How come super amoled screen are bad for outdoor visibility?

[kyrax12]

I heard that the Galaxy s5's display is really good. I think displaymate stated that it has the best display currently.

What makes super amoled so bad for outdoor visibility?


Do super amoled screen burn out faster than LCD screen? If I want a phone that can last for a long time (For back-ups) Would you recommend LCD/IPS phones or super amoled, since I heard maximizing the brightness setting for super amoled screen is very bad. (Can anyone confirm?)

 

[dguy6789]

The main reason amoled is less bright than LCD is because LCD uses a large backlight that is on constantly while the individual pixels each produce their own light on an amoled display(and if any of the pixels are black they are producing zero light and they produce lower than maximum light for dark colors).

Amoled screens in theory burn out faster but the display would still outlive the phone.

Super amoled is widely considered the better display technology overall(true blacks, more vibrant color, no backlight causes washing out of color, faster response time, and better viewing angles) as it is the natural successor to LCD much like LCD was to CRT.

 

[Dari]

The main reason amoled is less bright than LCD is because LCD uses a large backlight that is on constantly while the individual pixels each produce their own light on an amoled display(and if any of the pixels are black they are producing zero light and they produce lower than maximum light for dark colors).

Amoled screens in theory burn out faster but the display would still outlive the phone.

Super amoled is widely considered the better display technology overall(true blacks, more vibrant color, no backlight causes washing out of color, faster response time, and better viewing angles) as it is the natural successor to LCD much like LCD was to CRT.

Unfortunately for OLED, whites come from the blue light. That means all OLEDs have a bluish tint. Also, since the blue is used more than any other color it's usually physically larger than the other colors or there are more of them. It has a long way to go.

 

[dawheat]

Are you saying you tried using a S5 outdoors and couldn't see the screen? In bright, direct sunlight, no phone is very good but the S5 generation and forward should at least be OK.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Best...Apple-iPhone-5s-vs-Note-3-vs-the-rest_id55760

From the S3 to the Note 4, I'd say around the S4 AMOLEDs finally stopped being terrible in sunlight but it wasn't until the S5 before it got OK. A combination of good enough brightness with auto brightness on, low reflectance, and high contrast. I'd say the Note 4 is about as readable outdoors as a good LCD overall, though I wouldn't disagree that a great LCD like the iPhone 6 may still be better (it has great brightness, contrast, and reflectance - something a lot of Android OEMs could learn from).

 

[dawheat]

Unfortunately for OLED, whites come from the blue light. That means all OLEDs have a bluish tint. Also, since the blue is used more than any other color it's usually physically larger than the other colors or there are more of them. It has a long way to go.

I'm literally reading this on my Note 4 (in basic) next to my wife's iPhone 6 and a long way to go makes me laugh. It's good when basically no reviewer agrees with you anymore.

 

[kyrax12]

What about s S5's display with a matte screen protector on.

Would that make out door reading really good?

 

[notposting]

Nokia's stuff works (with either LCD or AMOLED). The ClearBlack Display tech works very well, and their auto brightness works basically transparently as well. Enable outdoor visibility enhancements, and when it detects bright light on it, it can both alter contrast and pump the brightness past normal limits.

I have had absolutely no problems since getting my 928 (and now 929) when outdoors, or by a window, or anything. Brightest day, on the beach, want to take a photo? No problem.

 

[npaladin-2000]

AMOLED has been steadily getting better, but there are a lot of applications out there that simply aren't designed to use AMOLED screens efficiently, meaning light objects on a black background to both extend individual pixel life and reduce battery drain. Most apps are the reverse, with darker objects displayed on a white background, which is probably the worst situation for an AMOLED screen, while an LCD doesn't tend to care either way.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I will say my wife's Note 4 is much better in sunlight than my S4 was. The S4 made driving and phoning much harder than my M8.

 

[Rakehellion]

I'm literally reading this on my Note 4 (in basic) next to my wife's iPhone 6 and a long way to go makes me laugh. It's good when basically no reviewer agrees with you anymore.

Which reviewer?

 

[Ramses]

I haven't had any of the current phones in the sun, but my S3 and S4 both suck in the light. I think the S4 might be a bit better, which is to say not next to unuseable like the S3 was, but it's still pretty crappy in daylight. Worse with an otterbox screen cover, which is doubly unfortunate. I actually ordered a Droid Turbo and verizon screwed up my order so I canceled it when I read about the brightness being kinda iffy on it till I hear some more opinions.

 

[aphex]

Which reviewer?

Most Accurate Colors
The Galaxy Note 4 Basic screen mode has the most accurate colors for Standard (sRGB/Rec.709) consumer content of any Smartphone or Tablet display that we have ever measured. See our Absolute Color Accuracy Results and also this regarding Bogus Color Accuracy Measurements. The measured Absolute Color Error for the Galaxy Note 4 is just 1.5 JNCD, which is visually indistinguishable from perfect, and is very likely considerably better than your living room TV. Color Accuracy is especially important when viewing photos from family and friends (because you often know exactly what they actually should look like), for some TV shows, movies, and sporting events with image content and colors that you are familiar with, and also for viewing online merchandise, so you have a very good idea of exactly what colors you are buying and are less likely to return them."

Source: http://www.displaymate.com/Galaxy_Note4_ShootOut_1.htm

 

[dawheat]

Which reviewer?

I'm not even sure what point your trying to make in providing a hodgepodge of links. Sure you can find a test where one does better than others, but no legit review has found the newest AMOLED display in the Note 4 to be anything but great.

Anandtech's summary:

As-is, the state of AMOLED seems to be in a dead heat with LCD now as both seem to have their own trade-offs. However, we may soon see a shift as Samsung’s AMOLED becomes indisputably better than even the best LCDs.

I can find a dozen more glowing conclusions. I'm not trying to say AMOLEDs are the best, but anyone who says they have a long way to go to match LCDs are just plain wrong.

 

[Zaap]

Which reviewer?

The first two charts don't even have the Note 4.

And I'd ask you, which reviewer is confirming Dari's blue tint nonsense, which hasn't been a real issue outside of Dari's bubble probably since the SGS2?


On topic: my Note 3 is usable enough in sunlight so long as its in auto mode. As has been stated, no screen is particularly great in direct sunlight.

 

[gorcorps]

Nothing about amoled makes them better or worse for outdoor readability... it all came down to brightness. In the past amoled screens were much darker than LCDs, but with the current crop of the S5 and Note 4 the screens are now up to par with LCDs in brightness, and some reviews indicate they're even the superior choice to LCDs now.

In short, the outdoor readability of amoled screens is no longer a concern in modern flagships. It was a problem with the older screens.

 

[Dari]

Most Accurate Colors
The Galaxy Note 4 Basic screen mode has the most accurate colors for Standard (sRGB/Rec.709) consumer content of any Smartphone or Tablet display that we have ever measured. See our Absolute Color Accuracy Results and also this regarding Bogus Color Accuracy Measurements. The measured Absolute Color Error for the Galaxy Note 4 is just 1.5 JNCD, which is visually indistinguishable from perfect, and is very likely considerably better than your living room TV. Color Accuracy is especially important when viewing photos from family and friends (because you often know exactly what they actually should look like), for some TV shows, movies, and sporting events with image content and colors that you are familiar with, and also for viewing online merchandise, so you have a very good idea of exactly what colors you are buying and are less likely to return them."

Source: http://www.displaymate.com/Galaxy_Note4_ShootOut_1.htm

What point does that make when I can go into any Best Buy and see the blue tint on a Note 4? Or the blue tint on the Note Edge at the Samsung store in SoHo? Or I can look at my wife's Note 3 and see the same blue? Maybe these screens can be better calibrated when put in the right hand. But when it's in stock form, it looks like crap.

 

[lxskllr]

I'm pretty happy with my S5"s screen under all conditions. My biggest concern is burnout, but I like dark colored displays, and try to set everything to white on black, or preferably, amber on black, so that helps.

The biggest issue is the nagging feeling my display is slowly dying every time I look at it. I suppose that applies to every device, and it may be irrational, but It'll take a couple years before I know how much I like the screen. I expect to have this phone a long time, and I'll be irritated if the screen goes before I consider the phone 'done'.

 

[Sheep221]

My Razr I is well readable on sunlight but brightness has to be at 100 %

 

[dawheat]

Going back to the OP's actual question, I was actually wrong about the S4 being the first SAMOLED to be good in outdoors visibility. Looks like it was the Note 3.

- The S4 and M7 are definitely the worst (top row, middle phones)
- Nexus 5 starts to be visible (top row, left)
- Then the rest of the phones start being OK - though I'd give Note 3/iPhone/S5 the edge over the M8 and Z1

 

[kyrax12]

How bright is the S5 compared to the s4?

 

[ImDonly1]

How bright is the S5 compared to the s4?

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8613/the-samsung-galaxy-note-4-review/4

The M7/M8 have higher brightness than the Note and S4/5 but appear meh in that above picture.

 

[WelshBloke]

What point does that make when I can go into any Best Buy and see the blue tint on a Note 4? Or the blue tint on the Note Edge at the Samsung store in SoHo? Or I can look at my wife's Note 3 and see the same blue? Maybe these screens can be better calibrated when put in the right hand. But when it's in stock form, it looks like crap.

It means that you probably need to either get your eyes tested or get a new optometrist.

 

[kyrax12]

For people that have matte screen protector, does anyone know if using isopropyl alcohol to clean/disinfect it can damage the film?

 

[WelshBloke]

For people that have matte screen protector, does anyone know if using isopropyl alcohol to clean/disinfect it can damage the film?

That would depend specifically on the screen protector.

I'd advise against using alcohol as it might strip off any coatings on the protector.

 

[kyrax12]

That would depend specifically on the screen protector.

I'd advise against using alcohol as it might strip off any coatings on the protector.

I see.

What would you recommend as a disinfectant?