OLED vs. LED: The Difference Between Lighting (2024)

What is OLED Lighting?

Short for“Organic Light-Emitting Diodes,”OLED lighting isa relatively new technology that has the ability to create dazzling colors with remarkable precision, making them a great option for televisions, monitors, smartphones, and other items that need a digital display.

OLED lighting utilizes a carbon-based organic material to create light-emitting panels.These lights are available in both a bulb and a panel form, many of which are even color-tunable for custom results. The soft look of the light emitted by OLED lights is one of the closest matches to natural light available.

LED and OLED lighting share more than just the name, as both options areenvironmentally friendly and help to lowerenergy costs.They also have some very distinct differences that make them each a better fit for various types of projects.Let's take a closer look at the pros and cons for both LED lighting and OLED technologyto determine which ones to purchase as replacement bulbs for yourfixtures.

OLED Lighting: The Pros & Cons

Before you can decide to use OLED lights in your home or business, you need toknow more about the benefits and drawbacks of OLED lights.

Pro: More Environmentally Friendly

While both OLED and LED lights can be Energy Star rated, OLED lights are slightly more environmentally friendly than LED lights.They areentirely made ofcarbon-basedorganic materialsandultimately biodegradable.When living sustainably is the focus, OLED lights are an incrediblyresponsible choice.

Pro: Versatility

Due to the way OLEDs are manufactured, you end up with a flat and flexible panel that can be bent into nearly any shape. This creates endless opportunities for illumination. Oftentimes you’ll find that OLED panels don’t require the use of reflectors or diffusers, which further enhances the design opportunities.This allows it to conform to virtually any custom light fixture.

Pro: Longevity

With an efficiency that ranges from 25 to 50 lumens per watt, it’s currently estimated that OLED lighting will last for 30,000 to 40,000 hours, or roughly 3-5 years of continuous use. Although OLED hasn’t quite caught up to traditional LED lightingin regard toefficiency and lifespan, keep in mind that the technology isn’t yet as advanced.It is possible that the lifespan of the bulb will increase as more OLED lights are developed.

Con: More Expensive

Compared to LED products, this newer “organic”OLEDtechnology is still in the infant stages of development. Because itis relatively newto the game, the organic compounds used to create OLED lighting can be quite expensive. Unfortunately, this means that any fixture or display using this technology will likely have a larger price tag than a comparable LED fixture.

Con: NotasReadily Available

Despite the slightly lower efficiency and higher price point, OLED technology is still gaining in popularity. Currently, you are most likely to find OLED technology in displays, such as smart products, and in portable lights, such as reading lights.OLED lightsare alsoused in custom chandeliers and unique lighting fixtures.

What is LED Lighting?

Light-emitting diodes (LED) are semiconductors that create light when anelectrical current passesthroughtoilluminate them. LEDs are not white lights, but aremostcommonly red, blue,green,or amber. Thewhite light is created by mixing different colors and covering them with phosphor.This technology is offered in traditional bulb form, as well as in light strips that are available in rolls and feature dozens of individual diodes connected to each other. You can use these light strips to add custom illumination underneath cabinetry, inside a piece of furniture, or around an architectural element in your home.

LED Lighting: The Pros & Cons

By far, LED lights are the most common choice for home and office use. A quick look at the pros and cons of this lighting choice will help you determine if they make the best choice for your lighting solutions.

Pro: Longevity

Expect this type of lighting to last much longer, sometimes up to 50,000 hours, which is just under six years of continuous use.Because they produce so little heat, you can even leave them on 24/7 if you need to.Of course, most people won’t keep a light source on continuously, so it’s commonly estimated that LED bulbs may withstand up to 20 years of use in an average household. They have an efficiency of 90-100lumensper watt, and there is a large assortment of LED light fixtures available to consumers.This makes LED lights ideal for recessed lighting that can be hard to reach when bulbs need replaced.

Pro: Versatility

One of the biggest advantages of LED lighting is that theycome in so many differentlight bulbbasesthat they are used for everything throughout the home. You can getLED bathroom lighting,LED lamps,LED undercabinet lighting, and everything in between.

Pro: Durability

LED lightingis very durable since it doesn’t have the fragile filaments that traditionallightbulbsdo. It can withstand jarring, and some types resist precipitation and humidity,making them a great choice for outdoor light fixtures. However, because it is so durable,LED lights can bevery rigid, which meansthese light sources arenot able to be shaped into unique designs.

Con: Color & Brightness Can Change Over Time

As LED lights are used, the color of the light and the brightness can shift or diminish. Near the end of their lifespan, LED lights can be slightly different in both color and brightness from the first day they were used.Fortunately, the change is so slight that it is pretty muchunnoticeable.

Choosing Between OLED and LED Lighting

Before you can determine whether LED lighting or LED lights make the best choice for you,it’s important to know what types of lighting your fixture is compatible with. Somelightfixturesare OLED compatible whileothers require LED bulbs. Even within these types of lights, there are different sizes of bulbs, each onewith distinct bulb base shapesdesigned to fit into different types of lighting fixtures. Desk lamps may call for a completely different light bulb shape and size than outdoor flood lights.

LED vs. OLED Lighting: What Does the Future Hold?

Although it is impossible to predict where technology will take us, it is fair to say that a focus onenvironmentallyfriendly design will be an integral part of lighting designs for many years to come. Both LED lights and OLED lighting solutions are made to be better for the environmentthan traditional incandescent light bulbs.

Even though traditional LED lighting is currently the clear leader for efficiency,lifespan,and initial cost, this may not always be the case.When traditional LED bulbs and fixtures first hit the market, they were more expensive and less effective. However, over the years,technological advances havelowered their price point andmade them the superior choice for home lighting.

One factor to keep an eye on is how the materials usedin themanufacturing ofOLED lights change in the coming years.Notably, the cavity glassused for OLED lightingis costly and complexbecause it is currently made of frit glass.Frit glass is a ceramic composition that’s easier to make and less expensive to use than cavity glass.One expectation is thatfrit glasswill replacecavity glass and, eventually, thin film encapsulation will replace the frit glass, which will lower the cost considerably, but a lot needs to happen for that to take place.

The Verdict

While OLEDs have made their way onto the scene in a major way when it comes to televisions,they have yet to make a big splash in the lighting market. Perhaps one of the primary reasons for this is that LED lights have become so readily available in a vast array of lighting types and sizes and at very inexpensive prices. Not only do OLED lights cost more,but theyare also harder to come by.

LEDoutdoor lightingand indoor lights are available at your local big box stores, making it easy to find replacement bulbs for your existingLED recessed lightingfixtures and stylish lighting solutions around the home.

While OLED lighting is a beautiful option, the price point has made it remain a small niche in a very large industry. Because of the price point and lower demand for the product, the major name brands in lighting have all but dropped out of the OLED market, including GE, Philips, LG, and more.So, for now, LED lighting is likely the ideal choice for most homeowners, simply because it’s more affordable and widely available.This is always subject to change as advancements are made in technology that could eventually lower the cost of making OLED lighting.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that to determine which one is better for you or your project, it really comes down to your unique needs, design preference, and budget.