Super AMOLED vs. Retina – Galaxy S and iPhone 4 displays side-by-side and head-to-head

Which is better – Samsung’s Super AMOLED or Apple’s Retina display? Surely that’s a much debated topic.

Engadget put those two and let them do their thing. The result turned out pretty interesting.

A close inspection on the photos shows the viewing angles on both screens are a match and that means “seriously impressive”. Still iPhone’s screen seems to have twice the brightness of the Galaxy S screen.

Brightness comparison and viewing angles

When it comes to pixel to pixel comparison iPhone’s display is a clear winner because of the higher resolution but the larger screen also counts for something. Also Galaxy S color output seems a wee bit better than the iPhone’s though the somewhat different white balance may be playing us tricks here.

Pixel to pixel and colors comparison

Finally, comes the outdoor visibility test where both devices are again close to a same level. The video below shows sometimes the odds are in favor of Galaxy S, sometimes – of iPhone 4.

Now what? The Retina display on iPhone 4 is much brighter than the Super AMOLED on Galaxy S. But that brightness will surely cost you battery life, which Galaxy S has plenty of thanks to the efficient Super AMOLED tech. Galaxy S color output is better too, but it can’t match the crisp “pixel-less” image on iPhone’s Retina screen.

In the end it’s up to you. There is no distinct winner between Apple’s Retina and Samsung’s Super AMOLED. One thing’s for sure – both displays are the best you can find on the market right now.

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