thoughts on nexus 4 ips screen vs galaxy nexus amoled?

**runningman3433** · 11-19-2012, 07:50 PM

which do you like better? i've yet to compare it in the sunlight but the nexus 4 just looks very washed out... i guess i'm just so use to the samsung amoled. I really like the blacks on the nexus galaxy. YOu can notice a difference between the bottom buttons on the nexus galaxy and the four. The four is very noticable

thinking of selling my nexus 4 and going back to samsung nexus. What do you guys think?

**Lanhoj** · 11-19-2012, 07:53 PM

I'll gladly swap you my GNex for it, LoL.

I've compared the 2 at a T-Mobile store & personally prefer the Nexus 4's screen.

**I Monarch** · 11-19-2012, 07:58 PM

I'll always love the S-AMOLED screens on my Samsung phones, but this LG IPS is amazing. I had the LG Nitro for my work line for a while, and while I hated the skin, I loved the display.

**Ziptied** · 11-19-2012, 07:58 PM

Nexus 4 hands down IMO, the blacks aren't as black, no. But overall the N4 screen is brighter, crisper, and overall better.

**Ricolando** · 11-19-2012, 08:10 PM

I've owned the Epic 4G (Galaxy S), Epic 4G Touch (Galaxy S II), and the Galaxy Nexus all of which had AMOLED screens. I can say that my Nexus 4's screen is definitely superior. I love the fact that the colors are accurate, text looks much better, and that white is actually white. As a side note I also own a 27" IPS monitor and a Nexus 7 so I'm used to the colors you see with IPS technology. It's a matter of preference, but I think it would be crazy to switch back to a Galaxy Nexus after using this phone. I would say put your Galaxy Nexus away and use the Nexus 4 for a few days. I'm willing to bet you'll get used to it and fall in love with the performance boost.

**Kevin O'Quinn** · 11-19-2012, 08:44 PM

Its just plain a better display. In just about every way possible.

Preference is, well, personal. :-P

**Bagums** · 11-19-2012, 09:40 PM

I like the Nexus 4 screen much better. Took it outside today to see how it performs in sunlight and it's a lot easier to see the screen on the Nexus 4 compared to the Galaxy Nexus.

**moonlitwingsx** · 11-19-2012, 11:10 PM

Surprised nobody has bought up the problem with the common S-AMOLED screen.. The dreaded Mura Effect.

Utterly unnoticeable in every day conditions except when you attempt to display a pure black background in the dark.. Or in my case-- watching a Netflix video on my GS3 and noticing the splotches all over my darker colors.. Its all over the PSVita as well.. And that getting a "perfect" screen is actually extremely rare, with Samsung having released a brief comment stating that the Mura Effect on the S-AMOLED screens are actually very common for the technology. I accepted it, but since I tend to sneak in a bit of night-time phone usage while laying in bed, it was always there, bugging me.. In my case, it was a smattering / splattering along the edge of one side, with sparse sprinkling all over. Based on the severity of the others I've seen in other people's devices, I decided to just keep and deal.

I'm happy with IPS panels until they perfect S-AMOLED. Besides, I got my hands on a Nexus4 demo at a T-Mobile store, and the colors were brilliant enough for me.

**ced2334** · 11-19-2012, 11:39 PM

I've never seen a nexus 4 screen but I understand almost all the hardware (including the screen) is the same as an optimus G. Anyways was at a store yesterday with the optimus G in the middle and G note 2 and GS3 on either side of it. I definitely preferred the optimus g over the other 2 phones.

**socaltyger** · 11-19-2012, 11:46 PM

Don't have the N4 yet, but I've always paid close attention to the screens on the phones. I've never liked the S-AMOLED screens on S3 and Note2. They have all seemed oversaturated... like a wide gamut monitor making your colors appear super vibrant. The redeeming quality of the Note 2 was that it had a display setting to adjust the color to normal that looked more like standard sRGB (didn't see this option on the S3).

Working with photographs everyday, I'm glad the Nexus4 will have IPS with a more standard/natural color gamut. Looking forward to using the Nexus 4. Finally got a shipping email that will hopefully put this N4 ordering non-sense to an end.

**DirkBelig** · 11-20-2012, 12:00 AM

The secret to AMOLEDs black blacks is that when a pixel is black, it is totally off with no light emitting from it and no backlight even slightly illuminating things. That's why one power-saving trick for AMOLED phones is to use as much dark on your screens - like if there's a Night mode or white-on-black mode in apps. Any black pixel isn't costing power.

**badbrad17** · 11-20-2012, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by DirkBelig

The secret to AMOLEDs black blacks is that when a pixel is black, it is totally off with no light emitting from it and no backlight even slightly illuminating things. That's why one power-saving trick for AMOLED phones is to use as much dark on your screens - like if there's a Night mode or white-on-black mode in apps. Any black pixel isn't costing power.

I never thought about this but this makes sense because Samsung uses lots of black screens on their stock email apps etc. I always hated this as it makes it harder to read inverted white on black text.

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**Byzantium** · 11-20-2012, 02:05 AM

Originally Posted by DirkBelig

The secret to AMOLEDs black blacks is that when a pixel is black, it is totally off with no light emitting from it and no backlight even slightly illuminating things. That's why one power-saving trick for AMOLED phones is to use as much dark on your screens - like if there's a Night mode or white-on-black mode in apps. Any black pixel isn't costing power.

Why don't IPS displays do this?

**Kevin O'Quinn** · 11-20-2012, 06:30 AM

Originally Posted by Gaius

Why don't IPS displays do this?

They can't. LCD's require a backlight to produce images, whereas SAMOLED (really any type of OLED) produce their own light, which mean each individual pixel has the ability to turn completely off. That's why black levels on those types of displays are considered 0, which gives them a very misleading contrast ratio (technically infinite).

The trade-off is overall brightness. Because you can't just out a stronger or brighter backlight in the display they will always be limited in this area, which is why viewing them in sunlight is such a challenge.

**Kevin O'Quinn** · 11-20-2012, 06:31 AM

If you're interested in display tech here's a good thread about it:

SLCD, SAMOLED, Pentile, RGB Does it matter?

**DC Wuff** · 11-20-2012, 06:45 AM

Believe it or not, I'm actually liking the N4's IPS screen better than the SLCD screen on my EVO LTE. Haven't compared the two in direct sunlight yet.

**qnet** · 11-20-2012, 07:12 AM

I just returned the Note 2 and I understand what the OP is talking about but, I still like the Nexus 4 screen better. It's not as colorful as the Note 2 or S3 but the Nexus 4's IPS display looks more sharp and detailed. It reminds me of the screen on the HTC One X or the Iphone 5, the only difference is those two phones seem to be brighter and push more light.

**varsityhacker** · 11-20-2012, 07:12 AM

The Nexus 4 IPS LCD is superior to the G Nex IMOP. I know a lot of people like AMOLED displays because of the dark blacks, but I prefer real whites over black any day.

**Saiga** · 11-20-2012, 07:17 AM

I was never a fan of the galaxy nexus screen. It was very inconsistent. Comparing multiple galaxy nexus screens together displaying the same image at the same brightness levels shown that. And I always wondered if my screen was a good one or not. I also wondered what a galaxy nexus screen should have looked like. My other complaint was the artifacting/burn in. With my gnex, if I spent 15 minutes using an app then switched to the home screen, I could still lightly see parts of the app I was using and it pretty much stayed there until the screen was off for a few minutes.

I've used a lot of Samsung devices with AMOLED screens and none of them performed like the gnex screen.

I much prefer the Nexus 4's display. Any advantage AMOLED may have over IPS wasn't worth the other issues.

**saeufer** · 11-20-2012, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Kevin O'Quinn

The trade-off is overall brightness. Because you can't just out a stronger or brighter backlight in the display they will always be limited in this area, which is why viewing them in sunlight is such a challenge.

Sunlight readability was the only thing I miss after switching to Android from BlackBerry--the TFT display on my BB was easily legible in direct sunlight even with sunglasses on (not a bad feature for someone who works outside). My current Android has an AMOLED display and it's simply not possible to read it in direct sunlight; I have to put my back to the sun to shade the display, and even then it's sometimes hard to read.

Anyone care to comment on the N4's screen in direct sunlight? I don't have mine yet so I'm living vicariously through you guys.

**Neo42** · 11-20-2012, 11:52 AM

I've always disliked pentile amoled screens and refused to own any device that's sporting one. The color temp always looks way too cool for my taste, consequentially with not-white whites. I was set to buy a Note 2 (since they went with non-pentile) until the N4 price was announced.

**usualsuspect** · 11-20-2012, 12:58 PM

I have the GNEX and Nexus4 side by side now and for me it's not even close - Nexus4 hands down. The whites on the GNex are almost yellowish and the Nexus4 is much brighter. There is no going back for me...

**jd914** · 11-20-2012, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by runningman3433

which do you like better? i've yet to compare it in the sunlight but the nexus 4 just looks very washed out... i guess i'm just so use to the samsung amoled. I really like the blacks on the nexus galaxy. YOu can notice a difference between the bottom buttons on the nexus galaxy and the four. The four is very noticable

thinking of selling my nexus 4 and going back to samsung nexus. What do you guys think?

It's not that the Nexus 4 screen looks washed out it's because AMOLED screens tend to be over saturated. It's just something to get used to after having a device with an AMOLED display.

**runningman3433** · 11-20-2012, 01:16 PM

ok, i've been using the nexus 4 today and i have to say i'm very impressed with the calirty and crispness of the screen. i'll give the edge to the nexus 4. blacks are still better on the galaxy nexus and colors are generally more saturated on samsung but the nexus 4 holds it own!

also nexus 4 is much more visible in the sunlight than the galaxy.

**badbrad17** · 11-20-2012, 01:56 PM

I have an old HTC Desire my daughter uses and replaced it with a SGS2. I thought I loved the Amoled screen on the S2 but whenever I pick up the Desire the screen just looks more natural. It may not be as contrasted but I prefer the IPS LCD hands down. Especially when you go in to the store and compare the One X to anything. Just no comparison. So vibrant and crisp.

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