LCD: liquid crystal display. Works by adjusting the amount of light blocked. Usually has a backlight but might not (clocks, calculators, Nintendo Gameboy). The green-black ones can be very cheap and are a mature technology. Response time can be slow.
TFT: is a type of LCD with a thin film transistor attached to each pixel. All computer LCD screens are TFT since early 2000s; older ones had slower response times and poorer colour. Cost is now very good; power consumption is fairly good but dominated by the backlight. Has to be manufactured out of glass.
LED: light emitting diode. As the name suggests, emits light rather than blocking it like LCD. Used for red/green/blue/white indicator lights everywhere. Some manufacturers advertise "LED" displays that are TFT screens with a white LED backlight, which is just confusing. Ones that are real LED screens are usually OLED.
OLED: organic LED (rather than silicon or germanium based like regular LEDs). Comparatively recent technology, so cost still quite variable and not available in really large sizes. In theory can be printed on plastic, resulting in lighter flexible displays with good brightness, good power consumption and good response time.
TFT and LCD are two popular display technologies used in electronic devices. TFT stands for Thin Film Transistor, while LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display.
Both TFT and LCD displays use liquid crystals to display images, but there are some key differences between them.
In this article, we’ll explore the differences between TFT and LCD displays in greater detail.
What is a TFT Display?
TFT stands for Thin Film Transistor, which is a type of active-matrix display technology that uses a thin film transistor to control the brightness of each pixel on the screen.
This allows for greater control over the display, resulting in higher contrast ratios, more vibrant colors, and better overall image quality than passive-matrix LCD displays.
What is an LCD Display?
An LCD display is a type of flat panel display that uses liquid crystals to display images. The display consists of a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two polarizing filters.
When an electric current is applied to the liquid crystals, they align to allow light to pass through the filters and create an image on the screen.
They are commonly used in a variety of devices, including televisions, computer monitors, and mobile phones.
Differences between TFT and LCD Displays
While both TFT and LCD displays use liquid crystals to display images, there are several key differences between the two technologies. Let’s take a closer look at these differences:
Image Quality
One of the main differences between TFT and LCD displays is image quality.
TFT displays offer higher contrast ratios, more vibrant colors, and better overall image quality than passive-matrix LCD displays.
TFT displays use a thin film transistor to control the brightness of each pixel on the screen, resulting in greater control over the display.
Refresh Rate
TFT displays typically have a higher refresh rate than LCD displays, which means they can display images more quickly and smoothly.
This makes TFT displays ideal for gaming monitors or other devices requiring fast image processing.
Power Consumption
TFT displays require more power than LCD displays, which can lead to shorter battery life in devices like smartphones and tablets.
TFT displays use a thin film transistor to control the brightness of each pixel on the screen, which requires more power than the passive-matrix technology used in LCD displays.
Cost
TFT displays are generally more expensive than LCD displays, which makes them less common in low-cost devices like budget smartphones or computer monitors.
LCD displays are more widely used and are generally less expensive than TFT displays.
Conclusion
All in all, TFT and LCD displays are both popular display technologies used in electronic devices.
While both technologies use liquid crystals to display images, TFT displays offer higher image quality, faster refresh rates, and greater power consumption than LCD displays.
However, TFT displays are generally more expensive than LCD displays, which makes them less common in low-cost devices.
The choice between TFT and LCD displays ultimately depends on the specific requirements of the device and its intended use.
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