AMOLED screen is a screen technology that is used in many electronic devices, from smartphones, smart TVs, tablets, laptops, to smartwatches. Manufacturers choose this type of screen because it looks better and clearer.
As a user, Sinaumed’s must understand what are the advantages, disadvantages, and how AMOLED screens work. Moreover, if you want to buy a smartphone that uses this type of screen. So, you won’t hesitate to spend quite a lot of money to buy it.
Because of that, in this article we will discuss the sundries of AMOLED screens that you need to know.
AMOLED screen is
In the development of smartphone products , especially Android, AMOLED screens are the type of screen that is often used on mid-range to flagship category phones. Meanwhile, in the entry-level class, this screen is too expensive to use.
AMOLED ( Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) is a screen that uses organic OLED panels and is made from organic diodes. OLED technology itself is a special paneled screen containing organic elements that will emit light when electrified.
By incorporating OLED technology, AMOLED screens can produce high-quality images with sharp color compositions. This is the main reason many smartphone manufacturers use AMOLED screens for their products.
One smartphone manufacturer that often uses AMOLED screens is Samsung. This South Korean company claims that the AMOLED screen on their cellphone can adapt to various light conditions automatically. So its users will be able to enjoy good picture quality in everything anywhere and anytime.
You can use the better AMOLED screen image quality for various needs, one of which is video editing.
AMOLED Parts
AMOLED screen technology consists of four layers, namely Anode Layer, Middle Organic Layer, Cathode Layer, and Circuitry. So what are the functions of these layers? Check out the explanation below.
Layer Anodes
The Anode Layer is the positive polar layer which functions to create electron holes. This electron hole will later throw away electrons when the screen is electrified.
Middle Organic Layer
This is the middle organic layer which is made of organic molecules and consists of two parts, namely the emitting layer and the transmitting layer.
Cathode Layer
The Cathode Layer is the negative polar layer which functions to inject electrons when the screen is electrified. This layer can be transparent or not, depending on the type of OLED used.
Circuitry
The last one is Circuitry or the bottom layer which contains strands. This layer serves as the base for the OLED screen. Generally this layer is made of glass, foil, plastic.
Difference between AMOLED Screen and OLED Screen
AMOLED screens are the result of a combination of OLED and TFT LCD which can produce high-quality screen displays and reach a thickness point of 1/1000. Even though they use OLED technology, it turns out that the two have differences.
The main difference between AMOLED and OLED screens is the use of thin-film transistors (TFT) strips behind each pixel. These transistors are able to help the electric current move faster across the screen so that every pixel on an AMOLED screen activates more quickly.
Besides that, when used in the sun, the performance of the AMOLED screen is much better than the OLED screen because it is equipped with a backlight. However, on the other hand, OLED screens have a high level of pixel control which is capable of producing a better contrast ratio and is more power efficient.
Another difference is the refresh rate, AMOLED screens have a faster refresh rate than OLED.
How AMOLED Screens Work
Judging from its advantages, it can be concluded that AMOLED screens are a development of OLED screens, this means that AMOLED consists of OLED pixels and TFT. Therefore, the pixel flow can be well controlled when it is displayed.
Generally, the flow of pixels on an AMOLED screen is controlled by two TFTs that have different functions. The first TFT serves to start charging the capacitor and end charging.
Meanwhile, the second TFT supplies a voltage source according to the voltage level required so that the screen can produce a constant amount of flow.
In short, the TFT layout on an AMOLED screen works by forming a matrix that originates from the emode layer elements. Then, there is a flow of electric current between the two which will activate each pixel. After that, the TFT creates pixels that can produce images. All of these processes take place very quickly but still look very natural.
Advantages and Disadvantages of AMOLED Screens
As a technology that is popular and in demand by many people, AMOLED screens certainly have their own advantages. So, what are these advantages? Here comes the complete answer.
Advantages of AMOLED Screens
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Brighter colors
One of the main advantages of AMOLED screens is the display quality, the colors are brighter. Especially when compared to LCD type screens, it is clear that AMOLED wins far because the colors are very bright.
For example, when the screen displays white, it will appear very bright. Likewise, when displaying black, it will look very dark.
This ability is obtained from a very high contrast ratio and wide color coverage. In general, the color coverage of AMOLED screens can reach up to 100% in the DCI-P3 standard, in the sRGB standard, the coverage is more than 100%.
Also, AMOLED pixels can emit their own light and color while LCD pixels require a backlight and color filter. This structure causes the LCD screen to experience light scattering, so the colors are less intense.
The AMOLED screen with bright colors is perfect for photography or creating content. Find tips and tricks on cellphone photography in the Smartphone Photography book written by Ariana_Arriana. This book contains tutorials and explanations of photographing techniques using mobile phones.
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Wide viewing angle
Secondly, AMOLED screens look cooler because they have wide viewing angles. So when viewed from various sides, the image on the screen is still good. No color shift at all. For example, if you want to watch a movie with friends, you can still see the picture clearly from any angle.
AMOLED screens have viewing angles of up to 180 degrees horizontally and vertically. This is two degrees larger than the most advanced IPS screen technology which has a viewing angle of 178 degrees.
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More efficient power consumption
Both AMOLED and OLEd have a simple way to produce black, namely by turning off the pixels. That is, when displaying black, there is no electricity from the transistors, so the power consumption is lower than IPS screens.
An IPS screen will always have a backlight on to display all kinds of colors. The reason for this is that the pixels in an IPS screen cannot produce light on their own.
Some say that the power consumption of AMOLED screens is 10 times lower than IPS screens. However, you need to know that not all cellphones that use AMOLED screens automatically save battery. Because, what is more influential is the power management.
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Support high resolution and refresh rate
The fourth advantage of the AMOLED screen is its ability to produce displays with high resolution and refresh rates. A high-resolution cellphone will provide a very sharp display, no matter how wide the screen is.
For example, if the screen size of the cellphone is 6 inches, the display quality can reach 1980 x 1080 pixels (Full HD) and 2K. Both of these resolutions are capable of providing a sharp display.
Apart from that, AMOLED screens also support high refresh rates. Refresh rate is the number of images displayed by the screen in one second. That is, if a cellphone has a refresh rate of 60Hz, then the number of images displayed every second is 60.
The 60Hz refresh rate is widely used on today’s smart phones because it is enough to support the user’s daily needs. Plus, there’s still a lot of content created with frame rates below 60 fps.
With an AMOLED screen, you can choose a cellphone with a more varied refresh rate. Starting from 90Hz, 120Hz, 144Hz, 165Hz, and others. As a result, the image display is smoother, including when playing games.
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Has a short response time
Sometimes, users get confused when comparing smartphone refresh rates. Because, there are times when a smartphone has an IPS screen with a refresh rate of 90Hz and there are also those with AMOLED screens but the refresh rate is 60Hz.
If so, which one to choose? Depends on needs and preferences. However, smartphones with AMOLED screens have a shorter response time. In other words, the screen can respond to finger touch faster.
This factor is very useful when you play games because the application can follow the movement of your finger on the screen to the fullest. If you want, you can also learn to draw manga via an AMOLED-screen cellphone, which has a fast response time. There is a book called Smart Tricks to Draw Manga Without a Skilled and Agile Teacher to Draw Manga from Ibenzani H. & Fajar H which can help you.
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Thinner and flexible
In general, the construction of an AMOLED screen is quite simple because it only consists of transistors, glass plates, and organic OLED materials. Without a backlight or color filter like an LCD screen. Therefore, the size of the AMOLED screen is thinner.
Not only that, AMOLED is also more flexible. This screen can be bent temporarily or permanently. As used on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G or the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G. These two flagship phones from Samsung can be bent temporarily.
Prior to that, AMOLED screens were used on the Galaxy S8 where the screen was permanently curved on both sides.
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Supports installation of Face Recognition and In-Display Fingerprint
The last advantage of the AMOLED screen is that it supports the installation of Face Recognition (face scanner) and In-Display Fingerprint (fingerprint scanner). Because the AMOLED screen structure is simpler.
Therefore, manufacturers can embed other components such as optical or ultrasonic-based fingerprint scanners. There are also manufacturers who embed cameras on AMOLED screens or are familiarly known as under displays.
Screen display with a concept like this can increase user satisfaction because there are no more pinholes on the screen. The camera will only appear when it is used to take photos.
In short, the under display camera is placed on the display panel. Then why can take pictures? Because the arrangement of the screen pixels on it is indeed tenuous so that light can enter and the camera can capture objects.
Disadvantages of AMOLED Screens
Even though it has many advantages, it doesn’t mean that AMOLED screens are the perfect technology. Because if you look at it from several sides, there are various drawbacks that you must consider first.
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Broken faster
The organic pixel material on an AMOLED screen is capable of producing its own light when it is energized. However, the more often the screen is on, the faster it gets damaged (ages).
In general, AMOLED screens have blue, green, and red pixels. Of the three, blue pixels are the easiest to age because they consume more electricity than green and red pixels.
Getting old here doesn’t mean the pixels can’t display an image at all. It’s just that the ability to produce the same brightness as other pixels decreases. So that the display on the screen becomes uneven. This condition is known as burn-in.
LG, as an OLED screen manufacturer, estimates that the screens they make have a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours or 11.4 years. This is much faster than IPS screens whose durability reaches up to 20 years.
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The color that was born was too much
Because the color range is wide, the AMOLED screen display looks very lively. However, for some people, the appearance can be too much. Some content creators don’t use AMOLED screens.
The reason is because when rendering after editing, the resulting colors may not match. The good news is that several manufacturers have equipped their AMOLED screen phones with color settings so that users can set screens with more natural sRGB colors.
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Prices are relatively more expensive
According to data released by IHS in 2018, the cost of producing AMOLED screen phones is more expensive than LCD screens. A layer of AMOLED screen with a diagonal notch of 5.9 inches costs USD 28.18 to produce, or around IDR 434,761 (exchange rate 03 December 2022).
Meanwhile, an LCD screen with a span of 6 inches costs USD 18.41 to produce, or around IDR 438,309 (exchange rate on December 3, 2022). Even so, it could be that in the future the cost of producing AMOLED screens will become cheaper.