Seeking clarity on new mobile screens

LCD or AMOLED? IPS or FFS or TN?

With screen technology increasingly becoming a major differentiator for new smartphones and tablets, consumers may want to get up to speed on some of the acronyms associated with mobile displays.

LCD

Liquid crystal displays are the most commonly used screens for phones and tablets and there’s a dizzying array of different types on the market. Twisted nematic (TN) LCD screens are the cheapest and worst performing available and are generally lacking when it comes to having consistent viewing angles and offering good picture quality, says Raymond Soneira, president of DisplayMate. In-plane switching (IPS) displays are now commonly installed in high-end phones and tablets and are among the best LCD screens available.

AMOLED

Active-matrix organic lightemitting diode screens are a newer type of technology that Samsung in particular is eagerly embracing. While still more expensive to produce than LCDs, they’re able to output a richer palette of colours, offer better contrast and have better viewing angles. The superior contrast and colour output of AMOLED screens also make multimedia content easier on the eyes. Bright colours pop more while dark scenes in movies can be seen with more clarity, since AMOLED screens produce a deeper black and a better range of greys.

Which is better?

While there are pros and cons for both sides, Soneira says AMOLED technology has pulled ahead and is showing more promise.

Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images LCD versus AMOLED — it’s worth looking at the differences between the two major display types of screen techonologies available on smartphones and tablets.