Mini LED vs micro LED in TVs explained differences

We entered the era of television development when new technologies appeared. TV makers offer mini LED and micro LED TVs. What are the differences between these two types of TV sets, the names seem to be similar, but what these names really mean in TV sets.

Mini LED TVs, brief explanation

Mini LED – this is the name given to classic modern TVs with Direct LED screens, only they have modernized screen backlighting. Classic LED TVs can have 50 or 100 LEDs backlighting. In more expensive TVs that support local dimming of LEDs a few hundred or thousands. In mini LED TVs the backlight is made by very small LEDs, they can be from 10,000 to 200,000 depending on the ability to produce such a screen, as well as the size of the screen. This is a fairly new upgrade of the TVs and is not a technology, it’s just another more advanced type of backlighting. The large number of small LEDs allows you to combine the mini LEDs into zones and control on and off backlighting. Backlight switching off works according to a specially designed algorithm; when a black image is displayed, you can completely turn off the backlight on this section of the screen and get a real black color. The more control zones you have, the better the quality of the image can be shown on the TV screen. This is especially true when watching videos with HDR support. Such TV sets appeared in 2020. Mass production of such TVs is planned for 2021. Visually, it is the same TV as we are used to seeing now, the changes inside the TV screen.

Micro LED TVs

Micro LED TV, it is a completely different technology. The pixels of the TV screen consist of LEDs, each pixel is 20-30 or more micro LEDs. These TVs have no backlight because the pixel itself is emitted. The TV screen consists of red, blue and green LEDs assembled in pixels. Such TV sets began to be produced in 2018 -2019. Micro LED technology is considered as an alternative to OLED and has its advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of microLED

One of the advantages is the ability to create modular TVs, gaining the required number of modules can create TVs of different sizes. Another advantage is the absence of aging diodes and the ability to replace one module in case of malfunction, rather than the entire TV. The ability to control the brightness, color of a single pixel, it is commensurate with the image quality OLED TVs.

Shortcomings with microLED

There are also disadvantages of the micro LED, it is the price, the cost of the TV is measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars. The imperfection of technology, micro LED TVs so far, created with large screens of 140 inches or more, and this is more theater than TV. But the idea is very good and we can assume that such TV sets will be created in smaller sizes and the cost of the TV set will be significantly reduced. But it will take about 5 years, so say the developers of this technology.

The future of micro LED and mini LED

It can be assumed that micro LED and mini LED, as well as OLED in the near future, will be the main technologies used to produce premium segment TVs. Of course, in the next few years, OLED and mini LED will be the main technologies in TV production, and a little later, micro LED will also become an affordable TV production technology for mass buyer.