Alteration in Phone 3 PWM Rate Favors Superior Screen Quality Confirmed
The Nothing Phone 3, along with its variants Phone 3a and 3a Pro, has undergone a significant change in its PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation) rate, a move aimed at improving display performance and eye comfort at lower brightness levels.
Initially, the Nothing Phone 3 boasted a high PWM rate of 2,160Hz, a feature that could potentially reduce eye strain for sensitive users due to its minimal flickering. However, a software update lowered the PWM rate to 960Hz when the display operates at low brightness levels[1].
PWM is a technique OLED displays use to control brightness by rapidly turning pixels on and off. Lowering the PWM rate can help the screen look smoother or more stable at low brightness, possibly by reducing certain artifacts or inconsistencies caused by very high-frequency flickering that might interfere visually at dim levels[1].
While a higher PWM rate is generally better for minimizing flicker-induced eye strain, some users may actually find ultra-high PWM frequencies less comfortable under certain conditions. The Phone 3’s reduced PWM rate still remains very high (960Hz), which is well above the typical threshold where flicker becomes noticeable to most people, thus maintaining good eye comfort[1].
The Nothing Phone 3, considered the company's "true flagship," offers notable CPU and GPU improvements over the past-gen model. It is equipped with a 50MP camera setup, a 5,150mAh battery, and is powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chip. The Phone 3 also comes with a suite of AI features.
During the launch timeline, the Phone 3 review unit used a 480Hz PWM. Google has also adopted a similar approach with the Pixel 8 Pro, dropping the PWM rate for its final retail software.
Nothing has committed to more software updates for the Phone 3, providing five major Android OS upgrades and seven years of security updates. However, no information about the PWM rate change for the Phone 3a and 3a Pro was provided.
The Phone 3's starting price is $799 with 12/256GB and a 16/512GB RAM/storage configs. The Phone 3's display is still capable of the original rate (2,160Hz) at higher brightness levels, demonstrating Nothing's commitment to maintaining high-quality display capabilities.
[1] Source: [URL of the original source] (if available)
The Nothing Phone 3's display, despite the lowered PWM rate at low brightness levels, still maintains a high frequency of 960Hz, which is intended to provide smoother visuals and good eye comfort. Moreover, the Phone 3, equipped with advanced technology, boasts smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the iPhone 14 Pro Max, offering a 50MP camera setup, impressive CPU and GPU improvements, and AI features.
