One of the more recent trends for smartphone manufacturers is that they like to push the limits when it comes to display size. A lot of companies are going with the “bigger is better” mantra and in most circumstances this is true. It is certainly possible, however to stretch the limits of “big” and it’s really starting to get to that point now.

For some folks, bigger truly is better. If you take that preference and bring it to the world of smartwatches, you’ll run into a problem. This is primarily because smartwatches are designed to be smaller, but really they have to be since they’re wearable. That being said, you will find many different display sizes in the smartwatch market – some pretty big, and others small.

If you’re someone who cares about display size, even when it comes to smartwatches, then this article is for you.

The Top Five Smartwatches with the Largest Displays

Smaller displays are definitely necessary for wearable devices, but the smaller they get the more difficult they can be to use. Controlling a 1.5” display through touch and finger gestures can be frustrating, especially if you have bigger fingers. We’re not even going to bother talking about the issues that arise when using a virtual QWERTY keyboard on such a small display – you probably already have experience with a similar control scheme on a smartphone.

These are just a couple reasons why someone would be concerned with screen size for their next smartwatch purchase. To help out, we’re going to reveal the top five smartwatches with the largest displays on the market.

Please keep in mind that just because the models mentioned here have the largest displays, it doesn’t mean they are the absolute best on the market. We still recommend picking out a smartwatch that fits your needs. If you’d like some help deciding which smartwatch to purchase, take a look at our buyer’s guide.

1. Neptune Pine

Image by neptunepine.com

We’re not going to dive too much into the alternate features of the Pine. If you’d like, you can find out a bit more at the dedicated product page for the device.

The Neptune Pine is sporting a 2.4-inch TFT LCD touchscreen display protected by Corning’s Gorilla Glass. It operates at a maximum resolution of 320×240 (QVGA). In addition, the Pine is running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The Pine actually has one of the largest screens currently on the market. While it is still difficult typing on a virtual QWERTY with a device this size, it’s much more manageable on the Pine than some of the competition.

The screen module can detach from the wristband cradle completely, so you can do things like type with two hands or capture photos and video much more naturally. When detached it actually works and feels a lot like a mini smartphone or tablet.

If you absolutely must have one of the largest screens on the market, the Neptune Pine won’t disappoint so be sure to check it out.

2. Androidly

Image by http://an.droid.ly

Like the Pine, the Androidly smartwatch is running the Android OS albeit a much older version – Android 2.2 Froyo. That unfortunate feature has been redeemed somewhat thanks to the 2” TFT LCD touchscreen display running at a maximum resolution of 320×240.

The screen on the Pine may be larger, but the 2” display on the Androidly smartwatch is still a pretty comparable size. There’s no mention of Gorilla Glass and scratch-proof protection so if you’re rough with your devices you might want to look elsewhere. It stands to reason that a device worn on your wrist continuously might see a bit more wear and tear than a smartphone or tablet.

Androidly is also a standalone smartwatch with cellular, GPS and Wi-Fi support so you can use it to send texts, emails and more. Finally, the screen module can detach from the wristband cradle – sounds familiar – so that you can use the device like a mini handheld when you need to.

3. VEA Buddy

The VEA Buddy smartwatch is sporting a 2” LCD touchscreen display, with a square design that is very similar to Sony’s Smartwatch series. Like the two other smartwatches above, the VEA Buddy watchface module is removable from the wristband cradle.

It’s worth noting that the VEA Buddy is one few smartwatches on the market that currently supports iOS, in addition to Android and Windows Phone. This means that you can synchronize notifications from an iPhone or iPad to the VEA Buddy.

If you want to pick up one of these bad boys – or even take a look at more specs – you’ll have to sort through translated text because the native site is in French.

4. Samsung Gear 2

Samsung improved their Gear smartwatch line tremendously when they released the second iteration the Gear 2. Of course, the device is not without its flaws but that’s not stopping consumers from snatching these things up. Samsung has actually been one of the most successful smartwatch manufacturers of late, despite the fact that the Gear devices are only compatible with Samsung-branded handsets. Then again, Samsung is dominating the smartphone market too.

The Gear 2 is sporting a 1.63” Super AMOLED touchscreen display. Samsung devices rarely come up short when it comes to the screen – their displays are always beautiful and vivid in terms of color and sharpness. The only issue with the Gear 2 is that it can be difficult to see in direct sunlight, but this seems to be true of a lot of smartwatches currently on the market.

The 1.63” display is smaller than what the other devices on this list have, yet it’s still manageable. You won’t be typing up any novels on the Gear 2, but you can throw together a quick text or email if you need to and that’s important.

5. Sonostar Smartwatch

The Sonostar Smartwatch is a bit different than the other watches on this list because it does not use the same color display. Instead, the Sonostar relies on a grey e-paper screen running at a 320×240 pixel resolution. It does use a touchscreen type control scheme, but there are two additional touch buttons on the bottom bezel: one for navigating backwards and the other for calling upon the menu.

E-paper displays are remarkably energy efficient but still look great. This allows the Sonostar to have a battery life of 5-7 days under heavy use or up to one month in standby.

Don’t write this device off because it doesn’t use a color display. The Pebble, Kickstarter darling and one of the most popular smartwatches on the market, also uses a similar black and white display.

More Devices are Coming

There are a plethora of devices on the way including the Moto 360, LG’s G watch and more. This is shaping up to be a great year for smartwatches, so expect more devices to arrive with screens comparable to those listed here – if not larger.

We may update this list in the future as necessary if more devices become available. To those of you out there who do prefer larger screens, we have a few questions. Are there any devices on this list that you already own? Did you decide to purchase another smartwatch with a different size display? Why did you go with the device you purchased?

Feel free to share your answers in the comments below.