Mobile phone displays: OLED, LCD, Retina, AMOLED - these are the differences

There are several technologies for mobile phone displays that differ quite a bit. OLED, LCD, Retina and AMOLED are very common terms here. In this practical tip, we will show you in a compact manner what you should know about the individual display types and which technical data are also relevant.

OLED and AMOLED - Strong color contrasts on the smartphone

The two terms OLED and AMOLED describe two very similar display designs, but they perform equally well in the image display. The only difference is the internal control of the individual pixels. AMOLED technology is almost only used on newer and larger smartphones.

• AMOLED displays work without backlighting and are therefore relatively energy efficient in comparison. The individual pixels only light up in the individual colors - with black they simply remain switched off.
• This results in the greatest advantage of the technology: very strong contrasts with rich colors and at the same time very deep black levels. If black areas are shown on the display, they are actually black and not just dark gray. The brightness has now also reached very good values.
• The weaknesses of AMOLED displays, on the other hand, lie in the realistic and balanced representation of the colors: Images often appear oversaturated and somewhat bluish.
• However, these points have been greatly improved in the new generations. For example, the displays of the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Note 10 series filter more than 42 percent of the blue light and ensure a much more pleasant image display.
• In addition, smartphone manufacturers are increasingly incorporating the option of being able to adjust the temperature and colors of the display. So you can scale the saturation of the screen yourself.
• A second disadvantage is the cost: The production of AMOLED screens is complex and more expensive than that of LCD, which you will notice above all in the price of smartphones and tablets.
• Despite the higher costs, most smartphones these days have OLED and AMOLED displays. This enables features such as the always-on display to be offered. The display technology is also used in the new foldable smartphones.

LCD - The classic with realistic color rendering

LCD displays have always been installed in smartphones and are still the standard for cheaper models.

• The biggest advantage of the LCD displays are the low production costs. So even very large smartphones with decent resolution can be offered quite cheaply.
• In the image display, the LCD technology is particularly characterized by realistic and balanced colors. In contrast to the AMOLED, the white tones are particularly strong, while black appears more as dark gray. The constant backlight ensures a slightly higher power consumption.
• An important subcategory are the so-called IPS displays. These form a further development with stronger contrasts and good brightness levels that come closer to the level of AMOLED panels.

Retina: Sharper than the human eye

The marketing term Retina does not directly refer to its own technology, but is used for the high-resolution displays from the manufacturer Apple.

• Retina displays are based on all common displays. Initially, this was done with the IPS panel of the iPhone 4 in 2010, but the new iPhones with OLED screens are also marketed in this way.
• The term stands for an enormously high resolution as well as very good brightness and contrast values.
• The high resolution is intended to ensure that the human eye can no longer perceive the individual pixels. The image shown is extremely sharp and detailed.

Which display data is still important?

How good a display actually is can not only be judged on the basis of the design. You should also note the following data:

• Size: Depending on the importance you place on compactness, usability, multimedia properties and the like, you should of course pay attention to the display size. In modern smartphones, this ranges between five and seven inches. A larger display in a compact design is nowadays achieved by rounding off the display on the sides.
• Resolution: A high resolution is important in order to display information in a compact and easily legible manner. Top devices like the Samsung Galaxy S10 or the Huawei P30 Pro have displays with a QHD-Plus resolution.
• Pixel density: It basically only describes the interplay of resolution and size: the more pixels are accommodated in a certain area, the sharper the displayed image appears.
• Brightness: A bright display is particularly important outdoors - otherwise information is difficult to read in sunlight. Samsung's Galaxy Note 10+ with up to 980 candela / m² offers a very good value.

In the video: Microsoft Surface Duo with two displays

Did you know that you can operate your smartphone display even when wearing gloves? Another practical tip will tell you how to control your smartphone in cold winter months.

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