Preference for a 3- or 5-Button Configuration?

[ChrisA]

@Brad_Olwin yes, me too. I would love to have it opposite to the index finger button (so basically on the lower left side). For me that’s the antagonist to pressing ‘ok’ / confirming etc. As @dcrainmaker said, if the system is not consistent, it will always bother you, either because it takes too long, or - in my case - I just forget how it works, which ends in desperately pressing all buttons for me

[Tomas5]

I prefer 5 buttons overt 3+ touch screen.

Reasons:

1. i hate fingerprints on screen
2. buttons works with gloves
3. buttons works with wet hands in pool
4. buttos have better feedback
5. don’t need to look at all to be able to do some basic things with buttons
6. with small touch screen is hard to “touch” correct button, but thats more general, watch UI are usually designed to work well.
7. some watch has problem with unwanted presses/scrolls when screen is wet

I prefer touch screens on smartphone, tablet, dslr (only for touch and drag focus) but other than that i hate touch screens. Especialy on laptops, or in cars. It distracts attention, and is dangerouse in cars to adjust temperature or volume on touch screen because you must look at it, but with hardware controls you can always do it just by hands without looking at it.

[mikekoski490]

@Tomas5 I take it you will not be getting a Suunto Vertical then given your post …:

… *i prefer 5 buttons overt 3+ touch screen.

… i hate fingerprints on screens

… i hate touch screens (with small touch screen)*

[MiniForklift]

I do like having the option of a touchscreen although TBH I rarely use it. I still prefer the 3 button layout although I am all for having a dedicated back button. I think having a back button that doubled up as a power on/off button by the way of a long press would be great

[Tomas5]

@mikekoski490 well, todays trend is touch screens. I think in few years when i will need a new watch, there would be no other option. I will adjust my preferences, but it would be painfull, especialy fingerprints and wet hands, rain, water. But for now i have S5. I have it only for 2 years so it must survive at least another 2. So for now i don’t plan to buy anything new.

[Tomas5]

And how is it wil vertical anyway? Do i need to use touch screen or is possible to do every possible action with just 3 buttons? In that case it would be OK even with 3 button only for me just a little toggle switch to disable touch screen in settings.

[mikekoski490]

@Tomas5 Im going for the Vertical just because Im hoping for bigger font with a brighter, bigger screen, which seems to be the case based on reviews. I really dont want to start bringing my reading glasses with me on trail runs but Im sure its inevitable.

FYI I have absolutely no problem with the 3 buttons on my 9PP. It has been really solid and the design and UI work together well, or you get used to the 3 buttons and how they react. I dont use the touch screen when doing an activity - buttons only and touchscreen disabled. I will want the touch screen for maps though - if I can see them! Hopefully good contrast or Ill be back to the breadcrumb black and white on my 9PP.

[freeheeler]

@Tomas5
you can operate the watch entirely without touch with few exceptions. the watch face complications can’t be changed/cycled by buttons.

regarding touch screen only, I don’t see this coming any time soon. adventure watches need to operate in all kind of conditions. we use our watches not only on a sunny 30min tuesday evening run in the city… when weather gets bad, buttons are the way to go

[Mff73]

@freeheeler said in Preference for a 3- or 5-Button Configuration?:

@Tomas5
you can operate the watch entirely without touch with few exceptions. the watch face complications can’t be changed/cycled by buttons.

regarding touch screen only, I don’t see this coming any time soon. adventure watches need to operate in all kind of conditions. we use our watches not only on a sunny 30min tuesday evening run in the city… when weather gets bad, buttons are the way to go

another exception (quite annoying in case of glove usage) : switching from zoom to full track view in navigation. Only single tap on the screen enable this

[freeheeler]

@Mff73
that’s valid for previous touch enabled watches, yes. not for Vertical

[Mff73]

@freeheeler
How do you know it won’t be the case for Vertical ? Will there be a special button pressing to switch from zoomed path to full navigated track?

[freeheeler]

@Mff73
2 things:

• 500m is max zoom level
• when you touch the map it will be to pan the map
  this makes tap to view full route impossible, no?

[Mff73]

@freeheeler
We will see next week

[Tomas5]

@freeheeler thats great and there is no problem with touch screen when raining? I mean in watch mode, doesn’t rain create some problems?

[freeheeler]

@Tomas5
in watch mode? I would say only as bad as with any other watch when no button is pressed, nothing happens

[Brad_Olwin]

@Tomas5 I have not had any issues in watch mode with rain. However, I am not interacting with the watch two to three times per minute either….

[mikekoski490]

@Tomas5 I just watched this really cool video review of the Vertical. It goes into some fantastic detail on the navigation features AND its done showing the touchscreen in the rain.

Shout out to this channel! I think I enjoyed it more than DCR or Desfit to be quite honest: Active Ideas:

https://youtu.be/Ldx_YPgU87c