Diagonal measure of screen is to viewable area or bezel?

[trampooc]

I am trying to decide between two old phablets (because I don't like the skinny new aspect ratios of today's phones).

One has a 7 inch display, the other 6.44 inches. But the one with the 7 inch display has a much wider black inner frame between the bezel and the viewable area than the 6.44 inch phone. It's several millimeters wide.

So I am wondering, how is the diagonal measure calculated? Is it restricted to the viewable area, or does it cheat and include the inner black frame adjacent to the metal bezel?

Because if it includes the inner black frame, the size difference between the two displays is smaller than the figures indicate.

Thanks for any answers.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which tablets are you looking at? The display size should only be for the viewable area. It would be pretty misleading if they included the bezel.

 

[trampooc]

Thanks for the reply. I'm looking at Mi Max 2 (6.44 inches) and Huawei MediaPad T2 7.0 Pro (7 inches). The Huawei is the one with the wide black inner frame. Can only buy either second hand by internet order so I can't measure the displays in person. I am also very annoyed that no phone makers today make new big 16:9 phones for people like me who need them. It's one skinny size fits all and cuts me out of the new phone market.

 

[J Dubbs]

I am trying to decide between two old phablets (because I don't like the skinny new aspect ratios of today's phones).

One has a 7 inch display, the other 6.44 inches. But the one with the 7 inch display has a much wider black inner frame between the bezel and the viewable area than the 6.44 inch phone. It's several millimeters wide.

So I am wondering, how is the diagonal measure calculated? Is it restricted to the viewable area, or does it cheat and include the inner black frame adjacent to the metal bezel?

Because if it includes the inner black frame, the size difference between the two displays is smaller than the figures indicate.

Thanks for any answers.

It seems to vary between makers. I've come across it both ways. The only real way to tell is to measure. Unfortunately that's an area where honesty doesn't always prevail. Since you can't physically measure them, maybe go by the other specs to make your decision, since the screen size difference between the two doesn't seem massive

 

[B. Diddy]

Both GSMArena's and Android Central's reviews state 6.44" for the Xiaomi -- I'm sure they wouldn't include the bezels.

https://www.androidcentral.com/xiaomi-mi-max-2
https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_max_2-review-1642.php

GSMArena's specs page shows 7" for the Huawei: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mediapad_t2_7_0_pro-8302.php

I'd lean toward the Xiaomi, since that one came with Nougat while the Huawei came with Lollipop. Even accounting for any system upgrades they got, the Huawei is probably getting too old for today's use.

 

[smvim]

I tend to agree with what J Dubbs posted, some manufacturers use marketing-based numbers for screen size (which may or may not include bezels) while some use engineering-based numbers (viewable screen size that the user actually sees).
But either way, the diagonal number size is based on height x width. So if you're going just by the stated diagonal sizes, that won't help with avoiding one of those 'skinny' screens -- I'm not a fan of them either. You need both the height and the width to determine the aspect ratio number.

 

[trampooc]

Thanks for the reply. Remember, I'm not talking about the bezels --bezels being the metal or plastic edge that abuts the screen. I am talking about the black inner frame that appears to be part of the screen itself. All phones seem to have them and they vary in width, and they're not part of the viewable display. If you measure diagonally bezel to bezel, you are including the black inner frame. So I want to know if their measuring rulers STOP at the beginning of that black frame or continue past it all the way to the metal or plastic bezel, which would give a deceptive figure.

 

[trampooc]

Well, I'm going by the aspect ratios listed in the specifications for the phones that you see on the internet, rather than measuring height and width.

I have wasted so much time trying to track down one of these older 16:9 phones, which are rapidly disappearing from the secondhand market. They make so much more sense than the new skinny screens. I want a phone to be functional, not a fashion statement.

They did the same thing with the awful "widescreen" laptops. The manufacturers took away all consumer choice and now all laptops adopt the same widescreen aspect ratio, which is fine for movies but terrible for getting work done. And you can't avoid them except by buying secondhand laptops that are nearing the end of their lifespans.

I think it's just a ploy so the manufacturers can save money by giving you less screen. And the new bezel-less skinny phones will surely be more vulnerable in a drop, so they get to sell you new phones more frequently.

Call me cynical...

 

[trampooc]

Both GSMArena's and Android Central's reviews state 6.44" for the Xiaomi -- I'm sure they wouldn't include the bezels.

https://www.androidcentral.com/xiaomi-mi-max-2
https://www.gsmarena.com/xiaomi_mi_max_2-review-1642.php

GSMArena's specs page shows 7" for the Huawei: https://www.gsmarena.com/huawei_mediapad_t2_7_0_pro-8302.php

I'd lean toward the Xiaomi, since that one came with Nougat while the Huawei came with Lollipop. Even accounting for any system upgrades they got, the Huawei is probably getting too old for today's use.

I lean toward the Xiaomi too, because it's considerably lighter in weight. But I've found a source for the Huawei who seems like a more reputable dealer than the source I found for the Xiaomi. It would be worth the extra weight (250 grams for the Huawei vs. 211 grams for the Mi Max 2) if I could be sure that I was getting a full 7 inches in the Huawei, not 6.8 inches, as I love big screens.

There is a niche market that wants a big 16:9 phone or 7 inch tablet that also can be used as a phone. But there are very few new 7 inch tablets that I could find, and the ones that exist (like Samsung Tab A) have lousy 5 megapixel cameras and no flash. This Huawei Mediapad is the only one I found that has a 13 megapixel camera WITH a flash.

I don't particularly care about which Android version it comes with as I'm not a big phone user who needs all the latest stuff.

 

[B. Diddy]

Remember, I'm not talking about the bezels --bezels being the metal or plastic edge that abuts the screen. I am talking about the black inner frame that appears to be part of the screen itself.

That's what I've been referring to as well -- basically any part of the front glass that isn't active screen space is what is generally considered "bezel."

I don't particularly care about which Android version it comes with as I'm not a big phone user who needs all the latest stuff.

The thing is that Lollipop is starting to lose compatibility with more and more major apps, which will just get worse. I'm guessing the Huawei got updated to at least Marshmallow at some point, which gives it a bit more time, but I can't be sure.

 

[B. Diddy]

Have you considered the Lenovo Tab M8 FHD? I have one and am quite pleased with it. It isn't the fastest thing around, but it's good for media and light to moderate gaming. www.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/android-tablets/lenovo-tab-series/Lenovo-TB-8705/p/ZZITZTATB68

 

[trampooc]

Have you considered the Lenovo Tab M8 FHD? I have one and am quite pleased with it. It isn't the fastest thing around, but it's good for media and light to moderate gaming. www.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/android-tablets/lenovo-tab-series/Lenovo-TB-8705/p/ZZITZTATB68

Thanks for the suggestion. It's too heavy at 305 grams. I want something light enough that I can carry it around like a phone.

The webpages I've seen on the Lenovo are full of contradictions. One page says the rear camera is 5 mp, another says it's 13mp. The page you referred me to says it's "Rear: 5MP Auto-Focus & 8MP Auto-Focus" which I don't understand. Two cameras combining to make 13MP? One page said it had a flash, others don't say.

I can't seem to find confirmation that it has LTE.

Anyway, it's too heavy to carry around all the time and probably too big to grip securely with one hand, even though I have big hands. I know there are lots of 8 inch tabs, but what is lacking are 7 inch tabs that can replace a phone.

But thanks for the recommendation.

 

[trampooc]

That's what I've been referring to as well -- basically any part of the front glass that isn't active screen space is what is generally considered "bezel."



The thing is that Lollipop is starting to lose compatibility with more and more major apps, which will just get worse. I'm guessing the Huawei got updated to at least Marshmallow at some point, which gives it a bit more time, but I can't be sure.

I'm more worried about the screen or the memory or other components just dying from old age.

 

[B. Diddy]

Thanks for the suggestion. It's too heavy at 305 grams. I want something light enough that I can carry it around like a phone.

The webpages I've seen on the Lenovo are full of contradictions. One page says the rear camera is 5 mp, another says it's 13mp. The page you referred me to says it's "Rear: 5MP Auto-Focus & 8MP Auto-Focus" which I don't understand. Two cameras combining to make 13MP? One page said it had a flash, others don't say.

I can't seem to find confirmation that it has LTE.

Anyway, it's too heavy to carry around all the time and probably too big to grip securely with one hand, even though I have big hands. I know there are lots of 8 inch tabs, but what is lacking are 7 inch tabs that can replace a phone.

But thanks for the recommendation.

You're right, I was just noticing that now -- that's terrible information!:-\ It has a single rear camera, which is 13 MP -- I just checked the Camera app, and the highest resolution is 13 MP. It does have a rear LED flash. Some of the confusion might be because the regular M8 (the 720p version, so not FHD) doesn't have a flash and only has a 5 MP rear camera.

As far as I know, there is no LTE version of the tablet.