IPS vs OLED: Which TV panel offers better contrast & blacks?

We know that IPS and VA panels are used in LCD TVs and require an LED backlight as a light source.

On the other hand, OLED is a completely different technology which has self-lit pixels and thus, doesn’t need any backlight.

That said, when comparing the contrast ratio of OLED and IPS panels, it’s important to understand how each technology works fundamentally.

Their core difference plays a major role in how they deliver contrast and black depth.

IPS Panels

IPS panels inherently have weaker contrast compared to VA LED LCD TVs, which means their blacks often look more like dark grey rather than true black.

Another drawback is backlight bleeding, especially in budget IPS models, where light from bright areas spills into darker ones, creating a blooming effect.

Though advanced features like local dimming can help improve IPS contrast by selectively controlling parts of the backlight, the improvement is usually limited compared to VA panels because of IPS’s naturally low contrast.

Many premium IPS-based TVs, like QNED models, use advanced backlighting with thousands of mini LEDs.

These create many local dimming zones that can switch off individually, resulting in deeper blacks and better contrast than standard IPS LCDs.

OLED Panels

OLED displays use millions of organic LEDs, with each pixel acting as its own light source.

Since every pixel is self-emissive and can turn on or off independently, OLED panels can achieve perfect blacks and an infinite contrast ratio.

In dark scenes, an OLED screen goes completely black without any blooming at all!

Thus, regardless of any modifications in the technology such as advancements like the use of quantum dots in QD-OLED panels or microscopic lens arrays in MLA-based OLEDs, the core self-emissive property of OLED technology, without relying on any backlight—guarantees perfect black levels.

IPS LCD vs OLED: Which TV offers better contrast?

There’s no comparison between OLED and IPS LCD panels when it comes to contrast and black levels.

When comparing side by side, you will see that an OLED delivers perfect blacks with zero blooming, while an IPS LCD panel usually displays greyer blacks with visible blooming.

Even advanced IPS-based TVs like QNED with mini-LED backlighting or NanoCell with full-array local dimming can’t match OLED’s black levels.

At best, VA panels with mini LED backlighting come closer, but IPS still lags much behind.

Conclusion

OLED TVs, thanks to their self-emissive pixels, produce infinite contrast and true blacks.

IPS LCDs, while generally weaker in contrast, can improve their black levels significantly with advanced technologies like mini LED backlighting.

However, OLED remains far superior and achieves much deeper blacks and higher contrast than any IPS-based display.