The Realme P4 5G and Tecno POVA 7 Pro offer AMOLED displays and 144Hz refresh rates.
Photo Credit: Flipkart
AMOLED displays offer deeper blacks, richer colours, and better contrast compared to LCD panels, making them better for media consumption and gaming.
A 144Hz refresh rate delivers smoother scrolling and more responsive gameplay compared to 120Hz, especially in fast-paced games.
Smartphones like the Realme P4 5G and Tecno POVA 7 Pro now offer AMOLED panels with 144Hz refresh rates under Rs 20,000 in India.
With the rise of gaming and media consumption on the go, the demand for vibrant and smooth displays has never been higher. While AMOLED displays deliver superior picture quality with deep blacks and rich colours, a 144Hz refresh rate makes scrolling feel exceptionally smooth.
Notably, these features were earlier limited to high-end phones, but now you will find them in a couple of smartphones, such as the Realme P4 5G and Tecno POVA 7 Pro, which are currently available under Rs 20,000 in India.
However, the question is what difference AMOLED or LCD displays make, or how much better a 144Hz refresh rate is compared to 120Hz. Is this something you even need to consider before buying a smartphone? Let us find out by understanding different types of displays.
LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) panels are among the display techs mostly used in budget and affordable smartphones. They are designed to deliver visuals, colours, and smooth visuals while consuming different levels of power. However, they work in very different ways.
LCD panels work with a constant backlight that shines through a layer of liquid crystals. These crystals control the light to create colours and images. Because the backlight is always on, LCD screens can't produce true black. IPS LCD is the most common type and is known for decent colours and good viewing angles.
AMOLED panels, on the other hand, are quite different. In these panels, every single pixel lights up on its own when electricity flows through it. Since there's no need for a separate backlight, AMOLED screens, which have a higher contrast ratio, can turn individual pixels completely off to show perfect black. This results in better contrast, richer colours, and also helps save battery, especially when using dark themes.
It is worth noting that a few phones, including the Moto G86 Power and Edge 60 Pro, use pOLED panels, which are a flexible type of AMOLED panel, offering similar picture quality with better durability and support for curved designs.
LCD and AMOLED panels are among the display techs mostly used in budget and affordable smartphones.
Photo Credit: istockphoto
When it comes to media consumption or gaming, AMOLED displays perform significantly better compared to LCD panels. AMOLED panels offer perfect blacks and enhance the overall experience with vibrant colours.
Meanwhile, LCD is acceptable for casual viewing but falls short when it comes to rich and cinematic visuals, as it offers lower contrast and less punchy colours compared to AMOLED panels. Additionally, because of the constant backlight, blacks look grey, which results in lower contrast.
A 144Hz refresh rate is better, especially for gaming, but 120Hz is smooth enough for normal usage.
Photo Credit: Amazon
Refresh rate simply refers to the number of times per second a display updates or redraws the image it shows, be it a monitor, TV, or smartphone display, and is measured in Hertz (Hz). Therefore, the higher the refresh rate, the smoother the scrolling and gaming experience will be.
While a 120Hz refresh rate is quite smooth for daily use, scrolling through social media, and casual gaming, a 144Hz refresh rate is comparatively smoother and offers better responsiveness, with a noticeable difference while playing fast-paced games or watching high-frame-rate videos.
In short, a 144Hz refresh rate is better, especially for gaming, but 120Hz is smooth enough for normal usage.
Currently, there are only a very few phones under Rs 20,000 that come with an AMOLED display and a 144Hz refresh rate, including the Realme P4 5G and Tecno POVA 7 Pro, which are generally touted as the best phones currently available in the affordable segment in the country.
Realme P4 5G
The Realme P4 5G is a feature-rich smartphone priced under Rs 20,000.
Photo Credit: Flipkart
Priced at Rs 19,474 (with offers) for the 8GB + 128GB model, the Realme P4 5G offers a 6.77-inch FHD+ AMOLED display with up to 144Hz refresh rate and 4,500 nits peak brightness, which means it offers smooth scrolling, vibrant colours, and excellent visibility even under direct sunlight.
Other notable features of the device include the MediaTek Dimensity 7400 Ultra, a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 50MP OIS main camera and an 8MP ultrawide sensor, a massive 7,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging, and strong durability with IP65 and IP66 ratings.
This clearly suggests that the other features act as the cherry on top, making it an ideal device for media consumption and gaming, especially with its vibrant display and massive battery.
Tecno POVA 7 Pro
The Tecno POVA 7 Pro 5G with 8GB + 128GB model costs Rs 16,980.
Photo Credit: Flipkart
The 8GB + 128GB variant of the Tecno POVA 7 Pro can be purchased for Rs 16,980 on Flipkart. It offers nearly identical display features to the Realme P4 5G, with a 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED panel, up to 144Hz refresh rate, and 4,500 nits peak brightness.
It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultimate chipset, a 64MP main camera, and an 8MP ultrawide camera, along with a 6,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging and 30W wireless charging. Thanks to its gaming-focused tuning and cooling, it performs slightly better in heavy gaming sessions compared to the Realme P4.
Key Details at a Glance:
Phones with AMOLED + 144Hz (Best Category)
Realme P4 5G: Best overall (Top recommendation)
Tecno POVA 7 Pro 5G: Best for gaming and value
Other Strong Phones with AMOLED Display
Moto G86 Power 5G: pOLED (AMOLED variant), 120Hz
POCO X7 5G: AMOLED, 120Hz
OPPO K13 5G: AMOLED, 120Hz
Phones with 144Hz Refresh Rate
OnePlus Nord CE 6 Lite: 144Hz LCD
Realme P4x: 144Hz LCD
Disclaimer: The prices, offers, and availability mentioned in the article are based on information available at the time of writing and may change without any prior notice.
What are the main advantages of AMOLED displays over LCD in smartphones?
AMOLED displays offer perfect blacks by turning individual pixels off, resulting in better contrast and richer colors compared to LCDs, which rely on constant backlighting and can't produce true black. AMOLEDs also help save battery, especially with dark themes.
Is a 144Hz refresh rate noticeably better than 120Hz for everyday smartphone use?
A 144Hz refresh rate delivers smoother scrolling and better responsiveness than 120Hz, especially noticeable in fast-paced gaming and high-frame-rate videos. However, 120Hz is generally smooth enough for casual use and social media scrolling.
Which smartphones under Rs 20,000 feature both AMOLED displays and 144Hz refresh rates?
The Realme P4 5G and Tecno POVA 7 Pro are the two notable options under Rs 20,000 featuring AMOLED displays paired with 144Hz refresh rates, offering vibrant colors and smooth visuals suitable for media consumption and gaming.
How do the Realme P4 5G and Tecno POVA 7 Pro compare for gaming performance?
While both phones have similar display specifications, the Tecno POVA 7 Pro performs slightly better in heavy gaming sessions due to its gaming-focused tuning and cooling, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Ultimate chipset versus the Dimensity 7400 Ultra in Realme P4 5G.
Are pOLED displays different from AMOLED displays in smartphones?
pOLED is a flexible variant of AMOLED panels that offers similar picture quality and supports curved designs with better durability. An example is the Moto G86 Power 5G, which uses a pOLED panel with 120Hz refresh rate.
Can I find phones with 144Hz refresh rate but LCD displays under Rs 20,000?
Yes, models such as the OnePlus Nord CE 6 Lite and Realme P4x offer 144Hz refresh rates with LCD panels, but these lack the superior contrast and black levels of AMOLED displays.
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