Nov 14.2022

FHD vs LED Screen: Clarification and Recommendations

What is a full HD screen?

What is the difference between a full HD and an LED screen?

When is an FHD a better solution than an LED screen?

How to choose the right resolution of LED screen for different applications





What is a full HD screen?

 

Now that almost every screen on the market boasts about the picture definition on offer, a buyer can easily be left wondering what full HD really means. The crucial feature comes down to image resolution. There are several factors that make up the picture you see in front of you, but as a general rule, more pixels mean more definition and more detail.

 

A full HD screen has 1080p image resolution and 2 million total pixels. Most modern films and games are created to appear best on these screens. Some TV channels still broadcast in standard definition, but for computer games or a cinema-style experience, full HD is essential. A full HD screen also offers significantly higher picture quality than the next best option at 720p image resolution.

 

What is the difference between a full HD and an LED screen?

 

An LED screen is structurally different to standard monitors and screens, including HD screens. LED stands for light emitting diode, these diodes are effectively tiny individual lights. Each one acts as one pixel, displaying a specific part of the picture. Most full HD monitors and screens are LCD screens, which stands for liquid crystal display. Since the full HD label is linked to the end result, rather than the mechanism. You can also have full HD plasma screens

 

These are just the nuts and bolts of the difference though, so let's explore what those differences mean in practice. Who is better between FHD screen or LED screen?

 

One of the differences is that LED screens will look different according to how close you are to the screen. Many commercial LED screens are designed to be viewed from further away than an LCD or plasma screen, some as much as 2 meters away. If you're looking for something up close and personal, make sure to test out the monitor from a realistic distance for you.

 

If you're agonizing over a screen and your options are FHD vs LED, consider how important color definition is to you. The way the screen delivers color is different between an FHD screen and an LED screen. LEDs provide an intensity of color that even a quality FHD screen can struggle to match because each individual LED displays just one color at once.

 

Screens have expanded over recent years and with an FHD screen, you can have a phone screen or a giant flat screen and the size will not necessarily affect the picture quality. LEDs are a different story, when it comes to LED screens size still matters. The bigger the screen is, the higher the resolution will be.

 

The system for rating picture definition is also different with an LED screen. Where you would expect an abbreviated number of pixels for a standard screen, an LED screen will be rated according to its pixel pitch. The pixel pitch refers to the distance between the individual LEDs that make up the screen. The lower the distance, the lower the pixel pitch and the lower the pixel pitch, the better the resolution. This is directly opposite to definition ratings with LCD screens, where a higher number is usually better.

 

When is an FHD a better solution than an LED screen?

 

As with all types of tech, the best tool for the job is sometimes different according to the job. The right kind of screen will be different according to where you want to put it, what you want to show and the budget you have. For example, if you were looking to set up a drive-in movie screen an LED screen would be the best solution because of the energy efficiency of LEDs. On the other hand, there are plenty of situations where you would be wise to opt for an FHD option.

 

First and foremost, when you need to get a high-quality picture on a small budget. FHD screens come in a wider variety of shapes, sizes and price points. While you might end up with slightly less consistent backlighting or contrast on the cheapest LCD screens, you can still expect natural-looking color and good picture definition.

 

When you want a small screen, it's safer to opt for an FHD screen, even if you choose a product with LED lighting behind the screen itself. LEDs rely on the number of diodes to create fine detail and that means that on a small scale, an FHD screen is more likely to deliver a clear, crisp picture.

 

Last but not least, if you are buying a screen as a computer monitor, and you play a lot of first-person shooter games, then you might want a top-line FHD monitor over an LED. For most purposes, an LED screen will respond quickly enough, but where every fraction of a second counts, you could benefit from an FHD screen.

 

How to choose the right resolution of LED screen for different applications

 

The resolution you'll need for seamless, lifelike viewing is going to be different according to the application you have in mind. An outdoor LED display wall needs a different pixel pitch to provide good resolution than a smaller indoor screen. The range of potential screen sizes is huge along with varied pixel pitch scores and ideal viewing distances. To give a broad idea though, you will need a lower pixel pitch for small indoor screens.

 

For an indoor screen with a viable viewing distance for your living room, look for the lowest possible pixel pitch. Somewhere in the region of P1.25. For an outdoor screen with the option for a greater viewing distance, you could go as high as P10 and still get a high-definition picture.

 

When you're looking at a large-scale project, don't forget to factor in the complexity of the image you want to show. A detailed picture with intricate features is going to need a pixel pitch on the lower side, whereas a bold image with strong color contrasts will be more forgiving of a higher pixel pitch without losing clarity. For example, a large smiley face graphic with thick lines and strong contrasts will require fewer pixels to look effective, so you can get away with a slightly higher pixel pitch. Lower pixel pitch screens are slightly less energy efficient, but compared to a conventional screen, the LEDs still require much less power.

 

As a general rule, look for the lowest pixel pitch, with the minimum viewing distance that you can use to display your content. That way you get the optimal viewing experience with maximum use value.