Why OLED Isn't Always the Best Choice for Laptops

 

OLED Displays: Pros and Cons

OLED displays are praised for their brilliant colors and deep blacks, making them ideal for creators and media consumers. However, they come with drawbacks such as higher power consumption and increased costs. For example, upgrading to an OLED display on certain Dell and HP laptops can add up to $500 to the price.

Cost Considerations

• Dell XPS 13 & 14: Upgrading to OLED can cost between $300 and $500.
• HP Envy x360 14: OLED upgrade costs around $150.
• Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: $257 more for OLED compared to IPS.

Image Quality and Use Cases

While OLED provides superior image quality with better contrast and color accuracy, it's not always necessary for tasks like web browsing and office applications. IPS displays can be more than sufficient for these uses.

Battery Life

OLED displays tend to reduce battery life due to higher power consumption, especially with bright images and high resolutions. For example:

• Dell XPS 13: OLED version lasts about 7 hours compared to 14 hours for IPS.
• HP OmniBook X: IPS version lasts 13 hours, much longer than OLED alternatives.

Conclusion

While OLED offers exceptional display quality, it may not be the best choice for everyone, particularly if cost and battery life are significant considerations. Opting for IPS can save money and extend battery life, making it a practical choice for many users.

For more details on the pros and cons of OLED displays in laptops, you can read the full article here.