AMOLED vs LCD – A Tale of Two Screens

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 Phone 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 2014 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 phone, 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?

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.