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But don’t worry.

I’m here to explain at a simple level what the differences are and what they mean for you.

ASUS ROG Swift OLED (PG27AQDM) gaming monitor.

Image of the ASUS ROG Swift OLED (PG27AQDM) gaming monitor.

I’ll also go over which display types are the best in various scenarios.

There can be exceptions to the rule.

These differences lead to some major differences in the viewing experience.

HP OMEN 27qs on desk.

The HP OMEN 27qs is an IPS LCD display.

Let’s start by going over how each one is made and what it means for you.

IPS, LCD, & LED displays

IPS, LCD, and LED displays are all related.

“IPS” stands for in-plane switching, and is a term coined by LG.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 with gamer at a desk.

Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 with gamer at a desk.

However, they are often a lot less expensive.

It was first developed in 1987 and the name stands for organic light-emitting diode or organic electroluminescent diode.

When designed well, tandem OLEDs can be better than single-panel OLEDs in many ways.

Dell Ultrasharp 32 6K (U3223KB) monitor

QD-OLEDs are known to develop screen burn-in faster than the other display types mentioned here.

Despite the name looking like “OLED” they aren’t OLEDs at all.

QLEDs are cheaper to produce than other display types and thus are often used to produce cheaper TVs.

A man using a Dell XPS 13 while it sits on a coffee table.

The Dell XPS 13 (Lunar Lake) utilizes a tandem OLED display.

However, their picture quality isn’t as consistent as OLED, WD-OLED, AMOLED, or Mini LED.

These cost more, are more reliable, and are considered premium QLEDs.

AMOLED displays

AnAMOLED, or active-matrix light-emitting diode, is a newer display first invented in 2006.

Image of the Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW3423DWF).

Alienware 34 Curved QD-OLED gaming monitor offers amazing picture quality.

However, they don’t get as true black as OLED displays do.

However, their design allows for a thinner, power-saving build.

OLED vs QD-OLED vs QLED vs AMOLED vs Mini LED: Which is best?

Samsung graph explaining QLED TV vs OLED TV.

Samsung schematic showing QLED TV vs OLED TV.

However, there are ways in which the other types are better.

Note:These are averages.

Each individual laptop, computer monitor, TV, and any other display will be unique.

Schematic of an AMOLED display.

Schematic of an AMOLED display.

There can be exceptions to the rule.

The more nits a display supports, the brighter it gets.

But being brighter isn’t always best as there are more things to consider when choosing a display.

Samsung Mini-LED TV anatomy.

Samsung Mini-LED TV anatomy.

They also have great viewing angles but they are also susceptible to fast screen burn-in.

Some displays look distorted or darker from the sides.

That way, you in turn can respond quickly.

Dell XPS 15 9530 OLED on desk.

Dell XPS 15 9530 OLED on desk.

WINNER:As of right now,AMOLEDis the king of color accuracy, but not by a ton.

OLED and Mini LED follow right after it.

As the adage says, “you get what you pay for.”

Samsung QLED Q60T TV above desk.

Samsung QLED Q60T TV above desk.

Of course, going for a smaller size display can really help you save money.

But on the other hand, you don’t always need the best quality to get a job done.

Sometimes going for the cheapest thing is the right choice for you.

Image of the ASUS ROG Swift OLED (PG27AQDM) gaming monitor.

Image of the ASUS ROG Swift OLED (PG27AQDM) gaming monitor viewed from the side.

Plus, they’re available most plentifully as the premium display option for various devices.

They also tend to be fast and work well as gaming monitors or TVs.

They make for great gaming monitors and laptop panels.

Cyberpunk 2077 on Dell XPS 17 (9730)

Cyberpunk 2077 on Dell XPS 17 (9730).

Front view of Redmagic 4K Mini LED Gaming Monitor on a white table

Front view of Redmagic 4K Mini LED Gaming Monitor on a white table.

Razer Blade 16 on table.

Razer Blade 16 Mini LED laptop on table.

Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED on table.

Asus Zenbook S 13 OLED on table.

ASUS Zenbook 15 OLED (UM3504)

Samsung QN65QN900B 65 Inch…

Samsung QN65QN800DFXZA 65…

SAMSUNG QN75QN900B 75 Inch…

Sony XR85X95K 85 inch BRAVIA…

Dell XPS 13 on a granite surface.

Image of the Alienware 27 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor (AW2725Q).

Image of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 9) laptop.

Image of an Alienware gaming monitor.

The HP OMEN Transcend 32 on a desk with the display on.

HP Envy Move

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Founders Edition power adapter in box

Asus Rog Zephyrus G14 Ryzen

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang addresses participants at the keynote of CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on January 6, 2025.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Founders Edition (front) compared to RTX 5090 Founders Edition (rear)

Xbox controller with WD-40

Elden Ring Nightreign

The rare Caine Trailblazer operator skin, obtainable from the Return to Verdansk event in Call of Duty: Warzone

Dune: Awakening

DOOM: The Dark Ages

Windows 11 system features

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the United Nations General Assembly seen on a laptop computer in Hastings on the Hudson, New York, U.S., on Tuesday, Sept. 22. 2020.