The 5.8” Screen Hits the Sweet Spot
I was pretty vocal with my discontent that Apple had given the new Apple iPhone X a taller and narrower aspect ratio. I was upset that text and landscape video would get smaller. Which is true, but after actually using the iPhone X, I’m sold. Apple truly hit the sweet spot and created an iPhone that’s got a Plus-sized screen in the smaller body.
The biggest thing that I got wrong about the iPhone X was my assertion that it’s just a regular 4.7” iPhone screen that was stretched to be taller. I was so focused on comparing the 5.8” screen to the 5.5” Plus screen that I didn’t think to compare it to the 4.7” screen. I’ve been using both an iPhone 6 and the iPhone X for the past week, and I can clearly see that everything on the X is larger. Text, photos, and video are all noticeably larger on the X. Even the icons on the home screen are bigger.
It’s true that everything is still smaller than the iPhone 8 Plus. But coming from a 4.7” screen, you still feel like you got that Plus bump in screen size. And perhaps that is the biggest thing that helped change my mind about the X. I sold my iPhone 7 Plus and used the regular iPhone 6 exclusively for a week while I waited for my X to arrive.
Using the 4.7” iPhone 6 caused two things to happen. First, I found that I really liked how small and light the phone is. I could leave it in my pocket a whole lot more than my old 7 Plus because it wasn’t getting too uncomfortable. Second, after using the 4.7” screen exclusively for a week my immediate reaction to the iPhone X screen was “Wow, this screen is big!”.
When the iPhone X was unveiled on stage last fall, I was angry because I hated how tiny landscaped videos were on the 4.7” screen when you had the phone standing in portrait mode. Also, websites could get unreadable when trying to fit anything with more than one column of info. When comparing the X to the iPhone 6, you can see that the screen is indeed wider. It’s not as wide as the Plus, but I’m okay with the tradeoff since I’m gaining a much more pocketable phone. Apple truly hit the happy medium with this screen size.
When comparing the 4.7” and 5.8” screens side-by-side, you can see that everything is larger on the 5.8”. You’re not simply getting more screen at the bottom. Text is also more readable. Not just because the screen is a little wider, but I think because the resolution is much higher. The iPhone X screen resolution yields a 458dpi which is much higher than the 326dpi in the 4.7” screen. This makes small text sharper and more defined. Part of the reason that small text on the 4.7” screen was always difficult to read was because it was a bit fuzzy. We all blamed our eyes but some of the blame actually belonged to the screen resolution.
It’s true that everything is still smaller than the iPhone 8 Plus. But coming from a 4.7” screen, you still feel like you got that Plus bump in screen size. And perhaps that is the biggest thing that helped change my mind about the X. I sold my iPhone 7 Plus and used the regular iPhone 6 exclusively for a week while I waited for my X to arrive.
Using the 4.7” iPhone 6 caused two things to happen. First, I found that I really liked how small and light the phone is. I could leave it in my pocket a whole lot more than my old 7 Plus because it wasn’t getting too uncomfortable. Second, after using the 4.7” screen exclusively for a week my immediate reaction to the iPhone X screen was “Wow, this screen is big!”.
When the iPhone X was unveiled on stage last fall, I was angry because I hated how tiny landscaped videos were on the 4.7” screen when you had the phone standing in portrait mode. Also, websites could get unreadable when trying to fit anything with more than one column of info. When comparing the X to the iPhone 6, you can see that the screen is indeed wider. It’s not as wide as the Plus, but I’m okay with the tradeoff since I’m gaining a much more pocketable phone. Apple truly hit the happy medium with this screen size.
When comparing the 4.7” and 5.8” screens side-by-side, you can see that everything is larger on the 5.8”. You’re not simply getting more screen at the bottom. Text is also more readable. Not just because the screen is a little wider, but I think because the resolution is much higher. The iPhone X screen resolution yields a 458dpi which is much higher than the 326dpi in the 4.7” screen. This makes small text sharper and more defined. Part of the reason that small text on the 4.7” screen was always difficult to read was because it was a bit fuzzy. We all blamed our eyes but some of the blame actually belonged to the screen resolution.
But not all is sunshine and lollipops in iPhone land. The iPhone X got bigger and heavier. I have two words for everyone harping on Apple to make their phones thicker and heavier for whatever reason, shut up. The unexpected observation I had when jumping from the iPhone 6 to the iPhone X was how much heavier the iPhone X is. It makes my gym shorts sag and really bulges in your pants pocket. The iPhone 6 is thinner and lighter than even the iPhone 8 and it is a joy to carry around. I immediately felt it when switching from my bulky iPhone 7 Plus and it made me excited to get my new X because I thought it would be similarly small. It’s not.
The iPhone has been getting either thicker or heavier for four years now. Four years! It’s time to make the iPhone thinner and lighter again. I have a hard time believing that anyone could think otherwise. The weight of an object in your pocket is significant. I’d rather carry a few dimes than a bunch of quarters.
I held the iPhone 6 in one hand and the iPhone X in the other and compared the two. The iPhone X feels like an iPhone 6 with battery case attached. Battery cases were always longer to accommodate the lighting port and added thickness to the phone to house the battery. That’s exactly what happened to the X.
For me, the iPhone X is almost the perfect phone. If Apple ever comes out with a larger “X Plus” I’m going to skip it. A larger screen would be nice, but I’ve found that a mobile phone needs to be mobile first and foremost. If I need to work on my iPhone for more than a few minutes I’m reaching for my iPad Pro at that point anyway. I say the iPhone X is “almost” the perfect phone because I still wish it was lighter.
I slammed Apple for going with the narrower aspect ratio on the iPhone X before I really got a chance to use the new iPhone. I was wrong. Until iPhones can unfold into 8” screens, this is the best balance of size and weight that exists anywhere in the world today.
Now available in iBooks —> The Tesla Bubble
The iPhone has been getting either thicker or heavier for four years now. Four years! It’s time to make the iPhone thinner and lighter again. I have a hard time believing that anyone could think otherwise. The weight of an object in your pocket is significant. I’d rather carry a few dimes than a bunch of quarters.
I held the iPhone 6 in one hand and the iPhone X in the other and compared the two. The iPhone X feels like an iPhone 6 with battery case attached. Battery cases were always longer to accommodate the lighting port and added thickness to the phone to house the battery. That’s exactly what happened to the X.
For me, the iPhone X is almost the perfect phone. If Apple ever comes out with a larger “X Plus” I’m going to skip it. A larger screen would be nice, but I’ve found that a mobile phone needs to be mobile first and foremost. If I need to work on my iPhone for more than a few minutes I’m reaching for my iPad Pro at that point anyway. I say the iPhone X is “almost” the perfect phone because I still wish it was lighter.
I slammed Apple for going with the narrower aspect ratio on the iPhone X before I really got a chance to use the new iPhone. I was wrong. Until iPhones can unfold into 8” screens, this is the best balance of size and weight that exists anywhere in the world today.
Now available in iBooks —> The Tesla Bubble
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