When choosing a mobile phone, its multimedia section is very important. And it is that you have to know how to choose between an AMOLED or IPS screen. But which imaging technology is better? We are going to reveal the secrets of AMOLED and IPS screens so that you can know their main differences, advantages and disadvantages and which option is better.
We have already explained some basic tricks, such as how to install your digital certificate on Android. And now you are going to know the differences between an AMOLED or IPS screen so you know which technology best suits your needs.
What is AMOLED
Let's start by talking about AMOLED. For a start, is an acronym that stands for «Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diodes». In Spanish, it would translate as "Active Matrix Light-Emitting Organic Diodes."
Come on, it is a small OLED screen and it is mainly manufactured by Samsung. You may wonder why the manufacturer makes AMOLED screens, but does not produce OLED panels for Smart TVs. Well, because of patents: LG until very recently had the Kodak patent for the manufacture of WOLED panels, and Samsung uses a different procedure that can be applied to small screens, such as those of a smartphone, but not on televisions. And that is why the Korean firm did not have an OLED television in its catalog until 2022.
In this way, Samsung is one of the leading companies in the manufacture of AMOLED screens, which are used in several of its products, especially in its Galaxy series mobile phones. Although more and more brands are betting on Samsung solutions for their great quality.
The operation of this type of panels is very particular. Mainly because each panel has millions of pixels that light up independently. This translates into pure blacks (pixels don't light up), as well as more natural colors.
Here we want to emphasize a section: the myth that AMOLED screens saturate the color too much. This is not true, as it depends on how the manufacturer sets up the colorimetry. For example, Samsung is committed to more vivid and "squeaky" tones, something that millions of users love, but puts others back. But Xiaomi doesn't and uses AMOLED panels from Samsung. So, forget about "unnatural colors" in AMOLED, as it is completely false.
So, in general, this technology is better than LCD, which is why mobile phones with this type of screen are more expensive. So for now If you have to choose between an AMOLED or IPS screen, better bet on AMOLED.
What is IPS?
IPS stands for "In-Plane Switching", which, in turn, is a type of LCD screen ("Liquid Crystal Display", or "Liquid Crystal Display" in Spanish). LCD screens work by using a backlight that illuminates an array of liquid crystals. These crystals can adjust the amount of light they let through to create different colors and levels of brightness.
As you can see, A difference between an AMOLED or IPS screen is that AMOLEDs have self-luminous pixels, while IPS screens rely on a backlight system (the backlight). Compared to AMOLED screens, LCD screens are usually cheaper to produce and have a longer lifespan (on paper). They're also less prone to screen burn-in (again, on paper).
Why have we said on paper? Well, very simple: It is very difficult for an AMOLED screen to degrade or suffer visual aberrations due to burned pixels. If you spend 24 hours a day with an image fixed for years, yes, it will burn and the pixels will remain marked for life. But we are talking about excessive and unrealistic uses.
Going back to IPS screens, the problem they have is that, due to their technology, they cannot produce blacks as deep as AMOLED screens, as the backlight is always on to some degree even when trying to display black color. Also, they tend to consume more power, since the backlight is always on when the screen is active. Hence, phones with AMOLED screens usually offer better autonomy than a traditional IPS screen.
AMOLED or IPS screen: advantages and disadvantages
IPS screens have some advantages over AMOLED. For example, they offer better viewing angles by maintaining color integrity and contrast from virtually any viewing angle.
Instead, AMOLED screens often show changes in color and brightness as the viewing angle is changed. Another important detail is that IPS screens are usually cheaper to manufacture than AMOLED screens. So a phone with an LCD screen is much cheaper than an AMOLED model.
But when we start to see the advantages of an AMOLED screen (Active-Matrix Organic Light-Emitting Diodes), compared to an IPS (In-Plane Switching), the differences are remarkable.
We will start by talking about the exquisite colorimetry of AMOLED panels, standing out especially for its pure blacks. Since each pixel on an AMOLED display can be turned on or off individually, when a pixel is off, it's completely black. Add infinite contrast to have a technically superior panel.
Furthermore, AMOLED displays consume less power than IPS displays, especially when displaying images with black areas, since the pixels displaying black are effectively turned off and do not consume power.
Taking into account its faster response times, making animations and movements on the screen look more fluid, along with the aforementioned, it is clear that an AMOLED screen is better than an IPS one.
AMOLED or IPS screen: which one to choose?
It has become clear that AMOLED panels are better than IPS, so if you can afford it, bet on a phone with this screen technology. In the event that you have a tighter budget, calm down because a phone with an IPS screen will also not disappoint you at all.