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Other Eye-strain while using iPhone X and up

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Are you experiencing this issue?

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Heman87 said:
I t

I tried the iPhone XS, 12, 14p, 14PM, 15, 15P, 15PM, 16, 16PM and the 17. The 17 is the worst iPhone i ever tested. Now i will be testing the air based on the reviews on reddit.
Click to expand...

That’s crazy to look at. 15PM and 14PM work perfect for me. The 16PM was the worst.

I do the 17PM is affecting me. But not like other devices. I only used reduced white point yesterday… just disabled pwm today. And will see what it does..
It’s going to be interesting over the next week
 
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I'm debating on trying the 17 air, i've seen some success on here and reddit with it. The 17 pro is definitely going back though.

I'm also considering getting a 16 and trying to swap in different incell screens. I've seen that work for some people as well, it's just a matter of finding one that'll work.
 
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I’ve kind of already accepted at this point that I can no longer partake in owning the latest-and-great iPhone as I did since the first generation when I was younger. If Apple continues to have an LCD or flicker-free option I’ll continue to make do with that. This setting seems like a distraction at best, as I had anticipated could be the case.
 
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MICHAELSD said:
I’ve kind of already accepted at this point that I can no longer partake in owning the latest-and-great iPhone as I did since the first generation when I was younger. If Apple continues to have an LCD or flicker-free option I’ll continue to make do with that. This setting seems like a distraction at best, as I had anticipated could be the case.
Click to expand...
Have you considered the Air, they say it has at-least better modulation than the regular 17 and pro models.
 
dannyh5319 said:
Have you considered the Air, they say it has at-least better modulation than the regular 17 and pro models.
Click to expand...
That’s the one I’ve pretty much settled on being my test device for this generation. I’m just being realistic that iPhone SE serves me well enough if it is another gradual leap even with the “PWM toggle” on.
 
jimmy_uk said:
He has been fine with the OLED iPhones for quite sometime now, so I don’t think he has a high sensitivity like most of us.
Click to expand...
it seems that most users of this forum have confidence in this guy called zollotech.

then listen to what he says:

"it has made my eyes less strained"

he does say that he needs to try it longer, but he does say:
it has made his eyes less strained.

your level of being affected by PWM may be greater than his.
but the amount of people totally ignoring what your hero has said, is quite bizarre.
his comment was enough for me to have confidence that my level of eye strain caused by PWM will be able to be contained by this new setting.

thank you apple !
 
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MICHAELSD said:
That’s the one I’ve pretty much settled on being my test device for this generation. I’m just being realistic that iPhone SE serves me well enough if it is another gradual leap even with the “PWM toggle” on.
Click to expand...
I got the 17 pro but it didn’t work out, felt almost as worst as the 16 pro even with the toggle..will also give the air a shot after my return is received. Good thing the air is underrated so we don’t have to worry about delays or stock issues lol
 
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arc of the universe said:
it seems that most users of this forum have confidence in this guy called zollotech.

then listen to what he says:

"it has made my eyes less strained"

he does say that he needs to try it longer, but he does say:
it has made his eyes less strained.

your level of being affected by PWM may be greater than his.
but the amount of people totally ignoring what your hero has said, is quite bizarre.
his comment was enough for me to have confidence that my level of eye strain caused by PWM will be able to be contained by this new setting.

thank you apple !
Click to expand...
I can’t even remember the last phone it was where he was still affected by the pwm but he hasn’t been a source for this community for at the past 3 phones or so. That’s primarily why what he says now is taken with an asterisk.
 
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I think I have a winner!!!

Went out and picked up an IPhone Air yesterday evening due to reports stating it was better with Modulation.

Was using the IPhone 17PM since launch. While I found it tolerable, I felt it was still a compromise having to use Reduce Motion and 60FPS to get it to that point.

Opened the Air this morning and used it all day. I’m pleased to report it is much better than the 17PM. I still get a touch of blurriness, but I have yet to reach for my eyes to rub them. That’s saying something.

17PM is a BEAST! If I HAD to manage, it would be possible.. However, for that kind of money, I would expect it to have a display that did not bother me. Again, to make it work I had to engage PWM reduction, motion reduction, Auto Brightness off and 60FPS.

With the Air.. just the PWM switch has been flipped and auto brightness off. (TBH - Have not tried it with AB on)

Anyways, I will continue to test this one and drop more findings soon.
 
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Maven1975 said:
I think I have a winner!!!

Went out and picked up an IPhone Air yesterday evening due to reports stating it was better with Modulation.

Was using the IPhone 17PM since launch. While I found it tolerable, I felt it was still a compromise having to use Reduce Motion and 60FPS to get it to that point.

Opened the Air this morning and used it all day. I’m pleased to report it is much better than the 17PM. I still get a touch of blurriness, but I have yet to reach for my eyes to rub them. That’s saying something.

17PM is a BEAST! If I HAD to manage, it would be possible.. However, for that kind of money, I would expect it to have a display that did not bother me. Again, to make it work I had to engage PWM reduction, motion reduction, Auto Brightness off and 60FPS.

With the Air.. just the PWM switch has been flipped and auto brightness off. (TBH - Have not tried it with AB on)

Anyways, I will continue to test this one and drop more findings soon.
Click to expand...
Which was your main iPhone before and which oled iPhones were not tolerable to you ? Can you also check the screen manufacture on your air ?
 
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DJTaurus said:
Which was your main iPhone before and which oled iPhones were not tolerable to you ? Can you also check the screen manufacture on your air ?
Click to expand...
It an LG GVC Panel

I have been using an IP11 forever. Came from the XR prior to that.

Tried multiple variants of iPhones since and could never tolerate them for more than an hour without obvious signs of pain/discomfort.

For the record, as you can see, I have both on hand.

It not absolutely 100 perfect.. but WAY better than other attempts. OLEDs also have another look to them that has to be adjusted to when compared to LCD.

This is the best I have come across for sure.

Anyone wanting to try out a 17 Series phone.. Start with the Air!
 

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Maven1975 said:
I have been using an IP11 forever. Came from the XR prior to that.

Tried multiple variants of iPhones since and could never tolerate them for more than an hour without obvious signs of pain/discomfort.

LG GVC Panel

As you can see.. I have both.

It not absolutely 100 perfect.. but WAY better than other attempts. OLEDs also have another look to them that has to be adjusted to when compared to LCD.

This is the best I have come across for sure.

Anyone wanting to try out a 17 Series phone.. Start with the Air!
Click to expand...
So you are a legitimate LCD user like me. Your results are very interesting. I ordered an air too and will report at the end of the week. I would suggest you to try double invert, and put a matte screen protector. Did you try iphone 11 with ios 26 ?...... my eyes dont like it......it made things worse.
 
DJTaurus said:
So you are a legitimate LCD user like me. Your results are very interesting. I ordered an air too and will report at the end of the week. I would suggest you to try double invert, and put a matte screen protector. Did you try iphone 11 with ios 26 ?...... my eyes dont like it......it made things worse.
Click to expand...
Yes.. LCD is the way to go. Even that can be screwed up by crappy implementations.

I did install 26 on my 11. I did not have issues with 26, but my phone is not the smoothest anyways these days. I do use it with reduce motion. Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice things as much.

The poor 11’s ram management is REALLY showing it age.

I did not try double invert and will invest in a screen protector after a few more days of use. Honestly, if this works, I’m going to exchange it for a maxed out version.
 
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Maven1975 said:
Yes.. LCD is the way to go. Even that can be screwed up by crappy implementations.

I did install 26 on my 11. I did not have issues with 26, but my phone is not the smoothest anyways these days. I do use it with reduce motion. Maybe that’s why I didn’t notice things as much.

The poor 11’s ram management is REALLY showing it age.

I did not try double invert and will invest in a screen protector after a few more days of use. Honestly, if this works, I’m going to exchange it for a maxed out version.
Click to expand...
I'm very curious. I tried the 17 and it was bad. Today i will recieve my AIR. Lot of positive reviews
 
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I'm a little crazy, but I tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max again today.
PWM switch on, and instead of 60Hz I switched to 120Hz. After 3 hours of display on time
I have no more symptoms. Eyes, neck, back of the head, everything feels excellent. I will don't
send it back today and test it this week. Of course I also report again, keep my fingers crossed.
 
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PwmMen said:
I'm a little crazy, but I tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max again today.
PWM switch on, and instead of 60Hz I switched to 120Hz. After 3 hours of display on time
I have no more symptoms. Eyes, neck, back of the head, everything feels excellent. I will don't
send it back today and test it this week. Of course I also report again, keep my fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
Hopefully it works out for you this time!
 
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PwmMen said:
I'm a little crazy, but I tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max again today.
PWM switch on, and instead of 60Hz I switched to 120Hz. After 3 hours of display on time
I have no more symptoms. Eyes, neck, back of the head, everything feels excellent. I will don't
send it back today and test it this week. Of course I also report again, keep my fingers crossed.
Click to expand...
Is there any occasion you used it in an environment that would give warmer display color temperature?

There is a widespread theory circulating on Reddit and Ledstrain that flicker that is bothering us lies in blue color spectrum, and by blocking it (either when True Tone, Night Shift or both are active and produce warm display colors) using flickering display becomes more possible than before.

I often enable night shift when I get symptoms on my 11 Pro, however it is super inconvenient when watching content as you don't get proper colors
 
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