No one enjoys watching YouTube videos or browsing Facebook and Instagram pages on small screens anymore. In fact, most online content and applications nowadays are specifically designed to be enjoyed in big-screened devices. Thus, the demand for huge displays led to the birth of bezel-less and notched smartphones.

Honestly, bezels are just dead spaces on our phone screens. So, Samsung, iPhone, Huawei, and other world-renowned brands started limiting the size of phone bezels or turned to notches in the hope of achieving 100 percent full-screen display.

Unfortunately, no smartphone company has achieved such an ambitious dream. Samsung’s 6.4” Galaxy Note 9 only has 84.42 percent screen-to-body ratio. Apple’s  only have 82.9 percent and 84.4 percent screen-to-body ratios respectively. Meanwhile,

While the screens of the abovementioned devices are wider than their predecessors, you can’t deny the fact that the notches and noticeable bezels still occupy a significant portion of their displays.

But, don’t fret. While these companies are back in the drawing room working on their next screen designs, Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 is already sliding its way smoothly into the hearts of smartphone users. This latest offering from Xiaomi has defied the odds to give the public what no other smartphone manufacturer has given before – a broader and better screen experience!

What’s a ‘slider phone’?

The Mi MIX 3 is Xiaomi’s latest flagship geared towards the premium market. It doesn’t follow Apple’s path toward notched phone designs or Oppo’s pop-up mechanism. Instead, Xiaomi forged its own display design by incorporating an old concept to its latest smartphone model.

Like the Mi MIX 2, the Mi MIX 3 takes advantage of the “slider phone” design to hide its dual front-facing cameras and give users a bigger screen to enjoy. However, unlike its predecessor, the Mi MIX 3 uses magnets to hold its sleek design into place, creating a satisfying “click” sound every time you slide its screen into a new position.

Simply put, this sliding design makes Mi MIX 3 a modern “slider phone.” If you’re not familiar with slider phones, these were cellular devices made famous by Nokia in the early 2000s. As the name implies, a portion of the device – usually the keypad – stays hidden until the user slides it out in place.

Design and display

Like all other products in the Mi MIX series, the Xiaomi Mi MIX 3 which boasts of 6.39” panel was designed with one goal in mind – maximized screen-to-body-ratio. And indeed, its developers didn’t fail to deliver. The device is nearly bezel-less with over 93 percent of its front occupied by the screen.

No notch or camera is visible on top of the screen, and no home button or fingerprint scanner is present at the bottom of it. It is just pure screen. All thanks to the multifunctional slider that hides the cameras when not in use.

The Mi MIX 3 also makes use of AMOLED panel typically found in Huawei’s Mate 20 Pro. This sophisticated display technology from Samsung ensures that the sliding panel is thin enough and will not make the phone bulky to hold. While it’s still early to tell how robust the sliding mechanism of Mi MIX 3 is, Xiaomi claims that it already surpassed intensive testing and could withstand up to 300,000 slides.

Also, instead of the Mi MIX series’ iconic white finish, Xiaomi opted to release the Mi MIX 3 in three different ceramic finishes: Jade Green, Onyx Black, and a Sapphire Blue finish. At this stage, whatever finish you choose, you’ll still surely get the best out of your purchase with this phone.

2018 has seen a few smartphone players challenged Xiaomi’s dominance in the mobile industry’s affordable price arena. One of which is the Asus ZenFone Max Pro M2 which is currently selling at S$349 in Singapore. This time, Asus ensured that its mid-ranged ZenFone M-series would elevate the company’s value-for-money game to greater heights.

We were able to get our hands on the ZenFone Max Pro M2, and after just a few days of using it, we were immediately convinced that this phone has so much more to offer aside from its reasonable price.

The ZenFone Max Pro M2 features a high-definition 6.26-inches full display panel with an impressive 450 nits of brightness. This allows the display to remain legible and viewable even under sunlight. With its wide array of colors, the Max Pro M2’s panel also offers more vivid and clearer image display.

There is no doubt that Asus managed to create one of the finest IPS LCD panels within the budget-friendly range. You will notice that the whites on the screen are nearly neutral and you will have the option to adjust the color temperature based on your liking. The display of the ZenFone Max Pro M2 is definitely better and has more edge over its predecessor.

Specifications and Performance

Let us take a quick look at the ZenFone Max Pro M2’s specs.

Display: 6.2-inch FHD+ IPS LCD Display (1080 x 2280 Pixels, 420 ~ppi); 19:9 Aspect Ratio; 2.5D Arc Glass; Rounded Corners and a Notch

Operating System: Android 8.1 Oreo

Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 660

CPU: Octa Core CPU: 2.2GHz Quad-Core Kyro 260 + 1.8GHz Quad Core Kryo 260

GPU: Adreno 512

RAM/ Storage: 3GB/32GB; 4GB/64GB; 6GB/64GB

Rear Camera: Dual Camera System: 12 MP Main Camera (f/1.8 Aperture) + 5 MP Depth Camera (f/2.4); Autofocus and LED Flash; Sony IMX486 sensor + 1.25-micron pixel

Front-Facing Camera: 13 MP 1.12-micron pixel (f/2.0 aperture)

Sound: 3.5mm Audio Jack (NXP Smart Amplifier)

Battery: 5000 mAh Li-ion Battery (Non-removable) with 5V/2A Charging

Body: Glass with Metal Frame – Scratch Resistant Glass

With these amazing specs, you will immediately know what to expect from the ZenFone Max Pro M2. Its Snapdragon 660 processor is guaranteed to offer powerful performance. Multitasking, video watching, and mobile gaming are smooth, and the phone’s face recognition feature makes it easier to unlock the device.

 

It’s safe to say that product design is of immense importance when you’re investing in a smartphone. As far as the last two years are concerned, the bezel-less look has certainly caught the attention of buyers, since it equates to a device that comprises entirely of a screen. Companies have followed the lead and have worked immensely hard to burrow all components of the smartphone into the screen. And that’s exactly what we can see with the Honor View 20.

With the selfie-camera drilled into a little hole, the smartphone offers a more seamless look, much similar to Samsung’s Galaxy S10 which also came forward in 2019. We have been testing the Honor View 20 for a few days now and are excited to fill you in on all the details.

Honor View 20 features an etched laser design which includes a glass back. At first glance, you’ll notice how the glass forms a magnificent V pattern as soon as the lights it at certain angles. This appearance has been termed as “aurora nanotexture” by the brand, but it’s pretty much your basic laser-etched design. The chevrons flicker in light, creating an exciting look – which is a sight to see.

The look of the pattern may vary depending on what color phone you get. And while you might think that black may look a little too dull, you will be proven wrong once you witness the rainbow hitting the back.

Aside from this welcoming new addition in design, the rest of the Honor View 20 closely resembles other smartphones in the market. It includes a 6.24-inch display with an LCD panel. You will also find an IR blaster and headphone jack. However, the design of the phone is pretty balanced and fits comfortably in one’s hand.

Honor recently launched its newest budget smartphone, the Honor 10 Lite. Honor definitely wants to make a statement by combining the best mid-range specs any user could ever asked for and great aesthetics in Honor 10 Lite.

With Xiaomi primarily dominating the mid-range market segment, Honor is clearly doubling its efforts to close the gap and topple Xiaomi from its current place. Honor 10 Lite is like a breath of fresh air with its funky, unique design, impressive display, and gradient color .

With just a glance, you cannot deny the fact that Honor 10 Lite is one stunning smartphone. While it evidently borrowed some notable features from the company’s premium Honor 8X smartphone, the developers behind Honor 10 Lite still managed to keep its design unique and elegant.

Unlike other smartphones today, Honor 10 Lite noticeably sports a minimalist design. Its glossy back is painted with a gradient color that shifts with light. Although Honor opted to use plastic material for the body of the phone, the glossy back gives it a highly sophisticated look.

The plastic body makes Honor 10 Lite lighter but susceptible to smudges so, you might want to consider buying a phone case for it. The phone was also built to ergonomically to fit the palm of a user’s hand despite its big display.

In front, the phone features a dewdrop notch that houses its selfie camera, something the 10 Lite shares with Vivo and Oppo’s smartphones. At the back, you will find the fingerprint scanner and the phones dual cameras. Placed on the right-hand side are the volume and power buttons. At the bottom of the phone, you’ll find the speaker, headphone audio jack, primary mic, and a micro USB charging port.