Most of the applications you’re currently using must have rolled out their own version of dark mode by now. The smooth transition from a light to dark interface can be done through a push of a button, or by sending the moon emoji on Messenger. A lot of people also find dark mode quite sexy, and that’s probably because of the screen they’re looking at.
A lot of newly released smartphones now have OLED screens, and dark mode seems to work best on such displays! But why is that? How do OLED panels allow dark mode to flourish?
Better, blacker, affordable screens
Organic LED (light-emitting diode) or OLED is essentially a kind of display technology. In a nutshell, OLED panels allow for better and clearer images and colors.
Thin layers of carbon fiber make up OLED screens. Because of these lightweight fibers, screens show brighter and more vibrant colors. Apart from that, OLED screens show deeper blacks and reduce instances of motion blur when navigating. The best part is that OLED screens are becoming gradually cheaper to manufacture. That explains why more and more of today’s smartphones use this panel.
More colorful than the rest
In comparison to regular LED screens of the past, OLED promises more accurate colors by producing light from individual pixels, instead of relying on backlighting. Back then, LCD screens relied heavily on the backlight of the display to make colors pop. Although, such displays also make the colors seem washed, especially when compared to OLED.
Image credit: Denise Chan
However, OLED’s colors don’t always turn out better than on LED and LCD screens. One such case is when you turn your screen’s brightness to its maximum, especially under strong daylight conditions. LED and LCD screens are designed to perform relatively better in color accuracy when your screen’s brightness is set to max. OLED screens were not designed for maximum brightness, so colors at that point would be saturated.
Which OLED is best?
There are two types of OLED technologies that currently exist: AMOLED and PMOLED. A lot of people hear AMOLED tossed around a lot because lots of smartphones use it. Essentially, AMOLED uses a storage capacitor that controls how much light each individual pixel will give off. It’s the one responsible for projecting all sorts of vibrant colors on most OLED smartphone screens. Apart from that, AMOLED screens do support wider resolutions at a more affordable and efficient rate.
PMOLED, on the other hand, does not have a storage capacitor and instead relies on user control. Essentially, the user will control lighting settings, and the individual pixels will adjust accordingly. You can find PMOLED screens on smaller devices like older iPods and pocket Wi-Fi devices. Take note that these screens use more power to implement such color changes.
Joining the dark side
Ever since dark mode rolled out for different apps and interfaces, people have been contemplating on switching to it — and for good reason. On normal LED or LCD screens, the new feature does not bode well with the technology. The depth of the black their dark mode possesses is not reflected well, to the point that the blacks look more gray than actual black. This is much more obvious when the screen’s brightness is turned all the way up.
Image credit: Mike Enerio
Aesthetically, dark mode looks better on OLED screens because of the technology’s emphasis on deeper blacks. Most OLED screens have capacitors that control light passing through each pixel, which also works for blacks and whites. As such, dark mode shows up deeper and blacker, which is the intended look compared to regular modes. But, there’s actually more to just aesthetics for this mode.
It’s also been proven that dark mode on OLED helps save your battery life. Google confirmed this at its Android Dev Summit, citing that on max brightness, blacks consume less power than all other colors. Individual pixels need less electricity to show blacks on screen, which results in lower power consumption through time. Note that Google got these findings through tests on their original Pixel smartphones and their own apps like YouTube.
What’s left for OLED and dark mode
Apps and operating systems are now starting to embrace or consider incorporating dark mode into their software. While apps like Twitter and YouTube introduced such an option early on, others are beginning to take notice. Of course, you’re gonna need the right screen to fully immerse yourself.
Image credit: Simone Dalmeri
It has been proven: OLED and dark mode are indeed a perfect match. But, it is entirely up to you whether you want to stay in the light or switch to the dark side.
Computers
3D printing made accessible: Bambu Lab moves closer to everyday consumers
Empowering consumers to create tangible objects
China-based brand Bambu Lab makes an effort to move closer to everyday consumers in the Philippines with a new retail partner by holding a media and creators roundtable in the Philippines. This was a bid to reshape how consumers perceive and use 3D printing technology.
Established in Shenzhen, China in 2020, Bambu Lab aims to make 3D printing more accessible, practical, and relevant to daily life through printers and other supplies.
The goal is to support practical home use, creative hobbies, product design, and even specialized tools, while putting emphasis on ease of use.
With such optics, Bambu Lab is trying to make consumers feel that there is less deep technical knowledge required and that they can actually create physical objects with 3D printing.
One of their products is the entry-level Bambu Lab A1 mini, which is compact enough to fit on a small desk.
The brand also has more advanced models which are capable of printing multiple colors and materials on a single run.
To complement the hardware ecosystem, Bambu Lab’s open platform MakerWorld lets users browse, select, and print from an extensive library of shared 3D designs directly from their own desktops.
The platform features a wide variety of objects across multiple categories. There’s household items, DIY tools, children’s toys, props, and educational materials.
In the Philippines, Bambu Lab will open its first concept store at One Ayala, Makati City. The concept corner will give mallgoers the opportunity to see the range of 3D printers and consumables firsthand.
Computers
Next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor out soon
Built for the most demanding titles
The next-generation AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D desktop processor will be available for sale starting January 29. It has a standard pricing of US$ 499.
Built for enthusiasts, the latest AMD Ryzen 9000 series processor features a +400MHz improvement to the boost clock, building on the legacy of the 9800X3D.
This makes the “world’s fastest gaming processor” even faster. AMD says their offering boasts of an average 27% gaming performance improvement over the Intel Core Ultra 9 285k.
On paper, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D has a maximum boost clock speed of up to 5.6GHz, and a base clock speed of 4.7GHz.
The new 8-core, 16-thread processor is aided by 2nd Gen 3D V-Cache technology, so a high-frequency memory is not required.
Across an average of more than 30 games played, the FPS difference between a DDR5-4800 and a DDR5-6000 was below 1%.
The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is ideal for running demanding titles, i.e. AAA games, at maximum FPS. Initial checks also suggest the processor stays efficient in spite of higher speeds.
For connectivity, the processor has two memory channels for a maximum 192GB of DDR5 memory. It can also support four USB 3.2 Gen 2s and a USB 2.0.
Computers
Acer introduces Ryzen AI Max-powered Veriton mini workstation
Built to support the heaviest workloads
Acer has officially expanded its lineup of Veriton desktop computers with the release of the Acer Veriton RA100 AI mini workstation.
This Copilot+ PC is powered by AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 processors to support even the heaviest of workloads for gamers, creators, and other professionals.
Armed with AMD Radeon 8060S graphics, 50 TOPS NPU, and 60 TFLOPS, the Veriton RA100 delivers up to 120 billion parameters for demanding workloads.
These include running AI models, developing and deploying generative AI applications, 3D design, and content creation at high resolutions.
The RA100 accelerates such tasks, and optimizes design, coding, and even gaming with the help of AI.
In addition, the RA100 also supports ultra-fast and high storage capacity. It has a four channel memory of up to 128GB DDR5 and up to 4TB SSD storage.
The workstation comes with adaptive performance modes to allow users to adjust the power. There’s Silent Mode for general tasks, balanced Mode for lightweight multitasking, and Performance Mode for the extra juice for AI computing and AAA gaming.
For connectivity, the RA100 comes with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, plus an RJ45 port and Kensington lock slot.
Acer Veriton desktops also launched
Acer has also launched new Acer Veriton AIO desktops — the Vero 4000 and Vero 6000 — alongside the RA100.
These all-in-one desktops blend strong AI performance with robust security in a sleek design for modern workplaces.
They are powered by Intel Core Ultra 9 Series 2 processors, with up to 64GB memory and up to 2TB storage.
The Veriton Vero 4000 sports Intel Graphics, while the Vero 6000 comes with Intel vPro for enhanced capabilities.
Both AIOs feature a 23.8-inch 144Hz FHD touch display. The ergo stand and VESA mount support flexible workspace setups as well.
Additional features include Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, RJ45, and a 5MP infrared webcam.
Acer Veriton 2000 large tower, AIO
Lastly, Acer has also introduced the Veriton 2000 Large Tower and Veriton 2000 All-In-One for further options.
The large tower likewise comes with Intel Core Ultra 9 Series processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics, making it a high-performance desktop PC.
It is designed to streamline AI-assisted content creation and other everyday productivity tasks. With NVIDIA Blackwell, the GeForce RTX 50 series GPUs bring game-changing capabilities to gamers and creators.
Meanwhile, the Veriton 2000 AIO has Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 processors, Intel Graphics, and ample memory and storage.
It has a 23.8-inch FHD display as well, with a 16:9 aspect ratio and 250 nits brightness.
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