Seriously, so why keep torturing yourselves over and over?
There are alternatives, not an IPhone but still!
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Seriously, so why keep torturing yourselves over and over?
There are alternatives, not an IPhone but still!
I use my iPhone 16 pro Max a lot ( 8 hrs average screen time ) and I’ve started suffer from eye strain…. Tearing eyes mild ghost images that fluctuate on blinking - been to various doctors too full eye examination… almost guys see the image below if I look at it for a few seconds and look away I get an image on the wall for a flash of a second but reverse ( as in a white text ) of the word show….
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My iphone 11 on IOS 16 is still great. I cant update OS as it triggered something.
Had two battery replacements over the years.
The only time its game over is if apps I use stop being used on IOS16, such as banking apps, paypal, instagram/facebook all what I use to run my business.
Had two battery replacements over the years.
The only time its game over is if apps I use stop being used on IOS16, such as banking apps, paypal, instagram/facebook all what I use to run my business.
My iPhone 11 (fresh battery, iOS 18.4.1) still gets the job done — but it’s obvious when you pick up a newer model: higher ppi, faster speeds, more apps staying in memory without reloads.
I pretty much live off my phone at this point, and I can’t afford to risk it just dying one day. Upgrading isn’t about "wanting" something shiny — it’s about keeping up with real-world needs.
Apple’s still the best fit for me: solid reliability, proper security, and actual in-person support if something goes wrong. I’ve held out since the iPhone X days, settling for the 11, but let’s be real — LCD iPhones are done, and it’s time to move forward.
I looked at alternatives. Honestly? Nothing convincing. Stuff like the Moto G75 might seem okay at a glance, but it’s a downgrade: slower (old mid range CPU), plastic builds, weaker security, and missing features I rely on, like easy backups and my old Grandfathered free 1Password plan. Even Android’s “good” LCD phones are disappearing. It’s either embrace OLED or accept an overall worse experience.
And that’s where the real problem is: while Apple remains the ideal choice for reliability, security, and ecosystem integration, sticking with them is becoming impossible for me. I can’t use OLED screens — and with Apple fully committed to OLED across all new iPhones, they simply don't offer a device I can actually use anymore. Despite the years of trust I’ve built with Apple, their shift away from LCD leaves me with no path forward.
This is also why I’ve held back from buying an iPad or a MacBook. Without a usable iPhone, it doesn’t make sense to invest deeper into the Apple ecosystem. The iPhone is the core device that ties everything together — my passwords, my settings, my data, my communication.
If I can't get a phone I can actually use, why would I double down on devices that depend on it? It would just trap me even further in an ecosystem that no longer supports my most basic need: a phone with a screen I can safely use. Until that’s solved, adding more Apple hardware only makes my situation worse, not better.
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Your not alone, the 15PM and 16PM gave me flashing vision when bright light was introduced: opening my blackout blinds in the morning. It's because our eyes are stained and our brains are trying to deal with the flashing light and imagery we've been staring at for hours.
Depending on your age, it could just be age related (not the phone). As we get older (especially after 50), close up things become hard to focus on and trying to do so strains the eye muscles, causing burning and blurring. Simple readers from the Dollar store will fix this up.
I'm back on my iPhone 11 so I can't test on OLED. I'm not saying I get the exact same issue as you, as we all have unique reactions to PWM and dithering - but if you've had your eye health checked, you can be certain it is the iPhone screen causing you issues.
I'm not noticing any adverse flickering on my 15 inch MacBook Air. There's a brief flicker when I open the screen on the password text but no persistent flicker and the screen seems comfortable. Then again I'm able to use a 14 and a 16e without issue. Though plenty of other iPhones have given me issues, I can't even look at my wife's iPhone 15 for example.
This is the post that's alerted me, now doing some digging. the_top_g has said its software level PWM. What the hell Apple!
www.reddit.com
Also discussed on ledstrain.org
ledstrain.org
"That's the dark tone flicker. There's no known way of disabling it on the MBA. It occurs on all the M2 and up MBAs. Notice it goes away on pure whites and is most visible on mid greys and darker greys.
It does go away on pure white... it's low frequency flicker to improve the display's rendering of dark tones. This is why it doesn't show up on some PWM tests (they use a white screen).
It's a hardware feature but not the same feature that Stillcolor disables. If it really bothers you and you want a small laptop, the Touchbar M1 and M2 don't have this."
"That's the dark tone flicker. There's no known way of disabling it on the MBA. It occurs on all the M2 and up MBAs. Notice it goes away on pure whites and is most visible on mid greys and darker greys.
It does go away on pure white... it's low frequency flicker to improve the display's rendering of dark tones. This is why it doesn't show up on some PWM tests (they use a white screen).
It's a hardware feature but not the same feature that Stillcolor disables. If it really bothers you and you want a small laptop, the Touchbar M1 and M2 don't have this."
From the PWM_Sensitive community on Reddit: New M4 MacBook Air Flickering
Explore this post and more from the PWM_Sensitive community
www.reddit.com
Also discussed on ledstrain.org
Flickering on MacBook Air M4
Well, here we go again. My 13” MacBook Air M4 16 GB RAM/512 SSD just arrived. So far it is less awful than the other Macs I have tried in that I don’t feel l...
ledstrain.org
"That's the dark tone flicker. There's no known way of disabling it on the MBA. It occurs on all the M2 and up MBAs. Notice it goes away on pure whites and is most visible on mid greys and darker greys.
It does go away on pure white... it's low frequency flicker to improve the display's rendering of dark tones. This is why it doesn't show up on some PWM tests (they use a white screen).
It's a hardware feature but not the same feature that Stillcolor disables. If it really bothers you and you want a small laptop, the Touchbar M1 and M2 don't have this."
"That's the dark tone flicker. There's no known way of disabling it on the MBA. It occurs on all the M2 and up MBAs. Notice it goes away on pure whites and is most visible on mid greys and darker greys.
It does go away on pure white... it's low frequency flicker to improve the display's rendering of dark tones. This is why it doesn't show up on some PWM tests (they use a white screen).
It's a hardware feature but not the same feature that Stillcolor disables. If it really bothers you and you want a small laptop, the Touchbar M1 and M2 don't have this."
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No issues for me. Recently go the M4 base model. Great screen. Feels comfortable.
I use light mode mainly, however; never liked dark mode. Uncertain if that makes a difference.
Although, when testing flicker % on OLED phones, I notice that dark mode almost always has a higher % than light mode.
Google is investigating PWM…..
www.androidcentral.com
I've been begging Google to change Pixel displays for years, and it might finally happen
Google's Pixel 9 series sports some of the best displays on the market but lag behind in one key area the Pixel 10 could fix.
www.androidcentral.com
There's always hope.....Google is investigating PWM…..
I've been begging Google to change Pixel displays for years, and it might finally happen
Google's Pixel 9 series sports some of the best displays on the market but lag behind in one key area the Pixel 10 could fix.
I still think we need Samsung and LG to give a crap about this, being the biggest screen manufacturers.
I will happily buy a flagship phone from the first big brand manufacturer that tackles PWM and dithering in a real way. Displays should not flicker!
Thats the thing, its not just phones we dont buy its the full ecosystem.
I own an MBP, Ipad, watch and phone.
After not being able to update my watch anymore to pair with my old IOS16 on my iphone 11 I switched to a garmin watch and tbh its an amazing bit of kit.
My MBP and Ipad needs replacing in the next year and for the first time in many years I will be shopping the market rather than just the Apple Store.
One positive is I have saved thousands of pounds, I love new gear and splurge quite often on new tech.
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This is the post that's alerted me, now doing some digging. the_top_g has said its software level PWM. What the hell Apple!
From the PWM_Sensitive community on Reddit: New M4 MacBook Air Flickering
Explore this post and more from the PWM_Sensitive community
Also discussed on ledstrain.org
Flickering on MacBook Air M4
Well, here we go again. My 13” MacBook Air M4 16 GB RAM/512 SSD just arrived. So far it is less awful than the other Macs I have tried in that I don’t feel l...
"That's the dark tone flicker. There's no known way of disabling it on the MBA. It occurs on all the M2 and up MBAs. Notice it goes away on pure whites and is most visible on mid greys and darker greys.
It does go away on pure white... it's low frequency flicker to improve the display's rendering of dark tones. This is why it doesn't show up on some PWM tests (they use a white screen).
It's a hardware feature but not the same feature that Stillcolor disables. If it really bothers you and you want a small laptop, the Touchbar M1 and M2 don't have this."
"That's the dark tone flicker. There's no known way of disabling it on the MBA. It occurs on all the M2 and up MBAs. Notice it goes away on pure whites and is most visible on mid greys and darker greys.
It does go away on pure white... it's low frequency flicker to improve the display's rendering of dark tones. This is why it doesn't show up on some PWM tests (they use a white screen).
It's a hardware feature but not the same feature that Stillcolor disables. If it really bothers you and you want a small laptop, the Touchbar M1 and M2 don't have this."
This was my post on Reddit and LEDstrain. I thought maybe I had a bad panel and someone else said they had the same issue on the 13” Sky Blue M4 as did his friend. He thought maybe because it said “Assembled in Vietnam” that may have been part of it. He returned it and picked up an M3 15” on sale at Costco, and says it’s fine now. Had the same symptoms as me.
So I exchanged the 13” for a 15” M4 in Midnight “Assembled in China.” I barely made it past setup before it triggered what according to my neurologist, was a focal aware seizure - or the start of one. For context I do have health issues, but I am not a diagnosed epileptic. Never in my life have I used a computer or phone and had tingling nerve pain on my face, blurred vision, tachycardia, sweating, myoclonic spasms, and brain fog within 5 minutes of looking at it. Not even the 13” did this.
The others who detected this on the MBA’s going back to the M2 believe it’s only on gray. I’m not so sure. I think it’s most intense on gray because it’s the most difficult for a lot of these displays to produce. I also detected it on my iMac 2019 21.5” 4K Retina and a family member’s 2015 MBP 15”, with the latter being the least awful, probably due to inherently only being able to display millions of colors. Another user also detected it on a 2015 15” MBP, so this technique is not new.
I would like to get empirical evidence as to the frequency and modulation depth of this flicker.
Dark mode will trigger it more often.
The jury is still out because unfortunately I do not have the tools to measure this flicker, and I returned the device. But I am still pursuing other Macs so I’m sure I’ll have an opportunity to test one again.
My working theory as a layman who has basically spent the past month and a half going down this rabbit hole and learning?
Dither is difficult to capture on slow motion camera without a microscope, unless it is FRC and designed to interact with the refresh rate. It’s possible that this could be why it’s visible - and also why it triggered a seizure - because anything under 100Hz is a risk if you have the propensity for them. In theory this could hit as low as 30Hz, or be cycling at 60Hz. I don’t know.
The other theory, given how visible the strobing is on camera, is that it’s actually a form of PWM to save GPU power. Doesn’t explain why my iMac had it, but it’s also possible it’s a combination of things that get engaged on certain colors.
I do believe this is a fairly low frequency flicker because I’ve only ever felt these symptoms on these M-series Macs when I’ve been in stores that have really bad fluorescent or LED lighting that is dimmed.
For context, I have used Macs since 2011 and I just turned 32 so I am pretty young. My issues started after a COVID infection, so there a clear neurological component. It’s probably why I had a severe reaction.
That being said, there needs to be an Accessibility setting to turn this stuff off. I don’t know what Apple is doing, but this level of flickering and strobing is dangerous. And I’m not the only one who has been affected by this. This is unsafe, in my opinion. And I don’t say this for attention or to cause drama but out of concern. I spent $30,000 on Apple devices for my business in 2018. The Intel devices don’t cause symptoms like this, and it seems to be getting worse with each iteration.
Also as an aside, I use an iPhone 13 on iOS 15 and it is completely fine. And that has PWM. But I have seen other iPhone 13s with newer versions of iOS and they are painful to use. Given people’s experiences with iOS 16+ on the iPhone SE being unusable, I do think dithering is the cause, as those phones have no PWM.
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After updating to iOS 18.4.1 and replacing the battery in my iPhone 11, I’ve noticed it randomly overheating—especially around the processor area. The screen dims, and performance slows to a crawl. It often happens shortly after taking it out of my pocket. I usually close all apps and do a hard reboot, which helps temporarily.
It’s been quite warm here in the UK recently, so I initially thought it might be the ambient and body temperature causing the issue.
I’ve also noticed the speakers don’t sound as loud as they used to.
Today, I spotted the dreaded curved black line in the top left corner of the screen. The phone has never been dropped or knocked, so this is quite concerning.
Altogether, it feels like early signs of the phone failing. My old iPhone 7 Plus showed similar symptoms before it gave up. It’s starting to feel like replacing the phone has become urgent.
Not my photo but illustrates the screen line. I dont see it on white, but do on greys and colours.
So now I'm looking for iPhones I haven't tried. This is from chatgpt when I asked it for the OLED iPhone with the most stable/least aggressive modulation depth across brightness levels - from 12 series upto 16 series - 4.5.25:
"If you’re extremely sensitive to low-brightness flicker or frequently use your phone in dim conditions, the iPhone 15 Plus is the better choice. Its consistent, low-amplitude PWM across the entire brightness range makes it one of the most eye-friendly OLED iPhones ever tested.
If you typically use your phone at medium to high brightness and want a slightly more compact device with a very high PWM frequency, the iPhone 13 remains an outstanding option – especially for those who already know they tolerate it well.
Verdict:
Best overall eye comfort across all brightness: iPhone 15 Plus
Best at mid/high brightness & smaller size: iPhone 13"
When the iPhone 13 launched, I tried it for a week and it seemed fine—except it gave me a strange queasy, seasick feeling deep in my stomach, which oddly made me burp at random. So a refurbished 13 is still an option, though not ideal.
I’d prefer something newer, and I’m a bit surprised to see the 15 Plus being recommended. I found the 16 Plus to be terrible almost straight away. So I asked chatgpt to compare:
"Analysis
It’s been quite warm here in the UK recently, so I initially thought it might be the ambient and body temperature causing the issue.
I’ve also noticed the speakers don’t sound as loud as they used to.
Today, I spotted the dreaded curved black line in the top left corner of the screen. The phone has never been dropped or knocked, so this is quite concerning.
Altogether, it feels like early signs of the phone failing. My old iPhone 7 Plus showed similar symptoms before it gave up. It’s starting to feel like replacing the phone has become urgent.
Not my photo but illustrates the screen line. I dont see it on white, but do on greys and colours.
So now I'm looking for iPhones I haven't tried. This is from chatgpt when I asked it for the OLED iPhone with the most stable/least aggressive modulation depth across brightness levels - from 12 series upto 16 series - 4.5.25:
"If you’re extremely sensitive to low-brightness flicker or frequently use your phone in dim conditions, the iPhone 15 Plus is the better choice. Its consistent, low-amplitude PWM across the entire brightness range makes it one of the most eye-friendly OLED iPhones ever tested.
If you typically use your phone at medium to high brightness and want a slightly more compact device with a very high PWM frequency, the iPhone 13 remains an outstanding option – especially for those who already know they tolerate it well.
Verdict:
Best overall eye comfort across all brightness: iPhone 15 Plus
Best at mid/high brightness & smaller size: iPhone 13"
When the iPhone 13 launched, I tried it for a week and it seemed fine—except it gave me a strange queasy, seasick feeling deep in my stomach, which oddly made me burp at random. So a refurbished 13 is still an option, though not ideal.
I’d prefer something newer, and I’m a bit surprised to see the 15 Plus being recommended. I found the 16 Plus to be terrible almost straight away. So I asked chatgpt to compare:
"Analysis
- iPhone 15 Plus: With a higher PWM frequency (~480 Hz) and low modulation depth, the iPhone 15 Plus offers a more stable and comfortable viewing experience for PWM-sensitive users. The higher frequency reduces the likelihood of perceivable flicker, and the low modulation depth minimizes brightness fluctuations.
- iPhone 16 Plus: Despite a similar modulation depth, the lower PWM frequency (~256 Hz) may result in more noticeable flicker for sensitive individuals. Some users have reported eye strain when using this model, possibly due to the lower frequency and different dimming implementation."
| Feature | iPhone 15 Plus | iPhone 16 Plus |
| PWM Frequency | ~480 Hz | ~256 Hz |
| Modulation Depth | Low (2.67%–12.77%) | Approximately 7% |
| Flicker Stability | High across all brightness levels | Moderate; some users report discomfort |
| User Feedback | Generally positive for PWM-sensitive users | Mixed; some users experience eye strain |
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My iphone 11 since the last update it gives me occasionally unresponsive touch register....
Hi guys!
I’m hoping to crowdsource some testing. Several users have been helpful in testing their own MacBooks and iPads for the infamous “gray color flicker” that we have seen on MacBooks and iMacs going back to the Intel days. If you’re unaware of what this flickering on gray colors looks like, please check out this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/PWM_Sensitive/s/5a2m4pnXOl
What is the “gray color flicker?”
Well, none of us knows for sure. What we do know is that it occurs on dark colors - particularly the color gray - and is likely one of the causes of eye strain and neurological symptoms when using Apple IPS LCD devices.
There are a lot of theories, but right now the leading one is that this is a FRC applied on the hardware level of Macs (possibly by the TCON, or Timing Controller) to display the P3 Wide Color gamut AKA “billions of colors.” In other words, it is used to make an 8-bit native display produce colors normally only capable on a 10-bit display.
The reason this particular flicker seems to be FRC (Frame Rate Control) is because it occurs even in Safe Mode, when other forms of software dithering is disabled and also while programs like Stillcolor and BetterDisplay are running and disabling the GPU dithering.
The fact that it is also visible on slow motion video indicates it is likely occurring at a fairly low frequency, which would be in line with most implementations of FRC which is usually half the refresh rate. Since most of these Apple devices have a refresh rate of 60Hz, it makes sense we would be able to observe this without additional equipment. PWM is also a possibility as some sort of strange energy/battery saving mechanism for the GPU, but I’m starting to think this is unlikely because it is present on iPads, MacBooks, and iMacs of varying configurations and chipsets (Intel, A, and M series).
How to test for the gray color flicker
1. Take your device to a room where there is no light of any kind (close the curtains, etc.)
2. Find a dark gray image and bring it up on your device full screen (the dark gray wallpaper will suffice, or any image you can find on Google)
3. Make sure there is no other light source - either natural or artificial - in the room except that or your device (this is so we don’t get false positives from other lighting that is flickering)
4. Open your iPhone or smartphone camera app and select the slow motion camera option (240 fps)
5. Record 10-30 seconds or until you see a flickering or strobing like in the post I linked above
6. Repeat at different brightness levels
If you’d like to upload the video, you are more than welcome to (Imgur or Streamable are easy options) and post it in the comments here. You can also just report your findings without uploading a video.
Please include the following in your comment:
Device name, color, model, and configuration (i.e. MacBook Air M4 13” 16 GB/512 GB, made in Vietnam)
Operating system version (MacOS, iOS, iPad OS)
Results
Video link (optional)
I will update this post with results as we receive them. If you see someone else already tested your device, please test yours anyway. It’s possible different screen manufacturers and configurations may or may not have different results. The larger our sample size the more confident we can be about what devices might be usable.
My hope in conducting this experiment is we may be able to determine whether this gray color flicker is the reason many of us cannot use IPS LCD Macs, iPads, and iPhones despite many being PWM free.
Thank you!
List of Devices with the Gray Color Flicker
Macs
2015 MacBook Pro Retina 15” Intel
2019 iMac 4K Retina 21.5” Intel AMD Radeon 560X
2022 MacBook Air M2 13”
2023 MacBook Air M2 15”
2025 MacBook Air M4 13” Sky Blue 16/512 (Vietnam)
2025 MacBook Air M4 15” Midnight 16/256 (China)
iPads
iPad Air 4
iPad Mini 7
iPad Air M2 11”
I’m hoping to crowdsource some testing. Several users have been helpful in testing their own MacBooks and iPads for the infamous “gray color flicker” that we have seen on MacBooks and iMacs going back to the Intel days. If you’re unaware of what this flickering on gray colors looks like, please check out this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/PWM_Sensitive/s/5a2m4pnXOl
What is the “gray color flicker?”
Well, none of us knows for sure. What we do know is that it occurs on dark colors - particularly the color gray - and is likely one of the causes of eye strain and neurological symptoms when using Apple IPS LCD devices.
There are a lot of theories, but right now the leading one is that this is a FRC applied on the hardware level of Macs (possibly by the TCON, or Timing Controller) to display the P3 Wide Color gamut AKA “billions of colors.” In other words, it is used to make an 8-bit native display produce colors normally only capable on a 10-bit display.
The reason this particular flicker seems to be FRC (Frame Rate Control) is because it occurs even in Safe Mode, when other forms of software dithering is disabled and also while programs like Stillcolor and BetterDisplay are running and disabling the GPU dithering.
The fact that it is also visible on slow motion video indicates it is likely occurring at a fairly low frequency, which would be in line with most implementations of FRC which is usually half the refresh rate. Since most of these Apple devices have a refresh rate of 60Hz, it makes sense we would be able to observe this without additional equipment. PWM is also a possibility as some sort of strange energy/battery saving mechanism for the GPU, but I’m starting to think this is unlikely because it is present on iPads, MacBooks, and iMacs of varying configurations and chipsets (Intel, A, and M series).
How to test for the gray color flicker
1. Take your device to a room where there is no light of any kind (close the curtains, etc.)
2. Find a dark gray image and bring it up on your device full screen (the dark gray wallpaper will suffice, or any image you can find on Google)
3. Make sure there is no other light source - either natural or artificial - in the room except that or your device (this is so we don’t get false positives from other lighting that is flickering)
4. Open your iPhone or smartphone camera app and select the slow motion camera option (240 fps)
5. Record 10-30 seconds or until you see a flickering or strobing like in the post I linked above
6. Repeat at different brightness levels
If you’d like to upload the video, you are more than welcome to (Imgur or Streamable are easy options) and post it in the comments here. You can also just report your findings without uploading a video.
Please include the following in your comment:
Device name, color, model, and configuration (i.e. MacBook Air M4 13” 16 GB/512 GB, made in Vietnam)
Operating system version (MacOS, iOS, iPad OS)
Results
Video link (optional)
I will update this post with results as we receive them. If you see someone else already tested your device, please test yours anyway. It’s possible different screen manufacturers and configurations may or may not have different results. The larger our sample size the more confident we can be about what devices might be usable.
My hope in conducting this experiment is we may be able to determine whether this gray color flicker is the reason many of us cannot use IPS LCD Macs, iPads, and iPhones despite many being PWM free.
Thank you!
List of Devices with the Gray Color Flicker
Macs
2015 MacBook Pro Retina 15” Intel
2019 iMac 4K Retina 21.5” Intel AMD Radeon 560X
2022 MacBook Air M2 13”
2023 MacBook Air M2 15”
2025 MacBook Air M4 13” Sky Blue 16/512 (Vietnam)
2025 MacBook Air M4 15” Midnight 16/256 (China)
iPads
iPad Air 4
iPad Mini 7
iPad Air M2 11”
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Recently got myself a refurbished iPhone 11, and am experiencing similar.
Additionally, I have a feeling that something seems off and uncomfortable with the display.
Will monitor.
The Pixels are among the worst for me in terms of eye comfort. I’m currently sporting a Moto Razr Plus folding phone and I can use it without issue for extended periods. It’s the only current phone usable for me.Google is investigating PWM…..
I've been begging Google to change Pixel displays for years, and it might finally happen
Google's Pixel 9 series sports some of the best displays on the market but lag behind in one key area the Pixel 10 could fix.
So, as I see it from my research - the best bet in the Android space is down to two LCD phones (build, screen, reasonable processor and ram, stereo speakers, software updates) :-
Galaxy XCover7 Pro
Motorola G75
Am I missing any other options?
Galaxy XCover7 Pro
Motorola G75
Am I missing any other options?