1280x800 has the advantage that when you use a video you can view full screen 16:9 video and the extra 80 pixels are for your status bar, so in a 1280x720 res screen you will need to expand the desktop to view 16:9 video. This is the main reason for 1280x800 and why I think its a better resolution ratio of 16:10.
This would be the same as if the next note would be 1920x1200 rather then 1920x1080 which I think would be nicer having a higher pixel density, if Samsung went to the full HD res though this would eat into performance and battery life. So going to full HD with the improved hardware over the current note performance would end up similar to what the current Note is but unless battery would be upped to 3500mah it would like reduce overall life.
I prefer the 16:10 screen ratio which in use is really 16:9 as the extra 80 pixels are your status bar, I would have liked the higher res even if pentile at 1920x1200, the density would be nice to have and as with the samsung screen used in the new Ipad that pixel density is quite possible. Not sure if they have managed it in Oled screens yet and if they can do it in RGB or pentile but I think it would have more then likely made me upgrade if this is the screen they want.
As is my contract has expired and I may upgrade from my current note but there isnt much in the specs Ive seen so far that is tempting me, if the screen is dropping to 1280x720 even if going always from pentile and being slightly larger. This isnt a good point to me in terms of wanting to upgrade to the note 2, most likely if this is the case they have got the extra .2 inches by keeping the width the same as in the current note and extending the height to go from 16:9 to 16:10. I like 16:9 aspect of the current note with those extra 80 pixels for the status bar taking them away will make the real ratio more like 16:8 if you keep the status bar on screen so I dont think this is a great move.
Touchwis and all the other samsung software on the s3 does nothing for me, I will end up with a cm10 version of paranoid android which I am currently more then happy with cm9 PA 0.5 atm. I tried the JB version but many things just dont work great on JB for the current note yet and we will need to wait on an official note release and source code of this to get the modders to final in cm10.
When watching videos the Status Bar hides. And if you have on-screen buttons, they hide too.
When using the NOTE, you primarily use it on Portrait mode. So the extra 80 pixels don't help for the Status Bar or the On-screen buttons. Its pretty much "wasted" on the empty spaces in the Browser and Apps, making things look a tad more "zoomed in".
---------- Post added at 01:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:49 PM ----------
we've no reason to believe at this stage that the Note 2 will not have a Pentile screen, the point is largely moot.
On small screens, as the resolution increases the disadvantages of Pentile become less and less apparent.
Again - where is the evidence that the Note 2 won't have a Pentile screen? I'd be prepare to bet that it does!
Regards,
Dave
I'm just arguing about the rumours, never claimed they would hit retail.
Samsung putting a 5.5in 1280 x 720 PenTile screen is a mistake in my humble opinion. It would be downgrading. If it is 5.5in 1280 x 720 RGB, I'd say its an improvement.
Sure the pixel density suffers a little.
And you might lose the Home button to wake the device, or comfortably push the Back and Menu keys.
A better screen (little less blurry, yes I can see the PenTile again, can't unsee it)
But what you get is a more modern design.
Virtual keys that we can mod the shlt out of.
And a larger screen when doing stuff like watching videos and toggling the Status Bar/Buttons off.
---------- Post added at 02:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:54 PM ----------
Sorry - that is plain nonsense. Pixels are pixels regardless of whether you are using RGB stripes or Pentile.
Subpixels are a *completely* different issue.
I already addressed this in that comment which you haven't quoted.
You're right you are still losing 80 pixels.
....However the phone is held in portrait mode most of the time, so the 80pixel is lost from the horizontal axis.
It doesn't mean horizontally the screen is smaller, it means horizontally there's less detail.
Though in most Apps this is just loss of clarity (which is compensated by a much clearer RGB layout). Even in the browser, these pixels usually just fill up blank spaces.
THEREFORE, this is not a deal breaker.
And at least we fall unto a standard ratio and resolution. Otherwise I would completely agree with you.
Eye of the beholder. I'd much rather have those 80pixels back because it makes a world of difference on an RDP session.
I see. Others have also chimed in on this.
To be honest, I don't RDP or chroot anymore. It was handy at first, but its still feels like a beta test on each use. And its not a primary function of the NOTE, and I don't think the majority utilize this function. I know when I need those functions, and I just carry an Ultrabook.
Should be even easier in the future with Win8 hitting smaller form factors like tablets.
---------- Post added at 02:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:07 PM ----------
Pentile vs rgb will double red and blue sub pixels, this will improve colour accuracy but doesnt improve resolution. 1280x800 pentile is still 1280x800 pixels rgb 1280x720 is lower resolution but more sub pixels will improve colours but going up to 5.5 your reducing the actual pixel density but increasing the overall colour density if that makes any sense.
Nearly all digital cameras use a pentile type sensor in cmos cameras with a bayer sensor, I am pretty sure all phone cameras will have such sensors. There arent many complaints in this and even though a true rgb sensor would give best results as resolution goes up you will barely notice this.
Going to 720p is still a bad idea because if your status bar is using 80 pixels then in wide mode your video only has 1280x640 of useable screen pixels. The status bar can be shrunk to use less but as long as its on screen you wont have a standard 16:9 viewable area on the screen. Pentile or not your still losing pixels and also screen ratio so its not a good thing how I see it.
The status bar DOESN'T consume 80 pixels. It uses 54 pixels (or 4.2% space).
The on-screen buttons consume 96 pixels (or 7.5% space).
They both utilize the space from the vertical plane, the 80 pixels, are lost from the horizontal plane.
On certain functions, like video playback, they Hide, and the content uses the whole screen.
On certain Apps, like Angry Birds, they Hide, and the content uses the whole screen.
On certain ROMS, like AOKP, they can be customized with any picture/logo, glow effect, order, function, or gesture. They can also be toggled ON/OFF at anytime or Pre-Set for any Apps (Paranoid).
There's just more opportunities to work with on-screen buttons, I think Google made the right call.
