On Image Matters: LED Studio

AVT Question: Please share your insight on what end users need to know about today’s displays, applications, content, cost of ownership, flexibility, and what to expect from future tech.

Thought Leader: Ross Noonan, Technical Sales and Marketing Manager at LED Studio 

MicroLED technology is often a misunderstood and misrepresented term in the display industry. While it shares similarities with other LED technologies, the true essence of MicroLED lies in the size of its diodes. This fundamental aspect has been overshadowed by confusion around terms like pixel pitch and resolution.

At its core, MicroLED is defined by the size of the individual red, green, and blue (RGB) diodes that make up a pixel. These diodes are incredibly small—measured in micrometers (µm). The classification is simple: If the RGB diodes are larger than 200µm, it’s standard LED; between 101 and 200µm is MiniLED; and anything 100 µm or smaller is MicroLED. 

So why all the confusion? The confusion mainly stems from resolution and pixel pitch. Many manufacturers claim that any product with a sub-1mm pixel pitch or one that uses COB technology with options for a sub-1mm pixel pitch must be MicroLED. However, standard LED technologies like SMD and MiniLED can also achieve pixel pitches below 1mm, but this doesn’t make them MicroLED.

And, why is this important? True MicroLED technology offers significant advantages, particularly in achieving tighter pixel pitches below 0.9mm. This allows for more pixels within a given area, resulting in superior resolution and visual clarity. For example, our 54-inch EDGE Pro display using COB MicroLED can fit a 1080p resolution in a single cabinet, something standard LEDs struggle to achieve due to their larger diode size.

As the technology progresses, we may see MicroLEDs being used in larger pixel pitch displays, offering better contrast and energy efficiency. Understanding MicroLED based on diode size, not pixel pitch, is key to appreciating its potential. The future of MicroLED promises even more advancements, pushing the boundaries of display technology as we know it today.