Is a 2K screen mobile phone worth buying?

Since the first vivo Xplay 3S was launched at the end of last year, 2K screen has become a popular parameter in the industry. So far, flagship models including LG G3, Lenovo VIBE Z2 Pro, OPPO Find7, Nubia Z7, etc. have adopted 2K screen configuration. In September, when the press conference is like a marathon, it is expected that there will be a large number of 2K screen mobile phones, led by Samsung Note 4. What is a 2K screen? What are the advantages of it compared to the current "second-best" 1080P screen? Is it necessary to buy it?

Currently, 2K screens mostly use IPS screens with a resolution of 2560×1440. Compared with the same-size 1920×1080 resolution screen, in principle, there will be twice as many pixels. Taking the 5.5-inch screen size commonly used by manufacturers as an example, the pixel density of the 2K screen is 538, while that of the 1080P screen is 403. From the parameter point of view, the advantages are quite obvious, but what is the actual effect?

Our comparison test involved two mobile phones with the same 5.5-inch screen size. The 2K screen model has some improvements in processor, memory and battery capacity to enhance performance, while other configurations are exactly the same.

Although we tried our best to develop a pair of sharp eyes, we could only feel sad when we cried, so we could only use photos magnified 20 times to distinguish the difference. At this magnification level, the advantage of the 2K screen's fine resolution can still be seen at a glance, and in terms of the presentation of web page fonts, the 2K screen is obviously much clearer and looks very comfortable. However, we still hold the same view that the difference between the two is almost invisible to the naked eye. In addition, we tested movies with 720P and 1080P specifications, and we can only blame ourselves for not being Sun Wukong and being unable to tell the difference.

Although the difference between a 2K screen and a 1080P screen is so small that you need a magnifying glass to see it, the price will be hundreds of yuan more expensive. Although the hundreds of yuan more expensive is not entirely due to the higher cost of the 2K screen - the processor, memory and battery must also be upgraded accordingly, but the leap forward of these core components is indeed to serve the higher resolution display.

In this case, we need to be cautious in choosing a 2K screen mobile phone. In layman's terms, is it worth the extra few hundred yuan for a 2K screen mobile phone?

First of all, you can't get the 2K effect visible to the naked eye. In principle, 400 PPI is beyond the recognition range of the human eye, let alone the 500 PPI of the 2K screen. Secondly, the 2K screen has a decrease in light transmittance due to the increase in pixel density, which leads to a decrease in screen brightness. This is obvious to everyone. We have also conducted tests in this regard. At any angle, the brightness of a 2K screen phone is lower than that of a 1080P phone. Thirdly, due to the high resolution and high density of the 2K screen itself, it consumes more power, and the higher-specification processor also increases power consumption, so the 2K screen is definitely equivalent to power consumption.

From this we can conclude that the 2K screen does not bring about a significant improvement in performance, but its disadvantages are obvious, and the money is not worth spending, or it can be said that there is no need to buy a 2K screen mobile phone at present.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.