- An independent test with 102 televisions and up to 18.000 hours of use has analyzed the real reliability of OLED and LCD.
- OLED TVs have experienced fewer hardware failures than most LCDs, despite the risk of burn-in.
- LCD panels with Edge LED backlighting and many budget models are the ones that experience the most breakdowns.
- Durability doesn't depend solely on price: there are cheap TVs that hold up well, but their repairability is usually worse.
In recent years it has been repeated ad nauseam that OLED TVs are delicate and burn out easilywhile LCDs were seen as the "safe" option for those who wanted to keep the same TV for many years. However, A recent long-term durability test conducted by RTINGS has turned this idea on its head and opened a new debate about which technology is truly more reliable. when televisions are used intensively.
The test, which lasted around three years of continuous use and accumulated up to 18.000 hours per unit, it is not limited to measuring image quality, but focuses on the hardware durability, complete failure rate, and partial failuresAnd against all odds for many users, OLED TVs have fared better than most LCD TVs.Even taking into account the dreaded burn-in, which is still a disadvantage to consider, but not as definitive as previously thought.
An extreme longevity test with 102 televisions under test
The RTINGS study has pitted 102 televisions of different brands, ranges and panel technologiessubjected to a very aggressive usage scenario that goes far beyond what usually happens in a typical living room in Spain or any other European country. Instead of turning on the TV for a couple of hours a day, the experiment consisted of keep them running for many hours at a time, with changes in content, power cycles, and prolonged exposure to still images.
To make the test as realistic as possible within its limitations, televisions were allowed They will perform their automatic maintenance cycles, such as the compensation processes of OLED panels, which are usually executed when the device is turned off after several hours of use. Even so, the level of demand has been much higher than that of an average household, where most Spanish families don't even come close to those standards. 18.000 hours accumulated over three years.
After reaching the band of the 10.000 hours of operationRTINGS recorded that 20 televisions had been rendered completely unusable and others 24 showed partial damage (loss of brightness, backlighting problems, dark areas, etc.). Despite these figures, one reassuring fact is that Most models passed those first 10.000 hours without serious failures, something which, translated into everyday terms, is equivalent to many years of normal use at home.
As the hour counter increased, things got more complicated: from that point on After 10.000 hours, the number of televisions that begin to malfunction grows rapidly.Overall, the test showed a notable increase in breakdowns around 12.000, 16.000 and 17.000 hours, marking the limits of what many modern TVs are capable of withstanding when pushed to their limits.
Another aspect highlighted by the test is the low repairability of most current modelsRTINGS explains that, of the 20 units that suffered a total breakdown, barely They were able to bring a couple of televisions back to life. so they could return to the testing facility. In many cases, the repair was so complex or expensive that it made no practical sense, something that directly affects the user looking for a durable and easy-to-maintain device.
OLED vs LCD: fewer hardware failures in OLED TVs
The biggest surprise of the study comes when comparing the Results by panel type and backlighting systemDespite the historical fear of being burned, OLED TVs have shown a lower hardware failure rate similar to many LCDs. This doesn't mean that OLED is invulnerable, but it does mean that, overall, Serious breakdowns have been less frequent in this type of panel.
In the test group there were 20 OLED TVs (adding WOLED and QD-OLED) and, of all of them, only three suffered complete failures which rendered them unusable. Furthermore, Only minor partial damage was detected in the rest, which points to a good durability of the panel itself and the associated electronics, always within the context of a use taken to the limit.
In contrast to these figures, LCD televisions, which made up the majority of the 102 units in the test, accumulated a much higher number of breakdowns. In total, RTINGS accounts 41 faults among the 82 non-OLED televisionsincluding total and partial damage. The difference is significant, especially considering that the usual discourse in the Spanish market tended to favor LCDs as a "safe" option.
The analysis by panel type reinforces this same idea. Of the units evaluated, the following were recorded: 26 failures in VA panels (out of a total of 58) y 15 failures in IPS panels (out of 24)In contrast, among the Of 17 televisions with WOLED panels, only 2 malfunctions occurred.while The 3 QD-OLEDs only had 1 failure.These are not absolute figures, but they do indicate a very clear trend: In this stressful environment, OLED performs better than most classic LCD options..
RTINGS himself insists that Each model was represented by a single unit.Therefore, no definitive conclusions can be drawn about specific brands. Even so, when the results are grouped by technology, the pattern is clear: In this particular test, OLED proved to be one of the most reliable hardware options.breaking with the stereotype that they "don't last" in the long term.
The Achilles' heel of many LCDs: LED backlighting
If the experiment has shown anything, it's that The main source of problems in many LCD televisions is the backlighting system.While OLED doesn't rely on any layer of LEDs to illuminate the image—each pixel emits its own light—LCDs require an array of LEDs behind or around the edges of the panel, and that's precisely where a large proportion of the breakdowns are concentrated there.
Among the different types of LCDs tested, the ones that fared the worst were the LCD models with Edge LED backlightingIn these systems, the lights are positioned at the edges of the screen and the light is distributed using diffusers and guides. This configuration, very common in thin and relatively inexpensive televisions, has shown failure rates close to 60%, a very high figure for such a critical component as lighting.
RTINGS explains that many of these televisions use strings of LEDs connected in serieswhich implies that The failure of a single diode can render the entire backlighting system inoperable.Furthermore, the increasingly thinner design causes greater heat accumulationpossible diffuser deformation cracks in the light guide plates and uniformity problems that worsen over the years.
In contrast, the LCD with Direct LED backlighting or with Mini-LED systems and full local dimming (FALD) have shown a reliability is somewhat betterAlthough they didn't reach the level of OLEDs in this test. Mini-LED models, which are mainly found in mid-range and high-end markets in Europe, reduce the failure rate to around 25% of the units, a significant improvement over Edge LED, but still leaving room for improvement.
The underlying message is clear: The element that breaks most often in many LCDs is not the panel itself, but the part that illuminates it.And since OLED completely dispenses with that layer of LEDs, it avoids a source of common problems, although in return it introduces other risks, mainly burn-in.
OLED burn-in: a real but manageable risk
One of the most sensitive points of the report is the treatment of burn-in in OLED panels. RTINGS notes that, in this torture scenario, All OLED TVs ended up showing some kind of permanent mark.Whether it was logos, static bars, or interface elements that were repeated for thousands of hours, this is to be expected in such an extreme test.
However, the media outlet itself clarifies that this behavior It cannot be directly extrapolated to normal domestic useIn a standard Spanish home, with varied content (digital terrestrial television, football, series, streaming platforms, video games, etc.), frequent channel changes, and active protection systems, The risk of burns exists but is much lower and it can be kept under control with minimal care.
The most modern OLED TVs integrate increasingly advanced mitigation mechanismsFeatures such as subtle pixel shifting, automatic brightness adjustments for logos or static bars, and internal compensation cycles when the TV is turned off. All of this helps to Distribute the wear on the panel and reduce the appearance of visible marksprovided that the user does not abuse static content for hours on end without a break.
In the case of the RTINGS test, the objective was precisely the opposite: forcing usage conditions that very few people will reproduce at homein order to highlight the physical limitations of each technology. Therefore, although the study confirms that burn-in remains a factor to monitor, it also demonstrates that, even with this drawback, OLEDs have managed to maintain a very high overall reliability with regard to serious failures..
For the Spanish consumer considering changing their TV, this translates into a nuanced conclusion: if used wisely and with reasonably varied contentCurrent OLED TVs can offer Years of good functioning without burn-in being a critical problemwhile providing better contrast and pure blacks compared to most LCDs.
Price, brands and repairability: paying more doesn't always mean it will last longer
Another interesting topic raised by the report is the relationship between price, brand and actual durabilityWhile it might seem logical to think that an expensive TV will always last longer, the test data points to a more complex reality: Many of the failures were concentrated in models priced below $1.000But there were also inexpensive televisions that surprised everyone with their durability over time.
In the specific case of some well-known brands in Spain and Europe, RTINGS points out that LG —and its bets on revolutionizing LCD televisions— and TCL obtained reasonably good resultsFor LG, for example, the report indicates that, of Of the 24 televisions tested, only one of the OLED models ended up completely broken.Most of the problems detected in the brand came from LCD models, which fits with the idea that OLED, within its catalog, is not necessarily the most fragile option.
TCL, for its part, also fares well in the overall test results, with only one failed unit out of the ten analyzedHowever, RTINGS insists that this data should not be interpreted as a definitive ranking of brands, since Only one reference model was tested And the ranges, components and series change from year to year, also in the European market.
Where a clearer pattern is seen is in the repairability of modern TVsMany of the failures associated with backlighting or critical internal components result difficult or unprofitable to repairespecially in the economic models that abound in large stores and online shops in Spain. In practice, this means that when something breaks seriously, The user ends up choosing to change the television instead of fixing it..
Something similar happens with certain entry-level models or lesser-known brands, where the initial savings can imply worse technical service options, less availability of spare parts, and designs less suited for disassemblyAgain, this isn't a hard and fast rule for all brands, but it is a trend worth keeping in mind when choosing between a very cheap TV and a slightly more expensive one with better support in Europe.
In the end, the RTINGS study leaves a clear idea for anyone considering a new TV in Spain: It's not enough to just look at the screen size and the price; you should know the best smart TVsFactors such as the type of panel, the backlighting system, the brand's reputation for repairs, and the intended daily use. They have a significant impact on the actual lifespan of the device..
All this long-term resistance work demonstrates that Many prejudices about OLED and LCD TVs do not hold up when the facts are presented.Although burn-in remains a reasonable concern, OLED panels have proven to be more robust than expected Faced with serious hardware failures, especially when compared to certain LCD models with backlighting systems more prone to breakage, for the European user looking for a TV that will last, the choice is no longer as obvious as "OLED for picture quality and LCD for reliability": The results suggest that the reliability balance is increasingly tilting towards OLED..
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