In an attempt to get as close as possible to a full screen, Apple adopted the infamous notch on the iPhone X, which housed the front camera and face identification sensors. Taking note of Apple's design choice, several Android manufacturers also climbed into the notch car, adding notches of different shapes and sizes to their devices to obtain an almost bezel-free display. Not being a big fan of the category, I was glad to see some Android manufacturers offer creative solutions to host the front camera, headset and sensors to achieve a screen without bezels. The race to achieve a completely bezel-free display introduced a new generation of smart phones with emerging cameras and brought back the sliding design of yesteryear. Here, let's take a look at the best phones with pop-up cameras and sliders that were launched in 2018:
Smartphones with pop-up cameras and sliders
1. I live NEX
Let's start the list with the smart phone that is, in part, responsible for making emerging cameras a trend, the Vivo NEX. An emblematic device of the Chinese smart phone manufacturer Vivo, the Vivo NEX took the bezel-free concept to a whole new level by leaving the notch of a pop-up mechanism that housed the front camera . The live camera module in Vivo NEX has been designed to emerge for yourself so soon as it is changed to the front camera and hidden inside the upper edge of the device when the front camera is closed.
As there is no room for the front-facing sensors in the pop-up module, Vivo carefully put them inside the minimum upper bezel, while adopting a piezoelectric sound system To replace the headset. For the price, the Vivo NEX brought to the market a series of innovative features, which makes it an attractive option for those looking for a star device with a screen without bevel and without notch. It even housed a on-screen fingerprint sensor, a technology that has now become a bit more conventional with the launch of the OnePlus 6T.
Vivo NEX Specifications: Snapdragon 845, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, 6.59-inch Super AMOLED display, 12MP + 5MP primary dual camera configuration, 8MP selfie, 4,000 mAh battery, Funtouch operating system based on Android 8.1 Oreo
Price: Rs. 44,990
2. Oppo Find X
In an attempt to unite the Vivo pop-up camera module in the Vivo NEX, Chinese smart phone giant Oppo launched Oppo Find X, an intelligent phone in which the front and rear camera modules are revealed using a motorized pop-up mechanism . Thanks to the mechanism, the smart phone features an almost bezelless design with an elegant curved glass structure, with all its sensors hidden in the sliding tray. Unlike the Vivo NEX, the Oppo Find X also has a facial recognition feature for facial unlocking that also activates the motorized slider as soon as the device is turned on.
However, Oppo Find X does not have an on-screen fingerprint scanner like the Vivo NEX. In fact, it does not have a fingerprint sensor, completely relying on its face unlock function for biometric security. As the Oppo Find X is packaged in a larger motorized section, it doesn't feel as solid as the Vivo NEX, but the mechanism looks a bit more premium and well thought out. In addition to that, the fact that the slider opens every time you try to unlock the device raises some concern regarding the durability and longevity of the smart phone.
Oppo Find X Specifications: Snapdragon 845, 8GB of RAM, up to 512GB of storage, 6.42-inch AMOLED display, 16MP + 20MP primary dual camera configuration, 25MP selfie, 3,730 mAh battery, ColorOS 5.1 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
Price: Start at Rs. 59,990
3. Xiaomi Mi Mix 3
Compared to the Vivo NEX and Oppo Find X, which are based on motorized pop-up designs, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 resurrects the manual slider mechanism that was fashionable in the past and does a great job. The sliding mechanism of the smart phone perfectly hides the front camera and the sensors behind the large screen without a bezel and feels stronger and more satisfactory to use than the smart phones mentioned above. For the headset, the Mi Mix 3 has a very ingenious solution: a simple cut-out that allows sound to pass through the actual headset packed inside the sliding mechanism.
The device also does not include an on-screen fingerprint scanner, but fortunately it retains a traditional capacitive fingerprint scanner that is placed on the back. Turning on the front camera of the Mi Mix 3 is as simple as sliding the screen down, which reveals the camera module and turns on the camera application. As a fantastic sliding phone in the past, I personally like Xiaomi's design much better than Vivo NEX and Oppo Find X.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 3 specifications: Snapdragon 845, up to 10GB of RAM, up to 256GB of storage, 6.39-inch Super AMOLED display, 12MP + 12MP primary dual camera configuration, 24MP + 2MP dual selfie, 3, 200mAh battery, MIUI 10 based on Android 9.0 Pie
Price: Start at Rs. 41, 216
4. Honor Magic 2
The Chinese manufacturer of smart phones Huawei, the secondary brand Honor, also launched its own sliding smart phone, the Honor Magic 2, which has a sliding mechanism very similar to that of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 3. With the package of the most important specifications The Honor Magic 2 is also an excellent alternative if you are in the market for a smart phone that is almost the entire screen in the front and does not have an ugly notch.
The old-school sliding mechanism in the Honor Magic 2 places an impressive triple-chamber configuration behind the bezel-free display, along with the front sensors, the headset, and the Honor 3D facial recognition technology sensors for unlock capabilities faster and safer facial. Like the Mi Mix 3, the Magic 2 also has a cutout for the headset just above the screen, but the device does not automatically open the front camera when opening the slider.
Honor Magic 2 specifications: Kirin 980, up to 8 GB of RAM, up to 256 GB of storage, AMOLED 6.39-inch screen, 16MP + 16MP + 24MP primary triple camera configuration, 16MP + 2MP + 2MP triple selfie shots, 3, 500mAh battery, EMUI 9.0 based on Android 9.0 Pie
Price: Rs. 62, 236
5. Lenovo Z5 Pro
The latest addition to the sliding party, the Lenovo Z5 Pro, is a bezel-free half-ranger that aims to make the innovative sliding mechanism more accessible to a greater number of buyers. Like the Mi Mix 3 and the Honor Magic 2, the Lenovo Z5 has a smooth sliding mechanism that hides the front camera and the sensors behind the big screen. The device's earpiece is also in the sliding mechanism, without a visible cut on the front, so we cannot be sure if that will affect the audio quality.
The device also includes an on-screen fingerprint scanner that, according to the company, can unlock the device in just 0.2 seconds, which makes it a little faster than the fingerprint scanner on the OnePlus 6T that can unlock the device. device in 0.34 seconds. The Lenovo Z5, however, has a remarkable chin at the bottom of the screen, something that is not found in the magic of honor 2 or in the Mi Mix 3, but considering the price of the device, I think that is something that most buyers will miss. .
Lenovo Z5 Pro Specifications: Snapdragon 710, 6GB of RAM, up to 128GB of storage, 6.39-inch Super AMOLED display, 16MP + 24MP primary dual camera configuration, 16MP + 8MP dual selfie, 3, 350mAh battery, ZUI 10 based on Android 8.1 Oreo
Price: Start at 1, 998 Yuan (~ Rs. 20, 400)
The best phones with pop-up cameras and sliders in 2018
Well, that rounds up our list of the best phones with pop-up cameras and sliders that were released this year. Apart from the options mentioned above, there are a couple of smart phones of relatively little known Chinese brands that have also adopted an emerging or sliding design. The Elephone U2, the Elephone U2 Pro, the Elephone PX and the Doogee Mix 4 (concept) are some notable options that you can take a look, but don't expect anything spectacular from these phones.
Have you had the opportunity to try any of the mentioned phones? Do you prefer pop-up cameras or the sliding mechanism? Do you have any concerns regarding the durability of moving parts? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
