I just got home from comparing iPhone 12 display models at four different stores (with auto brightness, True Tone, and night shift all turned off), and I've come away with some interesting information.
- I've compared 14 iPhone 12s now, and all of them had very similar color temperatures when viewed head on, which was a little warmer (more yellow, less blue) than my old iPhone X.
- The largest difference I've noticed between screens is the color tint when viewed off angle... some screens tint green (non-Pros with serials C7C (1) and C7D (1), Pros with serials F2L (1) and F17 (1), and all models with serial G6T (3)), and some screens tint blue (non-Pros with serial F17 (2), and all models with serial DNP (5)), which looks much better in my opinion. It's possible the green vs blue tint is completely random and not tied to the serial / manufacture facility, but there sure seem to be some strong trends, especially with green tint for serial G6T and blue tint for serial DNP. I wonder if the different off angle tints represent different display manufacturers.
- Pro Maxes with serial G6T have noticeably lower max brightness than my Pro Max with serial F2L, so much so that the brightness looked more similar to screens in non-Pro models.
Here's my notes if you want to draw your own conclusions. I'll probably go to the Apple Store sometime this week to get some more data.
----Displays with blue tint when viewed off angle, which looks better----
--Displays that are brighter--
- Best Buy 12 Pro DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
- Best Buy 12 Pro DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
- Costco 12 Pro DNPDG - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; similar brightness to my PM
--Displays that are dimmer--
- Target 12 F17DH - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
- Costco 12 F17DH - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
- Walmart 12 DNPDJ - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
- Costco 12 DNPDF - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is blue instead of green, which looks better; less bright than my PM
----Displays with green tint when viewed off angle, which looks worse----
--Displays that are brighter--
- My 12 Pro Max F2LDN - a little warmer than my iPhone X, but still acceptable; very slight green tint that becomes much more pronounced off angle
- Wife’s 12 Pro F17DK - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; same very slight green tint that becomes much more pronounced off angle
--Displays that are dimmer--
- Costco 12 Pro Max G6TDG - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; slightly less green off axis; less bright than my PM (similar to non-Pro models)
- Best Buy 12 Pro Max G6TDG - very similar to my PM, but less bright (similar to non-Pro models)
- Best Buy 12 G6TD9 - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is green, similar to my PM; less bright than my PM
- Best Buy 12 Mini C7CDK - nearly the same color temp as my PM, ever so slightly cooler; off angle tint is green, similar to my PM; less bright than my PM
- Best Buy 12 Mini C7DDL - nearly the same color temp as my PM; slightly more green tint than my PM; less bright than my PM