Weekly poll results: the ideal screen size keeps growing

22 November 2020
In 2019, the 6.0" screen was voted best. This year preferences have shifted to slightly bigger screens (and 6.6+ inch panels are gaining popularity).

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  • Z
  • Zeper
  • Nxb
  • 20 Apr 2021

Apparently the optimal grip for a phone is around 70mm based on a study i saw. My lg g7 is 71mm and its the most comfortable phone i used, along with the pixel 2 a 69mm, The XL of that feels a bit to wide for to one hand.

    • J
    • Jos
    • 3r5
    • 14 Dec 2020

    GSMARENA, "preferred" screen display size is more appropriate ... rather than "perfect" ...there is no perfect size, whats perfect for viewing videos may not be perfect for writing e mails or reading e books or e magazine 😁

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • TTG
      • 24 Nov 2020

      Anonymous, 23 Nov 2020The key factor is the width. The difference between usin... moreStip this stupid conversation.
      Both length and width matters.
      Phones are getting too long and our thumbs too short.
      Buttons at the top&bottom are unreachable these days.

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • Qch
        • 24 Nov 2020

        The maximum width of a phone should be 65mm or less. Don't care how long, how thick, or how big the screen is. The human hasn't changed in hundreds of thousands of years. The way you grip a phone hasn't changed since smartphones were invented. The width dimension is the most important when it comes to interacting with the screen.

          Anonymous, 23 Nov 2020I don't mind a wide phone, but I can't have phone... moreThe problem is portrait vs landscape usage. The width hasn't changed much between 3T, 5T, 6T and 7T. By using narrower aspect ratios OEMs are favoring landscape usage over portrait. They even showcase phones in landscape in many ads and product pages. But this adversely affects portrait usage. If you were comfortably using 5.5 inch 16:9 device, now you need to get 6.5 or above for same width otherwise the keyboard and typing in general will feel cramped.

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • sxs
            • 24 Nov 2020

            The 6.7" 2020 phones that have 20:9 aspect ratio and bezelless all screen displays are the true equivalent of the BIG SCREEN experience of the old 5.7" flagship phones of 2016 and earlier when all smartphones still had 16:9 aspect ratios (with huge top and bottom bezels).

            Anything less than 6.7" for a smartphone in 2020 that has the new 20:9 aspect ratio is actually a narrower, smaller screen experience for photos and videos. That explains the popularity of 6.7" 20:9 aspect ratio phones: they're the TRUE big screen successor of the 5.7" 16:9 phones of yesteryears. Facebook feeds, photos and videos look the same big size and not smaller because they're around the same width but different aspect ratios.

            The phone footprint (5.7", 16:9 vs. 6.7", 20:9) is also about the same in both because the height dimension is the same as well - except that the space where there used to be huge bezels top and bottom in the older 5.7", 16:9 phones, are now part of the elongated/extended screen on 6.7", 20:9 phones with bezelless all screen displays.

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • nYE
              • 24 Nov 2020

              Actually the ideal screen size technically grows.

              If you look at current 6" phones, you look at their domensions and compare what people prefered when phone had bigger bezels, actually the "prefered" size is same, it's just that phone got smaller bezels and bigger screen in mostly same size.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • jM5
                • 23 Nov 2020

                Anonymous, 23 Nov 2020The key factor is the width. The difference between usin... moreI don't mind a wide phone, but I can't have phones over 160mm because of how deep my pockets are. So that is the limiting factor I have. Personal preference.

                That's why I am sick of getting smaller bezels but a taller aspect ratio. This effectively does not decrease the overall height of the phone like I wanted it to.

                Just for an example:

                The OnePlus 5T has a 156mm height and 75mm width.
                The OnePlus 7T has a 161mm height and a 74.4mm width.

                We know the side bezels shrunk just a tad, because the actual width of the screen didn't increase at all. Yet the screen height did, adding both to the area (+10cm^2) and the overall height of the phone (+5mm). I kinda wish they only increased the screen size proportionately, retaining the 18:9 ratio. OR increase the screen height without increasing the footprint (effectively "trimming" the top and bottom bezels). Instead, they made the phone even taller than it was. And the screen even taller to 20:9 aspect.

                A lot of manufacturers are doing this and I am okay with aspects that are more narrow than 16x9, some like Sony have gone too far (21:9!).

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • 39y
                  • 23 Nov 2020

                  Anonymous, 23 Nov 2020This article is missing a key factor and that is aspect rat... moreThe key factor is the width.

                  The difference between using a phone that's say 70mm wide verses 77mm will be far greater then 7mm on the length.

                    • G
                    • GVera
                    • 8xk
                    • 23 Nov 2020

                    Anonymous, 23 Nov 2020This article is missing a key factor and that is aspect rat... moreWas thinking exactly that when reading the article.

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • jM5
                      • 23 Nov 2020

                      This article is missing a key factor and that is aspect ratio. Screen size is not just the diagonal measurement. It should be measured in cm^2. As screens get more and more narrow (Sony is stupidly pushing this) the screen size won't necessarily increase along with the diagonal measurement.

                      As for my opinion: I would like the largest screen possible without the footprint of the phone to exceed 160mm vertically and without any folding technology.

                        • D
                        • AnonD-731363
                        • SH3
                        • 23 Nov 2020

                        Well nowdays people wants 10+ inch devices with weight below 100 grams.

                        In past we started with era of big then we get to the era of small and now again era of big.
                        First cell phone weigted over 9 kilos and was huge for one hand use.
                        When amaller and small button phones arrived it was great having a 50 grams weight in pockets.
                        but touch phones are no small hulks nowdays and typing with thick fingers on a 4 inch phone is rather dissaster than feeling comfortable sio we went big phones again.

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • 0xU
                          • 23 Nov 2020

                          Elkido, 23 Nov 20206.7 inches with 20:9 is enough for me....is the best for i... moreIdk the only thing i want bigger in my pants than my d is a second d properly, anatomicaly attached to my body. Duoble barrell fun. 5.5' 16:9 was perfect, even 6-6.2' 18:9 is good anything bigger starts looking like a dido.

                            • R
                            • Rdmkr
                            • nYy
                            • 23 Nov 2020

                            The change is mostly illusory. The 16:9 rectangle size that people prefer has remained pretty constant. It just goes to show what I've been saying: the screen area you get on top and bottom of the 16:9 rectangle with these taller >18:9 aspect ratio is mostly fluff and doesn't add to how "big" a screen feels in a meaningful way.

                              Anonymous, 23 Nov 2020Only a few apps aren't optimized for foldables. Majo... moreI am not talking about just foldables. I am talking about all phones. You don't seem to have much idea about this. The apps you use might not have been affected. There are millions of apps out there on various stores. You will find these issues on xda. You can also test apps with free form popups if it is supported on your device. Many OEMs still haven't adopted it completely.
                              There are apps with free floating design elements e.g browsers, navigation apps etc., which aren't affected. Then there are apps where design elements are mostly fixed with only scaling with resolution e.g games, some shopping apps, some payment apps etc. The latter type of apps are the most affected ones.
                              You can also browse subreddits for any specific device for these issues.

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • 7Xc
                                • 23 Nov 2020

                                AnonD-834088, 22 Nov 2020Rollable displays are just an overpriced gimmick that will ... moreRollable Screen Phones are definitely better than Wide Flip Phones and Phablets.

                                  • J
                                  • Jeff
                                  • XRT
                                  • 23 Nov 2020

                                  Phone means easy convenience handy phone is becoming tablet these days just hate phones above 6inch but have no other option apple and Google did a gr8 job with the apl12 and pxl 5 but both are not in the upper budget segment disappointed. Phone should not be above 6inch max 6.2 inch thats enough...

                                    • L
                                    • Liton
                                    • Aba
                                    • 23 Nov 2020

                                    People are facing eyes problem by watching small mobile screen, so now need bigger screen 🙂

                                      • E
                                      • Elkido
                                      • 3SM
                                      • 23 Nov 2020

                                      6.7 inches with 20:9 is enough for me....is the best for internet and multimedia and is not big on one hand or in the pocket

                                        • ?
                                        • Anonymous
                                        • Ni0
                                        • 23 Nov 2020

                                        Annyms, 23 Nov 2020Rollable and foldable displays seems to be good direction w... moreOnly a few apps aren't optimized for foldables.
                                        Majority of them are.
                                        Just quit it with your lies.