Dells latest XPS 13 could change that.
This isnt Dells first go at OLED.
The display was stunning, but had a downside: terrible battery life.
Dell
Now, Dell thinks its solved OLEDs efficiency problem, and the XPS 13 will serve as proof.
An LED displays backlight is always on, even when the screen is entirely dark.
OLED, however, is self-emissive, meaning each pixel produces its own light.
Dell
A perfectly dark pixel creates no light and uses (almost) no power.
Sounds efficient, right?
But theres a problem.
It turns out OLED consumes more power than LED when displaying a white screen or bright, high-saturation colors.
LCD and OLED are different in the middle-grey level content.
And most of the content youre viewing is in that middle grey.
That means an OLED screen can outlast an LED when you’re watching a movie or using dark-mode applications.
The specifications are favorable.
The XPS 13 OLED has a sky-high contrast ratio and can display an extensive range of colors.
Yet this is only part of the story.
“But, LCD and OLED are different in the middle-grey level content.
And most of the content youre viewing is in that middle grey.”
Most fall somewhere in the “middle grey” between those extremes.
Thats where OLED outperforms.
Having tested OLED laptops in the past, I can confirm Lees point with experience.
OLEDs contrast and color are clearly superior to LED in everyday use.
Its hard to go back once you see the difference for yourself.
The Final Hurdle?
Yet, one final hurdle stands between OLEDs and adoption in mainstream laptops: price.
“Its never been an inexpensive solution,” said Randall.
“Between that and the battery life impacts, thats why you havent seen it as widespread.”
The XPS 13 OLED will be a $300 upgrade over the base touchscreen.
Thats not cheap, but it ties the 4K LED panel, which is also a $300 upgrade.
