Mobile & Tech Glossary
Confused by a spec on a device page? Here's a plain-English explanation of the most common terms you'll come across when comparing phones, tablets, and laptops on AVSurge.
A
- AMOLED
- A display type where each pixel emits its own light, allowing true blacks and high contrast. Common in mid-range and flagship phones.
- AnTuTu
- A popular benchmarking app that produces a single score representing a device’s overall performance across CPU, GPU, and memory.
- Aperture (f/number)
- Describes how much light a camera lens lets in. A lower f-number (like f/1.8) lets in more light, which helps in low-light photography.
- AI NPU (Neural Processing Unit)
- A dedicated chip component built to accelerate AI and machine-learning tasks like camera scene detection, voice processing, and on-device translation.
B
- Bezel
- The border of unused screen area around a display’s edges. Thinner bezels generally mean a higher screen-to-body ratio.
- Bluetooth
- A short-range wireless standard used for connecting headphones, smartwatches, and other accessories. Newer versions (5.2, 5.3) offer better range and lower power use.
C
- Chipset (SoC)
- Short for System on Chip — the main processor that combines the CPU, GPU, and other components on a single chip. It’s the biggest factor in a device’s overall performance.
- CPU Cores
- The number of independent processing units inside a chipset. More cores can help with multitasking, but core speed and efficiency matter just as much as core count.
D
- Dolby Vision
- A premium HDR video format that dynamically adjusts brightness and color scene-by-scene for a more realistic picture, mostly relevant on higher-end phone and tablet displays.
- DDR RAM (LPDDR4X / LPDDR5)
- The type and generation of memory a device uses. Newer generations (LPDDR5, LPDDR5X) are faster and more power-efficient than older ones.
E
- eSIM
- A digital SIM built into the device that can be activated without a physical SIM card, often used alongside or instead of a traditional SIM slot.
F
- Fast Charging (Wattage)
- The maximum charging speed a device supports, measured in watts (W). Higher wattage generally means less time spent charging, though actual speed also depends on the charger and cable.
- Fingerprint Sensor (In-display vs. Side-mounted)
- In-display sensors sit under the screen itself, while side-mounted sensors are built into the power button. Both are common; in-display tends to appear on higher-end devices.
G
- Gorilla Glass
- A brand of toughened glass from Corning used to protect phone and tablet screens from scratches and drops. Newer versions (Victus, Victus 2) offer better drop resistance.
- GPU (Graphics Processing Unit)
- The component responsible for rendering graphics, most relevant for gaming performance and smooth UI animations.
H
- HDR (High Dynamic Range)
- A display and video feature that expands the range between the darkest and brightest parts of an image, resulting in more realistic contrast and color.
- Hertz (Hz) / Refresh Rate
- How many times per second a display refreshes its image. Higher refresh rates (90Hz, 120Hz) make scrolling and animations look noticeably smoother than standard 60Hz.
I
- IP Rating
- A standardized rating (like IP68) for dust and water resistance. The first digit rates dust protection (0–6), the second rates water protection (0–9).
- IPS LCD
- A common LCD display technology known for good color accuracy and viewing angles, though it typically can’t produce true blacks like AMOLED can.
- ISP (Image Signal Processor)
- A specialized part of the chipset that processes raw camera sensor data into a finished photo — it plays a large role in a phone’s actual camera quality, beyond just megapixels.
M
- mAh (Milliamp Hour)
- The unit used to measure battery capacity. A higher mAh figure generally means longer battery life, though actual usage time also depends on the chipset, display, and software efficiency.
- MicroSD Card Slot
- A slot that lets you expand a device’s storage using a removable memory card — increasingly rare on flagship phones but still common on budget devices and tablets.
- Megapixel (MP)
- A measure of camera resolution — the number of pixels a sensor captures. Higher megapixels don’t automatically mean better photos; sensor size and image processing matter just as much.
N
- NFC (Near-Field Communication)
- A short-range wireless technology used for contactless payments, quick pairing with accessories, and tap-to-share features.
- Notch
- A cutout at the top of a display that houses the front camera and sensors, an older alternative to the punch-hole design.
O
- OIS (Optical Image Stabilization)
- A physical stabilization mechanism inside the camera module that reduces blur from hand shake, especially useful in low light and video recording.
- OLED
- A display technology where each pixel produces its own light independently, enabling true blacks, high contrast, and thinner panels compared to LCD.
P
- PPI (Pixels Per Inch)
- A measure of display sharpness — how densely packed the pixels are. Higher PPI generally means a crisper image, especially noticeable up close.
- Punch-hole Display
- A display design where the front camera sits inside a small circular cutout within the screen itself, rather than in a notch or bezel.
- PWM Dimming
- A method some displays use to control brightness by rapidly flickering the screen on and off. At low brightness, this can cause eye strain for some people; higher PWM frequencies are generally easier on the eyes.
R
- RAM (Random Access Memory)
- Temporary memory used to run apps and multitask. More RAM generally allows more apps to stay open in the background without reloading.
- Resolution
- The number of pixels a display or camera can show or capture, usually written as width x height (e.g. 1080x2400).
S
- SAR Value
- A measurement of the radio frequency energy absorbed by the body when using a phone. Regulatory bodies set maximum allowed limits that all sold devices must meet.
- SSD (Solid State Drive)
- A fast, flash-based storage type used in most modern laptops, replacing traditional spinning hard drives (HDDs) for quicker boot times and file access.
T
- Thunderbolt
- A high-speed data and display connection standard, mostly found on premium laptops, capable of much faster transfer speeds than standard USB.
- TFT
- An older, more budget-friendly LCD display technology, typically found on entry-level devices, with lower color accuracy and viewing angles than IPS LCD.
U
- USB-C
- A reversible, widely-adopted port standard used for charging and data transfer on most modern phones, tablets, and laptops.
V
- VRR (Variable Refresh Rate)
- A display feature that adjusts the refresh rate dynamically based on content, helping save battery during static screens while still allowing smooth motion when needed.
W
- Wi-Fi 6 / Wi-Fi 6E
- Newer Wi-Fi standards that offer faster speeds and better performance in crowded networks compared to older Wi-Fi 5 devices.
Missing a term you think should be here? Let us know.