iPhone 15 Pro Max Screen uniformity and cast

[sdante]

@sdante Today I was at a media store and tested some panels with TT and NS at 100%. I don't know how you manage to tell if they are good panels or not; with the maximum brightness of the phones and the store lighting, it was impossible for me to understand.

I've been wasting so many years of my life trying to find good panels that I usually find a way to do that when I already have some experience with certain panel and what are the typical issues with them. The only thing that is impossible to do in the store is to evaluate things like light leaks or such that require completely dark room.
Anyway, if you can ignore display issues, do not bother to get yourself in this rabbit hole I'm in. All I can say after all this is that panels and pretty much every part in electronic products get worse every year. I'm not just talking about this phone but in generally every product manufacturer does this. Looks to me that these days they compete who has the guts to sell the worst quality.

 

[sdante]

Finally got around to taking a photo of my G9P 15PM. About 15% brightness I'd guess, true tone off. Ignore the PWM waves. Likely as good a screen as I'll get for a 15PM, looks flawless to the naked eye in regular use.

View attachment 2317673

Thing is that without TT and NS these panels often look almost fine. Even my panel is pretty bluish without these and that alone makes it appear better.

 

[sdante]

mine goes from Pegatron as I see the serial number. try to buy with higher number imei(later batch) and serial of Foxconn

You cannot tell from the iPhone serial which factory it was made in because serial numbers are randomized (been like that couple of years now). But your theory about seeking higher imei probably allows to find the difference in production time. But I'm not sure that is any guarantee of better panel. I did seek for never products with my 12 Pro back in the day only to find that they actually got worse. In the end I was lucky and got the good one but that is a long story and was not really about the production date but the panel type but that was back then.

 

[sdante]

I don’t have facts / data about brightness. Compared side by side with the other two that I returned it’s the same. I would not make any conclusion that G9P is brighter than G9N or vice versa based on a few samples on this forum.

I agree. I compared our G9N vs G9P and actually P was tiny bit brighter when I measured it using app in my 12 Pro but visually they looked as bright both. But that was where the common things ended and each looked different in certain ways, really hard to say which one is less bad. I ended up with G9P but I'm not really sure it was a wise choice at all. Anyway, G9N has pleasing warm colors and white balance where G9P is somewhat cooler.

 

[Harthag]

Thing is that without TT and NS these panels often look almost fine. Even my panel is pretty bluish without these and that alone makes it appear better.

True. I can't be bothered to take 10 photos of my phone with certain settings enabled in the right light. I've seen enough terrible and excellent screens to know when I receive a keeper, and if it passes my eyeball tests that's it for me. I look at white uniformity, dead pixels, true tone uniformity, and dark gray at lowest brightness when I first get a phone. I don't even set it up, it goes right back into the box if it fails.

Grass isn't greener on the other side. I also have a Pixel 8 Pro, had to return two of them before my current good one. The first one was not uniform. The second one had an assembly flaw where you could see 4 small round pegs underneath the display when in brightly lit areas. I kid you not, the latter issue is popping up for many Pixel 8 Pro owners, it's ridiculous.

Big tech is incredibly lazy and 99.99% of consumers couldn't care less, so here we are.

 

[SOLO*]

I agree. I compared our G9N vs G9P and actually P was tiny bit brighter when I measured it using app in my 12 Pro but visually they looked as bright both. But that was where the common things ended and each looked different in certain ways, really hard to say which one is less bad. I ended up with G9P but I'm not really sure it was a wise choice at all. Anyway, G9N has pleasing warm colors and white balance where G9P is somewhat cooler.

I have a 14 Pro G9P, that is reddish, warm

My previous 15 Pro was G9N and it was saturated and very dark

My actual 15 Pro, GVC LG, that's amazing perfect, incredibly bright, cold, only little issue: shift in some lights and angles, but it's best display that i have ever seen on my iPhone

 

[sdante]

True. I can't be bothered to take 10 photos of my phone with certain settings enabled in the right light. I've seen enough terrible and excellent screens to know when I receive a keeper, and if it passes my eyeball tests that's it for me. I look at white uniformity, dead pixels, true tone uniformity, and dark gray at lowest brightness when I first get a phone. I don't even set it up, it goes right back into the box if it fails.

Pretty much the same procedure here, except this year I decided to skip this endless return/rebuy cycle. Not really a good choice either way but I've already wasted almost half year of my life with other display product this year, I thought I should live a little. Bad choice either way for me.

Grass isn't greener on the other side. I also have a Pixel 8 Pro, had to return two of them before my current good one. The first one was not uniform. The second one had an assembly flaw where you could see 4 small round pegs underneath the display when in brightly lit areas. I kid you not, the latter issue is popping up for many Pixel 8 Pro owners, it's ridiculous.

I haven't owned an Android phone myself but I often help people I know with their computer and phone issues and so far I haven't seen a bad Android phone screen myself. Even those cheap 200-300 euro ones that come with OLED panels look so much more uniform. Whenever I get one of those in my hands I do some quick test to evaluate their displays.

Big tech is incredibly lazy and 99.99% of consumers couldn't care less, so here we are.

So it seems. That seems to be true with every thing I get these days. I just got Logitech Master MX 3s mouse that is supposed to be a flagship just to find it is horrible IMHO. The first one I had to return because all the buttons had terrible loud click sound (this is supposed to be a silent mouse), then the second one is better but still I find click sound on mostly used buttons inconsistent sometimes very sharp sounding. Also this is not very solid feeling, more like hollow compared to my old silent mouse. Just as an example, I just went though 6 ThinkPads to find a decent screen (read decent, not excellent). Ignorance is a bliss.

 

[Harthag]

Pretty much the same procedure here, except this year I decided to skip this endless return/rebuy cycle. Not really a good choice either way but I've already wasted almost half year of my life with other display product this year, I thought I should live a little. Bad choice either way for me.


I haven't owned an Android phone myself but I often help people I know with their computer and phone issues and so far I haven't seen a bad Android phone screen myself. Even those cheap 200-300 euro ones that come with OLED panels look so much more uniform. Whenever I get one of those in my hands I do some quick test to evaluate their displays.


So it seems. That seems to be true with every thing I get these days. I just got Logitech Master MX 3s mouse that is supposed to be a flagship just to find it is horrible IMHO. The first one I had to return because all the buttons had terrible loud click sound (this is supposed to be a silent mouse), then the second one is better but still I find click sound on mostly used buttons inconsistent sometimes very sharp sounding. Also this is not very solid feeling, more like hollow compared to my old silent mouse. Just as an example, I just went though 6 ThinkPads to find a decent screen (read decent, not excellent). Ignorance is a bliss.

We are brothers from another mother, haha. This Pixel is the 1st Android phone I'd really had an issue with. I had all of the most recent Galaxy S phones dating back to S9 and the screens were perfect on the first try every time. Galaxy S screens are simply the best, imo.

I also went through a few Lenovo Legion laptops due to screen issues. Ignorance really is bliss when it comes to these issues. It is exhausting as mentioned above.

 

[Jutah]

I really scare to buy one more( new one or used) cause to proper inspect the screen you need time and where I live now its impossible to change in 14 days.
I want to try but can receive more problematic
so the main question is as always- to keep or to sell?

mine goes from Pegatron as I see the serial number. try to buy with higher number imei(later batch) and serial of Foxconn

Don't even think about it for a second. Keep your phone and enjoy the screen.
Listen: constant change is an incredible mental stress, and often we don't realize it. It's a terrible waste of energy. Every year, I switch to different ones, but in the end, I never find the perfect one, just the one that's less bad. This year, I've changed four units, but to be honest, they were all very similar.

 

[sdante]

We are brothers from another mother, haha.

Yeah.

This Pixel is the 1st Android phone I'd really had an issue with. I had all of the most recent Galaxy S phones dating back to S9 and the screens were perfect on the first try every time. Galaxy S screens are simply the best, imo.

That is interesting why is that. But I guess in reality, these panels do not cost that much, so if you can make them enough to be able to do very careful binning and use only the best one, maybe this is what Samsung does, I dunno??
I guess people often think panel is extreme expensive part in over 1k phone but I doubt that.

It is exhausting as mentioned above.

I don't even dare to count how many years of my life I have wasted already by "binning" panels. I mean it might sound easy, just return/rebuy but all that time waiting this issue always in your thoughts and when you finally get another one all that time you spend testing it and that disappointment if issue is the same or what often happens new one comes with additional issues. One thing I have learned in my life with this is that I never give up my current unit before actually getting better one in my hands. I learned that "wisdom" in hard way myself.

 

[Jutah]

I don't even dare to count how many years of my life I have wasted already by "binning" panels. I mean it might sound easy, just return/rebuy but all that time waiting this issue always in your thoughts and when you finally get another one all that time you spend testing it and that disappointment if issue is the same or what often happens new one comes with additional issues. One thing I have learned in my life with this is that I never give up my current unit before actually getting better one in my hands. I learned that "wisdom" in hard way myself.

That's wise.
Do you change every year?

When you order the new phone, I imagine you compare it with the previous one. However, it's difficult to decide to give up after, for example, 3 swaps, when you've tried the new features, right? I feel like trying a fourth, fifth exchange, then I'll stop. Perhaps there's a risk of being banned for too many returns.

 

[sdante]

Do you change every year?

No, not anymore since I find difference so small vs all the pain involved in getting a decent new one.
When I got my 12 Pro and eventually found a good one, I promised to myself keep it for 3 years and I pretty much did (obviously if counting from the day I got my first unit and not when I actually got one that I could accept).

Honestly my biggest thing for getting 15 PM was the size, ever since my 12 Pro I was already back then wondering if I should have got the bigger one. Also new design, new cameras and DI was interesting me but turns out I don't even much notice DI in my use and camera not really much different from the 12 Pro, expect much harder to get decent focus indoors with low light. And new design actually seems to mean that it is much more easy to damage than Stainless Steel models were, but this is lighter so it is positive thing for me.

When you order the new phone, I imagine you compare it with the previous one.

Yes and I practically always get at least 2 pcs since we both (me and my wife) upgrade at the same time. Also she's not that picky with the displays and she always tells me to take one that I like more.

However, it's difficult to decide to give up after, for example, 3 swaps, when you've tried the new features, right? I feel like trying a fourth, fifth exchange, then I'll stop. Perhaps there's a risk of being banned for too many returns.

Yeah, it is at least this time when I finally got quickly used to bigger screen.
Not sure what is their policy with banning for returns but I did many returns with my 12 Pro. But that is good thing to keep in mind.

 

[Ilp.23]

I have a 14 Pro G9P, that is reddish, warm

My previous 15 Pro was G9N and it was saturated and very dark

My actual 15 Pro, GVC LG, that's amazing perfect, incredibly bright, cold, only little issue: shift in some lights and angles, but it's best display that i have ever seen on my iPhone

please make photos of your screen in darkness with 10-15% brightness with True Tone on and night shift on, similar but with tt and ns off, and with adaptive mode, and on 100% brightness with white list and with gray

 

[JuicyGoomba]

I've been wasting so many years of my life trying to find good panels that I usually find a way to do that when I already have some experience with certain panel and what are the typical issues with them. The only thing that is impossible to do in the store is to evaluate things like light leaks or such that require completely dark room.
Anyway, if you can ignore display issues, do not bother to get yourself in this rabbit hole I'm in. All I can say after all this is that panels and pretty much every part in electronic products get worse every year. I'm not just talking about this phone but in generally every product manufacturer does this. Looks to me that these days they compete who has the guts to sell the worst quality.

This is completely untrue and a very dangerous generalisation.

Just because Apple continually decrease their display quality every year does not mean the rest of the industry does.

Case in point, Google have improved the displays used for their Pixel line each year to the point where they are currently the best you can find on a smartphone. The uniformity is impeccable, even on the cheaper Pixel 8 units.

Samsung also use excellent panels on their own smartphones too, although these days they seem content selling their best tech to rivals for barrels of cash.

The same holds true for OLED monitors and TVs. The improvements each year are noticeable and it's only going to keep getting better until Micro-LED becomes mainstream.

 

[Harthag]

This is completely untrue and a very dangerous generalisation.

Just because Apple continually decrease their display quality every year does not mean the rest of the industry does.

Case in point, Google have improved the displays used for their Pixel line each year to the point where they are currently the best you can find on a smartphone. The uniformity is impeccable, even on the cheaper Pixel 8 units.

Samsung also use excellent panels on their own smartphones too, although these days they seem content selling their best tech to rivals for barrels of cash.

The same holds true for OLED monitors and TVs. The improvements each year are noticeable and it's only going to keep getting better until Micro-LED becomes mainstream.

I have the Pixel 8 Pro and returned two prior phones. The screens were not uniform and terrible. My current (3rd) one is quite excellent, though. Completely uniform and no real off axis shift.

 

[sdante]

This is completely untrue and a very dangerous generalisation.

Dangerous, how? Well I admit that I was talking about the products that I have bought myself and I agree I maybe should have emphasized that more clearly. However I did mention checking other people cheap android phones and noticed that screens have excellent uniformity.

Just because Apple continually decrease their display quality every year does not mean the rest of the industry does.

Again I emphasize I was talking about products that I actually bought for myself, including many different brands but not Samsung, I have none of those.
Again, not sure you should either throw in blanket statement claiming Apple decreasing display quality every year. There are a lot of people happy with their display and see no issues. Again I realize people perception about quality differ a lot, for many it is bright, shiny colors and high contrast ratio, but for me uniformity is one if not the most important feature and screens have been bright enough for me always.

Case in point, Google have improved the displays used for their Pixel line each year to the point where they are currently the best you can find on a smartphone. The uniformity is impeccable, even on the cheaper Pixel 8 units.

How did you find this information? I see Harthag already mentioned having issues with mentioned phone screen uniformity. But are we talking about improvements in generally or just about improvements in uniformity?

Samsung also use excellent panels on their own smartphones too,

From what I have seen myself Samsung Android phone screens, they definitely seem excellent in terms of uniformity. I wonder if uniformity is one of the criteria when binning panels they use in their phones?

The same holds true for OLED monitors and TVs. The improvements each year are noticeable and it's only going to keep getting better until Micro-LED becomes mainstream.

My own experience with OLED TV's is that they have huge issues with uniformity, especially around 5% gray levels and many report having issues with bright image too with tint problems. My current OLED TV is fine with brighter image but terrible at 5% gray. Again improvements in this field are often higher brightness every year and more saturated colors and such which often is understood as improvement every year, I rarely see the same statements about panel uniformity.

 

[ExploRichie]

Hey 😁
Today I bought a white 15 Pro Max 256 and unboxed it.

I got a G9N344 Display and a Simplo battery with 4540 mAh. It is purely uniform with white and grey backgrounds.
I think I got an unicorn.
Really happy with it.
Last year I had 4x 14 Pro Maxes and only the white one had the best display.
I think I will get a white one next year too.
Will upload a photo later 👍🏼

Test picture: TT/NS off with 15% brightness, 5 grey OLED picture.
With TT on and NS on the uniformity is the same 😍

 

[dantay]

Hey 😁
Today I bought a white 15 Pro Max 256 and unboxed it.

I got a G9N344 Display and a Simplo battery with 4540 mAh. It is purely uniform with white and grey backgrounds.
I think I got an unicorn.
Really happy with it.
Last year I had 4x 14 Pro Maxes and only the white one had the best display.
I think I will get a white one next year too.
Will upload a photo later 👍🏼

Test picture: TT/NS off with 15% brightness, 5 grey OLED picture.
With TT on and NS on the uniformity is the same 😍

Looks darker either side of the Dynamic Island and at the bottom of the screen, definitely not a “unicorn” but you’re happy with it……that’s what matters.

Enjoy your new device.

 

[ExploRichie]

This is on the photo.
And every OLED iPhone I had is minimal darker or brighter at the bottom or top.
In real it looks uniform.
Only on the ride side of the dynamic island.
Believe me you can only trust the reality not photos and I have tested 5 units now.
I had 2x G9N, 1x G9P and 1x GH.
This G9N is perfect 🙈

 

[Amabile Ricci]

Hey 😁
Today I bought a white 15 Pro Max 256 and unboxed it.

I got a G9N344 Display and a Simplo battery with 4540 mAh. It is purely uniform with white and grey backgrounds.
I think I got an unicorn.
Really happy with it.
Last year I had 4x 14 Pro Maxes and only the white one had the best display.
I think I will get a white one next year too.
Will upload a photo later 👍🏼

Test picture: TT/NS off with 15% brightness, 5 grey OLED picture.
With TT on and NS on the uniformity is the same 😍

Right side darker!! absolutely not a unicorn!!!!

 

[Jutah]

This is on the photo.
And every OLED iPhone I had is minimal darker or brighter at the bottom or top.
In real it looks uniform.
Only on the ride side of the dynamic island.
Believe me you can only trust the reality not photos and I have tested 5 units now.
I had 2x G9N, 1x G9P and 1x GH.
This G9N is perfect 🙈

Agree. Rvery OLED screen I've photographed appears darker at the top/bottom. I'm glad you found an excellent panel, and the battery performance is also impressive. Enjoy!

 

[ExploRichie]

I think the people here want to dislike panels from people who are happy 😳
That’s no good.
For me it is a unicorn because I saw so many bad panels and this one looks so good.
And in reality you cannot see that the right side is darker. Not on white and not on grey backgrounds in every brightness levels …
I have really good eyes and I’m very sensible…

 

[Jutah]

I think the people here want to dislike panels from people who are happy 😳
That’s no good.
For me it is a unicorn because I saw so many bad panels and this one looks so good.
And in reality you cannot see that the right side is darker. Not on white and not on grey backgrounds in every brightness levels …
I have really good eyes and I’m very sensible…

I think the same. By the way, we all know very well that photos can be misleading and don't reflect reality. We can only trust our own eyes. Enjoy your phone!

Do you like the white titanium color at least? 😅

 

[ExploRichie]

Yes the photo is misleading definitely. It’s only the right side next to the DI with minimal brightness difference. The rest is uniform in reality 😃
And one more difference. My previous G9P was minimal cooler with screen tone and the G9P was minimal brighter at max brightness. But the G9N is more uniform and I have no mushy button ☺️

Yes the white looks beautiful 😍

 

[rolan2q]

How do you determine the panel type? I’ve returned like 7 iPhones 15 Pro Max because the screen is trash. Color temperature is way off and got one with horrible black clipping. Help me out on this. Also every time I compare it to the one in the store, the one in the store is exactly how I like the whites. It’s obviously noticeable just going to nytimes.com