Starting in 2013, mobile electronics manufacturers launched into desperate experiments with the screens of their gadgets. As a result of this, devices began to appear in the showcases of salons that can boast of an original and futuristic design. Consumers have become familiar with bezel-less smartphones, smartphones with 2.5D screens, flexible mobile devices.

This article will tell you what gadgets of all these types are, and also explain why between frameless smartphones and smartphones with curved screens incorrect equal sign.

The release of frameless gadgets is the main trend of 2017. From all leading manufacturers mobile technology only the Taiwanese company HTC refused to follow it, releasing this year the premium model U11, the design of which can be called traditional. Samsung has been using Frameless technology for a long time in all of its flagships. The opinion that the iPhone 8, which will be released in September, will also be frameless, is shared by almost all market experts.

The essence of Frameless technology ("without frames") is that the side edges of the smartphone display are rounded and smoothly pass into the right and left ends of the case. How this is implemented can be clearly seen on the example of the Chinese gadget Elephone S7.

In 2014, Samsung introduced the first smartphone in its Edge line of edge-to-edge devices ( Galaxy Note Edge), thanks to which it undeservedly received the laurels of a pioneer in this area. In fact, the first frameless device was developed and created by the Japanese company Sharp in the same year, but a little earlier - we are talking about the Aquos Crystal 2 gadget.

Smartphone from Sharp had a much more curious and original design than most of the frameless devices that came out after it - because its screen was not only devoid of side frames, but also reached the very edge from above. Unfortunately, neither the European public, nor the domestic fans of mobile technology had the opportunity to get acquainted with this wonderful smartphone - it was intended exclusively for domestic sales.

The popularity of the line Samsung Edge significant in the international market. Seeing that consumers willingly take Korean bezel-less gadgets, other manufacturers began to release similar devices one after another. For example, Sony introduced a compact Xperia model XA, Chinese manufacturer Vivo launches super-powerful Xplay 5 Elite device with 6 GB random access memory, and BlackBerry completely surprised with a frameless Priv with a QWERTY keyboard.

The "mini-revolution" in the market in November 2016 was arranged by Xiaomi, having released the "giant" Mi Mix (not to be confused with Mi Max). The phablet has a design similar to the design of the famous Sharp, but it is made entirely of ceramics and has a 6.4-inch screen.

There is a statistic that can be used to measure the "framelessness" of a gadget - the ratio of the display area to the area of ​​the front face in percent. On average, for frameless smartphones, this indicator is about 70%. In Aquos Crystal 2, the screen occupied 78.5% of the frontal surface. Mi Mix, by this criterion, became the champion - the area of ​​\u200b\u200bits display is almost 84% of the total area of ​​​​the front face.

Following Xiaomi, a gadget without a top frame was released by a little-known Chinese manufacturer UMIDIGI. The main advantage of the UMIDIGI Crystal over the smartphone from Xiaomi was the price: the Mi Mix cost more than $500, while the Crystal could be pre-ordered for only $99.

The Crystal screen occupies approximately 81% of the frontal surface - according to this indicator, the UMIDIGI smartphone is also inferior to Mi Mix.

A daring attempt to challenge the championship of Mi Max was made by the flagship released at the end of March samsung galaxy S8, which showed a result of 84.47%. The gadget is made using Frameless technology, but it has both upper and lower frames - just very thin.

Disputes, who is still the leader in terms of the ratio of screen area and frontal surface, are still ongoing - and new participants have appeared in them. Xiaomi does not want to give up and insists that Mi Mix has calculated this indicator incorrectly and in fact is over 90%. Perhaps the end of the disputes in September will put. But more on that later.

Are there any disadvantages to bezel-less smartphones?

Despite the fact that frameless gadgets look like aliens from the future and have impressive screen sizes, smartphones of this type have several drawbacks that can outweigh their advantages. What are these shortcomings?

• The user needs time to get used to a frameless smartphone - and until he gets used to it, he will make a lot of unnecessary touches (misclicks). This, in particular, greatly interferes with the gameplay.
• Frameless smartphones are fragile. Any fall can be fatal for the screen of such a gadget. Repairing a curved screen is not cheap, because you have to replace the entire front panel.
• Cases and bumpers are not suitable for frameless smartphones. The bumper will cover parts of the display - those that flow into the edges. A user who wants to protect their smartphone will have to put up with this - but then what was the point of buying a gadget “without frames”?

These and other disadvantages, as a rule, are reported on the forums by the current owners of frameless gadgets, who regret that they “fell for” the original design of devices, forgetting to figure out how convenient such devices are. Therefore, before deciding to buy a Frameless device, you should think twice - after all, many of the "frameless" smartphones are quite expensive.

Is the glass 2.5D curved?

The new term 2.5D glass” has recently been increasingly featured in reviews of modern mobile technology. However, this term actually refers to a technology that was used back in 2008.

A feature of 2.5D glass is that its edges are slightly curved. How - can be seen in the illustration:

The image on the far left is plain glass. It is called 2D because it is a two-dimensional surface with two planes - X and Y (width and height). The picture on the far right is 3D glass, which can also be measured by thickness. It is these glasses that are tried on in the production of frameless smartphones, which were discussed above. In the middle is an intermediate solution, rather unfortunately called 2.5D glass. The rounded edges of this glass merge perfectly with the body, so that the appearance mobile device becomes more attractive.

Finns Nokia became "pioneers" in the use of 2.5D glasses. Back in 2011, this company introduced the N9 with a 2.5D display. A year later, the Taiwanese firm HTC released Model One X with convex glass.

Further, more and more manufacturers began to resort to this technology. Samsung Galaxy A5, Nexus 6, Xiaomi Mi Note and even iPhone 6 joined the ranks of smartphones with 2.5D glasses!

Curiously, in terms of production, 2.5D glass costs the same as regular 2D glass, but it gives mobile devices a premium appearance, allowing their manufacturers to install more high prices for products. That's why 2.5D technology is so popular right now!

It is precisely because manufacturers use 2.5D glass that it is incorrect to call gadgets “frameless” smartphones with curved screens. Both 3D and 2.5D glass and flexible smartphone displays (like the G Flex) are curved to varying degrees. Therefore, it is not clear what kind of technology a person talking about curved screens has in mind.

What does the future hold for us?

At the end of May 2017, one of the creators of Android E. Rubin published information about his frameless Essential Phone smartphone. The gadget will receive a display with an aspect ratio of 19:10 (that is, stretched upwards in the manner of the Galaxy S8) and occupying almost 85% of the front panel.

Essential Phone is the near future of frameless electronics, which, alas, will not be affordable for domestic users. The gadget is made of premium materials and has top-end features - and therefore its price will "bite". The manufacturer is expected to set a price tag of $700, which is over 40,000 rubles.

However, the main sensation of the mobile technology market in 2017 is not the release of Essential Phone at all. In September 2017, Apple will introduce the iPhone 8. According to experts, this gadget will be equipped with an “endless” screen with a record resolution of 2800 × 1242 pixels (for comparison, the iPhone 7 Plus has “only” 1920 × 1080 pixels). Web designers have already had a lot of fun, presenting to the public a lot of options for what the iPhone 8 might look like - here is one of them:

Unfortunately, Apple has not yet disclosed any details about its new product, so grains of information similar to reliable have to be extracted from leaks, which, however, are not lacking. According to rumors, the iPhone 8 will be “deprived” of the physical “Home” button - it will be turned into a virtual one; the fingerprint sensor is hidden under touch panel. The screen will occupy all 100% of the front panel - according to this indicator, the iPhone 8, of course, will bypass all other gadgets.

However, Apple is not going to stop there either: 100% is not enough for her! In May, curious information appeared: based on patent applications Apple experts have suggested that Apple is developing a smartphone with an envelope display. The screen of such a device will completely occupy not only the front surface, but also the back face, as well as all the ends. This is how the device will look according to designer Ron Avni:

The designer predicts that the gadget will be devoid of physical buttons absolutely - all keys (including "Power" and switch silent mode) will replace sensory counterparts. The fingerprint scanner, according to Avni, will not be localized - the smartphone recognizes the user's fingerprint, no matter what part of the screen he puts it on.

Conclusion

The largest Japanese company Japan Display Inc. (JDI) in June announced the start of mass production Full screens Active, whose main feature is almost complete absence frames on all sides. And this seems to be the “final nail in the coffin” of traditional smartphone design. Experts agree that soon manufacturers will completely refuse to produce devices with 2D screens. Already, all the remarkable novelties of mobile electronics come out exclusively with curved screens - that is, they have either a frameless design or displays made using 2.5D technology.

In the world of smartphones, a simple flat screen is already considered commonplace, which no longer surprises anyone. They were replaced by devices with a curved display. Thanks to such screens, ergonomics are improved, new features and functions are opened up, or just watching movies with greater convenience. Such a smartphone can boast in the company of friends, not just because of the configuration, but also interesting design. Therefore, we present to your attention the rating best smartphones with curved display for 2017.

Vivo xplay 5 elite

This smartphone is a combination of excellent hardware and innovative design that provides brilliant multitasking experience for users. It also comes with a fingerprint sensor as an added security. The smartphone comes with a large 5.43-inch Super Amoled screen with a resolution of 1440×2560 pixels, resulting in a display density of 541 pixels. If you are looking for a 2016 premium market phone with great performance and good time battery life then take a look at this smartphone.

Main characteristics:

• Screen: 5.43 inches with a resolution of 1440 × 2960 pixels;
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 MSM8996 and Adreno 530 video accelerator;
• Memory: 128 GB of internal memory and 6 GB of RAM;
• Android 6.0;
• Camera: main 16 MP, front 8 MP;
• Battery: 3600 mAh;

Pros:

1. Powerful characteristics;
2. Aesthetic design;
3. Excellent display;

Minuses:

1. non-expandable memory;

Elephone S7 64Gb

This one is cheap but good smartphone available at a reasonable price with all the cool features. The processor makes the device even more efficient. The smartphone is equipped with a 5.5-inch touch screen with a resolution of 1920x1080. The high pixel density indicates sharp and realistic images, and it's also good to read in bright sunlight. He has extra layer Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which protects the screen from small bumps and scratches. Despite all the advantages mobile phone comes with a hybrid sim slot with 4G support. Buy it if you want a stylish and colorful smartphone with all the good features.

Main characteristics:

• Screen: 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1080 × 1920 pixels;
• Processor: MediaTek MT6797 and video accelerator Mali-T880 MP4;
• Android 6.0;
• Camera: main 13 MP, front 5 MP;
• Battery: 3000 mAh;

Pros:

1. The presence of a fingerprint sensor;
2. Excellent camera quality;
3. Good processor;

Minuses:

1. Hybrid SIM slot;
2. Non-removable battery;

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge 64Gb

The curved screen is a new design feature from Samsung, and it's being used more and more. The device has big screen, but the style of the phone looks very close to the S6 Edge. The glossy finish of the back cover is shiny, and painted with a metal backing that captures the light with all in better ways, while the long edges of this 5.5-inch screen are dipped into a thin aluminum frame that runs along the edges of the model. The smartphone is compatible with microSD cards up to 200 GB in size, next to the pop-up SIM card slot, which is located at the top edge, while the cellular one is rated IP68. The latter means, technically speaking, that the smartphone can be completely submerged in water up to 1.5m deep for 30 minutes. If you accidentally drop your smartphone into a sink or bathtub, it will survive, but at the bottom of a swimming pool, things may not end so well.

Main characteristics:

• Screen: 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1440 × 2960 pixels;
• Processor: Samsung Exynos 8 Octa 8890 and video accelerator Mali-T880 MP12;
• Memory: 64 GB of internal memory and 4 GB of RAM;
• Android 6.0;
• Camera: main 12 MP, front 5 MP;
• Battery: 3600 mAh;

Pros:

1. Stunning design;
2. Juicy and bright display;

Minuses:

1. A slight lag of the smartphone in test programs;
2. The screen may be overly reflective;

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 64Gb

In second place in the ranking of the best smartphones with a curved display for 2017 is the Xiaomi Mi Note 2. If you miss the design Galaxy smartphone Note 7, the good news is that the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has the same design, although not as refined as the first one. For example, the bezels on the sides of the display are thicker, making the smartphone appear wider. The device is made in perfect design with good quality assemblies. You get curved glass front and back, which Xiaomi calls 3D glass, all wrapped up in a sleek and solid metal frame.

Main characteristics:

• Screen: 5.7 inches with a resolution of 1440 × 2960 pixels;
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 MSM8996 Pro and Adreno 530 video accelerator;
• Memory: 64 GB of internal memory and 4 GB of RAM;
• Android 6.0;
• Camera: main 22.5 MP, front 8 MP;
• Battery: 4070 mAh;

Pros:

1. Exquisite design;
2. Incredible cameras;

Minuses:

1. non-expandable memory;

Samsung Galaxy S8

On the this moment The smartphone is considered to be the most beautiful device in terms of design. curved rear end fits perfectly in your palm. The novelty is available in three colors - dark black, bright silver and gray with a blue tint. The S8 is thin and incredibly light at 155g, but it feels sturdy and finely crafted. The last time Samsung took a huge change in direction with its flagship, many core features were lost in the transition. Fortunately, this is not the case. The microSD slot continues to hide with a nano-SIM, and Qi wireless charging is also present. The smartphone has IP68 water and dust resistance, so it can withstand being dropped into water for 30 minutes to a depth of 1.5 meters.

Main characteristics:

• Screen: 5.8 inches with a resolution of 1440 × 2960 pixels;
• Processor: Samsung Exynos 9 Octa 8895 and video accelerator Mali-G71 MP20;
• Memory: 64 GB of internal memory and 4 GB of RAM;
• Android 6.0;
• Camera: main 12 MP, front 8 MP;
• Battery: 3000 mAh;

Pros:

1. Huge storage;
2. Great cameras;

Minuses:

1. It can not always accurately scan the cornea of ​​​​the eye;

Conclusion

Smartphones with a new curved screen, as a rule, are not inferior to the performance of conventional devices. And the ranking of the best smartphones with a curved display proves it to us. Large RAM along with a powerful processor makes smartphones the best choice for shopping. Therefore, if you decide to buy a cell phone, choose any model and find out more information about it on our website. Enjoy the shopping!

Smartphones with a curved display have appeared on the market relatively recently. And almost immediately gained considerable popularity. Which is not surprising - the special shape of the screen allows you to simulate a 3D effect so that the user gets even more pleasure from working with applications and watching movies. True, it is far from always easy to choose a smartphone with curved screen edges and at the same time good performance.

Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge - best screen resolution

Before you comparatively inexpensive smartphone with a curved screen from Samsung, which has really outstanding properties. To begin with, the display of this smartphone model with a diagonal of 5.1 inches has a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels - a really outstanding indicator. The glass resists scratches perfectly, while the aluminum body makes the phone particularly attractive and durable. The main camera has a resolution of 16 megapixels. Optical stabilization, flash and autofocus greatly enhance the shooting experience. In addition, you can shoot really high quality video - up to 3840x2160 pixels at 30 frames per second. The front camera is noticeably weaker - 5 megapixels. But if you do not like selfies, then this will be enough for you. In terms of parameters, the smartphone will also not disappoint - 3 GB of RAM and an eight-core processor make it possible to run any modern applications even the most demanding ones.

Advantages:

• high performance
• lovely design
• powerful speaker
• good camera
• light weight
• aluminium case

Flaws:

• battery capacity only 2600 mAh

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is an inexpensive smartphone with a curved display

Of course, although it is relatively inexpensive, it is still a good Chinese smartphone with a curved screen that will not disappoint the owner. The display diagonal is 5.7 inches, and its size is 1920x1080 pixels. Thanks to this, the user will get even more pleasure from watching videos on a smartphone or playing games. Few analogues can boast of such a rear camera as this model has - as much as 22 megapixels. Autofocus with macro mode will be a nice addition. The front camera of the smartphone is weaker - 8 megapixels. The characteristics are simply excellent - 4 gigabytes of RAM and four processor cores at 2.35 GHz. Many will like that the battery capacity here is as much as 4070 mAh - the charge will last for a long time. At the same time, the phone weighs only 166 grams, and its price is not exorbitant.

Advantages:

• precise design
• big and bright screen
• fast charging function
• good performance
• 2 sim cards
• great main camera
• metal case

Flaws:

• not detected

Honor Magic is a smartphone with a rounded screen and a dual camera

Perhaps, Honor Magic is one of the best smartphones with a rounded screen, so it is quite worthy to enter the TOP. Let's start with its power. For example, a processor with eight cores of 2300 MHz each, and 4 GB of RAM. This will be enough even for a very picky buyer. The main camera of the smartphone is simply luxurious - dual 12/12 MP. You can take really good pictures, comparable in quality to those taken with a camera. The screen is quite large - almost 5.1 inches. Resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels provide excellent image quality. So, if you are looking for a smartphone with a high-quality screen, then this model is definitely yours. There are two slots for SIM cards - choose for yourself which one is preferable to work at a particular moment. 3G and 4G standards allow you to enjoy high-speed mobile internet, being anywhere. With all this, its weight is only 145 grams.

Advantages:

• lovely display
• fast charging function
• high processor power
• quality camera
• light weight

Flaws:

• 2900 mAh battery will have to be charged daily

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is a stylish flagship with a powerful battery

Are you looking for a smartphone with good performance and high reliability? Then you'll love that this popular phone has a rugged water-resistant design. The body is made of glass and aluminum, which increases the level of safety and creates a truly memorable design. The screen of the smartphone is not only large (5.5 inches), but also has an excellent QHD resolution (2560x1440 pixels). The rear camera is very high quality - 12 megapixels. The front, of course, is weaker, but for selfies in daylight, 5 megapixels will be enough. An octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM complete the performance picture. Therefore, it is not surprising that customer reviews of the smartphone are mostly positive.

Advantages:

• great look
• water and dust protection
• fast charging function
• wireless charging function
• powerful speaker
• large, high-quality screen
• high performance filling
• powerful battery

Flaws:

• non-removable battery

Samsung Galaxy S8 is one of the best Android smartphones of our time

Perhaps this best model in our review of all owner reviews. Yes, for the possession of such a phone will have to seriously pay. But in terms of price and quality, the smartphone confidently outperforms many flagship competitors. Let's start with the rear camera - with a resolution of 12 megapixels, it allows you to shoot 4K video - one of the best indicators for today. Also Galaxy S8 has established itself as a smartphone with a high-quality screen and a powerful battery in one bottle. Please note that the screen here is very large - 5.8 inches diagonally. Moreover, its resolution of 2960x1440 pixels is just a great indicator. And the Li-lon battery capacity is 3000 mAh. At fully charged this is enough for about 20 active hours of talk or 125 hours of standby. In addition, there is a wireless charging function - a convenient and innovative solution that very few smartphones can boast of. The smartphone also supports Magnetic Secure Transmission payment technology for purchases, even those terminals in the store that do not support such contactless payments. Therefore, in the rankings best phones this novelty takes one of the first places.

Advantages:

• luxury bright screen
• water protection
• good battery
• great camera with LED flash
• wireless charger
• fast charging function
• Has a memory card slot up to 256 GB

Flaws:

• high price

Huawei Mate 9 Pro is a smartphone with an excellent camera, like a camera

If you do not know which phone with a rounded screen is the best, then take a closer look at this smartphone model, by the number positive feedback Huawei Mate 9 Pro is clearly in the lead. Let this not latest novelty, but in terms of parameters, the smartphone surpasses many modern flagships. Let's start with the main parameters - an eight-core processor and 6 GB of RAM. And there is an unusually large amount of built-in memory here - 128 gigabytes. The battery here is simply luxurious - 4000 mAh. You can not charge it every day, fearing that the battery will run out in the middle of the working day. The display is quite large - 5.5. inches. And its QHD resolution, respectively, is 2560x1440 pixels. So, the phone will allow you to take a fresh look at familiar video and gaming applications.

This smartphone model has built-in slots for two SIM cards. It is always possible to switch to the mobile operator that you need at a particular moment. The main camera is really amazing - dual 20/12 megapixels. One is complemented by LED flash, autofocus, optical and laser stabilization. Therefore, you can easily take a cool picture, which not every high-quality camera will be able to take. Satellite navigation is also very high quality - supported by GPS, GLONASS and even BeiDou, which is quite rare. Just a nice addition is a flashlight, a Hall sensor, proximity and light, as well as a barometer, compass and gyroscope. Therefore, it is quite understandable why this smartphone surpasses many analogues in popularity.

Advantages:

• very high performance
• good battery
• superbly crafted design
• simple control
• amazing camera
• big juicy screen

Flaws:

• high price

Which curved screen phone to buy?

This concludes our review of popular smartphones with curved screen glass and draws a line. After reading about the highest quality models, you have become much better at understanding modern flagship smartphone models. So you can easily buy a phone with a rounded display that will fully meet your expectations.

Mi Note, Xiaomi's largest and most expensive smartphone, hasn't been updated in almost two years. The Chinese manufacturer seemed to be waiting for the right moment to release an updated model and, as it turned out, still waited. After the failure of Samsung with their self-igniting phablet Galaxy Note 7, Xiaomi has fussed and released the Mi Note 2, which is similar to the deceased Korean flagship not only in appearance, but also in cost. Let's see what Xiaomi is able to offer for the amount that you can spend on a top A-brand smartphone.

Specifications

	curved 5.7-inch OLED display with FullHD (1920 x 1080) resolution, protective glass unknown origin
Body materials:	3D glass backdrop with metal frame
	black (Piano Black) and gray-blue (Glacier Blue)
CPU:	quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 (64 bit, Kryo architecture, 14 nm process technology); two cores run at 2.35 GHz, the other two at 1.6 GHz
	Adreno 530 (624 MHz)
Operating system:
RAM:	4 GB / 6 GB (LPDDR4)
User memory:	64 GB / 128 GB (UFS 2.0)
	22.5 MP (f / 2.0 aperture), Sony IMX318 (1 / 2.6 ”) sensor, phase detection autofocus, digital image stabilization, dual LED flash, 4k video recording (30 fps); 8 MP front camera, f/2.0 aperture
Network support:
Wireless technologies:	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (dual-band: 2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.2 (LE), GPS / GLONASS / BEIDOU, A-GPS support, NFC Sensors: fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, gyroscope, sensor hall, infrared sensor, digital compass, barometer, distance and light
	fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, Hall sensor, gyroscope, digital compass, distance and light, IR transmitter
Additionally:	USB 2.0 Type-C port, fast charging via Technology Quick Charge 3.0, indicator LED
Battery:	4070 mAh, non-removable
Contents of delivery:	power unit, USB Type-C-cable, clip to remove the tray, plastic case-pad, instructions
	156.2 x 77.3 x 7.6mm
	from 490 dollars

Contents of delivery

A couple of years ago, Xiaomi switched from yellow cardboard boxes to white ones. The latter look more, so to speak, premium solid, and just fit perfectly into the ideology of an expensive Chinese smartphone. Although it would be possible to put an expensive Mi Note 2 in a box for Mi Mix. True, in these boxes everything is always standard - a power supply, a cable, a clip to remove the SIM tray and the smartphone itself in a special bath.

Suddenly, in addition to all this, the Mi Note 2 comes with a plastic case-pad for the primary protection of the glass back of the smartphone. In it, the smartphone sits like a glove, although the accessory itself is quite simple and, as for me, spoils the attractive appearance of the device.

Appearance, ergonomics

One quick glance is enough to notice the similarities between the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 and Xiaomi Mi Note 2. The body of the two smartphones is made mainly of glass, which is curved on the sides on both sides - back and front. But keep in mind that the rounded back was still in the first generation of Mi Note, which was presented in January 2015. So I would not talk about complete similarity.

It is not clear what kind of glass the front and back panels of the smartphone are made of. It feels like a week of using a smartphone is tempered glass, similar to those produced by Corning (Gorilla Glass). It is important to know that they both have an oleophobic coating, so although fingerprints are collected, I would not call, for example, the back cover a brand. On a black smartphone, the prints are slightly visible, but on a gray one, nothing will definitely be.

Behind, by the way, Mi Note 2 is somewhat reminiscent of Mi Mix - a solid glass cover (Mi Mix has a ceramic one instead), on which there was a place for a camera with a minimally protruding chamfer and a two-diode flash. The front is the same curved glass with a large 5.7-inch screen. Above it is a voice speaker, various sensors, a front camera and a useful notification LED, below is a touch-mechanical Home button with a fingerprint sensor and two touch buttons Menu and Back on the sides. The last two have a fairly pleasant white backlight with a comfortable level of brightness.

The bezel along the contour of the case is made of metal and painted almost in the color of the entire case - black with a gray tint. Most likely, anodizing technology was used in its production, because during normal use it does not leave scratches. official information neither on the frame of the case, nor on the manufacturer of glasses, unfortunately, no. There are several small and almost imperceptible plastic inserts on the frame for the correct operation of wireless modules. The power and adjustment buttons are also made of metal, have an excellent tight travel and are in the usual place on the side. On the other side of the case is a tray for two Nano SIM cards.

With the location of the standard headphone jack, Xiaomi again did not guess and left it in the upper part of the case next to the infrared sensor and the second microphone for noise reduction. On the opposite side - USB port Type-C and two symmetrical hole islands. Traditionally, under one is a loud multimedia speaker, under the other - a microphone.

Mi Note 2 is assembled the way a modern one should be assembled flagship smartphone. Outwardly, it is impeccable (until you touch it and leave a few fingerprints), plus it is perfectly assembled - nothing creaks, staggers or backlash. It feels like it's a bit wider than the Galaxy Note 7, but still quite grippy with an excellent size-to-weight ratio. Redmi note 3 Pro with a metal case slipped out of my hand much more actively compared to Mi Note.

Fingerprint scanner and control buttons

A touch-mechanical button with a built-in fingerprint sensor is a solution that is more common to see in Meizu smartphones, not Xiaomi. The implementation is excellent - you only have to press the button when unlocking the smartphone, in all other cases one touch is enough to return to the main desktop. Importantly, the fingerprint scanner is much faster and more convenient than the Snapdragon Sense ID 3D sensor in the Xiaomi Mi 5s. The response accuracy is 9 out of 10 touches, that is, excellent. Occasionally, when pressed, the Home button makes some kind of crunchy sound, but it works correctly.

There are complaints about touch buttons On the sides. They have a nice light milky backlight, yes, but they only work perfectly if you press just above these dots-buttons. I think the solution to the problem will come along with the release of the global version of MIUI.

Display

The screen is the main wow factor of Xiaomi Mi Note 2, over which the Chinese tried very hard. This is a large 5.7-inch OLED-matrix with FullHD resolution. The pixel density (about 390 PPI) is enough to not peer into the pixels, but with VR helmets (and Xiaomi just has one), the resolution will not be enough. There are minimal bezels on the sides of the display (about 3 mm), but on the black Mi Note 2 they are almost invisible.

If you hold the smartphone directly in front of your eyes, the colors will be slightly oversaturated, blacks are perfect, and whites are minimally bluish. At sharp viewing angles, the white color is strongly distorted and the overall tone of the display goes into blue and green shades. This effect is further enhanced by the curved screen, which at the corners directly shimmers in blue and green colors. In the MIUI settings, you can adjust the display contrast, but this does not affect the final picture much.

The maximum brightness level is average - 341 nits (cd / m²), which may not be enough for comfortable work with smartphones in direct sunlight. The minimum brightness is low enough to read the text from the screen in complete darkness without straining your eyes.

Comparative table of the brightness level of displays in smartphones:

The practical value of the Mi Note 2 curved display is zero. Why? Samsung in their Smartphones Note and S7 Edge with similar matrices implemented various software features - for example, calling contacts with a swipe from the right edge of the screen or displaying service information on a curved edge. In Xiaomi, it was clearly used solely as a decorative element.

Operating system and shell

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 works like everyone else latest smartphones from this manufacturer, on MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. I was pleasantly surprised by the pre-installed black theme, which looks great on the OLED matrix of a black smartphone.

Although Xiaomi is already selling the international version of Mi Note 2, there is still no global version of MIUI 8 for it. The smartphone comes with a Chinese custom firmware MIUI 8 with Russian localization, which is less stable than the original Chinese one. At the moment, the best option is to stay on the original Chinese, install Google Apps according to this manual and Russian localization of morelocale applications.

MIUI itself on Mi Note 2, except for the color design, is no different from the MIUI that is installed, for example, on Xiaomi Mi 5s and other smartphones from this manufacturer. From interesting to relatively new firmware it can be noted that there are double Applications Dual Apps and Second Space. In the first option, you can keep two identical applications in the system with different data inside them, and in the second option, you can create a second account on the device with your own settings, applications and files. In working with Mi Note 2 with its huge display, the One-handed Control function helps a lot, which reduces the working area of ​​​​the display from 4.5 to 3.5 inches.

Hardware platform

The newest and most productive mobile chipset at the moment - Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, which Xiaomi has recently chosen for its new flagship Mi 5s. In view of the fact that there he turned out to be ambiguous due to throttling, it was especially interesting to see what he managed to achieve with him in the Mi Note 2 glass smartphone.

The Snapdragon 821 is a 64-bit Kryo-based chipset with four cores, only here two of them operate at an increased frequency of 2.35 GHz, and the other two at 1.6 GHz. The video accelerator Adreno 530 with a frequency of 624 MHz is responsible for the graphics. Predictably, the smartphone on the original Chinese firmware MUI 8 from the factory works at an exorbitant speed. Nothing lags, does not slow down, and switching between applications is almost instantaneous. Impressions of system performance are similar to those obtained when testing Xiaomi Mi 5s.

With performance in games at a glance, no problem. Except perhaps the well-known shooter Modern Combat 5, which simply refused to start. There are no problems with all other resource-intensive toys - they all work perfectly at maximum graphics settings. The situation changes literally after 40 minutes of the game.

Throttling turns on, although the temperature of the smartphone remains sane - about 40 degrees Celsius. As a result, the number of FPS drops, although most games (Asphalt Extreme, Space Marshalls 2) continue to work adequately. Throttling is also clearly visible in the reusable run of the Antutu benchmark, where the number of points jumps within 10 thousand.

In other synthetic tests, Xiaomi Mi Note 2 is gaining a high score, but at the same time, the average is at the level of modern flagships. For example, in most of them he loses Huawei Mate 9, OnePlus 3t and iPhone 7 Plus.

My Xiaomi Mi Note 2 has 4GB RAM and 64GB ROM, and an older model with 6GB RAM and 128GB ROM is also available. You should look at the latter only if you have little internal memory. Even 4 GB of RAM is enough for the smartphone to work very fast and keep several resource-intensive applications in memory. After the first start of the system, 2 GB of RAM is available. During the week of testing, I did not have a single restart of the application / game after restarting - an excellent indicator.

Communications and multimedia

The voice speaker of Mi Note 2, of course, cannot be compared in quality with my Moto Z Play (here it sounds much better), however, the sound is a solid four with a plus without extraneous noise. The speaker at the bottom of the case is quite loud. It is louder than in Xiaomi Mi 5s due to a separate DAC. In view of the fact that I am not an expert in the field of sound, I evaluate its quality exclusively in comparison with other smartphones. I dare to say that the sound in the VE Monk Plus Mi Note 2 wired headphones is excellent - with a pronounced bass and excellent detail.

I have no complaints about the Wi-Fi receiver. In my case, everything worked perfectly. The signal caught well in two rooms - in the apartment of the old "Stalin" through a wooden door and a thick concrete wall, as well as in a large office with a powerful router.

autonomy

Compared to the first Mi Note, Xiaomi has taken a big leap in battery capacity with its second big flagship. Instead of 3000 mAh, a 4070 mAh battery is installed here, similar to that in latest models Redmi line. True, you should not count on exorbitant autonomy here - after all, we are talking about a smartphone on the most productive mobile chip.

Interestingly, Xiaomi Mi Note 2 and Mi 5s are approximately equal in terms of battery life. Apparently, the increased screen size is offset by an economical OLED matrix. We are talking about an honest 8 hours in the PCMark benchmark. AT normal mode use with online music, social networks, a minimum of calls and adaptive backlighting of the screen, the smartphone works from early morning until late at night. On average, this is 5-6 hours of screen operation.

Yes, Mi Note 2 supports the popular Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging standard, thanks to which, from a standard power adapter with output currents of 5 V / 2.5 A, 9 V / 2 A and 12 V / 1.5 A, it is fully charged in an average of 1 hour and 40 minutes. For comparison, my previous Redmi Note 3 Pro with the same battery capacity took an average of about 3 hours to charge.

cameras

Recently, Xiaomi has been solidly pumping their smartphones with good camera modules, and Mi Note 2 is no exception. It has a 22.5-megapixel Sony IMX318 sensor large size 1/2.6” (but smaller than in Mi 5s). The aperture is f/2.0, there is a dual flash, phase detection autofocus and digital image stabilization. In my opinion, the quality of the pictures corresponds to that of the Mi 5s smartphone with one caveat. Pictures from Mi Note 2 are more detailed.

Macro focus works well, but with a lack of lighting, Xiaomi smartphones have not learned how to take pictures at the level of A-brand devices.

You can download full size images from this link.

An example of a panoramic shot:

The standard camera app will be familiar to everyone Xiaomi users, no change here. There is additional modes shooting: night mode, HDR, beautification and others.

A real flagship in 2017 just needs to be able to shoot in 4K. Mi Note 2 is just one of those - it shoots video at a resolution of 3840 by 2160 and 1920 by 1080 pixels. Digital image stabilization doesn't really help the picture quality - the image twitches a little.

The front camera is 8 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture. The final shots can be praised for their detail, although the front camera sometimes misses the focus.

Results

Mi Note 2 is the same Xiaomi experiment as the first generation of this smartphone. It will definitely appeal to all fans of the big "old man" - the device has been improved on all fronts. With the deceased Samsung Galaxy Note 7, I would not compare it, as many do, after all, there is neither a unique S-Pen stylus, nor software chips for a curved screen, nor moisture protection. But if you need a top Xiaomi smartphone with the largest screen, then this is just the right option.

What we liked:

• unique appearance;
• equipment;
• black color of the screen;
• performance;
• image quality of the main camera;
• fast charging support;
• large amount of RAM / ROM.

What did not like:

• as always, difficulties with MIUI firmware;
• throttling;
• camera performance in low light conditions.

Where could I buy?

Thanks to the Gearbest online store for the smartphone provided for review. At the time of publication of the article, the Mi Note 2 with 64 GB of memory is not available, and the Global version of the smartphone with advanced network support will cost $ 670. Coupon application MINOTE2S reduces the price to $630, you can also save up to 10% additionally (depending on the site) by using the cashback service.

Thank you for your attention!

When the first smartphones with a curved screen appeared, some users were perplexed - why? But, as it turned out, marketers got to the point and such devices began to be in high demand. Therefore, it is not surprising that companies are increasingly offering us smartphones with a curved screen. We have collected the most interesting devices for you.

Samsung Galaxy S8

Without a doubt, you need to start with the Galaxy S8 - a smartphone from Samsung that surprised even those who seemed to have seen everything and even more.

Samsung has introduced a new smartphone concept. See, the width of the device you see in the picture below is only 68mm. What do you think the diagonal of the display is? Maybe 4.5 inches? Or maybe 5 inches? No. The company managed the almost impossible - they were able to fit a 5.8-inch display into a small case!

In addition to small dimensions, cool design and curved glass, there are a couple of other interesting features. Notice that the physical Home key is gone? The buttons are now touch sensitive. And the Samsung inscription disappeared from the front of the case.

Samsung Galaxy S8+

Similar device. The only difference is that the Galaxy S8 + is slightly larger - it has a 6.2-inch display. And, accordingly, the price is slightly higher.

Huawei Mate 9 Pro 128Gb

Huawei has also decided to use curved glass in its smartphones. This is a more powerful and expensive version of the Mate 9.

The screen diagonal is 5.5 inches, the resolution is very high - 2560 × 1440 pixels. The screen is, of course, curved. This is the flagship, as hinted at by the powerful HiSilicon Kirin 960 processor and as much as 6 GB of RAM. The case is metal, and the metal has a pleasant texture.

What else is unusual? For example, a dual rear camera module. It is noted that one of them is monochrome, and the second is color (the inscription Leica can be found on the module itself). Photo quality is top notch.

On sale there is also a version with 64 GB of main memory, which has less RAM - 4 GB. This version of Huawei Mate 9 Pro is less common.

Xiaomi Mi Note 2 128Gb

There are already several smartphones in the Xiaomi lineup with a screen diagonal of more than 5.5 inches. The screen size of the Mi Note 2 smartphone is 5.7 inches, while the company decided to make the display curved. Unusually, curved glass is also used on the back of the case.

The smartphone can safely be called a flagship. The 5.7-inch display has a high resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, the processor is Qualcomm Snapdragon 821, 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory, the rear camera has a resolution of 22 million pixels. There is a fast charging function, USB Type-C, a fingerprint scanner and much more.

Mi Note 2 is available for sale, you can buy it in Russian online stores.

BlackBerry Prive

Smartphones from BlackBerry are known all over the world, although they are not so common on sale in our country. It is all the more pleasant that you can become the owner of such an interesting mobile device as the BlackBerry Priv.

Previously, BlackBerrys were based on their own BlackBerry OS firmware. Now many models use Android OS and the Priv model is no exception.

Believe me, it is not the firmware that is of interest here, and not even the curved screen that you can notice - everything is much more interesting. The fact is that this is not an ordinary smartphone - it is a slider smartphone. It has a keyboard that hides inside the case. In fact, BlackBerry Priv has no analogues on the market.

By the way, the characteristics of the smartphone are good. For example, the display diagonal is 5.43 inches, and the resolution is as much as 2560 × 1440 pixels. The processor is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 which is paired with 3GB of RAM.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

Another smartphone from Samsung is the Galaxy S7 Edge. Now this is a model of the previous generation, but it has not become worse from this. In addition, if you want to save money when buying a new Samsung smartphone, we can safely consider this model.

The case is familiar here - with the Home button and the Samsung inscription on the front of the case, but the glass is curved. The smartphone looks great, and the color gamut is great. In our opinion, the most advantageous shade is silver or golden.

In terms of performance, everything is just great - the Galaxy S7 Edge was one of the most powerful smartphones on the market, so it remained, its capacity is at least enough for the next few years, or even more. Plus you get one of best cameras, which can only be found in modern smartphones.

ZTE Axon 7 mini

At this smartphone the glass is only slightly curved, besides, you can see frames under the glass on the side. However, we are including the ZTE Axon 7 mini in our review.

We immediately note other interesting features. So, there is excellent sound from both the speakers (stereo speakers are used) and headphones - the smartphone has an Asahi Kasei AK4962 audio chip, and software support for Dolby Atmos technology has been added.

Also noted is the excellent image quality of the display, the original design of the body, good pictures that the camera allows you to get, sufficient performance.