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QD-OLED vs WOLED: the two kinds of OLED TV compared

By SMART SC Editorial Team · Updated · How we research

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QD-OLEDSamsung Display panelGlassQuantum-dot color convertersBlue OLED pixels (self-lit)Thin backplaneOLEDWOLEDGlass and polarizerColor filtersWhite OLED pixels (self-lit)Thin backplaneFront of the TV (you) at the top · yellow = the layer that makes the light
Simplified cross-sections, not to scale. OLED pixels make their own light; LCD-based TVs (LED, QLED, Mini LED) shine a backlight through the layers in front of it.

Short answer

Both are OLED: every pixel lights itself, so both have perfect blacks. QD-OLED (Samsung Display panels, in Samsung and Sony TVs) makes blue light and converts it to red and green with quantum dots, so bright colors stay vivid. WOLED (LG Display panels, in LG, Sony and some Samsung TVs) makes white light and filters it, with an extra white sub-pixel for brightness, which can make very bright colors look a little less saturated. QD-OLED usually wins on color brightness; WOLED usually keeps blacks deeper in a lit room, because its panel has a polarizer that QD-OLED lacks.

Key takeaways

  • QD-OLED: blue OLED + quantum-dot conversion; brighter, purer colors; blacks can look grayish under room lights.
  • WOLED: white OLED + color filters + a white sub-pixel; very deep blacks with lights on; colors less bright at peak.
  • Both share OLED’s strengths (contrast, angle, motion) and its weakness (burn-in risk).
  • The badge doesn’t always say which: check the panel type in our table or a lab review.

Every OLED TV on sale in the US uses a panel from one of two factories: LG Display, which makes WOLED, and Samsung Display, which makes QD-OLED. TV brands buy from both. Sony uses WOLED in some lines and QD-OLED in the BRAVIA 8 II, and Samsung has used LG Display panels in some sizes of its S90 series. The panel decides more about the picture than the badge does.

How they differ

QD-OLEDSamsung Display panelGlassQuantum-dot color convertersBlue OLED pixels (self-lit)Thin backplaneOLEDWOLEDGlass and polarizerColor filtersWhite OLED pixels (self-lit)Thin backplaneFront of the TV (you) at the top · yellow = the layer that makes the light
Simplified cross-sections, not to scale. OLED pixels make their own light; LCD-based TVs (LED, QLED, Mini LED) shine a backlight through the layers in front of it.
QD-OLED WOLED
Light source Blue OLED White OLED (stacked blue and yellow layers)
How color is made Quantum dots convert blue to red and green Color filters remove the unwanted part of white
Sub-pixels Red, green, blue Red, green, blue + white
Bright colors More saturated and brighter White sub-pixel boosts brightness but can thin out bright colors
Blacks in a lit room Can look dark gray or slightly purple Stay deep (polarizer absorbs room light)
Blacks in a dark room Perfect Perfect
Who sells it Samsung (S90/S95), Sony (BRAVIA 8 II) LG (B, C, G), Sony (some lines), Samsung (some S90 sizes), Panasonic

Color: QD-OLED’s advantage

A filter can only remove light, so WOLED panels lose a lot of their white light making red, green and blue. To reach high brightness, they add a white sub-pixel, which raises brightness but adds white to bright colors, so a bright red or yellow can look slightly paler than the same color at lower brightness. QD-OLED converts light instead of filtering it, and has no white sub-pixel, so bright, saturated colors (a red sports car, a neon sign, a sunset) hold their intensity. Labs describe this as higher color volume. LG’s newest top WOLED panels narrow the gap with more efficient emitter stacks, so compare current-year lab results rather than old reputations.

Room light: WOLED’s advantage

To reach that color performance, QD-OLED panels drop the polarizer layer that WOLED panels use. The polarizer’s job is partly to absorb light coming in from the room. Without it, lamps and windows lift the panel’s black toward a dark gray, sometimes with a faint purple tint, even though the pixels are off. In a dark room it doesn’t matter; in a living room with lights on, WOLED’s blacks look deeper. Samsung’s newer anti-glare coatings (Glare Free on the S90H) change how reflections look, so check a lab’s measured reflections for the exact model.

Burn-in and lifespan

Both use organic emitters that wear with use, and both can burn in with long, static, bright content. In RTINGS’ 100-TV accelerated test, the QD-OLED Samsung S95C proved the most resilient OLED after 16 months, while still showing slight burn-in. Results differ between generations, so treat the test as evidence that both types are at risk under extreme use, not as a ranking that holds for every model. TFTCentral’s monitor testing reaches a similar conclusion for desktop use. More in OLED burn-in.

Current OLED lines and their panels

Show
TV lineTypePanel (as marketed)Refresh / max VRR4K 120 Hz+ inputsHDR formatsAnti-reflectionSizes we listCheck price
LG C5 2025OLEDWOLED (OLED evo)120 / 144 Hz4 of 4Dolby Vision–55″, 65″, 77″, 83″Amazon
Samsung S90H 2026OLEDOLED with Glare Free120 / 165 Hz4 of 4HDR10+Glare Free55″, 65″, 77″, 83″Amazon
Samsung S90F 2025OLEDOLED120 / 144 Hz4 of 4HDR10+–55″, 65″, 77″, 83″Amazon
Sony BRAVIA 8 II 2025QD-OLEDQD-OLED120 / 120 Hz2 of 4Dolby Vision–55″, 65″Amazon

Samsung lists its S90F and S90H panels simply as “OLED”, and the panel can vary by size. If it matters to you, look up the exact model number in a lab review.

Our take

  • Mixed living room with lights on, mostly TV and sports: WOLED (LG C5, or a WOLED Sony) keeps blacks deep.
  • Dark-room film, games and vivid HDR: QD-OLED (Sony BRAVIA 8 II, Samsung S95 series) gives the most striking color.
  • Either way, the Sony vs LG OLED and best 65-inch TV guides compare the lines on inputs, HDR formats and size.

Frequently asked questions

Is QD-OLED better than OLED?

QD-OLED is a kind of OLED, so the question is QD-OLED vs WOLED. QD-OLED has brighter, more saturated color; WOLED keeps blacks deeper in a room with lights on. In a dark room, both look superb.

Which TVs use QD-OLED?

Samsung’s S90 and S95 series (in some or all sizes) and Sony’s BRAVIA 8 II. LG’s OLEDs use WOLED panels from LG Display.

Why do QD-OLED blacks look gray in a bright room?

QD-OLED panels leave out the polarizer that WOLED panels use to absorb room light. Without it, light from lamps and windows reflects off the panel, lifting black toward dark gray or a faint purple tint. In a dark room, blacks are perfect.

Does QD-OLED burn in?

Yes, like all OLEDs, with long hours of the same static image. RTINGS’ accelerated test found the QD-OLED Samsung S95C the most resilient OLED there after 16 months, but it still showed slight burn-in.

Sources (6)

  1. LG Electronics USA, OLED evo C5 spec sheet (02/2025)
  2. Samsung S90H specifications sheet
  3. Samsung S90F specifications sheet
  4. Sony BRAVIA 8 II specifications sheet (K-65XR80M2, K-55XR80M2)
  5. RTINGS, Longevity burn-in test: updates and results
  6. TFTCentral, OLED and QD-OLED image retention and burn-in longevity testing
OLED vs QLED: which TV technology is better for your room?OLED wins on contrast, viewing angles and motion; QLED (and Mini LED) on brightness, burn-in risk and big screens for less. How each works, and current models.Mini LED vs OLED: brightness and size against perfect blacksMini LED TVs get brighter, can't burn in and come in 98–100 inch sizes; OLED has perfect blacks, no blooming and wider viewing angles. Who should buy which.Sony vs LG OLED: BRAVIA 8 II against the LG C5Sony's BRAVIA 8 II has a QD-OLED panel and an ATSC 3.0 tuner; the LG C5 has four 4K 120 Hz inputs, 144 Hz and more sizes. Both have Dolby Vision.OLED burn-in: how real is it, who should worry, and how to avoid itBurn-in is permanent wear from long hours of the same bright image. What RTINGS' 100-TV longevity test found, who's at risk, and the settings that reduce it.Best TVs of 2026Our picks of current TVs from LG, Samsung, Sony, Hisense and TCL, chosen from spec sheets by room and use, with links to independent lab measurements.The best 65-inch TVs, with every model's real dimensionsOur picks of current 65-inch TVs (OLED and Mini LED) from spec sheets, plus every model's width, depth, weight and VESA, so you know it fits before you buy.