Phones with the best screen to body ratio - Here They Are

[Sevanw]

How are these smaller bezels affecting design? People seem to think design will be a moot point once all phones go bezel-less. I disagree. I prefer a premium and elegant design that still looks very futuristic at the same time. And for me, symmetry is essential for this to be accomplished. I don't want to pay a premium price for something that looks like a asymmetrical Chinese knock off. As of right now, to me, the Samsung flagships are the ones getting this premium design right, without looking like Chinese knock offs. Lg would be next with best designed phones this year even though they don't have the smallest bezels. The essential phone is the best for screen to body ratio, but the lopsided design just doesn't come across as premium. The same goes for the iPhone and it's thick side bezels and notch.

Here's where they all stand so far in 2017 in terms of best screen to body ratio...

Essential PH-1:

• Screen-to-body ratio: 84.9 percent
• Screen size: 5.71 inches

Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+, and Note 8

• Screen-to-body ratio: 83.6 percent, 84 percent, and 83.2 percent
• Screen size: 5.8 inches, 6.2 inches, and 6.3 inches

Xiaomi Mi Mix

• Screen-to-body ratio: 83.6 percent
• Screen size: 6.4 inches

Iphone X

• Screen-to-body ratio: 82.9 percent
• Screen size: 5.8 inches

LG V30

• Screen-to-body ratio: 81.2 percent
• Screen size: 6 inches

LG G6

• Screen-to-body ratio: 78.6 percent
• Screen size: 5.7 inches

Google Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL

• Screen-to-body ratio: 67.9 percent and 76.7 Percent
• Screen size: 5 inches and 6 inches

HTC U11

• Screen-to-body ratio: 71.4 percent
• Screen size: 5.5 inches

 

[Jetcat3]

The screen-to-body ratio is tough as there are so many design differences. I’d argue there’s more usable space with the X over the S8 without the curved edges. It’s also a 5.85 inch diagonal so it’s more than likely 83% as it stands.

 

[ronincse]

The screen-to-body ratio is tough as there are so many design differences. I’d argue there’s more usable space with the X over the S8 without the curved edges. It’s also a 5.85 inch diagonal so it’s more than likely 83% as it stands.

I'd argue the actual ratio isn't tough at all as it's simply geometry. Argue what the number itself actually means in daily use but the number is infallible

 

[Jetcat3]

Kind of what I’m saying. The numbers don’t tell you the whole story.

 

[Sevanw]

I’d argue there’s more usable space with the X over the S8 without the curved edges.

You would lose that argument. Both are listed as 5.8 inches. The very fact that 5.8 inches on the X includes a massive permanent notch is enough to not take this argument any further. Here's a better way to look at it, imagine the brand name on the two phones were reversed. I think we both know how this argument would end in this forum and in the tech world in general. The tech sites would have a field day bashing any other manufacturer for making such a disgusting design choice. We know they fear bashing Apple because of the influence Apple holds in the tech industry. The diehards here in this forum would not stop making fun of such a design. Especially if it was on a Samsung. Good grief, the X notch is what it is, a bad design. And that's not just my opinion, it's a fact. You know why it's a fact? Because NOBODY wants something infringing in the view of their display. Can you imagine buying a television with that notch? Would you be OK with something hideous like that getting in the way of your display? People just need to accept the fact the Apple they loved with industry leading designs is no more.

 

[sdwaltz]

Kind of what I’m saying. The numbers don’t tell you the whole story.

Exactly - in the exact same fashion as the iPhone X has a 5.8" screen while the iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5" screen. On paper the 5.8" obviously is the larger screen but in real life, it's actually significantly smaller than the 5.5" screen on the 8 Plus.

 

[IGotOne]

You would lose that argument. Both are listed as 5.8 inches. The very fact that 5.8 inches on the X includes a massive permanent notch is enough to not take this argument any further. Here's a better way to look at it, imagine the brand name on the two phones were reversed. I think we both know how this argument would end in this forum and in the tech world in general. The tech sites would have a field day bashing any other manufacturer for making such a disgusting design choice. We know they fear bashing Apple because of the influence Apple holds in the tech industry. The diehards here in this forum would not stop making fun of such a design. Especially if it was on a Samsung. Good grief, the X notch is what it is, a bad design. And that's not just my opinion, it's a fact. You know why it's a fact? Because NOBODY wants something infringing in the view of their display. Can you imagine buying a television with that notch? Would you be OK with something hideous like that getting in the way of your display? People just need to accept the fact the Apple they loved with industry leading designs is no more.

I agree. As an owner of an S8+ (it's the ONLY non-iPhone I have owned in almost 10 years) I can attest that if they flipped the logos and made them instead the iPhone 8 and 8+ (or the iPhone 20 if we're being fair to Apple's current rate of "innovation" =P), people would be going bananas over them.

That presupposes iOS would be running on it as well, which is critically important. Android, for being as mature as it is, still is remarkably clunky in comparison. We can argue about "customizability", but if you gave a complete stranger to both ecosystems a chance to examine both in a fair and bias-free environment, I'd bet that 99 times out of 100 that is the conclusion they would reach too. iOS is just a more polished experience overall.

The S8+ is a gorgeous piece of tech, marred by their inability to figure out the fingerprint reader problem either, and their OS. Don't think for a second that people wouldn't "ooh and ahh" over it if Jimmy Kimmel or someone played a joke on strangers and told them it was the "new" iPhone.

Pretty sad that the "all screen" selling point of the X is technically "less all screen" than the S8+, but iOS still makes it a no-brainer in a cage fight.

 

[kasakka]

I also have to argue that making these tall but narrow displays does not improve your user experience at all. I feel that lack of horizontal space makes using websites etc more awkward on phones than the smaller vertical space on 16:9 phones. The extra vertical space shifts on-screen buttons further up and down, making one handed use more difficult as you have to bend your thumb to weird positions or try to reach to the top of the phone.

I would rather take 16:9 display phones where they have just lopped the top bezel off like Sharp seems to have done with this concept. Things that take less space in my pocket instead of these elongated phones.

 

[heov]

Kind of what I’m saying. The numbers don’t tell you the whole story.

Actually, the numbers tell the whole story of "screen to body ratio".

You're trying to change the story to fit your narrative.

 

[FunkyTang]

I love Dat Gap

 

[Jetcat3]

Actually, the numbers tell the whole story of "screen to body ratio".

You're trying to change the story to fit your narrative.

Haha ok. Y’all are pretty uptight on here. No they don’t, it doesn’t account for .2” of the display falling off on both sides with the S8. You could argue the exact same thing for the S8 in terms of bad design with its curved edges. It’s opinion though, nothing more. The numbers also doesn’t account for the notch on the X.

And for the record, a 5.85” diagonal display at 2436 X 1125 is 13.03” square inches of display area. Even with the notch and curved sides it’s about the exact same amount of usable area as the 16:9 5.5” Plus at 12.925 sq. inches. It is not SIGNIFICANTLY smaller.
[doublepost=1507588862][/doublepost]

Exactly - in the exact same fashion as the iPhone X has a 5.8" screen while the iPhone 8 Plus has a 5.5" screen. On paper the 5.8" obviously is the larger screen but in real life, it's actually significantly smaller than the 5.5" screen on the 8 Plus.

5.85” 2436 X 1125 at 13.03 square inches of real estate. 5.5 1920 X 1080 at 12.925. You’re going to argue that even with the notch and curved sides the X is SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than the 5.5” Plus display?

 

[IGotOne]

Haha ok. Y’all are pretty uptight on here. No they don’t, it doesn’t account for .2” of the display falling off on both sides with the S8. You could argue the exact same thing for the S8 in terms of bad design with its curved edges. It’s opinion though, nothing more. The numbers also doesn’t account for the notch on the X.

And for the record, a 5.85” diagonal display at 2436 X 1125 is 13.03” square inches of display area. Even with the notch and curved sides it’s about the exact same amount of usable area as the 16:9 5.5” Plus at 12.925 sq. inches. It is not SIGNIFICANTLY smaller.
[doublepost=1507588862][/doublepost]

5.85” 2436 X 1125 at 13.03 square inches of real estate. 5.5 1920 X 1080 at 12.925. You’re going to argue that even with the notch and curved sides the X is SIGNIFICANTLY smaller than the 5.5” Plus display?

"SIGNIFICANTLY" or not, smaller is smaller.

For all the hype of being "all screen (and a giant notch... *cough*...)", it's LESS "all screen" than a number of competitors.

I don't love the edges of the S8+, but I don't find them unusable either. It's gimmicky, I agree, but it's still SCREEN.

I'll still be buying as many X's as I can get, but that's primarily because it's a no-brainer to do so ($$$ making will be insanely easy, and I like having the highest end version of my tech...), not because of the false "innovation" that Apple is touting. The only real innovation in the X is the feature no one wanted anyway (Face ID). The screen is less PPI while being the same wonky aspect ratio of a phone almost 8 months it's senior.

If that's "bleeding edge" for Apple, maybe they are in for a (slow) fall from grace.

 

[EM2013]

Samsung is the only company that knows how to properly make a bezel less phone. Props to them.

 

[jamesrick80]

Samsung got it right. Stop defending the Notch.

 

[TravisPNW]

The tech sites would have a field day bashing any other manufacturer for making such a disgusting design choice. We know they fear bashing Apple because of the influence Apple holds in the tech industry. The diehards here in this forum would not stop making fun of such a design. Especially if it was on a Samsung. Good grief, the X notch is what it is, a bad design. And that's not just my opinion, it's a fact. You know why it's a fact? Because NOBODY wants something infringing in the view of their display. Can you imagine buying a television with that notch? Would you be OK with something hideous like that getting in the way of your display? People just need to accept the fact the Apple they loved with industry leading designs is no more.

Yep... I've said it before and I've said it again.

If Samsung had released the notch, they'd be roasted till the cows came home on these forums.

But since Apple did it... it's the greatest smartphone ever. LOL

Samsung is the only company that knows how to properly make a bezel less phone. Props to them.

I'd agree.

I passed on the X with the notch being a big reason... as well as Face ID. I'm happy with the 8 Plus. Not sure why people say it's an old and outdated design at 3 years old... but either way I'll take it over the notch.

People will still buy the phone with the horrible design because it's got an Apple logo on it and Apple will continue to milk the cash cow!

 

[blackberrycubed]

Kind of what I’m saying. The numbers don’t tell you the whole story.

no that is not what you are saying, pretty much everyone who responded to you is right about you trying to make it fit your narrative.

Its ok whatever reason you use on your head to justify it to yourself... but don't expect others to agree with that.

 

[Jetcat3]

"SIGNIFICANTLY" or not, smaller is smaller.

For all the hype of being "all screen (and a giant notch... *cough*...)", it's LESS "all screen" than a number of competitors.

I don't love the edges of the S8+, but I don't find them unusable either. It's gimmicky, I agree, but it's still SCREEN.

I'll still be buying as many X's as I can get, but that's primarily because it's a no-brainer to do so ($$$ making will be insanely easy, and I like having the highest end version of my tech...), not because of the false "innovation" that Apple is touting. The only real innovation in the X is the feature no one wanted anyway (Face ID). The screen is less PPI while being the same wonky aspect ratio of a phone almost 8 months it's senior.

If that's "bleeding edge" for Apple, maybe they are in for a (slow) fall from grace.

no that is not what you are saying, pretty much everyone who responded to you is right about you trying to make it fit your narrative.

Its ok whatever reason you use on your head to justify it to yourself... but don't expect others to agree with that.

I responded to this. “I'd argue the actual ratio isn't tough at all as it's simply geometry. Argue what the number itself actually means in daily use but the number is infallible.”

The NUMBER ITSELF does NOT represent an accurate measure of usable display area with various smartphone screen designs we have in 2017. Get it?

 

[flat five]

I'd argue the actual ratio isn't tough at all as it's simply geometry. Argue what the number itself actually means in daily use but the number is infallible

i think there's a misunderstanding about what the number means.

it seems like some people are using this number as a spec battle.. like, whichever company solves the technical challenge first, wins.. and they've created a better product based off how small a ratio they can design.

but the phone designers aren't actually trying to make this as high a percentage as they're capable of.. i mean, in Apple's case, if they were prioritizing screen:body, they'd but the iPhone X display on a larger iPhone 4 body and be done with it..




even with the notch in the screen, they'd be around 95% screen-to-body..
they (or other companies) could do that pretty easily..

but these designers are thinking about lots more stuff than that.. such as, how does it feel in your hands..
how close to the edge is too close to the edge for fingers to interact with UI..
their own visual taste/language..
etc..

------
idk, i'm not really going to get too much into this one because using screen-to-body ratio as a means to compare which phone is better is an exercise in futility..
and i imagine arguing about whether or not this number actually means anything will also be an exercise in futility.
take it or leave it.
[doublepost=1507609340][/doublepost]

You would lose that argument. Both are listed as 5.8 inches.

this is another number you appear to not understand..
a quiz:

which screen is larger:



the 5.8 inch S8 -or- 5.8 inch Galaxy Mega







?


are they the same size?
or is one larger than the other?


(for the sake of this point, if you want, let's pretend the S8 screen doesn't have its corners rounded.. that it's a true rectangular shape)

 

[Technarchy]

I swear this is such utterly meaningless metric that doesn’t remotely factor into my buying decision.

 

[iSayBoourns]

Samsung got it right. Stop defending the Notch.

Why are you on a website that revolves around Apple, Apple products and Apple news, when all you do is promote Samsung?

It screams “I’m getting paid by Samsung to knock everything Apple and promote Samsung”

 

[Nozuka]

Samsung got it right. Stop defending the Notch.

It looks good, but the edges are not really good for content consumption either.

 

[Bane-Thunder]

which screen is larger:



the 5.8 inch S8 -or- 5.8 inch Galaxy Mega



View attachment 724662 View attachment 724661



?


are they the same size?
or is one larger than the other?


(for the sake of this point, if you want, let's pretend the S8 screen doesn't have its corners rounded.. that it's a true rectangular shape)

Bravo!! Good spot sir.

The iPhone X just looks better to me and the S8 really looks fantastic. I take nothing away from S8 other than the edge screen that causes accidental clicks. I know this from experience.
[doublepost=1507626090][/doublepost]

Essential PH-1:

• Screen-to-body ratio: 84.9 percent
• Screen size: 5.71 inches

Hmm I dunno, this is listed as most screen to body ratio but looks like its got more bezel than the iPhone X.

I prefer the notch over that fat chin.

 

[jabingla2810]

Oh good, another meaningless spec to argue over

 

[DNichter]

Kind of irrelevant, but OK. If you prefer iOS, the X is the best choice. If you prefer Android, go for the highest specs / cheapest.

 

[Analog Kid]

You would lose that argument. Both are listed as 5.8 inches. The very fact that 5.8 inches on the X includes a massive permanent notch is enough to not take this argument any further. Here's a better way to look at it, imagine the brand name on the two phones were reversed. I think we both know how this argument would end in this forum and in the tech world in general. The tech sites would have a field day bashing any other manufacturer for making such a disgusting design choice. We know they fear bashing Apple because of the influence Apple holds in the tech industry. The diehards here in this forum would not stop making fun of such a design. Especially if it was on a Samsung. Good grief, the X notch is what it is, a bad design. And that's not just my opinion, it's a fact. You know why it's a fact? Because NOBODY wants something infringing in the view of their display. Can you imagine buying a television with that notch? Would you be OK with something hideous like that getting in the way of your display? People just need to accept the fact the Apple they loved with industry leading designs is no more.

Imagining the same phones with swapped brand names adds nothing to the conversation. May as well add a line to the John Lennon song-- imagine there's no heaven, no hell below us, no possessions, no countries, and Samsungs had a notch.

The diehards haven't stopped making fun of the notch. Look at your posts.

Saying your opinion is a fact because nobody wants what you don't want is not making your opinion a fact. It's just ranting and over generalizing.

What a silly, silly thread this is.