, laptops, signage.

TFT (Thin Film Transistor) LCD

A type of LCD using transistors for each pixel, offering better response times.

Pros: Fast refresh, clear text/images.

Cons: TN versions have poor color angles.

Uses: Monitors, medical displays, phones.

OLED (Organic LED)

OLEDs emit their own light per pixel. No backlight needed.

Pros: True black, thin design, vibrant colors.

Cons: Expensive, burn-in risk.

Uses: Premium TVs, smartphones, tablets.

QLED (Quantum Dot LED)

QLED adds a Quantum Dot layer to LED displays for better color.

Pros: High brightness, good for bright rooms.

Cons: Not self-lit like OLED.

Uses: High-end TVs (Samsung, TCL).

MicroLED

A new tech using microscopic self-emitting LEDs.

Pros: Perfect blacks, no burn-in, ultra-bright.

Cons: Currently very expensive.

Uses: Future high-end TVs.

Mini-LED

Backlight tech using many tiny LEDs for better local dimming.

Pros: Better contrast than traditional LED, no burn-in.

Cons: Not true black like OLED.

Uses: Newer Apple products, TVs.

Plasma Display

Each pixel contains gas that lights up when charged.

Pros: Smooth motion, great contrast.

Cons: Heavy, power-hungry, phased out.

Uses: Discontinued, used in older HD TVs.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)

Not a display type but a feature. Enhances contrast and color.

Types: HDR10 (standard), HDR10+, Dolby Vision (dynamic), HLG (broadcast).

Pros: Better realism in scenes.

Cons: Requires HDR-capable content and hardware.

Projectors (DLP, LCD, LCoS)

Projectors cast images using various tech. DLP uses mirrors, LCD uses panels, LCoS combines both.

Pros: Huge screen, portable.

Cons: Needs dark room, lower contrast.

Uses: Classrooms, home theater, cinema.

Written by: Muhammad Imran Hussain Khan | www.imran.xyz