Galaxy S3 screen disappointment Samsung explains decision
After the dust had settled last week following the official announcement of the Galaxy S3, once the details of the device could be properly digested and examined many were disappointed in the handsets screen, and Samsung has since explained their decision in using a PenTile unit.
The handset was launched too much fanfare last week but many Android fans were not happy with the 4.8-inch 720p Super AMOLED display and its PenTile subpixel makeup instead of the more favourable RGB layout. An article on Mobile Burn is reporting that Samsung chose this type of display because of its durability and longevity.
Since the company released the original Galaxy S back in 2010 Samsung has used Super AMOLED or Super AMOLED Plus displays in a number of its smartphones, and many consumers are big fans of them. The AMOLED displays have a good contrast with very saturated and vibrant colours along with good viewing angles. When you first look at an AMOLED screen it has a certain wow factor, even if they may not provide the most accurate colour reproduction, and the company believe they are the best for their mobile devices.
There are some faults with AMOLED displays though as they can deteriorate over time and the original Nexus One is a prime example of that. At the time there were a number of reports of screen deterioration even after a few months of use, and in some cases the screen was unusable, which saw HTC change to Super LCD screens in later versions of the handset.
Philip Berne of Samsung commented that the blue subpixels on AMOLED displays deteriorate the quickest compared to red or green subpixels, but with a PenTile layout the subpixels are arranged red, green, blue, green so they have more green subpixels compared to red or blue than an RGB stripe layout with the same resolution.
This then means that AMOLED screens using the PenTile layout normally have a longer lifespan compared to those with RGB layouts. Considering that many users purchasing Samsung’s smartphones normally keep them for eighteen months or longer the company wants to make sure the screen will still offer peak performance during that time.
Some users do complain though that PenTile displays don’t look as crisp as an RGB display or there is some colour fringing along the edges of images. Berne agreed that PenTile displays faults are pronounced at lower resolutions, but high-resolution displays hide these problems due to the density of the pixels.
The display on the Galaxy S3 has been improved over the 4.65-inch 720p Super AMOLED display found on the Galaxy Nexus, as it has smaller gaps in its subpixels matrix, which reduces the fringing effects of the PenTile layout. As the density of smartphones displays get higher the argument over PenTile and RGB subpixel layouts becomes less relevant.
Are you disappointed with the Galaxy S3 display?
Comments
16 thoughts on “Galaxy S3 screen disappointment Samsung explains decision”
I knew it would be something like this. Samsung wouldn’t have disappointed for no reason
Im not disappointed with the SGS3 because still have a good contrast with very saturated and vibrant colours along with good viewing angles compare to other phones. But if my LED TV used a pentile technology that is my big disappointment!
 dude wake up.. Your LED TV is just LED back-lighting for a IPS LCD screen.
OLED’s are not available for TV screens
Yes they are – for $25,000. 🙂
I have not seen gs3 in person yet but I doubt Samsung would put out a dud. They know the gs3 will be one of the best phones to hit 2012
I agree to you! because Samsung Company is very good in marketing!
I like SGS3 AMOLED Screen because we all know that AMOLED consume less power, the longer battery life, good contrast and vibrant colors along with good viewing angles, the durability of screen, and clear in out door, that is you cannot find in any other phone.
I recently got the Samsung galaxy S3 and all i can say is wow, the screen is absolutely phenomenal and I’m very often cynical about such things. truly an amazing buy, and despite what many people say about the plastic being cheap, i strongly disagree, It feels very solid and smooth in the hand giving it a closer feel to a 4 inch screen phone rather then the 4.8 it is.
Totally disappointed, i have the original galaxy s captivate and when there next to each other  the old captivate has far superior colors and far whiter whites than the s3. no wow factor anymore for me. and my captivate has worked for 2 years without any screen problems, hopefully ill forget about it soon, before i do something stupid like try and sell it.
The brightness have auto change also with your browser change it if you don’t like it.
Honestly, S3 is great; just got one last week, trading my S2 and it’s just up there….screen is wow if u ask me and i think you should think of the capability of the handset as a whole cos S3 is a PC in your hand depending on how you are able to utilize it. I am able to do soo much with this fon and it’s over the top smartphone for me. I highly recommend it for every business/corporate person.
I can see the graininess from 8 inches away. The colors are excellent but I have to hold the phone a good distance away to get the best picture quality.
I am on my 3rd phone now in less than 1 month the speaker has had problems vibrating and distorted anyone else had this
Don’t understand what all the winging is about. I got my s3 as an upgrade from iPhone 4.. at first I thought colours look a bit dull. Especially on the browser…. I’m guessing you lot didn’t change the power saving options.. cost mine after 3 button presses looks near as good as my iPhone 4 retina.. all it lacks is the ultra bright setting that litterally feels like the retina screen Burns your retinas and gives you a pounding headache after 20 mins. S3 is much better in so many ways.. its considerably faster than the 4s that my Mrs got. Its not glass backed.. but who cares. It doesn’t look nor feel cheep..there’s only 1 phone on the market that’s not plastic.. and that’s iPhone.. shatter it. Death grip. Battery eating. Childsplay locked in OS. I LOVED my iPhone 4.. and now I love my s3.. colour doesn’t bother be. It feels nice. Runs smooth and its screen is spot on. .
If you didn’t know you can change the brightness on your browser you are stupid.
Press the bottom left screen when scroll down to brightness and change it.
Also Norwich the new firmware you can control the brightness on the top of that slide down thing.
My iphone 4 was stopen yesterday and today i bought the gs3, the big screen is great, the colors too saturated instead of switching profiles, its faster, and with more functions, but it feels like a cheap phone, hate the materials, the plastic, arrgh..and the animations of android really sux, i miss my iphone :(, the feel like u have a solid phone, perfection, ill wait to the new iphone and sell this crap..
I also have an iPhone 4, but I decided to purchase the s3. I can say that I laugh when I hear people complain about the plastic backing. It’s just the backing! The edge is what breaks or cracks anyway. I’ve worked with my phone in the garden/landscaping, my wife dropped it from her purse swinging it getting our of our Ford Explorer – the thing is a workhorse. It’s fast, bright.. I don’t miss the iPhone at all.
Wait – there is one thing that I noticed and I don’t know if it’s just mine or what, but the wifi signal drops sharply on the s3. I have about 2/3 the distance that the iPhone would work with comfortably. That’s literally the only thing that I can think of that I prefer the iPhone for.
With that, happy hunting! It’s all about what we like, not which is better.
Many will stay with Apple. That’s fine.