AMOLED Vs LCD: Differences And Which Is Better For You

If you’re looking to buy a new phone, chances are that the display is either an LCD or an AMOLED panel. But what is the difference, and which one should you choose? Well, to answer that, you have to understand a few things. In this AMOLED vs LCD comparison, we will look at both types of display panels and discuss the difference between them, their advantages and disadvantages, and which is the best choice for you according to your needs. So, let’s not beat around the bush and get straight to the business. 

What Is AMOLED?

The first thing to learn in this AMOLED vs LCD comparison is what an AMOLED display is, how it works, etc. AMOLED stands for Active-Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode. Every LED in AMOLED is an individual and has an organic material inside it, which enables it to emit light. Another important thing with AMOLED is that, unlike other display panels that need a backlight to display content, AMOLED doesn’t need any backlight, making the display thinner and more energy efficient. Because each and every LED can light up individually and doesn’t require a backlight, the dynamic range of these display panels is unparalleled. The colours are vibrant, and the blacks are extremely black because there is no backlight. 

What Is LCD?

The next thing to discuss in this AMOLED vs. LCD comparison is what an LCD display is, how it works, etc. LCD stands for liquid crystal display and is the world’s most common type of screen. Due to their relative affordability, it is mainly used in TVs and budget phones. Now, let’s talk about how it works. Well, imagine a sandwich wherein the bottom bread is a glass, the top bread is a polariser and in the middle is a Liquid crystal. The screen sends a white backlight that passes through all the layers and produces an image. The next part of this AMOLED vs LCD comparison is the pros and cons of both screens.

AMOLED Vs LCD Compariosn: Pros & Cons

We have reached the main section of this AMOLED vs. LCD comparison. So, let’s get right into it and start discussing the pros and cons of both display types. 

AMOLED Display

Pros: 

1. Vibrant Colours: One of the main things to discuss in this AMOLED vs LCD comparison is colour production. AMOLED screens always deliver vibrant colours, deeper blacks, and a high dynamic range. So, if you want to use a screen for photography or cinematography, you might want to choose an AMOLED display. Moreover, this is the reason why the best phones in the world, like Nord CE 4 and the Nothing Phone 2a, use AMOLED screens. 
2. Fast Response Time: AMOLED displays generally have a faster response time, which results in smooth motions and less motion blur. This is why some of the fastest displays in the world are AMOLED displays. Moreover, their responsiveness makes them the perfect choice for gaming devices. The Asus ROG Phone 8 is one of the best gaming phones ever, and it uses an AMOLED screen. 
3. Battery Life And Efficiency: As mentioned above, when there is a black part in the screen, the LEDs in AMOLED turn off to show the black colour. This is why AMOLED displays are more efficient; whenever they show black, they are not being used at the time, resulting in increased efficiency. 

Cons:

1. Price: The first of the cons to discuss in this AMOLED vs LCD comparison is the price of AMOLED displays. They are generally more expensive to produce than LCD, so AMOLED display sells at higher prices. 
2. Burn-In Risk: Due to the fact that every individual LED lights up on an AMOLED screen, there is a high risk of LEDs burning up. 
3. Viewing Angle: Although the difference is not much, if you see an AMOLED screen from an angle, the screen will likely appear dark, and the colour combination will not be right. 

LCD Display

Pros:

1. More Affordable: One of the main differences between AMOLED VS LCD is that LCDs are relatively more affordable than AMOLED. This makes them an excellent choice for budget phones and other low-priced electronics. 
2. Wide Viewing Angle: Most high-end LCD screens offer a wide viewing angle, and the colours appear accurate and consistent, regardless of the viewing angle. The colours will appear the same from the front and the side. 
3. Brightness: One of the benefits of having an LCD screen is its brightness, allowing users to use their devices in broad daylight. This is because of the backlight that LCD displays have. 

Cons:

1. Colour And Contrast: One of the biggest caveats of LCD displays is the inconsistency of colours. Moreover, the colours are not as vibrant as AMOLED, and the blacks are not as deep as AMOLED. At times, the blacks appear more grey than black. This is one of the biggest differences we wanted to highlight in this AMOLED vs LCD comparison.
2. Refresh Rate: Although LCD displays have been around for many years, their refresh rate is still not up to par with the latest technologies like OLED and AMOLED. This makes LCDs feel sluggish, which can severely affect gaming performance. 
3. Thickness And Energy Consumption: Due to the fact that LCD screens have a backlight, they tend to be chunkier than AMOLED displays. Moreover, they are also much more power-hungry as the backlight is on for most of the time. 

Which One Should You Buy?

So, to conclude our AMOLED vs LCD comparison, we must select a winner. However, it’s not that simple. Both of these displays use different technologies and have different strengths. This is why choosing a winner is not very easy. However, if we talk about the best technology that delivers the best colours, contrast, and dynamic range, there is a replacement for AMOLED. On the other hand, if we talk about the best value-for-money technology, LCD takes the nod. So, the winner of our AMOLED vs LCD comparison depends on you and your requirements. We have given you everything you need to decide for yourself. We hope you liked our blog. For more tech-related content, stay tuned to Tech To Review.