The Lifespan of Digital Display Technologies

LCD Display Lifespan

Here’s some LCD alphabet soup: There are LED LCD displays, CFFL LCD displays, LED displays, and more. With all these acronyms, it can get a bit confusing. What's important to note is whether or not the display uses an LCD panel, and how the LCD panel is illuminated. You can read more about the differences between types of LCD and LED signage, but these are the most common types:

• LED displays have no LCD panel. Rather, they have a network of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) which work together to create an illuminated image.

• LCD displays generate images and colors via a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, which is not self-emitting and requires an external light source to illuminate the image, typically an LED backlight. Their full name "LED-backlit LCD display" is commonly shortened to "LED displays", which is why they're often confused with the true LED displays we've identified above.

Unfortunately, LED backlights used in LCD displays burn out over time. If used at high or maximum brightness, which is necessary for outdoor applications, an LED backlight will last between 40,000 to 60,000 hours. Or, about 4.5 to 7 years.

OLED Display Lifespan

OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. OLED displays differ from common LCD displays in that their pixels are self-illuminating. In other words, there is no LED backlight required to illuminate the the display image; everything occurs within the OLED pixels themselves. According to one article from the US Department of Energy, OLED screens have a life expectancy of about 40,000 hours at 25% brightness, and 10,000 hours at full brightness. That equates to about 1 to 4.5 years, which is a much shorter (albeit, brilliant) lifetime than an LCD display.

QLED Display Lifespan

Perhaps you noticed that the acronym QLED closely resembles the acronym OLED. This is not accidental. QLED is basically Samsung’s original design built to compete with OLED technology. However, the two are not the same. QLED stands for Quantum Light Emitting Diode. While QLED is similar to a regular LED design, it in fact differs by using nanoparticles called “Quantum dots” to achieve its unique brightness and color. Samsung approximates that the lifespan of QLED panels are likely to last 7-10 years. After that, a user is likely to notice traces of degradation.

MicroLED Display Lifespan

MicroLED is an emerging display technology, consisting of small LEDs in tiny arrays within each pixel. This technology goes beyond the offerings of the formerly frontrunning OLEDs, with much darker blacks and more radiant contrast levels. And, unlike OLEDs, MicroLEDs are not organic. They are not as subject to burn-in, and thus, have a longer lifespan than OLEDs. However, they are significantly more expensive - so much, in fact, that they aren’t considered a viable option for the majority of consumers. According to Samsung, the lifespan of its MicroLED panels should last about 100,000 hours, or, roughly 11 years.

Plasma Display (PDP) Lifespan

PDP stands for Plasma Display Panel, and it refers to displays that use small cells full of plasma. The atoms within the plasma emit light upon being charged by electricity. While PDP is generally considered to offer better colors than LCDs, they consume a lot more power and usually cannot be battery-operated. The average lifespan of the newest generation of PDPs is approximated to be 100,000 hours, or 11 years of continual use.

Reflective LCD Lifespan

Challenges of Reflective LCDs

1. Low-light Readability

There are also a few challenges that can affect reflective displays. For one, they rely on ambient light. On a nice sunny day, these displays perform beautifully and can be easily seen in even the brightest of conditions. This performance wanes as the available ambient light decreases. And, since they do not generate light of their own, they are not designed to be viewed under nighttime or extremely low light conditions (without additional lighting features). In short, their images are visible to the degree that ambient light is present. However, in light of this, side light (and front light) options are being explored.

One company at the front lines of this research is Azumo. Azumo has created a light guide that laminates to the front of a display. It requires 90% less energy than the backlight of a traditional LCD display. This greatly improves the problem of low light visibility otherwise encountered, and keeps reflective displays in the same low energy consumption ballpark. One issue, however, is that Azumo currently only offers its light guides for smaller-sized units. If you happen to want this feature applied to a display that is over 10” diagonally, then you’re still on the search for a solution.

Other “pioneer companies” are at the frontier of this research as well, and many are already innovating new solutions to increase the viability of reflective technology - both in their low light visibility and in the screen sizes they are available in. Due to the huge potential offered by reflective technology, it is fair to assume that we will see even greater enhancements to it in the very near future.

2. Up-front cost

One other factor to consider regarding reflective technology is its cost. That reflective layer is more costly to manufacture than many of the backlights it replaces, creating a seemingly greater upfront cost for those who are interested in investing in energy-efficient signage. However, these initial price points are quickly justified as buyers will recognize the significantly lower operating costs and increased longevity (not even including replacement costs of other “expired” displays) that comes with their purchase of reflective display signage. If a backlit LCD panel only lasts 7 years, for example, you’ll have paid for that LCD twice in the period of ten years. A very valid question arises… is that “cheaper” backlight really cheaper? Probably not. It only feels that way at first.

Reflective LCD Digital Signage from Sun Vision Display

Sun Vision Display is working hard to create reflective display solutions for the digital signage world. We are currently offering them in 32" and 43" diagonal sizes, with a 55” size in development. These displays are built for many environments. We are thrilled to be bringing such innovative solutions to the market.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to talk to a representative about how our solutions might work for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the page to our form, and we’ll get back to you in a timely manner. We look forward to the possibility of working with you!