For as long as I've been testing TVs, I've longed for OLED. I have even written about how Sony's A8H Bravia ruined TV for me. I romanticized the experience in a way that was surprisingly telling of my social behavior (or lack thereof) while in isolation: the question of whether I should buy a QLED or an OLED TV had, in my opinion, a clear answer.

But that has changed. After using Samsung's Q80T QLED TV, I think I have come to believe in LCD again. I still think OLED TVs are the best TVs out there. But after using the Q80T for a while, I now know why I bought a QLED instead of LG's CX OLED, which is my current favorite. Samsung's set beats LG in brightness tests and is several hundred dollars less expensive.

Although similar in name, QLEDs and OLEDs are not the same thing. In fact, the two are competing technologies for TV displays: QLED is essentially an improved version of Samsung-branded LCDs, used by TCL, Vizio, and other manufacturers; QLED adds a quantum filter that provides enhanced contrast and color beyond what has long been expected from LCDs. enhanced than has been expected of LCDs for many years.

In an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panel, individual pixels emit light. This allows some areas of the screen to be completely turned off, creating so-called true black. Many smartphones, monitors, and even the Apple Watch employ OLED displays, but their distinct features are much more prominent on 65-inch TV screens.

According to Tom's Guide TV testing, Tom's Guide's proprietary TV benchmarking system, OLED and QLED sets have different strengths: QLED has the edge in brightness, while OLED is the king of color. We have measured color reproduction using an X-Rite i1 Pro spectrophotometer and SpectraCal CalMAN Ultimate calibration software, and our best performing OLEDs cover over 134% of the Rec 709 color space.

The Samsung Q80T QLED reproduced 99.9% of the color spectrum tested, but gave us an anecdotal freedom that the Sony A8H Bravia OLED TV did not: strong performance in rooms with natural light. Whenever I test OLED TVs, I escape like a movie villain into a dark basement. The lack of light is ideal for formal testing, but a bit limiting for everyday viewing.

I have a Samsung QLED Q80T installed above ground and for the first time in years, I am enjoying daytime TV viewing with the blinds open. This has been great for my mood, and not just for watching Wondervision on Friday mornings. I am in love with QLED now that I can enjoy my favorite shows while getting my vitamin D. I'm thrilled to be able to use a TV that can withstand the glare of the sun.

Especially in daylight, the blacks may not look as black as the OLED. However, in one of my favorite scenes to test contrast capabilities, the QLED held its own. When Kylo Ren explores Exeggol in the opening of Star Wars: Skywalker Strikes Back and comes across a living Emperor Palpatine, the screen quickly darkened and lightened with a strobe effect. the Q80T maintained contrast and offered as much contrast and as much refinement as any LED/LCD set. offered as much refinement as any LED/LCD set.

So are Samsung's QLED TVs worth it? Of course it is worth it if you are buying a new TV to put in a well-lit room. If you live in a basement or often watch movies after the sun goes down, OLED is still the way to go. I also have an affinity for Sony's Bravia A8H OLED, but I sometimes put on rose-colored glasses when I recall technologies I've reviewed in the past. While I will always remember that OLED as exemplary hardware, the QLED has also rightfully won a piece of my TV-loving heart.