Electronic display technology has evolved drastically over the past few decades. No longer are cathode ray tubes (CRT) the de-facto standard. Now, electronic displays such as televisions, computer monitors and tablets typically feature either liquid-crystal display (LCD) or light-emitting diode (LED) technology. In this post, we’re going to take a closer look at the pros and cons of LCD technology.
Slim Lightweight
Arguably, one of the greatest benefits of LCD is its slim, lightweight design. You may recall the old CRT electronic displays from back in the 80s and 90s. Although they were effective at projecting displays, they were far heavier than today’s LCD displays.
Power Efficiency
Another advantage of choosing LCD is its low power consumption, which subsequently means a lower operating cost for the end user. Just how much power will a LCD display save? LCD monitors that feature a CCFT backlight will use roughly half of the power of a CRT monitor of similar viewing size. If the LCD monitor features an LED backlight, it will use just 10-25% power.
Minimal Heat Production
Because they draw significantly less power than other electronic displays, LCD tends to produce very little heat. Why is this important? Well, heat and electronics don’t mix. When displays produce excessive heat over a prolonged length of time, they become susceptible to internal damage. Thankfully, this isn’t a problem with LCD displays, however, as they produce minimal heat when compared to other electronic display technologies.
Little-to-No Refresh Rate Flicker
LCD monitors and other electronic displays typically have little-to-no refresh rate flicker. This is due to the fact that liquid crystal display pixels retain their state between refreshes.
Uneven Backlighting
Of course, there are also some “potential” disadvantages associated with LCD technology, such as uneven backlighting. Some older model LCD displays may suffer from uneven backlighting, in which certain areas of the display are brighter than other areas (usually around the edges).
Limited Viewing Angles
While not a problem that affects all LCD displays, some may have limited viewing angles. This results in varying levels of color, saturation, brightness, and contrast. Much like the aforementioned problem of uneven backlighting, however, it’s usually the older LCD displays that suffer from limited viewing angles.
