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LED vs CCFL
- Thread starter icor1031
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For starters, its like asking a question about gasoline vs diesel engines. Usually the gas engine can get more RPMs and thus horsepower and the diesel more torque and a fuel w/ greater caloric density, but there are high quality diesels that blow away the top end horsepower of some crappy gas engines and gas engines w/ better fuel economy and low end than some diesels. The same applies to LED vs CCFL, difference in quality of specific models.
It also depends on what type of LED we are talking about.
There are full array LEDs, edge lit LEDs, and then CCFL.
The thinnest are edge-lit LEDs, and these come in two flavors as well, w/ the local dimming (forget the exact term they use) being the best. The next thinnest but best local dimming since you can individually control the LEDs are in the full array, but obviously more LEDs = more cost and some increase in power use. Then there are CCFL which are a series of tubes (just like the internets, lol) behind the screen, and the downside is increased thickness and power usage, and usually you don't get quite as bright of whites as you can w/ LED.
It also depends on what type of LED we are talking about.
There are full array LEDs, edge lit LEDs, and then CCFL.
The thinnest are edge-lit LEDs, and these come in two flavors as well, w/ the local dimming (forget the exact term they use) being the best. The next thinnest but best local dimming since you can individually control the LEDs are in the full array, but obviously more LEDs = more cost and some increase in power use. Then there are CCFL which are a series of tubes (just like the internets, lol) behind the screen, and the downside is increased thickness and power usage, and usually you don't get quite as bright of whites as you can w/ LED.
Nothing. It's light.
People claim LED brighter but that depends on number of CCFLs or LEDs Toughbooks maintain 1000 nits with both.
People say LED is green. Ditto.
People say LEDs last longer, not red.
I could go with either, panel tests are far more important to me.
People claim LED brighter but that depends on number of CCFLs or LEDs Toughbooks maintain 1000 nits with both.
People say LED is green. Ditto.
People say LEDs last longer, not red.
I could go with either, panel tests are far more important to me.
I read the TFTcentral article and found this funny
Only problem is this is apples and oranges since the CCFL version is brighter.
http://www.all-monitors.com/monitors/manufacturers/pos/benq_g2420hdbl
http://www.all-monitors.com/monitors/manufacturers/pos/benq_g2420hdb
I have yet to see one independent study show LED saves power.
And if anyone is interested in power stay away from IPS.
Zepher
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Less heat, at least on my screens.
I can feel heat above my 20" and 19" LG LCD monitors after being on now for 20 minutes.
My 23" HP LED LCD doesn't seem to output any heat. I think it only consumes 19 watts.
I can feel heat above my 20" and 19" LG LCD monitors after being on now for 20 minutes.
My 23" HP LED LCD doesn't seem to output any heat. I think it only consumes 19 watts.
If LEDs can be dimmed better than CCFL then thats a huge advantage, and really the only advantage worth mentioning for desktop use in my opinion.
Since all LCDs come with backlights designed for solariums you have to turn them down a lot for them to be usable, and since thats a problem with CCFLs you will loose all details in dark images. I don't know but if LED monitors can be dimmed more then thats a huge advantage.
For laptops the increased efficiency is the killer feature which also often results in a brighter display with better or the same battery-life as a CCFL equivalent.
Since all LCDs come with backlights designed for solariums you have to turn them down a lot for them to be usable, and since thats a problem with CCFLs you will loose all details in dark images. I don't know but if LED monitors can be dimmed more then thats a huge advantage.
For laptops the increased efficiency is the killer feature which also often results in a brighter display with better or the same battery-life as a CCFL equivalent.
It's simple, there is NO advantage with traditional LEDs (those white strips) other than power usage. In fact, because manufacturers have yet to straighten out the kinks with LED technology, there is a far greater chance of displays with LEDs to be plagued with clouding and backlight bleed issues.
The only clear cut advantage LED has to CCFL is when local dimming LEDs are used. This is when each pixel has LEDs to it, and each one can turn off at will, creating a truly black 'black'. As far as I'm aware, this type of tech is very expensive and so is only used in the most high end LCD TVs.
For all intents and purposes, you're going to want to stick with CCFL to try and avoid the backlight bleed issues.
The only clear cut advantage LED has to CCFL is when local dimming LEDs are used. This is when each pixel has LEDs to it, and each one can turn off at will, creating a truly black 'black'. As far as I'm aware, this type of tech is very expensive and so is only used in the most high end LCD TVs.
For all intents and purposes, you're going to want to stick with CCFL to try and avoid the backlight bleed issues.
It depends what you compare that high end $2500 LED HP uses 90W while NECs 90 series 24" uses 75W both IPS and NEC gets brighter. Like I say jury is still out. CCFL is not an incandescent bulb either. It's a cold cathode a more advanced version of what we are replacing all our household bulbs with.
I want proof. Same lumens/power. Until then this is more marketing to sell more monitors IMO. Not the first time marketeers have done stuff like this, especially in displays.
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A comparison of optional LED backlights on Dell laptops shows it is often more than that, and for laptops, LED is the way to go hands down IMO.
For desktops at current, yes, I would stick w/ CCFL.
As local dimming technology matures, on both full array and edge-lit, its likely to win over on both fronts.
You say this like it' a fact. Proof please.
One more thing is that LED backlit LCDs warm up immediately, while CCFL take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes to get up to full brightness if it has been off for a while. I have a 27" iMac with LED backlighting (which I also use as an external display) and an NEC2490WUXi which is CCFL, both plugged into the same desktop PC. When I wake from sleep, the difference is super super obvious.
Anyway, one more difference to take into account.
Anyway, one more difference to take into account.
I can show you just as many LEDs using more power than CCFLs, I gave you one example above.
What we need is real testing w/o monitor in the way, just the lights. And with real numbers because every expert you find I can also find another saying opposite.
e.g.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13554_3-9748301-33.html
It has nothing to do with being stubborn I like truth and fact and don't lap up marketing as fact.
I long for the day that Red-Green-Blue LEDs are an affordable and widely implemented technology. I've been lucky enough to experience an RGB LED backlight on my laptop, and it really is the best light source for LCDs, no question. You get the efficiency, thinness, and lack of waste heat of LEDs, combined with a vibrance and color gamut superior to CCFLs (which is really their only strength in my eyes.)
The more new screens I see the more obvious it is that LED has even bigger problems with backlight bleed than the CCFL monitors. Very good examples are the new IPS displays from LG and Dell U2412M. All of them have more noticable back light bleed than their CCFL-predecessors.
The worst thing is that probably all monitors soon will be LED. They are thin and looks nice in the store so people buy it.
The worst thing is that probably all monitors soon will be LED. They are thin and looks nice in the store so people buy it.
the problem is that these LED screens that "save" power use 1 LED or a small strip of LEDs usually in a corner. the color accuracy and brightness variance isnt up to par with good CCFL screens.
the "real" LED screens use whats called matrix backlighting setup within a grid and generally arent any more powersaving than CCFLs if not less so.
check out how many high end graphics professional monitors have LED backlights..yeah..there you go.
the "real" LED screens use whats called matrix backlighting setup within a grid and generally arent any more powersaving than CCFLs if not less so.
check out how many high end graphics professional monitors have LED backlights..yeah..there you go.
For desktop usage, it doesn't really matter. Generally CCFLs are used in better screens since they are easier and cheaper to give a more uniform backlight with. Both kinds are plenty bright (more than you need) and look good. Only reason to specifically look for an LED backlit screen for desktop is if you need a really thin one for some reason, you can generally find thinner LED screens.
Now in laptops, LED is the way to go. Reason is more or less all laptop screens are edge lit, but the LED edge lighting uses less power, so you get better battery life. They aren't any better quality wise, they just hit the battery less, and also let the laptop be a bit thinner.
For HDTVs it is a lot more variable. LEDs can offer some new features like local dimming which some like and some hate (you can always turn it off) and they also warm up almost immediately, which can take some time for big LCD TVs with CCFLs. They tend to carry a non-trivial price premium though, so there can be a reason to want to get a CCFL screen and save some cash.
Now in laptops, LED is the way to go. Reason is more or less all laptop screens are edge lit, but the LED edge lighting uses less power, so you get better battery life. They aren't any better quality wise, they just hit the battery less, and also let the laptop be a bit thinner.
For HDTVs it is a lot more variable. LEDs can offer some new features like local dimming which some like and some hate (you can always turn it off) and they also warm up almost immediately, which can take some time for big LCD TVs with CCFLs. They tend to carry a non-trivial price premium though, so there can be a reason to want to get a CCFL screen and save some cash.
The biggest advantage that LED has over CCFL in desktop monitors is that they are cheaper for the manufacturer. A lot cheaper. This is significant because the backlight is the most expensive part in an LCD monitor. The result is that instead of showing up in high-end monitors with high-quality parts and quality control, you have them coming in mostly in the bottom-end monitors, where cost-cutting instead of quality is the name of the game.