When buying a new phone, one of the most important things is definitely its screen. The screens, which have been getting an unprecedented amount of pixels lately, have become a real treat for all fans of high-quality images. The ruling full HD resolution is slowly falling into the second league with the arrival of the LG G3a smartphone with Quad HD resolution, which guarantees over 500 pixels per inch. This unforeseen development of technologies, which concern the production of screens, makes customers wonder again and again which phone has a good or better screen and what is the difference between the screens in general. Screen types are a common category in every specification so it wouldn’t be bad to explain them approximately. This is especially important if we keep in mind that the number of pixels is simply not enough to say that one screen is better than another. For users who are just entering the world of smartphones, the difference in screen quality may not be such a dominant topic, but those who have used at least two smartphones know what I’m talking about. People are looking for brighter, cleaner and sharper screens, which are more pleasant to watch, so the whole phone is transformed into a much more pleasant device to use.
Screen types 1
Science says that the human eye can register more than 300 pixels per inch, which is an average for Retina screens. Then you shouldn’t be surprised that the eye is able to notice the difference between HD and full HD screens. The LG G3 has the most advanced screen, but is that enough to make it the best, when we know that many other models have great screens? Of course not, because each screen or screen type is a story in itself. So, let’s go over the most common types of screens together and come to the conclusion that is best for you.
Screen types – Super AMOLED
Screen types 2
Super AMOLED screens give great autonomy in operation to each pixel. This means that each pixel is “responsible” for its work and when the screen needs, for example, to show black, the pixel goes out and thus a very strong or deep black color is obtained. In addition to a good display of dark colors, Super AMOLED screens are also characterized by great savings in energy consumption, which is understandable if we know the previous thing. At the same time, these screens do not require backlighting (like LCD screens) which further extends the charging time.
Screen types 4
Super AMOLED screens give great contrast and saturated colors, which is not bad when watching some multimedia content. That’s why they’re probably the best screens if you’re planning to watch movies on your new smartphone. On the other hand, the display of text on them is not always the most pleasing to the eye, so they do not advise those who want to turn their phones into e-book readers. Also, Super AMOLED screens can be a bit intrusive because they have slightly brighter lighting, and with some models they can shorten viewing angles. At the same time, some of you will not like the fact that they give too unnatural a picture.
Screen types 3
Super AMOLED screens are most common in Samsung’s leading phones, where they mostly come in full HD resolution, which is why some of these flaws are invisible. Also, AMOLED class screens can be found on other models, such as Moto X and others. Certainly the Galaxy S5 has the best screen of its kind.
Screen types – IPS LCD
These screens are characterized by very large viewing angles and a great amount of lighting that allows them to cope with daylight without any problems. Therefore, the conclusion is that IPS LCD screens are suitable for use in groups and outdoors in daylight. The popularity of these screens was mostly contributed by Sony, which abandoned the previous TFT technology and switched to IPS LCD in the leading model Xperia Z2 .
Screen types 5
In addition to outdoor use, IPS LCD screens are also suitable for reading enthusiasts. As with the AMOLED screen, there are a lot of differences in this category, so pay attention to the resolution. I mentioned Xperia Z2, IPS LCD screens can be found and with the king of the middle class Moto G . Their biggest drawback is the slightly weaker display of black.
Screen types – Super LCD and Retina
Super LCD screens are very often classified into several subcategories, so you will often see Super LCD, Super LCD2, Super LCD3 and the like. They, as well as Retina screens, are a variant of the IPS LCD screen. Many will say that Super LCD screens are better than the previous ones and that is very possible. The reason for this is that these screens have been applied to some very popular models, such as the HTC One M7 and One M8 , while Retina has found its application on many Apple devices.
Screen types 6
These screens are characterized by low energy consumption compared to relatives with the IPS prefix. Retina screens are IPS LCD screens used exclusively by Apple. They are characterized by the absence of reflection, as well as a much stronger black color than on other IPS LCD screens.
Screen types 7
Screen types – Nokia Clear Black
Screen types 8
Nokia Clear Black are a real rarity in the market. You’ll only find them on Lumia devices or a few more running on the Windows Phone operating system. As their name suggests, the black display is simply fantastic, and in addition they are reliable in direct “confrontation” with sunlight, so they are ideal for all types of use. There is almost no competitor from the Android or iOS platform that could work as well in daylight as this screen. The reason for this is that the screen automatically and in real time adjusts the image according to the environment, always providing the best result.
Screen types – conclusion
You are probably still wondering how to choose the right screen, ie a phone with a good screen. As with many other things in life, the rule “as much money – as much music” applies here. If you opt for any of the leading smartphones, you will not go wrong. However, you can soften this rather general understanding by comparing (if you can of course) some AMOLED screens with others. If we know that AMOLED dominates Samsung’s leading segment, it is clear that in the absence of money you will have to change the criteria. IPS LCD screens are the most suitable for some affordable phone class, while the choice between IPS LCD, Super AMOLED and maybe some other types of screens is more typical for the middle class.
If watching movies or videos is your priority, make AMOLED your first choice. That is a rule in the world of screens. In other cases, keep in mind the resolution, but also the fact that stronger screens consume the battery faster, especially on models from a year or two ago.