What's the handset with the best phone-to-screen size ratio ever? Why, the Xperia ZL, says Sony

posted by Daniel P. / Feb 14, 2013, 8:23 AM

What's the handset with the best phone-to-screen size ratio ever? Why, the Xperia ZL, says Sony

The Sony Xperia ZL often gets overlooked in the shadows of its waterproof sibling, the Xperia Z, but is actually the same handset, save for the ruggedness. Well, and a few other things like one other very important ratio, it seems.

In the press release for the phone's launch in Canada on all carriers come April, Sony has inserted one nugget of info about the handset, stating that it actually has the best phone-to-screen size ratio out of 884 devices compared.

The Xperia ZL apparently hits 75.84% ratio, while most of today's smartphones max out at 60-68%. We'd love to one day see a phone that is almost entirely a screen in the front, but we do know there are engineering and ergonomics hurdles to overcome.

Nevertheless, what Sony Xperia ZL's designers have done is an electronics marvel, thanks to Android's ability to make do with on-screen navigational buttons only, which surely can nix some space that would've otherwise gone for physical or capacitive keys underneath the display. The exact quote from Sony is:

As of January 2013, the Sony Xperia ZL smartphone offers the highest screen size to phone size ratio (75.84%) of any phone ever announced. This is based on analysis of the specs of 884 smartphones. Screen area is calculated based on display size and aspect ratio; device area is calculated as height multiplied by width.

source: Sony

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21 Comments

1. pyradark

Posts: 895; Member since: Jun 10, 2012

This is something!! So hard to pick between Z and ZL

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 8:26 AM 17

10. anGel_pLayer

Posts: 54; Member since: Jun 29, 2012

ZL is more practical but Z have better looks than the ZL and more advertisements...

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 10:15 AM 1

2. maccess

Posts: 742; Member since: Jan 16, 2013

i agree.. that's why i kinda prefer the design of ZL than the Z.. the ZL really2 compact for a 5 inch phone!!

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 8:26 AM 9

8. emadshiny

Posts: 1144; Member since: Dec 05, 2012

i think because right now every attention is on Z, everybody forget about the beauty and qualities of ZL. although it can be a good complement for Z, i still prefer Z over ZL.

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 9:16 AM 6

3. wendygarett unregistered

Only 15% bezel? Still can't change my mind to pick z over zl :p

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 8:29 AM 3

4. _Bone_

Posts: 2155; Member since: Oct 29, 2012

Don't believe the hype, it's the Huawei Ascend Mate.

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 8:30 AM 2

15. ubuntu

Posts: 40; Member since: Jan 11, 2013

everytime oppo ,everywhere huawei! shut f*ck up!

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 11:54 AM 10

5. InspectorGadget80 unregistered

Another great design from sony. They said themselves they max out the screen on the zl.

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 8:46 AM 13

6. emadshiny

this is what everyone expects from Sony. the best design and quality.

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 9:08 AM 10

7. ultimatebatman

Posts: 52; Member since: Dec 04, 2012

I may sell my GSIII for this.

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 9:12 AM 19

9. BadAssAbe

Posts: 508; Member since: Apr 22, 2011

So much for the Razr M, i really want a edge to edge screen with putting all the bezel at the bottom. Go Sony! Lead the way!

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 9:42 AM 10

11. freebee269

Posts: 542; Member since: Aug 10, 2012

Wish this was coming to at&t. Have to get an unlocked z version that has lte for at&t

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 10:56 AM 0

12. akki20892

Posts: 3902; Member since: Feb 04, 2013

Go sony this year is for u..........!!!

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 11:10 AM 3

13. Taters

Posts: 6474; Member since: Jan 28, 2013

Too bad it's too thick and the battery size is smaller than the thickness would indicate. If they kept the Xperia ZL at 7.9 mm while doing this, then it would have basically been the size of the Z10 or 8x which would have been beyond awesome.

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 11:48 AM 1

18. rgxVOiD

Posts: 440; Member since: Aug 30, 2012

Too thick? Its about the same as Lumia 820 and that's not thick

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 4:34 PM 2

14. Tarzan

Posts: 63; Member since: Feb 26, 2012

HTC you better announce your next flagship or I'm gonna get ZL

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 11:50 AM 2

16. cretinick

Posts: 148; Member since: Jan 25, 2011

The next step is to make a ZL, Water resistant and Dust proof, with a Super IPS LCD2 screen.

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 1:28 PM 3

17. defiantbeast

Posts: 10; Member since: Nov 17, 2009

Im torn. On the one hand you have a phone that hits all the right specs in one and has the added bonus of being wafer thin and WATER PROOF. On the other hand you have the same phone with a camera button and a ridiculous small size given the screen. I dont know which one to go for. Hopefully they are both pentaband otherwise i go for the one that will work with Tmobile unlocked. Way to go Sony way to win me back as a customer!!!

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 2:40 PM 5

19. antmiu2

Posts: 551; Member since: Jun 19, 2011

actually the razr m has the best screen ratio.. or better yet lets wait for the motorola x 5 inch edge to edge game changing display

posted on Feb 14, 2013, 9:18 PM 0

20. meXpersonified

Posts: 3; Member since: Feb 15, 2013

i know its last years tech but LG optimus 4x HD does da job for me ... best screen in a compact package ..one handed operation is rarely an issue

posted on Feb 15, 2013, 10:44 AM 0

21. buccob

Posts: 2980; Member since: Jun 19, 2012

Well thats something I hated a lot on the old iPhone models... my math came up to having just 54% screen size to phone size ratio... While my Xperia Acro S is a nice 61.3%, and my old Galaxy S3 was 65.8%... In comparison, the iPhone 5 improved a lot to a 60.8%. (What helps here is the really thin bezels at the side... but they suck at the top and bottom)