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To the PWM sufferers - what Android phones can we use?

jimmy_uk

jimmy_uk

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 19, 2015
2,496
3,334
UK
So after the forth year of disappointment with the OLED iPhones due to the low PWM rates, I've got to face upto a change to Android.

I've tasted the rainbow of faster phones with stunning camera's (which then had to be returned because they caused me to have eye fatigued migraines) so my ageing iphone 7 plus isn't cutting it anymore. I don't want to switch but find I can't use any of the new iPhones, this includes the XR and 11 (something weird with these displays, temporal dithering maybe)? Perhaps a change will be good after 10yrs.....🤦‍♂️

So what flagship android phones don't suffer the plague of PWM? Not seeing any flagship LCD phones on the market as the manafactuers are clearly pushing OLED (which all apear to have low PWM rates, thanks Samsung). I'm aware some companies are including DC dimming like OnePlus but I read this dims the brightness, mutes colours and crushes blacks so this doesn't appeal.

Can anyone make some recommendations please, maybe we can get a list of flagships to help the PWM sufferers like me?

Need to haves:
Stereo speakers


Thanks in advance.
 
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This looks like it ticks all the boxes.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro - Smartphone 8+256GB, 6,67” FHD+ DotDisplay with TrueColor, Snapdragon 865, 108MP AI Camera with OIS, 5000mAh, Cosmic Black​

Just found that Amazon have two listings for the same phone but one is listed at a £549 and the other at a bizarrely low £399. It's rrp is £599. Might take a punt on this at that price.
 
I currently use the mi 10t pro and it works good for me. The frequency of PWM is high enough to not make me problems. With the Motorola Edge S there could be another good option with a lcd display. Has someone try a smartphone with dc dimming option like on xiaomi that works good? I have tried OnePlus 8 Pro but i has not worked for me.
 
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This is a very interesting phone available in the US but possibly could be bought elsewhere. I don’t think it’s what anyone here is looking for but I thought it was an interesting option

myteracube.com

Next Evolution of Sustainable Phone | Teracube 2e

Teracube 2e is the only smartphone you need for the next 4 years and beyond with 4000mAh replaceable battery, available in the US, Canada, UK, Germany etc.
myteracube.com myteracube.com

IPS LCD display. Stock Android. User replaceable battery. The specs are modest but it’s a very interesting concept.

Someday if I do have a spare $200 I would get it to see what it’s all about. If I weren’t so hung up on having the best cameras I would love to try this “green” option. Sample photos at Android Central are unfortunately indicative of a potato camera. Well I guess that’s to be expected given the price. It’s perfect for gaining photographic evidence of Sasquatches and UFOs.

whoa it has a headphone jack
 
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Motorola has launched the Motorola Edge 2021 (US Version) a interesting smartphone with a 144 Hz LCD Display. This could be a good alternative when i have again no luck with the new iphone pro max. Sad that here in Europe we have become the edge 20 with a 144 Hz OLED Display. At least it has a reduced flicker modus. I have tried it at the store but i feel after few minutes that i become also eyestrain :(
 
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I know LG is dead but the Stylo 5 and 6 had IPS displays. Not sure about the speakers though. I don't use my phone to blast music so I wouldn't even be concerned so long as I can hear ringtones.
 
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Try some of Oneplus or Xiaomi phones. They have DC dimming feature where it tries to lessen the screen flicker. DC dimming is not that bad. I have a Poco F2 Pro with DC dimming and there's no noticable color grading issue.
 
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I use Razer Phone 2 which has the best screen ever, when tuned to “Boosted” not default “Vivid”.
if i had to choose again, iPhone XR or SE. In the droid land, Oppo Reno Z series have non-pwm 120Hz with awesome color reproduction, including camera. Most underappreciated brand IMHO.
 
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Can this pwm effect be recorded with a camera? Perhaps a camera in slo motion mode?

Why not turn up the brightness on the iPhone. And use reduce white point option.
 
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macfacts said:
Can this pwm effect be recorded with a camera? Perhaps a camera in slo motion mode?

Why not turn up the brightness on the iPhone.
Click to expand...
Yes PWM can be captured on video on slow mo.

Regarding the PWM rate and the brightness level - the issue is the PWM is present at all brightness levels and it various widely on the newer iPhones at different levels.
 
PWM recording on camera resembles CRT flicker. You really can see it on videos of a Samsung Galaxy SIII or some other older model. The refresh rate also contributed to migraines. I remember getting bad migraines using a PlayStation Vita or extended reading of my Galaxy SIII display, and assuming AMOLED = evil. It looks dazzling but for the longest time I avoided it. The Galaxy SII had AMOLED PLUS which was more accurate, and used a different matrix but for some reason Samsung gave up on it afterwards.
 
Crankng brightness up will lower battery life, highten screen burn-in artifacts on OLED; shifting white point will screw up color reproduction purity.
 
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jimmy_uk said:
So after the forth year of disappointment with the OLED iPhones due to the low PWM rates, I've got to face upto a change to Android.

I've tasted the rainbow of faster phones with stunning camera's (which then had to be returned because they caused me to have eye fatigued migraines) so my ageing iphone 7 plus isn't cutting it anymore. I don't want to switch but find I can't use any of the new iPhones, this includes the XR and 11 (something weird with these displays, temporal dithering maybe)? Perhaps a change will be good after 10yrs.....🤦‍♂️

So what flagship android phones don't suffer the plague of PWM? Not seeing any flagship LCD phones on the market as the manafactuers are clearly pushing OLED (which all apear to have low PWM rates, thanks Samsung). I'm aware some companies are including DC dimming like OnePlus but I read this dims the brightness, mutes colours and crushes blacks so this doesn't appeal.

Can anyone make some recommendations please, maybe we can get a list of flagships to help the PWM sufferers like me?

Need to haves:
Stereo speakers


Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Any Xiaomi phone should do ,as they have DC dimming implemented (which you can control btw )
But i wouldn't recommend Xiaomi and it's poor SW
Samsung are the best in terms of software but unfortunately the pwm is present and rly hurts .
Oppo's might have DC dimming as well,just seek for a phone u like ,or a brand u appreciate,and search whether it has DC dimming implemented :)

Btw are u not bothered by MacBooks display in case you have one ? My MBA M1 hurts my eyes and head even more than my Samsung s20fe does ,while being LCD
 
I've said it before and will say it again, and again, and again: "If you need features such as night shift, dark mode and the like to fix the problems with flat/white/AMOLED PWM effects, you are treating the symptom and not the problem. We never needed any of that when the UI (skeuomorphism) made perfect sense." In fact, such concessions were made in the '70s and early '80s when flat UI was all a PC or terminal could produce. Does anyone remain alive who remembers 'reverse video' on the old terminals? That was a form of eye strain reduction from staring at terminals all day long.
 
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0089294 said:
Btw are u not bothered by MacBooks display in case you have one ? My MBA M1 hurts my eyes and head even more than my Samsung s20fe does ,while being LCD
Click to expand...
I don't own a Macbook but was planning on a MBA M1 purchase if I can stay in the Apple camp with the iphone 13.
 
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