Is there an ideal screen size?
We look at screens all day, but can't seem to figure out how big they should be
Quick, how many screens do you use on daily basis?
You probably have a phone, a computer, maybe a TV, how about a smart watch or e-reader? Do you feel like each of these devices has a screen that is the correct size for the tasks you're using it for?
Recently, I’ve been asking myself that question a lot. I thought it would be worth taking a look at the screens that I use in my life and the ideal screen dimensions that I’d prefer.
Our Phones
The sizes of our phone screens have been on steady increase over the last decade. The earliest smart phones seemed content with screens that measured less than 4 inches or 10.16 cm. Let’s take a quick look back at the original iPhone for example. You can see by these early sketches that a screen size of 3.5 inches seemed perfectly adequate.
Sure, a lot of technology has improved since then. Screens have gotten brighter, more clear, and less power-hungry. The batteries in our phones are able to support the power needed by larger screens. And the types of tasks that we use our phone for are more involved than they were even a few years ago.
And the move to larger “phablet"-sized” screens has been welcomed by many consumers. The mobile phone is becoming the primary computing format for much of the world. Bigger screen equals better phone right?
Well, I’m here to respectfully disagree. You can make all the small hands jokes that you want, but I’m on team smaller phone! I’ve had the bigger screen phones and I keep wishing that each new phone release comes with all of the best specs but just a smaller screen.
I’m not talking about iPhone 1 level screens. 3.5 inches can be a little cramped, but I think I’d be fine with a 5 inch screen as long as it was bright enough. My current Pixel 7 phone has a screen size of 6.3 inches. It’s considered to be relatively small by today’s standards, but I still wish it were a little smaller. It would just be slightly more comfortable in the hand and it would fit in almost any pocket without worrying about it falling out.
I hate the trend of phone manufacturers releasing their phones in two versions. The larger screened device gets all the bells and whistles. The slightly smaller screened version becomes the “affordable” option where corners are cut and features are removed. Why must that be the case? Give me a smaller screen with the same sized battery and all the same cameras!
I can get most things done on a phone that has a screen size of 6 inches or less, and for anything else I am happy to move over to a computer that offers the comfort of a full keyboard anyway.
Our Computers
Yes, let’s talk about screen sizes now for computers. Most laptops come in several screen sizes. 13 and 15-inch models seem to dominated the market. You’ll see some variance depending on the brand. Apple is now offering a 14-inch Macbook Pro. Sometimes you’ll see 13.3 inch or 13.6 inch. And you’re often hard pressed to find any size larger than 16 inches.
So what screen size works best on a laptop for most people? You’re probably not surprised to know that I prefer a smaller monitor. My 13-inch Macbook Pro gets the job done in most situations. I like to monotask and having a reasonably sized screen helps make that easier.
I know there are plenty of people who want to connect to as many external monitors as possible. The more screen real estate the better right? Well, I’d argue against that. In fact, I’ve even written a piece where I’ve defended my use of a single monitor. Larger screens may seem like the way to more productivity, but I’d recommend limiting your simultaneous tasks rather than growing your screens.
Our TVs
Maybe I’m dating myself, but remember when a 19” TV was considered large enough for most viewers? Our television screens have been growing in the last few decades. But oddly enough, we are watching a ton of content on our phones which have smaller screens than even the oldest TVs. So what’s a good size?
It usually will depend on the amount of wall space you have available or the distance between the screen and your seating area. But personally, I’ve been very pleased with a 55-inch screen the past few years. It’s not the biggest, but it also doesn’t overpower a whole wall in our house. We even have a smaller 43-inch Samsung Frame above the fireplace that never feels too small.
When you’re really looking for a big screen experience, I’m a fan of pulling out the projector. For big viewing events, we typically use our outdoor screen and projector to make the experience feel a little more special. When using a projector, you can almost get the picture as large as you’d like while losing little screen resolution.
Conclusion
I encourage you to re-evaluate all of the screens in your life! Are they too big, are they too small? Are they letting you accomplish what you set out to accomplish?
No, I don’t think that bigger is always better. Convenience and practicality certainly come into play. And while you can use one screen to do many things, I’m in favor of having a quiver of different sized screens so you always have the right size for the job.
Any other small phone fans out there? Anyone else prefer to just work on one reasonably-sized computer monitor? Maybe it’s just me?
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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