Samsung Galaxy S3 announced - 4.8", Quad Core Exynos (but with LTE?)

[WelshBloke]

In our office, every Galaxy Nexus owner went "Oh.. nice screen!" when the One X came in. Everyone thought the One X screen was better than Nexus screen.

Just curious but what did they think was superior in the One X screen?

 

[runawayprisoner]

I challenge anyone to find a Galaxy Nexus review from a reputable source that says anything but positive things about the screen. You can see pentile if you're looking at an 800x480 or 960x540 4.3+ inch screen if you look close. You can see pentile on the GN screen if you have the screen less than an inch from your eye. I doubt very many people on here would ever know the GN screen is pentile if they weren't told it was.

Here's a whole thread at XDA discussing the Nexus' screen. Complete with pics.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1391509

Sincerely, I don't think it's a bad screen, but low brightness (practically anything below 80%) will rear the ugly head of Pentile + AMOLED.

I own one of these devices so I know how "bad" the screen is. It's noticeable as soon as the screen is turned to low brightness.

Also contrast it to the Retina Display on the iPhone, it's a day and night difference in both smoothness and sharpness.

Granted, I'll give AMOLED the upper hand at presenting videos and photos with more vibrant colors, but anything with a non-black background is painful to look at especially at low brightness, and I think it's obvious that not many phone owners use these devices out in direct sunlight for long period of time.

And in contrast, the SGS2' AMOLED+ screen is MUCH (I can't underline that enough) nicer, though it has lower PPI. AMOLED+ has A LOT less grain + A LOT less banding + A LOT better performance under low light.

 

[Dari]

Just curious but what did they think was superior in the One X screen?

That's a strange question considering the phone just came out and it's arguably the best screen out there right now.

 

[WelshBloke]

...

And in contrast, the SGS2' AMOLED+ screen is MUCH (I can't underline that enough) nicer, though it has lower PPI. AMOLED+ has A LOT less grain + A LOT less banding + A LOT better performance under low light.

Cant remember where I read it (probably Anandtech, Engadget or theVerge) but they said those problems were solved on the SGS3 over the nexus.

 

[WelshBloke]

That's a strange question considering the phone just came out and it's arguably the best screen out there right now.

Why is that a strange question? stlc8tr and his office had seen both screen and I wondered what struck them as superior.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Cant remember where I read it (probably Anandtech, Engadget or theVerge) but they said those problems were solved on the SGS3 over the nexus.

Until I hold the device in my hands, I honestly can't say... but my experience with AMOLED (non-plus) has been nothing but negative.

But to be fair, the G Nex does have a pretty high PPI (it's noticeably less than Retina Display still) and the screen is peppy bright, which makes it a legitimately awesome mobile device when I'm not indoors. It's very legible under direct sunlight, which is more than I can say for Retina Display on my iPhone 4.

Also after some calibration, it's not as bad.

But I was hoping it (SGS3) would be comparable to the SGS2.

 

[dagamer34]

Wait - a QuadCore A9 CPU is beating Krait in sunspider and browsermark?

Thank you Samsung that you show software optimization is not equal to a better cpu architecture.

Considering Nvidia has the Tegra 3 running at 1.5Ghz in the One X and the Exynos 4 Quad is only 1.4Ghz, I think this is an example of how well Samsung as optimized it's code, not how poorly Krait performs. And I'm sure Samsung will do the same optimizations for the S4 for LTE models in the US.

 

[Dari]

Why is that a strange question? stlc8tr and his office had seen both screen and I wondered what struck them as superior.

They thought the One X screen was superior.

 

[ponyo]

Here's a whole thread at XDA discussing the Nexus' screen. Complete with pics.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1391509

Sincerely, I don't think it's a bad screen, but low brightness (practically anything below 80%) will rear the ugly head of Pentile + AMOLED.

I own one of these devices so I know how "bad" the screen is. It's noticeable as soon as the screen is turned to low brightness.

Also contrast it to the Retina Display on the iPhone, it's a day and night difference in both smoothness and sharpness.

Granted, I'll give AMOLED the upper hand at presenting videos and photos with more vibrant colors, but anything with a non-black background is painful to look at especially at low brightness, and I think it's obvious that not many phone owners use these devices out in direct sunlight for long period of time.

And in contrast, the SGS2' AMOLED+ screen is MUCH (I can't underline that enough) nicer, though it has lower PPI. AMOLED+ has A LOT less grain + A LOT less banding + A LOT better performance under low light.

We'll just have to agree to disagree if you think iPhone screen is better than GNex. And same with SGS2 screen over GNex. My eyes and preference: GNex screen > SGS2 > iPhone 4. Like I said, at the same high resolution, Amoled > any LCD. Doesn't matter if it's pentile or not. Sgs2 and iPhone are close enough in resolution that superior amoled+ wins out.

 

[alent1234]

For what it's worth I prefer the original 800x480 pentile AMOLED screen of the Nexus One over the iPhone 4 retina display. The colors and contrast easily make up for the resolution.

I challenge anyone to find a Galaxy Nexus review from a reputable source that says anything but positive things about the screen. You can see pentile if you're looking at an 800x480 or 960x540 4.3+ inch screen if you look close. You can see pentile on the GN screen if you have the screen less than an inch from your eye. I doubt very many people on here would ever know the GN screen is pentile if they weren't told it was.

one of our sales people just got the GNex

screen is OK. she is always at the help desk complaining about problems though. i'd get it or the SGS III just because i already have a 4S and my work droid pro is crap

 

[dagamer34]

We'll just have to agree to disagree if you think iPhone screen is better than GNex. And same with SGS2 screen over GNex. My eyes and preference: GNex screen > SGS2 > iPhone 4. Like I said, at the same high resolution, Amoled > any LCD. Doesn't matter if it's pentile or not. Sgs2 and iPhone are close enough in resolution that superior amoled+ wins out.

I think everyone understands that "personal opinion" != "law of the land" unless you are the North Korean leader all of a sudden.

 

[runawayprisoner]

We'll just have to agree to disagree if you think iPhone screen is better than GNex. And same with SGS2 screen over GNex. My eyes and preference: GNex screen > SGS2 > iPhone 4. Like I said, at the same high resolution, Amoled > any LCD. Doesn't matter if it's pentile or not. Sgs2 and iPhone are close enough in resolution that superior amoled+ wins out.

No, I don't think the iPhone screen (as a whole) is better than the G Nex. There are things I prefer to view on the iPhone and others I prefer to view on the G Nex.

But the SGS2 and iPhone are definitely NOT close enough in resolution.

If it's pure resolution: Retina Display >= G Nex > SGS2.

And I currently have both the Retina Display and the G Nex to compare.

If you ask me, G Nex edges out in color vibrance, brightness, contrast level, and response time.

But again, I'm not saying the screen is bad. Just that it could be better, and I'm sure all those who have bothered to post in that 28-page long thread on XDA agrees with me.

 

[poofyhairguy]

And I'm sure Samsung will do the same optimizations for the S4 for LTE models in the US.

I wouldn't bet on that. The Qualcomm SGS2s were WAY less optimized than the Exynos ones. Exynos is Samsung's Baby.


On the issue of the SGS3, here is my formula:

A15 + No-Pentile = Immediate buy

A15 + Pentile = Probably not buy

A9 + No-Pentile = Probably buy

A9 + Pentile = Wait for SGS4


And before anyone rants on me about pentile, yes I see it in every phone (including the GNex) and I HATE it. I would take a low-res screen over a Pentile screen any day (or a RGB LCD over a Pentile SAMOLED).

The jaggies of a pentile screen make me want to barf. I think the technology is disgusting, and is a blight to the mobile industry.

So I will wait for the SGS4, which is almost guaranteed to be SAMOLED+ HD plus A15.

 

[Headcase_Fargone]

So you put more emphasis on pentile display or not than on the generation of SoC? Wow. I can't imagine pentile bothering me that much, especially at that resolution. I'm one of the lucky ones that isn't bothered by it on my GN.

 

[WelshBloke]

They thought the One X screen was superior.

Yes I know that...😵

I wanted to know what they thought was better about it, I thought my post was pretty unambiguous.

 

[poofyhairguy]

So you put more emphasis on pentile display or not than on the generation of SoC? Wow. I can't imagine pentile bothering me that much, especially at that resolution. I'm one of the lucky ones that isn't bothered by it on my GN.

Yep. I bought the SGS2 because it was one of the few high-end smartphones of last year without Pentile. It bothers me on every phone I see with it.

I mean, it is better on a GNex- at least on a GNex I can use the device for a while until something makes the pentile effect pop up. With every SGS1 I have seen I want to throw it on the ground to put the poor phone out of its misery. But I will never buy a pentile phone, even a high res one.

Heck, I hate pentile so much that if all of Android went Pentile I would switch back to iOS. Thank god that won't happen.

 

[stlc8tr]

Just curious but what did they think was superior in the One X screen?

I didn't quiz them on it but among the comments I heard were "sharper" and "more vibrant".

But this also could have been an effect of "new & shiny" and perhaps after sometime, flaws in the One X screen would surface. We only got the One X in last week.

Personally, I'm not a fan of pentile screens so that's a point for the One X. Also, the screen seems much closer to the glass than other devices so it looks more "immediate", if that makes sense.

P.S. It's a small office so we're only talking about 4 Nexus owners. 🙂

 

[dagamer34]

I wouldn't bet on that. The Qualcomm SGS2s were WAY less optimized than the Exynos ones. Exynos is Samsung's Baby.


On the issue of the SGS3, here is my formula:

A15 + No-Pentile = Immediate buy

A15 + Pentile = Probably not buy

A9 + No-Pentile = Probably buy

A9 + Pentile = Wait for SGS4


And before anyone rants on me about pentile, yes I see it in every phone (including the GNex) and I HATE it. I would take a low-res screen over a Pentile screen any day (or a RGB LCD over a Pentile SAMOLED).

The jaggies of a pentile screen make me want to barf. I think the technology is disgusting, and is a blight to the mobile industry.

So I will wait for the SGS4, which is almost guaranteed to be SAMOLED+ HD plus A15.

You post on the AnandTech forums. I really think you already knew there was 0% chance that the GS3 was going to have an A15 in it.

 

[ITHURTSWHENIP]

While true at the time, Apple has pretty much shown with that iPad that better LCDs can be made. I wouldn't be surprised if they and other companies start using those screens in phones in the near future.

Yeah but even Apple knows AMOLED is the future. Thats why they are spending R&D dollars in trying to fix the battery drain on white backgrounds with AMOLED screens. Apple will switch eventually

 

[poofyhairguy]

You post on the AnandTech forums. I really think you already knew there was 0% chance that the GS3 was going to have an A15 in it.

Oh heck yeah. I also guessed it would have a Pentile screen like the GNex.

That is the reason why I didn't mind getting an AT&T SGS2 even though they were released so late in the cycle and so long after the Int. Version. I guessed back in Oct. 2011 that the SGS3 would be Pentile + A9 and that I would want to skip it.

I am not happy to be right though. I would love an A15 SAMOLED+ HD phone.

 

[WelshBloke]

I didn't quiz them on it but among the comments I heard were "sharper" and "more vibrant".

But this also could have been an effect of "new & shiny" and perhaps after sometime, flaws in the One X screen would surface. We only got the One X in last week.

Personally, I'm not a fan of pentile screens so that's a point for the One X. Also, the screen seems much closer to the glass than other devices so it looks more "immediate", if that makes sense.

P.S. It's a small office so we're only talking about 4 Nexus owners. 🙂

Thanks.

 

[ilkhan]

I am not happy to be right though. I would love an A15 SAMOLED+ HD phone.

Same, and I won't upgrade my TMo SGSII until that combo is out. Or if the US SGSIII gets S4+ and a SAMOLED HD+ screen, I would upgrade if that were to happen (it won't).

 

[mcveigh]

Anyone know whats that other sensor on the back of the phone next to the camera lens? On one side is the LED flash, but just opposite is a black bump.... what's that?

 

[WelshBloke]

Anyone know whats that other sensor on the back of the phone next to the camera lens? On one side is the LED flash, but just opposite is a black bump.... what's that?

Speaker?

 

[Dari]

Yes I know that...😵

I wanted to know what they thought was better about it, I thought my post was pretty unambiguous.

Sorry, I was reading too fast. I thought your "in" was a "than" in that post.