QLED describes an LCD television that has an extra layer of quantum dots placed in front of its backlight. Quantum dots are tiny particles that convert light into very pure colours when lit, which lets a QLED set produce a wider and more saturated colour range than a standard LCD panel without them.
Because QLED is still fundamentally an LCD design, it relies on a separate backlight rather than each pixel lighting itself, so black levels depend on how well that backlight is controlled, for example through local dimming. In practice this means QLED sets can reach very high peak brightness, which suits bright living rooms well, while black levels and contrast in dark scenes usually remain a step behind the best OLED panels.
When comparing TVs while shopping, seeing QLED on the box tells you about the colour layer, not the backlight quality behind it, so it is worth checking the backlight type as well. Our OLED versus QLED guide explains the practical differences in more detail.
