LED vs LCDmonitor for gaming

LCD stands for liquid-crystal display, which refers to how the monitor works. Behind the screen, liquid crystals are sandwiched between two layers of glass and used to change the colors of pixels to create the images that you see. The whole process is a lot more complicated, but that's the gist of how LCDs function.

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You won't have much of a choice between LED or LCD. Most monitors, regardless of whether they're marked as LED or LCD, will use LED backlights. LED backlights became the new standard because they allow manufacturers to make thinner, more energy-efficient monitors with better graphics. It's not worth going out of your way to find an LCD with fluorescent backlighting, unless you really, really hate LED lights.

Our Resolution test is rather simple. We list the native resolution, aspect ratio, megapixels, and pixel density, which can help you choose a monitor.

A screen's resolution refers to the amount of horizontal and vertical pixels within the panel; a monitor with a 1920x1080 resolution has 1920 horizontal pixels and 1080 vertical pixels. Most monitors use three common resolutions: 1080p, 1440p, and 4k, but there are also ultrawide monitors with 3440x1440 and 5120x1440, or the less common 3840x1600 and 5120x2160, resolutions.

Display led vs lcdlaptop

The tricky thing, however, is that it's pretty much impossible to tell what type of backlight and how many backlights a monitor has based on a typical product description. Some manufacturers will share that info, but generally they won't unless the backlight setup is a premium feature you're paying for.

Difference betweenLEDandLCDTV

There are also ultrawide monitors that either increase the number of vertical pixels or horizontal pixels compared to the resolutions above. Most ultrawide monitors have a vertical resolution of 1440 pixels, so they're also known as 1440p, but there are some with the same vertical or horizontal resolution as 4k monitors. You can see the most common ultrawide resolutions below.

There are often marketing terms associated with each resolution, which may be confusing and don't always refer to the same thing. For example, 4k refers to the number of horizontal pixels, while 1080p refers to the number of vertical pixels. You can see the differences between each of the common resolutions, including their marketing names.

The amount of megapixels (MP), or millions of pixels, is simply the number of pixels in a screen. It comes from multiplying the amount of horizontal and vertical pixels, which is then divided by 1 million to give the number of megapixels - mega is another way of saying million. For example, a 4k monitor with 3840 horizontal pixels and 2160 vertical pixels has 8,294,400 individual pixels, so it has 8.3 megapixels after rounding. Simply put, the higher resolution means more pixels.

Display led vs lcdsamsung

For our resolution test, we look at a few things, and most of them are related to each other. We don't actually measure anything; instead, we use calculations to come up with the pixel density and megapixels.

The aspect ratio refers to the ratio of horizontal pixels versus vertical pixels, and it also indicates the monitor's shape. The earliest monitors had a 4:3 aspect ratio and looked like squared screens, but this aspect ratio isn't very common anymore. Monitors have become wider; most now use a standard 16:9 aspect ratio. This means that the amount of horizontal pixels is about 1.78 times the amount of vertical pixels. However, ultrawide monitors increase the amount of horizontal space and can go up to a 21:9 or 32:9 aspect ratio. You can see the differences below.

Display led vs lcdwhich is better

From panel technology to refresh rates, there are a lot of things to consider when looking for a new gaming monitor. To aid you on your journey for the perfect setup, we're breaking down two of the most common display technology terms: LED and LCD. Here's what you need to know about LED and LCD screens, what the terms stand for, and how they factor into modern gaming monitors.

LCDor LED: which is better for eyes

A monitor's resolution, and in turn, PPI, greatly affects the text clarity. The more pixels there are, the easier it is to deliver clear and sharp text. Although pixel density isn't the only deciding factor in text clarity, a monitor with a higher pixel density generally has clearer text than one with a lower pixel density. You can see examples of two 27-inch monitors below, with the left being a 1080p monitor and the right being a 4k monitor; both have Windows ClearType disabled. As you can see, the text on the right is visibly bolder, especially on diagonal lines, making it easier to read.

Display led vs lcdreddit

For example, some edge-lit and array-lit LEDs have local dimming capabilities, a feature that can selectively dim certain zones of LED lights. Local dimming improves contrast ratio and provides deeper blacks in dimly lit scenes. These monitors, however, tend to be pricey. Some well-reviewed options include the Samsung Odyssey G7 and Philips Momentum 436M6VBPAB, both of which are edge-lit monitors with partial local dimming capabilities. The Acer Predator X35 is an (expensive) full-array monitor with full local dimming (FALD) capabilities.

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Having a high pixel density may not necessarily be a good thing because the higher the pixel density, the smaller the text. 4k monitors result in such fine text that you may need to increase the scaling in your system's settings to make the text legible. This is one of the reasons why resolution really is a personal preference, as some people don't mind this, while others may not prefer such a high resolution.

There are different types of LED backlighting: edge-lit and array-lit. In edge-lit monitors, the lights are placed around the edges of the monitor. Light guides are then used to diffuse the light evenly across the screen. In array-lit monitors, lights are placed behind the screen in a pattern.

You'll notice that not all ultrawide screens have an aspect ratio of exactly 2.33:1. A 3440x1440 screen has a ratio of 2.38:1, while a 3840x1600 screen has a ratio of 2.4:1. Overall, the aspect ratio helps describe the shape of the screen, and you can see the different shapes below.

In the past, some LCDs were backlit by CCFLs (cold-cathode fluorescent lamps). LCDs with fluorescent backlighting have been around longer, so if you can find one, they will be cheaper than LED monitors. However, if you're a gamer looking for decent refresh rates and response times, it's going to be hard to find a monitor with fluorescent backlighting. They've almost completely been replaced by LCD monitors with LED backlights.

Display led vs lcdfor gaming

There are also benefits to getting a high resolution for gaming, as it delivers more detailed and realistic images. However, higher resolutions also require more bandwidth, so you may prefer gaming at a lower resolution so that it's less demanding on your graphics card.

When purchasing a monitor, the first thing you may notice on its product page, or even in the model name, is what resolution it has. Choosing the right resolution really is a personal preference, as some people may prefer one resolution over the other. However, getting a high resolution can benefit some people for certain usages. For example, a higher resolution helps deliver sharper text and lets you see more content at once versus a monitor with a lower resolution, which is ideal for office use or content creation.

A monitor's resolution is one of the first things we consider when shopping for a new monitor. The resolution is how many pixels there are in the panel, and it helps define how clear and detailed images appear. We use the monitor's resolution and size to calculate its pixel density and the number of total pixels it has, also known as megapixels. There's no perfect resolution for everyone, as choosing one depends on your needs. Gamers tend to go for lower-resolution screens, while people using them for office work may prefer a higher resolution.

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Check out our guide to the best cheap gaming monitors for more budget options; plus, see our picks for the best monitors for PS5 and Xbox Series X, best 144Hz monitors, and the best 4K gaming monitors for more LED displays worth picking up.

Using the advertised screen size, we can calculate the pixel density by dividing the diagonal resolution by the screen size. For example, a 4k monitor has a diagonal resolution of 4,405.814 pixels, and if the diagonal screen size is 27 inches, then the pixel density is about 164 PPI. You can also calculate the PPI2, which is the number of pixels per square inch, by dividing the megapixels by the screen area, but we don't calculate this. Below are some popular monitor sizes and their PPI.

LEDs work in a similar way; in fact, you can consider LEDs a subcategory of LCDs. The only difference between some LCDs and LEDs is the type of backlighting: LEDs use LED (light-emitting diodes) backlighting.

Lastly, we calculate the pixel density, which represents the amount of pixels in a certain area of the screen, and the unit we measure it in is pixels per inch (PPI). We use the screen's physical measurements and its resolution to determine the PPI.

In contrast to fluorescent backlighting, LED backlighting generally provides brighter colors and sharper contrast. The monitors are also thinner in size and, in the long run, more energy efficient than LCDs with fluorescent backlights. LED backlighting is the newer technology and the current standard for monitors with high refresh rates and fast response times. When you see LCD in product descriptions, they're almost always LCD monitors that use LED (as opposed to fluorescent) backlighting. For example, BenQ's EL2870U monitor is listed as an LCD, but it's an LCD with LED backlighting.

Which backlights a monitor has isn't as important as other factors such as panel technology, refresh rates and response time, G-Sync vs. FreeSync, and HDR --those are the characteristics you should pay more attention to when choosing a monitor. If you're not looking to break the bank, a couple of great LED monitors at excellent price points we can recommend are the Asus VP249QGR, a nice budget 1080p monitor, and Acer XF250Q Cbmiiprx 24.5, a well-reviewed budget 240Hz monitor.

A monitor's resolution can impact your buying decision, but choosing the right one is a personal preference. Monitors are available in a few different common resolutions, like 1080p, 1440p, and 4k, and a higher resolution results in a sharper and more detailed than a lower resolution on a screen of the same size.