Display Shoot-Out: iPad Air 2 Features Impressive Anti-Reflection Coating, iPad Mini 3 Disappoints

DisplayMate has posted a detailed analysis of the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 displays.

The most notable observation is that Apple has equipped the iPad Air 2 with an impressive anti-reflection coating. The coating reduces ambient light reflection by about 3:1 over most other tablets and smartphones (including iPads), and by about 2:1 over the best tablets and smartphones (including iPhone 6).

DisplayMate was able to measure a huge 62% drop in reflected light glare compared to previous iPads and agreed with Apple's claim that the iPad Air 2 is "the least reflective display of any Tablet in the world", declaring that an 'understatement'.


To test the difference in displays, turn off the displays of the iPad Air 2 and another tablet or smartphone. Hold them side-by-side so you see just the reflections. The Air 2 will be dramatically darker than any other tablet or smartphone. DisplayMate says, "It’s a major innovation and a big deal with visually obvious benefits!!"

Here are some highlights from conclusions:

iPad Air 2:
Much more significant is that the iPad Air 2 does Not have the same high performance display technology enhancements that we measured for the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which we rated the best performing Smartphone LCD Display that we have ever tested. While the iPad Air 2 has an all around Very Good Top Tier display, and most buyers will be happy with its performance, the displays on the Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Samsung Tablets that we have tested (see below) have better display performance in Absolute Color Accuracy, Brightness, Contrast Ratio, Viewing Angle, and Power Efficiency. However, the iPad Air 2 matches or breaks new records in Tablet (and Smartphone) display performance for: the most accurate (pure logarithmic power-law) Intensity Scale and Gamma, most accurate Image Contrast, (by far) the Lowest Screen Reflectance, and the Highest Contrast Rating for Ambient Light.

iPad mini 3: A Major Disappointment
The iPad mini can only be described as the perpetual Runt of the litter… Originally spurned, then introduced (in haste) in 2012, it was a mini version of the older 2011 iPad 2 with a 1024x768 resolution display and a reduced 62 percent Color Gamut, when the full size iPads already had a 2048x1536 Retina display with a 100 percent Color Gamut. In 2013 the mini was given a Retina display, but remained with a reduced 62 percent Color Gamut – the only current iPad or iPhone without a full Color Gamut. Now, in 2014 the new iPad mini 3 still only has a 62 percent Color Gamut, plus it was denied the new enhanced anti-reflection coating and bonded cover glass of the iPad Air 2. So in addition to washed out, under saturated and distorted colors (red tomatoes, fire trucks, and Coke cans look a bit orange rather than deep red, for example) it continues with a moderately high screen Reflectance of 6.5 percent, almost triple that of its favored littermate, which further washes out its image colors in ambient light…


Hit the link below for the analysis...

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