AMOLED vs IPS LCD: Understanding the Differences

This page compares AMOLED vs IPS LCD and highlights the differences between them based on various parameters.

Introduction

• AMOLED: Works on the principle of “Electroluminescence,” where a material emits light in response to an electric current or a strong electric field.
• IPS LCD: Stands for In-Plane Switching, a TFT-based technology introduced by Hitachi, also known as Super TFT.

AMOLED

In AMOLED, an active matrix of OLEDs is deposited on a TFT plane. These OLEDs are activated when an electric current is applied. The TFT array functions as switches for each pixel and uses a storage capacitor. Typically, an OLED display with a back panel consisting of TFTs (Thin Film Transistors) is known as AMOLED.

The TFT layer provides greater control over the light emitted by OLEDs. AMOLED consists of four layers:

1. Anode layer
2. Organic middle layer
3. Cathode layer
4. Substrate layer

Benefits of AMOLED Display

• Offers true color reproduction and greater contrast ratios.
• Consumes less power.
• Lighter and thinner than other display screens.
• Offers wide viewing angles.
• Super flexible.
• Brighter than LED screens.
• Can be made in big screen sizes.
• Resistant to instant pressure.

Drawbacks of AMOLED Display

• Easily damaged by water.
• Higher cost.
• Shorter lifespan than LED/LCD screens.
• Due to direct pixel-by-pixel illumination, some OLEDs are used for longer durations, and their performance degrades faster over time. This results in a “burn-in effect,” where very bright screen elements never disappear completely.

IPS LCD

IPS LCD stands for In-Plane Switching LCD, where backlight passes through liquid crystals to create different colors. In this type of display, black crystals also transmit light, which means blacks may not be as dark. As a result, the contrast ratio is not as high as in OLED displays.

IPS LCD was developed to overcome the limitations of TN (Twisted Nematic Field Effect) matrix LCD displays.

The figure depicts the working of an IPS LCD display. IPS LCD technology has undergone many advances, including S-IPS, AS-IPS, E-IPS, H-IPS, and P-IPS (Professional IPS).

Benefits of IPS LCD

• Offers better color accuracy and image quality.
• Offers a longer lifetime than AMOLED.
• Cheaper in cost.
• Generates very little heat and consumes less power.
• Ensures zero color shift.
• Offers a wide viewing angle of about 178 degrees.

Drawbacks of IPS LCD

• IPS LCD display panels require 15% more power compared to TN panels.
• Longer response time than TN panels.
• Static contrast ratio is below the average value.
• Motion blur is higher than TN displays.

Tabular difference between AMOLED and IPS LCD

Let’s compare AMOLED vs IPS LCD to derive the differences between them in the following table.