12 best bezel-less smartphones

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

If you look at the development of smartphones, you will notice one remarkable detail. The screen of these devices is actively growing in size. If a decade and a half ago we used devices with only a 2.4-inch display on the front panel, now its diagonal has more than doubled. To maintain ease of use, manufacturers are trying to reduce the width of the side frames. In this article we will talk exactly about those smartphones that are commonly called frameless. The screen of each of them occupies most of the area of ​​the front panel.

Rating of the best frameless smartphones

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best inexpensive bezel-less smartphones	1	DOOGEE Mix 6 / 64GB	RUB 12,790
	2	Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite	12 100 rub.
	3	Alcatel 5V	RUB 10,990
The best frameless smartphones in terms of price-quality ratio	1	Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S 6 / 128GB	RUB 26 600
	2	OnePlus 6T 6 / 128GB	36 150 rub.
	3	Meizu Pro 7 Plus 128GB	RUB 36,560
	4	Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32GB	34 490 RUB
	5	Honor 10 4 / 64GB	RUB 22,750
The best premium bezel-less smartphones	1	Samsung Galaxy S9 +	RUB 42,990
	2	Honor Magic	–
	3	Apple iPhone Xs Max	RUB 89,990
	4	Huawei Mate 20 6 / 128GB	RUB 42,990

The ranking is based on RankQuality data.

The best inexpensive bezel-less smartphones

DOOGEE Mix 6 / 64GB

Rating: 4.9

Oddly enough, our rating starts with a device that includes 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of permanent memory. The time has come when even relatively inexpensive gadgets can boast of such a volume. However, it is still impossible to call this smartphone especially cheap, because its cost varies from 13 to 17 thousand rubles. On some Chinese Internet sites, you can buy it for less money, but do not count on a very large discount.

The smartphone is distinguished not only by its back panel, which beautifully reflects sunlight. Most of all, the front side is striking. The bezels at the top and sides are very narrow. Still, one cannot say that the screen smoothly flows into the side ends here – no, nothing of the kind is observed here. Nevertheless, the device can still be called frameless. Moreover, this is one of the first frameless smartphones! At the time of its creation, it was still impossible to imagine a cutout at the top of the display, and therefore the front camera lens had to be moved to the lower right corner of the bezel. It also has a physical Home button that has a built-in fingerprint reader. Unfortunately, it belongs to one of the first generations, and therefore the correct operation does not happen the first time (although some of the buyers may be a little more fortunate).

The frameless smartphone includes AMOLED – a display with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. The buyer is waiting for the perfect contrast and rich colors. Also, such a screen is known to have low power consumption. Confused only by the resolution – it is 1280×720 pixels.

DOOGEE rarely gets access to quality cameras. Nevertheless, sometimes the main module still gets very good characteristics. For example, the rear camera of DOOGEE Mix uses two matrices, the resolution of which reaches 16 and 8 megapixels. The aperture of the main lens is f / 2, which indicates a fairly high aperture. But it's better not to remember the front camera – its 5-megapixel resolution is unlikely to be enough for at least some of the buyers.

The device is powered by an eight-core processor MediaTek Helio P25. You can run games with this chipset, but in some projects you still have to lower the graphics level. The product also has a very capacious battery. The charger is connected via, as you might guess, the micro-USB connector.

It remains to add that the smartphone does a good job of receiving and transmitting data. Wi-Fi here is limited by the 802.11n standard, but such a device does not need higher speeds. Also included in the wireless modules present here are Bluetooth 4.0 and LTE. One can regret the lack of an NFC chip, which would allow replacing a bank card with a smartphone. But on the other hand, there is an FM radio that will help you listen to music if there are no MP3 files in memory, and the Internet traffic has suddenly ended.

Advantages

• The screen is made using technology AMOLED;
• Long battery life;
• Nice rear camera being dual;
• There is an FM radio;
• Not a bad processor;
• Large amount of memory;
• Not very high cost;
• Nice back panel;
• Fingerprint scanner not forgotten.

disadvantages

• Weight reaches 193 g;
• Low display resolution;
• Inconvenient location of the front camera;
• No NFC chip;
• A micro-USB connector is being used.

Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite

Rating: 4.8

Now many manufacturers are trying to release several modifications of their smartphones at once. So Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite exists in two versions, if we do not consider the division by body color. We recommend investing in a larger amount to purchase an option that includes 4GB of RAM and 64GB of permanent memory. Although the device is equipped with a bare version Android, it will still function more stable with this amount of memory.

If we talk about the color of the case, then buyers are available at least five options. As usual, the product supports the installation of two SIM cards. But if the second slot is usually combined with a place for a memory card, then the external drive is not recognized here. The picture is displayed on the display, the diagonal of which is just under 6 inches. And please note that the frameless screen is considered only nominally. There are very wide areas above and below the display – if desired, the manufacturer could even find a place for a physical 'Home' button. On the sides, the frames are noticeably narrower, but they are still present. As for the specifications of the screen, the buyer is waiting for a resolution of 2160×1080 pixels, which is quite acceptable for such a price. The display was created using IPS technology.

Under the aluminum casing is an eight-core Snapdragon 660 processor, complemented by an Adreno 512 graphics accelerator. A large number of wireless modules are also embedded in the smartphone. Even an infrared transmitter is present here, thanks to which the control of the TV is realized. Well, Wi-Fi 802.11ac and LTE are used to access the global web. Also should please Bluetooth 5.0, which is necessary for synchronization with a headset, smart watch and other similar devices. There is only NFC here. Alas, this technology is unpopular in China, therefore Xiaomi it is extremely rare to integrate the corresponding chip.

You can buy such a smartphone for the sake of its camera. The fact is that a dual module is built here, the main lens of which is capable of boasting an aperture of f / 1.75. The resolution of the matrices used here is 12 and 20 megapixels. The photos are great! And the device can also shoot 4K video, albeit at a reduced frame rate. By the way, high-speed shooting is also available here, which can last a few seconds.

It remains to add that this bezel-less smartphone has a 20-megapixel front camera and a 3010 mAh battery. The smartphone was released in the second half of 2018, so you shouldn't be surprised by the presence of a USB Type-C connector here. But the lack of a 3.5 mm 'jack' is not only surprising, but also disappointing.

Advantages

• Not very high cost;
• Weight does not exceed 168 g;
• Stable working Android;
• Many color options;
• Great dual camera;
• Not a bad front camera;
• Video recording in 4K resolution is possible;
• Decent IPS display resolution
• There are high-speed wireless modules;
• A USB Type-C connector is used;
• There is a fingerprint scanner;
• Powerful chipset;
• Sufficient memory capacity.

disadvantages

• There is no NFC chip;
• No 3.5mm audio jack;
• Some instances have a problem with the processor frequency.

Alcatel 5V

Rating: 4.7

Despite the very low cost, this smartphone received the so-called monobrow. This makes the device look like a lot more expensive iPhone X. However, not only that. The corners of the display are also rounded here. The width of the side frames has been minimized, although it must be admitted that they have not been completely eliminated. The area under the screen also remained, but the controls on it would definitely not fit. In the monobrow, there was a place for the earpiece, front camera and several sensors.

The functionality of the device is provided by the operating system Android 8.1. There is no need to wait for the arrival of an update in the form of a 'nine', but buyers of budget smartphones never worry about this. The diagonal of the screen installed here has been brought to 6.2 inches. This supposedly should contribute to a comfortable viewing of films and all kinds of videos. However, everything is spoiled by the resolution of the IPS panel, which is only 1500×720 pixels. If you've used a more expensive smartphone before, you may notice pixelation. We can safely say that the money was invested by the manufacturer in the cutout on the screen, and not in its specification.

The frameless smartphone is very lightweight. This is quite surprising, because under the body of the device there was a place for a lithium-polymer battery, the capacity of which was brought to 4000 mAh. All other important components are also in place here. For example, an LTE modem and a Wi-Fi 802.11n module provide wireless communication. The headset is connected either through a 3.5 mm jack or using Bluetooth 4.2. But there is no NFC chip here, which is why some people will still refuse to buy Alcatel 5V.

An eight-core MediaTek Helio P22 is used here as a chipset. It is helped by 3 GB of RAM. The built-in storage is 32 GB. This may not seem like enough one day, so the microSD card slot should come in handy. The product also received an FM radio.

You can buy such a smartphone for the camera. But do not count on a gorgeous result of photography – under the lenses of the dual module, modest by modern standards, matrices (12 and 2 Mp) are hidden. The f / 2.2 aperture indicates that it is better not to photograph with such a camera in the evening. On the front side of the gadget there is a standard 8-megapixel camera lens.

Advantages

• Capacious battery;
• There is a fingerprint sensor;
• Powerful enough processor;
• Implemented support for LTE;
• There is an FM radio;
• Relatively good rear camera
• Display with good viewing angles;
• Low weight;
• The latest version of the operating system;
• Low cost.

disadvantages

• No fast charging support;
• There is no NFC;
• Low resolution IPS display.

The best frameless smartphones in terms of price-quality ratio

Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S 6 / 128GB

Rating: 4.9

The Chinese company Xiaomi has several frameless smartphones in its assortment. The best of them is perhaps the model called Mi Mix 2S. Its screen occupies 82% of the front side area. The manufacturer didn't even bother making a cutout at the top of the display. Instead, he moved the front-facing camera to the bottom area of ​​the bezel, which is wide enough. Well, the earpiece still found a place for itself above the screen.

A fingerprint scan can be used to unlock the device. This is done using an appropriate sensor located on the rear panel. There is also a dual camera. It includes two 12-megapixel matrices. Interestingly, there is a four-axis optical stabilizer under the main lens. As a result, the camera captures smooth video even when you are going somewhere! It should be noted that video can be recorded in 4K resolution. The only pity is that the frequency is only 30 frames / s.

It's better not to stutter about the front camera. Due to the transfer to the area under the screen, it has significantly lost quality. But it’s impossible not to tell about the processor. It uses the top-end Snapdragon 845, some of the cores of which are capable of operating at 2.8 GHz. With such a chipset, you don't have to lower the graphics settings in any of the games – you will have high FPS in any case. This is confirmed by the 277 thousand points received by the smartphone in the AnTuTu benchmark. 6 GB of RAM contribute to this result. By the way, there is no microSD card slot. We'll have to save videos and photos exclusively in the built-in memory, of which there is 128 GB.

Viewing images on this smartphone is organized using a 6-inch display made using IPS technology. Blacks are deep enough and viewing angles are maximized. The resolution of 2160×1080 pixels allows you to evaluate the image in every detail. It is also convenient to work with two applications simultaneously on such a screen.

The bezelless smartphone is charged via the USB Type-C connector. You need to connect the network adapter every one and a half to two days. Often, but that's not a problem – Quick Charge 3.0 technology makes the process very fast. There is also support for wireless charging, but you need to buy it separately.

Of course, such an expensive smartphone could not fail to receive high-speed wireless modules. Strictly speaking, it was thanks to their presence that this model got into this rating. To connect a smart watch and a wireless headset, Bluetooth 5.0 is used here. Importantly, the manufacturer has implemented support for the aptX codec. If the headphones understand it, then the sound will be almost perfect! Internet access is provided by Wi-Fi 802.11ac and LTE. The NFC chip is not forgotten, which is extremely atypical for products Xiaomi. But the already familiar infrared transmitter is absent here. But who will regret it?

Advantages

• A fresh version of the OS is installed;
• Excellent high resolution IPS display
• Good camera with 2x optical zoom;
• 4K video shooting possible;
• Built-in high-speed wireless modules;
• There is an NFC chip;
• Top processor used; Bol
• large amount of memory;
• There is a fingerprint sensor;
• Capacious battery with support for fast charging technology.

disadvantages

• Weight is 189g;
• High price;
• Simplest front camera; No
• memory card slot.

OnePlus 6T 6 / 128GB

Rating: 4.8

You've probably already heard a lot about this smartphone. This is a top-end device with almost perfect characteristics. Most of all, many buyers like it due to the dual camera installed here. Under its lenses are matrices with a resolution of 20 and 16 megapixels. This is more than enough to create high-quality photos with beautifully blurred backgrounds. Has a camera and optical stabilization. Slow shutter speeds produce sharper and more vivid images. The f / 1.7 aperture also contributes to this. Of course, 4K video is also available here. If you decrease the resolution, you can use high-speed shooting, which will be useful for capturing the action.

Of course, this model got into this rating not only because of its rear camera. The 16-megapixel front camera also evokes positive emotions. Snapdragon 845 is engaged in image processing here. The power of the top eight-core processor is enough for any game, even the most difficult one. There are also 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of permanent memory. One can only regret the lack of a microSD slot, because a memory card would definitely come in handy for regular 4K video shooting.

On the front panel of the frameless smartphone is AMOLED – a display capable of boasting not only rich colors, but also low power consumption. Its diagonal is 6.41 inches. You can still use such a smartphone with one hand. The fact is that the large diagonal is due only to the fact that the screen is extended in height. The display resolution is 2340×1080 pixels. As you might guess, using two applications at the same time on such a screen is very comfortable. There is also a monobrow here. But it is very small – only the front camera lens fits in it.

The operating system sets the device apart from other frameless smartphones in 2018. The buyer is waiting for Android 9.0. At the time of compilation of the rating, less than ten devices were operating under the control of this version of the 'green robot'! As for the Internet capabilities of the gadget, they are provided by fast LTE standards and Wi-Fi 802.11ac. The built-in wireless modules also include Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX support and an NFC chip. It turns out that the device is capable of transmitting a gorgeous sound to a headset and replacing a bank card.

Perhaps the OnePlus 6T does not have any major flaws. Its fingerprint sensor works in a split second. Autonomous work is provided by a 3700 mAh battery. Of course, fast charging support is implemented here. The network adapter is connected via the USB Type-C port. By the way, there are no other connectors here. Want to connect wired headphones? We'll have to use the adapter.

Advantages

• The most recent version Android;
• Excellent AMOLED – display;
• Remarkable rear camera with optical stabilization
• Video recording in 4K resolution is possible;
• Solid front camera;
• LTE, NFC and Wi-Fi 802.11ac are present;
• Large amount of memory;
• Very powerful processor;
• Uses a USB Type-C socket;
• Capacious battery with fast charging support;
• There is a fingerprint scanner.

disadvantages

• No 3.5mm audio jack;
• No microSD slot
• High price.

Meizu Pro 7 Plus 128GB

Rating: 4.8

Another smartphone in our ranking, which includes 128 GB of permanent memory. And here, too, there is no slot for a microSD card, which may upset someone. Of course, someone will say that 128 GB of memory is almost impossible to score. But in fact, once you get carried away with 4K video, the free space begins to fade before your eyes. In short, if you are going to constantly shoot such high-quality video, then get an external hard drive to regularly copy all the material onto it.

Continuing the conversation about the camera, it should be noted that it is double. The matrices used here are exactly the same – at a size of 1 / 2.9 inches, they have a 12-megapixel resolution. Unfortunately, the aperture is only open up to f / 2.0, which indicates not the most powerful aperture. Interestingly, there is an auxiliary display under the camera lenses. You will most often use it to take selfies.

This smartphone has a built-in 16-megapixel front camera. As you already understood, in most cases it will be inactive. But the wireless modules will be used regularly. They support the high-speed Wi-Fi 802.11ac and LTE standards. Not forgotten by the manufacturer and Bluetooth. But the NFC chip was left behind.

A ten-core MediaTek Helio X30 is used as a processor. This is a top-end chipset that is powerful enough for absolutely any game. Its disadvantage lies only in the increased power consumption. Fortunately, it is balanced by the technology display AMOLED. As you know, such a screen does not have a separate backlit layer, and therefore a rather small amount of energy is spent on displaying a picture. Nothing bad can be said about its resolution, which with a 5.7-inch diagonal is 2560×1440 pixels. With such a display, a 3500 mAh battery is enough for one and a half to two days of battery life. The mains adapter is connected via USB Type-C, reaching a full charge in less than two hours. The smartphone also has a fingerprint sensor. It would be strange if sold for 25 thousand rubles. the apparatus was deprived of it.

Advantages

• 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of permanent memory;
• Powerful processor;
• Excellent AMOLED – display;
• There is also a screen on the back;
• Nice dual camera;
• Quite good front camera;
• You can shoot 4K video;
• Built-in high-speed wireless modules;
• There is a fingerprint scanner;
• There is a USB Type-C connector.

disadvantages

• No slot for microSD card;
• There is no NFC chip;
• No dust and moisture protection.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 32GB

Rating: 4.7

The production of this flagship began several years ago. It may seem that over the years the apparatus has become outdated. However, in reality this is not the case. No, no one argues that 32 GB of permanent memory is already not enough. But this is enough for applications, and for everything else there is a memory card. As for the RAM, 4 GB is a completely normal amount, the lack of which is almost not felt even when running a huge number of programs.

Someone may not be inspired by an eight-core processor that is not the first freshness. But it was once a top-end chipset. It still copes well with running heavy games, not to mention regular applications. Well, wireless modules have always been a feature of South Korean flagships. With Category 9 LTE-A and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, huge amounts of data can be downloaded. To connect a wireless headset, use Bluetooth 4.2. ANT + technology allows you to receive information from the cadence sensor and other sports accessories. Finally, an NFC chip will help you pay for purchases if you link your bank card to the device.

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is another South Korean flagship whose rear camera consisted of only one lens. But on the other hand, he is able to boast of an f / 1.7 aperture, allowing a large stream of light to pass through. The 12-megapixel matrix is ​​supplemented with an optical stabilizer, which not every competitor could boast at the time of the announcement. In a word, the camera will definitely suit the majority of buyers who love to do photography. And don't forget that it can shoot 4K video, albeit at standard frame rates. Well, if we talk about the 'front-end', then it should be noted that it is definitely not enough stars from the sky. This is a simple 5-megapixel module, interesting only for wide-angle optics.

This rating consists exclusively of frameless smartphones. Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is one too. However, only the side frames have been removed by the manufacturer. Installed here AMOLED – the screen effectively flows into the side edges. The diagonal of the display is 5.5 inches, and the resolution is 2560×1440 pixels. The pixel density is very high, it reaches 534 PPI. Confused only by the traditional aspect ratio, which is ideal for watching videos, but makes it difficult to use two apps at the same time.

This flagship is light enough. He also knows how to continuously display the date and time. But even more, any buyer will appreciate the waterproof rating, which belongs to the IP68 standard. This means that the device can even be dropped into the pool – nothing will happen to it.

Advantages

• Built-in powerful processor;
• There is a fingerprint scanner;
• Water protection implemented;
• Long battery life;
• High-speed wireless modules are used;
• There is support for NFC and ANT +;
• Decent rear camera with optical stabilization
• 4K video recording possible;
• Excellent AMOLED – high resolution display;
• Weight does not exceed 157 g.

disadvantages

• Micro-USB port is used;
• Not very large amount of memory;
• Unpretentious front camera;
• Not the most recent version of the operating system.

Honor 10 4 / 64GB

Rating: 4.7

Another smartphone with a monobrow in our ranking. Here it has an average width, almost without distracting the user's attention. Due to its presence, the area above the display and on the sides has been greatly reduced. But there is still space under the screen – there was even a place for the Home button, which also included a fingerprint scanner. The diagonal of the display here is brought to 5.84 inches. In this case, the manufacturer mainly increased the height of the screen, and not its width. As a result, the aspect ratio was 19: 9. This option will definitely appeal to those who regularly use two applications at the same time. Nothing bad can be said about the resolution, which is 2280×1080 pixels. But the manufacturing technology will not suit everyone – some people would like to see here AMOLED – the screen.

The smartphone was released relatively recently, in connection with which it received the operating system Android 8.1. It works without any slowdowns, for which we should thank the eight-core Kirin 970 processor. The top chipset can easily run modern games – almost none of them will have to lower the graphics level. Some limitation is only 4 GB of RAM. Also, the gadget includes 64 GB of permanent memory. The volume is good, but only if you do not remember the lack of a slot for a microSD card.

As you know, the Chinese company Huawei specializes in the production of equipment for mobile operators. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that there are high-speed wireless modules here. The device supports both LTE networks (with the possibility of frequency aggregation) and the Wi-Fi 802.11ac standard. An infrared transmitter, which is designed to control a TV or soundbar, can be considered a pleasant bonus. The Chinese manufacturer did not forget about the NFC chip, which is good news. Finally, Bluetooth 4.2 helps in transferring sound to speakers and headphones. However, for this purpose, you can use an audio cable – the 3.5 mm audio jack from the case has not disappeared anywhere. Also here you can find a USB Type-C port, which is used to recharge a 3400 mAh battery.

A smartphone like that couldn't get an inferior camera. In terms of its characteristics, it is second only to modules embedded in much more expensive flagships. Under the lenses are 24-megapixel monochrome and 16-megapixel color sensors. The main lens includes a fast aperture of f / 1.8. As a result, with the help of such a camera, you can not only take gorgeous photos, including those with a blurred background, but also shoot 4K video. By the way, Honor 10 is one of the most affordable smartphones among those who can shoot video Full HD at 60 frames / s.

Advantages

• Excellent 24-megapixel front camera;
• Wonderful rear camera being dual;
• Video recording in 4K resolution is possible;
• Fresh OS version;
• High resolution IPS display;
• Weight is only 153g;
• Built-in support for high-speed networks;
• There is an NFC chip;
• Powerful processor;
• Sufficient memory capacity;
• There is a USB Type-C connector;
• The fingerprint sensor is not forgotten.

disadvantages

• No memory card slot;
• The fingerprint scanner does not always work.

The best premium bezel-less smartphones

Samsung Galaxy S9 +

Rating: 4.9

Our rating could not do without a fresh flagship from Samsung. This device will obviously not become obsolete for many years. It's hard to imagine that in the near future, users will miss 256 GB of permanent memory. And the operating system Android 8.0 will soon be updated to a fresh 'nine', the functionality of which will be enough for 99% of buyers. For a long time, there will be no complaints about the dual camera, consisting of 12-megapixel matrices and f / 1.5 aperture. It should be noted that this camera can shoot 4K video at 60 fps. These videos look perfect on any screen, including a 55-inch TV.

This device is powered by an eight-core Exynos 9810 processor manufactured by Samsung. Several cores of this chipset run at clock speeds up to 2.8 GHz. Therefore, a smartphone can be compared to a full-fledged personal PC. By the way, it easily turns into its counterpart – for this, the device needs to be connected with a wire to the monitor, at the same time activating the wireless peripherals.

This bezel-less smartphone has 6 GB of RAM. South Koreans believe that more mobile OSes are simply not needed. The amount of permanent memory can be different – the most expensive version offers 256 GB. At the same time, importantly, the slot for the microSD card has not gone anywhere. The installed components are enough to set about 242 thousand points in AnTuTu.

The front panel of the device houses a 6.2-inch Super display AMOLED of the latest generation. Enjoy perfect blacks, consistent time display and low power consumption. A smartphone with a 3500 mAh battery can easily squeeze out two days of battery life. Or even two and a half, if at the end you activate the energy efficient mode. The resolution of the display installed here is 2960×1440 pixels. Again, this is the parameter that will suit the owner of a smartphone even after a few years. There are no bezels on the sides of the screen (instead, the buyer will enjoy slightly curved display edges). Only the areas above and below AMOLED – the panel have been preserved here. The manufacturer rightly considered that it is better to save them than to introduce a monobrow that annoys many people. In total, the screen occupies 84% ​​of the front panel area.

Perhaps this is an excellent choice for those who agree to spend a huge amount on the purchase of a smartphone. The device has almost all possible wireless modules. It squeezes out almost everything from LTE networks – frequency aggregation allows you to download files at extremely high speeds. The device is unlocked by means of a face scan or a fingerprint – it all depends on your choice. It should be noted that there is a full-fledged water protection, when the device can lie for half an hour at a depth of one and a half meters. You can also be glad that the South Koreans do not follow the trends – they leave the opportunity to connect the headphones to the traditional 3.5 mm audio jack.

Advantages

• Fresh OS version;
• Full water protection has been implemented;
• Best AMOLED – display;
• Excellent dual camera with very high aperture;
• Good sound;
• Can shoot 4K video at high frame rates;
• A USB Type-C connector is used;
• High speed wireless networks are supported;
• Built-in NFC and ANT + chips;
• Good front camera
• Huge amount of memory;
• Very powerful processor;
• There is a fingerprint sensor;
• Long battery life.

disadvantages

• Large weight (189 g);
• Scary high cost.

Honor Magic

Rating: 4.8

Another very expensive smartphone. The problem is that now its follower is being prepared for release, and therefore it becomes more and more difficult to acquire the original Honor Magic. But if you manage to do this, then you are unlikely to be disappointed. You can find fault with a smartphone only about a fairly old version of the operating system. Otherwise, this is a very decent device. You should also like its appearance – the side edges of the display here elegantly flow into the ends. And not only the side edges – the rest of the edges are also curved. The Chinese company could not independently produce such a screen, so it ordered AMOLED – a display from Samsung – a company that ate the dog on LCD panels with curved edges.

The screen is capable of boasting a huge pixel density. The 2560×1440 resolution at 5.09-inch diagonal allows you to comfortably watch even 4K video. And these are not empty words. The eight-core Kirin 950 processor installed here easily pulls it. Also, with such a chipset, you can run any games; lowering the graphics level is definitely not needed.

Under the body of this model is hidden not only the processor, but also 4 GB of RAM. There is also 64 GB of onboard storage. There is no memory card slot here. As you may have noticed, it is missing from many bezel-less smartphones.

To access the global web, an LTE modem and a Wi-Fi 802.11ac module are used here. Unfortunately, there are some other useful wireless modules missing – for example, the NFC chip. Also, the front camera can be added to the number of shortcomings – it uses a simple 8-megapixel module. But the rear camera is harder to find fault with. No, there are smartphones that take better quality photos. But most buyers should still be able to do what the two built-in 12-megapixel matrices are capable of.

It must be admitted that this is one of the most compact devices in our rating. At the same time, it also has a fingerprint scanner, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and a USB Type-C port. The manufacturer had to simplify the audio system – you will not get stereo sound from this device.

Advantages

• Compact size and light weight;
• Chic AMOLED – high resolution display;
• Relatively good rear camera
• Supports LTE networks and Wi-Fi 802.11ac;
• Powerful processor;
• Decent amount of memory;
• A USB Type-C port is used;
• There is a fingerprint scanner.

disadvantages

• Not the most recent version of the operating system;
• The front camera is unimaginable;
• There is no NFC chip;
• There is no microSD card slot.

Apple iPhone Xs Max

Rating: 4.8

Many people only dream of this frameless smartphone. Especially the fairer sex. However, this device may seem too big to them. But it is difficult to understand from promo photos that there is a 6.5-inch display on the front panel of the device. Even with almost complete absence of frames, this makes the device very large. By the way, some frames are still present here – measurements showed that AMOLED – the screen occupies only 84% of the front panel area. However, it must be admitted that even with this parameter the device looks gorgeous – when you see it on a store counter, you can literally fall in love with this design.

In fact, this bezel-less smartphone is a development of the ideas laid down in iPhone X, released in 2017. Here, about the same display is used, pleasing (and even annoying) with a cutout in its upper part. The display resolution is 2688×1242 pixels, which is unlikely to satisfy anyone. The main difference from its predecessor is the support for two SIM-cards. However, the second card must be virtual (eSIM technology), and Russian operators do not yet support this service. Also, the processor Apple A12 Bionic is now installed here. It is thought that it will remain the most powerful mobile chipset until spring 2019. This processor will only become obsolete … However, will it ever become obsolete?

Like other Apple smartphones, the Xs Max that got into our rating iPhone may have a different amount of memory. We recommend looking towards the 256GB version. We can safely assume that this will be enough even in the case of regular 4K video shooting. However, do not forget to upload material to your computer or cloud storage from time to time, it weighs too much. Video is written here not only in high definition, but also at 60 frames / s. Not every action camera is still capable of this, not to mention competing smartphones! By the way, the camera is double, it uses 12-megapixel matrices. The main lens is capable of boasting an aperture of f / 1.8. The second lens provides 2x optical zoom, which is sure to come in handy when traveling and even ordinary country trips. It should also be noted that both matrices are supplemented with an optical image stabilizer. Well, the 'front camera' is much simpler here – it includes a regular 7-megapixel sensor.

The frameless smartphone from Apple turned out to be very weighty – not everyone will like to regularly hold a 208-gram device in their hand. The weight was mainly influenced by the large display. Also, the full water protection is to blame for this. And, of course, a capacious battery that provides one and a half to two days of battery life (or less if you regularly run games). Well, wireless modules are unlikely to have any effect on the weight. Although there are quite a few of them here, it must be admitted. Wi-Fi 802.11ac and LTE are used to access the Internet. To connect headphones, only one option is used – Bluetooth 5.0. It's a shame that a few years ago Apple ditched the 3.5mm audio jack completely. There is also an NFC chip used for wireless payment through Apple's branded service.

Advantages

• Long battery life;
• Unlock by face scanning;
• There are high-speed wireless modules;
• Payment via Apple Pay is supported;
• Extremely powerful processor
• There are versions with a huge amount of memory;
• Outstanding dual camera with 2x optical zoom;
• Capable of shooting 4K video at high frame rates;
• Excellent AMOLED – display;
• There is water protection.

disadvantages

• The fast charging adapter needs to be purchased separately;
• The front-facing camera is not amazing;
• Very heavy weight;
• Extremely high price tag.

Huawei Mate 20 6 / 128GB

Rating: 4.7

The top smartphone from Huawei is the star of our rating. Whatever one may say, but this device does not have any significant drawbacks. Yes, he has a so-called monobrow. But its size is minimized – even ardent haters of such a design element will not be very annoyed. Yes, the device has a fairly large screen. But it doesn't make the device too big. The fact is that the Chinese manufacturer managed to almost completely get rid of the frames. Experts have calculated that the display occupies 88% of the front side area. This is a record!

Speaking about the screen, it has a diagonal of 6.53 inches and a resolution of 2244×1080 pixels. There are 381 pixels for every inch of its area. Decent result. Although we will not argue with the fact that smartphones of similar cost usually have a higher pixel density – up to 450-550 PPI. Perhaps, you can find fault with the fact that the screen is made using IPS technology. But it is clear that the Chinese have squeezed absolutely everything out of this technology – the differences from AMOLED – the panels will not be conspicuous even in direct comparison.

The rest of the characteristics are also good news. The smartphone includes numerous wireless modules capable of boasting high data transfer rates. There are no complaints even about the 'blue tooth' – it belongs to the fresh version and has support for the aptX codec. The manufacturer did not forget about the NFC chip, thanks to which the device can pay for purchases in the store. There is also an infrared port for controlling household appliances.

Of course, such a frameless smartphone has a top-end chipset. The Kirin 980 is powerful enough for any application, any game. There are no problems even with the simultaneous launch of two programs – here the tall display shows itself in all its glory. The device also includes 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of permanent memory. If you want, you can expand the volume of the latter. However, this requires not the usual microSD card, but a rarer NM Card (this drive is identical in size and shape to a Nano SIM).

There is a fingerprint scanner on the back of the device. There are also three lenses of the main camera. They are used for shooting with 2x optical zoom and background blurring. The resolution of the matrices installed here is 16, 12 and 8 megapixels. In the evening, the f / 1.8 aperture comes to the rescue. I am glad that the smartphone is able to shoot video in 4K resolution. The disappointing thing is that 60 frames / s are available only at resolution Full HD.

If you look into that very miniature monobrow, you can see the lens of a chic front camera. Under its optics, there is an f / 2.0 aperture and a 24-megapixel sensor. The camera and all other components are powered by a 4000 mAh battery. In just half an hour, the level of its charge is brought to 70%, which previously seemed like some fantastic numbers.

Well, really this frameless smartphone has no serious flaws? Unfortunately, this is not the case. The smartphone Huawei Mate 20 is waterproof only according to the IP53 standard. You can use it in the rain, but nothing more. You can't lie in a bath with such a device.

Advantages

• Capacious battery with support for very fast charging;
• Gorgeous triple camera;
• There is a fingerprint scanner;
• Very powerful processor;
• Large amount of memory;
• There is NFC support;
• Built-in high-speed wireless modules;
• 4K video recording possible;
• Great front camera
• Great sounding;
• Used Android 9.0;
• Good IPS display.

disadvantages

• You need a new format memory card;
• High price;
• Water protection cannot be called complete.

Conclusion

The devices mentioned in our article belong to different price segments. This allows you to choose a device based on the thickness of the wallet. But do not forget that budget frameless smartphones still have certain limitations, since they cannot find a place for advanced components. However, even top-end gadgets cannot be perfect – our rating showed that even they have certain disadvantages.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.