How Long Do Modern Televisions Last? Long-Term Test Reveals Clear Data
Prolonged, continuous use considerably impacts television lifespan. The more a television is operated, the greater the likelihood of eventual failure. A recent long-term test investigated the durability of current television technologies, yielding revealing data about which types hold up best - and which are most prone to issues.
The results of the Long-Term Test
Out of 102 televisions subjected to extended testing, 20 experienced total failure, while an additional 24 exhibited technical problems. Surprisingly,LED LCD televisions demonstrated a higher rate of technical issues compared to OLED models.
The most significant problems arose with the least expensive LED LCDs – those utilizing a limited number of LEDs without local dimming. these models typically employ low-cost LEDs operating at a constant intensity. Specifically, within the category of direct LED LCDs lacking local dimming, eight out of 28 tested models failed fully, and another eight experienced isolated technical problems. Edge LED LCDs without local dimming fared slightly better, with two failures out of ten devices and four experiencing isolated issues.
The Most Common Cause of Failure
In the cheaper televisions, complete failure of the LED lighting was the primary issue. However, higher-quality LED LCDs with full array local dimming proved more resilient. Of the 43 tested models with this feature, seven suffered total failure and eight experienced isolated technical problems.
Interestingly, these higher-end LED LCDs often experienced failures in the power supply and electronics, rather than the backlight itself. Despite the higher number of units tested, the overall failure rate for these local dimming LED LCDs remained lower than that of entry-level models without local dimming.
OLED TVs performed best overall: out of 20 models tested, only three experienced total failure, and no further technical issues where reported. This positions OLED as the most durable technology in the test.
However, OLEDs aren’t immune to issues. due to the test’s methodology – repeated playback of the same content with short switch-off periods – OLED TVs exhibited afterglow effects or shadow patterns from static image displays. (It’s important to note, as highlighted in a related report, that general statements regarding this phenomenon should be treated with caution).
Differences in TV Technologies and TV Brands
The contrast between OLED and LED LCD performance was notably pronounced at LG. While LG’s OLED TVs excelled in the long-term test, their Nano-LED LCDs (without local dimming) showed a comparatively high failure rate.
Hisense demonstrated the poorest performance among manufacturers, with half of the 13 tested Hisense TV sets experiencing technical problems or failures. TCL performed significantly better, with only one issue reported out of ten tested models. LG (OLED), Samsung (QLED+OLED), and Sony (QLED+OLED) all achieved equally convincing results.Power supply issues in individual models were often resolved through manufacturer repairs during the test.
The test revealed no ample differences in durability between mid-range and premium TVs, provided the cheapest backlight solutions are avoided and adequate heat dissipation is ensured within the housing.