The second half of 2017 was dominated by borderless (in Italian it means without bezels) smartphones: in less than thirty days were presented Galaxy Note 8, LG V30, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, the iPhone X and the Pixel 2. Five smartphones that have in common one feature: screen with aspect ratio of 18:9 and that occupies the entire front of the device. The bezels are very thin and hardly noticeable to the naked eye.
All four smartphones have top-of-the-line features and mount the best hardware components available on the market. The iPhone X is based on the iOS operating system, while Mi Mix 2, Galaxy Note 8, LG V30 and Pixel 2 XL on Android (the latter is based on the stock version of the green robot operating system and will receive updates before the others). Despite similar features, the design of the four smartphones is quite different: Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, LG and Google have a different idea on how to make a bezel-less smartphone. For example, on the Mi Mix 2 the front camera is located at the bottom of the smartphone, while the iPhone X has a central bar placed at the top where the camera and sensors are located.
Choosing between the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy Note 8, Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, LG V30 and Pixel 2 XL is not easy. These are five smartphones that ensure high performance and support any type of application. The biggest difference is in the price: despite similar performance, the cost changes depending on the model and this could tip the decision on one smartphone rather than another. Here’s a comparison between the features of the iPhone X, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8, the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, the LG V30 and the Pixel 2 XL
Technical features
Apple never reveals the features of some hardware components present inside their smartphones, especially the amount of RAM present on the iPhone. Fortunately, thanks to the rumors that are released on the network you can always know something more. The iPhone X will feature the A11 Bionic processor made with a 10-nanometer manufacturing process. The chipset is supported by 3GB of RAM.
The Galaxy Note 8 mounts the Exynos 8895 chipset developed directly by Samsung. The SoC is supported by the Mali-G71 MP20 graphics accelerator and 6GB of RAM.
For the LG V30, the South Korean company has chosen the best components on the market: the Snapdragon 835 chipset, supported by 4GB of RAM and the Adreno 540 graphics accelerator.
For the new version of the Mi Mix, Xiaomi has made several versions that differ in the amount of RAM, the storage space available and the materials used for the body. Basically, the Mi Mix 2 mounts a Snapdragon 835 chipset, supported by the Adreno 540 GPU and either 6GB or 8GB of RAM.
As well as LG and Xiaomi, Google has also chosen to go for Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 835 processor for the Pixel 2 XL. The SoC is present not only in the XL version, but also on the Pixel 2. The chipset of the new smartphone from Mountain View is accompanied by 4G of RAM and supported by the Adreno 540 accelerator.
Storage Space
The memory present on the five smartphones needs a separate paragraph. The manufacturers have decided to make different models that mount a different amount of storage space.
The iPhone X is present in two different versions: one with a 64GB memory and the other with 256GB.
The Samsung Note 8 was launched in a single version with 64GB internal memory with the possibility to expand it through a microSD card up to 256GB.
The LG V30 also has a standard version with 64GB storage space. But a Plus model with 128GB of internal storage will also be produced.
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is the smartphone that offers the most options. Users will be able to choose between the model with 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of internal storage.
Google has also chosen to launch the Pixel 2 XL in two versions: a basic 64GB and a 128GB “plus” (in Italy the 64GB model will arrive first).
Display
The display is definitely the best feature of the five smartphones. Thanks to the bezel-less design, it was possible to increase the size of the screens without affecting the usability. All five smartphones have an aspect ratio of 18:9.
The IPhone X features a 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED screen with a resolution of 2436 x 1125 pixels. The pixel density + equal to 458 ppi.
The Galaxy Note 8 mounts a 6.3-inch screen with curved edges. The resolution is QuadHD (2960 x 1440 pixels) with 522ppi.
The LG V30 uses a 6-inch screen with a Quad HD resolution of 2880 x 1440 pixels and 537 ppi.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 has a very large 5.99-inch display with a resolution of 2160 x 1080 pixels and 403ppi.
The Pixel 2 XL, like the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, has a 5.99-inch display. However, the screen resolution mounted on Google’s smartphone is different being QuadHD (2880 x 1440 pixels).
Photography compartment
With smartphones that have very similar performance what makes the difference are the details. And the photo compartment is one of those details that can really tip the balance on one smartphone over another.
The iPhone X mounts a dual rear camera with two 12-megapixel sensors. The main camera is a telephoto lens, while the secondary camera is wide-angle. Both lenses have optical stabilization. The front camera is 7 Megapixels and supports portrait mode, so you will be able to take selfies with the bokeh effect.
The Galaxy Note 8 is the first Samsung smartphone to mount a dual rear camera. Both sensors are 12 megapixels: the telephoto lens has a focal aperture of 1.9, while the wide-angle lens a focal aperture of 1.7.
The LG V30 also features a photo compartment that ensures high-quality images. At the back we find a dual camera with a 16 Megapixel sensor with f/1.6 aperture and OIS and EIS stabilization while the second sensor is a 130-degree wide-angle lens with 13 Megapixels and f/1.9 aperture. The front camera is a 5 Megapixel with 90-degree wide-angle lens.
For the Mi Mix 2, Xiaomi went against the grain and opted for a solution with a single 12 Megapixel rear camera and 2.0 focal aperture. The front camera is 5 Megapixels.
It’s a different story for Google’s smartphone. The Pixel 2 XL probably has the best photo compartment. On the back, in fact, we find a 12-megapixel sensor with a focal aperture of 1.8, capable of beating, according to DxOMark, a site specializing in comparative analysis on cameras, the Samsung Note 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus. The main lens achieved a rating of 98, a score never achieved by any phone. The rear lens supports HDR+ mode and integrates optical stabilizer. The front sensor, on the other hand, is 8 Megapixels with a focal aperture of 2.4.
Battery
As is the case with RAM, Apple doesn’t even divulge the battery specifications. The only information released by the Cupertino company about the iPhone’s battery is that it lasts two hours longer than the iPhone 8.
The Galaxy Note 8, on the other hand, has a 3300 mAh battery.
Same choice made by LG with the V30: 3300 mAh battery.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 has a 3400 mAh battery.
The Pixel 2 XL mounts a 3520 mAh battery.
Price
For the five smartphones we will only use the official prices released by the companies and not those of e-commerce stores.
The iPhone X is definitely the most expensive. The iPhone of the decade is priced at 1189 euros for the 64GB version and 1359 euros for the 256GB version.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 8 can be purchased on the Korean company’s website for 999 euros.
The LG V30 is still not available in stores and the price has not been made official. The only certainty is that it will cost more than 700 euros (very likely a launch price of 799-849 euros).
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 is present in four different versions. Three have 6GB of RAM, while the fourth is made of ceramic and has 8GB of RAM. The 6GB/64GB model costs just over 400 euros, the 6GB/128GB version is priced at around 450 euros, while the top model with 6GB/256GB requires shelling out just over 500 euros. The ceramic version has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal memory and is priced just over 600 euros.
And we come to the Pixel 2 XL. Although we still do not know for sure the cost that the 128GB model will have in Italy (it should be around 1089 and 1099 euros), the basic version costs 989 euros.
Conclusion
To say which is the best is not simple. All five are great smartphones. The first factor to consider is the budget. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, the best solution is the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, which offers top-of-the-line performance at just over 400 euros. With 600 euros you can even buy a premium version with 8GB of RAM and the body made of ceramic.
The other four smartphones have a little something more, especially in terms of the display (that of the Mi Mix 2 is only FullHD) and the rear camera. The choice between LG V30, Galaxy Note 8, iPhone X and Pixel 2 XL is really very difficult. The decision should be based mainly on the operating system: if you’ve always used Android, tack on the Note 8 or the LG V30, but if you’re an Apple fan, the iPhone X is the only possible choice. The Pixel 2 XL deserves a separate speech: being made directly by Google, the smartphone will receive security patches and software updates in advance. In addition, the optimization between software and hardware is better than other Android smartphones.