Which is better? Of two, or more things, which one is better? That’s the ultimate question, isn’t it? That’s why we find time on the Internet to compare stats, screen sizes, thinness, software, and everything else in between. When we are in the market to buy something new, it’s all about the research. Well, unless you’re absolutely sure of what you want to buy, to the point where nothing else matters. If you’re like me, though, and plenty of other consumers out there, there are so many different ways to compare devices that it almost seems like we have to.
Everyone has an opinion about what it is better. It’s the way things go. But for hardware and software reviewers, there is something more expected to go beyond that. Reviewers are supposed to look at the fact sheet, compare it to something else, and come up with a clear winner. But, as anyone out there who has used something in their life, the information that we’re given on paper versus what we actually use in our hands can be completely different.
How many devices have you used in the past that sound perfect on paper, but seem to crumble under the pressure of actual daily use? Probably more than a few times, I would imagine.
But that doesn’t stop the opinions. Nor should it. We have opinions on what works best for us, and incidentally enough what we believe will work best for others, too. Fans of Samsung will tell everyone they should buy Samsung. Fans of iOS will preach that you shouldn’t use anything other than iOS. And then there are folks who have become fans of screen technology. That isn’t a surprising turn of events, as there are different titles to be had and differing results.
Do you remember the DROID Incredible by HTC? It launched on Verizon’s network a few years ago. To this day, it’s still one of my favorite Android-based devices to have been released. It’s funny to think that I had two versions of the device, but that’s how much I liked it. I’m referring to the device’s launch, when it hit store shelves with an AMOLED display. It’s one of the reasons I picked up the handset in the first place. It wasn’t too long after the launch that there was an AMOLED shortage, and the DROID Incredible was forced to switch to Super LCD.
There was a major wave that went through the wire after the news broke, and it didn’t die down even after there were comparisons between the two screen technologies showing that there was a difference, yes, but that it wasn’t huge or deal breaking. Or it shouldn’t have been, anyway.
AMOLED technology has gotten better since then, but so has screen technology in general. While that’s obvious in the stats sheet, I think the best way to compare is by looking at them. In truth, I think that’s the only way to truly compare which one you as the consumer prefers. It doesn’t matter about the HD, or Plus, or Super, or Retina, or anything else for that matter. That’s just marketing. It’s what these companies use to differentiate their products from the others out there.
It just comes down to what you see, and what you prefer to use on a device every single day.
Which is why I’m curious as to which you prefer. And why.
Personally, I’m on the fence. Actually, I seem to go through stages of which I prefer. The truth is, I will always lean more towards LCD, but that’s because of something that I think AMOLED doesn’t do very well: whites. It’s an odd thing to be looking at your phone, an embodiment of future technology, and relate it to a piece of ancient parchment. Taylor Martin knows what I’m talking about, and I know it’s one reason why he’s given up AMOLED displays as well.
AMOLED is great for color, because it makes it pop. Actually, one of the best things AMOLED displays do is black, because it’s not a color black, but because there’s nothing there. So blacks are fantastic. No argument there. But I deal with shades of white on my phone more than I do looking at a lack of color, so while that’s all well and good, it doesn’t count for much on a regular basis. Not in my case, anyway.
And that’s what it comes down to for you, too, Dear Reader. All the stat sheets don’t count for much if you just don’t prefer what you’re looking at. I know people who prefer AMOLED over LCD simply due to the fact that colors are more vibrant. But, I think I’m losing interest in AMOLED for that same reason. Using LCD displays, like the ones installed in the iPhone 4S or the One X, have turned me in their direction based off daily usage. I like realism, if that makes sense.
But, let’s hear from you, Dear Reader. Are you a fan of AMOLED more than you are of LCD? Or how about LCD more than AMOLED? And whichever you prefer, tell me why. Why do you think one is better than the other? Let me know.
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