Other Eye-strain while using iPhone X and up

[kargurin]

Taken at AT&T store, 50pct brightness. In order, Samsung Flip, Pro 15, Pro Max 15. Observations.... the Pro Max has a surprisingly high frequency...492 hz and modulation depth of 14pct at half brightness, the Pro, I don't know about this, it's really low and wonder if this is measurement error. I'll try tomorrow maybe. The Sammy has an ugly modulation chart and I hate looking at it.

 

[esaelias187]

Went to the apple store

The regular 15

And iPhone 15 pro

Both seemed fine initially

The problem starts when you buy them and take them home lol

 

[du57in]

Whilst checking the serial number I bought a brand new one from Argos - I checked the serial n production date was from 6th august 2023 they are still producing

I know I’m being the false hope guy, but this is why I am not abandoning hope for an XR/11-based SE. Apple is still actively manufacturing them. Updating the chip and charging an extra $100 would not be out of the norm for Apple.

 

[now i see it]

The problem starts when you buy them and take them home lol

actually the problem can start much sooner- - - with paranoia developing before even seeing a phone — from reading this thread! Ha

 

[5105973]

I know I’m being the false hope guy, but this is why I am not abandoning hope for an XR/11-based SE. Apple is still actively manufacturing them. Updating the chip and charging an extra $100 would not be out of the norm for Apple.

Sadly I’ve got a beautiful iPhone 11, lightly used. I won’t sell it though because it’s the last phone and the last way, period, that I heard my father’s voice. I keep it as an emergency backup.

And I have an SE3. I don’t know what’s going on but those LCD displays literally render me nearly blind. My vision goes white and shimmery at the sides and gradually it spreads to the center. To some extent my left eye is permanently slightly flickery at the periphery but I still can pass my vision tests and the doctor can find no structural damage. No, I’m definitely staying with OLED.

As for this 15 Pro Max, I’m definitely going to need the full return period to evaluate it. It’s better than 14 Pro Max so far.

I did try my husband’s phone for awhile and I think the feeling is about the same. I did turn off reduce white point as that was making my eyes ache. No headaches YET.

If it’s just going to remain a matter of eye strain I can handle that. I don’t regularly use my displays as much as I have this past week. Anyone would get eye strain over using the display like I did following the discussion thread I was on. lol fortunately that’s just a once a year thing!

 

[5105973]

actually the problem can start much sooner- - - with paranoia developing before even seeing a phone — from reading this thread! Ha

Oh I think we have been dealing with this through enough iPhone releases and with other devices enough now to know what to look for. If anything, I’ve let myself get stuck with an unsuitable display trying too hard to give it a benefit of a doubt. I trust the regular participants here especially to know their own bodies.

Where I am on thin ice is when I try to guess at the factors that play into my incompatibility with certain displays. It’s challenging to do that scientifically.

Through the years here we’ve tried considering neurodivergent traits, different eye conditions, other aspects of eye and brain health. But there’s no way of figuring out conclusive answers in this manner on this venue.

 

[Artvandelay1212]

No. I kind of convinced myself I would just deal with the 15PM no matter what, but now that I actually have to experience it I remember how bad it is and that it’s really not worth it.

Perhaps I should try the 15. I’ve read the recent posts saying the 15 is better than the pros, but after using this phone for 2 days I really would just like an LCD screen. I dunno…

Well the only new apple LCD screen is the SE. I'd get that if the screen was a bit bigger.

 

[ataq]

I had eye strain and pain after using the iPhone X back then, I tried it for a few days until I sold it.
I got the 15 Pro coming from the Xr, used it for 2-3 hours but couldn't stand the pain in the eyes and returned it.

 

[jm31828]

Taken at AT&T store, 50pct brightness. In order, Samsung Flip, Pro 15, Pro Max 15. Observations.... the Pro Max has a surprisingly high frequency...492 hz and modulation depth of 14pct at half brightness, the Pro, I don't know about this, it's really low and wonder if this is measurement error. I'll try tomorrow maybe. The Sammy has an ugly modulation chart and I hate looking at it.

Did you by chance get to measure the regular 15 as well?

 

[kargurin]

I did not. I’ll try to get that the next time in a day or two. I have the Razr plus now but I may spend time with the Pro Max in store and return the Moto if I feel confident in the Max. I also need go to a different store to get a new sample of the regular pro because those numbers are whacked. I did take multiple measures of each phone today though.

 

[jm31828]

I did not. I’ll try to get that the next time in a day or two. I have the Razr plus now but I may spend time with the Pro Max in store and return the Moto if I feel confident in the Max. I also need go to a different store to get a new sample of the regular pro because those numbers are whacked. I did take multiple measures of each phone today though.

It's interesting that the 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max are looking different here- I thought they were the same in every way display-wise. This really adds to how complicated all of this is! (same with 15 vs 15 Plus)

To anyone reading this- were the 14 and 14 Plus quite a bit different as well, or were those essentially the same?

 

[siksik6]

@ a busy store with my Opple tool to follow up on my table above.
1. All 15 series run at a 480Hz frequency. iPhone 14 as well. iPhone 13 shows a 100 Hz frequency (bad).
2. In line with pwm away last tests, a quick test of the 15 and 15+ shows modulations about half of the 15P and 15PM, so the non-Pro should be better in theory, I don't have one at home.

My eyes seem quite ok with the 15PM for now, a full week will be necessary to be sure.

Fwiw I just did a test with the Opple Lightmaster and seems to get lower modulation at 25% reduce white point than any other level (including not using it at all).

 

[jm31828]

The 14 and 14 Plus were seen as being pretty solid last year, more eye friendly than past models. What was everyone's experience with those- did some of you find these two to actually be fairly usable?

I have a 13 Mini that seems OK, maybe sometimes bothers me (in lower light), and I never got a chance to test out a 14 or 14 Plus, and now of course am interested in the 15 due to the data here.

 

[MarkNewton2023]

So far, I have not had any eye strain issues on all iPhones after iPhone 11.

 

[Populus]

Guys… do you think astigmatism can have something to do with this? When I added the astigmatism to my glasses, the eye-strain I felt when changing glasses is pretty similar to the eye-strain of the bad OLED displays. And I thought, maybe our eyes are trying constantly to accommodate to this pulses, hence the strain. I mean, I’m not saying astigmatism is the culprit, but the sensations I’m having when testing new astigmatism prescriptions is pretty similar.

 

[kargurin]

Fwiw I just did a test with the Opple Lightmaster and seems to get lower modulation at 25% reduce white point than any other level (including not using it at all).

For those using the Opple, are you getting different results with different screen images. Whitish vs more neutral screens are giving me significantly different results. Unfortunately I don’t have instructions on how to use this. Only that it should be used within 5 cm from the surface.

 

[esaelias187]

Guys… do you think astigmatism can have something to do with this? When I added the astigmatism to my glasses, the eye-strain I felt when changing glasses is pretty similar to the eye-strain of the bad OLED displays. And I thought, maybe our eyes are trying constantly to accommodate to this pulses, hence the strain. I mean, I’m not saying astigmatism is the culprit, but the sensations I’m having when testing new astigmatism prescriptions is pretty similar.

It defo does

 

[ToddH]

No one should be using an iPhone X anymore. If you are, it’s way past time to upgrade.

 

[Abiyork]

No one should be using an iPhone X anymore. If you are, it’s way past time to upgrade.

You really don’t understand the point of this thread do you Todd?

If you nothing meaningful to contribute then you don’t need to comment at all.

 

[john g.]

To anyone reading this- were the 14 and 14 Plus quite a bit different as well, or were those essentially the same?

14 works for me. I have been using it since last March. The pro models did not do well for me. The 13 series also did not work for me.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Can someone guide me how to add “reduce white point” to the action button? When I change the action button to shortcuts and search for reduce white point it’s not there. Do I have to create a shortcut first before adding it? How do you create shortcuts?

I’ve added it as an accessibility shortcut to the triple click of the power button but that just turns it on and off. I’d like to have an easy way to adjust it as needed throughout the day.

Settings - Action Button - Accessibility - Reduce White Point.

You don’t have to create an Accessibility shortcut to program Reduce White Point to the Action Button.

 

[Howyalikdemapls]

Settings - Action Button - Accessibility - Reduce White Point.

You don’t have to create an Accessibility shortcut to program Reduce White Point to the Action Button.

Ah, thank you very much.

I was hoping it would somehow bring up the slider but perhaps I will still keep it using this.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Ah, thank you very much.

I was hoping it would somehow bring up the slider but perhaps I will still keep it using this.

No slider, but it’s very slick and quick at the least.

I’ve been finding Reduce White Point not to have a great effect at lower brightness levels, but 100% brightness with Reduce White Point at 80% is almost PWM symptom-free.

My issue so far is that this iPhone can be surprisingly usable, but the level where I find the PWM to be tolerable is eye-wateringly bright: still using 30% brightness now without Reduce White Point. I need to figure out the minimum where the PWM isn’t as noticeable and where the display can still be adequately dim. I suppose that’s the point of PWM. A full analysis like when Notebookcheck says iPhone blah blah blah enters a DC dimming mode between 25%-50% brightness would be useful.

 

[MICHAELSD]

Honestly when using the auto-brightness the display just isn’t super comfortable and any comfortable brightnesses I’ve tested in dark settings are overly bright, and not solvable by using Reduce White Point…

 

[MICHAELSD]

Can I still see flickering text at 17% brightness? Yes.