Database Develop

[Study] Does LCD density affect performance?

I had this burning desire to know whether the density of the lcd could affect the overall performance of our phones. The idea is similar to changing the resolution on your PC or laptop. The higher the resolution you choose, the more resources required to run the computer without lag or other undesirable outcomes from rendering the screen differently than if you choose a lower resolution. Sadly, when I did a quick search on XDA I didn't find any answer than to "try it yourself". So why not?
With each test I had the CPU over clocked to 1920 MHz (1.9 Ghz.)
The ROM is Cyanogenmod 10 (4.1.2) by camcory
AnTuTu Benchmark v3.0.3 was chosen as the sole benchmark application
Lcd density^ was changed in the build prop : ro.sf.lcd_density
Now, I have to add that this wasn't a formal test, but rather an attempt at real world numbers. Each lcd density change required a reboot after which I did not load any program besides 1) Set CPU and 2) Antutu benchmark. With that in mind however, I didn't clear any cache, memory, kill any other programs, or anything like that. Just reboot and run.
Here are the results to my tests :
The default density for this device is 240.
240 received a score of 6095
160 received a score of 5875 (The lowest this phone density can go*)
200 received a score of 6016 (This test received varying scores**)
300 received a score of 5967
320 received a score of 5885 (The highest this phone density can go*)
^ The lower the number, the smaller screen appearance. The higher the number, the large the screen appears.
*This is the end of the spectrum of safety in either direction. The lowest or highest I was willing to test it at
** 200 density was tested three times with varying scores : 6016, 5977, 5871. To my knowledge, I did not open any applications.
The bottom line​
The highest scored density was always 240, the default density for this phone. A density that moved in either direction away from 240 on the number line meant a slight , or major drop in performance.
Pictures: 160 density on the left, 300+ on the right.
(Click thumbnails for picture)

Just a little insight here... While your efforts are appreciated, the fact is, those scores are so close, they can all be achieved without touching the LCD density at all. Other factors make the score fluctuate between 100-200 points. Our phone will always be at 480x800. Adjusting the LCD density is nothing more than a software hack to emulate the difference of using another resolution. Rather than make a comparison to changing the resolution on a computer, it should be more comparable to changing the text DPI (eg, 96 to 120, as Windows allows you to do quite easily). There are no more or no less pixels being rendered overall - it's just the size and positioning of each UI element that's being rendered differently. That said, real world performance won't make a difference. It should also be noted that running a benchmarking app is subjective. No real world difference is noticed between a score of 5500 or 6500. I've seen some high scores where there was constant lag, and lower scores where everything ran smooth. The kernel makes the biggest difference, and other various things like being deodexed, having APK's aligned, various RAM tweaks, minfree values, multitasking aggressiveness, etc - those make up the real world performance differences, and quite often, won't even be detected in benchmark results.

Fix square aspect ratio?

After sideloading lots of apps onto the gear and comparing to the motoactiv, I have discovered the second most crippling thing about the gear after the lack of wifi is the square aspect ratio screen. It breaks 75% of the apps I try because they're designed for a 4:3 or wider screen and all the interface elements either overlap or are drawn off screen. It has excellent hardware, and with a normal aspect ratio like on other smartwatches it would run most apps and games perfectly.
The landscape/widescreen apps that do work tend to scale the image down so it fits within the width of the screen. Does anyone know if it might be possible to force apps to do this, or to fool them into thinking its a 320x240 screen? Like how paranoidandroid allows you to set the DPI for individual apps. It wouldn't be perfect not filling the screen, but it would at least allow the majority of apps to function.
If only it were 480x320 instead of 320x320...

ivant said:
After sideloading lots of apps onto the gear and comparing to the motoactiv, I have discovered the second most crippling thing about the gear after the lack of wifi is the square aspect ratio screen. It breaks 75% of the apps I try because they're designed for a 4:3 or wider screen and all the interface elements either overlap or are drawn off screen. It has excellent hardware, and with a normal aspect ratio like on other smartwatches it would run most apps and games perfectly.
The landscape/widescreen apps that do work tend to scale the image down so it fits within the width of the screen. Does anyone know if it might be possible to force apps to do this, or to fool them into thinking its a 320x240 screen? Like how paranoidandroid allows you to set the DPI for individual apps. It wouldn't be perfect not filling the screen, but it would at least allow the majority of apps to function.
If only it were 480x320 instead of 320x320...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What your asking from my knowledge is not possible..
One thing you can do tho is set the independent DPI's of apps like Paranoid Adnroid using xposed framework & app settings module.
You can also application titles, which breaks some apps although does free up some screen real estate.

[Q] Looking for a ROM with the capabilities of SlimKat/SlimLP?

I purchased the Nexus 4, 5, and 6 as each has come out. I love the devices, as well as the toolkit.
My issue is this, all of the roms available operate in 'Phone mode' which is useless to me, as the games and apps I use need to run in TABLET mode. I didn't even know there was a difference until I tried numerous other ROMS and had no luck.
Only Slimkat and SlimLP (to my knowledge) run applications in tablet mode, allowing for a much, much better viewing experience.
Without going through all of the methods described in previous threads about the 'XPosed Framework', is there a custom ROM that offers tablet mode functionality like the SlimRoms?
I would prefer to just stick to SlimLP, but it is extremely buggy, and causes me many problems on a daily basis, especially with phone calls, and this is the phone i use for work, and I cannot afford to keep having issues such as the ones with SlimLP until the bugs are worked out.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

flash any rom then change the dpi to set it into "tablet" mode. thats how slim did it, its not a special mode. by default, the n6 dpi is 560, lower it to below 400, like 390 or something. and you have a nexus, it doesnt need a toolkit, as it easier to do things the right way. learn the right way to do things.

simms22 said:
flash any rom then change the dpi to set it into "tablet" mode. thats how slim did it, its not a special mode. by default, the n6 dpi is 560, lower it to below 400, like 390 or something. and you have a nexus, it doesnt need a toolkit, as it easier to do things the right way. learn the right way to do things.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK, so learn the right way to do things. Again, I Googled this already, and was driven to installing something called the XPosed Framework, which I do not want to deal with. So the 'right way' according to some pretty exhaustive Googling comes up with nothing about DPI or it's built in functionality, which is what I am asking for.
Is there any simple way to do what I need to do. If not then that is fine, but changing DPI is not available in any of the ROMs I am aware of, and if it is, please let me know which ones there may be.
I am not an android developer or debugger, I am simply an end user looking to enjoy my phone. I don't know what 'it doesn't need a toolkit' means, but I do know I had to root using Wugfresh's toolkit.
Doesn't changing the DPI affect the amount of pixels I am able to see? Or does it only affect applications?

SidedX said:
OK, so learn the right way to do things. Again, I Googled this already, and was driven to installing something called the XPosed Framework, which I do not want to deal with. So the 'right way' according to some pretty exhaustive Googling comes up with nothing about DPI or it's built in functionality, which is what I am asking for.
Is there any simple way to do what I need to do. If not then that is fine, but changing DPI is not available in any of the ROMs I am aware of, and if it is, please let me know which ones there may be.
I am not an android developer or debugger, I am simply an end user looking to enjoy my phone. I don't know what 'it doesn't need a toolkit' means, but I do know I had to root using Wugfresh's toolkit.
Doesn't changing the DPI affect the amount of pixels I am able to see? Or does it only affect applications?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
many, if not most custom roms, have an option to change the dpi in that roms settings. im using terminus, and it has an option to change the dpi. also, you can change the dpi in your build.prop(then reboot to have it take affect). there are also apps that you can use to change your dpi.

simms22 said:
many, if not most custom roms, have an option to change the dpi in that roms settings. im using terminus, and it has an option to change the dpi. also, you can change the dpi in your build.prop(then reboot to have it take affect). there are also apps that you can use to change your dpi.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I'll do a full backup, and I will mess around. I honestly wish I had asked sooner, as SlimLP has been disastrous.
Thank you again.

SidedX said:
OK, so learn the right way to do things. Again, I Googled this already, and was driven to installing something called the XPosed Framework, which I do not want to deal with. So the 'right way' according to some pretty exhaustive Googling comes up with nothing about DPI or it's built in functionality, which is what I am asking for.
Is there any simple way to do what I need to do. If not then that is fine, but changing DPI is not available in any of the ROMs I am aware of, and if it is, please let me know which ones there may be.
I am not an android developer or debugger, I am simply an end user looking to enjoy my phone. I don't know what 'it doesn't need a toolkit' means, but I do know I had to root using Wugfresh's toolkit.
Doesn't changing the DPI affect the amount of pixels I am able to see? Or does it only affect applications?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK so although some ROMs add "DPI" options in settings, it is not needed. DPI as always is changed in /system/build.prop under LCD density.
As for pixels, that's PPI not DPI. DPI is not related to pixels in any way. DPI is a scaling method.
Think of it this way, if you have a 5".display with 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels, you have a HD display with a very specific amount of pixels. If you have a 10" tablet with the same amount of pixels, each pixel would be bigger. Therefore, everything on a screen would be bigger. This means a tablet would have everything too big and you wouldn't take advantage of a bigger screen. So android use something called DPI to scale objects on the screen. Smaller DPI makes everything smaller on screen. This way, you take advantage of more screen real estate. Apps etc can use lower DPI to identify a phone from a tablet and they will act differently if those apps have a tablet "mode".
There are no real links between pixels. Just the bigger the screen and lower resolution, the lower the DPI needs to be and the smaller the screen with a higher resolution, the higher the DPI should be.

rootSU said:
As for pixels, that's PPI not DPI. DPI is not related to pixels in any way. DPI is a scaling method.
Think of it this way, if you have a 5".display with 1080 pixels by 1920 pixels, you have a HD display with a very specific amount of pixels. If you have a 10" tablet with the same amount of pixels, each pixel would be bigger. Therefore, everything on a screen would be bigger. This means a tablet would have everything too big and you wouldn't take advantage of a bigger screen. So android use something called DPI to scale objects on the screen. Smaller DPI makes everything smaller on screen. This way, you take advantage of more screen real estate. Apps etc can use lower DPI to identify a phone from a tablet and they will act differently if those apps have a tablet "mode".
There are no real links between pixels. Just the bigger the screen and lower resolution, the lower the DPI needs to be and the smaller the screen with a higher resolution, the higher the DPI should be.
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Click to collapse
Wow, OK. I always thought I would be turning my 1440p QHD display into a 1080p. Never knew there was a difference.
Thank you. This forum has been the most helpful, and I honestly should have come here first instead of spending over a month on my own fighting with this device.

SidedX said:
Wow, OK. I always thought I would be turning my 1440p QHD display into a 1080p. Never knew there was a difference.
Thank you. This forum has been the most helpful, and I honestly should have come here first instead of spending over a month on my own fighting with this device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah completely different. You don't lose any resolution or image quality by lowering the DPI. I set mine at 400. Not for "tablet" or anything. I just like the look of everything at that size instead of the giant size of 563 or whatever it is by default.
But yeah, you're welcome

Display size 331

I just want to ask. At this low dpi am i stressing my cpu more? I don't play any games. Mostly use my device for multimedia, social, forums and whatsapp. So is it fine if i keep this dpi. or its better I change it to normal like 493??
Im on N dp3

akholicc said:
I just want to ask. At this low dpi am i stressing my cpu more? I don't play any games. Mostly use my device for multimedia, social, forums and whatsapp. So is it fine if i keep this dpi. or its better I change it to normal like 493??
Im on N dp3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
normal dpi is 560, not 493.

While setting the DPI lower doesn't affect the CPU or GPU, changing the DPI is of little benefit unless your eyesight is bad. I'd set the DPI back to stock and forget it.

I know. I was talking about small screen size in android n which is around 490. And i have it at custom 331. Is it ok? Or is it bad for performance. And cpu is doing more work?

Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
While setting the DPI lower doesn't affect the CPU or GPU, changing the DPI is of little benefit unless your eyesight is bad. I'd set the DPI back to stock and forget it.
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Click to collapse
I see. Thank-you. Stock is just a little too big for me. Thanks again.

akholicc said:
I just want to ask. At this low dpi am i stressing my cpu more? I don't play any games. Mostly use my device for multimedia, social, forums and whatsapp. So is it fine if i keep this dpi. or its better I change it to normal like 493??
Im on N dp3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The native resolution of the N6 display is 493.
Google's default is 560 that's not logically on a display of 1440 x 2560 pixels. The capabilities of the display are not fully used with Google 's idiot 560 dpi.
A dpi value of 384 or less, puts the N6 in tablet mode (2 columns in Settings menu). And the icons are smaller and more rows and columns are available.
I've used several dpi values and did not notice less battery life. Or cpu stress.
My favorite is 384.

I disagree with the sentiment that the display isn't fully or properly utilized at the DPI Google set. Naturally you're entitled to your opinion, but the Nexus 6 isn't a tablet. The tablet interface is a matter of user choice, not a design flaw. If it were a design flaw, then any 5.5" - 6" device with a QHD screen should be in tablet mode by default.

Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
I..... If it were a design flaw, then any 5.5" - 6" device with a QHD screen should be in tablet mode by default.
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Click to collapse
Most 5-6" recent smartphones have a display with 1080x1920 pixels (FullHD). Phones with qhd display cannot be compared with the N6 because of the lower resolution (960x540 pixels).
The N6 is one of the few with 1440x2560 pixels (WQHD)
The default dpi of 560 that Google used does not fit the native resolution of the N6 display.

You're right. I used the wrong acronym to refer to the screen, thus I will restate my point: this is not a design flaw. If it were, any device in the 5.5" - 6" range with a resolution identical to the Nexus should be in tablet mode by default. They are NOT. Even devices that have the same screen size but a lower resolution are not in tablet mode by default. This is because these devices are not tablets, even if they can be used as such.
DPI is device independent, if I recall Google's documents on the matter correctly. That number does not have to equal the device PPI of 493, thus what Google chose to use is just as valid as any other number.

Strephon Alkhalikoi said:
DPI is device independent, if I recall Google's documents on the matter correctly. That number does not have to equal the device PPI of 493, thus what Google chose to use is just as valid as any other number.
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Click to collapse
That's correct, but I don't agree with Google.
The default DPI 560 means in practice larger icons and titles. Too large imo. I want more and smaller icons on the main screen and in the launcher.
The tablet mode is a different thing. I think it nice to have a 2 column settings menu. That's personal. In Android N preview it doesn't work anymore.

I don't see the larger icons and titles as a problem, and Google likely doesn't see it as a problem either. I know Samsung doesn't see it as a problem, as on the Galaxy S4 they did the same thing. That device's 5" display had a PPI of 441, but a DPI of 480. Fortunately, the S4 could be rooted and the DPI changed. Something I'm sure you've done here with the Nexus 6.

Change aspect ratio for certain apps?

Some games that I play look like they're been squeezed so I assume it's cause the game doesn't support 4:3 ratio. Is there a way to make certain apps change aspect ratio so it doesn't look like it's been squeezed?

Ruriko said:
Some games that I play look like they're been squeezed so I assume it's cause the game doesn't support 4:3 ratio. Is there a way to make certain apps change aspect ratio so it doesn't look like it's been squeezed?
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Click to collapse
The only way I know requires rooting your tablet and installing xPosed framework. Look for the App Settings module which lets you fine tune almost all aspects of an apps' display, including the DPI, on a per app basis.