It can be difficult keeping up with technology, especially TVs. If you’re shopping for a television in 2021, you can buy a QLED, ULED, OLED, or UHD, many of which have few clear differences.
In this article, we’ll be comparing ULED vs QLED, exploring important info such as who manufactures them, the technology used, screen sizes, picture quality, and their pricing. This will allow you to make a more informed decision on your television purchase.
Brand
ULED is a technology created by Chinese manufacturer Hisense, and they’re the only company who sell this type of television. They’re a budget brand who are competing with the big boys in the television market—Samsung, Panasonic, and LG—by offering a range of high-quality televisions for a low price.
QLED is created by Samsung, and again, they’re the only manufacturer who sell these types of TV. But unlike Hisense, Samsung are a giant in the television game, and their products have a price tag to match.
Technology
ULED stands for Ultra LED. It’s a conventional LCD TV, but with a second grayscale LCD layer that sits between the TVs 4K panel and LED backlight. This creates deeper blacks and high-definition visuals. The images shown on ULED TVs are also manipulated by software, which adjusts the lighting, colour, and motion to create a clear picture.
Some ULED televisions also use quantum-dot technology, as with Samsung’s.
QLED stands for Quantum Dot LED. Again, it’s a conventional LCD TV, but uses quantum dots to produce colour instead of the clunky method of combining white LEDs and colour filters. The quantum dots create colour that is more saturated, and precisely defined.
Screen sizes
Hisense’s ULED’s screen sizes are between 50 to 75 inches. This is a much smaller range than the screen sizes for Samsung’s QLEDs: between 32 to 98 inches. So Samsung is the clear winner here, offering a better variety of sizes for the consumer.
Resolution
ULED televisions offer up to 4K resolution, which aligns with the highest resolution of movies and programs that are being made at the moment. All QLED televisions have a minimum of 4K resolution, with some going up to 8K. 8K produces a seriously impressive picture, but very few movie or television producers are currently making anything in 8K, so it’s like buying the fastest car on the planet but not being able to buy the right fuel for it. Until 8K becomes more widely adopted (sometime in around 2023, apparently1), it’s probably best to avoid the cost that comes with an 8K television.
Price
Hisense is a cheaper brand, so you can expect to pay between $1500 to $5000 for a ULED, depending on its size. An average-sized 65 inch television will cost around $2000.
Samsung’s QLED televisions cost somewhere between $1000 to $12,000. But keep in mind that they offer a much wider range of screen sizes. A 65 inch QLED will cost about $5000—over double the price of the Hisense.
Which is better?
This decision will mostly come down to price. If you’re looking for a cheaper television that performs well, go for the Hisense ULED. If you’re looking for a television that has better resolution, darker blacks, and a little more brightness, and you’re willing to pay over double the price for those things, go for the Samsung QLED.
References
- Felix Richter, 2019, Infographic: 8K TV – Not Coming to a Home Near You Anytime Soon, International Business Times