If you are like me, utilizing a Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, or Apple iPhone has develop into more and more troublesome attributable to these telephones’ penchant for utilizing flickering shows. The OLED panels that energy these gadgets certain look good, however sadly for us, our eyes and brains simply do not like how they function.Thankfully, a number of choices available on the market provide a terrific expertise with out sacrificing processing energy, digital camera high quality, or general expertise. We’re working to ship one of the best information for PWM/Flicker-sensitive folks to make an knowledgeable shopping for resolution and are aiming to incorporate telephones from each product class and worth vary.I’ve examined numerous telephones through the years and have been particularly testing telephones for flicker sensitivity since initially posting about turning into PWM-sensitive in mid-2023. Many of those telephones are additionally one of the best Android telephones, and a few, surprisingly, even use OLED shows. To be aware, in the event you’re extraordinarily delicate to flickering and PWM dimming, it is secure to say most telephones with OLED shows are probably not in your future.I’ll be updating this record often as I’m capable of check these telephones myself, however I’m additionally together with some group favorites which were vetted by well-known customers. People who’re delicate to show flicker aren’t all delicate to the identical issues, so what works for one individual might not work for an additional. I’ve included as a lot data as I can on every telephone that will help you make one of the best resolution.At a look
Best general
1. Motorola Edge Plus (2023)/Edge 40 Pro
Best general
Motorola has taken an enormous flip for the higher in 2023, and a part of that’s due to its wonderful shows. The pOLED within the Motorola Edge+ (2023) is tremendous eye-friendly, significantly with Motorola’s flicker-reduction setting enabled.
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Runner-up
Runner-up
Xiaomi made a reputation for itself by providing an expertise that is loads just like the iPhone for a fraction of the worth. This telephone’s show is much friendlier than Apple’s with DC Dimming choices and 1,920Hz PWM for decrease brightness.
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Budget flagship
Best reasonably priced flagship
The Nothing Phone (2) leans closely into the greyscale, clear, dot-matrix aesthetic the corporate is thought for. Plus, partial DC dimming at excessive brightness ranges and 1,920Hz PWM makes this one simpler on the eyes.
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Best foldable
4. Motorola Razr Plus (2023)
Best folding telephone
The Motorola Razr Plus (2023) is not simply the one folding telephone on this record, it is also one of many best possible folding telephones available on the market. It makes use of a pOLED show however gives Motorola’s flicker-reduction know-how.
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Best mid-range
Best mid-range telephone
The Honor 90 will work within the U.S. on 4G LTE but it surely’s finest internationally due to 5G assist. Honor makes use of a Samsung AMOLED panel with 3,840Hz PWM and low modulation charges that feels surprisingly nice to make use of.
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Most reasonably priced
Best reasonably priced telephone
The OnePlus Nord collection has been recognized for providing nice worth to people since its inception a couple of years in the past. This telephone’s IPS LCD panel is totally flicker-free all the way down to the bottom brightness, making it a terrific decide for extra-sensitive people.
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Best general(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Best overallSpecificationsDisplay: 6.7-inch 165Hz pOLED, 2400 x 1800CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2RAM: 8GBOS: Android 13, Motorola My UXStorage: 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0Battery: 5,100mAhCamera: 50MP most important + 50MP ultrawide + 12MP 2x telephotoReasons to purchase+Eye-friendly OLED show+2-day battery life and quick charging+Top-tier efficiency+Gorgeous design+Horizon Lock is mind-blowing+Four years of promised software program updatesReasons to avoid-Odd video recording decision limitations-Telephoto digital camera is just 2x-Moto has a shaky historical past of replace assistMotorola took us abruptly this 12 months when it launched the Motorola Edge Plus (2023). Motorola’s premium telephones had been struggling lately so it was refreshing to see Motorola not solely launch a telephone with such stellar {hardware} but additionally again that {hardware} up with a four-year software program replace promise and a PWM-friendly OLED show.Motorola sells this mannequin because the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) within the U.S. and because the Motorola Edge 40 Pro in many of the remainder of the world. It’s additionally offered in China because the Moto X40.Motorola debuted a comparatively new flicker-reduction possibility with the Edge Plus (2023) that ensures the telephone’s show is on 99.51% of the time through the responsibility cycle. In follow, that is similar to DC dimming, which implies the telephone is definitely decreasing the voltage to the OLED diodes as a substitute of utilizing PWM flickering to pretend a dimmer show.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Above 35%, the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) makes use of DC dimming to realize a flicker-free show. As is telling from DC dimming measurements, the brightness dips a bit of bit every time the show refreshes. In this case, the show is refreshing at round 120Hz. This is regular for all DC-dimmed OLED shows.Below 35%, the telephone switches to 720Hz PWM dimming to make sure the show nonetheless retains a high-quality picture and proper shade accuracy.Once I get beneath 35% within the video, you may see the everyday PWM line seem and begin to get thicker because the brightness slider goes down. In the second half of the video, I flip off the sparkle discount setting and you’ll see how completely different the PWM charges are at every brightness degree.This is my private favourite premium telephone and I’ve no consolation points from utilizing this telephone all day lengthy.Aside from simply having a cushty show, the Motorola Edge Plus (2023) is a downright superb telephone. It’s obtained a blazing-fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor — one of the best in 2023 — plus 2-day battery life and people timeless Motorola options that make utilizing Motorola telephones so handy.The digital camera could possibly be higher but it surely’s stunned me various instances. Just be sure you follow 1080p video recording high quality if you wish to use all one of the best digital camera options the telephone has to supply.Runner-up(Image credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)2. Xiaomi 13 Runner-upSpecificationsDisplay: 6.36-inch 120Hz AMOLED, 2400 x 1800CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2RAM: 8GB/12GBOS: Android 13, MIUI 14Storage: 128GB UFS 3.1, 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0Battery: 4,500mAhCamera: 50MP most important + 12MP ultrawide + 10MP 3x telephotoReasons to purchase+Classy design+Great battery life+Fast charging+Excellent efficiency+DC Dimming OLED show+Quality camerasReasons to avoid-MIUI may be buggy-Very Apple-like software program design (is also a professional for some folks)-USB 2.0 speedsThe Xiaomi 13 is a group decide and the one that most closely fits within the class of finest worldwide premium telephone. We’ve had the pleasure of reviewing the Xiaomi 13 Ultra and Xiaomi 13 Pro, and Android Central’s Harish Jonnalagadda additionally has the common Xiaomi 13 as properly, so we’re aware of the software program and general telephone expertise.But the smaller (and cheaper) Xiaomi 13 is the one to select for PWM-sensitive people. Out of the field, it makes use of a 1,920Hz PWM OLED show, however you may allow DC dimming by choosing the “anti-flicker” setting within the show choices.Graphs from the identical Opple Light Master gentle meter I take advantage of may be discovered right here, and you’ll see the distinction between the 2 modes on this video.Aside from a vision-friendly show, you are getting a cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (which is one of the best processor in 2023), nice battery life, and sooner charging than something provided by Google, Apple, or Samsung.It’s additionally obtained a terrific digital camera — even when it is inferior to the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Ultra fashions — and MIUI is at all times feature-packed and up to date often.The telephone is clearly styled after the iPhone with its shiny, flat sides. This is one thing that individuals will both love or hate, as is evidenced by the fixed design modifications backwards and forwards through the years. MIUI can be extraordinarily Apple “inspired” and has at all times been a kind of iOS clone since its inception.Best reasonably priced flagship(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Best reasonably priced flagshipSpecificationsDisplay: 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED, 2142 x 1080CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1RAM: 8GB/12GBOS: Android 13, Nothing OS 2.0Storage: 128GB/256GB/512GBBattery: 4,700mAhCamera: 50MP most important + 50MP ultrawide/macroReasons to purchase+Gorgeous design+Great worth+Good efficiency and battery life+Unique options and UI+DC dimming at excessive brightness, 1,920Hz PWM beneath 47%+Very succesful cameraReasons to avoid-Low-light pictures are lacking-Image stabilization could possibly be better-No telephoto lensNothing made a reputation for itself in a short time, taking on the mantle of OnePlus’ reasonably priced flagship mantra and placing a bit of twist on it. Nothing’s fashionable designs and classy stylish vibes imply your brilliantly-lit telephone goes to get observed as you stroll round, due to the distinctive LED array on the again.But that sophisticated LED array on the entrance — that is the show, in fact — is an OLED show made by an organization known as Visionox, and it makes use of DC dimming above 47% brightness to ship a diminished flicker expertise.Image 1 of two(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)The chart reveals that this positively makes use of refresh rate-locked DC dimming at brightness ranges above 47%, with the standard dip in brightness at refresh intervals. OLEDs at all times have a slight dip in brightness when the diode is refreshed because the gentle is tied to the colour, however this show dips a bit of decrease than some others on this record.For me, this 11.5% modulation price (or increased) is simply too extreme, though the show would not flicker like it will when utilizing PWM dimming. Running the telephone at a 60Hz refresh price can assist cut back the detrimental results because it dips much less usually, however I discover that I can solely use the Nothing Phone (2) for a day or two earlier than my eyes begin to ache.But I’ve seen loads of success tales with this telephone within the PWM-sensitive group. As I’ve mentioned many instances earlier than, completely different persons are delicate to various things. For me, a drop in brightness above 8% or so is what appears to trouble my eyes probably the most. For others, it’d simply be the speedy flicker from PWM-style dimming that causes discomfort.Either method, this telephone would not use PWM dimming till you get beneath 47%, and even then, it is a very excessive 1,920Hz PWM frequency, so it is not as harsh as telephones from Samsung, Apple, Google, or OnePlus. If it is advisable use the telephone in darker settings, you should utilize the Extra Dim button in fast toggles to scale back the utmost lux of the panel, making certain that you just stick to DC dimming and nonetheless get a much less harsh show.Other than having a principally eye-friendly show, the Nothing Phone (2) is a unbelievable telephone throughout. It makes use of the speedy Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset, has wonderful 2-day battery life, a stable construct and lovely clear design, and loads of distinctive options and niceties within the software program. Plus, that LED array on the again is numerous enjoyable to mess around with.Best folding telephone(Image credit score: Derrek Lee / Android Central)Best folding phoneSpecificationsDisplay: 6.9-inch 165Hz foldable OLED, 2640 x 1800Cowl show: 3.6-inch 144Hz OLED, 1066 x 1056CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1RAM: 8GB/12GBOS: Android 13, Motorola My UXStorage: 128GB/256GB/512GB UFS 3.1Battery: 3,800mAhCamera: 12MP most important + 13MP ultrawideReasons to purchase+DC dimming at most brightness ranges+Beautiful design (particularly Viva Magenta)+Large cowl display screen is extremely helpful+Great efficiency+Versatile hinge feels sturdy+Great software program promiseReasons to avoid-Displays may be onerous to see in direct sunlight-Cameras are simply okay-Battery life could possibly be loads better-Weak water resistance scoreThe worst half about being a fan of folding telephones is while you’re additionally somebody who’s delicate to show flicker. Most folding telephones use Samsung AMOLED panels, and, in consequence, most of them flicker loads. Motorola makes use of pOLED panels by LG, and these enable for correct DC dimming at excessive brightness ranges.Motorola’s flicker discount possibility in show settings additional helps preserve issues underneath management, however that does not imply this telephone will work for everybody who’s flicker-sensitive.As you may see from the charts beneath, the telephone makes use of refresh rate-locked DC dimming for the OLED panel, that means there is a slight dip in brightness each time the display screen refreshes. Dropping the refresh price to 60Hz might make this telephone extra comfy for some people because the dips occur much less usually.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)But, even with DC dimming enabled, the modulation price is a bit increased than what’s comfy for some flicker-sensitive people. For me, something beneath an 8% modulation price is normally probably the most comfy. Phones just like the Nothing Phone (2) and the Motorola Razr Plus (2023) are comfy for a few day or so till my eyes begin feeling fatigued.Other flicker-sensitive people would possibly discover this show continues to be comfy, although, because it would not use PWM dimming above 25% brightness. Extra dim is supported on this panel, but it surely triples the modulation price, so I would not advocate utilizing it.The video confirms that modulation is low all through most brightness ranges. You can see the distinction between the flickering ranges with the sparkle discount setting enabled and disabled right here, too.The telephone’s cowl show modulates at the very same price as the massive folding show, so utilizing that extra usually will not change a lot.If you are comfy with these numbers, Motorola’s flip telephone is considered one of our favourite flip telephones of all time. While it would not have as many software program options as Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip collection, Motorola’s cowl show is far more helpful than the Galaxy Z Flip 5’s as a result of Motorola enables you to do something with it. It’s all right here, from operating full apps, swiping by widgets, and even enjoying video games with out having to flip open the telephone.It makes use of final Fall’s flagship Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, so it is fairly speedy, however, being a flip telephone, the battery life is not one of the best. Thankfully, Motorola’s chargers are faster than Samsung’s, and you’ll high up in only a few minutes with out fear.Best mid-range telephone(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)5. Honor 90 Best mid-range phoneSpecificationsDisplay: 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED, 2664 x 1200CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 Accelerated EditionRAM: 8GB/12GB/16GBOS: Android 13, MagicOS 7.1Storage: 256GB/512GBBattery: 5,000mAhCamera: 200MP most important + 12MP ultrawide + 2MP depth sensorReasons to purchase+3,840Hz PWM price with low modulation+Built-in blue gentle discount+Excellent battery life+Works on GSM 4G LTE within the U.S.+Good camerasReasons to avoid-No 5G within the U.S.-MagicOS feels clunky-Mid-range efficiencyI’ve had the Honor 90 since mid-July and have been testing it on and off between different machine opinions. True to the advertising and marketing, the Honor 90’s OLED show is loads friendlier on the eyes than most smartphone OLED shows. Much of that’s the TÜV Rheinland-certified show which not solely emits much less blue gentle than many different smartphone shows but additionally dims at an unbelievable 3,840Hz PWM price.Now, you is likely to be questioning what on the earth a telephone that makes use of PWM is doing on an inventory for PWM-sensitive folks, proper? Part of the explanation many people are delicate to PWM dimming is due to the low-frequency producers like Apple, Google, and Samsung use. Honor’s frequency is 8x sooner than Apple’s and 16x sooner than Samsung, Google, or OnePlus’s.That may not work for everybody who’s PWM-sensitive, however this price is personally OK for me to make use of. I’ve tried utilizing the telephone all the way down to 50% brightness for a full day and have but to expertise any type of PWM illness signs, which normally manifest themselves in eye ache, complications, and generally nausea if I stare at a quickly modulating show for too lengthy.Image 1 of 4(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)And the measurements show what I’m feeling. At something above 35% brightness, the modulation price on this telephone is actually nice. Not solely does it use a particularly excessive frequency, but it surely additionally would not totally flip off the show at regular brightness ranges.Like most OLED shows on this record, although, issues change when you get beneath 35% brightness. At that price, you are higher off holding the show at increased brightness and utilizing a display screen dimmer app just like the one I like to recommend within the “how to choose” part beneath.The video beneath additionally backs up what my gentle meter picks up, displaying that the modulation price stays very low till underneath 50% brightness and, even then, is reasonably acceptable till about 35%.If you watch the black bar that seems to scroll down as I dim the brightness, you may see that it is pretty dim — an indication that it is utilizing a really excessive modulation price since I’m recording at 1/6000 shutter pace — and that bar stays pretty skinny till I get all the way down to round 50% brightness.Below 35%, it modulates very closely, and I would not advocate utilizing it in any respect at that time, even with the excessive PWM frequency.Aside from the show, the Honor 90 packs in a mid-range Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 “Accelerated Edition” processor, which is admittedly simply codeword for a good mid-range processor. It’s nothing particular, but it surely’ll run most cell video games and just do advantageous on all kinds of apps.It’s additionally very battery-friendly, and you will simply get 2 days out of a single cost normally. Plus, the charging pace is sweet and fast, so topping up takes no time in any respect.The largest detrimental — apart from utilizing PWM dimming in any respect — is MagicOS. Honor’s taste of Android feels clunky in some ways, and the OS comes throughout as feeling “old” in a number of respects. Menus can generally be oddly laid out, and the launcher feels dated however at the least it would not break up the notification shade or attempt to pressure the texture of iOS the way in which MIUI does.Best reasonably priced telephone(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)Best reasonably priced phoneSpecificationsDisplay: 6.72-inch 120Hz IPS LCD, 2400 x 1800CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5GRAM: 8GBOS: Android 13, Oxygen OS 13.1Storage: 128GB UFS 2.2Battery: 5,000mAhCamera: 108MP most important + 2MP macro + 2MP depth sensorReasons to purchase+3.5mm jack and microSD card slot+5G connectivity and NFC+Great-looking and feeling construct+Lots of software program options+Great battery life and ultra-fast charging+3 years of safety updatesReasons to avoid-Camera could possibly be better-Difficult to make use of with USB gaming controllers-Only one OS replaceOnePlus has lengthy been an organization centered on delivering worth, and the Nord collection fulfills its diehard clients’ expectations of that concept. The Nord N30 is the 2023 U.S. Nord launch, and it brings the standard suite of enhancements together with one shocking change: the 60Hz OLED show on the N20 was swapped out for a 120Hz LCD panel on the N30.That LCD panel is tremendous pleasant for anybody affected by flicker sensitivity because it makes use of correct DC dimming at a particularly excessive frequency — better than 15,000Hz, actually — to get issues accomplished.Image 1 of 3(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)This show is completely flicker-free at nearly all brightness ranges, however one thing modifications underneath 10%. I’m undecided if it is only a low-quality backlight or one thing else, however the gentle meter says it sparkles beneath that.I picked up no flicker within the video beneath, however my digital camera solely drops to 1/16000 shutter pace, and the video will get too dim to really be capable to see the show clearly on the lowest brightness degree.Some customers within the PWM-sensitive group have picked up the telephone and located that it does trouble them at very low brightness ranges like this, so I would not advocate utilizing it at tremendous low brightness. Of course, that is not completely different from some other telephone we advocate, so simply be sure you use a dimming app in the event you want the brightness to be very low.Aside from the flicker-free show at most brightness ranges, the Nord N30 is a unbelievable price range telephone that is suffering from options due to OxygenOS. This is similar OxygenOS you may discover on dearer OnePlus telephones, so that you’re getting one of the best options at a cut price worth.And the processor on this telephone is quick sufficient even for graphics-intensive video games like The Division Resurgence due to quick inside storage pace and basic enhancements in optimization in OxygenOS through the years. Plus, battery life is actually wonderful, and it prices in about 30 minutes flat with the included charger.How to chooseWhat’s one of the best telephone for PWM/flicker-sensitive folks?Why you may belief Android Central
Our professional reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services so you may select one of the best for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)If you are PWM or flicker-sensitive, it may be extraordinarily troublesome to determine which telephones work finest for you. As a rule of thumb, IPS LCD panels are normally friendlier on the eyes than any type of OLED panel, however even that is not assured. It’s cheaper for an organization to make use of PWM dimming on a show, so even some IPS LCD panels will use it.OLED shows have to make use of PWM dimming at a sure brightness degree to retain correct colours and particulars, which is one thing I’ll clarify in depth in one other article. But know that the majority OLED shows can use DC dimming to take care of brightness at excessive ranges. Some producers — like Samsung, Google, and Apple — simply refuse to do that.All the telephones on this record have been examined by us and vetted to assist alleviate eye pressure when used at common brightness ranges above 50%. We would advocate by no means utilizing a telephone beneath 50% brightness degree just because a lot of them use methods to assist preserve picture high quality excessive, as I mentioned above. Oftentimes, which means PWM dimming.My suggestion is to make use of these telephones at excessive brightness to make sure no flicker, then use an app like this display screen and notification dimmer to artificially decrease the brightness. I’ve examined numerous screen-dimming apps, and that is one of the best one.Don’t decrease your display screen’s brightness beneath 50%. Instead, use a display screen dimming app to artificially decrease brightness when wanted.Folks in search of a premium telephone within the U.S. ought to look no additional than the Motorola Edge+ (2023). Motorola makes use of a particular flicker discount DC dimming methodology that ensures the display screen’s responsibility cycle stays on 99.51% of the time.In easy phrases, which means the display screen is not flickering like different OLED shows when used above 35% brightness. Just be sure you allow “flicker reduction” within the telephone’s show settings. The Motorola Razr Plus makes use of an analogous methodology of flicker discount, making it the one foldable telephone accessible within the U.S. that is vision-friendly.Internationally, there are much more choices. Many smartphones from Asia provide DC dimming strategies, together with the Xiaomi 13 and Zenfone 10. I did not embrace the Zenfone 10 on this record but as a result of I have not been ready to make use of it to find out whether or not its DC dimming strategies are secure, and there are few opinions locally.On the extra reasonably priced aspect, the Nothing Phone (2) gives flagship specs for a diminished worth, all whereas providing DC dimming by default at excessive brightness ranges. Below 50%, it switches to 1,920Hz PWM dimming. The Honor 90 makes use of PWM dimming at 3,840Hz, and it would not modulate a lot, making it look extra like DC dimming in measurements.Even extra affordably priced is the OnePlus Nord N30, a telephone that makes use of an IPS LCD panel with DC dimming all the way down to about 15% brightness. Below that, the backlight appears to flicker fairly a bit — albeit at a really excessive frequency above 15,000Hz — however some customers have reported it provides them the everyday flicker-sensitive emotions of eye pressure and complications beneath that brightness degree.Round up of in the present day’s finest offers