DisplayMate has put the new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus through its usual rigorous display quality tests today, giving us a look at how the displays have improved and the differences between the two models.
The iPhone 6 Plus gets particularly high praise in the report with DisplayMate calling it “the Best performing Smartphone LCD” it’s ever tested. For the iPhone 6, however, that means not as great of a showing thanks to the display’s lower resolution and pixel density:
…it is particularly important to have as many pixels as possible when digitally rescaling images from their native resolution to the display that they are being viewed on. Most images require rescaling and most rescaled images (from either higher or lower resolutions) with fine text and graphics look noticeably to considerably better in side-by-side comparisons on the iPhone 6 Plus with 2.1 Mega Pixels compared to just 1.0 Mega Pixels on the iPhone 6. Twice as many pixels to work with makes a noticeable visual difference. In addition, even with content at their respective native display resolutions, fine text and graphics look better on the iPhone 6 Plus.
While its lab tests gave the 6 Plus its best ever smartphone LCD designation, DisplayMate’s “overall best smartphone display” pick (which includes both LCDs and OLEDs) goes to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4. “In particular, for implementing Color Management to provide multiple Color Gamuts, and then using the Color Management to provide the Highest Absolute Color Accuracy for Standard (sRGB/Rec.709) consumer content of any Smartphone or Tablet display that we have ever measure.”
You can check out DisplayMate’s detailed analysis here.
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I’m happy I got the 6 Plus. The first few hours I was second guessing my choice because it was so much larger than my 5, but after having it for a few days the extra screen space is great. And it fits in all of my pants/shorts.
I was nervous about jumping so high up in terms of screen size, but while we waited in line, Apple walked around with the 6 and 6 Plus letting people hold it to see which they liked better. 6 Plus won me over!
I have to agree as well. I was second guessing it for the first 2 days. I was won over by websites showing the full site as vs. the mobile site without me having to manually make the change. The other thing was the legibility of text. I am thinking that I won’t need my iPad Mini any longer.
I think many who go iPhone 6 Plus will be re-thinking their tablet requirements ..
Last year I got the note 3 thinking “now I won’t need to get a tablet” but the truth is, I still want the tablet. For the things I’d use a tablet for, the phone isn’t quite big enough, although it’s great for watching videos. And over time I’ve become less pleased with the size, not more. I wish I’d chosen a smaller phone. Or waited for the iPhone 6.
But that’s just me. To each their own!
I envy you! According to AT&T I won’t get my Plus till November. Can’t wait.
Until November?
I envy you!
I won’t get my Plus till January (2015). :(
I just don’t put much credence into anything DisplayMate says. They have in the past said that certain PenTile and OLED displays were also “the best” and that is just nonsense. I don’t know what their slant or bias is or where it comes from, but it’s clear that they have one.
That’s an excellent point. I also think that one cannot discern pixels on the iPhone 6, be it a scaled down image or video. I just don’t get the statement from DisplayMate “Twice as many pixels to work with makes a noticeable visual difference. In addition, even with content at their respective native display resolutions, fine text and graphics look better on the iPhone 6 Plus.” That must be subjective, right?
I can imagine that a rescaled image may have a slight appearance of fuzziness even if the individual pixels aren’t readily visible. This is something I’ve been wondering about myself, but I just ordered my 6 yesterday so won’t have it in hand for a couple of weeks.
Regarding the “respective native display resolutions,” the 6+ does have slightly higher ppi, right? Maybe that’s what they mean. The same image at 100% on two different displays will usually seem sharper on the higher res panel even if the level of details is the same.
@Nathan,
Yes of course, all other things remaining equal, 401 ppi is technically much sharper than 326 ppi…..whats debatable is whether or not the human eye (even the best of them) can actually discern a degree of sharpness above 300 ppi. Conventional wisdom is No, one cannot. Which is why such claims as “noticeably better” from DisplayMate are highly, highly questionable.
To bad that amoled/oled screens die faster and suffer from image retention and burn-ins. Reliability and over -all performance will always be supreme and therefore the iPhone 6+ and iPhone 6 IS the best phone on the market. The screens on the new iPhones are awesome, and considering the new IOS 8, privacy and security features, and apples amazing eco-system, it really is a no brainer that can’t be argued. Also considering the extreme temperatures we expose our phones too, that reliably becomes extremely important, so I can deal with apples HD LCD just fine. Apple did a fantastic job!
I agree. I had a chance to play with an iPhone 6 at an Apple Store and was very impressed with the IPS LCD screen–very high contrast, bright and still readable even if you shine a really bright light on it.
I got a non-plus for myself, but I specifically do not like the larger phones. The display is still simply stunning. Even my 5s pictures look better. The color sat and black levels are pretty amazing.
As for an OLED display, IMO no LCD will beat an OLED for quality because of how the technology works. However OLED has other issues, like lifespan and power, that make it a lesser option at this point in time to me.
I’m loving my 6… now if I could just get my contact shared (hint hint to Tim)
I hope none of you for hurt in your walk – back of these analysis.
It must hurt your feelings when a competing phone that’s nearly a year old outperforms what you’ve been.wetting yourselves over for the past few months.
Don’t worry. Maybe next year Apple will match what Samsung is now offering .
This is the problem with android fanboy…they just don’t get it.
It’s a probably with ALL fanboys…
“I hope none of you for hurt in your walk – back of these analysis.”
I humbly bow before your irrefutable logic. I must now go kill myself in shame for having bought an Apple product. Go forth and convince others with your razor wit and masterful command of the English language!
The S5 has double the ram and almost double the processor speed but is still slower in performance compared to the 6. If Apple offered similar hardware there wouldn’t be a device anywhere that would be able to touch it.
iPhone 6 Plus is the most expensive Phone ever and for sure no one is going to order the 16GB model Apple just left it there so people have to pay even more and be forced to upgrade!! but yeah you will get a nice a screen with $1000 phone! i’m so not buying this ripoff
So, then don’t. nobody is forcing you to buy it.
I don’t see why people get really ANGRY about others paying money for a premium brand. Yes this phone is $1000, but yes it’s worth every penny of it! At least for those, who bought it. If you don’t think it’s worth it – then don’t buy it!