Sunday debate: Classic 16:9 vs. Taller screen ratios
- L
- Luxor
- tu6
- 03 Jun 2018
From my perspective the elongated screen appear much better than a 16:9 phone that had gone bezel less. It simply look too square-ish for my taste. 18:9 screen make a phone look more like a phone. It actually serve as a phone much better. With introduction of split screen who would disagree it actually provide more space for us to tinker. Split screen on 18:9 screen is the ultimate reasoning. As for video, we might see a transition of how people record video in the future. The same way 4:3 video are gone, 16:9 video will slowly phased out. 18:9 video will become a norm in the coming years. See how sometimes we watch old 4:3 youtube video on our 16:9 phone and we feel all annoyed by it. That is what happening now. I just wish google implement a stretch-video feature instead of pinch to zoom because it cuts a little bit of the video in 18:9 mode. Our television can do it why cant phone do it?
- L
- Luke
- EqV
- 03 Jun 2018
i prefer the 16:9 format, as the screen is wider and easier to read text.
- S
- Srinivas
- guS
- 03 Jun 2018
When you are using 18:9 display over 16:9, You are getting extra pixels. You are not loosing any space. only thing is to remove the top and bottom bezels.
- D
- AnonD-735096
- mWN
- 03 Jun 2018
I don't care about how tall a phone is, I do care about how wide it is. I want my phone as wide as possible:
1- I read a lot on my phone. The limiting factor is not how many lines fit on the screen, but how many words fit on a line. 16:9 already made for rather short lines, 18:9... 3 words ?
2- a lot of apps work better on a squarer screen: maps, games, anything text-based (includes browsing), and above all Office apps. Basically, everything works better on a wider screen, except messaging for which it doesn't matter.
3- most video is in 16:9. Any other format is subpar.
4- 18:9 screens kind of lie about their sizes. a 6" 18:9 is only about as wide as a 5.5" 16:9 screen, and as big as a 5.7" 16:9. Since I care most about width, 6" = 5.5".
I'll even do you one better: I once had a 16:10 phone (Huawei Mediapad X1). I still miss that format. I'm thinbking of not upgrading my Mi Max 1 to a 3 this year, because the screen won't be bigger (6.44" 16:9 to 7" 18:9 = same to me), and it seems I'll lose the audio jack too.
- x
- xXENDER FREAKXx
- TRK
- 03 Jun 2018
18:9, 18.5:9, 19:9, different aspect ratios a thing now after sticking to the 16:9 aspect ratio for so many years, making the display go longer than it used to be, but the commonly increasing aspect ratio is 18:9. Sure, it is suitable for split screen, portrait usability, content, and games (I guess?), but since most content still support 16:9, I wouldn't hold any grudges of saying that 16:9 is the best and most suitable aspect ratio, still, as for now. When will I say that the new aspect ratios are better than the conventional 16:9 one? Until all apps support these new aspect ratios, yeah I will consider the commonly increasing 18:9 and the rest of the new aspect ratios as a better choice. What I'm anticipating now is the rise of 18:9 aspect ratio videos, though
- ?
- Anonymous
- bJb
- 03 Jun 2018
honestly 18:9(2:1) do look great(full view type), but it cause too many issue like in video or gaming. nowadays phone are meant to be multimedia entertainment device. i know youtube do provide pinch to zoom feature but video aren't meant to watch that way. the only best solution i can think of for 18:9 screen is use AMOLED screen so u can fully disable the black bars and disable touch sensor on the black bars so we wont accidentally touch it. all screen phone are very very hard to hold without accidentally touch it.
- L
- LLL
- tDS
- 03 Jun 2018
Anonymous, 03 Jun 201818:9, 18,5:9 and 19:9 are just ways to provide less scree... moreI concur. For the same diagonal, we get less screen real estate from longer ratio. A definite downgrade.
- G
- Gauri
- AIA
- 03 Jun 2018
Nokia 8 sirroco beats all phones in terms of ergonomics , that's how 16:9 smartphones with wafer thin bezels should be designed ! the length is just 140 mm , making it so easy to hold in hand
- ?
- Anonymous
- Dkv
- 03 Jun 2018
Achu, 03 Jun 2018Do the customers have the choice of choosing, in this era w... moreWe need tall 18:9 display in 5.5 inch not in 6 inch Wich is not handy
- O
- Oppaii
- sxs
- 03 Jun 2018
"If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it" it's like "If it ain't broken, don't innovate it"
- L
- LLL
- tDS
- 03 Jun 2018
Current smartphones shoot videos in what ratio again?
Even those so-called "modern" 18:9 and 19:9 ones, do they shoot 4320x2160 (18:9) 4K videos? Nope.
So, 16:9 is not "classic" and 18:9 is not "modern", yet.
- A
- Achu
- 3J%
- 03 Jun 2018
Do the customers have the choice of choosing, in this era we dont have that choice, whatever they think it is good for them, they throw on to the market and rest everyone follows.
- ?
- Anonymous
- P@Y
- 03 Jun 2018
Biz, 03 Jun 2018I prefer 16:9 b/c it supports The media we are consuming. I... moreDevelopers nowadays are already supporting 18:9 ratios. Duh?
- ?
- Anonymous
- LQX
- 03 Jun 2018
18:9, 18,5:9 and 19:9 are just ways to provide less screen.
Cut costs...
18:9 is about 10% smaller than 16:9 with same diagonal.
Look at S7 Edge, S8 and S9... All then have almost same screen area. Body size is almost the same, S7e is just 2mm taller. FPS is now poorly placed, battery was 3600mAh and became 3000.
There was no advantage.
Mate 10 is shorter than 10 Pro, just 2mm wider. Screen is bigger, screen/body % is higher.
Sony dropped the 13MP 1/3.06" selfie of XZ1 to fit 5MP 1/5" inside XZ2. Less screen than XZ Premium and just 2mm shorter.
I think the best solutions are XA2 and Nokia 6. The XA1 was 5" and 14,6cm tall. The XA2 has 5.2" with 14cm tall.
Nokia 6 has 5.5" 16:9 and 14,8cm tall.
- B
- Biz
- mr}
- 03 Jun 2018
I prefer 16:9 b/c it supports The media we are consuming. If phone manufacturers are going toward slimmer bezels, 18:9 doesn't make sense. The media is 16:9 and with 18:9 your going end up with bezels anyway, which is counter-productive. I think they wanna use taller aspect ration b/c then they can brag about those inches.
- A
- Andy
- LaT
- 03 Jun 2018
I'm not too bothered about the ratio as long as the bezels are at a minimum. But without a notch though, ie Samsung style. I think they have the best displays
- Geric.770
- uSQ
- 03 Jun 2018
kurotsuki, 03 Jun 2018Well... I don't actually have preference whether 16:9 or ta... moreSame here. Still adapting this tall and weird display ratios which is not satisfying to my daily usage (I always go to Samsung stores and keep using their latest flagships to learn the basics of this new norm. Yeah2, I'm a bit weirdo but actually the employees finally got my attention and started talking with me about the new technology on smartphones. XD)
And yes, finally, GSMArena stated that the Huawei Mate 10 is the pinnacle of miniscule displays while retaining the classic ratio. Nailed it!
- T
- Thesis86
- jZe
- 03 Jun 2018
I much prefer 16:9 to 18:9. Yes, 18:9 looks better, but the quest for the thinnest bezels has led us in the wrong direction (i.e. notches). The Huawei Mate 10 was ideal. I even like the XA2 Ultra's screen (they should REALLY redo that with front firing speakers and an OLED panel and maybe a spec bump) for reading and generally viewing things. I compared this screen to the Note 8's 6.3" screen which I like b/c OLED, but also have a problem with actually reading content. I like 16:9 for what I need it for. I'm fine with 18:9 as long as we get rid of notches and stop this insane craze to get to the thinnest bezel possible.
- kurotsuki
- uEy
- 03 Jun 2018
Well... I don't actually have preference whether 16:9 or taller ones. I just use whatever device available at that time and adapt to it. Nuff said. And since taller is slowly but surely become the new norm, I vote taller (although if there is a third option said "don't care", I'll definitely vote that option)... :3
- K
- KitKuno
- 3$t
- 03 Jun 2018
Sure, fine. I can go with a tall aspect ratio phone, but only if it has an amoled display. Becuase then the black bars on videos will be pixels that are turned off, saving battery. And I'm a person who really cares about the battery and battery life of my phone.