Screen comparisons

[issybird]

What do people think? Obviously the screen size is different, but the settings are identical. Does one seem better than the other? What is the overall quality, good, bad, indifferent? Side by side:



These seem a pretty accurate representation of what I see when I look at the screens; the clarity is the same with perhaps a slight edge to the device on the left, while the screen color on the right is creamier. The text on both is sharper in the flesh.

I also took screenshots, but they don't seem to reflect what I see especially in regard to screen color and obviously it's harder to compare font clarity in a same-size image, but here they are FWIW. I thought they'd be a correction for poor picture taking skills and slightly degraded images.

Screenshots:

[Sirtel]

Frankly it's impossible to tell solely by the photos. The difference, if there is any, seems to be small. Still, I'd say the larger screen is a bit more contrasty.

[j.p.s]

Screenshots show what is being sent to the screen, not how the screen appears. A screenshot of a grayscale screen showing a color image could well be in color and dead or stuck pixels will look fine in a screenshot. Same for ghosting.

[Tarana]

I have eye damage and I think the one on the right is slightly more comfortable reading despite the darker screen.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by Tarana

I have eye damage and I think the one on the right is slightly more comfortable reading despite the darker screen.

I agree that the one on the right seems less glare-y, a little easier on the eyes. But that said, I can't see a significant difference in terms of clarity and perhaps that's (slightly) in part due to the high contrast on the device on the left.

Originally Posted by j.p.s

Screenshots show what is being sent to the screen, not how the screen appears. A screenshot of a grayscale screen showing a color image could well be in color and dead or stuck pixels will look fine in a screenshot. Same for ghosting.

Thanks. Glad to know.

[JSWolf]

Can we see photos of both devices with the front light off to see how they compare?

[issybird]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Can we see photos of both devices with the front light off to see how they compare?

I will do it tomorrow, but why does it matter? That seems an artificial standard to me. I only read with no light when I’m in direct sunlight. This setting (11) is standard for me when reading indoors in either daylight or lamplight, my most likely situation. And my point was that the setting was the same for both devices; I wasn’t trying to make the case for one by ramping up the light on that device, just as I didn’t make the font bolder. For me, it’s more important that they compare under typical usage. It would be similarly arbitrary to compare images at maximum light, which I’d never use anyway.

What do you think of the pictures as they are? Sufficient clarity? Readable? My own take is that they were so similar as not to make a difference outside of a preference for background shade..

[nana77]

Is this a comparison between Kindle Mini and Paperwhite?
Imho the one of the right, if that's the default setting, has a amber light by default..
Some devices have a default "white" that tends to blue, but that one is quite too on the reds..
Ps: may I suggest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Art_of_War ?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by issybird

I will do it tomorrow, but why does it matter? That seems an artificial standard to me. I only read with no light when I’m in direct sunlight. This setting (11) is standard for me when reading indoors in either daylight or lamplight, my most likely situation. And my point was that the setting was the same for both devices; I wasn’t trying to make the case for one by ramping up the light on that device, just as I didn’t make the font bolder. For me, it’s more important that they compare under typical usage. It would be similarly arbitrary to compare images at maximum light, which I’d never use anyway.

What do you think of the pictures as they are? Sufficient clarity? Readable? My own take is that they were so similar as not to make a difference outside of a preference for background shade..

Thank you. For me, I read without the light when I have enough external light available. Sometimes the color of the light can make a difference in the contrast. That's why I'd like to see without the front light.

I like the larger Kindle screen as there is more contrast.

[John F]

Thank you for doing the comparison.

I prefer the one on the right, but it is most likely due to the warm lighting. I would be happy with either one.

Originally Posted by issybird

... This setting (11) is standard for me when reading indoors in either daylight or lamplight, my most likely situation. ...

FWIW, as far as light settings, I'm not sure that the lighting brightness would be the same across devices.

What Kindles are you comparing? Are they both 300DPI.

[Quoth]

You can't really compare screens with internal front lights unless you have a light meter to set them to exactly the same brightness. Even then both colour rendition and temperature vary. You certainly can't go by "number" or bargraph. So I agree with John F.

I rarely use a frontlight. I know others do and it depends on your own situation. It adds extra variables.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by John F

FWIW, as far as light settings, I'm not sure that the lighting brightness would be the same across devices.

No, of course not. It was just a way of narrowing down variables and creating a basis for comparison. The larger point is that comparisons can be invidious, when settings can be tweaked to get a similar outcome. Or close enough.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Thank you. For me, I read without the light when I have enough external light available. Sometimes the color of the light can make a difference in the contrast. That's why I'd like to see without the front light.

The background difference is essentially gone with both screens equally gray. The text on the right is a little crisper; I bumped up the boldness on the lefthand device one notch in the second set and while the the text is still a little fuzzier, I think it's as easy to read. Anyway, good enough. But I'd rather have a whiter background when I read, hence using the frontlight even when the ambient light is sufficient. And I think when lit, the difference in clarity is less.

[slm]

Just to show how different people see things differently: I prefer the one on left. I like it much better when lit up (which is how I usually read) and a little better with no frontlight on.

[Aleron Ives]

I think I prefer the one on the left as well, just because the contrast seems better. I read with the frontlight off 95% of the time, so I wouldn't want to rely on the frontlight to compensate for any screen deficiencies.

[Sirtel]

I definitely prefer the one on the right, light or no light. Personally I always read with the light on.