The human eye perceives OLED as roughly 1.5 times brighter than an equivalent LCD due to its significantly higher contrast ratio, according to a claim from Samsung now verified by UL Solutions.
The concept of perceived brightness, as opposed to measured brightness, can be quantified using the Perceptual Contrast Length (PCL) metric.
PCL accounts for contrast: When a bright pixel sits next to a truly black pixel, as is the case with OLED, it appears noticeably brighter than the same pixel on an LCD, where black is typically shown as dark grey.
UL verifies the claim
Samsung Display commissioned global safety science company UL Solutions to verify its claim. Here is what UL Solutions found:
- "UL Solutions evaluated fifteen of Samsung Display’s OLEDs for laptops, tablets, and automobiles, and seven of its QD-OLEDs for monitors and TVs. UL Solutions verified Samsung Display’s claim that its OLEDs and QD-OLEDs provide an average 1.5 times greater perceived brightness than LCDs of the same PCL score. According to assessments by UL Solutions, Samsung Display’s 300-nit OLEDs have the same perceived brightness as 510-nit LCDs, and its 500-nit QD-OLEDs have the same perceived brightness as 767-nit LCDs."
These figures refer to full-screen brightness, not peak brightness, which can be significantly higher on both OLED and LED LCD.
Samsung Display's 2025 QD-OLED TV panel (right). Photo: FlatpanelsHD
While 1.5x is a useful average rule of thumb, UL Solutions found that OLED perceived brightness can reach up to 2.88 times higher in some scenarios. However, this advantage may be less pronounced with miniLED LCDs, which use local dimming to improve contrast.
Also read: LG says that OLED displays are better for your eyes
OLED in IT devices
Samsung Display sees these findings as especially relevant for IT devices such as smartphones, tablets and monitors, where OLED is gaining traction.
- "As the performance of IT devices rapidly advances, it is essential to achieve high brightness with relatively low power consumption. Especially for IT and automotive applications, higher brightness that increases outdoor visibility is very important," said Samsung Display.
Samsung Display manufactures RGB OLED panels for mobile devices, QD-OLED panels for monitors and TVs, and is exploring WOLED for VR headsets.
