Core Question: Black text on white background or White Text on Black background

[johnmillsbro]

Hello-

I was curious what the different benefits and drawbacks there are two these different choices or perhaps its merely cosmetics?
Is one easier to see in direct sunlight ? Or is one easier to see in the dark with backlighting?

Cheers-
John

[Jeff_C]

Well the looks are the main reason most people choose one over the other.

- displays (lighter text on a black background) just look AWESOME... but in low light they are considerably harder to read.
+ displays (traditional dark text on a lighter background) look ... well... traditional... but they are far more legible.

Of course with the new Ambit one can choose! :)

I have sevearl - and + display Suuntos (and other brands). And I prefer the functionality of a + display... but the - ones sure look cool!

[LesserBlackDog]

Yesterday I bought a Suunto Core with the negative display. Brought it home, took it out of the box, turned it on... couldn't read it to save my life. It was still daylight, but raining cats and dogs out and I didn't have any lights on. It was still light enough that I could have easily read an ordinary analog or positive display digital. I tried adjusting the contrast but that was only marginally helpful and ended up making the display look more "dirty" than anything.

So I took the watch straight back to the store and exchanged it for a positive display. I have no trouble reading the positive display and don't miss the all-black watch a bit.

YMMV... I originally bought the negative display because my brother has a negative display Vector and he claims it is more legible for him. I found the opposite to be true.

[Byron2701]

Hi,

for me in future there is only one choise: white background, black text.

Reasons are:
1. in bad light conditions you have to use the light function to see the white text with the black background (which bring the battery to a quick end)
2. in bright sunlight the black background is reflecting like a mirror and I see anything but my face looking at a watch

For me (others may see it different) the black background was absolutely not useable, so I put my Core Black-Orange into the drawer and purchased a Core Lightgreen

[Jeff_C]

I LOVE my LG core... VERY legible.

[gaijin]

If you want to be able to actually read the information on your CORE in the widest possible range of lighting conditions, then the positive display is the one to have:





HTH