The iPhone XS, Galaxy S9 and other phones that have no borders around their displays have us, like, "Hnnnnnnnng."
Phones with very little border around their faces, such as the iPhone XS and Galaxy S9,
have their displays running up right to the edges. Though they're
appealing to the eyes, these bezel-less nearly all screen phones don't
necessarily add anything functionally (with some exceptions, including
the more recent Samsung Galaxy flagships). In fact, an all-screen phone
increases the chances that you'll accidentally touch the display while
you're holding the phone.
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But these phones can't help but draw us in, even if it means a few
mistaken presses. Perhaps because they look like all the futuristic tech
we imagined when we were kids, with their superthin, supersleek and
superminimalist design. Having no bezel -- or even a barely-there bezel
-- just looks sexy.
Though the feature hasn't reached mainstream
popularity just yet, there are many phones that aspire to have the
look. Fingers crossed we'll be seeing more and more of this design to
come. Here's what we've seen so far.
Editors' note: This story was first published on Jan. 20, 2017 and has since been updated.
iPhone XS and XS Max
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Just like their iPhone X predecessor, the iPhone XS Max and XS have
screen notches and thin bezels but no home buttons. The smaller iPhone
XS adds impressive camera improvements to the already-great iPhone X,
has a faster processor and dual SIM support. Meanwhile, the supersize
iPhone XS Max crams a 6.5-inch screen and all of the same great features
of the iPhone XS into a Plus-size body. Read the iPhone XS and XS Max reviews.
Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus
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Coming in new blue and purple color variants, the Galaxy S9
packages a gorgeous 5.8-inch screen, a dual-curved design and terrific
cameras for well-lit shots that can't go wrong. Its bigger brother, the Galaxy S9 Plus, adds a larger display, a higher-capacity battery and a second rear camera. Read the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus reviews.
Oppo Find X
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By popping out its front-facing camera from inside the body instead of placing it on the front, the Find X achieves
superthin bezels all around. Besides its top-of-the-line features such
as 3D face scanning for unlocking, it also has a beautiful design, a
great camera and long battery life with fast charging. Read the Oppo Find X review.
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Nubia X
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Perhaps the most bizarre phone in this roundup is the Nubia X.
This phone actually has two screens -- a 6.3-inch LCD display and a
5.1-inch OLED display on the back -- as well as an onscreen fingerprint
reader. there are two cameras on the back, and the rear display is
supposed to be your viewfinder to snap the perfect photo. Read the Nubia X first-take.
Vivo Nex
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The Vivo Nex is
a lot like the Oppo Find X (they share the same parent company, after
all). The pop-up camera module is smaller, but the all-screen face has
razor-thin bezels and no speaker grille to get in the way. It has an
in-screen fingerprint reader, too. Read the Vivo Nex review.
OnePlus 6T
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Though it doesn't have a headphone jack or a water-resistant design, the OnePlus 6T
offers top-notch hardware including a lightning-fast processor and an
excellent camera for hundreds of dollars less than its competitors. For
US customers, you can buy it on T-Mobile, and it works on Verizon's network. Read the OnePlus 6T review.
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Nokia 8 Sirocco
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Nokia's swanky Sirocco flagship looks a bit like last year's Galaxy S8,
but that's not such a bad thing. The elegantly designed 5.5-inch phone
is water resistant, packs 8GB of RAM, and features 12- and 13-megapixel
rear cameras. Though unfortunately it won't come to the US, it'll make
its way to Europe in April with an official 749 euro and AU$1,199 price
tag (that's around $925 and £660, converted). Read the Nokia 8 Sirocco hands-on.
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Samsung Galaxy Note 9
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The Note 9 is
a big, beautiful phone with top-tier specs including a massive battery
and internal storage that starts at 128GB. The smart S Pen doubles as a
wireless remote for taking long-distance selfies. Read the Galaxy Note 8 review.
Essential Phone
We had a lot of high hopes for the Essential Phone.
Alas, its mediocre battery life, half-baked software and premature
modular accessories mean the phone has a lot more work to do. But one
thing you have to commend it for is its stunning looks, and deep
discounts on its price make the phone a bit more appealing. Read the Essential Phone review.
LG V40 ThinQ
The V40's
five cameras give you a variety of photography options. Plus, it has a
6.4-inch screen, but is still comfortable to hold. It's water resistant,
and it has expandable memory and a headphone jack, too. Read the LG V40 review.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3
Powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor, the Mi Mix 3 has a 6.39-inch display, four cameras (two on the back, two on the front) and comes in a variant with a whopping 10GB of RAM. Xiaomi is also expected to release a 5G version of the Mi Mix 3 some time next year.. Read all about the Xiao Mi Mix 3.
Sony Xperia XZ3
The
Xperia XZ3 is big, powerful and expensive. It features a 6-inch screen,
a single 19-megapixel rear camera, a water-resistant design and
wireless charging. It also runs Android Pie and is powered by Qualcomm's
Snapdragon 845 chipset. Read the Xperia XZ3 hands-on.
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