Manufacturers are moving toward AMOLED style screens (bright!
Im going to break down all the pros and cons.
Whats the difference between MIP and AMOLED displays?
(Your phones screen is probably AMOLED.)
AMOLED displays are full color, and they use power any time theyre on.
Theyre bright and highly visible in the dark, but can potentially get washed out in extremely bright sunlight.
MIP displays(memory-in-pixel), also called memory LCD, do not light up on their own.
AMOLED displays tend to be higher resolution, brighter, and sharper.
AMOLED displays tend to be touchscreens, but MIP displays can have touchscreens as well.
For example, theCoros Pace 3has a touchscreen, while theGarmin Forerunner 55does not.
Which watches have MIP and which have AMOLED displays?
Were currently at a transition point where most manufacturers are moving toward AMOLED if they havent switched already.
Any fancy-looking smartwatch is likely to be AMOLED; theres no MIP Apple Watch, for example.
But among sports watches, there are plenty of models with MIP displays still being sold new.
Every AMOLED watch Ive tested has been great in the sun.
But OK, maybe there was something I was missing.
So lets take a look.
When you have bright light shiningdirectly ona MIP screen, it practically glitters.
A desk lamp is not the sun.
Your own opinion might differ.
(Underrated shopping tip: show up to a running club and ask everybody about their watch.
They’ll be more than happy to show them off.)
Thats because sunny days are also days with deep shadows.
You have to get the anglejust rightto get that bright glittery effect on a MIP screen.
But an AMOLED will shine from the shadows.
Most of the time, either my body or the screens own bezel was shading it a bit.
The sun didn’t go behind a cloud, I was just standing in a different position.
Drastic difference in readability.
If youre fine with that, great.
I prefer the AMOLED in this situation.
(Update, 12/20/2024 at 1:37 p.m.
ET: I just realized I used the wrong photo here.
The one above is the correct photo with the exact same desk lamp setup.
I previously had another photo here, which is now the one directly below this paragraph.
It’s daytime indoor lighting and shows a similar effect.)
This is probably the most telling photo of all: they are both fine.
It’s good too!
Nobody loses points here.
The same gesture that wakes the AMOLED screen can wake the MIP screens backlight.
(c’mon note that both watches are much sharper than the photo in real life.
That way you dont need to turn on a backlight to see the time.
So if youre concerned about the light beingtoobright, you probably want AMOLED.
Battery usage
MIP diehards like to say that MIP screens are more battery efficient.
That may be technically true, but nobody buys a watch based on the battery life of itsdisplay.
We want to know about the battery life of theentire watch.
And honestly, AMOLED watches tend to have just as good a battery life as their MIP counterparts.
In other words, the AMOLED watch lastseight days longer.
If battery life is your priority, in this situation youd want the AMOLED.
This will vary by model, of course.
Look up the battery life specs for the specific watches youre interested in.
Maybe the MIP model will last longer, but maybe the AMOLED will.
Dont make assumptions about the battery based on the look of the screen.
I do think that most people will prefer the AMOLED style.
But if you end up with a MIP display, it will befine.
You already know the downsides and you dont mind them.
The downsides of AMOLED (as the internet tells them) are wildly exaggerated.
If youre new to all of this and feeling confused right now, youll probably like AMOLED better.
All the new watches are AMOLED anyway.
It will be fine.
That last point is one where youll want to do some math.
