Frustrating quest for a mid-range phone <rant>

[antihelten]

One thing I think it's important to note is screen size doesn't always equate to footprint.

For example, the aforementioned iPhone with a 4.7 inch has the same practical size as a LG G3 with a 5.5 inch screen:

So I would argue the Android market is trying to give us both- large screen plus smaller sizes. The Galaxy Edge series is the ultimate example of that. Just judging by screen size alone is misleading.

That image is super fake.

Here's a proper comparison between the LG G3 and the iPhone 6/6S:

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-6s,LG-G3/phones/9501,8347

And the Galaxy Edge series is hardly any better:

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/si...ne-6s,Samsung-Galaxy-S7-edge/phones/9501,9818

 

[poofyhairguy]

It is pretty close in size for a .8 inch difference in screen. Look up the Moto X 2014 or the LG G2 in the same tool and you will see a phone even closer in size with a bigger screen.

The S7 edge should be compared to the 6S Plus as it has the same size screen. Do that and you will see the S7 edge looks much smaller.

Point being screen size isn't everything. Phone dimensions matter.

 

[antihelten]

It is pretty close in size for a .8 inch difference in screen. Look up the Moto X 2014 or the LG G2 in the same tool and you will see a phone even closer in size with a bigger screen.

The S7 edge should be compared to the 6S Plus as it has the same size screen. Do that and you will see the S7 edge looks much smaller.

Point being screen size isn't everything. Phone dimensions matter.

Of course the Moto X and LG G2 are closer in size since neither one of them is 5.5" (they are 5.2").

I don't see how those two phones are relevant when the premise of your example was comparing a 4.7" phone with a 5.5" phone. Likewise I don't see why I should compare the 6S Plus with the S7 Edge, since once again the premise was comparing a 4.7" phone to a 5.5" phone.

And besides you already biased it as far towards the big phones as you could, given that the iPhone 6/6S are amongst the biggest 4.7" phones out there

Comparison between Iphone 6/6S and Moto X (2013) (which is also 4.7"):

Comparison between Moto X (2013) and LG G3:

You can't possibly look at that last comparison and seriously argue that the practical size is even remotely similar.

 

[poofyhairguy]

And besides you already biased it as far towards the big phones as you could, given that the iPhone 6/6S are amongst the biggest 4.7" phones out there

But that is my whole point- that there IS such a thing as a "bigger" 4.7 inch phone. I wasn't picking on the iPhones because they are iPhones, they are just good examples that judging a phone on screen size alone isn't always the best way of looking at things.

You can't possibly look at that last comparison and seriously argue that the practical size is even remotely similar.

I think the G3 is closer in size to the regular iPhone than the Plus model:

The fact that Plus has the same screen size as the G3 yet the G3 is closer in size to the regular iPhone was my example of why screen size isn't everything and footprint matters.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Why don't they make new phones like the LG G2 anyway? It was a very very nice balance:

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-6s,LG-G2/phones/9501,7969

It even packs in a 3000mAh battery!

 

[Insomniator]

Why don't they make new phones like the LG G2 anyway? It was a very very nice balance:

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/size#/phones/size/Apple-iPhone-6s,LG-G2/phones/9501,7969

It even packs in a 3000mAh battery!

The G2's 75.9% screen to body ratio is prettttty good. Only one I've seen to match is the galaxy note 5 also with 75.9 but that is basically a phablet.

The Galaxy S5/6/7 all have decent numbers and are smallish phones these days. 72.1% for the S7 with a 5.1 inch screen is not bad.

Iphone 6 and 6 plus manage 65.8 and 67.8%, meh.

 

[antihelten]

But that is my whole point- that there IS such a thing as a "bigger" 4.7 inch phone. I wasn't picking on the iPhones because they are iPhones, they are just good examples that judging a phone on screen size alone isn't always the best way of looking at things.

Sure, but you basically took the biggest 4.7" phone out there and then compared it to one of the smallest 5.5" phones, whilst also using a false picture to do so, to try and prove that there is no practical size difference. You must see how this is really a faulty comparison which really only proves your point in the most extreme of circumstances.

It would be like me posting this comparison of the moto x and the desire 820, and then pretend that it was a fair representation of the difference between a 4.7" phone and a 5.5" phone (the moto X is shrunk down by a similar amount as the LG G3 was in your picture):

I think the G3 is closer in size to the regular iPhone than the Plus model:

The fact that Plus has the same screen size as the G3 yet the G3 is closer in size to the regular iPhone was my example of why screen size isn't everything and footprint matters.

So what if the G3 is closer to the regular iPhone than the Plus model. The OP isn't looking for the smallest 5.5" phone out there, he's looking for a phone in the 4.8-5.0" range (which is still significantly smaller than 5.5" phone).

 

[poofyhairguy]

So what if the G3 is closer to the regular iPhone than the Plus model. The OP isn't looking for the smallest 5.5" phone out there, he's looking for a phone in the 4.8-5.0" range (which is still significantly smaller than 5.5" phone).

I am not recommending OP gets a G3. It's not an upgrade over a Nexus 5 really nor does it meet his other requirements. I am just pointing out that you can't judge phone size by screen size. OP was wondering why more Android phone makers don't copy Apple sizes despite the popularity and the answer is because many Android makers can fit larger screens on smaller phones.

Thank you for helping prove that point by trotting out more examples of phones with better screen to bezel ratios than the iPhones.

 

[antihelten]

I am not recommending OP gets a G3. It's not an upgrade over a Nexus 5 really nor does it meet his other requirements. I am just pointing out that you can't judge phone size by screen size.

This is a perfectly fair point, but to go from there to then claiming that a 4.7" phone (iPhone 6/6S) is the same practical size as a 5.5" phone (LG G3) is just plain misleading.

OP was wondering why more Android phone makers don't copy Apple sizes despite the popularity and the answer is because many Android makers can fit larger screens on smaller phones.

Except Android makers cannot fit larger screens on smaller phones, as amply proven by all the examples here. They can fit larger screens (5.5") in larger phones (LG G3 and S7 Edge), or similarly sized screens (4.7") in smaller phones (Moto X (2013), Galaxy Alpha), but not larger screens in smaller phones.

And one of the issues is that Android manufacturers has all but stopped offering decent small phones. The last phone that had a similarly sized screen as the iPhone and was smaller, whilst not having crappy specs was the Galaxy Alpha released almost 2 years ago. If you don't care about crappy specs you could also more recently get a Galaxy A3, Redmi 2 or Xperia XA, but that is literally it (unless you go for crappy off brand chinese knock offs).

The only recent half decent phone smaller than the iPhone is the Xperia Z5 Compact, but that phone actually has a (marginally) smaller screen.

 

[mrochester]

I am not recommending OP gets a G3. It's not an upgrade over a Nexus 5 really nor does it meet his other requirements. I am just pointing out that you can't judge phone size by screen size. OP was wondering why more Android phone makers don't copy Apple sizes despite the popularity and the answer is because many Android makers can fit larger screens on smaller phones.

Thank you for helping prove that point by trotting out more examples of phones with better screen to bezel ratios than the iPhones.

Here's a challenge for you. Take the iPhone 6S dimensions and find a current (released in the last 6 months say) Android phone that will fit in the exact same dimensions, or smaller, than the iPhone 6S, and let us know what the screen size is.

Genuinely interested to find out exactly which modern android phones match the size of the iPhone 6S but have a bigger screen.

 

[mrochester]

Actually, an even better approach would be to look at the overal device volume. So take all of the individual measurements and multiply them together to get an overall device volume. When you do this you get this result for 3 devices I've looked at;

iPhone 6S - 65,887 volume, 4.7" screen
Galaxy S7 - 78,297 volume, 5.1" screen
Z5 Compact - 73,469 volume, 4.6" screen

When you look at it this way, the iPhone has the smallest amount of device volume for its screen size, followed by the S7 with the Z5 Compact being physically the biggest device for its screen size.

 

[poofyhairguy]

This is a perfectly fair point, but to go from there to then claiming that a 4.7" phone (iPhone 6/6S) is the same practical size as a 5.5" phone (LG G3) is just plain misleading.

The point was to not judge phones by their screen size, and instead judge them by their actual size.

I personally think a phone with a iPhone 6 Plus sized screen being closer to a iPhone 6 in size is a good example, but I could see why you would disagree.

Except Android makers cannot fit larger screens on smaller phones

My point isn't to bash the iPhone, but simply to point out that screen size isn't the best metric for overall phone size. I also could have trotted out something like the HTC M9 to make the same point. Or I could have compared the G2 to the iPhone 6 regular. I apologize if you didn't like the comparison I picked.

My point still is that OP shouldn't look for a phone with a "5 inch screen," but instead a phone that is the overall size wanted.

And one of the issues is that Android manufacturers has all but stopped offering decent small phones. The last phone that had a similarly sized screen as the iPhone and was smaller, whilst not having crappy specs was the Galaxy Alpha released almost 2 years ago. If you don't care about crappy specs you could also more recently get a Galaxy A3, Redmi 2 or Xperia XA, but that is literally it (unless you go for crappy off brand chinese knock offs).

The only recent half decent phone smaller than the iPhone is the Xperia Z5 Compact, but that phone actually has a (marginally) smaller screen.

I can't disagree with any of that. The iPhone SE has no rival in Androidland.

 

[cbrunny]

Actually, an even better approach would be to look at the overal device volume. So take all of the individual measurements and multiply them together to get an overall device volume. When you do this you get this result for 3 devices I've looked at;

iPhone 6S - 65,887 volume, 4.7" screen
Galaxy S7 - 78,297 volume, 5.1" screen
Z5 Compact - 73,469 volume, 4.6" screen

When you look at it this way, the iPhone has the smallest amount of device volume for its screen size, followed by the S7 with the Z5 Compact being physically the biggest device for its screen size.

At under 1 cm, I could not care less how thick my phone is. Point of diminishing returns was easily met at 9 mm, if not at 1 cm. I care more about the size (surface area) of the front, and that relative to the screen size. That ratio is really what matters imo.

 

[sweenish]

Except Android makers cannot fit larger screens on smaller phones, as amply proven by all the examples here.

Yes, they can.

Sure, there's an obvious physical limit, but I'm really hoping that you're trying to say more than a 5.5" screen won't fit in a smaller than 5.5" body. Because no one is saying otherwise. Compare a 6S+ to almost any other Android phone of similar screen size. Here's a fantastic example.

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/si...hone-6s-Plus,Google-Nexus-6P/phones/9502,9587

It just depends on how you want to look at it. The 6P has 0.2" more diagonal screen size, but fits in very nearly the same body as the 6S Plus. I mean, look at those measurements. 0.04" height difference is essentially negligible. More screen in the same footprint is not all that different from saying bigger screen in a smaller body. It's just a statement from a different perspective.

As was shown, the G3 is closer to to the iPhone than the + version, with the G3 and + having the same screen size. So, compared against the iPhone with matching screen size, is the G3 not fitting the same (larger) screen in a smaller body? I feel like the answer is an unequivocal yes. Falling back on OP's statement of not wanting a large phone doesn't make that statement false. It just means it's still a phone they probably don't want, but that's more because they're chasing unicorns. Or maybe they just want everyone to tell them to get an iPhone SE.

Both of you are just arguing very specific semantics where the difference is absolutely non-existent.

 

[antihelten]

The point was to not judge phones by their screen size, and instead judge them by their actual size.

Then you really shouldn't be posting doctored images.

My point isn't to bash the iPhone, but simply to point out that screen size isn't the best metric for overall phone size. I also could have trotted out something like the HTC M9 to make the same point. Or I could have compared the G2 to the iPhone 6 regular. I apologize if you didn't like the comparison I picked.

My point still is that OP shouldn't look for a phone with a "5 inch screen," but instead a phone that is the overall size wanted.

I absolutely agree that phones with a certain screen size can vary greatly in overall size, but even so there are limits, and no 5.5" phone has the same practical size as a 4.7" phone.

I can't disagree with any of that. The iPhone SE has no rival in Androidland.

Not only the SE, but arguably also the regular version. The only competitor here is the Z5 Compact, but that has a smaller screen, and slightly worse specs. All the other decent Android phones are in the 5-5.2" class, thus leaving the regular iPhone largely uncontested in the 4.7" class (a size that used to be the main size class).

Yes, they can.

Sure, there's an obvious physical limit, but I'm really hoping that you're trying to say more than a 5.5" screen won't fit in a smaller than 5.5" body. Because no one is saying otherwise. Compare a 6S+ to almost any other Android phone of similar screen size. Here's a fantastic example.

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/si...hone-6s-Plus,Google-Nexus-6P/phones/9502,9587

It just depends on how you want to look at it. The 6P has 0.2" more diagonal screen size, but fits in very nearly the same body as the 6S Plus. I mean, look at those measurements. 0.04" height difference is essentially negligible. More screen in the same footprint is not all that different from saying bigger screen in a smaller body. It's just a statement from a different perspective.

As was shown, the G3 is closer to to the iPhone than the + version, with the G3 and + having the same screen size. So, compared against the iPhone with matching screen size, is the G3 not fitting the same (larger) screen in a smaller body? I feel like the answer is an unequivocal yes. Falling back on OP's statement of not wanting a large phone doesn't make that statement false. It just means it's still a phone they probably don't want, but that's more because they're chasing unicorns. Or maybe they just want everyone to tell them to get an iPhone SE.

Both of you are just arguing very specific semantics where the difference is absolutely non-existent.

You might want to actually read the context of that reply before going off on this tirade. That phone under discussion was the regular iPhone, never the plus version (OP never talked about the plus version), and no, android makers cannot make smaller phones than the regular iPhone with bigger screens. They can make smaller phones with the same size screen (4.7") or larger phones with larger screens.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Then you really shouldn't be posting doctored images.

My bad. Thank you for a better source.

I absolutely agree that phones with a certain screen size can vary greatly in overall size, but even so there are limits

I can't disagree there, at least not until we have foldable screens.

Not only the SE, but arguably also the regular version.

Eh, I think the Galaxy S7 non-edge has the same practical size. But I can also see that is a debatable point not super relevant to the thread.

I think we agree on the essential idea that overall size can vary somewhat independent of screen size.

 

[yankeeDDL]

My 2 cents on the size/bezel discussion. I think you're both right.
Bezels make a difference: the iPhone 6/6s is practically the same size of a Nexus5: it is just a tad narrower; hardly noticeable.
The iPhone is thinner, but it actually feels slightly more uncomfortable to hold, as its round edges don't provide a comfortable grip. YMMV: this is quite subjective.

Put it in another way: a 5.2" with iPhone bezel would be too big for my preference, but most Android 5.2" phones have much smaller bezels, hence they're OK. The Galaxy S7 is a nice example of reasonably small bezels.

Regarding the Xiaomi Mi5: honestly, I hadn't heard of it. Yes, aside from the expandable storage, it ticks all the boxes: I will look more into it (the MIUI skin, if I remember correctly, is possibly the heaviest skin out there. As I said, I am not fixed on Nexus-only, but going overboard the other way is not too attractive...).

Anyway, I'd like to thank you all for the constructive feedback and suggestions. Very interesting and useful. Much appreciated (not to mention the "beg the question" bit ...).

 

[antihelten]

Eh, I think the Galaxy S7 non-edge has the same practical size. But I can also see that is a debatable point not super relevant to the thread.

I think we agree on the essential idea that overall size can vary somewhat independent of screen size.

Whether or not someone thinks the non-edge S7 has the same practical size as the iPhone doesn't really matter, since the OP at least seems to think so (which is kinda what started this whole discussion):

After all, basically, the leading phones today are Galaxy S6/S7 (5.1") and the iPhone (4.7", but with "huge" frame): one would think that other companies would try to get a piece of the pie with midrange phones in those sizes. Apparently, not.

So yeah in that context, Apple does have competition at that size.

 

[sweenish]

You might want to actually read the context of that reply before going off on this tirade. That phone under discussion was the regular iPhone, never the plus version (OP never talked about the plus version), and no, android makers cannot make smaller phones than the regular iPhone with bigger screens. They can make smaller phones with the same size screen (4.7") or larger phones with larger screens.

So I'm not allowed to introduce new examples to support my point? I have to bend to your ever shifting goal posts?

I addressed one singular point. Both of your phrasings are saying the same thing. I stated as much. More than once.

I backed my argument up. I don't care that OP didn't mention the 6S Plus or want one. That was nowhere in the realm of what I was getting at.

 

[antihelten]

So I'm not allowed to introduce new examples to support my point? I have to bend to your ever shifting goal posts?

I addressed one singular point. Both of your phrasings are saying the same thing. I stated as much. More than once.

I backed my argument up. I don't care that OP didn't mention the 6S Plus or want one. That was nowhere in the realm of what I was getting at.

Ever shifting goal posts?, you didn't even come close to addressing the argument at hand with your red herring of an argument.

Here, let me help you understand the argument that was taking place:

YankeeDDL: I don't want a 5.5" phone, Why doesn't anyone but Samsung and Apple make compact 4.7"-5.1" phones?

Poofyhairguy: A 4.7" phone (iPhone 6/6S) and a 5.5" phone (LG G3) is the same practical size.

Antihelten: No, 4.7" phones and 5.5" are not the same practical size.

Poofyhairguy: Ok fair enough that was a flawed example, but my point is that you shouldn't judge phone size purely on screen size, since android makers can make phones that have bigger screens than the iPhone whilst being smaller.

Antihelten: No, android makers cannot make phones that have bigger screens than the iPhone 6/6S whilst being smaller

Sweenish: yes, they can, just compare the iPhone 6/6S plus with the Nexus 6P

Antihelten: No ones talking about the plus version here, the discussion has always been about the regular sized iPhone

Sweenish: Nuh uh, stop moving the goal posts

Antihelten: lolwut?!

 

[blankslate]

Ever consider a year to two year old flagship with a unlocked boot loader that will allow updating to the newest Android version for a while?


____________

 

[JimKiler]

So Phone screen size is the new Megapixels from the camera world. (when people still bought cameras) and bigger was always better, at least they wanted us to think that but we knew the truth is not that simple.

the soon to be released Moto G 4th gen would be ideal for the OP. They even have a Plus and non Plus version but they are both the same size 5.5". Which is odd since the only difference the Plus has is a better camera.

 

[antihelten]

the soon to be released Moto G 4th gen would be ideal for the OP. They even have a Plus and non Plus version but they are both the same size 5.5". Which is odd since the only difference the Plus has is a better camera.

The OP has already mentioned that he considers 5.5" phones to be too big, and the Moto G is one of the larger examples of a 5.5" phone, so I really doubt that would be ideal for him (not to mention that the Moto G has crappy specs, which also matters to the OP)

 

[magomago]

save your monies for a few more months and get a more expensive phone? In every case, I've never enjoyed settling for a phone that wasn't either top of the line, or close to it.

 

[shortylickens]

Sony makes small and mid-size phones.