Types of Displays: LCD to Super Retina

Have you gazed at two screens next to each other on phones and wondered, "Why does it appear better on this one?" It's all down to display tech. From entry-level LCDs to high-spec Super Retina displays, screens have evolved a lot — and each one's a character in its own right. Let's work our way through each of the most common types of display and see what's going on beneath each one's hood.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

This is the original display technology — yet employed by a number of monitors, TVs, and budget cell phones.

Pros: Affordable, consistent, and readable even during daytime.

Cons: Blacks aren't really black (gray), and contrast isn't quite good.

You'll also see LCDs in budget phones or mid-market phones and almost all PC monitors.

IPS LCD (In-Plane Switching LCD)

A fancier version of LCD that fixes a lot of the old problems.

Pros: Broader viewable angles, deeper colors, and sharper images.

Cons: Still needs a backlight, so contrast isn't quite as deep as OLED.

IPS LCDs are also highly popular for laptops and mid-range monitors as they find a great compromise between quality and affordability.

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode)

We're getting sophisticated here. OLEDs lit each pixel individually, so we don't need a backlight.

Pros: Genuine blacks, rich colors, slender screens, and contrast improved.

Cons: High-priced and prone to burn-in with age.

You see OLED panels used on high-end phones, high-end TVs, and select high-end monitors. They are stunning, particularly at night.

AMOLED (Active Matrix OLED)

Think of AMOLED like OLED's cooler, more efficient cousin -- rarely found outside of smartphones.

Pros: Even quicker reaction time, richer colors, and improved battery life.

Cons: Occasionally results in colors appearing a bit too vibrant.

If you've ever looked at a Samsung phone display and felt, "Wow, that's colorful," it's AMOLED getting its job done.

SUPER AMOLED

Samsung did one better. Super AMOLED integrates touch sensors directly into the display, so it's thinner and more responsive.

Pros: Excellent external visiblity, energy efficient, and extremely slim.

Cons: Even expensive compared to LCDs.

In short, if your phone's display is a Super AMOLED, it's going to appear and even feel high-end.

Retina Display

Even Apple's branding is quite formidable. "Retina Display" isn't new tech — it's just Apple's term for hi-res LCDs or OLEDs where you don't see individual pixels.

Pros: Clear and sharp, particularly for text and images.

Cons: Mostly just hype -- is still an LCD or OLED after all.

It sounds cool, but don't be misled by the snazzy terminology — it's really a measure of pixel density, not wizardry.

Super Retina and Super Retina XDR

These are Apple's finest OLED panels, available on current iPhones.

Super Retina: OLED with insane contrast and color accuracy.

Super Retina XDR: Even better, even brighter HDR, and richer color.

If you've ever used an iPhone 13 Pro or newer, that silky-smooth, colorful screen is thanks to Super Retina XDR.

Conclusion

In recent Whether it's gaming, bingeing, or scrolling, display type is more critical than you think. If budget-conscious — LCD or IPS is good enough. If you're after next-level visuals — OLED or AMOLED it is, then. If you're way down into the Apple ecosystem — Super Retina is where it's at. Screens are not windows into tech -- they're what bring everything a sense of life.