OLED vs NanoCell: Which TV to buy?
The NanoCell TVs are not to be confused with an OLED TV.
As we will explore in this article, NanoCell TVs are another type of LCD TVs only, but with few improvements.
The name “NanoCell” is given by LG to its one of its LCD TV lineups which refers to some nanometer sized particles used within their display.
While OLEDs are as always, a different league altogether, TVs with no backlight.
OLED vs NanoCell.
Let’s begin.
What is a NanoCell TV?
A NanoCell TV is a type of LCD TV that features an LED backlight and incorporates a layer of nanoparticles to enhance color accuracy by filtering out dull color tones.
This results in brighter and more vibrant images.
It uses IPS panels, which offer wider viewing angles but come with lower native contrast.
Many NanoCell TVs include full-array local dimming, where the backlight is divided into multiple dimming zones.
These zones allow for more precise control of light across the screen, improving contrast and overall picture quality compared to normal LED TVs.
Overall, NanoCell TVs deliver purer colors and wider viewing angles than conventional LED TVs.
What is an OLED TV?
“OLED” stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode and is fundamentally different from an LCD or LED TV.
Unlike NanoCell or other LCD-based TVs that rely on a backlight, an OLED TV uses self-emissive pixels, meaning each pixel generates and controls its own light.
As a result, OLED TVs don’t require any backlight. In dark scenes, individual pixels can switch off completely, producing true blacks and thus, delivering infinite contrast ratio.
This pixel-level control also enables extremely accurate color reproduction and thus, a mind blowing picture quality.
OLED vs NanoCell: Main Differences
Contrast
NanoCell TVs with full-array backlighting offer a few additional dozens of local dimming zones than regular LED TVs.
However, since they use IPS panels, which have low native contrast, the overall improvement in contrast is only marginal.
In dimly lit rooms, blacks tend to appear slightly gray rather than deep black.
You may also notice some blooming around bright objects, mainly because the LED backlight remains on even when the scene demands complete darkness.
Unlike TVs with a limited number of dimming zones for millions of pixels, OLED TVs use self-lit pixels, where each pixel can turn on or off independently.
This allows them to switch off individual pixels completely when no light is needed, resulting in pure blacks and infinite contrast.
Since there’s no backlight behind the screen, there’s virtually no blooming around bright objects.
As a result, OLED TVs deliver significantly superior picture quality compared to NanoCell TVs.
Winner: OLED
Color Gamut
A NanoCell TV produces purer colors than a regular LED TV, thanks to its nanoparticle layer that filters out dull and impure colors.
However, an OLED TV takes color reproduction to the next level.
With individually controlled, self-emissive pixels, each pixel can emit its own light having desired color and brightness independently.
This enables OLED TVs to achieve a wider color gamut and significantly better color accuracy compared to NanoCell TVs.
Winner: OLED
Brightness and HDR Performance
NanoCell TVs use an LED backlight, which provides them decent peak brightness.
However, in very bright rooms, they may still struggle to combat glare effectively.
On the other hand, OLED TVs use organic self-emissive pixels that can be prone to degradation if pushed too hard.
Despite this, they generally match, and often surpass NanoCell TVs in handling reflections and glare.
Combined with infinite contrast, true blacks, exceptional color accuracy, and ultra-fast response times, OLED TVs deliver a far superior HDR viewing experience.
Especially in dimly lit environments, they produce lifelike visuals with rich colors and striking contrast.
Winner: OLED
Viewing Angles
NanoCell TVs with IPS panels offer wide viewing angles, making them suitable for off-center viewing.
However, OLED TVs go a step further.
Thanks to their self-lit pixels that can be individually controlled and turned off, OLEDs maintain exceptional picture quality from virtually any angle.
Colors stay sharp, vibrant, and consistent, no matter where you’re seated.
Winner: OLED
Response Time
In OLED TVs, each pixel is self-emissive and can change color almost instantly, resulting in ultra-fast response times as low as about 0.1 to 0.2 milliseconds.
This makes them ideal for watching high-action movies or playing fast-paced games with minimal motion blur.
In contrast, NanoCell TVs rely on an LED backlight, with light passing through multiple LCD layers before reaching the screen.
This process introduces a delay, leading to slower response times, typically around 4 to 5 milliseconds or even more, making them less suitable for playing high-speed content.
Winner: OLED
Lifespan
OLED TVs, with their organic self-emissive pixels, can be susceptible to temporary image retention.
This may occur when static bright elements, such as a news channel logo, remain on the screen for extended periods.
Over time, this can lead to a faint ghost image or, in more severe cases, permanent burn-in where the stressed pixels degrade.
While modern OLED TVs include various preventive features like pixel shifting, the risk still exists.
To minimize it, it’s advisable to watch varied content rather than static visuals.
In contrast, NanoCell TVs use inorganic LCD pixels and LED backlights, making them immune to burn-in issues.
Winner: NanoCell
OLED vs NanoCell: Which TV to buy?
OLED TVs offer significantly better picture quality than NanoCell TVs, thanks to their superior contrast, deeper blacks, faster response time, wider viewing angles, better reflection handling, and more accurate colors with excellent HDR performance.
One area where NanoCell TVs have an edge is burn-in resistance.
OLEDs, though susceptible to image retention, have improved greatly in this regard, and with modern usage patterns, the risk is now minimal for most users.
In terms of pricing, OLED TVs are usually about twice as expensive as comparable NanoCell models.
So, if you’re on a tight budget, a NanoCell TV is still a solid upgrade over a conventional LED TV.
However, if top-tier picture quality is what you’re after, and the budget allows, investing in an OLED TV is definitely worth it.
