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Are you experiencing this issue?


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dimitricook

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2013
190
209
Did anyone try ios 16 beta? For me personally the problems started with an ios update on the LCD phones. It might be possible that something changed for the better this time? Curious if anyone did already try? i am going to do it in the coming weeks.
 

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
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Did anyone try ios 16 beta? For me personally the problems started with an ios update on the LCD phones. It might be possible that something changed for the better this time? Curious if anyone did already try? i am going to do it in the coming weeks.

I do admittedly have my fingers crossed with every new iOS release that Apple will include an Accessibility option. It’s unlikely they would simply adjust the PWM rate with an update.
 
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Mr.Simple

macrumors regular
Dec 5, 2020
126
146
In the beta they found clues for always on display but it seem nothing that could refer to a DC Dimming/Flicker Free option for the 14 Pro Serie :(

Interesting results of a poll from GSMArena. They make a multiple choice question about display features users want. And albeit DC Dimming is coming out last from nearly 5000 participants still over 30% make choice for the DC Dimming function:


It would be interesting when Macrumors would also make such a poll to see if there is a similar support for DC Dimming.
 

5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
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You're most welcome and I hope my experience helps! I have found that astigmatism, eyestrain, and headaches are definitely all interrelated, and it seems to be further exacerbated by dry eyes (which in and of themselves can further blur vision, which then makes digital eye strain worse in what I've found to be a nasty cycle given looking at a screen also causes less/poor blinking=dry eyes). In my case, I think the PWM (maybe also the brightness, or blue light, or a combination of things about OLED?) may have been the straw that broke the camel's back when everything was compiled together.

If it is of help, I really like the eye drops called Celluvisc. They are really thick and preservative-free, and last much longer than thinner drops. At night I've also used several of the preservative-free white petroleum + mineral oil ointments and find they help a lot (even though they are a bit messy). I've combined that with the use of a Bruder Mask and eyelid scrubs/massages to unblock the oil glands and tear ducts.

I do find it very interesting how all these different factors are often interrelated. I also have an autoimmune condition that is characterized by inflammation and I am guessing that probably made me more prone to the eye issues.
Thanks for all the information. Due to autoimmune disease (at least my opthamologist says he thinks it’s a contributing factor) I’m prone to chelazia and blepharitis. I’m definitely going to try many of your recommendations. I’ve already had an eyelid surgery years ago to remove a hardened chelazion (I hope I spelled that correctly).

Dang it I’m still down with Covid and my eyes have been watering almost constantly since I got this. So I’m not on screens much. I’m probably not going to be well anytime this week so it’s a good time to try some compresses and scrubs and stuff like that.
 

5105973

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Sep 11, 2014
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I'm sorry about your loss. ?
I don't even dare to think that one day my dad will no longer exist (he actually turns 67 today ?).
I'm far from ready... if ever.

Back to topic. I haven't used OLED on computers (guess Dell's premium laptop has it?). However, I will buy an external monitor and a requirement is that it's certified flicker-free. Actually considering a Dell monitor (LCD Black IPS) with built-in USB hub.

I hope the laptop will work for you. ?
The laptop seems to be working okay for me. I’ve got a little bit of trouble focusing on it but that’s because I’ve got dry eyes and I definitely have to use drops now. I’ve also tried the Apple Macbook M1 Air belonging to one of the kids. Same type of display from what I can tell.

My Dell is an Inspiron 7506 2-in1. Core i7. It’s powerful and has a touch screen that works with a stylus that’s stored in a niche on the keyboard. It’s really cool! My dad liked to get maxed specs. He got a 1 terabyte drive. I’m going to use this until my oldest goes to college after next school year and then she can have it. I’m thinking of getting a MacBook Air for myself that will remain mine. Lol every computer I’ve ever gotten ends up shared with the family.

There are other MacBooks I’m considering but I haven’t looked at or shopped computers for so many years I’m having to educate myself all over again. I don’t know if mini LED is okay or not.
 

MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
5,414
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The laptop seems to be working okay for me. I’ve got a little bit of trouble focusing on it but that’s because I’ve got dry eyes and I definitely have to use drops now. I’ve also tried the Apple Macbook M1 Air belonging to one of the kids. Same type of display from what I can tell.

My Dell is an Inspiron 7506 2-in1. Core i7. It’s powerful and has a touch screen that works with a stylus that’s stored in a niche on the keyboard. It’s really cool! My dad liked to get maxed specs. He got a 1 terabyte drive. I’m going to use this until my oldest goes to college after next school year and then she can have it. I’m thinking of getting a MacBook Air for myself that will remain mine. Lol every computer I’ve ever gotten ends up shared with the family.

There are other MacBooks I’m considering but I haven’t looked at or shopped computers for so many years I’m having to educate myself all over again. I don’t know if mini LED is okay or not.

I just purchased the 14” MacBook Pro, so I’ll definitely update on how I do with that display assuming I keep the order before it’s shipped instead of waiting for the M2 Pro generation. I do feel good about the M1 Pro as my first-generation 15” Retina MacBook Pro served me well for nearly a decade.

I’m cautiously optimistic. 12,200Hz shouldn’t really cause issues. I’m too much of a display enthusiast to not at least give it a try. In fact, I’m ecstatic about experiencing the Mini LED display. On the off-chance that it doesn’t work I suppose I’ll treat myself to the new MacBook Air instead.

Any news in this space about an Accessibility option, or iPhone 14 bringing flicker-free capability? Using iPhone 13 Mini for an extended period of time has almost ruined even the best LCD displays for me, and the Mini LED display will probably further that.

On the other hand, I’ve been more sensitive to PWM on displays possibly even including my ~ 9,000Hz Pioneer KURO plasma which didn’t cause me any issues prior to trying iPhone 13. This may just be a general sensitivity to any type of display after attempting to use iPhone 13 for a few months that should go away over time.
 
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5105973

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I just purchased the 14” MacBook Pro, so I’ll definitely update on how I do with that display assuming I keep the order before it’s shipped instead of waiting for the M2 Pro generation. I do feel good about the M1 Pro as my first-generation 15” Retina MacBook Pro served me well for nearly a decade.

I’m cautiously optimistic. 12,200Hz shouldn’t really cause issues. I’m too much of a display enthusiast to not at least give it a try. In fact, I’m ecstatic about experiencing the Mini LED display. On the off-chance that it doesn’t work I suppose I’ll treat myself to the new MacBook Air instead.

Any news in this space about an Accessibility option, or iPhone 14 bringing flicker-free capability? Using iPhone 13 Mini for an extended period of time has almost ruined even the best LCD displays for me, and the Mini LED display will probably further that.

On the other hand, I’ve been more sensitive to PWM on displays possibly even including my ~ 9,000Hz Pioneer KURO plasma which didn’t cause me any issues prior to trying iPhone 13. This may just be a general sensitivity to any type of display after attempting to use iPhone 13 for a few months that should go away over time.
Sometimes after I get blasted by a particularly bad OLED PWM experience I will be hyper sensitive to other sources of pwm flicker around me like light bulbs or our tv. Stuff that normally doesn’t bother me.

So hopefully you’re just temporarily over sensitized for now by your 13.

Sadly, it’s been so many months and I still can’t go back to my purple mini.

I did order myself a refurbished MacBook Air with the M1 chip. It’s got the now discontinued 8 core gpu. The remaining M1 Airs that can be customized only offer a 7 core gpu. But that’s not why I went with refurbished.

I just decided to give it a try and see what I get because the savings are pretty significant. I’m getting 16 Gb RAM and a terabyte drive and to get that new on an M1 Air was an additional $200 if I remember correctly and I think it was another $400 for the M2 Air.

I can afford an M2 Air with upgraded specs but I don’t necessarily need that much power and I don’t necessarily want to put a lot of money into it and decide that editing photos and videos is too much of a pain in the butt after all. However I would play Sims 4 on it.

My poor Windows laptop that I got from my dad choked and sputtered on Sims 4. I keep getting errors that my graphics card can’t handle Sims 4. It’s meant to be a business laptop not a gaming laptop. My husband thought it would do okay but he was wrong. Oh well he gets the windows laptop.
 

asus389

macrumors 6502
Sep 11, 2019
334
227
USA
I did order myself a refurbished MacBook Air with the M1 chip. It’s got the now discontinued 8 core gpu. The remaining M1 Airs that can be customized only offer a 7 core gpu. But that’s not why I went with refurbished.

I just decided to give it a try and see what I get because the savings are pretty significant. I’m getting 16 Gb RAM and a terabyte drive and to get that new on an M1 Air was an additional $200 if I remember correctly and I think it was another $400 for the M2 Air.

I'm curious to hear how you get on with the new M1 Air. I'm in a similar situation myself. I have a 2017 MBP but I'd like to replace it with a new AS model. Unsure about which screen will be best for my eyes.
 

4419867

Cancelled
May 3, 2022
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Back again. Thought it would be easy to find an Android phone without flicker but no. Not if you want good cameras/flagships. Same problem with Android.

Had bought iPhone 11 if it weren't for Face ID. Still uses face mask sometimes and also heard that Face ID/infrared IR flashes which can cause similar problems as PWM.

May continue with my bad budget Android (at least flicker-free...) until something better shows up worth spending money on. Really hate it, the cameras suck and it has too little RAM (shuts down the browser all the time).

I want an updated iPhone 11 with Touch ID on the side button NOW until the OLED is resolved. Even though it's too big and heavy for my taste, I would not have hesitated. I do like big screens.
 
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now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
10,642
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51A14A1D-C926-4921-8C5C-E157128BB688.jpeg
 
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Mr.Simple

macrumors regular
Dec 5, 2020
126
146
Any news in this space about an Accessibility option, or iPhone 14 bringing flicker-free capability? Using iPhone 13 Mini for an extended period of time has almost ruined even the best LCD displays for me, and the Mini LED display will probably further that.

Sadly no :( I have until today nothing read that could go in this direction. Samsung Display has again advertised his flicker free and eye friendly OLED Display for Laptops on YT. Maybe they have found that this could be the next thing for OLED Display and bring such a OLED display also for smartphones :)


Back again. Thought it would be easy to find an Android phone without flicker but no. Not if you want good cameras/flagships. Same problem with Android.

Had bought iPhone 11 if it weren't for Face ID. Still uses face mask sometimes and also heard that Face ID/infrared IR flashes which can cause similar problems as PWM.

May continue with my bad budget Android (at least flicker-free...) until something better shows up worth spending money on. Really hate it, the cameras suck and it has too little RAM (shuts down the browser all the time).

I want an updated iPhone 11 with Touch ID on the side button NOW until the OLED is resolved. Even though it's too big and heavy for my taste, I would not have hesitated. I do like big screens.

You could look for the Poco X4 GT with 144 Hz LCD Display and the really capable Dimensity 8100. Xiaomi makes marketing how eye friendly the display is with DC Dimming and low bluelight on hardware-level. It could be a really nice LCD Display. And it also has fast memory with 3.1 UFS and DDR5 RAM.

Or the upcoming Galaxy XCover 6 Pro that has a 120 Hz LCD Display with S778, that was the best processor for midranger from last year. But its a rugged phone so the dimensions and weigth are not for everyone.
 
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MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
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Sadly no :( I have until today nothing read that could go in this direction. Samsung Display has again advertised his flicker free and eye friendly OLED Display for Laptops on YT. Maybe they have found that this could be the next thing for OLED Display and bring such a OLED display also for smartphones :)




You could look for the Poco X4 GT with 144 Hz LCD Display and the really capable Dimensity 8100. Xiaomi makes marketing how eye friendly the display is with DC Dimming and low bluelight on hardware-level. It could be a really nice LCD Display. And it also has fast memory with 3.1 UFS and DDR5 RAM.

Or the upcoming Galaxy XCover 6 Pro that has a 120 Hz LCD Display with S778, that was the best processor for midranger from last year. But its a rugged phone so the dimensions and weigth are not for everyone.

It’s ridiculous of them to create an animated infographic illustrating the negative effects of inferior displays when they sell millions of smartphone displays with flicker and blue light. They’re well-aware, yet don’t fix it.

16CA22C5-11C5-4AC6-B8DA-1FD4B72AF79C.png


I’m so tempted to upgrade to the 14” or possibly even 16” MacBook Pro with a Mini LED display but I’m slightly concerned that even the nearly 15,000Hz PWM rate will cause me issues. Doubly annoying since I was able to find a phenomenal deal on an upgraded M1 Pro 1TB 14” MacBook Pro, but the retailer doesn’t accept returns.
 

5105973

Cancelled
Sep 11, 2014
12,132
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It’s ridiculous of them to create an animated infographic illustrating the negative effects of inferior displays when they sell millions of smartphone displays with flicker and blue light. They’re well-aware, yet don’t fix it.

View attachment 2025680

I’m so tempted to upgrade to the 14” or possibly even 16” MacBook Pro with a Mini LED display but I’m slightly concerned that even the nearly 15,000Hz PWM rate will cause me issues. Doubly annoying since I was able to find a phenomenal deal on an upgraded M1 Pro 1TB 14” MacBook Pro, but the retailer doesn’t accept returns.
Yeah I didn’t take a chance on that model because of the display. And it is a bit overkill for my needs. I’m doing well on an M1 Air from the Apple refurb shop. Lol I just need to remember to keep blinking and to use my eye drops. Dry eye contributes to blurry vision for me. I’m not having any headaches though.
 

4419867

Cancelled
May 3, 2022
112
75
Discovered an exciting display technology: RLCD. Reflective LCD. Apparently something in between E Ink and LCD. Always been curious about E Ink, especially on tablets. However, they have been without color (should have come color now though) and low update frequency. This seems fixed with RCLD. RCLD is not perfect in all respects (more affected by ambient light in color reproduction). It still feels like a big step for eye health and outdoor daylight use.

Much more interesting than OLED with its burn-ins. People are too obsessed with blackness/contrast.

Link:

Video:
 
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4419867

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May 3, 2022
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You could look for the Poco X4 GT with 144 Hz LCD Display and the really capable Dimensity 8100. Xiaomi makes marketing how eye friendly the display is with DC Dimming and low bluelight on hardware-level. It could be a really nice LCD Display. And it also has fast memory with 3.1 UFS and DDR5 RAM.

Or the upcoming Galaxy XCover 6 Pro that has a 120 Hz LCD Display with S778, that was the best processor for midranger from last year. But its a rugged phone so the dimensions and weigth are not for everyone.
I don't like Chinese brands. I also care about updates.

Samsung is okay but why would it be flicker-free? If it's a Pro model, it's probably an OLED display. I don't care about refresh rate as long as it's flicker-free. Never play games.

Honestly, I want Pixel if not iPhone.
 
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Mr.Simple

macrumors regular
Dec 5, 2020
126
146
I don't like Chinese brands. I also care about updates.

Samsung is okay but why would it be flicker-free? If it's a Pro model, it's probably an OLED display. I don't care about refresh rate as long as it's flicker-free. Never play games.

Honestly, I want Pixel if not iPhone.
It´s already confirmed that it has a 120 Hz LCD Display. The question is if it not work with PWM or could cause eye strain with color dithering. Samsung also confirmed for the enterprise edition 4 OS Updates and 5 years worth of security updates. So it get also long lasting software support.

Yes i would also prefer Pixel with Stock Android. But the problems here is that Google is no way better than Apple when it comes to PWM Implemention :( And there is also no alternatve with LCD Display. The good times with a Nexus 5 are long long over :(
 
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Samut

macrumors regular
Oct 1, 2017
180
174
I had an accident with my Iphone 11 yesterday and have either to get if fixed or get a new phone. I have previously tried Iphone XS and Iphone 12 max but both gave me quite heavy eye strain.

I spent some time going through all the comments from the past year but could not find clear consensus which model (Iphone 13, pro or pro max) would be the most comfortable to use. Is there a clear consensus whether one of these models might be easier on the eyes?

My own experience from the store was that somehow the Iphone 13 pro felt the most easy on the eyes and the screen looked more static in a good way and I was able to focus better. Basic Iphone 13 felt somehow irritating but it could be due to stuttery scrolling which I find quite annoying with OLED screens. Iphone 13 pro max felt the worst and I did not bother using it for long. Though this was just based on 20-25 minutes playing with the phones.
 

Jclok

macrumors member
Jun 1, 2021
44
22
I had an accident with my Iphone 11 yesterday and have either to get if fixed or get a new phone. I have previously tried Iphone XS and Iphone 12 max but both gave me quite heavy eye strain.

I spent some time going through all the comments from the past year but could not find clear consensus which model (Iphone 13, pro or pro max) would be the most comfortable to use. Is there a clear consensus whether one of these models might be easier on the eyes?

My own experience from the store was that somehow the Iphone 13 pro felt the most easy on the eyes and the screen looked more static in a good way and I was able to focus better. Basic Iphone 13 felt somehow irritating but it could be due to stuttery scrolling which I find quite annoying with OLED screens. Iphone 13 pro max felt the worst and I did not bother using it for long. Though this was just based on 20-25 minutes playing with the phones.
The only current phone that I immediately noticed had very little impact on my eyes and brain was the iPhone SE. All of the remaining current lineup makes me feel uncomfortable, but everybody can and may experience these phones differently. When my iPhone X died, I had to use a Xs Max. At first my brain felt very irritated by it, but now it’s “better“ but I still don’t prefer it.
 

4419867

Cancelled
May 3, 2022
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It´s already confirmed that it has a 120 Hz LCD Display. The question is if it not work with PWM or could cause eye strain with color dithering. Samsung also confirmed for the enterprise edition 4 OS Updates and 5 years worth of security updates. So it get also long lasting software support.

Yes i would also prefer Pixel with Stock Android. But the problems here is that Google is no way better than Apple when it comes to PWM Implemention :( And there is also no alternatve with LCD Display. The good times with a Nexus 5 are long long over :(
That was good news about the Galaxy XCover 6 Pro. No big fan of Samsung's own software though. Just like you, I prefer Pixel but yes, they have the same problem as the iPhone with PWM. :(

I hope the industry overcomes this flicker problem soon...
The only current phone that I immediately noticed had very little impact on my eyes and brain was the iPhone SE. All of the remaining current lineup makes me feel uncomfortable, but everybody can and may experience these phones differently. When my iPhone X died, I had to use a Xs Max. At first my brain felt very irritated by it, but now it’s “better“ but I still don’t prefer it.
iPhone SE is such a boring phone though. Small screen for its size due to thick forehead and chin. Also lacks optical zoom. It doesn't feel fun to buy it in 2022.

I will wait until something relevant appears. iPhone 11 with TouchID on the side button would be good until they have solved PWM on OLED.

Interested in iPad (Pro 12.9) or MacBook (Air) as well but unsure even if they have very high PWM. Although the iPad Air 5 doesn't have PWM, I'm not sure if I will settle for a 10.9 inch screen and iPad OS. A MacBook feels like a safer choice, but the iPad still feels like the future. 🤷‍♀️
 
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MICHAELSD

macrumors 603
Jul 13, 2008
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It is incredible how I can stare at an iPhone 13 series phone in a retail store and still get a tension headache within seconds.

I do admittedly have some long-term concerns over my previous usage, which shouldn’t even be a conversation with a smartphone that millions of people are spending half their day using.
 

mag01

macrumors regular
Apr 10, 2011
150
47
iPhone 13 mini here, also suffering from this.

Unfortunately there aren't really many alternatives. I don't care whether it's iOS or Android device, but I want a rather small and light one, with decent HW, good SW support and no Chinese brand. There's basically nothing else than iPhone mini that ticks all those boxes (no, i don't like the SE at all). So many brands and devices and so few real choices, incredible.

I tried to tweak some settings but that didn't help much. I'm also going to try some screen protector with the blue light filter, it may help a little, but I'm skeptical regarding any significant improvement. It's really a shame. Apple pretend to care about one's health, yet they sell such eye-killing stuff.
 

jimmy_uk

macrumors 68020
Oct 19, 2015
2,347
3,161
UK
The healthy discount on the Google Pixel 6 & 6 Pro has peaked my interest. Anyone following this thread have any experience with them?
 
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