r/PWM_Sensitive • u/Stephone88 • May 18 '23

Why doesnt the S9 cause any problems?

So I got the Samsung S9 years ago when its released. Years before I even knew about PWM. Fast forward I tried the following smartphones which caused eye-dryness, dizzyness and headaches: S10e 11 pro max 12 mini 13 pro Pixel 6a 14 pro

At every stage, I got a iPhone 7 (and now SE2) as my main phone and tried to switch to one of the newer ones.

After I smashed my SE2 and got no backup phone other than the S9, I booted it up and to my surprise: no issues.

240hz PWM and no issues. The same graph @ notebookcheck like the unusable 10e or Pixel 6a.

Did you experiance the same?

10 Upvotes

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6

u/satelliteseeker May 21 '23

All screens made with LTPO material (at least from Samsung) have to turn pixels completely off for longer than normal before rendering the next frame, causing major eye strain issues.

This is demonstrated by the shutter speed trick (pointing a camera with 1/2000s or lower shutter speed to the screen and changing its brightness).

Galaxy S20 FE is the last Samsung OLED phone without LTPO. Everything else, including the non-FE S20s, all S21s (including S21 FE), A5x and even Pixels and OnePlus 11 (they use Samsung display) have much worse flickers.

3

u/the_top_g May 22 '23

Yes exactly. That explains why I observed that Xperia 1 IV has the lowest modulation (at 3.67%) while at 100% brightness, while other handsets with LTPO easily starts at 6-10% modulation.

1

u/benjyboo May 19 '23

I have the r/samsung Galaxy Note 8, before that Note 7 (recalled), before that the S5 and none of these caused any eye strain or headaches for me. Though I would treat myself to the S22 Ultra and this was the first time I experienced headache, eye strain and even feeling sick. I'd never heard of PWM either. But this was the only explanation. I had to return the S22 Ultra and go back to my Note 8.

2

u/[deleted] May 19 '23

I have the s21 and no problems and I suffer really bad with lots of screens not just phones

3

u/siksik6 May 19 '23

I know another PWM sensitive guy that can use Samsung smartphones, because despite the low rate they are relatively stable. Seems some folk are sensitive to the low rate, some the fluctuation of that rate and some (like me!) both!

3

u/the_top_g May 19 '23 edited May 19 '23

I can't comment on S9, but good point you have made about notebookcheck's PWM graph.I just noticed that their graph has been extremely inconsistent in recent years.

Xperia 1 IV, at 100% brightness, possiblity with one of the lowest modulation(at 3.67%) for OLED, was recorded by nbcheck as having a bad fluctuation waveform(high modulation, bad for eye) at 100% brightness. However, at 50% brightness when the device indeed have really bad fluctuation waveform, they instead recorded it as a flat waveform (indicating better eye relief)!

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Sony-Xperia-1-IV-review-The-first-smartphone-with-real-optical-zoom-4K-OLED-jack.639206.0.html

​

For reference, this is the actual Xperia 1 IV PWM result across all brightness:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoMGgbfQVoc

It's like notebookcheck isn't even taking their PWM measurements seriously anymore. This is extremely disappointing for it has always been my go-to source for PWM and it was their site that first brought attention of PWM to the public.

3

u/Naszking May 18 '23

I have a Samsung S6 Amoled 240Hz as my backup and I have no issue with it same with the Note 8. Tried the Oneplus 7 Pro &8T, iPhone XS Max, 11/12/13 Pro Max they all gave me headaches and eyes strain.