Looking for a new TV? You've probably stumbled upon these words - miniLED vs MicroLED. Since they have the words "LED", they are probably the same thing. Wrong! These two types are not actually the same. In fact, they're very different from each other. If you're as confused as everyone else, then read on to know more about them.
What's Mini-LED?
The best way to remember what a mini-LED is is to treat it as a better-LED display. LED displays make use of an LED backlight as its source for the brightness. Similar to LED, the mini-LED also needs a backlight for you to see the display on the screen.
What makes the mini-LED better than your conventional LED TV? For one thing, the mini-LED has smaller LEDs to power the backlight. The more LEDs, the better the contrast because the size of the former is almost as close to the pixel's size. To add to that, smaller LED lights will be able to achieve a better black level which is what a lot of people are looking for on a TV.
What's MicroLED?
And then you have microLED. Even if they sound the same, microLED is very different from a mini-LED. Their major difference is that the former does not use a backlight to light up the display. If you think about it, microLED is actually a lot closer to an OLED TV than a mini-LED. This is because OLED does not use backlights. Instead, it can control its individual pixels for better contrast.
In effect, microLED TV is able to give a total blackness because the pixels are turned off whenever black is the colour to be displayed. Unlike other LED TVs that still emit a dim light, the microLED does not emit any form of light. And if you're curious about the brightness, microLED can also produce up to 5,000 nits (nits being the unit of measurement for brightness) compared to the OLED that can produce 1,000 nits only.
Which One is Better - MiniLED vs MicroLED?
In essence, both these two newest displays are the most sophisticated and best version of their older counterparts. They have smaller pieces, and they are meant to give the best contrast, brightness, and darkness to any viewer. But if you're going to buy the newest display, what are you supposed to pick from the two? Here's a rundown on which is better per category.
1. Brightness, Darkness, and Contrast
First up is the display quality. If you're buying a TV set, you definitely want to know about the brightness, darkness, and contrast levels. MicroLED tops this factor because it can control each one of the pixels in the screen. If you want a total black, then you'll definitely get a total black pixel because it's turned off. The same goes for brightness. Each pixel will be able to emit its actual colours and brightness because they are not controlled by any other backlight.
In effect, the one that has the best contrast is no other than the microLED. Because the pixels are individually controlled, there's an infinite contrast level that can be done in this television set. As of today, nothing comes closer to the microLED no matter what other people say.
2. Size
Another win for the microLED is the size. MicroLED television sets don't really have a limit to their size because they're not dependent on the backlight size. If you want to increase the size of your microLED screen, then all you need to do is just add more microLED panels. It's like attaching more panels to extend the overall size. And what's great about it is their sizes don't have to be confined with industry-standard sizes.
Unfortunately for the mini-LED TV, they still have to follow the standard LED sizes. Opposite with the micro LEDs, the mini-LEDs have to fit the available LED panels in the market. So far, the largest mini-LED display is 110 inches which are produced by Samsung.
3. Price
Of course, you can't just run to the store and buy the best one yet without considering the price. The short answer to which one is more expensive is the microLED. MicroLED costs around $150,000 for a 120-inch display. In fact, some brands don't even mention the price on their websites because of its high price.
The next best thing for you then is mini-LED TVs. While they're as good as the microLED, they are definitely a lot cheaper. A 65-inch screen costs around $2,000. With this pricing, everyone will probably flock to buy the best mini-LED!
4. Availability
And then you have availability. Availability here refers to two things - the number of brands manufacturing this kind of display and how easily you can buy them. Currently, Samsung, TLC, Sony, and LG all have their own mini-LED models, so it's relatively easy for you to find them in the appliance store. On the other hand, micro LEDs don't have a lot of models in the stores simply because they are also expensive to produce.
When it comes to how easily you can buy them, as mentioned above, it's not really that easy to buy a microLED unless you have the money for it. MicroLEDs are very expensive, and even if they are readily available, it's really for the upper classes. This makes the mini-LEDs a lot more available for a lot of people.
In conclusion, both the mini-LED and the microLED are great buys, but it all ends with your considerations for buying. Most definitely, you have to have an obscene amount of money to be able to buy the microLED. This is why mini-LEDs are preferred by a lot of people. Besides, it's not really that bad. It's even the best LED display in the market.
On the other hand, if money is not an issue and you prefer to have the highest quality TV, there is, then microLED is really the way to go. They have the best brightness and dark settings, and you can have unlimited contrast levels. Of course, this comes with a price, so it's really up to your preference and budget.