DisplayMate Reveals iPad Air Has New IGZO Display But It's Bested By the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
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Posted November 5, 2013 at 9:11pm by iClarified
DisplayMate has released its tablet shootout comparing the Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9, iPad Air, and Nexus 10 displays.
A new generation of full-size Flagship Tablets has just started with the near simultaneous launch of the Apple iPad Air and Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9. They both have top-of-the-line and state-of-the-art displays that have been significantly improved (in different ways) from the 2012 models. The Google Nexus 10 is another innovative Flagship Tablet that launched at the beginning of November 2012, so it’s now a bit overdue for an annual makeover, which is rumored to be happening sometime during November 2013. We’ve included it here even though it’s at the end of it’s product cycle because it has been a leader in this class, and will illustrate the changes in Tablet displays that have taken place in just the last year.
The most notable takeaway from the report is that Apple has finally moved to the long rumored IGZO display.
Compared to the fourth generation iPad, the screen Reflectance decreased by 23%, the Peak Brightness increased by 7%, and the Contrast Rating for High Ambient Light increased by 32%. Absolute Color Accuracy and Image Contrast fidelity are also very good. Apple's switch from a-Si amorphous Silicon LCD to a much higher performance IGZO LCD backplane produces an impressive 57% improvement in display power efficiency and will likely reduce the warming effect noticed with previous iPads.
DisplayMate concludes that despite the iPad Air's impressive display, the Kindle Fire "leapfrogged into the best performing Tablet display that we have ever tested, significantly out-performing the iPad Air in Brightness, Screen Reflectance, and high ambient light contrast, plus a first place finish in the very challenging category of Absolute Color Accuracy."
$379 Kindle fire hdx 8.9 vs $499 ipad air, yet kindle has better screen?! I wont be using kindle anytime soon but their pricing on performance wise is very appealing. Also fact that they only charge $50 more for each capacity(32gb, 64gb), apple needs to start keeping themselve tighter.
One Incredibly Bad Nick - November 5, 2013 at 9:55pm
iOS is SO far superior that Apple can get away with the higher asking price. Are they price gouging? It's all a matter of perspective. People are willing to pay after all.
Im just giving out my thoughts on the screen test results and price differences. You dont have to snuck around trying to defend Apple. iPad has higher pricetags. But their premium benefits are reducing by time. Hence, they are losing tablet market shares too. I wish Apple could do better. They should understand "premium look" does not look appealing to current consumers now.
Wow, apple has to do better with iPad, now that's what defending is like! Dude, it weighs one pound, more comfortable to hold, the desktop 64 bit architeture comes to a tablet for iPad the very first time! About market shares, look back at apps made for iPad and percentage of overall tablets used, how the fck can iPad get better than it already is, show us your idea that makes a good tablet!
2 reasons for market share gain by Android based tablets...
1) finally, Android based tablets that are worth while (Nexus 7 2013, which I have and love!)
2) the endless amount of $60-99 cheap chinese android tablets that are so sub par, but so many people buy who "just want a tablet"
Samsung often sells more phones/tablets in the quarter that is JUST before a series of Apple product launches. The rumours start to hit, the hype builds, people hold off buying because a new product for the same price is about to hit. The sales then slow down after a while, and the cycle repeats.