Display type ltps. Types of screens in smartphones: which one to choose? Help in choosing

The screen is an integral element of the design of a modern mobile phone. Long gone are the days when the “color” characteristic reflected all the advantages of the model and served as proof that the handset belonged to the upper segment and had flagship characteristics. Today, the variety of mobile phone screens makes it possible to satisfy even the most demanding customers. The other side of the coin is the abundance of technologies and terms for their designation, among which it is sometimes very difficult for a non-professional to navigate. This article will help you understand all of them, introducing you to the main types of screens, their design and properties.

When characterizing the properties of an input/output device, which is a touch display, the following parameters are taken into account:

1. Screen dimensions, its diagonal (most often measured in inches, 1 inch is 2.5 cm).
2. Resolution (the number of active points that form the picture).
3. Pixel density indicator (expressed in DPI (dots per inch) or PPI (pixel per inch) - the number of dots per inch).
4. Production technology (image quality and consumer properties of the product depend on it).
5. Type of touchscreen design (touch covering that responds to touches).

It is these indicators that serve as criteria for choosing a phone. And now more details.

The screen diagonal of most modern smartphones is between 4-6 inches (smaller sizes are traditionally installed on simple dialers, and tablet PCs start at 6 inches).

Resolution and DPI

Screen resolution is one of the most important characteristics of a phone. It depends on it how high quality the picture on the phone screen will be. The higher it is, the greater the pixel density, and the more uniform the image will look. The combination of large dimensions and low resolution makes the picture “grainy” and fragmented. High separation ability, on the contrary, ensures uniformity and smoothness of shapes for the information on the screen. Modern Full-HD screens consist of elements that are indistinguishable to the naked eye, and make the image ultra-clear.

The term Retina display was coined by Apple to refer to screens with a pixel density of more than 300 units per inch (for phones). In such devices, the human eye cannot distinguish individual elements of the screen and perceives the entire picture, like the real outlines of an object or its image on paper and canvas. Today, companies such as Samsung, Sharp and LG are engaged in the production of Retina display.

The most common display resolutions today are:

1. 320x480 pixels is almost obsolete, but is still found in budget smartphones. It produces an overly grainy picture, which is why it is not popular. Denoted by the term HVGA.
2. 480x800 and 480x854 (WVGA) are common resolutions among inexpensive phones. Looks normal with a diagonal of 3.5-4", on larger ones it gives an overly fragmented image.
3. 540x960 (qHD) is a popular indicator for mid-budget smartphones. Provides acceptable image quality on screens up to 4.5-4.8 inches diagonal.
4. 720x1280 – this is where HD smartphones start. Provides excellent picture detail up to 5.5", looks good on large displays.
5. 1080x1920 – Full-HD matrices providing excellent image quality. Used in flagship smartphone models.
6. We should also highlight the displays used in Apple products. They use non-standard resolutions: 640x960 at 3.5" (iPhone 4/4s model), 640x1136 for 4" (5/5c/5s), and 750x1334 for 4.7" (iPhone 6).

When choosing a new smartphone, you should consider the display size and DPI. Buying a phone with a lower pixel density than its predecessor will take a long time to get used to, and at first it will cause discomfort to the eyes. If the dots per inch density is less than 200, it is possible that you will never be able to get used to it. Pay attention to this when purchasing a phone with a larger diagonal than the old handset: for example, a resolution of 480x800 gives about 233 DPI with a diagonal of 4", and with a 5" - only 186.

Production technologies, types of smartphone displays

Today we can distinguish two main directions in screen production technologies: liquid crystal matrices (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) devices.

The first ones have become somewhat more widespread and are divided, in turn, into:

TN matrices are the most common displays for touch screen phones. Their advantages are low cost, high response speed (pixel response time to voltage supply). The disadvantages of such matrices include insufficient color reproduction and a mediocre viewing angle.

IPS– the next step in the evolution of display devices. Due to its high cost, the technology was initially used only in professional monitors, but later came to the world of phones and smartphones. They allow you to achieve excellent color reproduction, good viewing angles (up to 178 degrees), high clarity and contrast. Such screens are more expensive, so they are almost never used in phones costing up to $200.

PLS– an attempt by Samsung to create a solution that is devoid of the disadvantages of TN matrices, but cheaper than IPS. In essence, it is a modification of IPS using compromise solutions to reduce production costs.

Organic displays (OLED, AMOLED) differ from LCDs in that instead of liquid crystals, the matrix consists of microscopic LEDs. Such screens make it possible to do without additional backlighting (LCD matrices traditionally use diodes installed around the perimeter of the screen, and the light from them is directed to the matrix using a layer of reflectors). Their energy consumption depends on the color of the transmitted image (dark shades are more economical than light shades, which display energy consumption even higher than LCD).

Top super amoled
Bottom ips

Theoretically, such displays are superior to LCD in almost all respects, but in practice, it is not always possible to achieve an ideal picture. The disadvantages of the products include low reliability. Super AMOLED display is an attempt to develop a screen specifically for touchscreen smartphones. In it, the touchscreen is one with the display surface. By reducing the thickness, greater brightness, better color rendering and viewing angles are achieved, but the mechanical strength of the product is reduced.

Types of touch screens

The most common are two types of displays:

1. Resistive.
2. Capacitive.

Resist ones consist of two layers, on the surface of which transparent conductor tracks are applied. The coordinates of the press are calculated by changing the current resistance at the point of contact. Now such screens are almost never used, their scope of use is limited to budget models. The advantage of resistive touchscreens is their low cost and the ability to press with any object. Disadvantages - low durability, scratch resistance, loss of screen brightness.

A smartphone screen with a capacitive sensor is brighter and scratch-resistant (due to the use of glass), but is more complex to manufacture and does not respond to touches from foreign objects. The technology is based on calculating the coordinates of current leaks when pressed with a finger. Such touchscreens consist of one layer of glass, on the inner surface of which a conductive layer is applied, or glass and a touch film.

Recently, capacitive screens have been equipped with special tempered glass, like Gorilla Glass, which allows them to achieve high resistance to mechanical damage. To prevent contamination, a special oleophobic coating is applied to the touchscreens of smartphones.

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By 2018, the competition between screen technologies had come down to the fact that there were only two worthy options left on the market. TN matrices were supplanted, VA matrices were not used in mobile devices, and something new had not yet been invented. Therefore, competition has developed between IPS and AMOLED. It’s worth remembering here that IPS, LCD LTPS, PLS, SFT are the same as OLED, Super AMOLED, P-OLED, etc. are just variations of LED technology.

On the topic of what is better, IPS or AMOLED, . But technology does not stand still, so in 2018 it will not be superfluous to make adjustments and analyze it taking into account today’s realities. After all, both types of matrices are constantly being improved, some disadvantages are eliminated, or these disadvantages become less significant.

Now let’s try to find out which is better for a smartphone, IPS or AMOLED. To do this, we will weigh all the pros and cons of each technology in order to identify the absolute leader based on the preponderance of strengths or, taking into account the specifics, decide what is better in specific conditions.

Pros and cons of IPS displays

The development and improvement of IPS displays has been going on for two decades, and during this time the technology has acquired a number of advantages.

Advantages of IPS matrices

IPS matrices are the best among all types of LCD panels due to a number of advantages.

• Availability. Over the years of development, many companies have massively mastered the technology, making mass production of IPS screens inexpensive. The cost of a smartphone screen with FullHD resolution now starts at around $10. Due to their low price, such screens make smartphones more affordable.
• Color rendition. A well-calibrated IPS screen reproduces colors with maximum accuracy. That is why professional monitors for designers, graphic artists, photographers, etc. are produced on IPS matrices. They have the greatest coverage of shades, which allows you to get realistic colors of objects on the screen.
• Fixed power consumption. Liquid crystals that form the image on an IPS screen consume almost no current; the main consumer is backlight diodes. Therefore, energy consumption does not depend on the image on the display and is determined by the backlight level. Due to the fixed power consumption, IPS screens provide approximately the same autonomy when watching movies, web surfing, written communication, etc.
• Durability. Liquid crystals are almost not subject to aging and wear, so in terms of reliability, IPS is better than AMOLED. Backlight LEDs can degrade, but the service life of such LEDs is very long (tens of thousands of hours), so even after 5 years the screen hardly loses its brightness.

An example of a smartphone with a good IPS screen is the 2019 flagship Huawei Mate 20.

Disadvantages of IPS matrices

Despite significant advantages, IPS also has disadvantages. These shortcomings are fundamental and cannot be eliminated by improving technology.

• The problem of black purity. Liquid crystals, which display black, do not block light from the backlight 100%. But since the backlight of the IPS screen is common to the entire matrix, its brightness does not decrease, the panel remains illuminated, and as a result the black color is not very deep.

• Low contrast. The contrast level of LCD matrices (approximately 1:1000) is acceptable for comfortable picture perception, but in this regard AMOLED is better than IPS. Due to the fact that the black is not very deep, the difference between the brightest and darkest pixels in such screens is noticeably smaller than in LED matrices.
• Long response time. The pixel response speed of IPS panels is low, about tens of milliseconds. This is enough for normal image perception when reading or watching videos, but not enough for VR content and other demanding tasks.

Pros and cons of AMOLED displays

OLED technology is based on the use of an array of miniature LEDs located on a matrix. They are independent, so they offer a number of advantages over IPS, but they are not without their disadvantages.

Advantages of AMOLED matrices

AMOLED technology is newer than IPS, and its creators have taken care to eliminate the disadvantages characteristic of LCD displays.

• Separate pixel glow. In AMOLED screens, each pixel itself is a light source and is controlled by the system independently of the others. When displaying black, it does not glow, and when displaying mixed shades, it can produce increased brightness. Due to this, AMOLED screens demonstrate better contrast and black depth.

• Almost instant response. The response speed of pixels on an LED matrix is ​​orders of magnitude higher than that of IPS. Such panels are capable of displaying a dynamic picture at a high frame rate, making it smoother. This feature is a plus in games and when interacting with VR.
• Reduced power consumption when showing dark tones. Each pixel of the AMOLED matrix lights up independently. The lighter its color, the brighter the pixel, so when displaying dark tones, such screens consume less power than IPS. But when displaying white AMOLED panels, they show similar, or even greater, battery consumption than IPS.
• Small thickness. Since AMOLED matrices do not have a layer that scatters backlight light onto liquid crystals, such displays are thinner. This allows you to reduce the size of your smartphone while maintaining its reliability and without sacrificing battery capacity. In addition, in the future it is possible to create flexible (and not just curved) AMOLED matrices. This is not possible for IPS.

Some of the best OLED displays tend to go to top-end Samsung devices, as the company is the leader in their production. The Samsung Galaxy S10, as well as other models in the middle and upper price categories, are equipped with decent matrices.

Samsung Galaxy S10

Disadvantages of AMOLED matrices

AMOLED matrices also have disadvantages, and the culprit for most troubles is one. These are blue LEDs. Mastering their production is more difficult, and they are inferior in quality to green and red ones.

• Sineva or PWM. When choosing a smartphone with an AMOLED screen, you have to choose between pulse-width brightness control and blue light tones. This is due to the fact that with a continuous glow, blue subpixels are perceived stronger than red and green ones. This can be corrected by using PWM brightness control, but then another drawback emerges. At maximum screen brightness there is no PWM or the adjustment frequency reaches about 250 Hz. This indicator is on the border of perception and has almost no effect on the eyes. But when the backlight level decreases, the PWM frequency also decreases; as a result, at low levels, flickering with a frequency of about 60 Hz can lead to eye fatigue.

• Blue Burnout. There is also a problem with blue diodes. Their service life is shorter than green and red ones, so color reproduction may become distorted over time. The screen turns yellow, the white balance shifts towards warm tones, and overall color reproduction deteriorates.

• Memory effect. Since miniature LEDs are prone to fading, areas on the screen that displayed a bright, static image (for example, a clock or a light-colored network indicator) may lose brightness over time. As a result, even if the element is not displayed, the silhouette of this element is visible in these places.

• PenTile. The PenTile structure is not a fundamental disadvantage of all AMOLED panels, but is still characteristic of most of them. With this structure, the matrix contains an unequal number of red, green and blue subpixels (Samsung has half as many blue ones, LG has twice as many). The main motive for using PenTile is the desire to compensate for the shortcomings of blue LEDs. However, a side effect of this solution is a decrease in picture clarity, which is especially noticeable in VR headsets.

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Samsung Galaxy S8

Taking into account all the features of both types of matrices, it can be noted that high-resolution IPS is better if you are interested in VR and need maximum picture clarity. After all, in AMOLED, the comfortable perception of virtual reality is slightly hampered by PenTile, and the PWM backlight so far neutralizes the instantaneous response speed. IPS is also better if you have to work more with light colors (web surfing, instant messengers).

AMOLED screens are the future, but the technology is not perfect yet. However, you can safely buy a smartphone with an LED screen, especially if it is a flagship. Brightness, contrast, deep blacks and energy savings when displaying dark tones can overcome all the disadvantages of OLED.

How to choose from the variety of modern smartphones what is right for you? Today the bad-android team has prepared material with useful tips on the topic of selecting displays.

How not to overpay for a device? How can you figure out what to expect from it based on the type of display?

Types of matrices

Modern smartphones use three basic types of matrices.

The first of them, called - is based on organic light-emitting diodes. The remaining two types are based on liquid crystals - IPS And TN+film.

It is impossible not to mention the frequently encountered abbreviation TFT.

TFT- these are thin-film transistors that control subpixels of displays (subpixels are responsible for the three primary colors, on the basis of which “full” “multicolor” pixels are formed, which we will talk about a little later).

Technology TFT applies in all three types of matrices listed above. That is why the often used comparison TFT And IPS is essentially absurd.

For many years, the main material for TFT matrices was amorphous silicon. At the moment, an improved production of TFT matrices has been launched, in which the main material is polycrystalline silicon, significantly increasing energy efficiency. The size of the transistors has also been reduced, which allows achieving the highest performance. ppi(pixel density).

So, we’ve sorted out the matrix base, it’s time to talk directly about the data types of matrices.

TN+film matrix

These matrices were the first to appear in smartphones. At the moment they remain the most primitive and, accordingly, cheap.

Advantages:

Affordable price

Flaws:

Small viewing angles (maximum 60 degrees)

Inverts images even at small angles

Low contrast level

Poor color rendering

Most manufacturers have practically abandoned the use of this type of matrix due to too many shortcomings.

IPS matrix

At the moment, this type of matrix is ​​the most common. Also, IPS matrices are sometimes designated by the abbreviation S.F.T..

Story IPS-matrix originates several decades ago. During this period, many different modifications and improvements were developed IPS-displays.

When listing the advantages and disadvantages of IPS, it is necessary to take into account the specific subtype. To summarize, for the list of strengths of IPS we will take the best subtype (and therefore the most expensive), and for the disadvantages we will keep in mind the cheapest subtype.

Advantages:

Excellent viewing angles (maximum 180 degrees)

High-quality color rendition

Possibility of producing high ppi displays

Good energy efficiency

Flaws:

Picture fades when the display is tilted

Possible oversaturation or, conversely, insufficient color saturation

AMOLED matrix

The matrix provides the deepest black color, compared to the other two types of matrices. But it was not always so. The first AMOLED matrices had implausible color reproduction and insufficient color depth. There was some acidity in the picture, too intense brightness.

Until now, due to internal incorrect settings, some displays are almost identical in perception to IPS. But in super-AMOLED displays, all flaws were successfully fixed.

When listing the advantages and disadvantages, let’s take a regular AMOLED matrix.

Advantages:

The highest quality picture among all existing types of matrices

Low power consumption

Flaws:

Occasionally uneven lifespan of LEDs (different colors)

The need for careful customization of the AMOLED display

Let's sum up the intermediate results. Obviously, the matrices are leaders in image quality. It is AMOLED displays that are installed on the most top-end devices. In second place are IPS matrices, but you should be careful with them: manufacturers rarely indicate the subtype of the matrix, and this is what plays a key role in the final level of the image. An unambiguous and firm “no” should be said to devices with TN+film matrices.

Subpixels

The determining factor in the final quality of the display is often hidden display characteristics. Image perception is strongly influenced by subpixels.

In case of LCD the situation is quite simple: everyone is colored ( RGB) pixel consists of three subpixels. The shape of the subpixels depends on the modification of the technology - a subpixel can be shaped like a “check mark” or a rectangle.

In the implementation of displays in terms of subpixels, everything is somewhat more complicated. In this case, the light source is the subpixels themselves. As you know, the human eye is less sensitive to blue and red colors, in contrast to green. That is why repeating the IPS subpixel pattern would significantly affect the picture quality (of course, in the worst side). To preserve the realistic color rendering, technology was invented.

The essence of the technology is to use two pairs of pixels: RG (red-green) and BG (blue-green), which, in turn, consist of corresponding subpixels of the corresponding colors. A combination of subpixel shapes is used: green ones have an elongated shape, and red and blue ones are almost square.

The technology turned out to be not very successful: the white color was frankly “dirty”, and notches appeared at the junctions of different shades. At a low rate ppi a grid of subpixels became visible. Such matrices have been installed on a number of smartphones, including flagships. The last flagship that was “lucky” to get a PenTile matrix was Samsung Galaxy S III.

Naturally, it was impossible to leave the situation with low-quality implementation of subpixels in the same state, so soon the upgrade above the described technology, which received the prefix Diamond.

By increasing ppi Diamond PenTile made it possible to get rid of the problem with jagged boundaries between colors, and white became much “cleaner” and more pleasing to the eye. And it is this development that is installed in all Samsung flagships, starting with the Galaxy S4.

And here IPS-matrices, although they are generally considered weaker than ’ov’s ones, however, have never encountered such problems.

What conclusion can be drawn? Be sure to pay attention to the quantity ppi in case of purchasing a smartphone with an -matrix. A high-quality picture is only possible with an indicator of 300 ppi. But with IPS matrices do not have such strict restrictions.

Innovative technologies

Time does not stand still; talented engineers continue to work painstakingly to improve all characteristics of smartphones, including matrices. One of the latest serious developments is technology O.G.S..

O.G.S. is an air gap between the screen itself and the projective-capacitive sensor. In this case, the technology met expectations 100%: color rendering quality, maximum brightness and viewing angles increased.

And over the past few years O.G.S. It has become so embedded in smartphones that you won’t find the implementation of a “hamburger” display filled with an air gap except on the simplest devices.

In their search for display optimization, designers came across another interesting opportunity to improve the picture on phones. In 2011, experiments began on shape glass Perhaps the most common form of glass among the unusual ones has become 2.5D- with the help of curved edges of the glass, the edges become smoother and the screen becomes more voluminous.

Company HTC released a smartphone Sensation, the glass of which was concave in the center of the display. According to HTC engineers, this increases protection from scratches and impacts. But glass concave to the center never received widespread use.

The concept of bending the display itself, and not just the glass, as was done in . One of the side edges of the display has a curved shape.

A very interesting characteristic that you should pay attention to when buying a smartphone is sensor sensitivity. Some smartphones are equipped with a sensor with increased sensitivity, which allows you to fully use the display even with regular gloves. Also, some devices are equipped with an inductive substrate to support styluses.

So for those who like to text in the cold or use a stylus, the sensitive sensor will definitely come in handy.

Known truths

It's no secret that screen resolution also greatly affects the final level of the image. Without further comment, we present to your attention a table of correspondence between display diagonal and resolution.

Conclusion

Each matrix has its own characteristics and hidden characteristics. You should be careful with -displays, or rather, with the ppi pixel density indicator: if the value less than 300 ppi, then the picture quality will tell you frankly will disappoint.

For IPS-matrix is ​​important subtype, and depending on the subtype, the cost of the smartphone logically increases proportionally.

Curved glass 2.5D will significantly increase the attractiveness of the picture, as will technology O.G.S..

The issue of display size is a purely individual one, but with multi-inch “shovels” a high resolution would be appropriate.

We wish you pleasant shopping, friends!

Stay tuned, more to come a lot of interesting.

Let's start with the fact that the image consists of the smallest elements - dots or pixels, and, depending on the diagonal of the display (and its physical size), a pixel can have a different size. There are also various pixel shapes - rectangular, square and even octagonal (the latter, however, only occurs on plasma TVs). Well, screen resolution is essentially the length in pixels of each side.

In modern smartphones you can find a resolution of 320x240 pixels. (the most budget models for children and the older generation) up to 3840x2160 pixels. (usually flagships). The larger the screen and lower its resolution, the larger the pixels and the more blurred the image. For example, if you take a 6-inch screen with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. (HD) and 1920x1080 pixels. (Full HD), then in the first case the picture will have less clarity.

But is it worth pursuing higher smartphone screen resolutions up to 4K? Yes, there are cases when they are really required - for example, for immersion in virtual reality, where the display is almost close to the eyes and we can distinguish the smallest pixels (about smartphones for VR). But with the rest of the content, everything is not so clear.

Pixel Density

Here you cannot do without the concept of pixel density (PPI) - the resolution of the matrix, which is the main indicator of how clear the screen of the device is. PPI is calculated based on the diagonal resolution, its width and height, as well as the diagonal of the matrix in inches.

The more pixels you fit into an inch of space, the smaller they will be, and the image will be smoother and clearer; the richer the color rendition, the better the brightness and contrast. Moreover, at high PPI, fonts on the screen appear smoother, which improves text readability. For example, PPI with a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels and a diagonal of 5.5" will be 534, and if you take a slightly larger screen (5.7"), then with the same resolution PPI will drop to 515, and the picture will lose clarity.

The average user heard about this concept in 2010 with the release of the iPhone 4 with Retina display. Then Apple said that the maximum pixels per inch that the human eye can distinguish is about 300. Columbia University also calculated the pixel density limit for the human eye, and it turned out to be slightly higher - 350 PPI. And in 2014, LG demonstrated three screens - with HD resolution and a density of 269 PPI, with Full HD and 403 PPI, and with QuadHD (its then flagship LG G3) and 538 PPI. And the difference between them was noticeable, the picture on each subsequent screen looked clearer and of higher quality, and this was visible to the naked eye.

Raymond Soneira of DisplayMate claims that a person with perfect vision can “see” densities of up to 600 PPI, which makes the idea of ​​releasing smartphones with 4K resolution and 800 PPI less crazy. Now the pixel density of modern flagships has already exceeded 500 PPI, but at some point, with the naked eye, users will no longer be able to discern the advantages of a small, essentially high-density smartphone screen.

Smartphones with the clearest screens

We didn’t take the manufacturers’ word for it and independently calculated the pixel density for each smartphone. As it turned out, here the vendors did not exaggerate their merits and indicated the correct values ​​(with adjustments for rounding to the nearest whole number), although, for example, many went overboard with “frameless” (in our material).

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung Galaxy S9 has become the leader in screen clarity - its pixel density is 568 PPI. Due to the smaller diagonal (5.8"), it outperformed its “brother” S9+, which has the same resolution (2960x1440 pixels) but a larger diagonal (6.2"), and therefore received 531 PPI. The smartphone has a “frameless” design and, fortunately, without the now popular “bangs” - this is a plus for the manufacturer.

Users note that the display’s colors are really very rich (this is, after all, a proprietary SuperAMOLED matrix), the brightness and contrast are at a high level. It behaves well in the sun, does not glare and remains readable. By the way, the screen resolution can be reduced if desired, increasing battery life.

LG G6 () is only slightly behind the leader with a result of 565 PPI (diagonal - 5.7", resolution - 2880x1440 pixels). LG called its screen FullVision, indicating that the user will have more space to view videos, web pages and text. All data can be divided into two windows - a large number of applications support this function in LG smartphones. Although the IPS matrix is ​​considered less bright than AMOLED, its quality was still positively rated by users. There is support for Dolby Vision and HDR 10.

By the way, the LG G7 ThinQ was recently introduced, which boasts a higher resolution - 3120x1440 pixels. But due to the increase in diagonal to 6.1”, the pixel density of its screen is slightly lower - 563 PPI.

Although many have questions about HMD Global’s strategy, it turned out to be quite successful and is in third place on the list with a result of 554 PPI. Although its screen has a lower resolution (2560x1440 pixels) than the smartphones that are in the top below, it benefits due to the small display diagonal - 5.3 inches.

The design, however, is not frameless at all - there are very noticeable stripes at the top and bottom of the display. But we liked the quality of the screen - it is bright, contrasty, with natural color reproduction and good viewing angles. And in the evening, you can activate the night mode so that your eyes don’t get tired.

Vivo Xplay 6

Vivo Xplay 6 is quite far behind the top three in terms of performance - it has 538 PPI. But for the fact that it got here, we should thank the medium screen diagonal (5.46”) and high resolution (2560x1440 pixels). In appearance, it immediately becomes clear from whom the designers drew inspiration - the curved display at the edges is similar to the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. And the AMOLED matrix itself is also from a South Korean manufacturer, so it is not surprising that the screen produces a high-quality picture.

The curved edges of the screen are made for a reason - there is a panel completely similar to Samsung's Edge. The display resolution can also be lowered to Full HD to increase battery life, but the settings do not allow color calibration.

Google Pixel 2 XL

Another “clear smartphone” is last year’s interesting, but not very popular flagship Google Pixel 2 XL. It has a large diagonal (6") and a high screen resolution (2880x1440 pixels), and a pixel density of 537 PPI. A POLED matrix manufactured by LG is installed, which in some places is inferior to SuperAMOLED from Samsung, but there is no “acidity” of shades inherent in the latter. However, , if you deviate from a right angle, the colors begin to invert and go blue.

Also, at the very beginning of sales, there were complaints about graininess and the appearance of artifacts, but the manufacturer assures that this should have been corrected by software updates. Many more users are unlucky, and their devices’ screens turn pink in places.

The second LG smartphone on our list, the LG V30+, has exactly the same pixel density (537 PPI). It, like the Google Pixel 2XL, has a 6" diagonal and a resolution of 2880x1440 pixels. The matrix type is again POLED (On-Cell touch). But, apparently, LG still makes better displays for its flagships.

The screen here is bright, with a high-quality anti-glare coating and balanced colors. There are separate color display profiles - for surfing the Internet, watching movies, reading books. HDR is also supported, and the Always-on-display function, which is present in all modern OLED screens, has different settings: shutdown time, brightness, content display, etc.

HTC U11 Plus

And the third smartphone in a row with a 6-inch screen, a resolution of 2880x1440 pixels and a pixel density of 537 PPI is the HTC U11 Plus. The proprietary Super LCD 6 matrix, according to the manufacturer, provides natural color reproduction. This screen is very popular with those for whom Samsung displays are too bright. And for lovers of rich colors, the screen will seem too faded, but the eyes will not get tired of it.

The smartphone has an analogue of the Always-on-display function, but... This is an LCD matrix, only the clock and information icons will be displayed, and the battery will run out much faster. The “With Gloves” mode with increased screen sensitivity is interesting, as well as the ability to select a color profile and change settings in it separately.

There is support for HDR10 dynamic range, but only at the hardware level. With new system updates it should appear in software.

Tonino Lamborghini Alpha one

Together with the next smartphone on the list, Tonino Lamborghini Alpha one, we are invited to the premium segment, offering, along with an impressive appearance (liquid metal body and genuine leather trim), also decent characteristics. A diagonal of 5.5 inches and a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels create a pixel density of 534 PPI.

The AMOLED matrix demonstrates good contrast and saves battery power; the brightness reserve is also decent. As with all AMOLED screens, colors do not invert at different viewing angles. You can play with the color temperature and saturation settings if you wish.

Huawei P10 Plus

The Huawei P10 Plus has the same screen characteristics as the Tonino Lamborghini (except that the matrix is ​​IPS), and therefore demonstrates 534 PPI in the same way.

We had the smartphone, and we noted that the display has good brightness and a decent anti-glare coating - it can be used comfortably in the sun. The viewing angles are wide, and the color temperature can be adjusted independently or you can select a preset profile.

ASUS ZenFone AR ZS571KL

Well, the ASUS ZenFone AR ZS571KL smartphone is specially “tailored” for virtual and augmented reality, and therefore it has a large and clear screen with a diagonal of 5.7 inches and a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels, and its pixel density is 515 PPI.

The screen is covered with 2.5-D Gorilla Glass 4 on top. You can turn the device into a VR helmet using its own packaging - it opens up, a smartphone is inserted there - and off you go, towards virtual adventures. True, the VR mode drains the battery very quickly - just like games.

	Estimated PPI	Stated PPI	Display	Price
Samsung Galaxy S9	567,53	568	Super AMOLED 5.8" 2960x1440 pixels.	i 59 990
LG G6	564,90	565	2880x1440 pixels.	from i 37 990
Nokia 8	554,19	554	2560x1440 pixels.	i 29,990
Vivo Xplay 6	537,95	538	2560x1440 pixels.	from i 35 990
Google Pixel 2 XL	536,66	537	2880x1440 pixels.	from i 48 990
LG V30+	536,66	537	2880x1440 pixels.	i 59 990
HTC U11 Plus	536,66	537	2880x1440 pixels.	i 49 990
Tonino Lamborghini Alpha one	534,04	534	2560x1440 pixels.	i 149,000
Huawei P10 Plus	534,04	534	2560x1440 pixels.	from i 32 190
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Modern devices are equipped with screens of various configurations. The main ones at the moment are based on displays, but different technologies can be used for them, in particular we are talking about TFT and IPS, which differ in a number of parameters, although they are descendants of the same invention.

Nowadays there are a huge number of terms that denote certain technologies hidden under abbreviations. For example, many may have heard or read about IPS or TFT, but few understand what the actual difference is between them. This is due to the lack of information in electronics catalogs. That is why it is worth understanding these concepts, and also deciding whether TFT or IPS is better?

Terminology

To determine what will be better or worse in each individual case, you need to find out what functions and tasks each IPS is responsible for. In fact, it is a TFT, or more precisely, a variety of it, in the manufacture of which a certain technology was used - TN-TFT. These technologies should be considered in more detail.

Differences

TFT (TN) is one of the methods for producing matrices, that is, thin-film transistor screens, in which the elements are arranged in a spiral between a pair of plates. In the absence of voltage supply, they will be turned to each other at right angles in the horizontal plane. The maximum voltage causes the crystals to rotate so that light passing through them results in the formation of black pixels, and in the absence of voltage - white pixels.

If we consider IPS or TFT, the difference between the first and the second is that the matrix is ​​made on the basis described earlier, however, the crystals in it are not arranged in a spiral, but parallel to a single plane of the screen and to each other. Unlike TFT, the crystals in this case do not rotate under no-voltage conditions.

How do we see this?

If you look at IPS or visually, the difference between them is the contrast, which is ensured by almost perfect reproduction of black. The image will appear clearer on the first screen. But the quality of color rendering when using a TN-TFT matrix cannot be called good. In this case, each pixel has its own shade, different from the others. Because of this, colors are greatly distorted. However, such a matrix also has an advantage: it is characterized by the highest response speed among all currently existing ones. An IPS screen requires a certain time during which all parallel crystals will make a complete turn. However, the human eye hardly detects the difference in response time.

Important Features

If we talk about what is better in operation: IPS or TFT, then it is worth noting that the former are more energy-intensive. This is due to the fact that turning the crystals requires a considerable amount of energy. That is why, if a manufacturer is faced with the task of making their device energy efficient, it usually uses a TN-TFT matrix.

If you choose a TFT or IPS screen, it is worth noting the wider viewing angles of the second, namely 178 degrees in both planes, this is very convenient for the user. Others have proven unable to provide the same. And another significant difference between these two technologies is the cost of products based on them. TFT matrices are currently the cheapest solution, which is used in most budget models, and IPS belongs to a higher level, but it is not top-end either.

IPS or TFT display to choose?

The first technology allows you to obtain the highest quality, clearest image, but requires more time to rotate the crystals used. This affects response time and other parameters, in particular the rate at which the battery discharges. The color rendering level of TN matrices is much lower, but their response time is minimal. The crystals here are arranged in a spiral.

In fact, one can easily note the incredible gap in the quality of screens based on these two technologies. This also applies to cost. TN technology remains on the market solely because of price, but it is not capable of providing a rich and bright picture.

IPS is a very successful continuation in the development of TFT displays. A high level of contrast and fairly large viewing angles are additional advantages of this technology. For example, on TN-based monitors, sometimes the black color itself changes its hue. However, the high energy consumption of IPS-based devices forces many manufacturers to resort to alternative technologies or reduce this figure. Most often, matrices of this type are found in wired monitors that do not operate on a battery, which allows the device not to be so energy dependent. However, developments in this area are constantly underway.