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AdamNC

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 3, 2018
757
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Leland NC
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I am thinking about getting the XR with 256g soon but the one thing that’s making me kinda wonder if I should is the total screen resolution. I have a 8Plus and love the screen quality. But looking at the XR specs it seems it’s lower quality then the 8Plus. Is it a noticeable difference?
 
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I am thinking about getting the XR with 256g soon but the one thing that’s making me kinda wonder if I should is the total screen resolution. I have a 8Plus and love the screen quality. But looking at the XR specs it seems it’s lower quality then the 8Plus. Is it a noticeable difference?

Why don’t you look at the XR display in person and make that judgment for yourself. On here, you’re going to have others tell you that the XR display is ‘terrible’, ‘blurry’ and then you will have others who will tell you that the XR display is perfectly fine the way it is. I think the XR display looks great, but that’s my own viewpoint.
 
Watch some YouTube reviews and use your own eyes for judgement in the store
 
Blows my mind why they couldn’t just put a 1080p screen on the XR. I do own the XR and I came from an X. I love the XR but I can tell the difference in screen resolution. It’s not horrible and wasn’t a deal breaker for me though. It’s actually a pretty nice screen. I would say it’s in between a iPhone plus model and a regular iPhone model. But best thing to do it go to a local Best Buy or apple and check it out.
 
The screen sharpness is noticeable to me, especially when watching videos. I can’t do anything less than 1080p anymore, especially on a big display. The only way you’re going to know if you’re okay with it is if you go to the store and check out the screen side by side with your current phone.
 
The ppi difference is very noticable to me when reading small print. That's why I returned my Xr and bought a mint used 8 Plus 256gb. I'm good.
I am a pixel junkie, but in regular use XR pixels are enough for me. How small is your font and where do you read it? Is it’s lots of PDF? Maybe get Plus/IPad?
 
It is noticeable... for me, 8 plus is the best display apple has ever delivered in iphone (yes, even better than oled in x/xs/max).
 
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Why don’t you look at the XR display in person and make that judgment for yourself. On here, you’re going to have others tell you that the XR display is ‘terrible’, ‘blurry’ and then you will have others who will tell you that the XR display is perfectly fine the way it is. I think the XR display looks great, but that’s my own viewpoint.


I'm gonna play the devil's advocate for a minute "sorry I have to:D, only fair to customers". The 750 dollar XR has the same pixel density as an iPhone 4, which was released in 2010. So to put things in perspective, unless you live in Oregon, you're going to pay over 800 dollars after taxes for a so called budget phone that has the same density of that almost 9 years ago, that cannot do 1080P playback on Netflix, YouTube and the rest... There! I said it...:p
 
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I'm gonna play the devil's advocate for a minute "sorry I have to:D, only fair to customers". The 750 dollar XR has the same pixel density as an iPhone 4, which was released in 2010. So to put things in perspective, unless you live in Oregon, you're going to pay over 800 dollars after taxes for a so called budget phone that has the same density of that almost 9 years ago, that cannot do 1080P playback on Netflix, YouTube and the rest... There! I said it...:p

The MacBook Pro and iPad Pro from 2018 has the same PPI as the MacBook Pro and iPad from 2012.

At some point, pixel density hits a wall because most users don't need anything higher.
 
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I'm gonna play the devil's advocate for a minute "sorry I have to:D, only fair to customers". The 750 dollar XR has the same pixel density as an iPhone 4, which was released in 2010. So to put things in perspective, unless you live in Oregon, you're going to pay over 800 dollars after taxes for a so called budget phone that has the same density of that almost 9 years ago, that cannot do 1080P playback on Netflix, YouTube and the rest... There! I said it...:p
And the same pixel density as iPhone 8 that was released just a little over a year ago and many have been using just fine. It's not to say that it wouldn't be better if the pixel density was higher, but it is to say that this whole "something from 9 years ago" doesn't necessarily mean the same thing across the board. A wheel was invented centuries and centuries ago, but it doesn't make it some sort of horrible useless outdated technology simply because of that.
 
And the same pixel density as iPhone 8 that was released just a little over a year ago and many have been using just fine. It's not to say that it wouldn't be better if the pixel density was higher, but it is to say that this whole "something from 9 years ago" doesn't necessarily mean the same thing across the board. A wheel was invented centuries and centuries ago, but it doesn't make it some sort of horrible useless outdated technology simply because of that.

Name one "new" Android phone that's not special purpose on the market in the 750 dollar range that still uses LCD and a PPI of 326? I'm waiting...
 
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View attachment 814300 I am thinking about getting the XR with 256g soon but the one thing that’s making me kinda wonder if I should is the total screen resolution. I have a 8Plus and love the screen quality. But looking at the XR specs it seems it’s lower quality then the 8Plus. Is it a noticeable difference?

Personally, I will not upgrade from a 8 Plus to an XR.
 
Why don’t you look at the XR display in person and make that judgment for yourself. On here, you’re going to have others tell you that the XR display is ‘terrible’, ‘blurry’ and then you will have others who will tell you that the XR display is perfectly fine the way it is. I think the XR display looks great, but that’s my own viewpoint.
You can’t tell. I can barely tell having a max and xr. I do not ever recall anyone saying the iPhone 8 vs 8 plus screen was terrible compared to the big model. 8 is the same resolution as the xr. **** i also use a iPad pro 2018. The ppi is 25x so lower than the xr. It’s fine! I don’t see pixels.
[doublepost=1546764239][/doublepost]
I'm gonna play the devil's advocate for a minute "sorry I have to:D, only fair to customers". The 750 dollar XR has the same pixel density as an iPhone 4, which was released in 2010. So to put things in perspective, unless you live in Oregon, you're going to pay over 800 dollars after taxes for a so called budget phone that has the same density of that almost 9 years ago, that cannot do 1080P playback on Netflix, YouTube and the rest... There! I said it...:p
Ok lew
 
Ok... so.. No the Xʀ is not the same screen as an iPhone 4. Very far from it. I’m not gonna get into it here, but that is the FURTHEST thing from the truth. Xʀ is 1792x828 and the iPhone 4 was 960x340. PPI is the same, but that is as far as it goes. Screen is MUCH MORE “crisp” on the Xʀ than it is on an iPhone 4. Taking things just a bit further... the iPhone Xʀ display is NOT the same as the screen on the iPhone 8. The 1334x750 while the Xʀ is AGAIN 1792x828. Not even the same at all. Only PPI is the same. If we’re gonna talk about PPI how about the PPI on the iPad Pro? We’re talking 12.9” and 11” screens with a PPI of 264... ok so the Xʀ screen is better than that screen??? Since we all think that PPI is all that makes a display. So the iPad Pro that has the “best” tablet screen on the market has an I fertile screen to a Xʀ because it has less PPI? No!!

All these PPI patrol need to realize what makes a display before coming out saying “iPhone Xʀ has the same display as iPhone 4 which was released over 9 years ago”. It’s not true. As a MATTER of FACT it is the FURTHEST thing from the truth.

There are arguments on the internet that says the iPhone Xʀ display is actually BETTER than those of the iPhone X, XS, and XS Max. These arguments also go onto say that the iPhone 8 Plus is actually the “best” display apple has ever put on an iPhone. Followed by the Xʀ. Google it all because I’m not going into details, but you PPI Patrol need to think before you type. If the 326 PPI is bad on the Xʀ than how is the 264 PPI on the iPad Pro’s “good”?? Because PPI is NOT what makes the display.

I’m done rant over. That said I have an iPhone X, XS Max and iPhone Xʀ siting right next to me, and I have been using the Xʀ daily since October 26th. Only reason the Max has been booted up is for comparisons between the 2 phones. The battery life on the Xʀ trumps anything else the Max May offer. The Xʀ is 95% of the features at 70% of the price compared to the Max. I honestly miss nothing from the Max when using my Xʀ.
[doublepost=1546788878][/doublepost]
You can’t tell. I can barely tell having a max and xr. I do not ever recall anyone saying the iPhone 8 vs 8 plus screen was terrible compared to the big model. 8 is the same resolution as the xr. **** i also use a iPad pro 2018. The ppi is 25x so lower than the xr. It’s fine! I don’t see pixels.
[doublepost=1546764239][/doublepost]
Ok lew

Thank my goodness. Someone who actually “gets it”. Some people are so brain washed with PPI and densities they don’t think before they talk or type. The iPad Pro’s are considered amongst the best tablet display, but “only” have 264 PPI on an 11 and 12.9” screen, but people want to argue that 326PPI is not enough for a screen as big as the Xʀ! What??? Then they go out and buy iPad pro’s??? This is the most comical stuff EVER.

I’m just glad there are others out there that truly understand.
 
Ok... so.. No the Xʀ is not the same screen as an iPhone 4. Very far from it. I’m not gonna get into it here, but that is the FURTHEST thing from the truth. Xʀ is 1792x828 and the iPhone 4 was 960x340. PPI is the same, but that is as far as it goes. Screen is MUCH MORE “crisp” on the Xʀ than it is on an iPhone 4. Taking things just a bit further... the iPhone Xʀ display is NOT the same as the screen on the iPhone 8. The 1334x750 while the Xʀ is AGAIN 1792x828. Not even the same at all. Only PPI is the same. If we’re gonna talk about PPI how about the PPI on the iPad Pro? We’re talking 12.9” and 11” screens with a PPI of 264... ok so the Xʀ screen is better than that screen??? Since we all think that PPI is all that makes a display. So the iPad Pro that has the “best” tablet screen on the market has an I fertile screen to a Xʀ because it has less PPI? No!!

All these PPI patrol need to realize what makes a display before coming out saying “iPhone Xʀ has the same display as iPhone 4 which was released over 9 years ago”. It’s not true. As a MATTER of FACT it is the FURTHEST thing from the truth.

There are arguments on the internet that says the iPhone Xʀ display is actually BETTER than those of the iPhone X, XS, and XS Max. These arguments also go onto say that the iPhone 8 Plus is actually the “best” display apple has ever put on an iPhone. Followed by the Xʀ. Google it all because I’m not going into details, but you PPI Patrol need to think before you type. If the 326 PPI is bad on the Xʀ than how is the 264 PPI on the iPad Pro’s “good”?? Because PPI is NOT what makes the display.

I’m done rant over. That said I have an iPhone X, XS Max and iPhone Xʀ siting right next to me, and I have been using the Xʀ daily since October 26th. Only reason the Max has been booted up is for comparisons between the 2 phones. The battery life on the Xʀ trumps anything else the Max May offer. The Xʀ is 95% of the features at 70% of the price compared to the Max. I honestly miss nothing from the Max when using my Xʀ.
[doublepost=1546788878][/doublepost]

Thank my goodness. Someone who actually “gets it”. Some people are so brain washed with PPI and densities they don’t think before they talk or type. The iPad Pro’s are considered amongst the best tablet display, but “only” have 264 PPI on an 11 and 12.9” screen, but people want to argue that 326PPI is not enough for a screen as big as the Xʀ! What??? Then they go out and buy iPad pro’s??? This is the most comical stuff EVER.

I’m just glad there are others out there that truly understand.

Most sensible thing I’ve heard on this forum for a while. Thanks for taking the time to type it all out.
 
well no. ppi do matter. key is the viewing distance. you don't hold your 12.9" iPad as close as a phone.
the correct part here is, that arround 320 is good for a phone, there is need to go much higher than that on an lcd display. you only do that for marketing. yeah look at my 4k display. it's quite the same with 4k tvs. most people don't even sit near enough to their 4k display to see a difference between 1080p and 4k.

the oled phone displays are another story, as they mostly use pentile matrix, which has less subpixels. so to not get that ugly pentile matrix look that a lot of older oled displays (looking at you samsung) had, you need to go way up with the ppi, like they did with the X.

here is a good post about it from EugW
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...r-326-are-these-calculations-correct.2139201/
 
well no. ppi do matter. key is the viewing distance. you don't hold your 12.9" iPad as close as a phone.
the correct part here is, that arround 320 is good for a phone, there is need to go much higher than that on an lcd display. you only do that for marketing. yeah look at my 4k display. it's quite the same with 4k tvs. most people don't even sit near enough to their 4k display to see a difference between 1080p and 4k.

the oled phone displays are another story, as they mostly use pentile matrix, which has less subpixels. so to not get that ugly pentile matrix look that a lot of older oled displays (looking at you samsung) had, you need to go way up with the ppi, like they did with the X.

here is a good post about it from EugW
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...r-326-are-these-calculations-correct.2139201/

But the distance I hold my iPhone is approximately the same distance that I hold my 9.7 inch iPad.
 
Ok... so.. No the Xʀ is not the same screen as an iPhone 4. Very far from it. I’m not gonna get into it here, but that is the FURTHEST thing from the truth. Xʀ is 1792x828 and the iPhone 4 was 960x340. PPI is the same, but that is as far as it goes. Screen is MUCH MORE “crisp” on the Xʀ than it is on an iPhone 4. Taking things just a bit further... the iPhone Xʀ display is NOT the same as the screen on the iPhone 8. The 1334x750 while the Xʀ is AGAIN 1792x828. Not even the same at all. Only PPI is the same. If we’re gonna talk about PPI how about the PPI on the iPad Pro? We’re talking 12.9” and 11” screens with a PPI of 264... ok so the Xʀ screen is better than that screen??? Since we all think that PPI is all that makes a display. So the iPad Pro that has the “best” tablet screen on the market has an I fertile screen to a Xʀ because it has less PPI? No!!

All these PPI patrol need to realize what makes a display before coming out saying “iPhone Xʀ has the same display as iPhone 4 which was released over 9 years ago”. It’s not true. As a MATTER of FACT it is the FURTHEST thing from the truth.

There are arguments on the internet that says the iPhone Xʀ display is actually BETTER than those of the iPhone X, XS, and XS Max. These arguments also go onto say that the iPhone 8 Plus is actually the “best” display apple has ever put on an iPhone. Followed by the Xʀ. Google it all because I’m not going into details, but you PPI Patrol need to think before you type. If the 326 PPI is bad on the Xʀ than how is the 264 PPI on the iPad Pro’s “good”?? Because PPI is NOT what makes the display.

I’m done rant over. That said I have an iPhone X, XS Max and iPhone Xʀ siting right next to me, and I have been using the Xʀ daily since October 26th. Only reason the Max has been booted up is for comparisons between the 2 phones. The battery life on the Xʀ trumps anything else the Max May offer. The Xʀ is 95% of the features at 70% of the price compared to the Max. I honestly miss nothing from the Max when using my Xʀ.
[doublepost=1546788878][/doublepost]

Thank my goodness. Someone who actually “gets it”. Some people are so brain washed with PPI and densities they don’t think before they talk or type. The iPad Pro’s are considered amongst the best tablet display, but “only” have 264 PPI on an 11 and 12.9” screen, but people want to argue that 326PPI is not enough for a screen as big as the Xʀ! What??? Then they go out and buy iPad pro’s??? This is the most comical stuff EVER.

I’m just glad there are others out there that truly understand.

I spent a week comparing the Xr screen with the screen of my wife's 7 Plus. You can cut it anyway you like; the 7 Plus screen is (much) sharper for text. Not just pdf's but websites too. It's not that you see pixels but the letters are more fuzzy. I'm not saying the screen on the Xr is bad, it's not, but the difference to me is evident.

Maybe you don't notice it or don't care (enough), but for me it killed the Xr (and honestly I loved everthing else about that phone). However since reading is what I do most on my phone, I returned my Xr and bought a used 8 Plus. Saved a lot of money as a bonus.
 
But the distance I hold my iPhone is approximately the same distance that I hold my 9.7 inch iPad.
well its probably not, if you do the same task (like reading text) with the same content.
anyway, AdamNC should just check out the display in a store. i did and i think the XR display is fine.
 
well its probably not, if you do the same task (like reading text) with the same content.
anyway, AdamNC should just check out the display in a store. i did and i think the XR display is fine.

It certainly is. Eg when I’m sitting on the sofa (like now) I have my iPhone roughly at lap distance. When I use my iPad on the sofa it’s on my lap. When I’m at my desk my iPhone and iPad are roughly used at the same distance. I’ve watched my wife who is doing roughly the same thing too.

If I had a 12.9 inch iPad I’d still use it resting on my lap, unless I put it on the floor, but that’s obviously not practical :) On my desk I might put it a bit further back but not by much.

However, completely agree that AdamNC should just check out the display in store. If, for whatever reason, that’s not possible just get an XR and return it if it’s seen as not good enough.
 
Screen resolution in pixels is irrelevant as long as it is a Retina display with more than 300ppi (for a phone). What counts is the resolution in points and comparing this the XR has the same resolution as the Xs Max! You can read about it here....
 
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