Following our test of the iPhone 5 camera, we've been hard at work testing its 4" Retina display. Has quality really been upped compared with the 4S?
Apple has turned a page, finally abandoning the 3.5"-format screen that's been used in the firm's handsets since the first-gen iPhone. In this sixth-generation model, the iPhone has been treated to a larger display. It's above all a longer screen, now measuring 4". So while Apple hasn't opted for the kind of XXL screens seen in many smartphones these days, the firm is now using the 16:9 aspect ratio.
The iPhone 5 next to the 4S
We measured a slightly higher contrast ratio in the iPhone 5 compared with the 4S, upped from 800:1 to 1000:1. This stays at the same level, no matter what screen brightness setting you use. Speaking of brightness, the iPhone 5 has a maximum brightness setting of 500 cd/m², which is much higher than that of the 4S or of Samsung's Galaxy S3. However, the Samsung handset still beats the iPhone on ghosting time.
Colour fidelity has also been improved in the iPhone 5 screen—we measured the Delta E at 3.4 (Delta E should be under 3 for colours to be considered accurate). However, the screen does tend to have a red overtone—more so than the iPhone 4S, which tended to be blue-heavy (giving colder results). In general, images look more flattering when viewed on the iPhone 5 screen.
On the whole, then, from our first test results, the iPhone 5 screen appears to have improved compared with the previous model, notably thanks to its warmer onscreen image.
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Apple has turned a page, finally abandoning the 3.5"-format screen that's been used in the firm's handsets since the first-gen iPhone. In this sixth-generation model, the iPhone has been treated to a larger display. It's above all a longer screen, now measuring 4". So while Apple hasn't opted for the kind of XXL screens seen in many smartphones these days, the firm is now using the 16:9 aspect ratio.
The iPhone 5 next to the 4S
We measured a slightly higher contrast ratio in the iPhone 5 compared with the 4S, upped from 800:1 to 1000:1. This stays at the same level, no matter what screen brightness setting you use. Speaking of brightness, the iPhone 5 has a maximum brightness setting of 500 cd/m², which is much higher than that of the 4S or of Samsung's Galaxy S3. However, the Samsung handset still beats the iPhone on ghosting time.
Colour fidelity has also been improved in the iPhone 5 screen—we measured the Delta E at 3.4 (Delta E should be under 3 for colours to be considered accurate). However, the screen does tend to have a red overtone—more so than the iPhone 4S, which tended to be blue-heavy (giving colder results). In general, images look more flattering when viewed on the iPhone 5 screen.
On the whole, then, from our first test results, the iPhone 5 screen appears to have improved compared with the previous model, notably thanks to its warmer onscreen image.
Apple iPhone 5
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