The new Nintendo Switch OLED Model does not have a Pentile screen.
This might not be important to you and we weren't able to verify it during our review process. However, we can say that the screen is a significant improvement. It is. However, there has been speculation since the OLED Switch's announcement that its panel may use Pentile technology. This could have huge implications for image quality. The screens of Nintendo devices are not always the best.
Samsung's Pentile trademark refers to subpixel matrix layouts that are most commonly used in OLED panel OLED displays. Pentile, which is a shorthand for "not full RGB" in casual conversation or even casual conversations about OLED subpixel layouts, refers to subpixel matrix layouts that are shared between pixels. This means that each pixel does not have all three colors, but rather, red, green and blue subpixels.
Nearly all OLED screens found in consumer portable devices today use a Pentile subpixel layout. Pentile displays are cheaper to make and last longer. They have a lower functional resolution than a screen with an RGB stripe. This can lead to artifacts such as dithering or graininess in high-contrast situations, like reading text.
As the pixel density rises, Pentile's effect decreases. Pentile stopped bothering my phones after 1080p OLED displays became more common. Pentile would have been a problem on a 7-inch, 720p Switch screen. Nintendo isn't known for providing the best screen technology for its devices. This was evident in the 3DS where certain models had IPS screens that were better than regular TN LCD panels. There was no way to know until you opened the box. So there was reason for concern about the Switch OLED Model.
It turns out that there is no reason to be worried. So, I took a macro photo of my OLED Switch personal preorder. This is how the screen looks up close.
This area is white, and all subpixels are lit up. This layout is a bit unusual. There are columns of subpixels in blue next to smaller ones. They alternate red and green rather than being arranged in an RGB pattern. I don't know what the benefits of this layout are, but it may be related to the relative efficiency each color. What matters is that each pixel has a single subpixel of red, green and blue. In other words, you are looking at a full RGB display which has the same resolution for all three color.
Here's a comparison: iPhone 13 Pro
It is easy to see how subpixels are organized in a complicated diamond layout. They alternate between red and green on one side and blue and green the next. This display has fewer subpixels than LCDs or RGB OLEDs. The green resolution is actually greater than the other two colors. It is not an issue with devices with such sharp panels but it can cause problems in image quality if pixels are visible to the naked eyes.
The new Switch chose RGB because the original PS Vita used an RGB-stripe OLED screen ten years ago. But you never know what the future holds with Nintendo. It's not common to find OLED displays that are 720p this large, or RGB OLED displays, so this was a difficult question.
I'm glad that you cleared it up. I'm now ready to play Metroid Fear.
