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Test shows how good iPhone X’s OLED screen is at preventing burn-in

Published Jan 2nd, 2018 3:19PM EST
iPhone X vs. Galaxy Note 8
Image: YouTube

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The iPhone X is the first iPhone with an OLED display, which happens to be the best smartphone display in the world right now. The screen is manufactured by Samsung Display, the company that also makes the OLED screens inside Samsung’s flagship phones, which were the best mobile screens of 2017 until the iPhone X was released. Samsung display quality coupled with Apple’s tuning appears to be a match made in heaven.

But what about screen burn-in? Is that something iPhone X users should worry? Absolutely not. At least that’s the conclusion of a recent test involving the iPhone X, the Galaxy S7 Edge, and the Galaxy Note 8.

If the same image is shown on an OLED screen for a long period of time, burn-in effects may set in. This goes for TVs, monitors, and smartphones.  It took the iPhone X 510 hours of continuously displaying the exact same image on the iPhone X for burn-in effects to become permanent. That’s Cetizen’s conclusion, and that’s great news for all iPhone X users.

But if you were worried that you might ruin the screen in your expensive iPhone X by using apps or playing games that display plenty of static images, you should rest assured that it’s not likely to happen. Well, as long as you don’t use the device for 510 hours straight.

Image source: Cetizen

Cetizen stopped at various intervals to check for burn-in traces, but the iPhone X did not show visible effects until hitting the 510-hour mark. The screens on the Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S7 Edge, meanwhile, were impacted sooner. After 510 hours, the burn-in effects on Samsung’s phones were even worse. That doesn’t mean you should worry about burn-in issues on these devices either, however, as long as you don’t use them to show the same image for days at a time.

Check out the entire comparison by visiting this link (Google Translate should help out with the translation).

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.