How Big Is Yours?   Phone Screen that is!

New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
 Frankie boy 16 Jan 2021

Morning all,

Finally in process of buying a new phone, and it seems if you want a big battery you end up having to have a big screen.

It seems huge phones are pretty much becoming the norm, so my question is: how being is your screen and do you find the extra size (say a 6.5" compared to a 5.5") actually any more useful?

The way things are going, it won't be long before an old red phone box is going to be more portable than a mobile phone.

2
 Tom Valentine 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

I phone SE , smallest screen and phone on the market,  (I think)which is the sole reason I bought it. I still believe that one of the main benefits of a mobile phone should be portability.

 Hooo 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

I'm with you in this. I'm sticking with my 4 year old Xperia Compact until it dies, then I have my wife's old one (the same ) lined up for a few more years. Hopefully by then this ridiculous trend for phones the size of an iPad will have died out and I'll again be able to buy a decent phone that fits in my pocket and I can use one-handed.

Failing that I might have to consider making the switch to Apple, as they seem to be the only manufacturer making sensible sized phones with decent performance. 

In reply to Tom Valentine:

Same here. Anything bigger than the SE and I can’t use it with one hand which I would count as a huge loss in functionality. Even the SE is pushing it for one handed use for me!

To the OP - you mention needing the bigger phone to get a bigger battery. Have you checked that the bigger phone doesn’t just require a proportionally bigger battery to achieve a similar run time?

1
 Martin W 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Stuart Williams:

Given that the screen is the largest single drain on the battery on any smartphone (unless you never actually unlock the phone, which would seem to render owning it somewhat pointless) then what you suggest would seem to make sense.

I still use my Xperia Z5 Compact and find it difficult to conceive of carrying anything bigger.  Unfortunately OS updates stopped some time ago and I suspect that over time fewer and fewer apps will run on it.  Plus, of course, there are the security implications of not getting regular OS updates.

Post edited at 09:23
 Graeme G 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Went from iPhone SE to XR. Took a while to get used to the massive increase in size. It was a conscious choice as pre coronavirus I was on the road a lot and SE was just too small to watch films on.

I wouldn’t want to go any bigger. 6.1” is def large enough.

Post edited at 09:26
 Graeme G 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Martin W:

> Unfortunately OS updates stopped some time ago and I suspect that over time fewer and fewer apps will run on it.  Plus, of course, there are the security implications of not getting regular OS updates.

On an SE? My missus stills gets updates on hers.

 peppermill 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

They seem to be getting longer and thinner. Recently picked up a Galaxy A21s, main reason was the battery life and price (150-ish)

Honestly you get used to it and the trade off for battery life (and cost compared to other phones) is more than worth it. I charge it every 2-3 days and that's with running multiple dating apps which are notoriously power hungry.

That said I do miss the iPhone SE I had a few years ago as it was so small compared to modern phones.

 The New NickB 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Graeme G:

> Went from iPhone SE to XR. Took a while to get used to the massive increase in size. It was a conscious choice as pre coronavirus I was on the road a lot and SE was just too small to watch films on.

> I wouldn’t want to go any bigger. 6.1” is def large enough.

I've recently upgraded from a 7 to an XR. The 7 is the same size an an SE. The larger screen on the XR definitely makes using it for veiwing things a nicer experience, but it is considerably trickier to use one handed.

 Graeme G 16 Jan 2021
In reply to The New NickB:

> but it is considerably trickier to use one handed.

Definitely. Even my teenage daughter has to use two hands!!

 Si dH 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

I had to upgrade recently and got a pixel 4a, which is 5.8 inches but with no bezel (it's slightly easier to hold than my old phone, which was 5.5 inches with a chunky bezel.) This is ok but I wouldn't want anything bigger as I like to use it one handed if possible. I couldn't find anything using android that is smaller with an acceptable camera and storage capacity. The vast majority have screens over 6 inches now. Ideally I would like about 5 inches with no bezel.

I never watch films on it though and I don't really play mobile games at all. Whenever at home I use my tablet.

Post edited at 10:45
 pec 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Tom Valentine:

>  smallest screen and phone on the market,  (I think)which is the sole reason I bought it. I still believe that one of the main benefits of a mobile phone should be portability.

Like you, I bought mine principally because it had a small screen. I bought another one first without paying too much attention to its size (6" screen, not that big by modern standards), took it out of the box and said no way am I carrying that around. It would be like carrying a chopping board in your pocket so I sent it straight back and did some research for small phones.

Eventually got a Cubot King Kong Mini, 4" screen and "rugged" i.e. quite waterproof and shock proof etc so good for knocks and bumps when climbing and DIYing, fairly basic but does what I need. Battery life isn't great but I could carry a power pack with it and it would still be more portable than most modern phones which are more like an ipad now.

OP Frankie boy 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Stuart Williams:

I'm after a phone with a decent battery life (ideally more than a day). From what I can tell looking at specs, if seems that the larger batteries only come in larger phones (presumably due to the increased size of the battery I'm guessing).

Post edited at 11:09
OP Frankie boy 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Si dH:

I currently have a Huawei 5" phone with a huge border round the screen. I'm happy with physical side of phone but want no bigger. In comparison, the Samsung a20e has a 5.8" screen but the body of the phone is the same size as my current phone. Sadly, the battery is no bigger and battery life is not reported to be great on them.

OP Frankie boy 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Martin W:

Yeah, I'm having to get a new phone due to old OS, and apps I use a lot now not working.

I tend to avoid Apple, which doesn't help when I want a small phone and I'm a bit unsure about getting another Huawei with all the current stuff with them.

 peppermill 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

A21s dude as per my previous post, reasonable money and the battery lasts days

OP Frankie boy 16 Jan 2021
In reply to peppermill:

Funnily enough, I forgot to mention, my wife recently bought that exact phone. It does seem pretty decent, I'm just having trouble getting my head round the size when I stand it next to mine. But if I end up having to get a big phone I reckon that is the one.

In reply to Frankie boy:

Yeah, I was just wondering whether since a bigger phone will consume more power it evened out overall. Can’t really speak for the battery life of my iPhone SE as I got it last year and haven’t had any opportunity to be away from home for more than a day. I’ve often still got 60-70% battery at the end of the day though so I reckon I’d just about get two days of light use from it. More if it was on flight mode when I didn’t need it. Nothing spectacular and depends on how much you use it. And I’ve not put that to the test so could be very wrong! I’m curious now so might put forego charging tonight and see.

I get the impression that nowadays most phone batteries are fitted on the assumption that they’ll be charged every night. I guess another option if you need it to last would be to look at phones with removable batteries and get a spare - I assume that’s still a thing and might broaden your choices. 

Post edited at 12:48
 Si dH 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Well, if you are happy with that size, I've been happy with my pixel 4a so far

 Alkis 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

I had the various forms of the Apple 4" platform from 2013 until 2020, first with the 5S and then with the externally identical SE.

I bought an 11 Pro in September when I finally dropped the SE one time too many and the front glass shattered (it's actually still usable...), so I went from 4" to 5.85". I expected that to be a problem, I generally dislike big phones, but it's actually quite usable. I suspect that is because the phone is still quite narrow and much of the extra screed is in the top and bottom "safe areas" of the screen.

 Dax H 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

5 inch here, 4 fits the pocket better but I can see 5 better and as it gets a lot of use for word docs being able to see is important. Can't go any bigger though, this one is already a slight hindrance in my pocket at work. 

 Martin W 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Graeme G:

> On an SE? My missus stills gets updates on hers.

I don't have an SE.  If you re-read my posting you will see that I clearly stated that I have an Xperia Z5 Compact.

 Hooo 16 Jan 2021
In reply to Martin W:

As far as I'm concerned no longer getting OS updates is a bonus. Mine is now stuck on Android 8. I'd roll back to 7 if I could, but this doesn't seem to be possible. My wife's new phone updated to 9 and from her complaints it's even worse, so I'm glad I won't be getting it. Eventually some apps will stop working and I'll be forced to update, but I'm going to stick with this one as long as I can.

OP Frankie boy 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Hooo:

For what its worth I'm currently on Android 6. I really have no problem with Android 6 other than apps I need no longer working. Its a shame things start to become obselete so quickly in the name of "progress".

 CurlyStevo 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Hooo:

Its not a bonus it leaves your phone open to vulnerabilities.

1
Andy Gamisou 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Nuts isn't it?  I got a pixel 3a because it was the smallest smart phone I could find without spending ridiculous amount of money.  As a small Android tablet it's great.  As a phone it sucks ass.  It's still too big, and the android phone app I find awful.  Why do the sodding things hide the number pad when you pick up a call?  Lots of server side phone systems want you to type numbers at them, so why bury away the damn number pad somewhere that is difficult to find when your eyesight isn't good?  I've recently put the sim back into my ancient Nokia Lumia which I can fit into one hand comfortably and which actually works as a phone.

In reply to Frankie boy:

Each to their own I know, but I really don't understand the issues people have with "large" phones.

Mine is currently 6.4 inches but fits fine in all my pockets. I cant really type one handed on it if I'm holding it in that hand, but when do I need to do that? I can type quicker using two thumbs. What would I need to be doing with the other hand? I'm no good at multi tasking.

I quite often read articles or watch tv on mine and a bigger screen is a definate advantage for that. Big battery 6000mAh, lasts for two days even with quite heavy use. 

 wbo2 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy: Galaxy S10E seems to be a happy place for me at circa 6".  Plenty of screen space but still goes in my pockets

 Hooo 17 Jan 2021
In reply to CurlyStevo:

Yeah, that's what they say. There are millions of people running outdated Android versions, and I have never heard of anyone being hacked due to an OS vulnerability. 

 Hooo 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Out of interest what apps have stopped working? I tend to only update apps when they force me to, so most of mine are several years out of date but still working fine. In fact the old version is often better than the latest one. It seems that most app updates just add crap that I don't want.

OP Frankie boy 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Hooo:

First direct app no longer works. The worst thing is I can't even seem to log onto their physical website without having the app. Halifax app is giving warnings that it soon won't work and need to upgrade. BBC I player has stopped working but they may be due to its latest update, not necessarily OS but don't know. Some other (non bank type ones just never allow them to update unless absolutely forced to so that helps a bit). I'm sure also I've seen the odd app on Google play that I was interested in but it didn't support my OS.

Realistically, I don't mind upgrading the phone as the speaker in it is pretty shoddy and it is getting a bit battered now, but was just surprised how things have changed since I got mine all those years ago. 

OP Frankie boy 17 Jan 2021
In reply to mountain.martin:

My wife's phone (Galaxy a21s) doesn't even for in my jeans pocket, and I certainly couldn't sit down with it in a front pocket. As I'm really not bothered about having a bigger screen, I don't see carrying a front door in my pocket as a good trade off. 

Also, I often find it handy to be able to use the phone with one hand, when trying to text while holding the dogs lead for example.

 Jenny C 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Hooo:

> I'm with you in this. I'm sticking with my 4 year old Xperia Compact until it dies, then I have my wife's old one (the same ) lined up for a few more years. Hopefully by then this ridiculous trend for phones the size of an iPad will have died out and I'll again be able to buy a decent phone that fits in my pocket and I can use one-handed.

I had to replace mine as the battery wasnt lasting a full day of useage. Walked into shop and simply asked for the smallest handset possible. Google pixle5 which is about 6".

Larger screen is much easier to use/view and although the screen is significantly larger the handset itself isn't that much bigger. Ok phone although I wish it had a headphones socket (never thought to check), would have preferred to stick with sony but they are a really weird shape and not at all pocket friendly.

Post edited at 14:51
 Toby_W 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Tom Valentine:

Me to, like the small size, have work iPads for big screen stuff.

Toby

 Hooo 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Ah. If your banking app is no longer working then you have no choice. I wonder how long I've got before that happens to me.

Post back if you find something good in a sensible size!

 Misha 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Seems I’m the first on this thread to point out it’s not the size that matters, it’s how you use it. Do you need a larger phone? Are you going to climb with it (in which case consider the extra weight and bulk of a protective case).

I have an iPhone 8 - it’s a work phone and that’s what they were offering when I got it 2.5 years ago. Wouldn’t mind a slightly larger one but equally don’t really want it larger for climbing with if I need to (eg winter or alpine). Will stick with it till it dies but going well thus far despite more use than is healthy for me...

 Ridge 17 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Moto G7 power here. 6.2" screen and 5000mAh battery.

Bought it to replace a Samsung Galaxy S6 edge that ended up with a battery life measured in hours.

Not as nice a screen, not as sleek and sexy, a bit big, but £100 from Argos, much better battery life, and if it breaks or the battery ends up knackered (as they do), I'll just buy the next cheapo equivalent.

OP Frankie boy 18 Jan 2021
In reply to Ridge:

I was looking at one of them. Seems they're still much bigger than I'd like but fit within my budget,They've and could be a bit of a sacrifice. They've since replaced it with the bigger g8 though, so it may have to be a refurb. 

I don't really have the budget to go for something like a pixel.

 elliot.baker 18 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

6.1" on the new iPhone. When I got it I was like ooo should I have got the mini (5.4") but after a week or so you just get used to it. I think typing on a smaller screen is probably harder than on a slightly bigger one maybe... It fits in my pocket fine like others have said. Battery life isn't that great on these though, easily get a day out of it, maybe 1.5 with moderate use but definitely not 2 unless you aren't using it at all(but it is a brilliant phone to live with, camera is amazing, screen quality is brill, and it's lightening fast opening apps and stuff. Even the phone speakers are decent quality for watching videos).

 LastBoyScout 19 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

I use an Xperia XZ1. Bit old now, but there is a compact version of that, which is still available on eBay, and I think newer versions also have a compact version.

Advantage of a bigger phone, apart from the use of the screen, is that you get a bigger battery in it, so they tend to last longer. I agree I wouldn't want to go any bigger than I have, though.

 LastBoyScout 19 Jan 2021
In reply to Stuart Williams:

> I get the impression that nowadays most phone batteries are fitted on the assumption that they’ll be charged every night. I guess another option if you need it to last would be to look at phones with removable batteries and get a spare - I assume that’s still a thing and might broaden your choices. 

My XZ1 will last a few days if I'm not using it for much.

Don't worry about a removable battery (which wrecks the waterproofing) - just get an appropriately sized power bank, or 2 small ones.

You can get cases for some with an external battery, too.

 LastBoyScout 19 Jan 2021
In reply to Frankie boy:

Ebay item 124466900774 - I had the full-size one until I accidentally drowned it (hadn't realised the back panel had come un-glued ). Brilliant phone, but not sure how much longer you'll be able to update the operating software for.


New Topic
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Loading Notifications...