LCD vs LED Monitor: Which One Is The Best for Gaming?

Many people do not know the differences between LCD vs. LED Monitors. This article will determine the definitions of these two and give you a guide to buying a display that suits your demand.

If you have studied monitors, you may probably know LCD, LED, or plasma monitors. Unfortunately, not all people understand clearly what they are and how they work.

The technology of monitors can affect your watching experience, and each monitor goes better with certain PCs (no matter they are custom or prebuilt). 

Choosing the right monitor is even more important than everything else if you are a gamer or graphic designer. 

This article is going to explain clearly what are the differences between the two main types of monitors on the market now, LCD and LED. 

Definitions of LCD and LED

Firstly, you need to understand what are LCD and LED.

monitor

LCD

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. The liquid crystal is like the middle part of a sandwich, held together by the two polarized glasses. The light (pixels) is composed of two pieces of glass. 

The backlight behind the screen shines through the liquid crystal layer. The final layer of the screen is the filter of three basic colors, red, green, and blue. When the light comes through this layer, millions of pixels work together to create the images that you see.

LED

LED stands for Light-Emitting Diode. In theory, they produce infrared light when the power goes through them. Although the light is not bright as LCD monitors, it is more efficient and durable than traditional light. 

LED controls the light better and has higher performance than LCD since it is possible to turn off single pixels.

Backlighting

LCD backlighting

LCD uses CCFLs (cold cathode fluorescent lamps) backlight method. It means that fluorescent lights laying behind the screen to transfer consistent lighting across the screen. Every area of the display will deliver the same brightness level. 

LED backlighting

LED uses light-emitting diodes to create images. This kind of method gives fast response time, a super-wide color range, and deep contrast. These days, manufacturers prefer LED to LCD as it is much cheaper and easier to produce.

Strengths and weaknesses of LCD and LED

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LCD monitors seem to be a more affordable option. If you go through online stores to take a look at prices of LCD and LED, you can easily see that LED display is much more expensive than LCD ones. 

However, LCD rarely supports high resolution (like 4K or 8K). Additionally, an LCD monitor is also heavier, hotter, and less durable than a LED one.

LED monitors have been preferred by manufacturers as several good points. They are lighter, thinner, and more efficient. Though it may be expensive than LCD monitors, it would be the most economical choice in long term. 

Unfortunately, producers have not found any solution to fix the high risk of screen burn, which will affect seriously the watching experience.

LCD or LED, which one is the best for gaming?

After reading all information above, you may agree that LED is better for gaming. It delivers higher-quality images, it supports high resolutions, it has better performance, and it focuses more on visual experience.

However, there are some reasons that you should consider between LCD and LED for gaming. You will recognize that you can lose visibility when watching from different angles except for 90° one. 

LCD, on the other hand, can still keep perfect images even when you are sitting at a very narrow-angle.

A final word

Now you understand LCD and LED technology. In the future, there will be some more advanced monitor technologies (OLED and QLED) that bring your definition of monitor to a higher level. Until then, let’s get yourself a suitable monitor to meet your demand and suit your purpose.

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Paul Syverson

Paul Syverson

Working as a software engineer for a computer manufacturing company for many years, Paul Syverson has a wealth of experience to share with you about this intelligent device. There is no doubt that his information will be very useful for those who have the intention of buying the best functional computer meeting their needs.