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