Now,
all of these five smartphones have pretty good displays, but only by
pitting them against each other we can tell which one has the best
screen of all. So without further ado, let us begin by taking a look at
the display specs for each device:
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Outdoor visibility
It
is a bright, sunny day here, which is perfect for the goal of this
article! Sure enough, we took the five handsets outside and put them
side by side to see which one delivers the best results under broad
daylight. Without a doubt, the HTC One X
grabs the top spot in this category as its Super-LCD 2 panel noticeably
outshines the rest, but the IPS-LCD display on the iPhone 4S is almost
as good when it comes to outdoor visibility. The IPS-LCD display on the
Optimus LTE and the Super AMOLED Plus panel on the Samsung Galaxy S II
are usable as well, as long as they are not reflecting the sun rays
directly towards the user's face. However, with them the drop in
contrast is more evident. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus may not be impossible
to use under such conditions, but its Super AMOLED HD screen is
definitely the worst performer among the bunch.
Resolution
Since
four out of the five displays that we are comparing have resolutions
exceeding the 300ppi milestone, it is really hard to pick a clear winner
in this category. The fact of the matter is that even the finest of
text is just as easily legible on the screens of the One X, iPhone 4S,
and Optimus LTE. The Galaxy Nexus has a display with a PenTile pixel
arrangement, which makes tiny text slightly jagged, but in reality that
hardly makes any difference as it is barely noticeable. Same is the case
when viewing graphics – individual pixels on these four devices'
displays are nearly impossible to distinguish as they blend together
creating picture-perfect visuals. Only the display on the Samsung Galaxy
S II lags behind with its relatively low pixel density of 215ppi. Don't
get us wrong for this WVGA Super AMOLED Plus screen is still more than
okay for the average Joe, but it is far from what the most demanding
users would expect to get nowadays.
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Close-up photos of the five displays (100% zoom)
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Color reproduction
Determining
which one of these displays delivers the best colors is a bit tricky.
After all, some people prefer the punchy colors of AMOLED displays,
while others prefer more neutral tones. Still, if precise and natural
color representation is of importance, the Super-LCD 2 panel on the HTC
One X and the IPS-LCD display on the iPhone 4S hold the top spot. Colors
on the One X's screen might seem slightly more saturated than what we
would classify as neutral, but that is what makes photos and graphics
come to life. On the other hand, when put next to the HTC One X, the
colors on the iPhone 4S's screen look slightly washed out, but not too
much and still classify as natural.
The IPS-LCD
on the LG Optimus LTE has a pretty neutral color reproduction as well
and is nearly as good as the aforementioned two, although whites tend to
look a bit grayish. As for the Samsung Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy S II,
colors on their displays look impressive, but way too unnatural due to
the excessive saturation that AMOLED panels are associated with. Also,
whites on the Super AMOLED Plus panel of the Galaxy S II appear slightly
blueish. One thing that we have to admit, however, is that these two
AMOLED screens excel when it comes to displaying black, although the
Super-LCD 2 panel is almost as good at that, followed by the IPS-LCD
displays on the iPhone 4S and LG Optimus LTE.
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The five displays viewed at a 90-degree angle. Note that each display has been photographed individually
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Viewing angles
When
viewing angles are concerned, the two Super AMOLED panels have the
upper hand, although they are not leading by miles. They retain their
brightness levels fairly well even when tilted to the extreme, but at
the expense of color accuracy. The Super-LCD 2 screen on the One X,
however, is nearly as good for it remains clearly visible even when
viewed at a very steep angle, and the shift in color hue is minimal to
non-existent. The IPS-LCD panels on the iPhone 4S and the LG Optimus LTE
do not disappoint either, but they are still no match for the
competition.
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The five displays viewed at an angle from below. Again, each display has been photographed individually
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Conclusion
If
we say that the Super-LCD 2 panel on the HTC One X is currently among
the best ones out there, we won't be mistaken. There simply isn't
anything bad that we can say about it, and we are more than happy with
its real life performance. Colors on it look great, using it outdoors is
nothing to worry about, and its viewing angles are way above the
average. At the same time, it is impressive to see that the IPS-LCD
display on the iPhone 4S does not trail far behind despite being around
for over a year and a half. What we like about it is the accurate color
reproduction and high pixel density, which when put together result in a
symphony for the eye.
The IPS-LCD screen on
the LG Optimus LTE and the Super AMOLED HD display Samsung Galaxy Nexus
deserve to be honored as well for delivering a high level of image
detail. Still, we wish that the former had better reproduction of
whites, and that the latter was easier to use outdoors. And as for the
Samsung Galaxy S II and its Super AMOLED Plus panel, we still remember
how excited we were when we saw it in person for the first time, but it
becomes evident how quickly it is now being overtaken by more advanced
display technologies. Exaggerated colors are getting old and its pixel
density is nothing to brag about nowadays.
