Getting a new device means understanding a ton of terms to understand the specs. Whether it’s a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, display types can make a big impact on the overall experience you have. There are a lot of terms thrown around in the display world but we’re sure you’ve heard of the term, “laminated display.”
| iPad | Display screen type |
|---|---|
| iPad Pro | Laminated screen |
| iPad Air | Laminated screen |
| iPad Mini | Laminated screen |
| iPad | Non-laminated screen |
If you don’t know what that is and the differences it can make, this article is for you. We simplify what it means to have a laminated display along with the pros and cons of it. If that’s what you’re looking to answer, let’s dive right into it.
What Is Non-Laminated Display for iPads?
A non-laminated display for iPads refers to a screen where the different layers—the glass, the touch sensor, and the actual display—are separate and not fused together. This construction creates a small air gap between these layers.
- Air Gap: The presence of an air gap between the glass and the display panel can sometimes cause reflections and reduce the perceived contrast and sharpness of the screen.
- Reduced Visual Quality: Due to the air gap, the visual experience might not be as immersive or clear as laminated displays.
- Easier Repairs: One potential advantage is that non-laminated displays might be easier and cheaper to repair since individual layers can be replaced separately.
- Thicker Design: Non-laminated displays can result in a slightly thicker device compared to laminated ones.
Non-laminated displays are found in older or lower-end iPad models including iPad 10th gen. Despite the visual differences, they can still provide a satisfactory user experience for many applications.
What Is A Laminated Display iPads?
A laminated display for iPads refers to a screen where the layers—the glass, the touch sensor, and the display panel—are fused together without any air gaps between them. This construction method provides several advantages and enhances the overall user experience.
- No Air Gap: The absence of an air gap between the display layers results in a more seamless and visually appealing screen. This makes the content look like it’s right on the surface of the glass.
- Improved Visual Quality: Laminated displays offer better color accuracy, contrast, and clarity. The images and text appear sharper and more vibrant.
- Reduced Glare and Reflections: With no air gap, there are fewer internal reflections, which reduces glare and improves visibility, especially in bright environments.
- Thinner Design: The fusion of layers allows for a thinner and more streamlined device design.
- Enhanced Touch Sensitivity: Touch input is more responsive and accurate, providing a better user experience for activities like drawing, writing, and gaming.
Laminated displays are found in higher-end iPad models, such as the iPad Pro, iPad Air and even iPad Mini versions, offering a premium display experience.
Benefits Of Laminated Display For iPads
- Thinner display
With all layers combined into one, your thickness is reduced by a great margin. So what do you get at the end? A thin and classy display layer that can ultimately contribute to lightweight and thin devices!
- Improved visual display
An expert eye can immediately notice the way the colors come to life and how the entire display looks much more natural in a laminated display. Unlike non-laminated displays, there are no air gaps that will refract light unnaturally in different directions so you get crisper, clearer, and an overall improved visual display.
- Clearer display quality
Imagine a bright display, that has anti-glare, and is crisp. That’s what laminated displays are aimed to get in a device. Because your display is right beneath the top glass panel, you’re getting a visual quality that is much different and better.
Laminated displays are known to have a clearer visual quality because of how the light isn’t dispersed through medium changes.
- No parallax errors
Now here’s something to focus in-depth on. Parallax error is defined as the difference in distance between your stylus’ tip and the registered touch on the display. It’s caused by the distance between the top glass panel and the actual display.
Of course, with non-laminated screens, you can notice a delay in touch registering as well as the parallax error which can throw off digital artists. To solve this, laminated screens were developed and now major manufacturers of drawing tablets and other devices included laminated displays in their manufacturing plans.
- Better outdoor performance
For people who want better visibility outside in bright environments, laminated displays are the best bet. With clearer display quality, you get an anti-glare device that does much better than its non-laminated counterpart.
Drawbacks Of Laminated Display
Laminated displays are not all good because they come with their share of drawbacks. Here are the 3 main disadvantages of laminated displays that you should know about.
- Racks the cost up.
First of all, laminated displays are the newest advancement in terms of screen displays. It makes your device thinner, improves visual quality, and does so much more. But that does come along with a heavy price tag.
So be prepared to pay more for any device with a laminated display, compared to a non-laminated counterpart.
- More sensitive to damage
A thin and delicate laminated screen has been shown to be more prone to damage. Since a single layer functions as both a glass protector, a touch panel, and the display itself, the slightest damage can mean damage to all of it.
So one may want to think twice about dropping a laminated display because then you’ll be looking at repairing it. This brings us to the third disadvantage of laminated displays.
- Repairing is technical and expensive
Laminated displays are harder to repair and a much more technical process. Laminated displays are expensive by nature and even if you crack the glass aspect of a laminated display, you’ll be repairing all of it.
Since it’s glued together, the slightest damage to the top glass panel can mean an unnecessary and costly expense to repair the entire display. Yep, despite it being functioning!
How Does iPad Laminated Display Impact User Experience?
If you’re wondering, “okay so how does all of this change my experience?” I’ve focused this part of the blog on you. The display type of your device changes 3 aspects of your usability and here’s what you should know:
Display Quality
The first thing is the quality of pictures is much better when compared to non-laminated displays. Pictures don’t look like you’re viewing them from a lens but rather a natural appearance is provoked.
Even if you’re sitting outdoors like in your garden, you’ll be able to view the screen content easily and there’s no dust trapped inside the display to make it look foggy. You also get a lot of anti-glare in laminated screens.
Reliability And Repairability
The second thing that impacts your experience with your device is reliability. Laminated displays are very delicate and sensitive to the smallest of drops and can be broken without much effort. This can add to your costs as repairing these is much more expensive.
Smoother Drawing
For an artist, this is a critical aspect to consider. With a laminated display, you’re able to enjoy a device without any touch register lagging. Your strokes have minimal lag as you draw along with no parallax error, giving you a natural pen-to-paper experience.
This difference is more noticeable compared to non-laminated displays which offer a laggy drawing that can ruin drawing experiences for many artists.
Which Is Better Display for iPads? Laminated or Non-Laminated?
When comparing non-laminated displays to laminated displays for iPads, the choice largely depends on your priorities and budget. Laminated displays offer superior visual quality, with sharper images, vibrant colors, and reduced glare due to the absence of an air gap. They also provide a thinner design and more responsive touch input, enhancing the overall user experience. These features make laminated displays ideal for users who engage in activities that benefit from high visual fidelity and touch precision, such as graphic design, gaming, and content consumption.
On the other hand, non-laminated displays, while less advanced, can still offer a satisfactory user experience for everyday tasks and are typically found in more budget-friendly iPad models. They are slightly more prone to reflections and glare and may not provide the same level of touch sensitivity, but they remain functional and reliable for general use, such as browsing the web, checking emails, and casual entertainment.
FAQ’s
What impact does the display type have on touch sensitivity?
The display type impacts touch sensitivity by making laminated displays more responsive and accurate due to the reduced gap between the touch layer and the screen, while non-laminated displays may have a slight delay or less precision due to the air gap.
Are laminated displays more prone to damage or cracks?
Yes, laminated displays are generally more prone to damage or cracks because the glass and display layers are fused together, making them harder to repair individually.
Do non-laminated displays for iPads offer any advantages?
Yes, non-laminated displays for iPads are generally easier and less expensive to repair since the glass and display layers are separate.
Can I upgrade or change my iPad’s display type?
No, you cannot upgrade or change your iPad’s display type, as it is fixed during the manufacturing process.
Which display type is better for professional use, such as graphic design or video editing?
Laminated displays are generally better for professional use, such as graphic design or video editing, due to their reduced parallax effect and better visual clarity, which are critical for precise work.
I'm a writer and editor in iPads & Android Tablets, Windows Tablet section. I'm passionate about technology, especially about tablets. I'm on a mission to assist people in discovering their ideal tablets. In addition, I'm dedicated to producing helpful how-to guides and sharing top-notch tips and tricks. In my early carrier I founded and became and editor at worldoftablet and have been a guest author at many other tech blogs. In wolfoftablet I'm focusing on iPads, Tablets, Apple Pencil, Apps, Reviews, Buyers Guides and Tablet Accessories. In free time I like to play games on my PS5 or iOS.