A lot of thought goes into buying the right smart TV for your lifestyle and entertainment needs, and the final decision is certainly influenced by the physical space and monetary budget that’s available. Sometimes there is talk of ambient light and how that should inform your decisions. And of course, preferred smart operating system can play a factor as well.

I would argue, however, that one of the most important factors to consider, if not the most important, is what you actually watch on your TV. If you’re someone who enjoys sci-fi, horror, and other genre storytelling, whether it’s movies or TV shows, then there is only one type of TV you should be considering: an OLED TV.

How an OLED TV screen works

Individual pixels turn on and off

OLED TVs, in which the ‘O’ stands for ‘organic’, differentiate themselves from LED models, such as QLED, by the lack of a backlight. Where LED TVs use a backlight that shines on the screen to produce the light you see, an OLED TV instead uses individual pixels built into the screen. These individual pixels turn on and off completely, which allows the TV screen to achieve a perfect black. When a pixel is shut off, there is no light coming from the pixel.

This is significantly different than an LED TV where the backlight is adjusted in order to influence brightness. Backlights vary drastically in the way they work and cast light. Some may feature edge lighting only or full array lighting. Some feature mini-zones, where each small portion of the backlight operates independently. However, the idea is the same across all LED TVs. Light shines on the screen, and the amount of light influences brightness and contrast. With an LED TV, you can toggle the intensity of the light, but you can’t shut it off completely. When the TV is on, so is the backlight.

As a result of this technology, OLED TVs are most often much more expensive than LED counterparts of the same size. They also tend to be lighter and thinner.

OLED TVs are the best models for contrast

Darker scenes are better supported with OLED models

The biggest selling point of the OLED TV is its ability to achieve perfect contrast. When an individual pixel turns off, the space left by it is completely black. There is no trace amount of light. A backlight, however, can’t do the same thing. When you have a backlight, you are afforded control of its intensity, but it doesn’t turn off. That means there are always trace amounts of light coming through. You cannot achieve a perfect contrast with an LED TV; you can only hope to get a dim light as isolated as possible.

Advanced LED models are trying hard to rectify this deficiency. That’s where those mini-zones come in: if you make small areas that can be controlled individually, you are better able to make scenes on the screen darker. Some areas can be light and some can be dim. As good as these dimming areas are, as long as the backlight is on, some light is going to bleed through. It’s not the same for an OLED TV.

Technically, the contrast ratio for an OLED TV, in which the brightness white level is divided by the darkest black level, is infinite. An OLED TV can achieve a black level of zero nits, rendering the ratio to infinity. Contrast and the ability to create authentically dark scenes is crucial for those who enjoy genre stories.

Why OLED TVs are ideal for sci-fi and horror

Clarity and contrast in darkness is required

A lot of science fiction, horror, and other genre stories involve darkness. Of course, not all do, but a lot of the time, if you’re watching a film or show within this category, you’re going to find yourself watching something that’s literally and not just metaphorically dark. That’s why you want an OLED TV.

You want to be able to discern details in the darkness. You want to be able to see clearly the things you’re supposed to see. An inferior LED TV will not do well with shadows or dark spaces, failing to demonstrate edges or degradation of darkness. A common complaint with dark TV shows is that those dark scenes are too blurry or confusing. That can be a result of the cinematographer or director of photography, but it’s more often an indictment of the TV you’re using. If your TV isn’t good at showcasing dark scenes, like something investigating a basment with a flashlight, then you’re not going to be able to tell what’s going on.

And OLED TV, especially a high-end one, will pick up on those details. You’ll be better able to see everything going on in darker scenes because it can achieve true, pure black. There are levels of the darkness, so there will be clearer edges and better shadowing. And when there is a small light within that darkness, the OLED TV will make that light seem bright, crisp, and well-defined. There will be no halos or shadowing around it.

And all of that is crucial to the many sci-fi and horror stories set in space, in basements, in haunted houses, at the bottom of the ocean, and everywhere else that’s dark and mysterious. It’s hard to be scared of something when you legitimately can’t see what’s going on.

How to get the most out of your OLED TV

Mind your environment and toggle off enhancements

It’s important to set yourself up for success when it comes to your viewing experience. As OLED TVs are typically light and thin, it’s recommended to mount the unit on the wall to create a theater-like effect. You’ll also want to watch it in a dark room; do your best to eliminate any ambient light from the room. One of the knocks against some OLED TVs is that they struggle with brightness, or rather, can’t get as bright as LED models. This will depend on the size of the room and what light is coming in, but if you can create a dark room, you won’t have a big problem.

Similarly, you can set up a small lamp or light off to the side to provide some bias lighting. A little glow in the periphery can help adjust your eyes to the TV and improve your perception of contrast and brightness.

Be mindful to check your picture settings, too. Avoid any presets that boost color saturation, like dynamic or vivid, as these alter the color temperature to unrealistic proportions. Instead, opt for Filmmaker Mode if you have it. These automatically turns off extra processes and enhancements when it detects compatible content, adhering to a filmmaker’s vision in order to achieve cinematic fidelity.

And because a lot of prestige shows and films are designed with specific visuals in mind (think anything made by Christopher Nolan), you’ll be better served by an OLED TV that supports contrast and true blacks. Imagine watching a movie like Interstellar or Gravity and looking at a shadowy, blurry outer space where haloes surround the few sources of light. You want an OLED TV in order to really immerse yourself in all the scares and thrills from sci-fi and horror stories.