Xiaomi Mi Mix review: is a frameless smartphone convenient? Xiaomi presented an incredible concept phone with a huge bezel-less screen Hardware features: according to the template
Xiaomi has decided to single-handedly move the mobile industry into a frameless future. Apparently, this Chinese manufacturer will be the first to release a mass commercial device with a curved screen without frames. This gadget will be the Xiaomi Mi MIX concept phone.
Xiaomi Mi MIX can be called a monster from China - this device is like nothing else. Its front panel is 91.3% occupied by a huge 6.4-inch display, which has no frames on top and sides. Also, the glass that covers the display has a 2.5D effect. The famous French designer Philippe Starck worked on the appearance of the gadget. Xiaomi Mi MIX looks really stylish. The pleasant design of the case is flavored with high-quality materials - ceramics.
It is worth noting that the bezel of the main camera is made of 18-karat gold. Since the upper part of the front panel is completely dedicated to the display, the front camera was moved down. All the sensors are located there. And all this at a relatively low price in the best traditions of Xiaomi.
- 4 / 128 GB - 3,499 yuan or about $516.
- 6 / 256 GB - 3,999 yuan or about $590.
Mi Mix
First version Xiaomi Mix No top frame
First. With 6,44
inches to 5,99
2160 x 1080
Second.
Third and most interesting. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 there is a side frame
With or without frames?
Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with 8 cores Kryo 280 LPDDR4x
MIUI 9 
3400 mAh enough at 7 o'clock Quick Charge 3.0
Sony IMX386 
Results and conclusions
590 dollars once and twice 450 dollars, for Mi6 the same amount.
a hundred cheaper - the new processor is worth the difference). But, by and large, they are all in one way or another inferior to the frameless flagship Xiaomi, which in its price category has become the only smartphone of this class.
Xiaomi presented an update to its concept Mi Mix– the first mass-produced smartphone with a frameless screen. The new generation received a fresh Qualcomm platform, an improved form factor and many minor improvements. Now this is not a smartphone concept, but a “combat” gadget for every day.
Design: from concept to hard work
First version Xiaomi Mix became the main concept of a frameless smartphone, the first mass device of this class to be widely sold for the European market. No top frame led to the complexity of the smartphone hardware, and many buyers did not like it.
The updated Mix 2 received several important features that radically change the functionality of the smartphone. It’s easier to say – the concept was turned into a normal smartphone without unique features. And this is good.
First. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 display has shrunk With 6,44
inches to 5,99
. The fraction appeared due to the new aspect ratio. The 18:9 screen is more elongated, grippy, and comfortable. Yes, and more information is placed on it.
The screen of Mi Mix 2 is like a real flagship: IPS matrix, 2160 x 1080(FullHD+) pixels, DCI-P color gamut, high brightness and contrast as much as 1500:1. Ideal for any task, although very energy-consuming. Among Chinese devices, Mix 2 has no competitors.
Second. The top bezel is slightly larger, but still not large enough to accommodate the sensors, camera and speaker. Therefore, the latter hides at the end of the smartphone (still better than the screen-tearing speaker of the new iPhones). Due to the lack of space on top, the front camera is still on the bottom edge next to the 3-color LED indicator. Not the best solution, and the current design does not offer another.
Third and most interesting. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 there is a side frame around the display. Both on top and on the sides. HAVE A FRAMELESS SMARTPHONE, KARL! Visually, they are significantly larger than they actually are: the optical effect appears due to their convex shape. Although, in fact, it’s good that they exist. But, since the system keys are on-screen, the working display area is much smaller than that of a regular Mix.
With or without frames?
The fact is that the first version of Mi Mix suffered from unnecessary touches. I took it in my hand and already touched the screen. All smartphones in this class have this problem. Therefore, the frame of the second “mix” not only increases durability (the screen of the first was broken in any fall), but also eliminates accidental clicks.
Framelessness reduces dimensions. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is comparable in size to OnePlus 5 and other compact 5.5-inch smartphones. With its screen aspect ratio, the smartphone fits easily into any hand. Lies in it tightly. The buttons are where they need to be, the fingerprint scanner is right under the index finger, and nothing superfluous. The assembly is strong, nothing hangs loose or breaks.
But the material of the case again makes us ask the question: “What the hell, Xiaomi?” And all because of the beautiful ceramic (or glass) body instead of convenient plastic or reliable metal. It's good that the kit includes a silicone case. However, it will not always protect you from falling.
This is where all the unique features of Mi Mix 2 end.
Hardware capabilities: by template
Like all flagship smartphones of the season, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 received an excellent platform Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with 8 cores Kryo 280, operating at frequencies from 1.9 to 2.45 GHz. The graphics are handled by the powerful Adreno 540. And all this is topped off by excellent RAM. LPDDR4x in two-channel mode. Choose from 6 or 8 GB.
In real work, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 copes with any task. MIUI 9 and so it works smoothly, and with an impressive margin of performance it turns into an ideal shell. Like the latest version of iOS on the newly announced iPhone. Games and applications work like clockwork, in any quantity or combination. It is impossible to slow down or stall the system.
The platform is not only powerful, but also energy efficient. Heating is not felt even under the most severe load. Perhaps only Snapdragon saves Mi Mix 2 from instant discharge. Battery capacity in 3400 mAh enough at 7 o'clock under full load. Slightly smaller than the latest OnePlus, but worse than the Samsung S8. Charges quickly - availability Quick Charge 3.0 allows you to charge your smartphone in an hour and a half.
Camera: how to ruin a barrel of honey
The camera is an eternal pain for owners of Chinese smartphones. Xiaomi Mi Mix was no exception. Although it has a very good module installed, its performance left much to be desired - budget Redmi allows you to take pictures no worse.
The updated Mix has a top-end sensor Sony IMX386 with a resolution of 12 MP and aperture F/2.0. The gorgeous camera is complemented by a dual-tone LED flash, phase detection autofocus (PDAF) and 4-axis optical image stabilization. The optical system supports 4K video recording and Slow Motion in HD. But it does not save the received frames.
The camera clearly lags behind the latest flagships from Samsung and Apple. So much so that reputable resources like DxOMark diligently avoid the outwardly attractive device. During the day, in good lighting, you get great pictures: bright, saturated, with high detail and a good level of sharpness. Autofocus works quickly and correctly, and the white balance is not affected. But photos in the twilight look no better than in smartphones in 2015: grain and loss of detail.
The main camera is flowers. The frontal is what causes pain for every geek. In order to take a selfie with a tiny 5-megapixel module, you need to turn the smartphone 180°. The photo module will be in its usual position, and the camera interface elements will automatically adjust to the new location. Or you will have to put up with the unusual orientation of the device.
Personal impressions of Xiaomi Mix 2
My acquaintance with this smartphone was extremely short - a series of tests, a few pictures and a couple of hours in my pocket. And all this - during an honestly earned vacation. Not the best time for detailed research. But it’s very good for understanding whether Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 can fit into my or readers’ pockets today.
I tested the first version of the device for several days: a crude concept that causes a crazy wow effect. The new version is much easier:
- there are no accidental touches caused by the lack of side frames;
- convenient scaling of interfaces and web pages - fits more than usual;
- normal quality of voice calls even with non-traditional speaker placement;
- compact size compared to “frame” smartphones;
- Comfortable grip - even for small hands.
Mi Mix 2 works like a regular high-end Chinese smartphone. It catches the net perfectly, copes with any tasks and attracts the attention of others no worse than the flagship Samsung.
The main feature pays off very well - the screen on the entire front surface really makes the smartphone more convenient to use. Everything is at hand, and in such a way that 6 inches ceases to seem like an unrealistic figure for giants. I liked 6.44 inches better, but I have to admit that in this case, reducing the screen did not significantly reduce the visible area.
In addition, the streamlined shape and smooth surface make Mi Mix 2 pleasant to the touch; you don’t want to let it go. If you are not used to it, it may seem too slippery (I have had several glass devices, the sensations are familiar). Fingerprints, problems with smooth tables (in the future, probably countless small scratches) - the whole range of “joys” of glass surfaces is in place.
Results and conclusions
It is up to the readers to decide whether to buy or not. Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is an excellent, stylish Chinese smartphone with a lot of advantages. If you don’t use it for artistic photography (it copes with other scenarios) and forget about selfies, this is the future of smartphones.
The new product is much stronger than the first version; it is not scary to use in everyday life. It can withstand a couple of falls on its edge - just like any other smartphone. Unfortunately, modern gadgets cannot offer more.
The high price can stop it. The younger version of Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 with 6 GB of RAM and a 64 GB storage will cost a Russian buyer $590. You will have to pay for the increase in multiples, $30 for every 64 GB of internal memory (one or two). On the other hand, the prices do not stand out compared to other Chinese “flagship killers” of the season: OnePlus 5 costs no less than $450, the same amount for Mi6.
The real competition for Mi Mix 2 can come from flagships of previous generations, including the popular Mi5s and its own progenitor (only a hundred cheaper
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is the second generation of flagship smartphones in the Mi MIX line, which stands out for its innovative design using solid screens. It was with this line in October 2016 that the craze for full-screen screens that occupy the maximum area of the front panel began and continues.
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is even more refined than the first: the frames are thinner, the lines are smoother. In August 2017, the smartphone became a gold medalist in the IDEA design competition, and in October it was added to the collection of the Design Museum in Helsinki. The filling is powerful, and the price is affordable.
Characteristics
| Frame | Aluminium, ceramics |
| Display | 5.99 inches, IPS FHD+ (2,160 × 1,080 pixels), Corning Gorilla Glass 4 |
| Platform | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 (MSM8998) processor, Adreno 540 graphics accelerator |
| RAM | 6 GB, LPDDR4X |
| Built-in memory | 64 / 128 / 256 GB, UFS 2.1 |
| Cameras | Main - 12 MP, Sony IMX386; front - 5 MP |
| Connection | 2 nanoSIM slots; 2G: GSM 850 / 900 / 1 800 / 1 900; CDMA BC0, BC1, BC6, BC10; 3G: WCDMA 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 8 / 9 / 19; CDMA EVDO, BC0, BC1, BC6, BC10; TD-SCDMA 34 / 39; 4G TD-LTE 34 / 38 / 39 / 40 / 41; FDD-LTE: Band 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 7 / 8 / 12 / 13 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30; B41 support 2496–2690 MHz; LTE B41 technology with 4 antennas, support 4 × 4 MIMO |
| Wireless interfaces | 2 × 2 MIMO, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 Hz / 5 Hz; Bluetooth 5, GPS / GLONASS / BeiDou |
| Expansion slots | USB Type-C |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, ultrasonic proximity sensor, light sensor, gyroscope, compass, fingerprint scanner, barometer, Hall sensor |
| operating system | Android 7.1.1 + MIUI 9.1.2 |
| Battery | 3,400 mAh (non-removable); fast charge 3.0, 9V/2A |
| Dimensions | 151.8 × 75.5 × 7.7 mm |
| Weight | 185 g |
Design, materials and ergonomics
The appearance and materials of Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 claim premium status. Aircraft aluminum base, mirrored ceramic back panel, 18-karat gold camera frame - chic, shine, beauty! If you like bright things, you will definitely like Xiaomi Mi MIX 2.
However, from a practicality point of view, there are nuances. Firstly, the device gets dirty as soon as you pick it up. Secondly, it is slippery. It is so slippery that you can use it to check the level of inclination of the surface: place the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 on the table, and if it slowly moves to the side and falls, then there is a slight deviation from the horizon line. Thirdly, it does not have dust and moisture protection, which is what expensive flagships from Apple, Samsung, and LG have.
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is heavy, weighs 185 g. The dimensions are the same as 5.5-inch smartphones with a regular screen. Overall convenient.
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 does not have a 3.5 mm audio jack, so if you have regular headphones with a plug, you will have to connect them via an adapter to the USB Type-C port that comes in the kit. This whole design is not entirely convenient and looks quite cumbersome. It can be tolerated in winter, when the smartphone is in the breast pocket of a coat or jacket, but in summer, when it moves to a jeans pocket, the adapter will cause inconvenience.
Note that Xiaomi has released headphones with a USB Type-C connection, so you can purchase them for your smartphone.
Screen
The main decoration of the Mi MIX series smartphones is the screen, which occupies almost the entire front plane. The unique feature of the Mi MIX 2 display is not only the 18:9 aspect ratio, but also the rounded corners - it looks beautiful and fresh.
The device uses a 5.99-inch matrix with Full HD+ resolution (2,180 × 1,080 pixels), but the manufacturer is silent about which one. It is only clear that this is LCD, not OLED. Brightness, contrast, color rendition are excellent. In the settings, you can enable reading mode, which filters blue light, change the color tone and contrast.
Performance
No one has ever had any questions about the computing and graphic resources of Xiaomi smartphones. The company uses the most powerful components, and as a result, its products beat all benchmarks.
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is no exception. It has the flagship 10nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset with 8 cores and 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM. In AnTuTu, the smartphone consistently scores 171–174 thousand points, and in the Sling Shot Extreme test from the 3DMark package - 3,738 points. The device becomes a little warm even under heavy loads, there is no throttling, and the result remains stable.
Like any other flagship, Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is powerful enough that its owner will not have to worry about performance for several years.
The amount of internal memory can be 64, 128 or 256 GB. That's quite a lot, so the lack of microSD card support isn't a big deal.
Camera
Although Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is a top model, the manufacturer has installed regular mono cameras here: one at the back and one at the front.
For the main camera, we chose a 12-megapixel Sony IMX386 photo module. There are optics with an f/1.8 aperture, 1.25 micron pixels, four-axis optical stabilization, and phase detection autofocus. However, the IMX386 is a mid-range module. It can be found, for example, in last year’s mid-range Honor 6X from the “smartphones under 15 thousand rubles” group. Why does Xiaomi use this particular solution in its top-end smartphone? We believe in order to save money and at the same time save the warehouse of stale unused modules.
Of course, with such a camera, Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 cannot be compared with the flagships from Apple, Samsung and LG, even last year. But what is a smartphone capable of?
The camera is fast and the autofocus is accurate but thoughtful. The image stabilizer allows you to grab your smartphone from your pocket on the go and immediately take a sharp photo. In video shooting mode, the stabilizer also performs well.
The dynamic range leaves much to be desired: dark tones are a problem. As the amount of light decreases, the amount of noise increases sharply, and sometimes just cloudy weather is enough for this. The smartphone uses radical noise reduction, which ungodly kills detail, turning lines into spots.
The front 5-megapixel camera with a “beautifier” could be called ordinary if not for its location. If in 99.9% of smartphones it is located above the screen, then in Xioami Mi MIX 2 it is in the lower right corner, which made it possible to make not only the side frames thin, but also the top one.
This leads to two problems. Firstly, holding the smartphone in your right hand, you cover the camera with your palm - you need to get used to not doing this. But how? Secondly, both in selfies and during video calls, you will always look somewhere up. Yes, it didn’t turn out very well, although it was good for design.
Connection
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 supports 43 cellular bands and will not leave you without communication and fast Internet in Russia, China, Europe, or the USA. You can install two SIM cards.
Support for Wi-Fi networks is also full: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac protocols, 2.4 and 5 GHz bands. You can simultaneously receive Wi-Fi and distribute it.
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is one of the few smartphones that support the latest Bluetooth 5.0. Compared to version 4.2, the range of Bluetooth 5.0 has increased four times, the speed has increased by two times, and the throughput has increased by eight times. For an ordinary person who uses Bluetooth to connect a smartphone with headphones, smart watches and fitness gadgets, and, perhaps, with wireless speakers in the evening, there is no benefit from such technologies. However, Bluetooth 5 is a good start for the future, when there will be more compatible devices and, possibly, more user scenarios.
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 also has an NFC module. You can use your smartphone in plastic card emulation mode for contactless payment in the Android Pay system, as well as for recording data on NFC tags and transport cards.
GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou satellite receivers work as expected.
Safety
Everything is very simple here. The fingerprint scanner is located on the back below the camera. Works quickly and accurately, used to unlock smartphones and authenticate transactions in Android Pay.
Software
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 runs on the Android 7.1.1 Nougat operating system and has a proprietary MIUI 9.1.2 graphical shell. The interface, like all Chinese smartphones, is simple, similar to iOS. However, there are many interesting features hidden under the hood.
The most striking is, perhaps, the possibility of creating a second workspace. Essentially, you get another system in your smartphone with different accounts, settings, and applications. Login to the second space can be protected with a password and fingerprint.
Working hours
Although Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 has an energy-efficient processor, it will not last longer than one day in the “little of everything” mode. The battery capacity of this 5.99-inch smartphone is 3,400 mAh. There is Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging technology, but it only works with a 9V/2A power adapter. The smartphone charges from 0 to 100% in less than 2 hours.
Bottom line
Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is suitable for those who want a productive frameless flagship, created using the latest technologies, but do not want to overpay. In this sense, Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 has no competitors: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 and a solid screen were combined only in one, which will cost astronomical money, and in one, which is not yet sold here.
However, if the camera is important to you, then the Xiaomi Mi MIX 2 is absolutely not suitable. Here the manufacturer saved money, deciding that it could get by with last year’s mediocre sensor.
In the official Xiaomi store, the smartphone can be purchased for 34,990 rubles.
In science fiction movies you can see unique technology, from flying cars to smartphones, the front part of which is completely occupied by a colorful display. Do you think the directors’ idea will remain something from the realm of science fiction? Xiaomi is ready to dispel doubts - recently a unique smartphone appeared on the market, the display of which has no frames - Xiaomi Mi Mix, already available in the Rumikom online store!
The appearance of a frameless phone from a famous Chinese manufacturer has already attracted the interest of many fans of the brand. The gadget's 6.4-inch display occupies more than 91% of the front surface of the gadget. One touch on it is enough to make sure that the screen is bright, juicy, and unusual!
Speaker and camera
“Where is the speaker located?” - you ask! It is missing from the Xiaomi Mi Mix smartphone! This became possible thanks to the use of new piezoelectric technology, designed to rid the gadget of a traditional speaker and proximity sensor. The sound is transmitted by a ceramic frame, in the upper part of which there is an invisible gap that enhances sound transmission!
The mobile device has a camera that differs from standard modules. The company's developers created a camera much smaller than usual. The large screen with slightly rounded corners offers optimal image proportions and allows the use of virtual buttons to control the system.
Ceramic body
Ceramic is used as a material for the manufacture of the Mi Mix smartphone. The mechanical keys of the device are also made from it. Zirconium ceramics is distinguished by a high level of strength, the case looks quite simple, but original, it is pleasant to hold in your hands!
Performance Xiaomi Mix
The smartphone implements the best developments of the manufacturer - the smartphone boasts excellent characteristics. For example, the powerful Snapdragon 821 processor is responsible for performance. There are two phone options with different amounts of RAM and internal memory. Modifications in 4/128 GB, 6/256 GB are available to the user.
Unusual smartphone, good equipment!
Xiaomi has brought to life a unique smartphone, but in addition to the new frameless device, the manufacturer offers original packaging, which includes the smartphone and a specially created case for it, made of high quality genuine leather. This was done so that the user could feel at first glance and touch the packaging that he is a happy owner of the smartphone of the future!
show in full
Read the review about which frameless smartphones are worth considering for purchase in 2018. The rating includes inexpensive, mid-range and flagship models.
The market is flooded with smartphones with “endless” screens. If just a year ago they could be counted on one hand, now every manufacturer is in a hurry to release as many models as possible with a trendy display without frames. There is no escape from fashion trends, and we decided to compile a list of frameless smartphones that are trending this year.
There is plenty to choose from - in the first quarter of 2018, several dozen interesting smartphones were presented. If you are looking for a decent phone, our top frameless smartphones will help you make your choice. We have selected the most interesting models in different price categories that are worth attention. Some of the frameless models presented in the review have already gone on sale, the rest will appear on store shelves in the near future.
Frameless smartphones UMIDIGI S2 Lite
UMIDIGI regularly announces the launch of new devices, but only a few of the company's new products go on sale. UMIDIGI S2 Lite, the younger version of UMIDIGI S2, has finally reached store shelves. Features of the model: beautiful design, large frameless screen, all-metal body and impressive battery life.
Externally and in terms of characteristics, the smartphone is similar to the older model. The screen is 6-inch, with an aspect ratio of 18:9. You can find fault with its resolution - 720x1440 pixels. The side frames are thin, about 2 millimeters wide, the margins at the bottom and top of the screen are also small - about a centimeter wide. The screen has a good oleophobic coating.
The back panel is made of machined aluminum with small inserts for antennas.
The device runs on the MediaTek MT6750T chipset, the manufacturer has not spared RAM - 4 GB is more than enough for fast operation of the device. 32 GB storage, expandable with a memory card.
The weak side of smartphones from Chinese companies at the UMIDIGI level is the camera. The S2 Lite has a dual 16+5 MP camera, but don't expect great quality pictures from it. During the day, in normal lighting, the photos turn out to be quite good, but the budget nature of the camera is immediately noticeable in the evening. Don’t forget that this is a device that costs less than 10,000 rubles, and for its price category the S2 Lite shows decent shooting results.
The main feature of the smartphone is a powerful 5100 mAh battery. According to the manufacturer, its power should be enough for two days of operation of the device.
Additional features include a fingerprint scanner, fast charging, USB Type-C connector, and facial recognition function. The smartphone was not presented outside the home market, so it does not have NFC. The device runs on Android 7.0 Nougat, but we don’t write this down as a minus for the device yet - the manufacturer promises to release an update to the current version of the operating system. Today it is Android 8.1 Oreo.
The cost of the device is 9,500 rubles, and this is another of its features. UMIDIGI S2 Lite will be of interest to users who want to get a phone with all the fashionable features for a modest price.
Xiaomi Redmi 5+ (Xiaomi Redmi 5 plus)
Frameless smartphones occupy an impressive part of our review. - one of the latest devices from the beloved company Xiaomi. We recently reviewed this model, but for now we’ll briefly talk about its main features.
The frameless Xiaomi Redmi 5+ smartphone has an excellent 5.99-inch display, a metal body with plastic inserts for antennas, a Snapdragon 625 processor, 3/4 GB of RAM and 32/64 GB of ROM.
From the front, the smartphone looks no worse than a flagship; the rear panel with rather large plastic covers on top and bottom slightly spoils the overall impression of the device’s design.
The battery is large - 4000 mAh, enough for about 1.5 days of operation. The Chinese were able to cram not the smallest battery into a thin body - that's great.
The weak link of Redmi 5+ is the cameras. The rear single 12-megapixel module is equipped with a dual LED flash. Selfie camera - 5 MP. They shoot tolerably well, typical for their price segment, but you can find a better option for the same price.
One of the main trump cards of a smartphone is its low price. The cost of a model with 3/32 RAM and ROM is 11,000 rubles.
Alcatel 5 5086D
At the MWC 2018 exhibition, the Alcatel brand showed three new budget devices with frameless design. We included the older model, Alcatel 5, in our rating because the smartphone turned out to be so good that it can compete with devices from Xiaomi and Huawei.
The manufacturer is promoting Alcatel 5 as a flagship model, if this title is applicable to devices in the mid-price category.
The smartphone is equipped with a 5.7-inch 18:9 screen with HD+ resolution. The display is covered with glass with thin edges, the side frames are minimal, there is no air gap, the pictures look great, the brightness reserve is decent. There is a thin black frame around the display, but it is almost invisible.
The design is unusual - angular shapes are unique to Sony phones. The device stands out among other devices. The downside of the design is the plastic back, stylized as metal.
The hardware is based on the budget MediaTek MT6750 chipset, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory. The device runs on Android 7, and the manufacturer does not promise an update to the latest OS version.
The front camera is dual, with a resolution of 13+5 megapixels, and the second module is wide-angle. The camera determines that it's time to take a group selfie if several people fall into its field of view. The rear camera is single, 12 megapixels. The device supports face unlock.
The new product is tentatively priced at 12,990 rubles - a good price for a device with a beautiful design and the necessary trendy features.
Meizu M6s
This middling product was a real breakthrough for a company that had not improved its budget devices for a long time.
The M6s has a 5.7-inch screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio and small bezels. The device became the company's first frameless device. One of its features, in addition to the fashionable format, is a fingerprint scanner built into the end.
The hardware basis is a powerful Exynos 7872 chipset, 3 GB of RAM and 32/64 GB of built-in flash memory.
The smartphone received regular cameras: a 16-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front camera. There are models on the market that cost the same, but with much better cameras.
The weak point of the M6s is its poor battery life. The 3000 mAh battery capacity is clearly not enough for a powerful processor.
Otherwise, Meizu M6s is one of the most beautiful and powerful frameless smartphones of 2018.
Huawei Honor 9 Lite
This is one of the most balanced frameless devices in terms of characteristics and cost. The screen is medium-sized, 5.65-inch, with Full HD+ resolution, thin side frames and a fashionable 18:9 aspect ratio. Glass body.
The hardware basis is the Kirin 659 processor, fast and productive. All games work, except for a few that are particularly resource-demanding, in which the graphics settings will have to be lowered.
There are four cameras in the device. There’s not much to say about them - all smartphones in the manufacturer’s mid-price segment shoot at the same level. The pictures come out pretty good even in low light conditions, the main thing is to stand still while shooting.
The software platform couldn't be fresher - . There is also. Perhaps the only drawback of the smartphone is the hybrid memory card slot. Otherwise it is almost perfect.
The device costs 14,990 rubles.
Meizu E3
Last week, the frameless Meizu E3 smartphone was presented in China, positioned as a middle-class model. The new product has good characteristics and promises to become a bestseller among devices in its price category.
Meizu E3 has a large 5.99-inch display with an 18:9 format.
The case is all-metal; there are no plastic inserts for antennas, which are common in inexpensive models - instead of them you can see thin strips at the top and bottom.
The device received a new Snapdragon 636 chipset, productive and fast. There is 6 GB of RAM, and you can choose between 64 or 128 GB of internal memory.
The camera promises to be good. The rear is represented by Sony sensors with a resolution of 12 and 20 megapixels, the front - 8-megapixel.
The battery is large - with a capacity of 3360 mAh, with support for fast charging.
An interesting feature of the new product is the fingerprint scanner, which is placed on the side of the device.
The modification with 64 GB of internal memory is estimated by the manufacturer at 16,000 rubles. Sales start on March 31st. The smartphone can now be pre-ordered.
Sony Xperia XA2
Sony has its own view of what a frameless smartphone should look like. In the new Xperia XA2 model, the manufacturer has maximized the width of the display, which made it possible to keep the side frames to a minimum. The model turned out to be quite compact - the screen diagonal is 5.2 inches. Any user can use this device comfortably.
The screen pleases with natural color reproduction, good viewing angles and brightness reserves.
The hardware basis is the Snapdragon 630 chipset. Its performance is enough for stable and fast operation of the device and launching “heavy” games at medium settings.
The smartphone has a single 23-megapixel rear camera, which copes well with daytime shots. In artificial light and at night, detail decreases and photographs turn out blurry. The 8 MP selfie camera has a wide-angle lens that allows you to take good quality portraits.
The smartphone has a recognizable square design: sharp corners and strict lines. Compared to the faceless “Chinese phones”, the Xperia XA2 looks advantageous, although somewhat old-fashioned. The device is assembled perfectly, but not everyone will like the plastic back panel of the model. Only the frame is made of metal. But the colors of the case are not bad: the smartphone is available in black, silver, blue and pink colors.
Sony does not include high-capacity batteries in its devices, compensating for this with a special battery care regime. The Xperia XA2 has a 3300 mAh battery that supports fast charging.
The smartphone costs 26,000 rubles. A little expensive for a good display, fast chipset, stable and fast shell and good cameras.
HTC U11 Eyes
The light version of the flagship HTC U11+, presented on January 15, 2018, was the first among the company’s devices to receive a dual front camera. As in other models of the Eye line, the emphasis in the smartphone is on cameras. They deserve special attention. The rear module is single, the characteristics are no different from the camera of the original U11: 12 megapixels, fast autofocus, optical stabilization system.
No less interesting is the front dual camera, equipped with 5 megapixel modules. The purpose of the additional sensor is to create selfies with a bokeh effect.
The remaining characteristics of the device, without exaggeration, are flagship. The smartphone received a widescreen 6-inch display, face unlock, support for fast charging, proprietary Edge Sence technology, a launcher tailored for it, protection from water and dust, although only according to the IP67 standard, but that’s already something.
Since U11 Eyes is a simplified version of the flagship, the smartphone was given a simpler hardware platform. It runs on the Snapdragon 652 chipset coupled with 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB storage. If this amount of memory is not enough, you can use a memory card up to 2 TB.
The manufacturer has not been greedy with the battery - the capacity of 3930 mAh is enough not to recharge the smartphone during the day.
The hardware inside the device is impressive, as is its price - at the start of sales, the new product was estimated at 29,000 rubles.
Samsung Galaxy S9
Frameless smartphones in 2018 received an undisputed leader - one of the best Android smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S9. Its technical characteristics and capabilities cannot but cause admiration.
The design of the device remained unchanged compared to its predecessors, and this gave reason to reproach Samsung for the fact that there is nothing new in the smartphone. In fact, this is not the case, and adequate users understand that the main thing in a phone is not the appearance, but the content. And with the latter, the Galaxy S9 is completely fine.
The device is so good that it is difficult to briefly describe its advantages. Let's start with the cameras. In the previous model, the manufacturer cheated by putting the Galaxy S7 camera in the S8. The 12MP main camera on the Galaxy S9 is completely new and the coolest. It is single, but with a variable aperture. No one has done this before Samsung: the aperture changes from f/1.5 in low light conditions to f/2.4 in bright sun. In automatic shooting mode, the device itself varies the aperture. The Galaxy S9 also shoots video in 4K at 60 frames per second.
Another feature of the device is the latest Snapdragon 845 chipset. It is available, however, only for residents of the United States; other regions received the Galaxy S9 based on the Exynos 9810. The RAM capacity is 4 GB, the drive can be selected for 64, 128 or 256 GB.
The display is just as good as the previous model - 5.8-inch, with a Super AMOLED matrix, Quad HD+ resolution and curved edges.
The manufacturer has worked on ergonomics - the smartphone fits more comfortably in the hand than its predecessor. The fingerprint sensor was placed in a place where it is now impossible to touch the camera with your fingers.
The price of one of the best frameless smartphones averages 52,990 rubles for a modification with 64 GB of ROM.
Vivo Apex
At the beginning of March, the most frameless smartphone of 2018, Vivo Apex, was shown in China. He received this title for the 1.8 mm frames on the sides. The margins at the top and bottom are also minimal - 4.3 mm wide. This amazing result was achieved by integrating a fingerprint scanner, a microphone with a speaker, and proximity and light sensors under the screen. The front camera was even more inventive - it hides in a niche on the top edge of the body and, if necessary, extends out of it, like a submarine periscope. And now, pay attention - the 5.99-inch screen occupies 98% of the front panel surface! The smartphone looks impressive, although its design features look ambiguous. The front camera-periscope is a so-so innovation. It takes time to slide out, it looks strange, and the slide-out element is easy to break off.
Of the remaining characteristics of the device, all that is known is that the hardware basis is the Snapdragon 845 chipset.
Interestingly, the company initially said that the Vivo Apex was a concept for a future smartphone and it might get a different design. Now Vivo says that the device will hit the market without changes in the middle of this year. Well, let's wait.
