Which is better OLED or AMOLED?

It’s difficult to determine a clear winner with OLED vs AMOLED, as both displays offer clear advantages. Firstly, an OLED, which is short for Organic Light Emitting Diode, doesn’t have a backlight and instead sports self-emissive pixels. This not only means that OLEDs typically consume much less energy than others but also that they can display true blacks and better contrast than the likes of LCD or LEDs.

In comparison, an AMOLED screen sports strips of thin-film-transistor (TFT) behind its OLED pixels, which help to move its electrical current faster. This results in quicker refresh rates and better viewing angles, making an AMOLED ideal for devices like gaming monitors and smartphones. 

OLEDs, on the other hand, are typically found among some of the best TVs, thanks to their more vibrant colours. 

Is AMOLED more expensive than OLED?

Generally speaking, AMOLED displays are more expensive than OLEDs as they require a more intricate production process than the latter. 

However, it’s worth noting that both AMOLED and OLED screens are considerably more expensive than LCD or LED displays. 

Is OLED better for the eyes?

Both OLED and AMOLED displays are much better on the eyes than LCD or LEDs, as they emit less blue light than the latter. Less blue light is a good thing, as too much can be detrimental to eye health by causing eye strain and dryness, and has been even proven to disrupt sleep too.

As OLEDs offer better contrast and deeper blacks, they can also help reduce eye strain especially when watching in darker environments. Similarly, as AMOLED displays can adjust brightness to allow for smoother transitions, eye strain is reduced here too.

Does OLED or AMOLED burn in?

OLED displays have a reputation for being susceptible to burn-ins. For those unaware, burn-in is the term which means a display permanently retains an image, text or static across its panel and won’t disappear or fade away. Burn-ins can occur when a static image is left on the screen for a long period of time, if the TV experiences high usage or if the brightness is set too high.

Having said that, OLED burn-in isn’t as much of an issue as it was a few years ago. In fact, many new TVs have built-in safety features that prevent burn-in and, the less severe, image retention. If you are concerned, our guide on how to manage burn-in and image retention on OLED TVs offers valuable advice to avoid the dreaded issue.

The same applies here with AMOLED displays which has been reported to be an issue in devices like smartwatches. However, much like OLED, many newer panels have specific safety features that work to prevent this from becoming an issue.