Why Samsung is using PenTile AMOLED displays

The debut of the Samsung Galaxy S III brought quite a few surprises, one of which was the fact, that Samsung’s flagship device is once again using a PenTile display, despite the rumors, that it wouldn’t. From many this was received as bad news, but there is actually quite a good reason for the Korean company to have chosen this technology over RGB. This information is coming from an interview with a Samsung employee at the CTIA Wireless event. According to him, despite the many advantages of the AMOLED displays (such as the wider viewing-angles, high contrast and stunning saturation) , they also have one serious disadvantage – they lose their qualities over time.

According to Samsung, this happens faster with blue pixels than with red or green ones, which is also the reason why PenTile displays should last longer – they feature more green pixels and less red and blue ones. If you’re having trouble understanding why that is, here’s a more detailed explanation: the pixel layout in the display, used in the S3, is RGRB (red – green-red-blue) . When compared to the pixel layout in RGB displays (red-green-blue) one can clearly see, that the red pixels in the first case are exactly twice as much as those in the second one.

There is a downside to this technology too, though – PenTile displays aren’t as sharp as RGB ones (due to the less pixels used in them) , but this is visible only on displays with a lower resolution, such as the first generation Galaxy S. On the HD display used in the S3 you would actually need a microscope in order to spot the difference, so if you’re wondering whether or not you should buy an Galaxy S III – don’t let its display turn you down. B. A.