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Brightness ratings and contrast ratio make for lovely tech spec reading when you’re shopping for a new device. But neither tells you how usable a display will actually be in everyday ambient light situations. So DisplayMate put some of the more popular options to the test.
Surprisingly, neither the Apple iPhone 4 nor the iPad 2 took top honours in their respective categories. The Windows Phone Lumia 900 was actually found to be the best performer under bright ambient light, while the iPhone 4 and Samsung Galaxy S tied for second place.
Which is surprising since the 900 actually uses an AMOLED display which in the past have performed terribly under bright conditions. But Nokia’s ClearBlack Display technology, which adds a pair of polarising filters to the mix, has obviously solved that issue.
Overall tablet displays in general were found to perform well below most smartphones, with the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 taking top honours, followed by the iPad 2. And oddly enough, while the new iPad was found to have a better display than the iPad 2, it wasn’t included in DisplayMate’s testing. So whether or not it was also better than the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 isn’t known. What is for certain, though, is that if you plan on using a mobile device outdoors a lot, you’ll want to reach for your smartphone instead of your tablet. Or, maybe just pack a Kindle. [DisplayMate]
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I case anyone’s interested, here is a Nokia post talking about their Clear Black display:
http://conversations.nokia.com/2012/02/02/clear-black-and-super-bright/
On another note, I’ve also noticed that my Lumia 800 doesn’t suffer from the polarising “blackness” that almost all LCDs do when you’re wearing polarising sunglasses (if you tilt you head to the side in relation to the screen you’re looking at then it will go black and you won’t be able to see what’s on it).
How old is this test..? iPhone 4 and iPad 2?
Lumia 900?
Thats not so old. Or are you just upset Apple didn’t win?
No, please don’t be an arse without considering the point.
Did it test the 4 or the 4S… there is a different display on them… surely the most up to date handset (For all manufacturers, not just Apple) should be tested? Or, failing that, all handsets that they can lay their hands on, but make it clear that they’ve only tested a subset, and state the reasons for that.
Yes, I’m sure adding Siri gave the 4S a much better display..
Okay, fair one; I thought the 4S was when the retina display came in (Not the 4… I don’t have an iphone).
Still, both you and Userage are being cocks.
http://cbskmle.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/rooster385x240.jpg
/sigh. Fuck off dickhead.
Haha chill out dude
I re read it, i’ll be honest, i did skim read first time, and I hold my hands up to that! Nah, I’m an android fanboy to be quite honest..
But there was no need to be a wanker then was there? keyboard warrior much?
My Vita is about as good as a mirror.
horrendous in light.
This includes generation-old displays other than the Lumia 900…