The key parameter when choosing a new smartphone for many of us is the screen - the face of the gadget. A decade ago, the presence of a color display was a characteristic of phones of the highest price range, but today you will not surprise anyone with this, and there are so many different technologies for creating color screens that you can’t immediately figure out which one is better. In addition, you need to take into account such characteristics as resolution, pixel density, type of touchscreen. How to understand all this for an ordinary user?
Screen size and resolution
Over the past few years, there has been a trend towards an increase in the diagonal of smartphones. It's hard to find today new smartphone with a diagonal less than 4 inches, even models with a diagonal 4.5-4.7 inches not as widely represented, although it is precisely 4.7-inch diagonal can be called the most comfortable. golden mean at the moment we can call the diagonal in 5 inches, although until recently such gadgets were called shovel phones. With such dimensions, you can comfortably watch photos and videos, and the smartphone is even more or less convenient to hold and control with one hand.
Devices with diagonal 5.5 inches or more They are called phablets: they are great for watching movies, Internet pages, but they are not so comfortable in the hand, and they are difficult to fit into some pockets. But this was not enough for manufacturing companies, and smartphones with a diagonal of 6 and even 6.5 inches. It's practically tablets! The demand for such models is not very high yet, so the choice is limited.
If the usability of the gadget depends on the size of the screen, then the quality of the picture depends on the resolution. The display resolution is given as number of pixels vertically and horizontally, for example, 1280*720. The higher the resolution, the clearer the picture and the less visible its individual components. Low resolution produces a grainy image in which individual pixels can be easily seen. Today, smartphones are equipped with a screen with one of the following resolutions:
- 320*480 (HVGA) is rarely used and in the cheapest smartphones with a small diagonal;
- 480*800 (WVGA) is also used infrequently, and a more or less normal image can only be obtained with a screen diagonal of 4 inches;
- 540*960 (qHD) is found in budget smartphones and with a diagonal of 4-4.5 inches allows you to get an image of acceptable quality;
- 720*1280 (HD) is the most common resolution today. Many mid-range smartphones are equipped with such screens. price category with a diagonal of 4.7-5.5 inches;
- 1080*1920 (Full HD) - Resolution the highest level. Such a screen in diagonal can reach 7 inches, and the image will be clear and not grainy;
- 2560*1440 (QHD), 3840*2160 (4K). The most expensive smartphones get this resolution today, and the picture on the screen really looks great.
It is worth noting that companyApple uses in their smartphones non-standard permissions: 640*1136, 750*1334 etc. It was this manufacturer who introduced the concept retina display, focusing on pixel density as a key indicator of a smartphone display.
Pixel Density
Pixel density is defined as dots per inch: it is clear that with the same resolution, but with a different screen diagonal, the density will be different, and this is important to consider. Apple once stated that at a density of 300 pixels per inch, the human eye from a distance of 30 cm is not able to see the individual components of the picture, perceiving the image as a whole. Therefore, the company does not use screens with a pixel density of more than 300 in its gadgets, since the perception will be the same, and the device will turn out to be more expensive.
Many other companies are proving that a person can distinguish individual points of an image even at higher pixel densities by offering screens with a density of 400 dpi. Such displays look great, but in reality the difference is not so significant.
Practice shows that it is at a density of 300 pixels / inch and should be guided so that the smartphone is really convenient to use. It is impossible to specify what the resolution should be in this case, since this parameter also depends on the diagonal of the display: for 4.7 inches, the resolution can be 1280 * 720, and for a smartphone with a diagonal of 5.5 inches, to achieve the same picture quality, you need screen with a resolution of 1920*1080.
However, you can normally use a smartphone with a screen pixel density of 250 or so, but if this indicator below 200, then individual points will be very noticeable. When switching from using a smartphone with a higher resolution to a lower resolution, discomfort may be felt for some time.
Screen technology
All screens in smartphones today can be divided into two main types:LCD andOLED. Technology has its undeniable advantages and disadvantages. LCD displays need additional screen backlighting, while OLEDs are based on Light Emitting Diodes, so they don't need a backlight. This is a key difference and gives rise to a difference in the characteristics of the displays.
LCD displays have become more widespread and are divided into several types:
- TN- one of the most mass-produced and budget technologies for the production of color displays. Today, such displays are used in the cheapest smartphones, since their production is quite inexpensive, but allows you to get an acceptable quality product. Viewing angles and color reproduction are not at the highest level;
- IPS Screens are now used in most smartphones of various price categories. After significant shortcomings of the technology were eliminated in 2009, it gained such wide acceptance. Such screens are clear and contrasting, have natural color reproduction, wide viewing angles and fast response to pressing;
- VA– symbiosis of TN and IPS. Such screens give a clear picture with accurate white and black colors, but when viewed from a certain angle, the colors are distorted;
- pls- a screen created by Samsung with the intention of reducing the cost of IPS technology, but retaining its main advantages. Such displays display about 98% of the colors that are displayed in IPS, but cost 20% less. The power consumption of these screens is low, viewing angles are wide, color reproduction is excellent, so they are actively used in Samsung products.
TO the main advantages of displays of this technology(with the exception of TN) can be attributed to accurate color reproduction and the presence of perfect white, which is difficult for OLED screens. The maximum brightness is much higher due to the display technology, which is important for the comfort of using the gadget in bright sunlight. Such displays practically do not change colors at different viewing angles, they are cheaper to manufacture than OLED screens, and the pixels in them do not burn out over time.
OLED displays use light emitting diodes for image formation and illumination. This achieves faster response time per click, because one of the layers of the screen is missing. AMOLED screens were born thanks to Samsung's work on improving OLED technology, and as a result, active matrix displays were obtained, which made it possible to provide the user with an amazing picture quality. Today, such screens are considered the most advanced, but the company has proposed an even more advanced type of screens - Super AMOLED, in which the touchscreen and the display surface are one. This allows you to reduce the thickness, improve color reproduction, increase brightness and increase viewing angles.
Key Benefits technology is considered a high contrast image. By the way, from poisonous flowers, for which they once criticized Samsung smartphones, managed to leave quickly, and today AMOLED displays have become the benchmark in terms of contrast: 30,000:1 versus 1,500:1 for IPS. The black color in such displays is really black, because the technology is built in such a way that only those pixels that are necessary to create an image glow, the rest do not glow, which also saves the energy of the gadget. However, if images with white and light colors are used more often, then the economy is reduced to nothing. AMOLED displays are slightly thinner, which affects the thickness of the gadget, and for some, this factor is important when choosing a smartphone.
Touchscreen type
Touch screens today are represented by the following main types:
- resistive;
- capacitive.
Resistive screens are cheap, so they are used in budget-class smartphones. Such displays were used in the first touchscreen smartphones. They consist of two layers, on the surface of each of which conductor tracks are applied. When you click on the screen, the current resistance changes at a point with specific coordinates. A significant advantage of the technology is the ability to press the screen with any object, but the display is not very durable, it scratches and may lose brightness over time.
Capacitive screens today are used in smartphones almost everywhere. The technology is based on the calculation of current leakage when you press the display. The screen may consist only of glass with a conductive layer or of glass and film. It only reacts to finger touches, but it is more resistant to scratches and has a high brightness. Often these screens are closed protective glass and apply an oleophobic coating on them so that the display is less dirty.
Android smartphone manufacturers continue to increase screen sizes. More recently, a device with a 5-inch display was classified as a phablet. Now this is the standard display size for flagship Google phones. And we are talking about the models of 2013, in 2014 new models will be released, and the devices can get displays of 5.5 inches and more.
Smartphones are getting bigger, and there are already people who do not like this trend, states. Not everyone wants to have portable device for which you need to sew a special pocket. There are still people who think that 3.5 inches, which Steve Jobs defined as optimal, is what it is. Although introduced in 2012 iPhone 5 will get a 4-inch display.
What is the best screen size for a smartphone? It is very difficult to give a definite answer to this question. Popular English language blog phonearena.com conducted a survey among readers, which screen size they prefer. For the first time, such a survey was conducted by the resource back in 2011, and, as it turned out, preferences have changed very much over the past 3 years.
In 2011, 35% of users chose smaller than 3.99 inches as their ideal screen size. For 40.5%, a screen between 4 and 4.29 inches was the best option. In 2014, only 1.19% voted for the option “less than 3.99″”, and 15.53% voted for screens with a diagonal of 4-4.49″. But for the option of more than 4.5 inches, a total of 65% voted. Thus, for the majority, perception big smartphones has changed. Now even the Korean "tablet phone" Galaxy Note does not seem too big, and smartphones with 4-inch displays are perceived as small.
However, the day is not far off when manufacturers will no longer be able to simply increase the screen in each new flagship. There are physical limits to handheld devices that a user will take with them on a daily basis, which we have already come close to.
The next step, which is expected to be made as early as 2015, is flexible foldable displays. If the technology can be improved, and smartphones can indeed be folded or even rolled up, manufacturers will overcome the physical limitations of the size of a smartphone body that can still be “crammed” into a pocket.
What is the most popular display size? Chinese in Lately presented a bunch of new smartphones with a screen size of 5.5 inches, but are such models in demand among users? Recently, these questions were raised in the comments on the AliTrust website and the editors decided to do their own research to find out the truth.
European statistics
Let's start with world statistics, because it is difficult to ignore the opinion of the world community. According to research by Device Atlas, large-screen smartphones are not for everyone.
Statistics were collected in the following countries: Japan, Australia, India, USA, UK and Nigeria. Please note that this is not a survey, the data was taken from reports that collected information on traffic consumption. These reports usually contain information about operating system devices, browsers used and technical specifications gadgets, such as resolution and screen size.
Today, people most often buy devices with a 4.7-inch display. This is natural, because among the huge variety of mobile technology, Apple gadgets are leading by a huge margin. At the same Iphone time They are available in two screen sizes - 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. Looks like the first model is more convenient for buyers.
In second place mobile devices with a display size of 5 inches. On the third - 5.5 inch screens, which are in special reverence among the Chinese, but relatively unloved by Europeans and users from other "advanced" countries.
Now let's deal with screen resolutions. The first place is occupied by the standard 1334x750 pixels, which is indicative for the Iphone. It is followed by Full HD 1920x1080 pixels, after which comes the standard HD 1280x720 pixels.
In order not to cause a burning feeling of envy among readers, we will clarify that people still have a lot of outdated equipment. Displays with a resolution of 480x800 pixels or 540x960 pixels do not surprise anyone. But there are relatively few cutting-edge gadgets with a resolution of 1440x2560 pixels, either due to their high cost, or because of the inconvenience of using - after all, such equipment has a considerable size and significant weight. Or maybe all three factors play a role.
Russian statistics
America and Australia - of course, this is good, but we are interested in the opinion of Russian users. We did not conduct polls on the streets, but published a post with an anonymous vote in social network In contact with. As expected, the results turned out to be different from the world ones. Since more than 4,700 people took part in the survey at the time of its completion, and the target audience Since the group includes both men and women of different ages (AliExpress buyers), the statistics can be considered reliable.
The most popular mobile technology among Russians is with a display size of 5-5.1 inches. This is due to the fact that in Russia there are a lot of Chinese smartphones in connection with the successful entry into the market of AliExpress and other major online stores in China.
We also have iPhones, although due to their price, a limited number of people can afford such smartphones. Most often, Apple products are purchased in Moscow and other large cities of the Russian Federation, where the standard of living and salaries are higher than in the regions. However, other equipment has a screen size of about 4.7 inches, for example, the Chinese model HTC One.
The third place in Russia is occupied by gadgets with a display size of 5.5 inches, and we have already described the reason for this - the inconvenience of use. Such a "shovel", especially in a case, is difficult to put in your pocket and uncomfortable to hold in your hands. But such smartphones are indispensable as an alternative to the tablet, which outweighs the above disadvantages.
We encourage you to give your answer in the comments. what is the most popular smartphone screen size today. Write, we will discuss.
Manufacturers continue to increase the screens of smartphones. More recently, a device with a 5 ”display without hesitation was classified as a tablet, such as the DELL Streak 5. Now this is the standard display size for Android flagships. And we are talking about models of 2013, in 2014 new smartphones will be released, and flagships can get displays of 5.5 ”and more. And it will become the new standard for the whole year.
Appeared new class devices - phablets, which are difficult to attribute to smartphones due to huge screens. At the same time, some phablet models come close to 7 ”tablets. Smartphones are getting bigger and there are already people who don't like this trend. Indeed, not everyone wants to have a pocket device for which you need to sew a special pocket. There are still people who think that 3.5”, which Steve Jobs defined as optimal, is what it is. Although even Apple itself does not think so.
Indeed, what screen size is considered optimal for a smartphone? It is very difficult to give a definite answer to this question. This is a very subjective point. However, even subjective preferences can be measured; for this, there are statistics and various public opinion polls. Thus, the phonearena.com resource conducted a survey among users, which diagonal of the display they prefer. For the first time, such a survey was conducted by the resource back in 2011, and, as it turned out, preferences have changed very much over the past 3 years.
In 2011, 35% of users chose smaller than 3.99” as their ideal diagonal. For 40.5%, a 4” to 4.29” screen was the best option. In 2014, only 1.19% voted for the option “less than 3.99”, and 15.53% voted for screens with a diagonal of 4”-4.49”. On the other hand, 65% voted for the option over 4.5”. Thus, for the majority, the perception of large smartphones has changed. Now even the Galaxy Note does not seem too big, and smartphones with 4” displays are generally perceived as small. Moreover, this trend also applies to tablets, for which a diagonal of 10 "is no longer the limit - according to rumors, Apple is preparing a device with a screen of more than 12", and Samsung has already announced a similar product.
On the other hand, the day is not far off when manufacturers will no longer be able to simply increase the screen in each new flagship. For handheld devices that the user will take with him daily, there are certain physical limits, which we have already come close to.
In 2014, 5.5” will become the standard for smartphones. After that, the display can be enlarged by a maximum of one more inch. After 6.5”, even despite the obvious transformation of the minds of users in recent years, devices will not be perceived as either pocketable or compact.
The next step, which is likely to be made as early as 2015, is flexible foldable displays. If the technology can be improved, and smartphones can indeed be folded or even rolled up, manufacturers will overcome the physical limitations of the size of a smartphone body that can still be “crammed” into a pocket.
In contact with
Recently, rumors appeared on the network that in 2016 Apple company, among other things, will present a compact smartphone with a screen diagonal of 4 '', in the spirit of models two years ago - the bright times when Apple did not capture the same ideas as other manufacturers. Later, a similar rumor appeared about a new device from Meizu. As if the Chinese are preparing a reduced Meizu version Pro 5 with the prefix "mini" and a really small screen by modern standards - with a diagonal of 4.7 '' and retaining the characteristics of the flagship, without compromise. Perhaps all this is just a dream, but it's so nice to dream!
To dream that in 2016 manufacturers will calm down a bit and move away from the principle “if the flagship, then the shovel!”. Yes, this year there were quite good devices with a large screen diagonal. Even budget devices, and those are already concentrated mainly in the 5-inch category, as if everyone had forgotten about the more compact models. Meanwhile, it is worth picking up a smartphone with a diagonal of 4.2 - 4.7 inches, and it turns out that it is very convenient! Of course, if you have been exclusively using Samsung Note devices for the past three years, then you hardly miss compact smartphones. But I sometimes install the main SIM card in Meizu MX2 (4.4'') for one or two days or just pick up HTC HD2 (4.3'') and understand that the dimensions of these devices are comfortable for me even today, years after their market entry.
Using the MX2, I do not feel any problems or lack of screen space due to its compact size. Rather, everything rests on outdated characteristics, so, of course, I cannot use such a device for more than a couple of days, just for experiment. Outdated cameras, slow interface by modern standards and other things make themselves felt. But dimensions! They are damn comfortable and correct!
Holding the smartphone in one hand, I can easily reach thumb the same hand to almost every edge of the screen. With active use, I do not need to intercept the device or connect a second hand to poke into some interface element in the program or settings that is completely remote from the lower right area. The smartphone takes up little space in your pocket, finally. Yes, a device with a diagonal of 4.4 ″ does not protect the ear from gusts of wind, it cannot be used for digging, and it is probably not very suitable for watching videos at home in the evening, lying on the couch. But as a working tool, a smartphone with a diagonal of up to five inches, in my opinion, remains relevant and convenient.
