Touch screens are now an integral part of our lives. However, not all tiles on smartphones and tablets are created equal. IPS screen, LCD, TFT, OLED, Retina or Super AMOLED, different display technologies. But what do these technical terms really hide? What are the differences between an LCD, TFT and OLED screen?
What technology for a better image?
The purchase of a new smartphone or a new tablet is an important financial issue. Some phone models easily exceed 1000 euros. For a novice who does not fully master the technologies of touch screens, it is very difficult to choose between the different mobiles displayed on the shelves of stores..
Before starting this comparison, you must make the difference between definition and display technology (LED, LCD etc…). The first term represents the number of points displayed on the visible image. To learn more, I invite you to read this article: better understand the screen definitions of an Android mobile.
LCD: TFT or IPS
There are several display technologies . Each has its qualities and its faults. LCD screens continue to dominate the market. To put it simply, LCD panels are made up of several layers in which several liquid crystals are placed. When these layers are traversed by an electric current, the crystals emit a more or less intense light..
There are several variants of the LCD screen. TFT (active matrix) technology is currently the most widespread in color tiles. It provides response times of less than 10 ms. However, it turns out to be particularly energy-consuming. Its excessive current consumption risks penalizing the autonomy of smartphones equipped with a large screen.
The IPS variant is an evolution of TFT technology. LCD screens equipped with this type of enhancement benefit from a wider viewing angle. Their energy consumption is also lower. But beware, they are still very expensive. This is why they mainly equip high-end phones..
OLED and AMOLED
This is the ultimate screen. Smartphones with OLED, AMOLED or Super AMOLED screen for Samsung brand models offer the best image quality. Thinner and less energy-consuming, these tiles display more vivid colors.
Technically, the crystals have been replaced by light-emitting diodes. And this change is far from trivial. So certainly the brightness is a little behind compared to an LCD panel, but the viewing angles are wider and the blacks deeper. Colors are no longer tarnished by the backlight.
The image is more pleasant to look at, especially when watching films. The difference in terms of image quality is literally obvious. If you are a fan of series or a big consumer of videos it is in your best interest to opt for this technology.
This technology is also better for the autonomy of smartphones and tablets. The absence of a backlight system allows for great energy savings. 
Unlike LCD technology, when the screen displays dark images, the LEDs showing black pixels are simply turned off. This is why it is possible to increase the autonomy of an Android device with a black wallpaper.
OLED screens are also thinner and lighter. This allows greater freedom in the design of mobiles. It must be admitted for the moment it is not seen much. Most smartphone manufacturers continue to release rectangular products. Innovation is no longer done through design.
The disadvantages of an OLED screen
OLED screens open up new possibilities for smartphone owners. This technology nevertheless has some drawbacks. Its biggest defect remains its lifespan. Blue OLEDs can run an average of 14,000 hours. It's not much, especially if you compare it to the lifespan of an LCD TV screen (between 40,000 and 60,000 hours).
It also remains to resolve the manufacturing costs. OLED screens are still very expensive. This is why it is only found in high-end and very high-end smartphones.
Another black spot, the risk of OLED screen burns. Rest assured, your smartphone screen will not catch fire. We are talking here about tiles whose colors are not displayed correctly. This screen wear phenomenon is materialized by discoloration of part of the screen or the appearance of a residual image.
By constantly displaying the same color constantly, the diodes tend to wear out more quickly. The whites are turning blue. To avoid the occurrence of this problem, some phones have an option to regularly change the position of still images such as navigation buttons.
Verdict: which screen technology is best?
Should we favor a smartphone equipped with an LCD or OLED screen? As often everything is a question of point of view and perspective. It is difficult to get an idea of the quality of a screen without having tried it. Software optimization allows you to vary the quality of color display.
Note, however, that the demand for an OLED screen is very strong and few manufacturers are today able to supply these new tiles. Many manufacturers have therefore been forced to give up this technology in order to avoid any risk of shortage. There are state-of-the-art cell phones packed with quality LCD screens.
