MIP vs STN vs Normal LCD. What's the Difference between these G-Shock Displays?

Display Comparison

• Standard LCD: Clear when viewed straight on, but contrast drops at an angle, and faint “shadows” of otherwise invisible character segments may appear. The presenter considers this normal and says the display remains practical: turning your wrist toward it makes it easy to read.
• STN LCD: Demonstrated on an early all-metal G-Shock Square, this display maintains a clearer, higher-contrast appearance at angles, with much less visibility of unintended character-segment shadows.
• MIP LCD: Described as highly contrasted and clear, it stays legible at extreme viewing angles. Unwanted character shadows are not apparent in the demonstration.

User Experience and Trade-Offs

The main difference is off-angle readability. STN and MIP displays look better than a standard LCD when tilted, while a standard LCD remains usable when viewed normally. The presenter cautions against treating the standard LCD as bad: users can simply turn their wrist, and he is accustomed to conventional LCD displays.

Verdict

For the clearest view from awkward angles, the demonstration favors MIP and STN over a standard LCD. A standard LCD remains perfectly serviceable when viewed head-on, so the video presents the newer display technologies as improvements rather than necessities. No numerical ratings are given.

Speaker

The presenter is the only speaker. He compares the displays and emphasizes that the standard LCD’s limitations at angles may matter less to users who can readily turn their wrist.