how dark are the OLED blacks on iPhone X?

[kofman13]

For years I was an iPhone guy, then for the last two years I’ve been using the Samsung galaxy S7 Edge and now the S8 mostly. Now that the iPhone X is out, it really looks awesome and its very tempting to me so I went back to my iPhone 7 for the last two weeks to just see if I could adjust and use the iOS ecosystem again long term with a new iPhone and so far I love it so I am getting closer to deciding to get the X.

The ONLY thing I have really missed these past two weeks is the display of the Galaxy phone. Everything is so vibrant, super bright, and contrast is amazing due to dark blacks with super AMOLED. Pumping up brightness on my iPhone 7 and watching a movie looks franky horrible to me now, all the darker colors have a super pronounced bluish glow to it like you would have with any LCD. I know that the iPhone 7 isn’t OLED but this just made me realize how much good OLED performance would matter to me in daily use if I got the iPhone X

To anyone who has been around a lot of other OLED screens or have come from the Galaxy S7 or S8, how does the iPhone x OLED display compare? How BLACK are the blacks? Do different OLED screens differ in how dark the blacks can get or is all OLED created equal?

 

[D.T.]

I look at the blacks on the iPhone X and think, how much more black could they be? The answer is none. None ... more ... black.

 

[kofman13]

I look at the blacks on the iPhone X and think, how much more black could they be? The answer is none. None ... more ... black.

even when watching something in the dark? . movies in bed on a phone is my nightly pastime

 

[Superrjamz54]

I look at the blacks on the iPhone X and think, how much more black could they be? The answer is none. None ... more ... black.

Considering that blacks on OLED screens means that no pixel is actually lit up means that they can’t get any darker.

 

[Binarymix]

It’s as black as a pixel with no current can be.

 

[kofman13]

Considering that blacks on OLED screens means that no pixel is actually lit up means that they can’t get any darker.

so your'e saying that all OLED displays are the same in terms of how black they get? im not very educated in this

 

[Superrjamz54]

so your'e saying that all OLED displays are the same in terms of how black they get? im not very educated in this

They should be since none of them will light any pixels to display black. The difference is how saturated the bright colors are.

 

[D.T.]

Considering that blacks on OLED screens means that no pixel is actually lit up means that they can’t get any darker.

Yes, Nigel Tufnel, inventor of OLED (and Dubly noise reduction) would agree.

 

[jafingi]

so your'e saying that all OLED displays are the same in terms of how black they get? im not very educated in this

OLED is lit in each individual pixel. So if it should be black, it’s completely turned off... So it’s as black as it can be.

 

[44267547]

so your'e saying that all OLED displays are the same in terms of how black they get? im not very educated in this

As others have said, the individual pixels for OLED can be turned off, as where LCD displays is backlit, when the blacks are not as true.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Yes, Nigel Tufnel, inventor of OLED (and Dubly noise reduction) would agree.

I'd argue that Jeanine invented Dubly.

As for black...

 

[Givmeabrek]

Ha, ha. Like turning off the lights and asking how dark it is. Off is off....

 

[redman042]

Perfectly black. I made my home screen wallpaper a photo of Jupiter with space at the top, and it is impossible to see the notch. It just blends together. This is true in daylight and in a perfectly dark room.

 

[D.T.]

I'd argue that Jeanine invented Dubly.

As for black...

Hahaha, yeah, I took same moderate comedic license on that

 

[JRoDDz]

If you had a perfectly black picture on your screen, and turned the brightness all the way up on the iPhone, and turned off the lights in a perfectly pitch black room, you would gaze upon your iPhone and see... nothing.

 

[twisted_mind]

The blacks are perfect blacks alright. However since the OP mentions the S7/S8 as a comparison, I would still say the S8 makes colours pop more. I’m not an expert in colour accuracy but from what I read the X supposedly has natural and accurate colour reproduction. Blacks are on par with the S7/S8. Colors in my opinion are a little toned down. This coming from someone who’s always has the Galaxy S series on Amoled Basic setting so its not like I’m a sucker for the oversaturated pop-out displays.

 

[MICHAELSD]

The OLED display on the iPhone X is better than the OLED display on any phone, including Samsung. Blacks emit no light.

That being said I think the screen could be coated differently for darker blacks as the Apple Watch blacks look inkier but that’s an effect of the deep black color of the Watch glass.

 

[Tibits]

wicked black

 

[KONVICTED]

Black looks pure dark on OLED compared to LCD. I can completely see the difference on both display's side by side.

 

[44267547]

Black looks pure dark on OLED compared to LCD. I can completely see the difference on both display's side by side.

Good point. And that makes a huge difference, is if you have them side-by-side, you really can see the differences versus looking at displays separately.

 

[redman042]

If you have an iPhone X, try playing this 4K HDR video on it. Fast forward to the night scenes of the City in the last third of the video. Play it in a dark room with the screen brightness cranked up to at least 3/4 brightness. You will see very quickly what makes OLED displays special.

 

[Ipadfever]

It’s as black as the notch!

 

[Newtons Apple]

so your'e saying that all OLED displays are the same in terms of how black they get? im not very educated in this

Just look at your screen while your phone is turned off and that is as dark at the OLED screen can get.

 

[DNichter]

iPhone X has the best screen ever put in a mobile device. Whatever you have seen, it's better.

 

[thadoggfather]

OLED tv's are pure magic for this reason

and phones, but to a lesser extent imo

no longer staring down a backlight