AMOLED vs LCD - A Tale of Two Screens

It&#;s a constant debate. AMOLED Displays feature remarkable colors, deep blacks and eye searing contrast ratios.

View Details

IPS LCD Displays feature more subdued (though some would say more accurate) colors, better off-axis viewing angles and often times a brighter overall picture.

Understanding display technologies is no less than understanding an intricate art form. They shape how we experience content on our devices&#;be it a heart-touching movie, an adrenaline-filled game, or a breathtaking image. Explore the nitty-gritty of different display technologies&#;IPS LCD, AMOLED, LED, OLED, including Samsung&#;s bespoke Dynamic AMOLED and Super AMOLED, in this comprehensive article. Let&#;s take a deep dive into their uniqueness, their differences, and learn how they impact your device&#;s visual display and your overall viewing comfort.

With that being established, which screen is better?

Samsung extensively utilizes AMOLED screens and pioneered their implementation on smartphones.

The LCD has been around for a while longer, but has the technology finally reached its full potential?

Technical Differences

On a technical level, what differentiates these two prevalent screen technologies?

Well, lets start with the basics.

Both screens are made up of Pixels. A pixel is made up of 3 sections called sub-pixels. The three sections are red, green and blue (primary colors for display tech).

To make a certain color, each pixel lets certain amounts of light through each pixel at different intensities, showing the color on your screen.

Where you start seeing differences emerge, is how the light is generated in each screen.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Displays)

The light is generated from a &#;backlight&#;. A series of thin films, transparent mirrors and an array of white lights that shine and distribute light across the back of the display.

On some lower quality LCD screens, you can see bright spots in the middle or on the perimeters of screens. This is caused by uneven light distribution. The downside to using backlights, is that black is never true black, because no matter what, light has to be coming through, so it will never have as dark of a screen as an AMOLED screen. Its comparable to being able to slow a car down to 2 mph versus coming to a complete stop.

AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diodes)

Each pixel is its own light source, meaning that no backlight is necessary. This allows the screen assembly to be thinner, and have more consistent lighting across the whole display.

In addition, since each pixel is an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) or individual light, showing black means it shuts off pixels it doesn&#;t need to generate color.

So on the Samsung Galaxy S lineup of phones, the notification lock screen, which is white text on a black background, uses barely any power, because 90% of the screen is actually powered off.

AMOLED vs OLED: The Differences

1. OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes):
   • This is a flat light emitting technology made by placing a series of organic thin films between two conductors. When an electric current is applied, it emits a bright light.
   • OLEDs are used in television screens, computer monitors, and handheld gaming devices because of their superior color reproduction and deeper blacks.
2. AMOLED:
   • AMOLED is a type of OLED display. It uses an active matrix TFT (Thin Film Transistor) backing. This active matrix controls the individual pixels.
   • This allows for faster refresh rates which is beneficial in devices like smartphones and televisions where there&#;s a lot of fast moving content.

In short, OLED is the basic technology that creates the display, while AMOLED is a type of OLED display that adds a layer of semiconductors to control the light emission more effectively. AMOLED displays are typically used in smartphones, while OLED technology is often found in larger screens like televisions.

Screen Burn: A Persistent Issue in OLED Technology

One topic that&#;s impossible to ignore when discussing screen technologies is screen burn-in, also known simply as &#;burn&#;. This term refers to the persistence of static images on a display screen over prolonged periods, which eventually leaves a faint but permanent &#;ghost&#; image behind. This issue is primarily seen on OLED and AMOLED displays, but it can also occur, albeit less frequently, on LCDs.

Interested in a deeper dive into this topic? Visit our other article, &#;Understanding Screen Burn: Causes, Prevention, and Repair,&#; for a comprehensive exploration of screen burn, its causes, and the most effective ways to prevent and repair it.

Pros & Cons

LCD and AMOLED displays are fantastic technologies that continue to push forward the standard for Mobile Displays.

Considering that the AMOLED display as we know it in Smart Phones is only a few years old, it is exciting to see what kind of innovations we can look forward to in the future.

LCD Pros

• Bright whites &#; LED backlights push lots of light through the pixels to make it easier to read in bright light
• Accurate True to Life Colors &#; This can vary from one to the other, however as a general rule, LCD Screens have colors that more accurately reflect those of objects here in the real world versus through a viewfinder.
• Reliable &#; LCD technology has been around for a while, and the technology is well into the refinement stage of development.
• Great Viewing Angles &#; Most high quality LCD displays use IPS technology to offer 178 degrees of view without any color shifting or color distortion.
• Inexpensive &#; LCD Technology has been around for quite some time, and with that, the manufacturing process has been perfected in the mobile sphere, allowing massive volumes of screens to be produced at very cost effective rates.

LCD Cons

• LCDs cannot achieve deep blacks &#; The presence of an always on backlight to illuminate a screen regardless of how much of the screen is black means that it will never get as dark as an AMOLED screen can.
• LCDs cannot be made flexible &#; The Galaxy Note Edge turned heads in when Samsung unveiled a curved AMOLED display. LCDs are rigid and cannot be bent or molded into a curved design, limiting the form factors it can fit into.
• Thickness &#; Because the LCD also requires a backlight behind it, the screen will always take up more internal volume of a , limiting how thin and light designs can be.

AMOLED Pros

• Amoled Screens have the most vivid colors &#; Ever want your movies or pictures to pop like they haven&#;t before? AMOLED screens can make that happen with amazing contrast ratios(distance in color from darkest to lightest).
• True Black can be truly achieved &#; Because no backlight assembly is needed, the display can power off pixels that are to display the black portions of an image, meaning the black is as dark as it can be. That means looking at a Zebra uses less energy than a polar bear on your Galaxy.
• Energy Efficiency &#; Because the display can individually light pixels, and likewise leave some pixels turned off entirely, this means the screen can achieve levels of power efficiency rarely seen on smartphone displays, leading to better battery life.
• Flexible, Curvable, Adaptable &#; Flexible AMOLED Displays are present in the Samsung Galaxy, the Galaxy Gear uses a curved display, and nearly every other smart wearable uses a circular AMOLED display. LCD&#;s would not be able to work in any of these scenarios. AMOLED is the screen tech for wearables(Apple Watch, Moto, Gear S etc.)

AMOLED Cons

• Cost&#; Right now, the typical cost on the repair market for an AMOLED screen is double that of a comparable LCD (in some cases it can be even more). This is tied to higher manufacturing costs, and the fact that the technology is younger, and less refined compared to their LCD counterparts.
• Less Durable &#; Much like old strings of Christmas lights, if a single pixel is damaged, it can cause the entire screen to stop displaying altogether. In many cases, the AMOLED display will crack or break before the glass on top of it does.
• Burn in &#; This is an issue that was present on old Plasma Televisions. Over time the pixels can get &#;stuck&#; showing a specific image or color, meaning that over time as the screen gets older, it can show a shadow of an icon. A good way to mitigate this is to move your icons around every once in a while.

LCD vs AMOLED: Which is Better for Eyes?

If you want to learn more, please visit our website ORIC Electronics.

1. LCD:
   • Generally, LCD screens are brighter than AMOLED screens. This can make them easier to see in bright sunlight.
   • However, they can also cause more eye strain if you&#;re using them in a dark environment, because the brightness isn&#;t adjustable to the same degree as AMOLED screens.
2. AMOLED:
   • AMOLED screens can adjust their brightness more finely because each pixel is individually lit. This can reduce eye strain in dim or changing light conditions.
   • AMOLED displays can also produce deeper blacks which can be easier on the eyes.

In general, whether an LCD or an AMOLED screen is better for your eyes can depend on your individual needs and usage scenarios.

LED vs AMOLED: The Differences

1. LED (Light Emitting Diodes):
   • LED displays use a backlight to illuminate their pixels. This means that the whole screen has to be lit up, even when displaying dark colors or blacks.
   • This is similar to a LCD, but uses LEDs for the backlight.
2. AMOLED:
   • AMOLED displays light up each pixel individually. This means they can produce deeper blacks because they can completely turn off individual pixels.
   • Because of this, AMOLED screens can also save power when displaying darker images.

So, the key difference is that LED displays use a backlight to light up the whole screen, while AMOLED displays light up each pixel individually.

What is Dynamic AMOLED?

Dynamic AMOLED is a type of display technology developed by Samsung. Here&#;s what makes it special:

1. Brightness and Color: Dynamic AMOLED screens can adjust the color and brightness of each pixel individually, giving you a more vibrant and dynamic image.
2. Eye Comfort: These screens also reduce blue light, which can be harmful to your eyes, without changing the colors on your screen.
3. HDR10+ support: Dynamic AMOLED displays support HDR10+, a high dynamic range standard, for more detail in the shadows and highlights of an image.

So, Dynamic AMOLED is a type of screen that provides vibrant, dynamic colors, eye comfort, and high contrast images.

What is Super AMOLED?

Super AMOLED is another type of display technology developed by Samsung. It&#;s called &#;Super&#; for a few reasons:

1. Integrated Touch: Unlike traditional touchscreens, where the touch sensor is a separate layer, the touch sensor in Super AMOLED displays is integrated into the screen itself. This makes the screen thinner.
2. Contrast: Super AMOLED displays have excellent contrast, with deep blacks and bright whites.
3. Power Efficiency: Because AMOLED screens can turn off individual pixels, they can save power when displaying darker colors. This makes Super AMOLED displays more power efficient than some other types.

In summary, Super AMOLED is a type of screen that offers integrated touch, high contrast, and power efficiency.

Smartphones, computers, and television are as popular as ever, so it&#;s no wonder why there have been so many amazing developments in display technology over the last decade. AMOLED is one of the newest breakthroughs.

What exactly is an AMOLED display, and why should you get one? Let&#;s answer your questions. An AMOLED display is a modified version of an OLED display, which begs the question: what is an OLED display?

What&#;s an OLED display?

OLED stands for &#;organic light-emitting diode.&#; Here&#;s how an OLED display works. Each pixel is composed of three things: a tiny light, a liquid crystal, and a color filter.

A liquid crystal is a chemical substance that contains properties of both a liquid and a solid. When the liquid crystals assume their liquid form, they block light from passing through. But light can pass through a liquid crystal when it&#;s in a solid form because the solid is less dense.

Liquid pixels basically work as an aperture. When a pixel needs to display a certain color, an electric current is applied to the liquid crystal, which changes it from a liquid to a solid. The light passes through the liquid crystal and gets tinted by the color filter to appear red, blue, or green.

Thousands of these little pixels form the images on your display.

What&#;s an AMOLED display?

AMOLED stands for &#;active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes.&#; The main difference between AMOLED and OLED is that an AMOLED display contains thin strips of thin-film transistors (TFT) behind each pixel.

These transistors are like super-highways for electricity that help the electric current move more quickly across the entire display. With the presence of TFT, each pixel can be activated faster because electricity can reach the pixels faster.

AMOLED is commonly used in very large displays. In large displays, it&#;s more difficult to transfer energy across the entire length of the screen. With TFT, energy can be transferred quickly across a very wide display so you can maintain a fast refresh rate from edge to edge [1].

What are the advantages of AMOLED?

There are a couple of great advantages to AMOLED displays. First, AMOLED displays typically have a faster refresh rate than other types of displays. Refresh rate refers to how quickly your monitor can refresh the screen image in a single second. When you have a faster refresh rate, you&#;ll have smoother and more lifelike graphics, especially when you&#;re gaming or watching movies. AMOLED displays have better refresh rates because the pixels can be activated more quickly.

Second, AMOLED displays have great viewing angles - just another way of saying you can clearly view the screen from a wide variety of angles. Because of the TFT, each pixel emits a greater amount of light, which enhances the overall visibility of the image being displayed.

What are the disadvantages of AMOLED?

There are some disadvantages to AMOLED displays, too:

&#;    They wear down faster
&#;    They&#;re less energy-efficient
&#;    They&#;re more prone to screen burn-in
&#;    They&#;re costly
&#;    Their visibility suffers when exposed to direct sunlight

AMOLED displays wear down faster than the standard LED displays. The large amount of energy that&#;s transferred in an AMOLED display takes a toll on its hardware. The large energy transfer also means that AMOLED displays aren&#;t very energy efficient - and when you&#;re gaming, they can be real energy-guzzlers. You&#;re also more likely to suffer screen burn-in with AMOLED displays because of the greater amount of light that&#;s emitted through each pixel.

AMOLED displays are also more costly than the standard LED. That&#;s because of the presence of TFT layers and capacitors, which increase the manufacturing cost. And while the TFT layers help produce a better-quality image, the additional layers make the screen harder to see when exposed to direct sunlight. It&#;s harder to view an AMOLED display when you&#;re outdoors on a sunny day or when your screen is exposed to a ray of sunlight.

What is Super AMOLED?

Super AMOLED is an AMOLED display that has an integrated touch screen function. Super AMOLED is a relatively new development that&#;s been popularly used in Samsung smartphones.

AMOLED displays can be built with touch screen functionality, too, but on AMOLED displays the touch-sensitive layer is placed on top of the screen. On Super AMOLED displays, the touch-sensitive layer is built into the screen itself. The removal of the extra layer makes it easier to view Super AMOLED displays in direct sunlight - and that&#;s obviously a desirable quality in a smartphone [2].

Like AMOLED displays, Super AMOLED displays also are more prone to screen burn-in after a period of time.

What&#;s better: AMOLED vs. OLED vs. LCD?

You might see AMOLED displays compared to OLED and LCD displays. Which one is the best?

Know that all 3 displays use the same kind of technology - they all make use of liquid crystals. But AMOLED and OLED displays have different kinds of lights than LCD displays do. In AMOLED and OLED displays, each pixel has its own miniature LED light source. In an LCD there&#;s a whole panel of fluorescent lamps that line the backside of the display. The LED lights in AMOLED and OLED displays are far superior to LCD fluorescent lamps, so you&#;ll get better image quality from AMOLED and OLED.

AMOLED offers sharper picture quality than OLED due to the better energy architecture within the monitor. However, if you&#;re trying to buy a monitor that&#;ll last you for a longer amount of time, you might want to opt for an OLED display because it won&#;t wear down as quickly.

Contact us to discuss your requirements of round amoled display. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.