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macrumors member
Original poster
Jun 29, 2012
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I was so excited to see the Xr because of its lower price point and similar features to the Xs. When I read about it having 720p, I was shocked and now I don’t really know what to do, (I currently have a 6.)
 
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kasakka

macrumors 68020
Oct 25, 2008
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Are you happy with the resolution on your 6? If yes, the Xr will have pretty much similar resolution at a larger screen size.
 
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estabya

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2014
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I was so excited to see the Xr because of its lower price point and similar features to the Xs. When I read about it having 720p, I was shocked and now I don’t really know what to do, (I currently have a 6.)

The resolution of the Xr is 1792x828, which is about 62% more pixels than 720p.

However, a 326ppi LCD screen is the sort of thing only Apple can get away with at this price point in my opinion. This is not a device that is geared toward people who care about screen technology or resolution.
 

44267547

Cancelled
Jul 12, 2016
37,642
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I was so excited to see the Xr because of its lower price point and similar features to the Xs. When I read about it having 720p, I was shocked and now I don’t really know what to do, (I currently have a 6.)

This to me is a major drawback. I do like what Apple executed with the XR, but I’m not willing to settle for a Lower resolution. For the non-tech oriented consumer, they won’t care or even notice. But for those who do realize the difference of resolution who perhaps own an iPhone Plus or higher, it could be a significant downgrade.
 
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sunapple

macrumors 68030
Jul 16, 2013
2,740
5,070
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Just hold the Max and XR next to each other when they launch and see if you can spot the difference. I can’t tell the difference between a 8 (326 ppi, = XR) and 8 Plus (401 ppi).

Yes, it’s only 326 ppi, but so is your iPhone 6. Yes, it’s only LCD, but the LCDs have always looked great and this one is supposed to be even better. OLED has its downsides too.
 

torana355

macrumors 68040
Dec 8, 2009
3,609
2,676
Sydney, Australia
The resolution of the Xr is 1792x828, which is about 62% more pixels than 720p.

However, a 326ppi LCD screen is the sort of thing only Apple can get away with at this price point in my opinion. This is not a device that is geared toward people who care about screen technology or resolution.
How is 828p 62 percent more then 720p? You do realise you only count the horizontal pixels to calculate this!
 

pcorrado

macrumors 6502
May 21, 2008
421
162
Chicago, IL
I think it’s a fool’s errand to deny the screen is lower specs than it should be give the competitors offerings but it may not matter from a practical usage standpoint. Resolution is only part of the picture when it comes to screeen quality. Color gamut, for example, May be much more important once a minmun resolution is achieved. I don’t if the XR reaches that point but the hands on videos have been extremely positive about the screen (at least those commenting on in person viewing not those just commenting on specs).

In my opinion, iPhone LCDs have always been more pleasing to look at that much of the competition. So if the specs are worse, but it looks better - who cares?

Of another note, Samsung’s (and Apple’s) OLED display (not sure about other manufacturers) are pentile v RGB displays and technically only have enough red/blue sub-pixels to resolve about 1/2-2/3 of the advertised resolution. The advertised resolution is up scal, essentially, by overpopulating green sub pixels in each pixel. So a 2k OLED display is really just a 2k equivalents display. That said, the actual resolution may still be higher than the XR so the distinction is irrelevant.

This is a good write up on Pentile: https://www.reddit.com/r/GalaxyS8/comments/695l1g/basics_on_pentile_amoled_displays_the_real_reason/

One thing the write-up does a good job demonstrating is how irrelevant it is to judge a display by paper specifications. If something looks like the best or one of the best screens you have seen - who cares what the actual specs are. There is certainly some other magic picking up the slack.
 

estabya

macrumors 6502a
Jun 28, 2014
669
678
How is 828p 62 percent more then 720p? You do realise you only count the horizontal pixels to calculate this!

Total pixel count is 61% higher. 1280x720 = 921,600 pixels. 1792x828 = 1,483,776 pixels. 1,483,776 / 921,600 = 1.61. I must have messed up the calculation last time and was off by 1%.

Calculating it any other way than this won’t yield accurate results because the aspect ratios differ. But as far as straight pixel count goes the Xr has 61% more pixels than a 720p image.
 
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WilliamG

macrumors G3
Mar 29, 2008
9,925
3,800
Seattle
Just hold the Max and XR next to each other when they launch and see if you can spot the difference. I can’t tell the difference between a 8 (326 ppi, = XR) and 8 Plus (401 ppi).

Yes, it’s only 326 ppi, but so is your iPhone 6. Yes, it’s only LCD, but the LCDs have always looked great and this one is supposed to be even better. OLED has its downsides too.

Conversely, for me the difference between an 8 and 8 Plus is plain as day to me in terms of PPI.
 
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apolloa

Suspended
Oct 21, 2008
12,318
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Time, because it rules EVERYTHING!
Its for budget phones. The Xr is a budget phone.

A ‘budget’ phone does not start from £750!!!

Anyway, on topic, it’s one of those things you need to really try in person before commenting on I think, I have complained about it’s reaolurion too but really with Apple screens their is more to it. At the time I thought the 7 Plus screen looked better then some high end OLED ones.

The XR screen is also brand new screen tech and also won’t have any burn in (image retention) problems.
 

Led-zep

macrumors member
Dec 1, 2015
59
49
Its for budget phones. The Xr is a budget phone.

It's not really budget phone is it.

In Oz it's $1000+ for the phone and $749 USD

It's disgusting to not at least ship the same as the 8+ 1080p display

Typical apple ********. They will get away with it due to their brilliant Marketing and idiots who buy this.

They should've made it 1080p display and if they had to sacrifice something then leave an A11 in there instead.

Besides their economies of scale and negotiation power surely they could've bought 1080p displays.

Hell they could've charged $799 with all the current specs + a 1080p screen.

Arrogance and $$ profit is what this phone is. Definitely not a budget at all
 

redheeler

macrumors G3
Oct 17, 2014
8,419
8,841
Colorado, USA
Total pixel count is 65% higher. 1280x720 = 921,600 pixels. 1792x828 = 1,483,776 pixels. 1,483,776 / 921,600 = 1.61. I must have messed up the calculation last time and was off by 1%.

Calculating it any other way than this won’t yield accurate results because the aspect ratios differ. But as far as straight pixel count goes the Xr has 61% more pixels than a 720p image.
For widescreen video the effective resolution is 1472x828 (1,218,816), which is closer to 720p than 1080p and only about 22% higher than the iPhone 6 1334x750 (1,000,500). Those who bought the $749 iPhone 6 Plus in 2014 are getting a 41% downgrade from 1920x1080 (2,073,600).

If you ignore widescreen video, the Xr does slightly better, though still a downgrade from the iPhone 6 Plus. You have to subtract the pixels blocked out by the rounded corners and notch, so the physical number of pixels is lower than the software resolution.
 
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GizmoDVD

macrumors 68030
Oct 11, 2008
2,599
5,015
SoCal
A ‘budget’ phone does not start from £750!!!

Anyway, on topic, it’s one of those things you need to really try in person before commenting on I think, I have complained about it’s reaolurion too but really with Apple screens their is more to it. At the time I thought the 7 Plus screen looked better then some high end OLED ones.

The XR screen is also brand new screen tech and also won’t have any burn in (image retention) problems.

It does now.

If you don't agree with that, go buy an Android.
 
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Nexus One

Suspended
Sep 15, 2018
42
50
That's the new narrative. The new smear campaign by insecure haters trying to justify their own purchases. For the last four years, the "4.7 iPhone had a 720p (or 750p) display and was priced at $699. Nobody complained.

An iPhone 8 was going for $699, same SoC as the X, and nobody complained or was calling it a peasant phone. An XR goes for $749 and people are whining about that display. Whatever makes a person feel good for spending $250 more on a X or XS.
 
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