950 vs 950 XL Display resolution contradiction.

[Ed Boland]

According to the recent articles posted here on the site about the upcoming "Talkman" (950), and the "Cityman" (950XL), they will both have a "WQHD (1440x2560) OLED display". I'm not sure if it has been discussed or not yet, but on the contrary, the specification pages for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 (used in the 950), and the Snapdragon 810 (used in the 950XL), show only the 810 (950XL) being able to display WQHD (1440x2560) "on device".

According to the spec sheet on the 808, it will only have a "2560x1600 on-device display concurrent with 4K Ultra HD output to HDTV - 1080p and 4K external displays supported"

And only the 810 (950XL) will be able to display "4K Ultra HD on-device display concurrent with 4K Ultra HD output to HDTV - 1080p and 4K external displays"

So in other words, the 950 will only have a "2K display" (with optional output for a 4K display), and only the 950XL will have the WQHD (1440x2560) display.

Source:

https://www.qualcomm.com/products/snapdragon/processors/comparison

Does it really matter? Discuss...

 

[Zachary Boddy]

The LG G4 has that resolution display with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 powering it.

 

[jhoff80]

Huh?? 2560x1600 > 2560x1440. There is no issue in the specification you're questioning.

Also, 4k is generally used to describe a TV of resolution 3840x2160, or sometimes (rarely in consumer products) a format of 4096x2160. Whether the 808 can do 4k on device is completely irrelevant.

 

[Ed Boland]

Huh?? 2560x1600 > 2560x1440. There is no issue in the specification you're questioning.

Also, 4k is generally used to describe a TV of resolution 3840x2160, or sometimes (rarely in consumer products) a format of 4096x2160. Whether the 808 can do 4k on device is completely irrelevant.

LOL I just noticed that. Looking at the resolutions backwards.. although, if you look at the "on device" display specs at the Qualcomm site I linked, it does show a difference. (2K vs. 4K for the 808 and 810 respectively)

 

[Ed Boland]

Which now leads me to believe the 950XL will have a greater than 2560x1600 resolution.

Maybe 4096 x 2160?

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Which now leads me to believe the 950XL will have a greater than 2560x1600 resolution.

Maybe 4096 x 2160?

If the 950 XL has a 4K resolution it will be the first ever smartphone to do so as far as I know. That would be incredible for media attention and headline grabbing, but I think it's very unlikely.

 

[Ed Boland]

If the 950 XL has a 4K resolution it will be the first every smartphone to do so as far as I know. That would be incredible for media attention and headline grabbing, but I think it's very unlikely.

Well, according to the spec comparison page I linked above, the 810 is capable of it. Then again, it also says it's capable of "up to 55MP" for the camera. So...

I guess only the people that have actually seen these new phones in person can confirm these specs if they were actually allowed to go through the settings and all.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Well, according to the spec comparison page I linked above, the 810 is capable of it. Then again, it also says it's capable of "up to 55MP" for the camera. So...

I guess only the people that have actually seen these new phones in person can confirm these specs if they were actually allowed to go through the settings and all.

Good luck on getting a phone with a 55 MP camera, haha.

 

[Ed Boland]

Good luck on getting a phone with a 55 MP camera, haha.

Can you imagine?

I do realize that the specs listed for these SOCs on Qualcomm's site are only what they are capable of, and not necessarily what we'll get. If the 950XL has the same display resolution as the 950, then it won't be utilizing the full potential of the 810. Just makes me wonder why they chose to use it over the 808 if they're not going to tap into it's more advanced features. I guess the Adreno 430 GPU might make a difference for gaming performance.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

It would have to have a ridiculously large sensor to pull that off though. It would have to be a six-inch phone just to make it seem normal sized compared to the 1020. Squeezing that many megapixels into a small sensor or even a sensor like the one on the 1020 wouldn't really work.
Because the larger phone typically brings more power to the table.

 

[jhoff80]

Just because a chipset is capable of 4k doesn't mean much in what the device will be.

It seems pretty much a given that the 950 will be exactly what is stated, 2560x1440 with a Snapdragon 808. Nobody even makes screens better than that for smartphones, and if they did, Samsung (one of the only companies making OLED panels in the first place) would be using them in their own devices.

 

[CapoFantasma97]

Good luck on getting a phone with a 55 MP camera, haha.

You know, they said the same thing before Nokia 808, and after Nokia Lumia 1020, appeared in market.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

You know, they said the same thing before Nokia 808, and after Nokia Lumia 1020, appeared in market.

And neither one of those devices did particularly well. Yeah, they had great cameras but the 1020 didn't help Windows Phone's market share and the majority of people don't even know the 808 existed.
Besides, a company utilizing a 55 MP sensor would probably shove it into a tiny sensor and ruin the entire camera. There would be so much noise.

 

[CapoFantasma97]

And neither one of those devices did particularly well. Yeah, they had great cameras but the 1020 didn't help Windows Phone's market share and the majority of people don't even know the 808 existed.
Besides, a company utilizing a 55 MP sensor would probably shove it into a tiny sensor and ruin the entire camera. There would be so much noise.

Surely a cameraphone isn't something for everyone, but makes much "noise" among people :3
I own a Lumia 1020, it's so fun to use for photos, especially with the camera grip, but lots of people immediately recognized my phone and asked if really it has 41 mpixels.
Just by releasing a phone suitable for photograhers and amateurs who want to enjoy making good photos without having the hassle of bringing around an heavy and expensive camera, which surely can't get inside your pocket, push people to chatter and spread this knowledge. Free and effective ads while selling a good phone.
So it took a good part on building the actual market share.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Surely a cameraphone isn't something for everyone, but makes much "noise" among people :3
I own a Lumia 1020, it's so fun to use for photos, especially with the camera grip, but lots of people immediately recognized my phone and asked if really it has 41 mpixels.
Just by releasing a phone suitable for photograhers and amateurs who want to enjoy making good photos without having the hassle of bringing around an heavy and expensive camera, which surely can't get inside your pocket, push people to chatter and spread this knowledge. Free and effective ads while selling a good phone.
So it took a good part on building the actual market share.

The problem with the 1020 was that even though it had a decent camera with a lot of megapixels, OIS (which was sort of rare when it came out) and Xenon flash (unheard of for a smartphone) it was outdated in every other way AND it was sold at the same price as other flagships at the time. Not only this, but it came with Windows Phone 8 and although I love Windows Phone, 8 wasn't on part with Android at the time. It just wasn't. 8.1 brought some major improvements. I've seen only one 1020 out in the wild and yeah it's a nice looking phone but it's a brick too and the camera housing isn't particularly ergonomic.
The point is, any photographer who really knows their stuff knows that megapixels don't make the camera. Although the 1020 came with some neat tricks and a lot of detail, all around it wasn't as good as let's say the 1520, which was faster and more reliable. A photographer is much more likely to opt for a smartphone with a great all around camera like the Galaxy S6, LG G4/G3, iPhone 6+ (my least favorite of this list), Lumia 1520, Lumia 930, or Lumia 830, and then have a dedicated DSLR camera on the side.

 

[CapoFantasma97]

The problem with the 1020 was that even though it had a decent camera with a lot of megapixels, OIS (which was sort of rare when it came out) and Xenon flash (unheard of for a smartphone) it was outdated in every other way AND it was sold at the same price as other flagships at the time. Not only this, but it came with Windows Phone 8 and although I love Windows Phone, 8 wasn't on part with Android at the time. It just wasn't. 8.1 brought some major improvements. I've seen only one 1020 out in the wild and yeah it's a nice looking phone but it's a brick too and the camera housing isn't particularly ergonomic.
The point is, any photographer who really knows their stuff knows that megapixels don't make the camera. Although the 1020 came with some neat tricks and a lot of detail, all around it wasn't as good as let's say the 1520, which was faster and more reliable. A photographer is much more likely to opt for a smartphone with a great all around camera like the Galaxy S6, LG G4/G3, iPhone 6+ (my least favorite of this list), Lumia 1520, Lumia 930, or Lumia 830, and then have a dedicated DSLR camera on the side.

Of course megapixels don't make a camera, but 4k photos, and the maximum return of the oversampling alghorithm thanks to the megapixels spent (3) are nice stuff.

I saw photographers writing that a Lumia 1020 was a good phone because they can't always bring around their camera and lenses, but they still could take good photos everywhere. And some of them where skeptical at first.
A real photographer knows a good shot may appear in every place and time, without knowing in advance.

I hope a successor of Lumia 1020 may appear, maybe with diaphragm control. Toghether with the high megapixels would be awesome for long distance shots.

 

[Zachary Boddy]

Of course megapixels don't make a camera, but 4k photos, and the maximum return of the oversampling alghorithm thanks to the megapixels spent (3) are nice stuff.

I saw photographers writing that a Lumia 1020 was a good phone because they can't always bring around their camera and lenses, but they still could take good photos everywhere. And some of them where skeptical at first.
A real photographer knows a good shot may appear in every place and time, without knowing in advance.

I hope a successor of Lumia 1020 may appear, maybe with diaphragm control. Toghether with the high megapixels would be awesome for long distance shots.

I don't disagree that the Lumia 1020 has a good camera. But to be honest, it's far from the best. And that's because of all around performance.
The Lumia 1520 has a fantastic 20 MP camera but I'd put the Lumia 830's 10 MP camera slightly above it because the 830 has better all around performance. Better low light pictures, more natural colors, more reliably good shots.

I hope the 1020 does eventually get a successor worthy of the 1020's legacy but I don't want Microsoft to just shove more megapixels in a call it a day.

 

[Ed Boland]

Just because a chipset is capable of 4k doesn't mean much in what the device will be.

Exactly what I was saying two posts before yours.

But I can't help but wonder, if these two phones (the 950 and 950XL) are both supposed to have the exact same display resolution (not to mention the exact same 20MP camera), couldn't they have just used the 808 in the 950XL as well? Why does the 950XL have the 810?

 

[Black3ternity]

Maybe they don't utilize the whole power of Display resolution for the 810 because of the "famous" heating problems?
Maybe they use "only" the resolution cap for the 808 in order to use the remaining power of the 810 for different stuff?
You know, just because you bought an nVidia Titan or GTX 980 doesn't mean you're always utilizing it at the maximum capacity just for the sake of it.
You don't supersample every game like minecraft six times just to max out your cards power. You use it for what you do.
And if the 810 isn't at it's limit, I'm fine with that. Totally. Means less lag, less power consumption and on top of that: Less heat!

I think the Resolution is just stopped at 2K because IF they would add 4K to the display, it would be huge media coverage, yes.
But what happens when the first Dodo gets the phone, plays the most graphic intense game on it WHILE charging his phone and then his phone overheats? Oh yeah ... the negative press will be all over it and smash it in a split second. Just play it safe, release 2K display and make sure everything is good.
Yes I for myself wanna grab a 950XL because of the features it packs (QI, I'll come back to you ) and it's a bit sad, that both phones pack the same resolution because bigger screen and same resolution. But it doesn't matter to me. I'm happy with my 1020 at the moment and that has the "hated" PenTile display and that is just regular HD. So it will be a huge step-up to 2K and I think that is fine.

Regards,

 

[Jakub JS]

Well, according to the spec comparison page I linked above, the 810 is capable of it. Then again, it also says it's capable of "up to 55MP" for the camera. So...

I guess only the people that have actually seen these new phones in person can confirm these specs if they were actually allowed to go through the settings and all.

A 4K display has a higher battery usage in comparision to 2K.
And you can't even see visual differences. So a 4K display is useless.