Super AMOLED vs IPS on the example of Samsung Galaxy Tab S and iPad Air – Popular opinion. AMOLED or IPS: which is better

Samsung differs from other manufacturers in that most of its smartphones are equipped with Super AMOLED screens, rather than the more traditional LCD IPS. Such displays have become a trademark of the company and have gained many fans and opponents. These matrices are one of the varieties of screens based on active LEDs, not liquid crystals, and indeed have both advantages and some disadvantages.

Super AMOLED is Samsung's marketing term for the latest generation of LED display arrays dating back to 2010. Such displays initially differed from conventional AMOLEDs in that they did not have an air gap under the touchscreen. The touch layer in them is located directly on the matrix, due to which the brightness was increased, power consumption was reduced, the tendency to glare and the risk of dust on the matrix was eliminated. Now most smartphone screens have lost their air gap (except for the cheapest models), including AMOLED, but the term Super AMOLED continues to be used by Samsung.

Super AMOLED displays are built on a fundamentally different principle, unlike the usual LCD matrices. LCD screens consist of an array of liquid crystals, diode backlight and a mirror substrate. Light passing through the crystals is partially absorbed by them. Depending on the position of the crystal, it glows brighter or dimmer, and only transmits radiation of one color (red, green or blue). The combination of the brightness of the three multi-colored sub-pixels determines the color of the pixel that we see.

In Super AMOLED, instead of liquid crystals, the subpixels use miniature LEDs with the same multi-colored filters. They themselves emit light, the brightness of the glow is regulated by changing the power of the supplied current, using the pulse-width modulation (PWM) method. This approach made it possible to abandon additional illumination, a mirror reflective-diffusing substrate, which had a positive effect on power consumption and the thickness of the matrices.

The advantages of Super AMOLED matrices over LCD

• Smaller thickness. The absence of a special mirror substrate, as well as light-absorbing and diffusing filters, makes Super AMOLED thinner than their liquid crystal counterparts. This is facilitated by a sensor installed without an air gap.
• Reduced power consumption. Since the matrix itself (and its backlight) glows, and the brightness of the picture is regulated by changing the brightness of individual pixels, less energy is wasted. So, a dark pixel on an LCD panel simply absorbs light, at a fixed brightness level of the main backlight (which still consumes energy), and in Super AMOLED, reducing the brightness of each pixel leads to a decrease in their energy consumption.
• Pure black color. In LCD, the backlight remains bright, and in order to display black, the liquid crystals are rotated to a position in which they do not let through the usual white light of the backlight diodes. However, part of it is still scattered, because of this, ideal blackness cannot be obtained: the screen will cast gray, blue or brownish, especially at the edges. On Super AMOLED, when black is displayed, the pixel is completely turned off. And since black is the absence of any color, there is nothing to shine.
• Adaptive brightness and high contrast. Depending on the displayed shades, their ratio in the picture, Super AMOLED displays are able to adjust the supplied power. If the screen is completely filled with white, its brightness will not be very high, about 400 cd/m2 (top IPS have more than 1000 cd/m2). However, if there are many dark shades in the picture, the light areas become brighter. Due to this, the contrast increases, in bright sunlight the picture is perceived better.
• Curved screens. The design of LCD panels imposes restrictions on their shape; it is difficult and expensive to achieve a strong curvature. But LEDs can theoretically be placed on a surface of any shape, achieving a bend with a radius of only a few centimeters.

Disadvantages of Super AMOLED displays vs. LCD

• Price. The cost of Super AMOLED matrices of the latest generations was compared in price with top-end LCD IPS. However, in the budget segment, LED panels will be more expensive than LCD panels of similar quality. $5 IPS are close to natural hues, with some minor white balance and color temperature issues. A similarly priced Super AMOLED panel will render overly acidic colors, which is why Samsung doesn't make them anymore. The cheapest Super AMOLED matrix will cost more than a budget IPS counterpart.
• Tendency to burn out. Miniature LEDs have a limited resource, over time they lose their brightness. If the display constantly displays dynamic scenes (for example, movies) - it will simply reduce the brightness over time. But if some static information of a light shade is displayed on it all the time (on-screen buttons, indicators, clocks, etc.) - in these places the diodes will burn out faster, and over time, “shadows” may remain under them (for example, battery silhouette, even if the charge indicator is not shown at this time).
• Flicker PWM diodes. Since the brightness of the pixels is regulated by the pulse-width method, they flicker during operation. The flicker frequency ranges from 60 to hundreds of hertz, and owners of sensitive eyes can notice it, experiencing discomfort. The lower the brightness, the shorter each pulse will be, which is why some people find it unpleasant to look at the Super AMOLED display at a brightness level lower than 100%.
• pentile. The structure of the Pentile matrices implies the use of a reduced number of subpixels, usually blue. When used to build two pixels, five are used (hence the name), and not six subpixels (one blue and two red and green each). The use of pentile is due to the desire to reduce energy consumption, reduce the impact of blue light on the eyes and reduce the cost of producing screens. But at the moment, Samsung creates all matrices according to this structure, so when we say Super AMOLED, we mean Pentile. With the naked eye, at the current pixel density, only a few are able to see the lack of subpixels, but in VR their deficiency becomes more noticeable.

In this article, I will not go into the technical details of creating IPS and AMOLED matrices, they are not so interesting in this case. Much more important is what an ordinary consumer gets by choosing one or another matrix. Therefore, in the material I will talk about the practical advantages and disadvantages of these two types of matrices.

Benefits of IPS

IPS panels are an evolutionary development of TFT displays, but with a number of specific advantages. Firstly, they have much better color reproduction, the picture on IPS is much brighter and juicier. Secondly, they have much higher viewing angles, the picture does not fade when deviated. The overall brightness level of IPS-matrices also exceeds conventional TN-displays. The last advantage is the natural white color, which is quite problematic to achieve on the same AMOLED.

Advantages of AMOLED

AMOLED matrices are produced by Samsung and were originally used only by it, but later other manufacturers also gained access to such displays.

The first advantage of AMOLED matrices is natural black, and on both IPS and TN matrices, black is more like gray, especially at maximum brightness. In the case of AMOLED, you get perfect blacks, and the added bonus is reduced power consumption when displaying it.

The second plus is the high contrast of the picture. Many users love AMOLED displays for their bright and vibrant colors. Any picture looks great on such screens.

The third advantage is a high level of maximum brightness. In a direct comparison on a bright sunny day, the AMOLED matrix will outperform IPS.

The fourth advantage is low power consumption. Smartphones equipped with IPS screens will be discharged with an active screen much faster than analogs with AMOLED

Disadvantages of IPS

Perhaps the only drawback of IPS-matrices is their imperfect display of black. Otherwise, these are excellent displays with natural color reproduction, maximum viewing angles and a good level of brightness.

Disadvantages of AMOLED

AMOLED displays have a special pixel structure that uses more green subpixels, this solution has one significant drawback called PenTile. When reading small text, you may notice red halos around the letters, which annoys some people.

The second drawback is PWM (pulse width modulation). Its essence is that individual pixels turn on / off at a very high speed, visually indistinguishable by the human eye. This is done to reduce power consumption, but in fact, the eyes of such displays get tired faster. Because of this, such displays on the camera may flicker.

Conclusion

And yet, despite the shortcomings listed above, it is AMOLED displays that are installed in the flagships of most large companies. The thing is that, all other things being equal, they show a brighter and richer picture, as well as better behavior in the sun.

IPS matrices are also good displays, so Meizu installs them in most mid-range smartphones, and leaves AMOLED for flagships.

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 as well. So, last year, the Chinese brand OnePlus introduced its own development of Optic AMOLED in the flagships OnePlus 3 and.

What is an AMOLED panel?

AMOLED stands for Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. A feature 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 strength of the current that passes through each diode, hence the brightness and color of the pixel. Then the anode layer passes. Next is the substrate, which can be made from various materials such as silicone, metal, etc.

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

In early 2011, another improved version was released - Super AMOLED Plus. Unlike its predecessor, it uses the RGB color model instead of PenTile, which provides improved 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 achieves deeper blacks, as black pixels are not highlighted at all. Samsung has used the same advantage with its Always On Display technology, which allows you to display the time, date and notifications on the lock screen without noticeably draining the battery.

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

The AMOLED panels are thinner, allowing the device to fit into a thinner and more elegant case. Also, the freed up space inside the case can be used for other important components, such as a larger battery.

In addition, AMOLED screens feature a wider color gamut, faster response time, and higher contrast.

Disadvantages of AMOLED

As mentioned earlier, in AMOLED panels, power consumption directly depends on the brightness of the picture. This means that more power is required to display light colors.

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

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

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

Conclusion

The advantages and disadvantages of AMOLED panels are constantly being debated. But it is undeniable that such displays are the technology of the future, as more and more mobile manufacturers begin to switch to a new standard, invest in its development, or even release their own variants 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 the dark design of the main screen and interface. This will reduce the power consumption of the screen and prolong the life of the display. At the same time, be careful and remember that even with a small amount of damage, the screen can fail completely.

The display is one of the most important parts of a smartphone that we most often pay attention to when using it. True, not when buying, because it's so easy to get lost in the variety of types of matrices and listing screen resolutions. That is why we will talk about the types of displays and their resolutions. There are a huge variety of types of display matrices on the smartphone market - TFT, IPS, AMOLED and others. We will focus on the most important ones.

TFT is a display based on thin film transistors. This technology was invented back in 1959 and has already become covered in dust and cobwebs. TFT displays no longer meet all the necessary quality criteria for screens and are installed only in budget smartphones. Now TFT loses to IPS and OLED in color reproduction and contrast.

However, they have one advantage - a high (1 ms) response time. Although the average user does not see the difference between 1 and 3 or 5-7 ms, which finally buries the technology.

IPS (In-Plane Switching) is a technology that also grew out of LCD displays (LCD). Unlike the same TFT (I hope you are not confused by the terms yet?), IPS has a higher contrast ratio and color rendering, the viewing angle is also extended and energy consumption is reduced. However, IPS is criticized for oversaturating colors and undersaturating the entire picture.

At the moment, IPS is perhaps the most popular technology in the creation of smartphones and tablets.

Retina is the marketing name for Apple's IPS technology described above. Cupertino displays are characterized by a high pixel density (about 300 per inch), which makes them almost indistinguishable on the matrix for the human eye.

In 2012, the company began introducing Retina displays to MacBook Pro laptops, then new screens appeared in smartphones.

OLED and AMOLED

OLEDs (Organic Light Emitting Diode) are very widely used in the production of plasma panels, smartphones and tablets. Such displays consist of thin sheets of electroluminescent material that produce their own light. The advantages of OLED over older technologies are lighter weight, no need for backlighting, increased viewing angle, brightness and contrast.

The main disadvantages of the technology are their high cost and short service life. Unfortunately, even in the top flagships, OLED displays dim and fade after 2-3 years of use.

AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diode) or Super AMOLED are the marketing names that Samsung has given to LED panels. In order not to fill your head with unnecessary facts, just remember that such displays are more energy efficient and more expensive. The normal eye will not notice the difference between AMOLED and OLED.

Display resolution

No matter how high-quality the display matrix is, a lot depends on its resolution. Resolution indicates how many pixels are across the length and width of the display. The higher the resolution, the denser the pixels are on the matrix (PPI). We will tell you what resolution displays are currently on the mobile device market.

HD (1280 x 720 pixels)

The basic resolution for smartphones, as a rule, is no longer below the indicator. All budget smartphones are equipped with HD displays, the PPI in such devices fluctuates around 300 dpi. According to experts, our eyes can already discernably see a lower pixel density.

Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels)

An indicator often common in sub-flagships. For example, on smartphones with a 5-inch display, PPI is already hovering around 440 dpi. Full HD screens are equipped, for example, with the 2016 flagships OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T.

Quad HD (2560 x 1440 pixels)

Going further - with Quad HD, the pixel density on a 5.5-inch screen (a very popular option) rises to 538 dpi. For Full HD, for example, this figure will be only 400 dpi. In order not to get confused, you need to remember that Quad HD is often called 2K.

Ultra HD (4096 x 3840 pixels)

The highest display resolution available in today's smartphone market. Ultra HD resolution is often referred to as 4K. For example, the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium has a 5.5-inch display with 806 ppi, almost three times that of HD panels.

Which display is better?

It is difficult to answer, because everyone chooses a smartphone based on their requirements and tasks. Objectively speaking, in most cases, a flagship with a Super AMOLED display and 2K resolution will display a much better picture than smartphones with an IPS matrix and Full HD resolution. However, there are nuances.

For example, it makes no sense to overpay for Super AMOLED if there is a more affordable smartphone with an OLED display nearby - you won’t notice the difference, but you will lose money. Or it’s crazy to take a smartphone with an IPS display and HD resolution, and then expect it to realistically display photos taken with a professional camera. In any case, if you are serious about buying a smartphone and you have the opportunity to touch it in your hands before buying, then do so. And, best of all, take two or three contenders for the purchase in your hands, turn them on and compare head-to-head.

Technology plays an important role both in the life of an individual and in the life of the community as a whole. Their development and implementation allow not only to improve the characteristics of products, successfully coping with competitors, but sometimes cause a real sensation. Such an event was the presentation of a new technology by the South Korean company Samsung, which was one of the first to introduce innovations in the production of displays for. The new generation of screens is not only an advanced technology that improves the performance of communication media, but also the prospect of their further development.

Basic principles of technology

Super amoled by Samsung is a technology based on the use of organic light-emitting diodes, which are used as light-emitting parts, thin-film transistors that drive them, and are presented in an active matrix.

For the production of new screens, two technologies can be used, the difference of which lies in the structure of the pixel: plus matrix and PenTile. In super amoled plus, the matrix has a traditional subpixel structure (red-blue-green) and an equal number of them.

The implementation of PenTile technology uses the RGBG scheme, which has four colors (red-green-blue-green). The super amoled plus sensor has approximately 50% more sub-pixels than PenTile, resulting in better image quality and clarity. However, Samsung decided to use the PenTile matrix first, as it is more durable than plus . This is based on the degradation of blue subpixels, which are much larger in the plus matrix and therefore it fails faster. However, further developments have made it possible to use super amoled plus.

The shortcomings of the selected matrix are compensated by the manufacturer in the form of a larger screen made using super amoled technology.

Advantages and disadvantages

Optimal organization of production and modernization of the technological process through the introduction of developments make it possible to produce hd super amoled screens, the cost of which is much cheaper than analogues. They are distinguished by high resolution and small thickness, which has almost no effect on the linear dimensions of electronic devices.

A super amoled display using PenTile or plus matrices also has the following advantages:

• Reducing the power consumption of electronic devices by 20%

One of the main problems that are inherent in all gadgets and various means of communication is the inefficient consumption of battery power consumption. The super amoled technology extends the time of their operation, including due to the presence of LEDs, due to which the display backlight is not required.

• The absence of distortion in the perception of visual information in the bright sun

Now you do not need to cover the display with your hand or any objects: the new development allows you to read texts and play different games even under direct rays, without fear of glare.

• Wide viewing angle

It is 180⁰, however, the image does not reduce its clarity and does not become blurry. This allows you to view graphic information without changing the tilt of the display and provides excellent image quality.

• Increasing screen brightness

In addition to crisp lines, super amoled technology on both the plus and PenTile sensors delivers brighter, more saturated colors and hues, with up to 30% better color reproduction.

• Contrast

When using the HD super amoled screen, there is no ″blurring″ effect during video playback, and there are clear boundaries between different image formats and in the transition from color to color.

• Reliability and durability

The new displays manufactured by Samsung do not have air cushions, so mechanical strength and service life are increased.

The disadvantages of hd super amoled include the predominance of cold shades in the transmission of images and the short life of the LEDs. On large displays of this type, they burn out no later than 2-3 years after the start of operation, and on mobile communication devices - after 5-10 years. But since during this time the means of communication become obsolete, such a period of operation of hd super amoled is considered acceptable.

Application area

Most often, the creators of new developments seek to introduce them to improve the characteristics of their own products. So Samsung in February 2011 launched the release of electronic devices with a newly developed screen, which turned out to be the Samsung Galaxy S II series smartphones. It was on their example that consumers felt all the benefits of new technologies.

Development prospects

A feature of the process of creating hd super amoled displays is the ability to supplement their device without changing all stages of production, but only modifying it, adding layers with new characteristics. The latest improvement consists of the following layers:

• Touch film
• Protective cover to which low voltage wiring is attached. It is transparent and glued to the previous
• Layer with LEDs responsible for the image
• Thin Film Transistors
• Substrate layer that can be made from a variety of materials

It is on the improvement of the last layer that all the efforts of the developers are directed: these developments make it possible to create flexible displays from Samsung with the planned characteristics. In turn, flexible screens will help to radically change the principle of functioning of mobile electronic devices.