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I still remember the day I bought my first OLED TV — the LG E8 55-inch in early 2019, just before the world went into lockdown. Little did I know, that TV would become my ultimate companion during isolation. At the time, I didn’t fully grasp what OLED (organic light-emitting diode) technology truly meant beyond the basic understanding: each pixel emits its own light, resulting in infinite contrast without the need for a backlight.
But it wasn’t until I dove deep into *Final Fantasy XV*, watching Noctis battle through sun-drenched landscapes, or explored the haunting beauty of *The Last of Us Part II*, that I truly appreciated what OLED could do. It felt like reliving vivid memories in real-time — every detail crisp, every shadow rich, and every color alive. Naturally, the E8 wasn’t going to be my last OLED display.
A few years later, I upgraded to the LG C2 65-inch TV, and since then, I’ve reviewed countless devices with OLED displays. Through that journey, I discovered an important truth: not all OLED panels are created equal. In fact, they differ significantly in underlying technology. You might be wondering, “How many types of OLED exist?” The list is long, but there are only three you really need to know about: WOLED, QD-OLED, and AMOLED.
**WOLED, QD-OLED, and AMOLED: How They Work**
OLED has been around for decades, with companies like Kodak and Mitsubishi experimenting with early prototypes. However, it was LG’s entry into the consumer market in the early 2010s that brought OLED into the mainstream. LG’s version is known as WOLED (White OLED), although you won’t see that term used in their marketing materials. For LG, OLED is WOLED — whether they say it or not.
WOLED works by using a white OLED layer paired with RGBW color filters. Instead of having individual red, green, and blue subpixels, WOLED uses white pixels filtered through color layers. This approach helps reduce uneven aging between color emitters — a common cause of burn-in in traditional OLED designs. However, this method also introduces brightness imbalance and lower overall color volume compared to other OLED technologies. High-end WOLED TVs often use Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology to improve light efficiency and mitigate these issues.
In 2022, a new contender entered the scene: QD-OLED (Quantum Dot OLED), pioneered by Samsung. Unlike WOLED, QD-OLED starts with a blue OLED base layer that shines through quantum dot color converters. These dots absorb the blue light and re-emit it as red or green, retaining more brightness and color accuracy than WOLED's filtering system.
AMOLED, meanwhile, stands apart as a variant optimized for mobile devices. While similar to WOLED in principle, AMOLED includes a thin-film transistor (TFT) layer that allows for faster pixel response times. This makes it ideal for high-refresh-rate smartphones and tablets. However, the addition of the TFT layer slightly compromises OLED’s signature infinite contrast.
**WOLED, QD-OLED, and AMOLED: Which Is Better for Gaming?**
Choosing the best OLED type for gaming depends on your environment and personal preferences. If you're looking for a straightforward answer: QD-OLED generally delivers superior performance. That said, there are scenarios where WOLED or even AMOLED may be more suitable.
AMOLED displays are most commonly found in smartphones and laptops due to their flexibility and compact design. While they offer excellent refresh rates and wide viewing angles, they’re rarely used in large-format TVs due to cost and production limitations. On smaller screens, AMOLED provides vibrant visuals and fast response times, though it struggles under direct sunlight due to limited peak brightness.
For gaming monitors and TVs, your main options are WOLED and QD-OLED. WOLED can achieve very high brightness levels, especially with white tones, thanks to its white subpixel. However, the RGBW filter reduces color brightness, leading to less dynamic visuals compared to QD-OLED. QD-OLED, with its quantum dot absorption method, offers richer colors and higher overall brightness.
One drawback of QD-OLED comes from its lack of a polarizing layer, which helps reduce glare. As a result, QD-OLED displays can reflect ambient light more easily — sometimes showing a purplish tint in dark scenes when viewed in bright environments. In contrast, WOLED maintains deeper blacks even in well-lit rooms, making it a better choice for living room setups with windows.
Ultimately, while QD-OLED technically outperforms WOLED in terms of color and brightness, the ideal choice depends on your specific setup and how much you're willing to invest. Higher-priced models tend to deliver better refinements regardless of the OLED type.
**The Future of OLED Is PHOLED**
Beyond WOLED and QD-OLED, another promising technology is on the horizon: PHOLED (Phosphorescent OLED). Unlike standard fluorescent OLEDs, PHOLED uses phosphorescent materials to convert energy into light with much greater efficiency — up to 100% compared to the 25% efficiency of fluorescent OLEDs.
However, one major challenge has historically held back PHOLED development: the short lifespan of blue phosphorescent materials. Without a durable blue emitter, PHOLED panels were prone to rapid degradation. But recently, LG announced a breakthrough — they’ve solved the blue decay issue and are now preparing PHOLED for mass production. LG calls this next-gen tech "Dream OLED" due to its potential for brighter images and lower power consumption.
While PHOLED TVs won’t hit the market immediately, we’ll likely see them appear first in premium smartphones and tablets. As manufacturing scales up, expect future OLED displays to become even more efficient, brighter, and longer-lasting than ever before.
