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Notch or a slider, which 'all-screen' design approach you'd prefer?

Updated: Oct 19, 2018, 6:14 AM

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The "waterdrop" notch just went mainstream with the new Mate 20 as it was previously featured on phones from Chinese manufacturers with a less prominent presence in the West. Huawei tries to set it apart by calling it a "dewdrop" notch, but it is essentially the same idea that is present on the Oppo R17, and is tipped to arrive on its spiritual brother, the OnePlus 6T.

The slider designs can eliminate even this tiny waterdrop notch

The dewdrop front design certainly contributed to the whopping 88% screen-to-body ratio of the Mate 20, one of the highest on a flagship phone, but the nearly non-existent chin at the bottom helps further in that regard, too. Such an approach to the venerable "all-screen" design that is all the rage these days, has proven successful to leave a bezel-less impression in the user, but there is another budding trend here.

No, we aren't talking about eventual exotics like a hole for the front camera directly in the display, or a second screen on the back to use the rear shooter as selfie-taker, but rather about the return of the good ol' sliding design. Oppo has one on the Find X, Vivo started it all with the NEX, while Honor with its Magic 2, as well as Xiaomi with the Mi Mix 3, will take it even further.

Xiaomi just issued the Mi Mix 3 teaser you see above, hinting at a screen-to-body ratio very close to 100%, achieved by separating the screen part from all the other paraphernalia that usually goes into the top bezel. As you can see demonstrated here, the screen half slides back and forth with a satisfying click to reveal what will likely be 3D-sensing front camera kit for Face ID-style unlocking when you need it, but when it is shut, the phone is indeed "all-screen" at the front.

The slider approaches, however, while seemingly the Holy Grail of bezel-trimming, come with their own set of issues. For starters, whether motorized or manual, it is one more mechanism that might be prone to breaking at some point. Even if it is made sturdy enough to withstand two or three years of constant usage, finding a case for such phones would be a challenge that could entail some protection compromises.

This is why we wanted to ask you which approach to the "all-screen" conundrum you prefer - a notch, no matter how large, or a slider, as these are the two options that manufacturers seem to currently be forcing onto us without asking first.

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Daniel, a devoted tech writer at PhoneArena since 2010, has been engrossed in mobile technology since the Windows Mobile era. His expertise spans mobile hardware, software, and carrier networks, and he's keenly interested in the future of digital health, car connectivity, and 5G. Beyond his professional pursuits, Daniel finds balance in travel, reading, and exploring new tech innovations, while contemplating the ethical and privacy implications of our digital future.