Are ANY of the new phones worthy of upgrading my existing phone?

[JeffDenver]

The S5 has the best display on any Android smartphone right now.

How so?

Display mate goes into detail on it.

I've seen the G3...IMO the S5 is still better. The S5 has a perfected AMOLED display...all the advantages of IPS with none of the drawbacks of AMOLED. It is extremely bright, but still has deep blacks while maintaining color accuracy (something other AMOLED displays have failed to do). The G3 and M8 cannot match those deep blacks.

Based on our extensive Lab tests and measurements, which we present in detail below, the Galaxy S5 is the Best performing Smartphone display that we have ever tested – and it has raised the bar for top display performance up by another notch.

Samsung Galaxy S5 Display Technology Shoot-Out

 

[meyerweb#CB]

The S5 has the best display on any Android smartphone right now.

How so? I would argue the G3 and M8 both have better screens and so will both notes as well.

The Notes are not yet available, so they can hardly be the best available. The S5 screen is brighter and has better color fidelity than either the G3 or M8. The G3 does have higher resolution, which in most situations can't be seen. Both have very good displays, but only one can be the best:

Samsung Galaxy S5 Display Technology Shoot-Out

"Best Smartphone Display: Based on our extensive Lab tests and measurements, the Galaxy S5 is the Best performing Smartphone display that we have ever tested. It has a long list of new records for best Smartphone display performance including: Highest Brightness, Lowest Reflectance, Highest Color Accuracy, Infinite Contrast Ratio, Highest Contrast Rating in Ambient Light, and smallest Brightness Variation with Viewing Angle. The Galaxy S5 has raised the bar for top display performance up by another notch – an impressive achievement for OLED technology!"


This isn't just a blogger's opinion. DisplayMate is one of the most widely respected companies in this area, and does instrumented testing in addition to visual examination.

 

[JeffDenver]

The Notes are not yet available, so they can hardly be the best available. The S5 screen is brighter and has better color fidelity than either the G3 or M8. The G3 does have higher resolution, which in most situations can't be seen.

No, in ALL situations. QHD is a complete waste...Anything over 400ppi is effectively infinite. No one will be able to tell the difference without a magnifying glass. 1080p is all anyone should care about on a phone-sized display.

 

[msndrstood]

I stand by the Note series. Small hands and all.

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

 

[meyerweb#CB]

No, in ALL situations. QHD is a complete waste...Anything over 400ppi is effectively infinite. No one will be able to tell the difference without a magnifying glass. 1080p is all anyone should care about on a phone-sized display.

Well, not everyone agrees. AC's comparison review of the S5 and G3 said they could tell the differences on images, and that small text looked a bit sharper on the G3. But I tend to agree with you. I'm not sure my eyes are sharp enough to tell the difference anyway. 1080P is enough in a 5 to 5.5" screen.

What my eyes COULD see, however, was that when viewing the same web page or email, the characters on the G3 are larger (due to the larger screen, not the resolution) and easier to read. My aging eyes do appreciate that.

 

[JeffDenver]

Well, not everyone agrees.

Do you have any examples of people who can tell the difference between 400ppi and 500ppi? Who is claiming they can do that?

AC's comparison review of the S5 and G3 said they could tell the differences on images

They might be able to tell the difference in display quality...that is not necessarily linked to ppi. Do you have a source link?

No one can see pixels on a 400ppi display without magnification.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

Do you have any examples of people who can tell the difference between 400ppi and 500ppi? Who is claiming they can do that?


They might be able to tell the difference in display quality...that is not necessarily linked to ppi. Do you have a source link?

No one can see pixels on a 400ppi display without magnification.

No one? You've done scientific research, or at least a review off the literature to reach this conclusion? Or are you simply basing it on Steve Jobs claims when he introduced the "retina" display.


From Android Central: LG G3 Review | Android Central

"Steve Jobs was wrong," LG's head of smartphone planning, Dr. Ramchan Woo, told us at the launch event in London, "We love Steve Jobs, but he was wrong." Woo uses the example of high-quality printing, and the distinction between lines per inch and pixels per inch to back up his assertion. High-quality art books are typically printed at up to 300 lines per inch, he tells us, and to accurately represent this much detail you need around double that number in pixels per inch.

For sure, there are cases where you can discern the extra hundred or so pixels per inch compared to current 1080p phones — high-res photos and 4K video recorded on the phone, for instance, as well as certain games. On-screen fonts are absolutely razor sharp, and small text in desktop web pages is a little easier to make out, too.

In the right situation, it's all very impressive. But it's not an upgrade you'll notice every second of the day. In regular apps, as opposed to images and text-rich web pages, the differences are more subtle.

Though I don't see the benefit of its immense pixel density every time I use it, I'm still impressed by the G3's display, due to its size as much as its retina-popping resolution. And there's no denying how stunning it looks when viewing high-res photos and videos recorded on the phone.

I basically agree with you that the resolution isn't worth it, and an HD screen would have been fine. But to say it's impossible to see the difference isn't born out by what a number of reviewers have said.

 

[JeffDenver]

No one?

No one.

You've done scientific research, or at least a review off the literature to reach this conclusion?

I've never done scientific research to prove "no one" can fly merely by flapping their arms either. But I am pretty sure it's impossible. I would be equally confident saying "No One can fly merely by flapping their arms".

Or are you simply basing it on Steve Jobs claims when he introduced the "retina" display.

I am basing it on what I've seen. I've never seen anyone demonstrate this ability. In the same way I have never seen evidence anyone can fly by flapping their arms.

AC did not say that the display differences were due to the ppi...I have seen them describe 720p displays as "razor sharp" as well. All of the stuff they said could just as easily be due to brightness or black levels or contrast ratios.

 

[meyerweb#CB]

OK, I guess that someone who hasn't actually used the phone, or done any direct comparisons between it and another device, is more expert than people who have used it, and people who compare phones for a living. I'm sure I can't change your mind, as it's clearly closed. But to say they didn't say the display differences were due to the ppi, when they wrote the statement below is to ignore plain English:

"there are cases where you can discern the extra hundred or so pixels per inch compared to current 1080p phones "


And for anyone else reading this, here's one more:

LG G3, two months on ... | Android Central

Jerry: Reading this document on the G3 makes it worth it. I've finally seen some of the sharpness/shading issues where text against a certain color or background looks weird, but for regular text in a regular view, the G3 screen is extremely sharp and I can read longer while using it. The next time you see someone telling you that anything higher than 1080p has no benefit, be sure to read it on a G3.

and

The benefit of the QHD screen for text — especially non-Latin text — far outweighs any of the drawbacks

 

[JeffDenver]

OK, I guess that someone who hasn't actually used the phone, or done any direct comparisons between it and another device, is more expert than people who have used it, and people who compare phones for a living.

I have used a G3. So yeah I get an opinion. Sorry.

There are other variables involved in readability besides ppi. And like I said, they have referred to 720p displays as "razor sharp".

 

[ubigred]

Note or bust

Sent from my SM-N910P

 

[jerrycau123]

I love my Samsung Galaxy Note 4! Large phone but has a feature that reduces the screen size, and the keyboard can shift from either side. The s pen is a great feature! Unique technology.. I have had a lot of fun with it! you write notes and draw art on you screen! This feature is amazing! Match that boring, iPhone!

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[JustArran]

Interesting topic.

My HTC One (M7) contract is about to end, so I'm looking around for a new phone. I was all set to order the S6 UNTIL I heard the latest AC Podcast. It seemed the general tone was that the phone was really good, but just nothing amazing.

My M7 is a bit long in the tooth, and does need replacing, but I'm wondering if I should hang on for more LG G4 news later this month...

Decisions decisions!

 

[ColeyLee]

I've just got a new phone with Android Lollipop yesterday.