Difference between CRT and LCD

CRT and LCD are both display devices. CRT is an old technology whereas LCD is modern one. One major difference between CRT and LCD is in the technology used for image formation. The CRT display produces an image by using an electron beam, while LCD display produces an image on the screen using liquid crystal display.

What is a CRT?

CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube. CRT displays produce an image on the screen by using a sharp beam of electrons that is highly focused to hit a phosphor screen present in front of the tube. The important components of a CRT are electron gun, focusing mechanism, and phosphor screen.

CRT was used in earlier TVs and computer monitors. CRT produces poor quality images on the screen and also consumes large electricity. The lifespan of CRT displays is very short. Because of all reasons, CRTs are being replaced by other display technologies these days.

What is an LCD?

LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display. In LCD, liquid crystals are used to produce images on the screen. LCD displays are thin and more energy efficient, thus they are used in several small sized devices like mobiles, laptops, TVs, desktop computer monitors, calculators, etc.

In LCDs, light is obtained from external sources, and then it is converted into a definite graphics pattern using optical effects. LCDs have several advantages over CRT such as less power consumption, faster response, smaller size, low cost, etc.

Difference between CRT and LCD

The following table highlights all the important differences between a CRT and an LCD −

Parameter	CRT	LCD
Definition	CRT stands for Cathode Ray Tube.	LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display.
Power Consumption	CRT consumes more power than LCD.	LCD consumes much less power than CRT.
Cost	CRT is cheaper than LCD.	LCD is costlier than CRT.
Speed	CRT is faster than LCD in response time.	LCD is slower than CRT in response time.
Size	CRT is larger than LCD in size.	LCD is smaller than CRT in size.
Image Confinement	No Image confinement.	Good Image confinement.
Resolution	CRT resolution is quiet lower than LCD.	LCD resolution is quiet high than CRT thus have high image quality support.

Conclusion

Both CRT and LCD have their own advantages and disadvantages. However, these days, CRTs have almost become extinct. No one seems to be using them anymore. LCDs and other display technologies have replaced them because the new devices are highly efficient in terms of cost, power, and performance.