Mobile phone display mega shootout: The full picture

29 November 2010
There are so many of them that it’s pretty hard to make up your mind. It all boils down to LCD vs. LED although this simple fact is easy to overlook. You can go ahead and blame it all on marketing but that’s one thing that just can’t be black or...

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • P%B
  • 30 Nov 2010

Anonymous, 30 Nov 2010The XPERIA X10 is probably the best for actual use, with a ... moreyeah it is physically smaller and id watch a vid on my ip4 anyday over my htc desire. no question

    • A
    • Adam
    • j{1
    • 30 Nov 2010


    I also liked the fact that the X10 had the best LCD screen, so hopefully if Sony decides to use an OLED screen for the X12 it will also surpass the other competitors :)

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • P%B
      • 30 Nov 2010

      Adin2001uk, 30 Nov 2010Well one thing is definitely a selling point nowadays is sc... moretotally disagree...ip4 gone back in time??? a screen resolution nearly one third more than the next best display on the market(motorola). imo anything over 3.7 just makes the phone too large.
      sure if u just checked out the home pages on the ip4 it isnt that impressive but u use the ip4 for a while, surfing the net, watchin videos, youtube, etc.. and youll see others cant compete
      i was actually kinda disapointed with the gal s display when i was thinkin about buying it and checked it out for real after reading so many good things about it as it wasnt that much of a step up from my htc desire
      from going to my desire from my ip4 honestly it makes the desires display seem dated
      imo

        • A
        • Adam
        • j{1
        • 30 Nov 2010

        Thank you gsmarena, I really enjoyed reading the article word by word :)

        please keep representing for us cool stuff.

          • A
          • Adin2001uk
          • 0CT
          • 30 Nov 2010

          And yeah to those asking where HTC source their screens... Pretty much all from Samsung, AMOLED. But the new SLCD are a joint venture between Sony and Samsung. (I think also Sony have helped setup the OLED production with Samsung, considering they were the first to bring out an OLED TV a year or so ago).

            • A
            • Adin2001uk
            • 0CT
            • 30 Nov 2010

            Well one thing is definitely a selling point nowadays is screen size. Once you go 4.3 you never go back. I looked at an iPhone 4 the other day and it seemed like I have gone back in time! 3.5 inches, Come on Apple its the 21st century. The screens so called amazing resolution was even really noticeable, not that it would change your world but a bigger screen would!

            OLED is the way forward. I would like to make one little correction to the Pro-OLED argument, its only more energy efficient when its displaying Black colours. If the screen is white (when browsing a webpage) it actually uses more than that of an LCD.

            Now the ultimate screen would be a 4.3 inch SuperAMOLED.
            Come on Samsung/Sony make one!

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • prm
              • 30 Nov 2010

              Nice Review .

              So Super AMOLED is the best display in market now !

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • IP5
                • 30 Nov 2010

                so THE GREAT LIER ELDAR's now planned for her next move like CBD is good but bit less than SUAMOLED..
                Thanks gsmarena for this usefull review Finally the midrange C6_01 is the winner here :-)

                  • r
                  • ridhobtmn
                  • wrX
                  • 30 Nov 2010

                  "To be honest, we were a bit disappointed with the Samsung S8500 Wave II display."

                  Wtf is samsung s8500 wave II?
                  its s8530!

                    • m
                    • majid
                    • 0yw
                    • 30 Nov 2010

                    they want to advertise on nokia and belittle se.i hate them.

                      • R
                      • Raj
                      • qp4
                      • 30 Nov 2010

                      Shocked at the N8 I thought it would have been better, its all good though.

                      I love my SAmsung Wave, now I love it even more!

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • tDP
                        • 30 Nov 2010

                        nice shoot out.
                        that's what we need to know.

                        keep up the good work GSM Arena!


                        i hope this review will end those stupid fanboys comment wars.

                          • j
                          • jean
                          • sxv
                          • 30 Nov 2010

                          good job, gsmarena. good job.

                            • m
                            • mj
                            • s8d
                            • 30 Nov 2010

                            Nokia clear black display looks very good.. Cheers nokia..

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • pqG
                              • 30 Nov 2010

                              S, 30 Nov 2010How could you forget Sharp's IS03 in this display mega shoo... moreSharp IS03 is --

                              1) Strictly meant for Japanese market, with specific Japan features like oseifu keitai and 1-seg
                              2) Exclusive to and can only work on "au" carrier
                              3) Is a CDMA 1X WIN device

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • MCI
                                • 30 Nov 2010

                                Anonymous, 29 Nov 2010Your right the extra resolution doesn't matter at all but i... moreThat has to be the most pointless argument I've ever seen on this site.

                                Unless that is you'd care to name the phones that TODAY are blessed with this AMOLED2 screen with all those pixels..

                                It's like saying - your ferrari is crap because some day there's going to be a better car made....

                                Technology always improves - it's called progress & you wouldn't compare the top of the range phones today with top of the range phones of 3 years ago because everyone knows they're not as good anymore. The same will be true of all the top of the range phones today when the next crop comes out.

                                Unless of course you think that a samsung i900 omnia (once a flagship phone) is as good as a Galaxy S. Or an iphone 1 is as good as an iphone 4.

                                  • x
                                  • xis
                                  • KFP
                                  • 30 Nov 2010

                                  what about some useful practical properties like scratch-resistance, durability and longevity.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • pqG
                                    • 30 Nov 2010

                                    The XPERIA X10 is probably the best for actual use, with a 4-inch display in a compact form factor and a 16:9 aspect ratio. The iPhone 4 as a device isn't physically smaller but only has a 3.5-inch display, and the dated bezel reduces its aspect ratio to 3:2, which isn't suitable for DVD-quality or HD video viewing.

                                      • h
                                      • hahaha
                                      • w9D
                                      • 30 Nov 2010

                                      So the brilliant display of mid level smartphone nokia c6 01 outperforms every display of high end smartphone......... CLEAR BLACK DISPLAY RULES!!!!

                                        • M
                                        • MdN
                                        • Mtr
                                        • 30 Nov 2010

                                        Anonymous, 29 Nov 2010i think nokia wins simply because they make only phones ... moreActually I saw a Nokia computer monitor several years ago, and Wikipedia says that Nokia _used_ to make:

                                        * 6.1 Personal computers
                                        * 6.2 Computer displays
                                        * 6.3 Digital television
                                        * 6.4 ADSL modems
                                        * 6.5 WLAN products
                                        * 6.6 Military communications and equipment

                                        Nokia was also known for producing very high quality CRT and early TFT LCD Multigraph displays for PC and larger systems application. The Nokia Display Products' branded business was sold to ViewSonic in 2000.

                                        But yes, CBD is impressive.