does anyone else here think iPhone XS Max is a better device to watch movies on that iPad Pro (latest)? Mainly due to higher PPI and oled screen
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad Pro iPhone XS Max better for movies than iPad Pro 13” inch?
- Thread starter EdisEdward
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I don't and I'm basing that on the 10.5" iPP I have. By far, I prefer the larger screen.
It's nice, but I love watching movies on the big screen. The newest iPad has such a nice display that only the Black lines on the top or bottom are the difference to me. But my TV is 4K LED so I'm used to not perfect Black.
Kallum.
I use the ipad pro for movies, my Xs max cannot match it.
Higher ppi but still lower resolution, meaning, less detail. Max is better for convenience and OLED is amazing, but I still believe the iPad is a better movie experience. Both are great, though, so enjoy what you prefer.
I use a Note 9 and it has higher PPI it’s OLED and HDR and it’s amazing at. 6.4” and NO notch can definitely be a life saver at the dentist or at the airport.
To each his own I guess but I gotta admit I read the title of this post and immediately thought WTH? I simply can't relate to the idea of compromising on screen size to such a degree just for the sake of color reproduction. I have no doubt the virtues of the OLED screens on the phones are potentially superior to the larger IPP displays in various ways but for me I do notice a difference in comfort as I move to larger displays at larger viewing distances. I much prefer watching things on my TV to my ipad and my ipad to my phone, particularly if I'm watching feature length films.
I purchased Aquaman on iTunes, and I streamed it in HDR 4K? on my iPad Pro 11” and it looked phenomenal! Me and my wife were both amazed at the quality..
Anyways, iPads will never have a pixel density near that of new iPhones anytime soon. It would require a super resolution on such a large device to even be near 500ppi. That super resolution would cripple the hardware most likely.
But, I think movies look incredible on a 11” iPad Pro. But I’m sure they look just as great on a iPhone XS Max too.
I like the larger size vs a phone. But, if I had a XS max I’d surely use both devices for movies.
Anyways, iPads will never have a pixel density near that of new iPhones anytime soon. It would require a super resolution on such a large device to even be near 500ppi. That super resolution would cripple the hardware most likely.
But, I think movies look incredible on a 11” iPad Pro. But I’m sure they look just as great on a iPhone XS Max too.
I like the larger size vs a phone. But, if I had a XS max I’d surely use both devices for movies.
It says it is 4K HDR. I’m not 100% sure if it is actually internally upscaling to 4K and then downscaling it to the native iPad resolution or not. But it sure does look great! Very great!
Yea I think the iPad can play 4K hdr videos.
No 4K on YouTube though.
Im curious now, im going to look in to this a little more.
If my Xs Max screen is not farther away from me than 17-18", then the screen appears to be the same size or larger than my 55" 4K TV that is 9 feet away from my lazy-boy chair.
At 14" away from my eyes in the top photo it's about the same size, at just past 18" it's only slightly smaller looking. Plus with my Audeze Mobius 3D wireless headphones, it sounds like the dialog is coming from the screen.
So, I often sit in my favorite chair with my Xs Max on a pillow (resting on my belly) and watch a movie in a dark room (I'm a night owl and my wife is asleep by 10PM).
At 14" away from my eyes in the top photo it's about the same size, at just past 18" it's only slightly smaller looking. Plus with my Audeze Mobius 3D wireless headphones, it sounds like the dialog is coming from the screen.
So, I often sit in my favorite chair with my Xs Max on a pillow (resting on my belly) and watch a movie in a dark room (I'm a night owl and my wife is asleep by 10PM).
What you say is right and I do it sometimes, but that is not what the thread is about....how about the iPad at 17-18" alongside the XsMax?
Last edited:
I'm a very big fan of my iPad for watching tv and videos. I think it has the ideal screen for it.
IMHO the iphone screen is a bit small for a long time watch...
IMHO the iphone screen is a bit small for a long time watch...
Sorry, my bad. I do think the OLED and higher resolution HDR screen of the Xs Max makes it better for movies than many of my other devices.
Yeah, just like the 4K TV is better than the screen inside the movie theater.
Seriously, it might look better due to higher dynamic range that the OLED can reproduce, but it's still tiny compared to iPad Pro. I like movies on biggest screen possible, with good audio system., so even iPad is somewhat pathetic in that regard. But if I had to choose between XS Max and iPad 13", then give me iPad.
Seriously, it might look better due to higher dynamic range that the OLED can reproduce, but it's still tiny compared to iPad Pro. I like movies on biggest screen possible, with good audio system., so even iPad is somewhat pathetic in that regard. But if I had to choose between XS Max and iPad 13", then give me iPad.
Not a bad! I often trouble convincing people that what matters is not the size of the screen, but the subtended angle at the eye, or the apparent image size, as your photos demonstrated very well.
I don’t have the XS Max, but I do have the Pro 12.9”. Movies on the iPad have a better aspect ratio. Some movies on iPhone are so weird with either to many black bars or very little. I recently tried to watch Aquaman on my iPhone X and there were massive black bars on the righty and left side. The iPad, like a dream.
Thanks. My ultimate setup would be to sit about 6 feet away from the center of a 65" OLED 4K HDR TV, with a 7.2 Dolby Atmos speaker setup. I didn't want to spend that much on the TV and receiver upgrade when I can only fit a 55" in the entertainment center and I can't sit smack dab in the middle without moving the furniture in the family room and pissing off the wife. To get that center view right now I have to set a pillow on the coffee table and sit on the edge.
Our old home theater in the basement hasn't been used since the kids went to college, and it's got an old Samsung 55" not-smart 3D TV + an old Pioneer Elite receiver + Velodyne Deco 5.1 speakers system, all being over 5-6 years old (speaker are 15 years old).
The 55" Samsung 4K smart TV (Best Buy special) in the family room doesn't have the deep blacks that I would get with an OLED, as you can see from the washed out picture hiding behind the Xs Max. And to get an OLED that does shadow's details well would cost 3x the budget 4K TV that we bought (saved the money for college).
But I would not buy an iPad Pro just to have bigger portable movie screen with me when I have the Xs Max - I actually watch videos on the Xs Max more than I do my Air 2, and the Air 2 has a very nice screen.
I mostly use my Air 2 when I travel for the web browser, since it IS a pain to surf the web on an iPhone of any kind. I read books on the Xs Max or my Kindle 3G paper white (since I gave my Mini 4 to my son for school), but I rarely use the Air 2 for anything else. Can't see that changing if I bought an iPad Pro.
Can you post some screenshots of how a 4K HDR Movie look on the new 11" iPad Pro ? I dont have the device yet but would be curious to see how the 4K Content looks on the 11" iPad Pro ?
This is actually a really good point. the relative screen size is the biggest factor, especially when viewing alone with some excellent headphones.
To relate this point to the OP, yes a Xs Max can be the equivalent viewing experience of a 55" 4K TV that is 9ft away.
That is pretty good... but a 12.9" iPad Pro in your lap is the equivalent of an 85" 4K TV that is 9ft away, which is a darn good movie viewing experience. (yes, I did the rough math and I'm not exaggerating.)
The only advantage that the Xs Max could possibly have over the iPad Pro is higher pixel density, but I don't have both devices to compare. And to use the TV analogy, I would rather have a 85" 4K tv on my wall than an 8K 55" TV unless I'm watching from 5 ft away which isn't how I watch TV.
Last edited: