A day after my post I remembered another detail about the M9 I forgot to throw in. It has a different polarization layer that helps with bright light readability(sun). This polarization creates slightly worse viewing angles and can cause some color shift at extreme angles (pinkish hue or rainbow-y effect)
PyroSporker: The M8's I looked at in the Verizon stores and the one I received from Amazon looked the same as far as I remember, having the same slightly-grayish/silverish tint and slight ghosting, while the M9's I looked at in the Verizon stores and Amazon had the same nice accurate-looking color output without the grayish/silverish sheen or ghosting effects.
I'm here asking not because of the differences between M8 screens to M8 screens or M9 screens to M9 screens, but M9 screens to M8 screens because the differences were very noticeable to myself and others between the M8 and M9 but not between different M8 screens with each other and not between different M9 screens with each other.
The M8 and the M9
are different that's all there is to it. Yes, they both have S-LCD 3 screens. However, they are from 2 different "generations" and likely from completely different suppliers. They were released a year apart.
Nobody ever said they had the same exact screens inside them. That was just an assumption that you had made (based upon info from review sites, could be an easy assumption to fall to).
No matter how much you want them to have the same screens they are different, while in fact they are both classified under the Super LCD 3 technology
I had to lay that groundwork to get my point across.
My entire point is that there is significant variation within the single device generation.
[unofficial speculation from the community] There are a number of "different builds" of the M8, and at least 2 distinct "builds" of the M9.
You cannot draw a single distinction about the M8 and apply it to every M8 since there are differences out there.
You cannot draw a single distinction about the M9 and apply it to every M9 since there are differences out there.
And then when you try to compare the M8 and the M9, you add in another huge layer of variability that is confusing.
Everyone's experience is going to be unique to their handset(s) they have in their hand(s).
The M8 not having the M9's color preset doesn't explain the M8's ghosting or grayishness or silvery sheen (the latter the most noticeable while tilting no matter what the brightness or colors on the screen are, and much like the iPod touch 4's lackluster screen), so it seems like a hardware difference, though those kinds of blemishes are typically things a lot of people don't even notice until you compare them side-by-side.
My M8 has a slightly brighter backlight than my M9. A brighter backlight could be a significant detail regarding this grayishness or silvery sheen you are talking about.
My M8 does not possess any ghosting or grayish/silvery sheen.
Color presets?
So while they may both be Super LCD3, there is something consistently distinctively different between the M8 and M9 screens, and if your description is correct, I may never know,
We will never know, unless we tear down
your M8 and M9 side by side and find exact part numbers on the display panel that we can reference to look up white papers for.
LCD is a technology/property/classification
Super LCD (including 2 or 3) is a technology/property/classification
In-plane Switching (IPS) is a technology/property/classification
Every TV in the history of the world with an LCD screen in it, does not have the same exact screen inside it
Every Phone HTC has made in the history of the world with a Super LCD 3 screen in it, does not have the same exact screen inside it
Every computer monitor in the history of the world with an IPS LCD screen in it, does not have the same exact screen inside it
and I'm not sure iFixit is referring to the same thing I am when they mention that the M8 has a "Synaptics S3528A touchscreen controller" and the M9 has a "Synaptics S3351B touchscreen controller"; maybe that's the difference I'm looking for, and it would be nice to swap them out if possible (or put the M8's speakers into the M9).
The Synaptics chip is the brains behind what controls the touchscreen digitizer (converts your touch input data into "what happens" on the screen - action: tap icon with finger, result: open application. action: long-press image with thumb, result: open menu for edit options. Etc.)
The M9 was highly praised at release for having one of the highest touch input response times of any phone at the time. It is also very accurate. Actions happen right away and you are less likely to tap on the wrong thing on the screen. Swiping home screens left and right is smooth and instant (doesn't lag)
