Two columns or three? (yeah I know, this is a heavy question!)

[noersetiawan]

2 columns! Well my phone is one of the smallest WP8.1

 

[alex athanasopoulos]

3 columns since April. Love transparency and the live folders om my Lumia 920.

 

[SammyD97]

Went back to two this week. My first phone (HTC 8s) had two columns so I'm quite used to it. Every time I see a picture of a Windows Phone with two columns while I'm on three I think "mmm looked better like that".

I'll probably change again in a month! lol

You just convinced me to try two. Will see how long it lasts. Biggest draw back...scrolling. Before I hardly did any scrolling. Everything looks so big on my 625 though!

 

[envio]

Some of us (L930) have no choice but have 3-column tiles. I still have my old 8X where I get a choice but I still prefer 3 columns, you can create much richer Start Screens with less scrolling. I remember reading that the actual option 'Show more Tiles' is tied to the way the display is scaled for 5"+ screens making it not possible to de-couple.

 

[dlalonde]

Some of us (L930) have no choice but have 3-column tiles. I still have my old 8X where I get a choice but I still prefer 3 columns, you can create much richer Start Screens with less scrolling. I remember reading that the actual option 'Show more Tiles' is tied to the way the display is scaled for 5"+ screens making it not possible to de-couple.

Really? I didn't know some couldn't choose.

 

[envio]

Really? I didn't know some couldn't choose.

I know that the L830, L930, L1320 and L1520 don't have the option to for 2-column tiles.

 

[footesouljaa]

I use three, at first I thought it was way to small. But now I'm just used to it. Plus more stuff on screen the better

 

[Muessig]

Personally on my 920 I still use two columns. When I get a different phone at 5" or above I will move to 3 columns though.

 

[SammyD97]

My little experiment using two columns lasted just about two days. Back to three.

 

[dlalonde]

My little experiment using two columns lasted just about two days. Back to three.

Me too! lol

 

[mj0]

I've tried three columns again but ended up going back to two after about two hours. In my opinion the screen somehow seems more cluttered with three columns even if I don't add any extra tiles. Maybe it's just me but I like my start screen tidy, organized, and clutter free and it just didn't seem right. Too compressed maybe?

Also, I found the tiny font on the MSN weather tile hard to decipher when in three-columns-mode as soon as it flipped to the extended forecast. Although I do have to admit that now with the weather lock screen I barely look at the tile anymore and that I could probably get used to it.

 

[dlalonde]

I've tried three columns again but ended up going back to two after about two hours. In my opinion the screen somehow seems more cluttered with three columns even if I don't add any extra tiles. Maybe it's just me but I like my start screen tidy, organized, and clutter free and it just didn't seem right. Too compressed maybe?

Also, I found the tiny font on the MSN weather tile hard to decipher when in three-columns-mode as soon as it flipped to the extended forecast. Although I do have to admit that now with the weather lock screen I barely look at the tile anymore and that I could probably get used to it.

That's how I was at first too. But I got used to it. It does take some getting use to. But it's all good!

 

[Oliverspin]

There's no good reason for 2 because 3 is just better.

 

[Luisraul924]

I spent 2 hours playing tile Tetris going back and forth between two and three rows. I found one pro and con to them and they're inverse each other lol with two I like the pixel density with the text and on three I like the overall look however my ocd gets to me with the less than crisp smaller text. Especially after coming back to Windows phone from an iPhone 5s. In the end the overall look of three outweighs the pixel density issue so... Three it is.

 

[ajb1965]

I came from a bigger Lumia so I was used to a lot of live tiles on my home screen. Having said that, I've taken a minimalist approach and 2 (with a mix of small tiles) is working well for me.

 

[scanf]

Three columns definitely as it cuts down on all the scrolling you have to do to reach apps. Hoping for the update soon so we can further refine our home screens with folders; I'll probably go back to two columns when that happens.

 

[dlalonde]

I spent 2 hours playing tile Tetris going back and forth between two and three rows. I found one pro and con to them and they're inverse each other lol with two I like the pixel density with the text and on three I like the overall look however my ocd gets to me with the less than crisp smaller text. Especially after coming back to Windows phone from an iPhone 5s. In the end the overall look of three outweighs the pixel density issue so... Three it is.

One advantage I found on three columns vs two is that the screen SEEMS bigger with three columns. It's all an illusion of course but it's more enjoyable. But I do miss the sharpness of having two columns.

 

[Ten Four]

Prefer two. After reading this thread I tried three for a day and didn't like it. I like a clean, simple look, which is one thing that attracted me to Windows Phone. I'm also finding that flipping Live Tiles are too much after awhile. Three columns and moving stuff just adds unnecessary clutter and distraction.

 

[Luisraul924]

Prefer two. After reading this thread I tried three for a day and didn't like it. I like a clean, simple look, which is one thing that attracted me to Windows Phone. I'm also finding that flipping Live Tiles are too much after awhile. Three columns and moving stuff just adds unnecessary clutter and distraction.

I was of this opinion until I realized that if you take the time to organize the tiles it actually looks good and orderly.

 

[Sh0nky]

I only just discovered that the 735 doesn't even have the option for the 2-wide arrangement. I didn't realize that the option was removed and now I'm disappointed. I bought it for my dad who would probably be much more comfortable with the larger size tiles but apparently Microsoft hates him.