Chinese smartphone without frames on three sides. Xiaomi has unveiled an incredible concept phone with a huge bezel-less screen. Pros and cons of frameless smartphones

With the increase in smartphone screen diagonals, a problem has arisen related to the inconvenience of using devices in one hand. Manufacturers have not stopped improving the models, but have focused on the efficient use of the front panel surface.

A reasonable way out of the situation was to reduce the borders around the screen. Nobody has yet developed a device with a complete absence of frames, but work is in active mode. We recommend checking out our selection of smartphones without frames that you can purchase today.

Sharp Corner R

Great device from Sharp. Before the company delighted us with its frameless smartphones, this time the company went even further and presented a 5.2-inch device on which the touch panel occupies 90% of the front surface. The smartphone should soon go on sale under the famous Sharp logo. In our country, such devices are rarely found; apparently, you will have to order the goods from abroad.

All that is known about this smartphone is that it has a 5.2 screen with a resolution of 1920x1080, developed using IGZO technology. The remaining parameters are not yet known.

A rather unusual frameless smartphone called Elephone P9000 Edge. The display has a diagonal of 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1930x1080 pixels. The model is equipped with an 8-core MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755) processor, 4 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory.

Note that the smartphone was originally planned to be equipped with 6 GB of RAM. In addition, a dual camera module was expected, which was never implemented, limiting itself to a single one. The camera in the device is 20.7 MP.

Ulefone Future

Another fresh release of the 2017 season, Ulefone Future, has gone on sale, the device is already available in some online stores.

In terms of its parameters, Ulefone Future is somewhat similar to ZTE Nubia Z11. It has a 5.5 display 1920x1080 pixels, 32 GB of internal memory with the ability to use memory cards, 4 GB of RAM, a 16 megapixel camera and an 8-core MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755) processor. The modification is also equipped with a fingerprint scanner, USB Type-C and fast charging function. Among the positive aspects is the use of pure Android.

Therefore, if you want to buy a frameless phone that is not stuffed with proprietary shells from the manufacturer, then this is your option. The cost of the gadget starts from $160.
According to some users, in the kit you will also find a silicone bumper case and a film for glass.

Elephone S7

A fashionable frameless smartphone, the price of which is in the affordable category. The first thing that stands out is the 5.2-inch display, rather than the usual 5.5 inches. The lack of bezels reduces the width of the smartphone to 69mm, unlike many 5-inch smartphones. The body is made of metal.

The model is equipped with an 8-core MediaTek MT6737T processor, 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory with a slot for increasing memory. The battery size will be 2450 mAh, and a fingerprint scanner is also provided. LTE support is present.

ZTE Nubia Z11

This model was mentioned in a review of frameless smartphones in 2016; at that time, the device was the most anticipated. Now it can be found on sale, but the device is not found too often. It’s a pity, since the smartphone turned out to be original.
The display is 5.5 inches with a fairly familiar design (the body is made of metal) and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The width of the model is 72.3 mm, and all thanks to the absence of frames.

The modification is equipped with a 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, 64 GB of internal memory (expandable via memory cards) and 6 GB of RAM. In addition to the above, you will find: USB Type-C, a fingerprint scanner and an AKM4376 audio chip. The camera is 16 MP. The Z11 has an excellent camera with optical image stabilization as well as sapphire glass optics. However, the main advantage of the model can be safely called the amazing sound quality, which completely replaces a portable player.

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 128Gb

One of the most original devices in recent years. Frameless Xiaomi smartphones have been seen before, but the developers did not stop there, but were able to install a 6.4-inch screen in a body with a resolution of 2560x1440, designed for 5.7-inch smartphones. The company used over 90% of the front area.

The smartphone is in great demand all over the world. And this is understandable, since
The frameless flagship has the most top-end filling: the latest eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, delivering a frequency of up to 3 GHz and 4/6 GB of RAM. The camera takes high-quality photos: the main one is 12 MP, f/1.8, autofocus, 4K video recording, and the front one is 8 MP, pixel size 2 microns, f/2.0. I would also like to highlight the ceramic body.

For such a top-end filling you will have to pay about $700.

Xiaomi's closest national competitor is also successfully creating frameless Chinese smartphones, one of which is Meizu Pro 7. There is information that the usable area is about 90 percent, which is superior to Xiaomi. The body material is made of aluminum and tempered glass. There is a 5.7-inch Quad HD matrix (2560 x 1440 pixels) with a Super Amoled screen installed on board.

The model is equipped with an eight-core Exynos 8890 processor with a clock frequency of up to 2.0 GHz. The RAM is 4 GB, and the internal memory is 64 GB, expandable up to 128 GB. Battery capacity 3200 mAh.

As you have already noticed, the technical characteristics are excellent. Top-end processor, high-quality display, advanced camera and updated design. The estimated price of the gadget will be $400, and the flagship will go on sale this summer.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32 Gb

The new Galaxy S8 has gone on sale, but the Galaxy S7 Edge will remain on store shelves for a long time.

The uniqueness of the model is that the frameless smartphone has curved glass, so the edges of the display are on the side edges of the device. How successful this innovation turned out to be is for users to decide.

If we talk about the filling, the flagship has a 5.5-inch display with QHD resolution, Samsung Exynos 8890 processor, 4 GB RAM, one of the highest quality cameras on the smartphone market, a fingerprint scanner, and an elegant body made of glass and metal. The Seven is also pleased with its autonomy; it contains a 3600 mAh battery, which, in combination with an energy-efficient AMOLED display, provides 1.5-2 days of phone operation. IP68 protection is the only flagship on the market that is dust and water resistant.

New this season is the Sony Xperia XA Ultra. The developers managed to combine a tablet, phone and selfie in one device. The model has a 6-inch display, an excellent camera, including a front one. The front camera is no worse than the main one. The device runs on a Helio P10 processor, has 16/2 GB of memory, an IPS display with a resolution of 1280*720 pixels and a 2300 mAh battery.

The device is presented in the traditional Sony style and looks quite fresh. The golden and light green colors of the body are in perfect harmony with each other. The characteristics are at the highest level, as you can verify for yourself.

Samsung Galaxy S8

We cannot remain silent about the original Samsung Galaxy S8 model. The company decided to use curved glass, with almost no frames. In appearance, the smartphone turned out to be very original. And sales of this modification are breaking all records.
The front surface of the screen is absolutely smooth - there are no separate buttons (the mechanical key has been eliminated, all the buttons in front are touch sensitive).

“Smart” is equipped with the latest Samsung Exynos 8895 processor, but in some assemblies, manufacturers also used the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The RAM capacity is 4 GB. There were no drastic changes made to the camera, but it took better pictures due to the updated software.

LG G6 - frameless smartphone with two cameras

At MWC 2017, the company presented the expected new G6. The developer decided to move away from the modular concept, which never became popular, by placing emphasis on framelessness. The device was equipped with an ultra-widescreen 5.7″ display. Its resolution is 2880x1440 pixels, and the aspect ratio is 2:1 or 18:9. Thanks to these dimensions, the device can be compared to a classic five-inch gadget.

The smartphone is made with thin frames, so it has the right to be called frameless. In addition to the high-definition display, the LG G6 has a dual 13-megapixel camera with optical image stabilization. For lovers of high-quality music, a DAC is installed that supports HD quality sound. And for those who are afraid of drowning their smartphone, protection according to the IP68 standard is an excellent solution.

The little-known company Elephone decided to keep up with its competitors and release the flagship Elephone S8. This gadget will be equipped with a MediaTek Helio X27 processor, which has ten computing cores: dual-core Cortex-A72 with a frequency of 2.6 GHz and quad-core Cortex-A53 with a frequency of 2.0 GHz and 1.6 GHz. The smartphone was equipped with an ARM Mali T880 MP4 graphics accelerator with a frequency of 875 MHz and an LTE FDD/TDD R11 Cat-6 cellular modem (up to 300 Mbit/s). Other characteristics are still unknown.

Elephone S8 is the only smartphone from the above list, the sale of which will be aimed abroad, since its price is quite tempting - $300. It should be noted that the company’s previous version sold well, which indicates that the next version will soon appear on the market. The company successfully copies the Samsung Galaxy S series, so most likely the release of the new gadget will take place immediately after the presentation of the South Korean smartphone. This will approximately be at the end of February 2017.

ZUK Edge

A sub-brand of Lenovo, it decided to create a new device called ZUK Edge. This device is a modified version of the ZUK Z2, which was successfully sold in 2016. The device is included in the list of the most budget smartphones. To increase its success, the company decided to sell a frameless smartphone. The device was introduced in 2016, but it could only be seen in stores in January of the following year.

The smart screen has a 5.5″ display, IPS matrix with Full HD resolution, 2.5D glass. The phone's performance is supported by the top-end Snapdragon 821 processor and 6 GB of RAM. Main camera 13 MP, f/2.0 aperture. The quality of the images is at the level of the flagships of the year before last. The main advantage is its affordable price, which does not exceed $400, which is quite cheap considering the characteristics of the smartphone.

The metal smartphone has small side frames and costs $180. This is a fairly massive and heavy device with a thickness of 9 mm and a weight of 190 grams. This Chinese product has a 5.5 display from SHARP, an excellent IPS matrix with Full HD resolution.

Productivity is at a decent level, the gadget operates on an 8-core Helio P10 chip, has 4 GB of RAM and a slot for Micro-SD. The resolution of the main camera is 21 MP, and the front one is 8 MP. The quality of shooting in low light is average, but in the daytime you get excellent photos.

The only caveat is the absence of an oleophobic coating on the screen, as a result of which the phone collects a lot of fingerprints. But overall, this is an inexpensive and good smartphone.

In December, the well-known company Huawei celebrated its 3rd anniversary and presented a new smartphone. The main distinguishing feature of the new product is the design, which is significantly different from previous versions of the company, and plus an artificial intelligence system.

The device runs on an eight-core Kirin 950 processor with a frequency of 2.3 GHz, coupled with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. The battery size is 2900 mAh. The phone is able to support a fast charge function: 70% in 20 minutes. The flagship has a 5-inch AMOLED display with 2560x1440 pixels, a dual 12-megapixel camera and support for microSD cards.

Doogee Mix

Good news was also the release of the Doogee Mix smartphone with a smaller 5.5-inch AMOLED screen, the Helio P20/X30 processor and with 4/6 GB of RAM and 64/128 GB of flash memory. An excellent frameless option, especially since the price is in the affordable category - only $200. And today it’s easier than ever to buy frameless smartphones on Aliexpress.

The model has a similar design to the frameless Xiaomi smartphone, however, the fingerprint scanner is placed on the front, and on the back there is a dual camera module of 16 MP + 8 MP. Despite the design and contents, the creators were able to maintain the compact size of the phone. The device runs on Android 7.0 Nougat.

The Chinese brand Bluboo always keeps pace with experiments. In 2017, the company introduced a new flagship, Bluboo Edge, with a frameless design and good hardware. Almost the entire front edge is covered with a 5.5-inch Full HD display, in the middle of which there is a MediaTek Helio P20 “percent”.

If we talk about memory, then this modification has 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. The back side has a main camera with a 13 MP sensor, and on the front side there is an 8 MP sensor. The new product is charged from a 2600 mAh battery and runs on Android 6.0 OS.

Another 5.5-inch gadget from China with a display and thin frames. The resolution of this screen is FHD 1920×1080p, and the matrix type is IPS with 2.5D protective glass on top of it. In the middle there is a Taiwanese MTK67501 processor, which operates at a frequency of 1.5 GHz per core with 3/32 GB of memory.

The new device is equipped with 13 MP and 2 MP cameras on the back, as well as a powerful 13 MP on the front. The battery capacity of the model is 3000 mAh, the operating system is Freeme OS, based on Android Nougat. Case dimensions: 141.7×75.8×7.9 mm, and the cost is still unknown.

IDwell d10/d10 Pro

A little-known Chinese company offers a new product, IDwell d10. It is equipped with a 5.5-inch Full HD display with small frames and an MT6750 chipset, 3/32 GB of memory and a 3000 mAh battery. On the back surface there are two sensors: a main 13 MP and an additional 2 MP.

Case dimensions: 152.6×75.6×7.4 mm. The flagship looks almost the same as an inverted Mi Mix; it lacks frames on the sides and bottom, but the upper surface of the front edge is more noticeable.

Maze Alpha

The Chinese company presents to your attention a 6-inch Maze Alpha with a 6-inch screen, which has narrow frames on the sides and a slightly larger frame on the top surface of the display. Including two types of memory: 4/6 GB of RAM and 64/128 GB. The company is still silent about what processor will be in the new device.

What is known is that Maze Alpha will have two identical sensors on the back, 13 megapixels each, as well as a regular 5 megapixel front camera. The phone's battery size is 4000 mAh, and the device will run Google Android 7.0 Nougat.

MEIIGOO M1 - a new frameless phone with 6 GB of RAM!

The characteristics of the frameless new product with a dual camera are as follows: all-metal body, 5.5″ display with Full HD resolution (1920x1080 pixels), MediaTek Helio P20 chipset (MT6757 with a frequency of up to 2.3 GHz), 6 GB of RAM, 64 GB of internal memory, 13-megapixel + 8-megapixel dual rear camera (the second sensor is used for bokeh), 8-megapixel front camera, Android version 7.0 Nougat operating system, front fingerprint scanner and 4000 mAh battery.

conclusions

Thus, you can purchase a high-quality frameless smartphone from China at an affordable price. It is expected that in 2018-2019 the fashion for displays on the entire front edge will be relevant, and Chinese manufacturers will be able to please us with fresh and even more interesting flagships. The most expensive in our selection is Xiaomi, and the most budget option is Elephone.

20 best frameless smartphones that will surprise you!

4.5 (89.36%) 94 votes

Frameless smartphones have become a real trend in 2017. Now, this is the main attribute of any first-class flagship and more. Manufacturers have begun to produce frameless smartphones on inexpensive devices. Almost every manufacturer has at least one frameless model. Every day, the demand for such models is growing.

The first frameless smartphones.

In 2014, Sharp was the first to release a line of frameless Aquos Crystal smartphones, but the market was not ready then and this model did not find any success. In 2016, Xiaomi introduced its first frameless smartphone, Mi Mix. The device turned out to be very interesting and discussed; other manufacturers realized it and began working in the same direction. An interesting feature of this model is that it does not have a speaker; piezoelectric acoustics are responsible for voice transmission - that is, the sound is created using vibrations of the smartphone, the sound is transmitted to the inner ear, through the bones of the skull. Another year later, in September 2017, Apple introduced its frameless iPhone X, giving the world a new subtype of “smartphone with bangs.” The notch on a smartphone is a cutout at the top of the screen, under the camera, speaker and sensors. Then a real boom began, all manufacturers began to massively copy Apple's bangs in their devices. Yes, Xiaomi, in its flagship Mi 8 series, made a cutout like the iPhone X, although it could have followed the path of the Mi Mix line.

How manufacturers achieve maximum framelessness.

Manufacturers of TVs, monitors and laptops have long been trying to minimize frames. Firstly, on a screen with small frames, the picture looks much better. And secondly, the dimensions of the devices are reduced. It’s the same with smartphones, the rejection of thick frames allows manufacturers to fit a large screen diagonal into the same dimensions of the device.

What lengths do manufacturers go to in pursuit of thin frames:

abandon the usual logos placed on the front of smartphones;
they transfer or completely abandon the fingerprint scanner;
they move the front camera or completely hide it inside the smartphone;
they refuse touch buttons under the screen.

At first glance, abandoning the framework may seem inconvenient. There is less space for your fingers not only on the screen, but also on the body, which can cause arbitrary clicks. This problem is quickly overcome once you get used to the new design and say goodbye to the old experience of using a smartphone with thick frames. However, there are disadvantages to this design, smartphones are becoming more fragile and are much more difficult to withstand falls, and repairing frameless screens is much more expensive, for example, if they ask for 14,000 rubles to replace the original screen on an iPhone 8 Plus, then 29,000 to replace the screen of an iPhone X, which is twice as expensive. Also, moving the front camera inside the devices, some models, makes it difficult to install full dust and moisture protection.

The most interesting thing is whether a smartphone will be presented where the display will occupy 100% of the front of the smartphone. Sooner or later we will find out about this; manufacturers need to stand out somehow.

How is the framelessness of a smartphone assessed?

Manufacturers state the percentage of space occupied by the screen on the front of the smartphone, but they all count differently, so it is not correct to compare their data. The Digital Trends team recalculated the devices using a single formula, and the result was interesting. The first two places were taken by devices from Chinese companies OPPO and Vivo, which are both subsidiaries of BBK Electronics. First place went to the Oppo Find X smartphone 86.9% with a diagonal of 6.42 inches. Second place went to Vivo Nex - 86.2% with a diagonal of 6.59 inches. Interestingly, the only budget smartphone to make it into the top 10 frameless smartphones was Huawei Honor 8X, taking fifth place with a score of 84.3% and a diagonal of 6.5 inches.

A frameless display, along with a dual camera module, became the main trends of the past 2016 in the mobile phone segment. And there is every reason to believe that the desire of manufacturers to reduce or completely get rid of side frames in their smartphones will only grow in the near future.

In the debate about the practicality of such a design refinement, many copies have already been broken, and the final decision on this matter is up to you. We have prepared a selection of 10 devices, which presents the best frameless smartphones of 2017.

Mi Mix is the loudest new product from Xiaomi in the past year, which is the apotheosis of the desire for framelessness, which current technologies can only achieve. This is a conceptual smartphone worth more than 50 thousand rubles, in which the display occupies 91.3% of the front panel.

The main material in the design of Mi Mix is ceramic. The screen diagonal is 6.4’’, it is an IPS matrix with Quad HD resolution, providing excellent image quality. In terms of performance, the device also occupies a leading position: it is powered by a Snapdragon 821 processor with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory. The camera uses a 16 MP module with f/2.0 aperture.

In addition to the advantage of a futuristic design, Mi Mix also has a number of disadvantages associated with its framelessness. The ergonomics of the new product raise a number of questions, and it is not entirely convenient to use. It is slippery due to the ceramic case, so you have to carry the phone in a case, which spoils all the aesthetic charm. Ceramic is also the reason why the smartphone gets noticeably warm under load. However, for those who want to hold the technology of the future in their hands, it is difficult to find an alternative to Mi Mix.

If comparing Mi Mix with other flagships is not entirely correct - this device is too unusual, then the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is a flagship in the full sense of the word. The S7 Edge is good in everything, it has a powerful Exynos 8890 processor with 4 RAM with support for memory cards, an ideal 5.5’’ Super AMOLED 2K display, and a camera, which at the beginning of 2017 is considered one of the best on the market.

IP68 protection has also returned to the S7 Edge - this is the only flagship on the market that is not afraid of water and dust. The 7 does not disappoint in terms of battery life; it uses a 3600 mAh battery, which, when paired with an energy-efficient AMOLED screen, provides a reliable one and a half to two days of smartphone operation.

The S7 Edge has no downsides as such. Let us only note that the ceramic body of the device does not survive a fall on hard surfaces, and repairing the seven is extremely expensive. Replacing the screen alone costs 25 thousand rubles.

Another flagship in our selection is the frameless Nubia Z11 from ZTE. This is the narrowest metal smartphone with a screen diagonal of 5.5 inches, and the thickness of the side edges is truly minimal. The device uses a Full HD IPS screen, a Snapdragon 820 processor with 4/6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory, and there is a slot for Micro SD cards.

The Z11 has an excellent camera with optical image stabilization and sapphire glass optics, but its main advantage is the sound - the smartphone is equipped with a dedicated AKM4376 DAC that supports Hi-Fi+ audio output. The Z11 can fully replace a portable player; it produces simply amazing sound quality in headphones.

The only thing we can find fault with is the not very capacious battery – only 3000 mAh, which is enough for 5-6 hours of screen operation. But the situation is saved by the support of fast charging technology, which allows you to fully charge your smartphone in 60 minutes.

Magic is a smartphone released by Huawei in honor of the anniversary of the Honor line, which turned 3 years old last December. In addition to the unusual, completely symmetrical design, the device is notable for its software, which uses elements of artificial intelligence. The smartphone is able to analyze the user's habits and adapt to his needs. How well this is implemented in practice remains to be seen, since Honor Magic will only go on sale at the beginning of 2017.

Honor Magic is also good in terms of hardware. It is based on the Kirin 950 chipset (analogous to the 820 dragon), has on board 64/4 GB of memory, a Quad HD AMOLED display covered with 3D glass, and 12 and 8 MP cameras. The new product uses a unique 2900 mAh graphene battery, which is Huawei’s own design, which has an increased service life and can be charged up to 70% in 20 minutes. There is only one drawback - the lack of a slot for a memory card.

At the intersection of top brand smartphones and budget smartphones, which we will consider in the second half of the article, there is Xperia XA - a frameless device from SONY for 18 thousand rubles. The design of the XA is really not bad; it is made of matte plastic with metal side frames. Thanks to its elongated shape, the smartphone fits perfectly in the hand.

But traditionally, SONY is not modest with the price tag for its devices. The Xperia XA raises a number of questions when considering its price/functionality ratio: the smartphone runs on a weak Helio P10 processor, has 16/2 GB of memory, an IPS screen with a resolution of 1280*720 pixels and a modest 2300 mAh battery.

The advantages of the Xperia XA are a good camera, the presence of separate slots for SIM and Micro-SD, as well as its appearance. Cons: Poor performance, short battery life, and quiet main speaker. We can only recommend this device to fans of the Japanese company.

Frameless smartphones are also available from Chinese manufacturers, who traditionally dominate the budget segment. An interesting option is the Elephone S7, which looks almost like a complete copy of the Galaxy S7 Edge.

However, this is not a fake, but an independent smartphone with very good technical characteristics. The device has a 5.5’’ Full HD IPS display covered with Gorilla Glass 3, 13 and 5 MP cameras, a 3000 mAh battery and a Helio X20 processor. The smartphone is available in three modifications - with 16/2, 32/3 and 64/4 memory on board.

For $170, which the S7 now costs, this is a very good choice for those who want to purchase a fashion smartphone. The Elephone S7 has a cool design, decent performance and a good screen, the only drawbacks are weak dynamics and mediocre battery life.

Super Edge from UMi is a metal smartphone with small side frames priced at $180. This is a fairly large and weighty device, the thickness of which is almost 9 mm and the weight is 190 grams. This Chinese device uses a 5.5” screen from SHARP, it is a good IPS matrix with Full HD resolution.

The performance for the money is decent; the smartphone runs on an 8-core Helio P10 chip, has 4 GB of RAM, 32 GB of internal memory and a Micro-SD slot. The resolution of the main camera is as much as 21 MP, the front one is 8 MP. Low-light performance is mediocre, but you can get some great photos during the day.

The only complaint about the gadget is the lack of an oleophobic coating on the display, which is why it collects a lot of fingerprints. In all other respects, this is a very decent and inexpensive smartphone.

Ulefone Future's characteristics are almost completely identical to the smartphone from UMI discussed above. It has a similar 5.5’’ Full HD screen, Helio P10, and 32/4 GB of memory. The differences are only in more modest cameras - 15 and 5 MP, but the Future is equipped with a two-tone flash.

Among the advantages of this model, we highlight the use of pure Android as an operating system. So if you want to get an inexpensive frameless smartphone that is not littered with proprietary shells from the manufacturer, this is a very good option. Price – from 160 dollars.

ZUK Edge

Edge is a very beautiful, balanced and relatively inexpensive smartphone from ZUK, a sub-brand of the well-known Lenovo company. The device is powered by the top-end Snapdragon 821, has 64/4 GB of memory, a 5.5-inch FHD IPS screen, 13/5 MP cameras and a 3100 mAh battery. Due to the almost complete absence of side frames and the minimal thickness of the top frame, the Edge is compact and much more convenient to use than other smartphones with a similar-sized display.

The smartphone has essentially one drawback - it is not aimed at the European market, which is why you can only buy it in China with the appropriate firmware (without Google services and with very clumsy Russification). But if flashing your smartphone is a common thing for you, then this gadget will be an excellent purchase. Among the features, we also note the ceramic body, which readily collects fingerprints, and noticeable heating under load, which does not allow you to fully reveal all the gaming abilities of the 821 dragon, however, any ZUK Edge toys can be played at maximum speed without any problems. The price of a smartphone on AliExpress starts from 20 thousand rubles.

Galaxy S8

And let’s finish our rating with one of the main new products of 2017 - the Galaxy S8. There are not so many smartphones whose appearance causes a wow effect, and the S8 is definitely one of them. In addition to the chic design, the new Samsung flagship has a top-end screen (5.8" or 6.2" AMOLED with 2K resolution), the most powerful processor to date (Snapdragon 835 or Exynos 8895), cool cameras (12/8MP with f/1.7 aperture) and excellent battery life (up to 18 hours of continuous video playback).

There are no particular shortcomings in the eight, they only complain about crude software optimization, due to which, with more powerful hardware, the S8 is inferior in performance to the same iPhone 7, but this problem will be eliminated with future firmware updates. And if you have a lot of money and want to buy the coolest Android smartphone on the market, then the Galaxy S8 is your choice.

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1. Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+

The South Korean flagships Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ are equipped with 5.8- and 6.2-inch screens, respectively. There are no side frames at all, and the edges are smoothly rounded. There may not be a dual camera with optical zoom, but in terms of security, smartphones are no less worthy than: they can identify the owner by the iris of the eye. There is also facial recognition, but the camera works using a two-dimensional algorithm, not taking into account depth, and therefore the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ can be unlocked with a photo.

The official price for S8+ is 54,990 and 59,990 rubles, respectively.

The popular 2017 Samsung Galaxy Note phablet also got an infinite screen, but with a diagonal of 6.3 inches. And its edges are not as steep as those of the Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+, because there must be room in the case for the S Pen. The camera has become double, there is a 2x optical zoom. The security features are the same as in the G8: an iris scanner and an unreliable facial recognition system.

The official price in Russia is 69,990 rubles.

3.LG G6

Unfortunately, the flagship LG G6 was deprived of popular attention, although the phrase “got a solid screen before it became mainstream” is about it. There's a 5.7-inch Quad HD Plus FullVision display with Dolby Vision and HDR10 technologies and an 18:9 aspect ratio, but LG chose an IPS matrix, and therefore it became impossible to get rid of the side frames by curving the panel.

The LG G6's dual camera features wide-angle and standard lenses with 125° and 71° angles, respectively. Facial recognition is available, but LG warns: "The feature provides less security for your phone than other methods such as pattern, PIN, password and fingerprint."

The official price of LG G6 in Russia is 39,990 rubles.

LG equipped the flagship V30 with a 6-inch P-OLED screen with an aspect ratio of 18:9, however, like in the G6, it did not round the edges or remove the side frames. Notably, the LG V30 is smaller in size than the OnePlus 5 with a regular 5.5-inch 16:9 display.

The dual camera is created according to the same logic as the G6. One lens is wide-angle at 120°, the other is normal at 71°. Moreover, the camera is so cool that David Franco, director of photography for Game of Thrones, took part in the presentation of the smartphone.

There are no innovations in terms of security here.

The start of sales in South Korea is scheduled for September 21. The smartphone will then go to North America, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. The price is expected to be around $700 - about 40,000 rubles.

A mysterious smartphone from the “father of Android” Andy Rubin appeared in American online stores in early August without any announcement. Attention is drawn to the 5.71-inch LTPS screen covering almost the entire front panel. The front camera breaks the integrity, but after the iPhone X with its “ears,” it would be strange to scold the designers of the Essential Phone.

The smartphone is equipped with a dual camera: one color, the other monochrome. The tandem is designed to increase the amount of light received by 200% compared to “traditional” cameras, the developers say. Nothing is said about security features other than a fingerprint scanner.

The pre-order price is $699, delivery is promised in 1–2 months.

The images of Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 are breathtaking. On them it is truly frameless! However, in life everything is not like that. Yes, the 6-inch IPS screen with an 18:9 ratio seems to occupy 93% of the front panel, there is no earpiece. But there are frames, and on the sides, and, contrary to Xiaomi’s statement, they are not much smaller than those of the iPhone 7 Plus.

The camera of Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is a traditional “one-eyed” one, but on a Sony IMX386 sensor and with optical stabilization. Xiaomi didn’t bother with security measures.

The price in the maximum configuration on the Chinese market is 3,999 yuan (about 35,000 rubles).

GSMArena.com

Xiaomi claims that the huge 6.4-inch screen covers 91.3% of the front panel, but measurements showed that no more than 84%. In general, it’s also not bad. The edges are not rounded, and therefore there are still small frames.

The camera is average, with an OmniVision sensor and no optical image stabilization. Facial recognition using neural networks, machine learning and an infrared camera? Of course not!

In the top configuration it will cost between 35-40 thousand rubles.

SZ LifeStyle/AliExpress.com

Once upon a time, it was Sharp that released the first truly frameless smartphone, and the tradition continues. The Sharp Aquos 2 is a mid-ranger with a 5.5-inch 4K screen that covers 87.5% of the front panel and has a small cutout on top for the selfie camera. The main camera is dual, and the second module is needed solely to simulate the bokeh effect. Security is entrusted to the fingerprint scanner.

Inexpensive new product from a Chinese manufacturer. The world's first 6-inch smartphone with an edge-to-edge 18:9 display and a 5,100 mAh battery. There is also a dual camera - the second module allows you to blur the background. A fingerprint scanner is responsible for security.

The pre-order price of UmiDigi S2 is only $229.99 (about 13,000 rubles), shipping starts after October 11.

The cheapest smartphone in the selection and at the same time the most dubious. The manufacturer has moved the 5.5-inch display to the top as much as possible, which creates the feeling of a frameless design - but there are still frames. The dual camera with bokeh effect is here for show: it takes disgusting pictures. The archaic Home button contains a fingerprint scanner.

Price - about 11,000 rubles.