Appearance
To be honest, I don’t want to give it away at all. This was probably the first time I switched so easily from my main phone to the device I was testing. The body of Mi Mix 2 is simply bomb. The company realized its mistake and, instead of another hefty concept of a frameless shovel, presented a finished product in which every element looks the way it should.
The edges of the device are rounded, which makes it very convenient to use with one hand, all connectors are symmetrical, there are no jumps in height, and the control keys have a pleasant stroke. Even the fingerprint scanner was installed at a comfortable height, the finger falls on it itself.
I used Mi Mix 2 in the “bottom unit” configuration - with six gigabytes of RAM and 256 gigabytes of built-in storage. I was unable to get my hands on the all ceramic version. And there is something to fight for, the white version looks and feels like a million, but I had to settle for the version with ceramic back cover and a gold lens frame.
And I wouldn’t say that the gold elements give off a “gypsy” feel. No, everything fits perfectly into the overall design.
In my sample, the frame was made of the usual aluminum, but there are several interesting little details. For example, the design uses exactly the same metal as the iPhone 7. The manufacturer assures us that this will help withstand bending and other external influences.
But that is not all. The Chinese were able to come up with some new method of anodizing and achieve a “rich” black color. The frame is indeed a little darker than in the same iPhone. I don't know how useful this innovation is, but I had to talk about it.
It's a 6-inch phone that's not much bigger than my 5-inch Huawei P10. I get a lot more information without having to carry around a huge phablet.
The manufacturer cheated a little with the size of the frames and in the press photo the phone seems much more frameless than it actually is. But you simply don’t pay attention to this when you hold a 6-inch matrix with a small “chin”.
Screen
Mi Mix 2 uses a high-quality IPS panel with a non-standard resolution and aspect ratio - 1080 x 2160 and 18 by 9. There is still little adapted content for this ratio, but huge respect to the developers for adding the ability to stretch applications to the entire screen. We have already seen something similar in the Samsung S8. In this mode, part of the interface is cut off, but this is not critical. But with video the situation is completely different. The native player does not scale, but distorts the image, and YouTube does not yet understand this aspect ratio at all.
The picture is very detailed and juicy, I even thought that an AMOLED matrix was installed here. There are no questions about color rendition and viewing angles. For those who like to read in the evening, there is a blue filter, and for those who want to calibrate the screen for themselves, there is a separate item in the menu with several presets.
Personally, I think this is the best example of frameless design on this moment. Even after the announcement of the iPhone X, for me, a fan of Apple devices, Mi Mix 2 is in first place. It does not have ridiculous cutouts for the camera or black stripes “for sensors.” The company took a different route by moving all the sensors to the bottom, and I like this concept.
After using Mi Mix 2, I can't get used to small screens on regular phones. So framelessness turned out to be not just a trend, but also a useful feature.
Performance
- Operating system: Android 7.1;
- Display: 5.99-inch, 1080 x 2160;
- Processor: Snapdragon 835;
- RAM: 6 GB;
- ROM: 64 GB;
- Main camera: dual, 12 MP main module, LED flash;
- Battery: 3400 mAh;
- Other: USB Type-C, fingerprint scanner.
The characteristics of the device are quite expected - it is Snapdragon 835, 6 or 8 GB of RAM and 64, 128 or 256 GB of internal storage. This is a real flagship and that's it. All launched projects worked without problems at maximum settings and were adequately stretched to fit the screen.
Even MIUI did not become a problem, if you close your eyes to infrequent crashes and bugs, the speed of the system pleasantly surprised me. This is simply an excellent phone for everyday use; it’s really difficult to find fault with anything.
Kit wireless modules pleases. There is Wi-Fi (5 GHz), Bluetooth, GPS, and they haven’t even forgotten about NFC. The latter is becoming more and more relevant in our realities. You can, for example, pay at a supermarket without a card. But the module is located right next to the camera, which sticks out a little, which increases the chance of scratching it.
Sound quality and battery life
But I couldn’t figure it out with the sound because of the crude software. There is no 3.5 mm jack, but the kit includes an adapter, thanks for that. The frustrating thing is that neither the equalizer nor the built-in presets work on my firmware. Enabling them did not produce any results, so I can’t say anything specific in terms of sound quality. At stock settings it is quite normal, for a non-musical smartphone.
There is only one external speaker, but while watching a video, the conversational one plays along with it. The result is so-so. Conversations are almost inaudible; the poor fellow is pushing so hard that he sometimes crunches.
The capacity of the built-in battery is 3400 mAh. This is enough for an active working day without letting it go out of your hands. If you play hardcore, the phone will get quite hot and will lose interest right before your eyes, so fast charging will come in very handy.
Camera
The company decided not to succumb to the “dual-camera” trend and installed only one main 12 MP Sony IMX386 module with stabilization and f/2.0 aperture. The sensor is not the newest, so it would be foolish to expect anything supernatural from it. Especially if we remember how mediocre his predecessor took photographs.
There wasn't much talk about the camera at the presentation, but surprisingly the Mi Mix 2 is capable of taking decent pictures. White balance is almost always correct, there is enough detail, but not the widest dynamic range HDR compensated. He's quite slow, but he knows his stuff.
But evening photos remained a problem area for the phone. Like most Xiaomi, the device begins to make wild noise and only stabilization helps get rid of the blur.
Considering how successful devices with 18:9 displays have been on the market, it would be logical that Xiaomi, which is sensitive to market trends, would want to use this feature in the next generation of flagships. Speculative images have appeared online confirming the company's movement in this direction.
Notably, the display practically extends from edge to edge, leaving only a small indent at the top of the display. We have already seen a similar solution in renders of the future “frameless” flagship from . The authors of the leak claim that the smartphone body is made of glass with a metal frame, and on the back there will be a dual main camera and a fingerprint scanner.
We should expect that as the Xiaomi Mi7 announcement approaches, which could take place in March or April next year, the number of leaks will increase significantly. Will the flagship be the same as in the renders, most likely not. Apparently, someone really wants to show their awareness of the appearance of Xiaomi Mi7 and attract attention.
Following rumors, the flagship will receive a 5.65-inch OLED display with FullHD+ resolution, the Snapdragon 845 platform, 6/8 GB of RAM, 64/128 GB of storage, support wireless charging and a 3D face scanning system, a 3200 mAh battery with Quick Charge 4.0 fast charging. The smartphone is credited with a dual camera with Sony IMX380 and IMX350 sensors of 12 megapixels and 20 megapixels, respectively, and the head of the company himself promised that the price for it will start at $381.
The Chinese company Xiaomi introduced the 2nd generation flagship Mi Mix, equipped with a large, 6-inch screen without frames on three sides. The appearance of the smartphone was determined by a team led by designer Philippe Starck.
The back surface of the device, made of ceramics, smoothly transitions into an aluminum frame with rounded corners. The 5.99-inch display of Mi Mix 2 (18:9 aspect ratio) occupies almost the entire front surface. According to Xiaomi, the size of the bottom frame has been reduced by almost 12% compared to its predecessor.
The camera quality of Mi Mix is now comparable to Mi 6: the device has a 12-megapixel Sony IMX386 sensor with 4-axis image stabilization. The smartphone also comes with Snapdragon processor 835 and 6 GB of RAM.
In China, sales of Mi Mix 2 will begin on September 15. The 6GB + 64GB version will be sold for 3299 yuan (about $506), the 6GB + 128GB version will cost 3599 ($550), and the 6GB + 256GB version will cost 3999 ($613). For a “premium” model in a ceramic unibody case, with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB, they ask for 4,699 yuan (approximately $720).
Along with the flagship, the mid-range phablet Mi Note 3 c was presented dual camera(wide-angle and telephoto lenses) and a 16-megapixel front camera. The new product is positioned as a larger version of the Xiaomi Mi 6 smartphone: it is equipped with a 5.5-inch display, a Snapdragon 660 chip, 6 GB of RAM and a more capacious 3500 mAh battery.
The biometric security system allows you to unlock the device using your face. In China, the version of Mi Note 3 with 64 GB of memory will cost 2499 yuan ($383), with a 128 GB drive - 2899 yuan ($445).
In addition to smartphones, Xiaomi, which entered the laptop market last year, showed Mi Notebook Pro, a direct competitor to MacBooks. The new product is equipped with a 15.6-inch Full HD screen, 4- nuclear processor Intel Core i7 eighth generation, video card Nvidia GeForce MX150 and 256 GB SSD drive. There is a fingerprint scanner built under the surface of the touchpad.
Unlike the Apple laptop, which has only four Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, the new Xiaomi product has a 3-in-1 card reader, two regular USB port 3.0, two USB-C and full-size HDMI. The laptop weighs 1.95 kilograms.
Mi Notebook Pro in the maximum configuration (i7 + 16 GB + 256 GB) will be sold for 6999 yuan ($1080); the cheapest model will cost 5599 yuan (i5 + 8 GB + 256 GB), or $865.
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 Touchpad 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.
ABOUT this smartphone All that is known 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 internal memory with the ability to use memory cards, 4 GB of RAM, a 16 MP 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. 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 Meizu Pro 7. There are reports 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 clock frequency 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 already noticed, specifications are at their best. 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 up to users to decide.
If we talk about the filling, the flagship has a 5.5-inch display with QHD resolution, “percent” Samsung Exynos 8890, RAM 4 GB, one of the highest quality cameras on the smartphone market, a fingerprint scanner, an elegant body using 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 - 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 can’t keep silent about the original model Samsung Galaxy S8. The company decided to use curved glass, with almost no frames. BY 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" equipped the latest processor Samsung Exynos 8895, 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 is equipped with a graphic graphics accelerator ARM Mali T880 MP4 @ 875 MHz and cellular modem LTE FDD/TDD R11 Cat-6 (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, 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 camera 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, it’s inexpensive and good smartphone.
In December, the well-known company Huawei celebrated its 3rd anniversary and presented new smartphone. Home distinctive feature The new product is considered to have a design that is significantly different from previous versions of the company, 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 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 with a frameless Xiaomi smartphone, however, the fingerprint scanner is located 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.
Chinese trademark Bluboo always keeps pace with experiments. In 2017, the company introduced 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 protective glass 2.5D 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 operate under control 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, operating system Android versions 7.0 Nougat, 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.
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