The best Android phones use an OLED LTPO panel that stands out for its automatically variable refresh rate, so we tell you what is OLED LTPO panel, and its specs and features…
The OnePlus 9 Pro was recently presented worldwide, as the new flagship of the brand. This new phone from the brand is undoubtedly the best phone they have launched so far, with spectacular cameras and a screen that ranks among the best in Android. The brand has employed an OLED panel with LTPO technology in this case, which is one of the keys in this high end. Before OnePlus, OPPO and Samsung had also used these panels in the OPPO Find X3 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra.
LTPO panels are something that is gaining prominence in the market, although for many users they are something unknown. What is this technology that is used in OLED panels, and why these panels are different from others in the market?
What is LTPO OLED panel technology?
LTPO stands for Low-temperature polycrystalline oxide. It is a technology used in OLED panels, not only in smartphones because Apple also used it in its latest generation of Apple Watch. This technology has a key feature and that is that it reduces its refresh rate automatically, to save battery in the device.
LTPO OLED panel specs and features
This is an OLED panel that uses a special driver and an improved ambient brightness sensor. Thanks to these two elements, the panel will be able to reduce its refresh rate when idle, which helps reduce power consumption. This will help with longer battery life. In the case of the OnePlus 9 Pro, such display power consumption is reduced by 50% as a result of LTPO technology.
Variable refresh rate
The key feature on an OLED panel with LTPO technology is the automatic variable refresh rate. That is, if you are playing a game, the phone will use the maximum refresh rate it has (either 120Hz or 60Hz, for example), but when the device is idle or you are simply reading or viewing photos, the refresh rate will automatically change to 1Hz. You won’t have to do anything to change the refresh rate.
This change means that the display goes from refreshing 60, 90, or 120 times per second to refreshing 60 times per minute (1Hz). Power consumption is significantly reduced because the maximum refresh rate is used only when it is really necessary. Also, the user does not have to set this manually every time. This way, convenience is gained and the phone’s battery life is extended. Also, the user experience is optimal, because the screen adapts to what you are doing.
It is well known that the screen is the component that consumes the most battery in a phone. An OLED panel consumes less than an LCD panel because each pixel is independent, so when there is black on the screen, it consumes less because that pixel is turned off. LTPO technology contributes to lower consumption by adjusting the refresh rate automatically, adapting to the use made of it. Together they contribute to squeezing much more out of the phone’s battery.
