Punch hole vs notches - is it really better?

27 January 2019
We did the math and weighted pros and cons.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • 6jr
  • 27 Jan 2019

Soskin, 27 Jan 2019Note 9 and lately Meizu 16th are perfect examples of a good... moreSold my Note 9 because it swaps aesthetics for usability. I am not an iPhone user, aesthetic come second. Note 9 should absolutely had kept the height of the first note (15cm). Any taller and it slips from hands. It is that extra cm that literally has no use.

So no, I strongly disagree. Adding more on an already big phone is a disastrous choice. Aesthetics are secondary to me. Uses aren't. Unfortunately Samsung bought on that aesthetics fad and built sealed, bezeled monstrosities....

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • 6jr
    • 27 Jan 2019

    Anonymous, 27 Jan 2019The really annoying and sad thing is that there absolutely ... moreMakes an already large phone , gargantuan.

    Samsung added at least 1cm on Note 9 and made it from manageable (slightly below 15cm), to verging unmanageable (16cm) in height.

    That extra cm of height is neither trivial nor small, is the one reason that made my note 9 slip from my hands a dozen of times all the while my older note (15cm) never did.

    I think the real solution is simply removing the FF camera from some models. Some people simply don't want or need it... For the rest use punch hole or notch, I couopdn't care less.

    Bezels are a no-no , had to sell my Note 9 due to them.

      • S
      • Soskin
      • pvL
      • 27 Jan 2019

      Note 9 and lately Meizu 16th are perfect examples of a good usable screen and aesthetically pleasing design. I don't need cutouts, holes and curves that make usability worse...why they still do it?
      This screen BS that's been going on is the sole reason i've not upgraded since '16- newer phones are actually worse!

        • P
        • Patlajan
        • 0Bh
        • 27 Jan 2019

        I think soon all punch holes and notches will disappear.

          • b
          • bloop
          • xGB
          • 27 Jan 2019

          Anonymous, 27 Jan 2019Wrong question. The correct question is: is selfie camera s... moreI would look at it the other way - they aren't introducing screen defects to add a selfie camera, the camera was always there. It's just that the manufacturers feel it's so important to make a "full-screen" display that they're coming up with ugly workarounds because they can't figure out what to do with what used to be in the top bezel. Thinking of it this way, calling to get rid of the selfie camera to eliminate notches/holes is basically saying that it's so important to remove the top bezel that you'd get rid of a perfectly working feature for it. That seems equally fashion-obsessive to having a selfie camera imo.

          This whole thing can be solved by just leaving a few millimetres of top bezel there until a proper under-display camera is developed.

            • V
            • Vvvky
            • 7j$
            • 27 Jan 2019

            Anonymous, 27 Jan 2019The really annoying and sad thing is that there absolutely ... moreTotally agreed bro. These days manufacturers seem to focus more on aesthetic bullshit rather than useful functionalities. Another great example is the removal of headphone jack.

              • V
              • Vvvky
              • 7j$
              • 27 Jan 2019

              Notches are bad but those holes are worst. I don't mind the tiny bezels. Phones looked much better with the bezels. For hell sake get rid of those stupid concepts to remove bezels, headphone jacks, etc. They got rid of dedicated dual SIM functionality which was very useful in India. Focus on bringing back those small useful functionalities back to flagships rather than these bullshit concepts of holes.

                Minimal curved is fine, but I prefer squared screen, it's look sharp and none of the eyesore blocker. Actually a smaller bezel is fine but don't going to be bezelless because dual front firing stereo speakers is great! Can have space for front camera soft-flash for backlit and better single front camera.
                If the mirai is getting more screen ratio with eyesore maniac like...
                Notch, water drop, punch hole or hardware wasting like slider front camera(no waterproof no dustproof), dual screen(fragile, waste space), there are too much compromise have bear on.
                I want to ask you lost something to get a little extra screen, is it a good invention!? I am so sad! Why fancy is a trends but not practical at all, why people fanatic for just a little extra screen ratio and missing something and compromise something making the market like zombies!

                  Imo everyone should use LG approach with V10 and V20 make the notch corner and screen next to it as shortcut tray with main screen content below it

                    Didn't read the article, just the title since it was dissappointing. If you like your iPhone notches, keep buying iPhones. Normal people will look elsewhere. Good luck with your notches! However, if your article didn't say what your title suggested, you should probably rethink your title next time!

                      Mate 20 Pro notch is bigger than XS? And notches dont hide video content areas around them is masked

                        Notch is very intrusive, while punch hole may look bit elegant it can also sort of disturb the display elements. I feel Note 9 is the best with clean top and bottom. You get the freedom while it is not ugly like iPhone 8 Plus. Though I have not used punch hole displays yet, we need to see in reality to feel it's advantages vs negatives

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • srS
                          • 27 Jan 2019

                          Wrong question. The correct question is: is selfie camera so important that is worth introducing screen defects for its sake? Only a narcissistic git would answer 'yes'.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • 4Ax
                            • 27 Jan 2019

                            Xtopher, 27 Jan 2019Why dont they use the area around the Camera to display thi... moreCause that would only draw your attention to the corner with the hole even more. Circles aren't the most efficient use of space, either.

                              Xtopher, 27 Jan 2019Why dont they use the area around the Camera to display thi... moreNice suggestion

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • 3@B
                                • 27 Jan 2019

                                The really annoying and sad thing is that there absolutely no need for a punch hole or tear drop or notch to exist on a DISPLAY / SCREEN of any kind or size or device.
                                What's exactly wrong with a small chin to house that stupid selfie camera and a decent front firing speaker as a 'compensating' bonus.
                                The anti-bezels nonsense is a social media creation driven by teenagers' fantasies. That's why it's no surprise that Apple 'invented' this all screen with a notch silliness because no 'self-respecting' teenager could be seen using any phone other than an iPhone (an otherwise good device).

                                  • i
                                  • ithehappy
                                  • gwL
                                  • 27 Jan 2019

                                  Why this insistence on something so incredibly stupid, be it notch, holes, dual notch, dual cut out, regardless of the position on the display, to continue? It has been nearly three years now I think, childishness' duration is passed, time to do away with it and come back to being matured, to being normal, full displays, without any disabled or differently-abled feature to it.

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                                    • Alboooz
                                    • gCi
                                    • 27 Jan 2019

                                    Punch holes are similar to a broken scren with dead pixels.

                                      • X
                                      • Xtopher
                                      • E6x
                                      • 27 Jan 2019

                                      Why dont they use the area around the Camera to display things like battery percentage in a circular manner or Even an indisplay led notification sort off

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                                        • Dm133
                                        • vtx
                                        • 27 Jan 2019

                                        r33fd, 27 Jan 2019I thought notches where bad. But a hole in the screen?? ... moreYou should check out the Vivo Next dual screen. You'll like it.

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