Bionic owners...

[WizeGuyDezignz]

...how in the world do you deal with the screen on this phone? Let me first start off by saying that I do not own the Bionic. I'm a happy owner of a rooted Charge. And let me also say that I'm really not trying to start a war. If you like your Bionic, then that's all that matters.

When I went into one of my local Verizon stores to check this phone out, I was in awe at how bad the screen was. I always knew Pentile sucked, but wow. Maybe my eyes were spoiled with my Charge screen, but it looked downright awful.

I did bring it over by the window and I will admit that it performs very well in daylight. But that pro wouldn't even be close to outweighing the cons.

In all seriousness, what is your reason for dealing with this screen? Is it just because it's the newest phone on Verizon and you have to have it? Or because it has better specs than the other 4g phones?

I for one would not be able to accept this phone with this screen. It would drive me nuts. I know I would get used to it, but not enough to warrant the purchase.

 

[dmast205]

Gotta say it doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother others. Some colors are washed out, but most web pages seem to render pretty well. Don't notice the pixellation as much either. As long as an update comes along to fix a few of the known issues, I can live with it for twenty months. It does a lotta things really well, and is super fast.

 

[johnlgalt]

The fact that we don't see what you're seeing.

The same way that some people can listen to audio at a 96 bitrate and hear no difference from 256 bitrate (whereas I can, up to 320) some people cannot discern a very large difference between an ultra-high resolution screen and medium resolution screen.

I can barely notice the extent of the pixelation that is occurring, and only when I'm really in the mood to find it. However, I can easily use my phone in the daylight, and since I live in the Deep South, and I'm in daylight 8 hours of the day, well, you can guess which phone won.

I made a post about it a while back: The colors on Super AMOLED displays look too vivid - too intense - too...I cannot remember the word that someone else used when they agreed with my post, but it was exactly what I wanted to say - way too intense.

My eyes are my eyes - unless you're me, you'll never truly understand what I see, just as I cannot understand how in the world you would use a display that makes the colors look over-saturated (that's the word). I noted in my other post that I'm the guy that turns colors down so they look more natural - and some people's definition of natural is completely over-saturated (to me).

 

[x026092]

Coming from a D1, I don't have an issue with the screen. If anything, the bigger screen size & being able to see it outside are big pluses. As you get older... the eyes & ears go.... size & loudness counts more.

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

Yeah, I guess to each (eyes) their own. I just couldn't get over the screen door effect that the phone had. It looked like there was a fine screen door (or a window screen) over the screen. It bothered the heck out of me.

As far as oversaturation in SAMOLED screens, I just installed a custom kernel that made everything look more natural.

At the end of the day, if it looks good to you, then that's all that matters!

 

[BenDroid]

I will say that compared to Samsung, most phones look horrible in terms of screen. I am the type of person that has to have a balance though.

Samsung wins in the world of screen colors and clarity, but for everything else that matters they are second or third.

Motorola screens are not horrible by any means and they have never gone wrong with call/sound quality. In comparison to current Samsung devices the Bionic feels more sturdy (not fragile), has a better battery life, and doesn't feel sluggish as you navigate through the phone.

Samsung screen = Great.
Bionic Everything Else = Better.

 

[New Rising]

When I first got the Bionic i was constantly looking for the pixelation because of what I read on here and it was very distracting. After almost two weeks now though I have cut down on that a lot and often don't even notice. I think the display is pretty nice, and it's really good in the sunlight. As far as super amoled plus, I think it's too cartoonish looking and over saturated with it's colors.

 

[Kevmueller]

I came from the DX and looked in the store at the phone closely and it did not look too bad, but after I got some of my apps on the phone I really started to notice the Pentile screen. I needed to upgrade from the DX to a phone to replace one in our family and pass my DX down to my son. So I was looking at both the Charge and Bionic as my upgrade. I put everything on paper and the only thing that the Charge won on was the screen, everything else was either a draw or a win for the Bionic.

After 5 days I really do not notice the bad parts of the screen, but sure do notice the good parts, how bright it is, how stunning white text with black backgrounds looks and the battery life.

I could see how if you have a Charge and look at the Bionic screen how it would look really bad. However after 10 hours when my phone still has over 40% battery life left and the Charge is dead I am happy to have a screen to look at.

I think there is give and take on everything and I am willing to give on the look (at times) of the pentile screen for all the other things I got.

 

[Tosa90]

I have yet to see this "Screen Door" effect you are all talking about. The screen looks perfectly fine to me.

Sure, if I hold the phone an inch from my face and focus really hard I can see the individual pixels but there's no reason to hold it that close while using it.

So, my reason for having the phone are because it is the best phone Verizon has right now, my upgrade date was over a month before release and I waited for this instead of the D3. It's specs don't make up for any bad screen. The screen is perfect as far as I'm concerned.

FYI, if I look really close I can also see the pixels on both of my 1920x1080 monitors and my 46" TV.

 

[bxtzd3]

i really can not see ANY of what your seeing. if you want to see it you will see it. ive tried to look really close and still nothing. im coming from a bb storm2 so maybe thats why. but i am in the school of dont like it dont buy it. im sure that you really want to like it but if your going to be unhappy then next to come is the prime i believe.

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

i really can not see ANY of what your seeing. if you want to see it you will see it. ive tried to look really close and still nothing. im coming from a bb storm2 so maybe thats why. but i am in the school of dont like it dont buy it. im sure that you really want to like it but if your going to be unhappy then next to come is the prime i believe.

If you look at the battery icon at the top, you don't see what looks like a fine screen door over it? If not, I really do think it all depends on each persons eyes. Because I can definitely see it, and the battery icon is just one example of many places where I see this.

 

[WizeGuyDezignz]

I came from the DX and looked in the store at the phone closely and it did not look too bad, but after I got some of my apps on the phone I really started to notice the Pentile screen. I needed to upgrade from the DX to a phone to replace one in our family and pass my DX down to my son. So I was looking at both the Charge and Bionic as my upgrade. I put everything on paper and the only thing that the Charge won on was the screen, everything else was either a draw or a win for the Bionic.

After 5 days I really do not notice the bad parts of the screen, but sure do notice the good parts, how bright it is, how stunning white text with black backgrounds looks and the battery life.

I could see how if you have a Charge and look at the Bionic screen how it would look really bad. However after 10 hours when my phone still has over 40% battery life left and the Charge is dead I am happy to have a screen to look at.

I think there is give and take on everything and I am willing to give on the look (at times) of the pentile screen for all the other things I got.

I know you shouldn't have to root your phone to get the best out of it. But the sad reality in the Android world is that you do.

With that being said, my Charge is rooted and customized to the point where I am getting consistent 20-24 battery life out of it, more natural colors with a custom kernel and extremely smooth performance with the rom that I'm running.

So at the end of the day, the gap between my phone and the Bionic is MUCH smaller than if my phone was stock.

Is it a fair comparison? Of course not. But it's my reality and I recommend rooting your Bionic if you can! Because if you think the performance is great now, just wait until you throw a good rom and kernel on it!

 

[johnlgalt]

A lot of the BIONIC users in here (including me) area already coming from other devices that we've grown to love, especially after rooting, ROMing, OCing and customizing.

You're basically preaching to the choir.

 

[Bogie]

I can see the screen differences but they don't bother me. First and foremost it is a phone and schedule for me so most of the apps involved with that don't demand too much in color.

I've played games, watched movies, and listened to music on the phone and every now and then I notice that a color seems "screen door" usually greys and greens. It doesn't really bother me though.

Coming from a rooted Droid 1 this phone is still fast as hell and after a week with it I don't think I could give it up.

 

[moondrius]

The screen does not look bad a lot of the time. The thing that stood out most to me was the neon skin you can use with swiftkey x. They phone made the keyboard with the skin on it look pixalated and horrible.

 

[pbj84]

If you look at the battery icon at the top, you don't see what looks like a fine screen door over it? If not, I really do think it all depends on each persons eyes. Because I can definitely see it, and the battery icon is just one example of many places where I see this.

I have a friend significantly younger than me that read about this issue and asked me about it. We both were looking at my phone and neither of us could see it.

Now that you specify the battery icon in the notification area, I can finally see this but it certainly doesn't stand out at all.

 

[bxtzd3]

I have a friend significantly younger than me that read about this issue and asked me about it. We both were looking at my phone and neither of us could see it.

Now that you specify the battery icon in the notification area, I can finally see this but it certainly doesn't stand out at all.

I am in the same boat.my buddies iPhone next to mine and it still is not horrible as a matter of fact mine looked better

 

[keegan1014]

The only places I see the screen door effect are the lock screen and notification bar.

 

[matt576gt]

Uhhh yeah bro I can see a screendoor effect...if I hold the phone 2 in. from my face. Wtf. I guess this type of stuff just doesn't bother me. Everything looks fine but then again I'm not looking for stuff thats wrong with it. Lemme guess, you absolutely can't listen to music if it's not the highest quality audio with the best headphones either? lol.

 

[krouget]

...how in the world do you deal with the screen on this phone? Let me first start off by saying that I do not own the Bionic. I'm a happy owner of a rooted Charge.

I returned a Charge before getting the Bionic, and had the same initial shock, as the Charge was one of the better displays I had seen at that point. About a week+ later, and I now look at the Charge, thinking it's far too over-saturated, while the Bionic displays colors more naturally.

It's a matter of preference, but you do adjust to either screen with time. Both have their pros and cons, but as of now, I much prefer the Bionic display for its much lower battery use and ease of use in sunlight-- both more practical than the Amoled display.

I did bring it over by the window and I will admit that it performs very well in daylight. But that pro wouldn't even be close to outweighing the cons.

I don't see the cons as being that dramatic. The Charge display is certainly more vivid, and I like it, but in many cases, the colors are cartoon-like in reproduction. Holding the Bionic at my usual viewing distance, I now rarely even notice the dots.

In all seriousness, what is your reason for dealing with this screen? Is it just because it's the newest phone on Verizon and you have to have it? Or because it has better specs than the other 4g phones?

We all have preferences, and yours may be different than someone elses.

I decided the Bionic was a better overall phone than the Charge, and if my local VZW store provided any indication, so did a lot of other customers who also did the same.

The reason I own it? It's a really good phone. Honest.

I for one would not be able to accept this phone with this screen. It would drive me nuts. I know I would get used to it, but not enough to warrant the purchase.

That's the beauty of having CHOICES.

 

[Roll-Tide]

I could ask you the same question....I went to the VZW store one time not too long ago to look at maybe getting a Charge, and they had two working models on display to play with. BOTH of them had lines going through the screen, and were laggy as hell. If it was just one phone, I might have dismissed it...but two in the same store convinced me that this may be a pretty big issue down the road, so I left without buying one. Glad I didn't, because the screen on the Bionic looks awesome to me...better than the DX2 I had, and pretty close to the iPhone 4 that my wife has.


But, like you said "At the end of the day, if it looks good to you, then that's all that matters!"

 

[sean76]

I too have owned the Charge, and now the Bionic!

Honestly, there are pros and cons with all these phones. However, I can't agree with the OP on the screen being terrible on the Bionic, IMO its pretty darn good! Can it be better, sure of course it can. Is it better then the Charge screen, no it is not! But like I said, its pretty good! Im not seeing a zillion pixels like some have said, what I am seeing is an extremely bright vivid screen, that looks very good both in doors and out! Almost no Pixelation on my unit!

Of course Blacks are not as deep as the Charges Super Amoled Plus screen, but they're still pretty deep, and whites are extremely bright and white. And text is crystal clear.

I will take any cons that the Bionics screen has to offer because the trade off is pretty big IMO. Especially after my use with it for th last 10 or so days.

The Phone is lightning fast, the fastest phone I have ever used, and I've used em all...4G shines on the Bionic, as does the Dual Core with doing every day stuff.

As a phone the Bionic is performing very well for me, my first unit was very low on the call volume front. The one I have now is extremely loud and clear, one of the best I've used to date.

Motorola Blur on this phone is a pleasure to use...the way it works as an over lay is fantastic IMO

Like everything in life....Different strokes for different folks...

After my time with the Bionic, I have to say I'd 100% take it over the Charge at this point.

 

[goldz28]

The screen does not bother me at all.

 

[Darkhawk_76]

The screen is part of the reason mines going back tomorrow. When I look at it with my Droid X beside it playing Plants vs Zombies or lookkng at pictures its just too.much. You do get use to it some,but.when you scroll a page or watch a movie with greens or greys and pics its very noticable.

The other reasons are the picture quality compared to my Droid X, they seem washed out and the lag on the focus makes my DX seem like a SLR.

The crackle and popping noise while playing Netflix is too much, though this is a Netflix issue but still, should have been ironed out before launch.

Dropping 3G for no reason. I have to restart the phone at least once a day when I stay in a 3G area for more than a few hours or when I turn off 4G to conserve battery.

Now for the positive stuff. Ive not had battery issues like a few others. Unless I stay on Netflix over 4G for a few movies then it lasts all day easy with quite a bit of use. The speeds are amazing, the response from the screen is great, the build quality of the phone is top notch as was my Droid X and OG Droid, Motorola always has great phones. Its just the negatives are to much for me for $250 for the next 2 years. Ill wait and see if the bugs get fixed and at what comes out by Christmas. I may be a Bionic owner again, who knows.

 

[surprise07]

I hope everyone looks at the screen BEFORE the verizon rep puts one of the new style screen protectors on them. The matte style screen protector that verizon gave me instead of the old style that are glossy and clear made the display look pixelated and dull... I took the protector back off and ordered a clear one offline and it looks fine.