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Which is better Super Amoled or IPS matrix. What is an AMOLED display? Comparison with other screens

In this article we will find details about the structure of AMOLED screens, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as the differences between Super AMOLED and Super AMOLED Plus technologies.

AMOLED panels have become the new standard in the world of screen technology. Increasingly, such displays are used in flagship smartphones, other mobile devices, monitors and even TVs.

The technology was first used in the Samsung S8300 Ultra Touch mobile phone in 2009, but now it is being used by other manufacturers. So, last year, the Chinese brand OnePlus introduced its own Optic AMOLED development in the flagships OnePlus 3 and.

What is an AMOLED panel?

The abbreviation AMOLED stands for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diodes. The peculiarity of this type of display is that each pixel is illuminated by a separate diode, so no additional backlight or liquid crystals are required.

The cathode layer comes first. Organic LEDs act as light-emitting elements, and an active matrix of thin-film transistors is used to control them. They determine the amount of current that passes through each diode, hence the brightness and color of the pixel. Then the anode layer passes through. Next is the substrate, which can be made of various materials, such as silicone, metal, etc.

In AMOLED panels, subpixels are placed using the PenTile scheme developed by Candice Brown Elliott. Each pixel contains five subpixels, which are staggered by color: two red, two green and one blue in the center. This arrangement provides high display brightness without increasing power consumption. In 2008, the rights to the technology were transferred to Samsung Electronics, and it began using it in its products.

Super AMOLED

In 2010, Samsung introduced an improved version of the panel, called Super AMOLED. Its main difference was the absence of an air gap between the sensor and the screen itself. This made it possible to increase the brightness and clarity of the image, improve readability in bright sunlight and reduce the thickness of the display.

At the beginning of 2011, another improved version was released - Super AMOLED Plus. Unlike its predecessor, it uses the RGB color model instead of PenTile, which provides increased picture clarity.

Advantages of AMOLED displays

One of the main advantages of AMOLED is that the power consumption of the display directly depends on the brightness of the image. Thus, the screen requires less power to display dark tones. This results in deeper blacks because black pixels are not backlit at all. Samsung has used the same advantage in its Always On Display technology, which allows you to display the time, date and notifications on the lock screen without noticeable battery consumption.

Such displays provide a wider viewing angle (about 180 degrees) both vertically and horizontally. At the same time, brightness, contrast and color saturation are maintained.

AMOLED panels are thinner, allowing the device to fit into a slimmer, sleeker design. Also, the space freed up inside the case can be used for other important components, for example, a more capacious battery.

In addition, AMOLED screens have a wider color gamut, faster response time and high contrast.

Disadvantages of AMOLED

As mentioned earlier, in AMOLED panels, power consumption directly depends on the brightness of the picture. This means that displaying light colors will require more power.

Another weakness is the unreliability of connections inside the screen. Even the slightest damage or crack can cause the display to fail completely. With a slight depressurization, the screen begins to gradually fade and stops showing after about two days.

With constant use in bright colors, the service life of such a panel is noticeably reduced. Moreover, subpixels of different colors burn out at different rates, as a result of which color rendition is disrupted. In addition, the maximum brightness of AMOLED displays remains lower compared to LCD.

For a long time, one of the disadvantages was the high cost of production, which means that repairs, if necessary, were more expensive for users. However, with the development of technology, the production of AMOLED panels is becoming cheaper.

Conclusion

The advantages and disadvantages of AMOLED panels are constantly debated. But it cannot be denied that such displays are the technology of the future, as more and more mobile manufacturers are starting to switch to the new standard, invest in its development, or even release their own versions of OLED screens.

If you are lucky enough to own a smartphone or other mobile device with an AMOLED display, we can advise you to stick to a dark design for the main screen and interface. This will reduce the energy consumed by the screen and extend the life of the display. Be careful when doing this and remember that even with minor damage the screen can fail completely.

How important is the display to you when choosing a device? Still in doubt? In this article, we will look at the two main types of displays that are found on the mobile device market today, consider their features, and most importantly, help you decide which display is most preferable to you.

LCD displays

Let's start with, perhaps, the most popular LCD matrix. LCD translated from English means “liquid crystal display”, but in common people it is usually called simply “elseed”. The first color LCD display was introduced by Sharp in 1987, and over time they began to displace CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors.

Using a TN matrix as an example, let's look at the operating principle of this display. An LCD display consists of pixels, in turn, pixels consist of subpixels, which represent 3 colors - red, green, blue, which add up to white. Do an experiment: take colored cardboard, cut out a circle with three colors (green, red, blue) and try to quickly scroll through it, you will notice that instead of three colors you get one - white. With just three colors you can create a huge variety of shades, with 16 million shades being optimal. There is no point in doing more, this will directly affect the memory, which mobile devices always lack. Moreover, the human eye recognizes at most 10 million colors. Each subpixel consists of: a color filter that determines the color of the subpixel (red, green, blue), horizontal and vertical filters, transparent electrodes, and liquid crystal molecules. Depending on what technology is used (TN, IPS), the principle of interaction between the crystal and the electrodes will be determined.

It is known from a physics course that light polarized on the surface of a body in a certain plane can pass through another surface only if it is in the same plane as the first. For example, light passes through a diffraction grating and is polarized along a vertical plane; if the next surface is in a plane located at 90 degrees relative to the first, then the light will not pass through the second surface, but if at 45 degrees, then the light will pass only half. But why do we need LCD molecules? They play a key role: the crystal determines how much light will pass through the color filter; it directs the light into the same plane as the surface of the second filter.


In TN matrices, the electrodes are located in the same way as the filters, and they direct our crystal into the plane of the second filter, which leads to the free passage of light through the diffraction grating. If we apply voltage to the transistors, then the crystal molecules are formed in a row, and depending on the strength of the voltage, we can regulate how many crystal molecules will be ordered perpendicular to the second filter. In other words, the more voltage the transistor gives us, the less light our subpixel will let through. Therefore, when pixels burn out in TN matrices, they are white, not black, since burnout implies the failure of the transistor, which can no longer supply current and regulate the transmittance of light, accordingly, our light passes through the color filter without problems .

Surely you are asking the question: “Why are dead pixels also black?” It's all about technology: dead black pixels are found in IPS matrices, since in such matrices, when voltage is applied, the crystal conducts light in the same plane as the filter. Moreover, in IPS matrices, since in a quiet state the crystals do not pass through the filter and, accordingly, light also does not pass through, we observe a deep black color.
I would also like to mention artificial lighting. Unlike AMOLED displays, LCD pixels are unable to emit light. They are helped in this by the backlight, which also affects the brightness of the display itself.

AMOLED displays

Every day AMOLED matrices are becoming more and more popular. Technologically, they are noticeably superior to LCD displays, and many expect the future dominance of AMOLED displays in the market not only for mobile devices, but also for all technology. However, such matrices gained the greatest popularity only in the manufacture of devices with a small screen diagonal, since production costs are very high - these are very capricious and fragile displays - therefore, the development of a screen with a large diagonal will entail high production costs, a large number of defects, etc.

As for the technology itself, AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) has noticeable differences compared to LCD. Each subpixel has its own artificial backlight, we will call them LEDs, the AMOLED matrix has several layers: a cathode layer, a layer of active organics (LEDs), a TFT array, in other words, transistors, and then there is a substrate, which can be made of any materials (silicone, metal and others).

That is why AMOLED displays can be used in the manufacture of various gadgets with a rounded screen, this helped Samsung in creating the Galaxy Note Edge. In the future we will see completely flexible gadgets, with a silicone backing, for example. As for SuperAMOLED, this technology is an improved version of AMOLED. The most important technical feature is the absence of an air gap between the screen and the display: the screen is glued to the display, this reduces the space occupied by the display, and as a result, the dimensions of the devices are reduced. On top of the display is the touchscreen, then there is wiring that carries low voltage current, wiring that powers the LEDs, under the LEDs there are transistors, and under them there is a substrate.

SuperAMOLED displays are brighter than their predecessors, reflect less light and have reduced power consumption. As for energy consumption, due to the fact that the LEDs themselves create light, the energy consumption of the matrix directly depends on the number of working pixels and on the light intensity of the diodes. This is why Samsung uses dark colors in the interface; this has a positive effect on the battery consumption of the diodes.

Results

LCD will soon become an obsolete technology, but the market for mobile devices with these displays will still occupy a significant share. Today, it is the LCD matrix that is most preferable, yes, the gap is already minimal, moreover, the Note 4 display for some may become the best on the market, two or three years - and AMOLED screens will begin to dominate in quality over LCD, but AMOLED is not yet enough perfect. On the contrary, LCD is a polished technology that has already achieved almost perfect performance. However, it's up to you to decide anyway.

We continue the section devoted to how to choose the right smartphone that will delight the user. We have already talked about what they are, what is better, pros and cons. Today we will talk about choosing a smartphone screen. The topic is quite complex and extensive, since by now there are many technologies for the production of displays, their protection, in addition, they are presented in a variety of diagonals, with different ratios, and so on. It is the screen that often becomes a stumbling block when choosing a smartphone. It's not surprising. The display is precisely the part of the device with which we have to work more. If you make the wrong choice, there is a high probability that the screen will cause a lot of inconvenience: poor-quality picture, low brightness, poor sensitivity. But don’t worry, today we will touch on each aspect, telling you about all the intricacies of choosing a smartphone screen.

Smartphone matrix type

It’s worth starting with the type of matrix. The quality will largely depend on the choice of screen matrix type. So, today it is customary to distinguish three varieties:

  1. TN+film
  2. AMOLED

The first two are based on liquid crystals, the second on organic light-emitting diodes. Each type is represented by several subtypes (in the case of IPS there are more than 20 different ones), which are one way or another found in the production of panels.

Some of you are wondering: “Where is TFT?” Due to ignorance of some resources, this abbreviation is often used to designate the type of matrix, which is incorrect. The term TFT refers to thin film transistors used to organize the operation of subpixels. They are used in almost every type of matrix under consideration. Transistors also come in several varieties, one of which is LTPS (polycrystalline silicon). LTPS is a relatively new subtype, which is distinguished by lower power consumption and more compact transistor sizes, which is also reflected in pixel sizes. The result: higher pixel density, higher quality and clearer picture.

TN+film

Let's return to matrices. Most of the matrices familiar to us, as already noted, are liquid crystal, that is, LCD. The principle is to polarize the light that passes through the filter, turning it into the appropriate colors. The first of the types of liquid crystal matrices is TN+film. With the spread of "film" was dropped, shortening the name to "TN". The simplest type, which is now quite outdated and is used only in the cheapest smartphones (and even then, we still need to find it). TN cannot boast of good viewing angles or contrast, and has poor color rendering.

In general, avoid TN when choosing a smartphone screen - the type is outdated.

IPS

Next comes IPS. This technology is also not young - its age has already exceeded 20 years. Meanwhile, IPS matrices are most widespread in the smartphone market. Open any online store, choose the first smartphone you come across and see my words. This type of matrix is ​​presented both in the budget segment and in the flagship segment. In addition to improved characteristics, when compared with TN, IPS have received a large number of varieties. However, you don’t need to understand everything – the smartphone market is dominated by two types: AH-IPS and PLS. Their creators are the two largest companies in South Korea and the whole world: LG and Samsung, respectively. What's the difference? It's practically non-existent. The two types of matrices are like twin brothers, so you can choose a smartphone with any of them without fear. Identity has even become the basis for litigation between companies.

IPS boasts wider viewing angles than TN, good color reproduction and high pixel density, which provides a gorgeous picture. But the power consumption is approximately the same - in any case, LEDs are used for illumination. Since there are quite a few types of IPS matrices, they also differ in their characteristics. This difference can be seen even by eye. Cheaper IPS may be too faded, or, on the contrary, have an oversaturated color. What makes choosing a smartphone screen more difficult is that manufacturers are often silent about the type of matrix.

Definitely, when choosing between a TN and IPS screen, preference is given to the latter.

AMOLED

An even more modern type, which today is common, as a rule, among high-end smartphones. AMOLED are represented by organic light-emitting diodes, which do not require external illumination, as is the case with IPS or TN - they glow themselves. Already at this moment one can highlight their first advantage - smaller sizes. Next – AMOLED is presented with more saturated colors. Black looks especially good, during which the LED simply goes out. AMOLED displays have higher contrast, boast wider viewing angles and lower power consumption (there are some nuances). It's just a fairy tale, isn't it? But before choosing a smartphone with an AMOLED screen, you should know about its disadvantages.

The most important disadvantage is considered to be a shorter service life compared to IPS. After a certain period of time (as a rule, changes in color are observed after three years), on average after 6-10 years, the pixels begin to “burn out.” Moreover, bright colors are especially susceptible to fading, so users often use dark themes in order to extend their service life. In addition, power consumption is significantly affected by the brightness of the colors on the screen. If a bright picture is displayed in light colors, then AMOLED consumes more energy than IPS. Finally, matrices based on organic light-emitting diodes are more expensive to produce.

Be that as it may, this does not negate the technology and quality of AMOLED. Sores in the form of “burning out pixels” are gradually cured, and subtypes of matrices appear that become better. For example, Super AMOLED. This variety appeared seven years ago, bringing a lot of improvements. Power consumption has been reduced and brightness increased. In addition, the air gap between the touchscreen and the matrix has disappeared, which increased the sensitivity of the screen and also eliminated the ingress of dust.

AMOLED today is considered the most technologically advanced matrices that are actively developing. If until recently they were used mainly in Samsung smartphones, today they are chosen by a huge number of smartphone manufacturers (almost every major brand has presented a solution with an AMOLED screen.

Design features of smartphone screens

But you should not only consider the type of matrix when choosing a smartphone screen. There are a whole bunch of other features that affect the final picture quality and user experience. We will focus on the most important points.

Air gap

Until recently, the screens of all smartphones were represented by two components: the touch layer and the matrix itself. There was an air gap between them, the thickness of which depended directly on the manufacturer. Naturally, the thinner the layer, the better. Companies regularly reduced the air layer, making the picture quality higher and viewing angles wider. Relatively recently, it was possible to completely get rid of the air gap thanks to OGS technology. Now the sensor layer and matrix are connected together. Despite the significant improvement in quality, there is an obvious drawback. If the OGG screen is damaged, it will have to be completely replaced, while in displays with an air layer, only the glass takes the hit.

Be that as it may, more and more manufacturers are choosing OGS screens. And we advise you to give preference to this technology. Believe me, there is no need to worry about complex repairs for the feelings that you will experience when using such a display.

A relatively recent thread that Samsung brought to the market with its flagship Galaxy S6 Edge (there was also a Galaxy Note, but only one edge was bent). The South Korean manufacturer will continue to develop the idea in subsequent smartphones, but other companies did not share the idea too much. The company bends the right and left edges of the devices - the screen seems to float onto the ends. This is done not only for the sake of a spectacular appearance, but also for the convenience of the user. Additional functions are placed here, and notifications can also be displayed here. A fascinating feature, but not for everyone.

Samsung was the most successful in implementing a curved display, so if you are interested in such a design, we recommend considering the solutions of the South Korean brand.

An even more recent trend is screens without frames. The progenitor is the Sharp company, which showed the first frameless smartphone back in 2014, but users were attracted by the frameless Mi Mix, shown in 2016. By the summer of 2017, a number of companies announced plans to release similar gadgets. Today the market is rapidly filling up, with the newest models costing less than $100.

To date, there are several variations of the frameless screen: elongated displays, which have reduced frames at the top and bottom; familiar displays without frames on three sides (except for the bottom). The first type includes the Samsung Galaxy S8 and a couple of smartphones from LG (G6 and ). To the second - Doogee Mix, Xiaomi Mi Mix and many others, whose ranks are constantly replenished.

Frameless smartphones look really cool, and their low cost gives everyone the opportunity to try out modern technology.

The well-known company Apple introduced a new technology at the time of release in the iPhone 6S - 3D Touch. With it, the screen began to respond not only to touches, but also to the force of pressing. Technology began to be used, as a rule, to perform some quick actions. Also, 3D Touch made it possible to work with text, draw with greater comfort (the brush reacts to the force of pressure) and so on. The function did not become something completely unusual, but it found its user. Later, a similar technology appeared 6 and was also announced in.

Type of touch screens

Not a particularly important criterion when choosing a smartphone screen, but, nevertheless, let’s dwell on it a little. There are several types of touch screens: matrix (very, very rare), resistive and capacitive. Until recently, resistive screens were widespread everywhere, but today they are presented only in very rare and cheap smartphones. This type is different in that it responds to any touch: with a finger, a pen, or even control another phone. It only supports one touch and does not always work accurately. In general, an outdated type.

Capacitive screens are significantly superior to their predecessors. They already support more than one simultaneous touch, have better sensitivity, and work much more accurately. However, their production is more expensive.

Whatever one may say, the vast majority of companies have abandoned resistive screens in smartphones. And this is for the better. In addition, the cost of capacitive ones is constantly decreasing, which allows manufacturers to install them in the cheapest smartphones.

Another important aspect when choosing a smartphone screen is the number of simultaneous touches. This parameter determines what operations you can perform on the display. The first smartphones equipped with resistive screens were limited to one simultaneous touch, which was not always enough. The screens of modern smartphones often support 2, 3, 5 or 10 simultaneous touches. What gives a large number of simultaneous touches:

  • Scaling and zooming. One of the first features that appeared on the iPhone, the first smartphone to support two simultaneous touches. So, you can reduce or enlarge images by pinching or spreading your fingers on the screen.
  • Gesture control. Multiple fingers make it possible to use different gestures.
  • Game controls. Most modern games require the use of several fingers at the same time.

You shouldn't chase support for 10 simultaneous touches if you don't play on a smartphone. For the vast majority of users, 5 touches are enough, and even less demanding users will not experience discomfort with 2.

Significant parameters when choosing a smartphone screen go hand in hand. The display diagonal reflects its dimensions in inches.

An inch corresponds to 2.54 centimeters. For example, the screen diagonal of a 5-inch smartphone in centimeters is 12.7 centimeters. Please note: The diagonal is measured from corner to corner of the screen, without affecting the frame.

Which screen diagonal should I choose? You will have to answer this question yourself. The modern smartphone market offers a variety of diagonals, starting from about 3.5-4 inches, ending with almost 7 inches. There are also more compact options, but you can ignore them - working with miniature icons is not very convenient. The best way to choose the diagonal is to personally hold the smartphone in your hands. If you are comfortable using one hand, then the diagonal is “yours”.

It is also impossible to recommend specific numbers because each person has a different hand size and finger length. For one, 6 inches is comfortable to use, for others, even 5 inches is too much. It is also worth considering that smartphones with the same diagonal can be of different sizes in general. A simple example: a 5.5-inch is comparable to a 5-inch model with regular frames. Therefore, when choosing a smartphone screen, it is advisable to also take into account the thickness of the frames.

Be that as it may, there is a trend towards increasing screen diagonals. If in 2011 the vast majority of users were limited to 4 inches, then in 2014 the largest percentage belonged to 5 inches; today solutions with 5.5 inches are capturing the market.

With resolution the situation is simpler.

Resolution reflects the number of pixels per unit area. The higher the resolution, the better the quality of the picture. Again, the same resolution looks different on two different diagonals. Here it is worth mentioning the pixel density per inch, which is denoted by the abbreviation PPI. The same rule applies here as in the case of resolution: the higher the density, the better. True, experts do not agree on the exact figure: some claim that a comfortable value starts at 350 PPI, others cite larger numbers, and still others – smaller ones. It is worth remembering that human vision is very individual: someone will not see a pixel even at 300 PPI, while another will find something to complain about even at 500 PPI.

  • with a diagonal of up to 4-4.5 inches, most smartphones receive a resolution of 840x480 pixels (approximately 250 PPI);
  • from 4.5 to 5 inches, HD resolution (1280x720 pixels) is a good choice (density ranges from 326 to 294 PPI)
  • more than 5 inches - you should look towards FullHD (1920x1080 pixels) or even higher resolutions

The latest Samsung smartphones and a number of models from other companies have a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, which provides high pixel density and clear images. The recent flagship from Sony was presented with a 4K screen resolution, which at 5.5 inches guarantees a record 801 PPI.

Screen coating

Until recently, the screens of mobile devices were covered with ordinary plastic, which quickly scratched, distorted color reproduction, and did not have a very tactile feel. It was replaced by glass, which doesn’t care about keys lying in your pocket. Nowadays there is not a single type of glass on the market that differs in strength and, accordingly, in price. 2.5D glass with curved edges has gained particular popularity today. They not only guarantee high reliability, but also give the smartphone a more stylish look.

In addition, the screens of modern smartphones have a special grease-repellent coating (oleophobic layer), which ensures good finger glide and also prevents stains. To determine the presence of an oleophobic layer, just place a drop of water on the screen. The better the drop retains its shape (does not spread), the better the quality of the layer.

Naturally, the quality of the oleophobic layer and glass affect the cost of the smartphone. You are unlikely to find a budget model that can boast the same durable glass as the flagship solution. Today, the most popular manufacturer of protective glass is Corning, whose line ends with Gorilla Glass 5.

Additional screen

If one display is not enough for you, then a number of companies offer smartphones with additional screens. They are usually small and serve to display notifications. And YotaPhone 2, known to many, offers a second E-link display that occupies the entire back side, which is convenient to read. LG's lineup includes solutions with a small screen that displays notifications. Recently, Meizu also launched a similar smartphone with an additional screen with its flagship.

The second screen is a rather unique feature that not everyone needs. Nevertheless, such smartphones find their user, and more than one.

Conclusion

Well, it seems like we talked about all the intricacies of choosing a smartphone screen. The material turned out to be quite extensive, we hope everyone will find answers to their questions. You shouldn’t chase the most expensive screen, but saving too much is also contraindicated - we’re looking for that golden mean. Although the current mobile electronics market itself will direct you in the right direction, pointing out what is popular and in demand. Today, the risk of stumbling upon a low-quality display that will be dull when pressed is much lower; manufacturers have significantly raised the quality bar. Even third-tier companies use quite high-quality matrices in their ultra-budget smartphones. Well, all we can do is wish you good luck in your choice.

By the way, the line of articles about the criteria for the right choice does not end. We have already talked about it, check it out. Materials on choosing a processor and cameras will appear soon, so subscribe to notifications and the VKontakte group.

It’s easy to notice that phones with AMOLED screens are more expensive than their IPS counterparts. What is the reason for the higher cost? Is it possible to immediately distinguish a display created using AMOLED technology from other types of screens? Why are such LCD panels rarely found outside of the products of the South Korean company Samsung? The answers to all these questions are in this material.

Under the abbreviation AMOLED lies the decoding of “Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode”. This means that this matrix is ​​built on the basis of organic light-emitting diodes, while it is active. Each pixel here lights up independently, as a result of which a separate backlit layer is not required - this reduces the thickness of the panel and also reduces power consumption.

Almost any AMOLED screen has the following structure:

  • Top layer - cathode;
  • Below is organic layer with LEDs- there is no air gap;
  • Posted even lower matrix of thin film transistors those involved in diode control;
  • What follows anode layer;
  • It all lies on a substrate made of silicone, metal or some other material.

Structure of an AMOLED screen

The order of LED subpixels in AMOLED displays can be different. Samsung has long used PenTile - a checkerboard pattern (blue in the middle, two green on the sides, two red behind them). It is this position of the subpixels that has the most positive effect on power consumption.

PenTile - subpixel order used by Samsung

AMOLED or Super AMOLED: which is better?

Samsung smartphones use screens made using Super AMOLED technology. What are the main differences between such displays? Initially, the prefix “Super” meant the absence of an air gap - it was the South Korean company that managed to get rid of it in 2010. But now ordinary AMOLED screens manufactured by other companies can boast of this. Consequently, Super AMOLED is now a marketing feature of the South Korean manufacturer. That is, you can put an “equal” sign between AMOLED and Super AMOLED.

It should be noted that Samsung produces the largest number of AMOLED panels. South Koreans have already learned how to bend their creations in every possible way (doing this without a separate backlit layer is much easier). Rest assured, all smartphones with an AMOLED display, the edges of which are curved, are manufactured using South Korean matrices. Apple is going to open its own plant for the production of organic LED screens, but this will not happen earlier than 2020.

Main advantages of AMOLED panels

The physical properties of matrices consisting of organic light-emitting diodes are such that the screen can have tiny thickness. In particular, this is especially important for smart watches and fitness bracelets, the physical dimensions of which should not be large.

But the most important advantage of any OLED screen (including its AMOLED variations) is low power consumption. Each pixel of such a display glows independently. It turns out that the greatest energy consumption will be at the moment when the entire screen displays a flat white color. And if some areas need to display dark colors, they glow noticeably dimmer, which reduces battery consumption.

The darker the picture displayed on the display, the less energy is consumed.

High Contrast- another undoubted advantage of such screens. This is explained by the same ability of pixels to glow on their own. For example, under the IPS panel there is a substrate of LEDs that illuminate black colors as well. This doesn't happen here.

Differences in contrast are immediately noticeable

It is also due to this that the picture on the AMOLED screen clearly visible even under bright sunlight. IPS technology allows you to see something on the display on a clear day only by turning down the backlight brightness, which leads to a sharp increase in power consumption.

Phones with AMOLED display

As mentioned above, only Samsung is familiar with organic LEDs. But this does not mean that this manufacturer does not sell its screens to someone else. In particular, a 6-inch AMOLED panel is included in the popular smartphone OnePlus 5T. The resolution of this screen is 2160 x 1080 pixels, and the width of the side frames is kept to a minimum.

The screen, created on the basis of organic light-emitting diodes, has Meizu Pro 7. This device is much more compact - the diagonal of the display installed here is only 5.2 inches, and the resolution is 1920 x 1080 pixels. A distinctive feature of the device is the presence of a second screen located on the rear panel, directly below the dual camera. AMOLED technology was also used in its creation.

As for South Korean smartphones, there is no point in singling out specific models. For quite some time now, even relatively inexpensive devices produced by Samsung have had an AMOLED display. The only exceptions are ultra-budget models, sold for 4000-5000 rubles.

Conclusion

AMOLED screens are the future, that's for sure. Such displays do not have serious drawbacks, producing images with better color rendition and maximum viewing angles, while consuming a very small amount of electricity. The only problem is the higher cost of such panels. This results in a percentage of yield of suitable products that is far from a record. We can also mention that production rates are not the highest - alas, it is extremely difficult for Samsung alone to satisfy the demands of the smartphone market.

Do you want to know what the “wow effect” is? Pick up at least one Samsung smartphone with an AMOLED display! And, if this is the “WOW!” you won’t be able to escape, consider that the guys from Samsung haven’t earned their fees. So bright, so colorful, so attractive! Hands are tempted to scroll through websites, look through the gallery, and browse through applications and settings.

Is the almost branded Samsung display so good and what about IPS screens? Of course, they don’t make you wildly delighted at first glance, but the technology will be better than AMOLED in some ways.

Yes, getting to know the latest Samsung gadgets is infuriating. And if you haven’t yet turned into a zombie and haven’t gone to the checkout to lay out your hard-earned money for a bright and contrasting image of an armful of balloons on the mainscreen, all is not lost and there is something to talk about with you.

In fact, the selling brightness and contrast of AMOLED displays is not so ideal: the beautiful wrapper hides a couple of significant troubles.

What is AMOLED? AMOLED -Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode, i.e. active matrix on organic light-emitting diodes. The light emitters in AMOLED displays are organic light-emitting diodes, which are controlled using an active matrix of thin-film transistors (TFT).

Why AMOLED?

Firstly, AMOLED screens have extremely high contrast, which IPS cannot boast of.

Secondly, thanks to image transmission technology different from IPS, an AMOLED display can show absolutely black color. Why?

IPS screens are usually backlit from all sides, and the pixels in AMOLED light up on their own, so the manufacturer was able to perfect the transmission of black in them: when displaying images on such screens, the pixels that transmit black color will not light up. In IPS screens, the entire picture is always backlit, so it is impossible to achieve deep blacks on them. The contrast of AMOLED displays thus becomes almost infinite.

The second advantage also leads to a third, albeit very controversial one: AMOLED, due to selective backlighting of pixels, also claims to be selectively economical in energy consumption. In other words: in dark scenes, the AMOLED screen wastes nothing at all! But, on the other hand, when it comes to displaying a bright picture, the efficiency of AMOLED technology can be questioned.

The fourth plus(s): the touch response time of AMOLED displays is less than that of IPS. Those. Changing pictures on the screen should happen at lightning speed. In truth, AMOLEDs do work faster in this regard, but the speed difference is hardly perceptible.

By the way, in the Samsung Galaxy S4 the notorious reaction speed even became a problem: when changing an image (even when simply moving from menu to menu), “trails” from the previous image stretch across the screen. The manufacturer prefers not to answer questions about what to do about it and how to continue living. Apparently, it's all about the new Super AMOLED technology. It’s not that it would be a big nuisance, but it would be wrong to remain silent.

Fifth advantage: AMOLED is thinner, which means devices with such a display are lighter. The difference in the thickness of AMOLED and IPS is explained by the same backlight technology: the pixels in IPS still need to be backlit, and for backlighting you need space in the case.

But, in fact, we’re talking about a maximum of a hundred grams, so if you don’t have a thing for ultra-thin gadgets, you shouldn’t consider the fifth point a significant advantage either.

The rich color gamut of AMOLED screens can be appreciated at least in the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy S4, as well as in the Galaxy Nexus.

What is IPS? IPS is a type of matrix of LCD monitors, the name of which stands for In-Plane Switching. The technology is so named because of the way the crystals are placed in the panel. IPS is distinguished by the fact that the crystals are located in the same plane parallel to the surface of the panel. This made it possible to obtain maximum viewing angles (up to 178 degrees).

Why IPS?

Firstly, despite the contrast of AMOLED, IPS screens convey colors much more accurately. If on AMOLED they can be turned up to completely unnatural shades, then IPS will give bright colors only when the real picture suggests it.

It is also possible to set natural colors on AMOLED, but not without difficulty and special access to the software settings. But if there are software settings, the AMOLED matrix can compete with any modern technology. Well, almost anyone.

Secondly, IPS screens provide perfect white, which cannot be achieved on AMOLED. This is not a small thing, as it may seem. Take, for example, the sad stories about the transmission of blue, yellow and pink shades of white by “amoles”.

On the one hand, a custom software setting can put everything in place, but it still won’t give you a good white AMOLED: if the color rendition can still be customized, then whitening the device’s display will cost you a lot of effort.

Big plus number three: maintaining color reproduction in IPS is possible even with an acute viewing angle. Colors on high-quality IPS hardly degrade, no matter how you look at the screen.

Whoever says that this is all nitpicking, try getting together with a group of at least three people to watch a film or photographs: the person sitting in the center will see the picture without distortion, but those sitting to the right and left of him will have yellowish and blue colors, respectively.

IPS practically does not produce angular distortion, and AMOLED, alas, does not indulge in such characteristics. Just remember the Sony Xperia Z, the screen of which rather spoiled the impressions of what was, in principle, a good device: a faded screen with low contrast and poor viewing angles.

AMOLED often suffers from the fact that it shifts natural color reproduction to the cold side. A non-standard layout of subpixels, moreover, leads to the image appearing in different colors: depending on the angle at which you look at the screen, the picture may turn red or green.

Let us recall that most often one pixel is formed by three subpixels: red, green and blue (the so-called RGB layout).

AMOLED works on a different principle. These screens use a method of constructing an image in which the subpixels are arranged in a special way. For clarity, see the picture below. According to the standard, a pixel is formed by three RGB subpixels, and in AMOLED displays, subpixels can be arranged as RG-BG, and not as RGB-RGB in the generally accepted version. This technology is called PenTile.

The photo below shows the standard RGB layout and the previous generation PenTile.

Subpixels of different colors can glow with different strengths, which is why on AMOLED the picture looks less detailed and clear (these flaws most often appear along the contours of the depicted objects).

There is no such looseness in IPS displays; accordingly, IPS provide better sharpness and detail. In fact, you don’t need to have superpowers to notice the pixelation of a picture. Unlike IPS, the structure of the AMOLED matrix can be noticed by, say, any myopic user who decides to read a detective story before going to bed. This is the fourth plus.

Again, because AMOLED illuminates each individual subpixel; there is a possibility of these organic LEDs burning out (example in the photo, see below). The guaranteed service life of such a screen is at least 6 years, but even after a year of using the device, changes in brightness and color rendition can still be noticed.

IPS screens offer much higher maximum brightness. Hence: the readability of any image, accordingly, becomes better. AMOLED screens begin to “go dark” when exposed to direct sunlight: the brightness of such a screen is not enough to highlight the picture in the sun.