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Display analyst explains 12.9″ Apple iPad Pro mini LED’s disturbing halo effect along with solution
Some users who bought the Apple M1 iPad Pro noticed a halo effect on the screen, which is caused by the number of local dimming areas brought about by the use of mini LED technology. Although Apple has tried to minimize this effect, many users still encounter this problem.
Now some display analysts say that it is necessary for Apple to increase the local dimming area to reduce or completely eliminate this effect. According to DSCC analyst Ross Young, even if the M1 iPad Pro has a contrast ratio of 1 million to 1, there will be a halo effect.
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In his tweet, he outlined the differences between traditional LCD and mini LED panels. Young said that the use of IPS LCD displays, which usually have low contrast, can reduce the halo effect by increasing the LCD display’s native contrast and the number of local dimming zones.
Hearing alot about the halo effect in the new 12.9" miniLED iPad Pro. Here it is explained from our MiniLED Report. So even 1M:1 contrast ratio displays can get it. Need more dimming zones. Not a problem for OLEDs though. pic.twitter.com/Zin0nE4tmr
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) May 25, 2021
However, under the current LCD technology, compared with the mini LED with a contrast ratio of 1 million:1, the former will not display very pure black. However, the disadvantage of mini LEDs is the halo effect mentioned above.
Young said that even if the M1 iPad Pro has 2596 local dimming zones, there will be a halo effect. Each zone controls 2155 pixels, while OLED can control a single pixel. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the local dimming zone to alleviate this problem.
Although the use of OLED will not cause this problem, there is a burn-in problem, which will be one of the reasons why Apple first adopted the mini LED technology. In addition, he also said that although OLEDs do not have a halo effect, mini-LEDs can provide higher brightness.
On the M1 iPad Pro, the full-screen brightness can reach 1000 nits, and if 40% of the display is lit and the rest is just black or displayed at 600 nits, the peak brightness level can reach 1600 nits. In contrast, the iPhone 12 Pro Max using OLED has a typical brightness level of 825 nits and a peak brightness of 1200 nits.
I don’t know if Apple can use future software updates to alleviate this problem, nor has it confirmed whether the company will switch to OLED to eliminate the halo effect.