[Xperia Z1 General] xperiafan324:
Xperia Z/ZL don't use VA panels

Hello everyone, I've been reading this thread since yesterday and have seen some very incorrect info (I mean no disrespect to anyone, just wanna correct the wrong info) I was hoping some existing member would correct it, but since that hasn't happened, I decided to share this info myself. Hence my first post.

The factually incorrect info :

1) "Z/ZL have VA panels, Sony used different panels for Japanese/developer/European Z/ZL"

This is incorrect, first off, Sony used e-IPS panels in ALL models, yes some screens were made by Sharp, and some by JDI, but there was no perceivable quality difference. Even the highly praised Docomo model screens were Sharp-made. Proof : http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2155145

2) "Sony used lottery system for Z/ZL"

This is also incorrect, the only difference b/w the Z/ZL european and japanese screens was software based (White Balance, using a grey dock, basically things that Sony reverted to be like the japanese Z/ZL, that's why so many people thought that viewing angles, and overall screen quality improved with the updates that gave White Balance control and changed the dock background to black. Proof :

http://cdn.gsmarena.com/pics/13/03/xperia-z-screen-comparison/gsmarena_001.jpg

Just look at the image, and carefully observe that the most striking difference in viewing angles is in the dock area, this is because the european version originally used the greyish dock, which was then changed to black by an update. Also there is slight difference in white balance, but Sony fixed that too.

Sony however did use both Sharp and JDI made e-IPS panels.

Now moving onto the Z1, Sony can't use completely finished Z/ZL panels since they don't have triluminos backlight. What is possible is that Sony used e-IPS again at least in pre-production/prototype Z1s with triluminos backlight, which would explain the stark differences between screen quality of Z1 reviews that are about a week old, and the newer reviews which all say that the Z1's display is the bee's knees.

Now what we don't know is if indeed Sony has decided to use a mixture of e-IPS, AH-IPS and S-PLS (I really doubt S-PLS since Sony has pretty much never went to Samsung for its LCDs, it stopped using SLCD tech after it sold its share to Samsung altogether), if that is the case then we'll see plenty more reports of screen discrepancies beyond the yellow hue (which I hope for the sake of all the new owners - Congratulations on your new phone btw, I hope that you enjoy it a lot - is similar to the glue issue on the iphone 4, and not the dreaded yellow screen issue of the Xperia S).

There is, however, one way to definitively see if the screen is e-IPS or AH-IPS, and that is (wait for it) a USB microscope, preferably one that has 200+x magnification. e-IPS has the same subpixel structure as the Z, whereas AH-IPS has the same subpixel structure as the Z Ultra. If at all possible, I would urge the new owners of the Z1 to put their screens under a USB Microscope and see which screen they have, USB microscopes with 200+x magnifications go for about $80-100 on amazon.

I know it is a bit outlandish to suggest this, but it will provide definite results i.e. if Sony has indeed used a display lottery with the Z1, then the different subpixel layout will easily give it away.

Also, check out this new eprice comparison with Note 3:

http://www.eprice.com.tw/mobile/talk/4551/4881355/1/rv/sony-xperia-z1-i1-Honami-review/