About

Every Display Type Explained in 5 Minutes

Mixed Matrix Arts
Mixed Matrix Arts
Oct 1, 25

From CRT to OLED: A 100-Year History of Display Technology From the heavy, buzzing boxes of the 90s to the paper-thin, vibrant screens in our pockets today, display technology has undergone over a century of insane innovation.

Overview

Whether you are shopping for a new TV or just curious about how that glowing rectangle works, this guide breaks down every major display type in history.

The Icons of the Past

  • CRT (Cathode Ray Tube): The “brain tube” defined the 80s and 90s. While prototypes existed as early as 1897, they didn’t dominate living rooms until the mid-20th century.

    • How it works: An electron gun fires a beam of electrons onto a phosphor-coated screen to light it up.
    • Pros: Surprisingly good color reproduction and excellent motion handling (no motion blur).
    • Cons: Heavy, bulky, generates massive heat, and consumes a lot of electricity.

  • Plasma: By the mid-2000s, flat panels began to push CRTs into extinction. Plasma was the first technology to offer large flat screens (over 32 inches) to the public.

    • How it works: It uses tiny cells filled with ionized gas (plasma). Think of it as millions of mini neon signs inside every pixel.
    • Verdict: It offered great colors but was eventually killed off by the efficiency and versatility of LCDs.

The LCD Revolution

  • LCD (Liquid Crystal Display): This was the revolution that put screens in our pockets. The first iPhone, laptops, and digital watches all rely on LCDs.

    • The Mechanism: LCD pixels do not emit light. Instead, a backlight shines through a layer of liquid crystals, which twist to block or let light pass through.

  • LED (It’s just an LCD!): There is a massive misconception here. When you buy an “LED TV,” you are actually buying an LCD TV with an LED backlight.

    • The Upgrade: Old LCDs used fluorescent tubes. Newer ones use Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for the backlight.
    • Benefit: This allows for thinner screens, higher brightness, and better energy efficiency.

The Gold Standard: OLED

  • OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode): OLED is completely different from LCD.
    • How it works: It uses an organic carbon-based film that lights up when electricity hits it.Each pixel produces its own light. To show black, the pixel simply turns off.
    • Pros: Perfect “true” blacks, infinite contrast, and flexible form factors.
    • Cons: Can be less bright than LED panels and has a risk of “burn-in” (permanent image retention) if static images are left too long, though modern tech has minimized this.
    • Pro Tip: Using “Dark Mode” on OLED screens actually saves battery because the black pixels are drawing zero power.

The Challengers: QLED and miniLED

These are modern improvements to standard LED/LCD technology, designed to compete with OLED at a lower price point.

  • QLED (Quantum Dot LED)

    • The Tech: A layer of “Quantum Dots” (nanoparticles) is placed in front of the backlight. When hit with blue light, they produce incredibly vivid colors.
    • Pros: Very high brightness and vibrant colors.
    • Cons: Still uses a backlight, so it cannot achieve the “perfect black” of an OLED.

  • miniLED

    • The Tech: Instead of a few large LEDs for the backlight, it uses tens of thousands of tiny LEDs.
    • The Benefit: This allows for “Local Dimming”—turning off the backlight in specific dark zones of the screen while keeping bright zones blazing. It bridges the gap between the contrast of OLED and the brightness of LCD.

The Reader’s Choice: e-Paper (E Ink)

Commercialized in 1997, this is the tech found in e.g. Kindles.

  • How it works: It uses millions of microcapsules containing black and white ink. Electricity moves the ink up or down to form letters.
  • The Mechanism: It only uses power when the image changes (e.g., turning a page). Once the image is set, it stays there indefinitely without electricity.
  • Pros: Reflects ambient light just like real paper, making it perfect for reading in direct sunlight.

Summary: Display Tech Comparison

Tech Light Source Best For Major Drawback
CRT Electron Gun Retro Gaming Heavy & Bulky
OLED Self-Emissive Pixels Movies & High-End Phones Pricey/Burn-in Risk (fixed in modern TVs)
QLED LED Backlight + Quantum Dots Bright Rooms & HDR No Perfect Blacks
e-Paper Reflected Light Reading Slow Refresh Rate (B&W)

Conclusion

We have moved from the heavy glass tubes of the CRT era to the self-emitting organic pixels of OLED. The future looks even more interesting with emerging tech like MicroLED (combining the best of OLED and LED) on the horizon.

I encourage you to watch the full video above for more details.

← Back ↑ Top