Total display area

[tcdude]

Hi everyone,

I've been reading about this new aspect ratio is actually decreasing the total area of the screen. So can anyone confirm how the 5.8 and 6.2 inch screens compare to other displays but by area instead of diagonal length?

Thanks

 

[edubb256]

If my math is right, the S8 has 13.2 sq in of display area. The S7 edge has 12.9 sq in.

But yes, you are right that the more elongated the aspect ratio, the less the display area, given the same diagonal length.

 

[tcdude]

Thanks for the reply we're essentially getting the same screen size coming from the S7E, and I don't mean this a criticism to Samsung maybe with this new ratio we're getting more from the display but in terms of size it's the same despite the fact they advertise a larger display

Again this is not a criticism but I thought it would be interesting to talk about but oddly no one seems to care lol

It's ok though I'm pre ordering my S8 very soon

 

[Zendroid1]

The industry just needs to catch up with how screen size is measured. They are using a method that doesn't work anymore.

 

[tcdude]

The industry just needs to catch up with how screen size is measured. They are using a method that doesn't work anymore.

Agreed, and I'm not trying to ruin the party I'm in with the S8 it's just I think it's worth noting that the screen size they are advertising in a small footprint is a little misleading

But that being said this aspect ratio may make better use of the total screen

 

[edubb256]

Agreed, and I'm not trying to ruin the party I'm in with the S8 it's just I think it's worth noting that the screen size they are advertising in a small footprint is a little misleading

But that being said this aspect ratio may make better use of the total screen

Not clear to me how it is misleading. The specs on diagonal length and aspect ratio are accurate. Those are the standard specs reported by all phone manufacturers. How could they report it to be less misleading? If they tried to report something like display area, that would be more confusing for most people. The bottom line is the S8 has a bigger screen (both in terms of display area and diagonal length) than the S7 edge, while having a smaller size than the S7 Edge.

 

[tcdude]

Not clear to me how it is misleading. The specs on diagonal length and aspect ratio are accurate. Those are the standard specs reported by all phone manufacturers. How could they report it to be less misleading? If they tried to report something like display area, that would be more confusing for most people. The bottom line is the S8 has a bigger screen (both in terms of display area and diagonal length) than the S7 edge, while having a smaller size than the S7 Edge.

Yes I agree but is it by 0.3 inches?

I had read an article on the LG G6 and he said that the 5.7 inch screen had a slightly less total surface area than a 5.7 inch screen with a 16:9 ratio

 

[neil74]

I had never considered this but it does explain why when I held the S8 demo unit in store it felt like a smaller phone than my S7E. The screen is definitely narrower. I ended up pre-ordering the S8+ (But am having 2nd thoughts tbh about cancelling the order)

The other thing is the on screen menu buttons seem to be there all the time so that is screen space that you are not really getting the benefit of.

 

[Ziich47]

Take a look at an iPad. It is 9.7 inches but if still has a larger screen than two 5.5 inch phones because of the aspect ratio.
Furthermore when looking a both phones side by side( s7 edge and s8) you can see more on the s8 because of the slightly higher resolution.

 

[TabGuy]

The industry just needs to catch up with how screen size is measured. They are using a method that doesn't work anymore.

This method has been used since the 1930s when TVs came out. Nobody really griped when 16:9 flat screens arrived and changed the calculation and I don't see anything changing because of this either.

 

[theelite1x87]

This is why i don't understand people saying the S8 plus will have worse battery life. They keep saying how it's much larger (6.2 vs 5.7) screen will eat More battery. But the screen actually isn't much larger. Area wise is only slightly bigger. That different aspect ratio makes the 6.2inch rating look bigger than it actually is (versus 16x9 phones). All things being equal, the display probably won't use much more power than s7e. Add in fact that another year has passed and it's probably a more efficient panel, and the SoC is far more efficient, the S8 should have battery life equivalent or little better than s7e I believe.

 

[Gary02468]

I've been reading about this new aspect ratio is actually decreasing the total area of the screen. So can anyone confirm how the 5.8 and 6.2 inch screens compare to other displays but by area instead of diagonal length?

It's just grade-school arithmetic:

N7.. 1440x2560 pixels / 518 ppi = 2.78"x4.94" = 13.74 in^2 (5.67" diag)
S7e 1440x2560 pixels / 534 ppi = 2.70"x4.79" = 12.93 in^2 (5.50" diag)
S8.. 1440x2960 pixels / 571 ppi = 2.52"x5.18" = 13.07 in^2 (5.76" diag)
S8+ 1440x2960 pixels / 529 ppi = 2.72"x5.60" = 15.23 in^2 (6.22" diag)

 

[rushmore]

The point being made is only a few percent of content is optimized for the display and the vast majority of the device install base is 16:9 (including the new iPhones). Most images and video is smaller due to black bars. It is what it is though, so either learn to like it, or don't buy it seems the options for the aspect ratio weary.

 

[JLD94]

Thanks for breaking this down. I have a note 4, and wanted a slightly smaller phone... I thought the S8 was perfect, until I went to the store and saw it, I couldn't get over the narrowness. It's a bit of an illusion from my perspective because we see the math broke down here. I even made a couple of cut outs of my note 4 and the S8 to ease my mind. I think i made the right choice.

I have seen in some videos though where you can do something to get rid of the black bars on the sides since most of the videos aren't in 18:9 now. I wasn't paying attention to how much it was distorted though.

 

[sd13]

The screen area of the 6.2" s8+ is roughly the equivalent of the area of a 5.9" standard ratio phone.

 

[James E1]

The screen area of the 6.2" s8+ is roughly the equivalent of the area of a 5.9" standard ratio phone.

No, for video viewing it is about the same as a 5.5 inch screen. The S8 is about the same as a 5.2 inch screen.

 

[Gary02468]

The screen area of the 6.2" s8+ is roughly the equivalent of the area of a 5.9" standard ratio phone.

No, it's much closer to 6.0" (more precisely, 5.97"):
1440x2650 pixels / 492 ppi = 2.93"x5.20" = 15.23 in^2 (5.97" diag)

No, for video viewing it is about the same as a 5.5 inch screen.

No, that's only if you're viewing the video at the wrong aspect ratio, with black bars on the sides. Instead, you can zoom in to take up the whole screen. Most studio content for the past few years has been recorded in at least 4k, which means it's possible to zoom to a 2960x1440 frame without expanding beyond the original resolution.

 

[James E1]

No, it's much closer to 6.0" (more precisely, 5.97"):
1440x2650 pixels / 492 ppi = 2.93"x5.20" = 15.23 in^2 (5.97" diag)


No, that's only if you're viewing the video at the wrong aspect ratio, with black bars on the sides. Instead, you can zoom in to take up the whole screen. Most studio content for the past few years has been recorded in at least 4k, which means it's possible to zoom to a 2960x1440 frame without expanding beyond the original resolution.

Wrong. If you zoom in it cuts off the top and bottom of the video. To get the full video on the screen you can't zoom in and that gives you roughly 5.5 and 5.2. Spin it any way you want to but the facts still stand.

 

[Gary02468]

Wrong. If you zoom in it cuts off the top and bottom of the video.

Of course it crops, but that doesn't contradict anything I said. (Perhaps my wording was unclear, though. By "not expanding beyond the original resolution", I meant you don't have to make anything fuzzy by zooming in, because the original supports the zoomed detail.)

If the video was recorded in full 4k or 8k resolution, as is standard for professional filming, then you likewise have to crop a bit for viewing on your 2560x1440 screen.

 

[James E1]

Of course it crops, but that doesn't contradict anything I said. (Perhaps my wording was unclear, though. By "not expanding beyond the original resolution", I meant you don't have to make anything fuzzy by zooming in, because the original supports the zoomed detail.)

If the video was recorded in full 4k or 8k resolution, as is standard for professional filming, then you likewise have to crop a bit for viewing on your 2560x1440 screen.

Well it's a lose-lose situation. Viewing it one way you lose part of the screen with black bars, viewing it the other way you lose part of the video. I don't think it is going to go over very well once it in the hands of consumers.