Crystal UHD vs QLED: A comparison for buying Samsung TVs this Black Friday

There's no arguing that Samsung makes fantastic TVs, and several models go on sale during the holiday shopping season. One of the questions that often comes up is deciding which TV and display type you should buy. If you want the best of the best, Samsung's has two of the most innovative display technologies: Crystal UHD and QLED. These technologies also happen to be the company's most popular, so it can be difficult to determine which one is best for your viewing pleasure.

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If you're looking for vibrant displays with HDR with 4K resolution, you're on the right track no matter which of the two you buy. However, there are several notable differences between each type of technology, like the contrast and color accuracy, which I've listed below.

You should buy a Crystal UHD if...

1. You're shopping with affordability in mind

Samsung's Crystal UHD televisions don't boast as many features as its QLED models, so they're noticeably more affordable. With some light browsing, you can easily find an older class of Crystal UHD Samsung TVs on sale for under $300. That's compared to QLED TVs which typically cost above the $500 range. This makes Crystal UHD TVs a better option for a budget-conscious shopper.

2. You just want a TV for everyday, essential viewing

If you're not looking to beef up your home theater with a massive 8K television and just need a display to catch the news and everyday flicks, then it's not a bad move to save a few bucks and opt for a Crystal UHD TV.

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You oftentimes still get a gorgeous, 4K-resolution image. And if you don't need the bells and whistles of Quantum Dot technology, then you'll settle in just right with Crystal UHD panels. For what it's worth, these TVs can also upscale HD images to deliver more clarity. 

3. You want an image that looks good from all angles

Which TV type has the widest viewing angle is debatable, but I've personally found Crystal UHD panels more favorable than QLED displays. This means that the picture quality on a Crystal UHD TV is better maintained and consistent even if you're not facing the center of the TV.

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QLED TVs create colors using Quantum Dots, causing pictures to be more directional than the ones created by the LED backlight in Crystal UHD panels. In QLED TVs, the image looks darker and harder to discern from an angle of about 50 degrees and up. This means the image quality can degrade as you move further away from the center of a QLED TV screen. That said, ask any TV enthusiast what they prefer in terms of viewing angles, and they may have different, and oftentimes clashing, opinions on which TV is superior.

You should buy a QLED TV if...

1. You want the clearest image quality of the two

QLED displays employ Quantum Dot technology to render bright, colorful, and detailed images. In fact, QLED panels have become Samsung's flagship TV tech, oftentimes competing with LG's OLED displays.

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To put it plainly, there are millions of individually lit pixels in a QLED TV, each emitting a specific color to build out the overall image you see on screen. This complex arrangement of pixels gives QLED the edge in terms of color accuracy, sharpness, and vibrancy.

2. You want AI to improve your picture quality

Samsung's line of high-end QLED televisions supports what it calls Quantum Processor, which uses artificial intelligence to upscale the picture quality. The TVs can recognize lower-resolution videos and images and proactively upscale them with meticulous control over details like backlight dimming to improve the viewer's experience. That way, 1080p content can look like 4K, and 4K content can look like 8K.

3. You prefer true blacks and sharper contrast

The Quantum Dots that make up the QLED panels can emit not only brighter and sharper images but also darker ones for low-lit scenes. QLED displays outperform LCD and LED displays regarding color reproduction, and the images offer a superior contrast ratio. 

Also: OLED vs. QLED TV: Which panel type is best suited for your home?

An easy way to visualize this difference is by turning off the light on your TV and seeing how the screen looks when nothing is playing. With UHD panels, you may see what's called backlight bleeding or patches of lighter pixels even though the screen should be black.

Alternatives to consider