Today kiddies we're going to talk about the dreaded N-word - notches.
Thanks to Apple’s iPhone X, and despite all the hot air and controversy surrounding
the things, we’ve seen a barrel-load of notch-packing smartphones launched in 2018,
- and let's face it, we're going to see a lot more launched in 2019.
So if you don’t like those damn dirty things, you should probably make your peace hombre
- they’re sticking around for a while.
But to be perfectly honest, some of the best smartphones launched in 2018 have been packing
a notch all the way up there at the top of the screen.
Here’s my round-up of the best notch phones you can grab right now, from premium handsets
to budget blowers.
Now where else could I start this list than with the big bugger that started it all - the
iPhone X.
Much civilised discussion was had on the rather high price tag when the iPhone X first launched,
but the fruitiest of debate was centered around the very first smartphone notch.
Android fans had a good ol’ chuckle, not realising at the time that about a dozen notch-rocking
Android phones were about to be blasted at their faces.
And many Apple fans were up in arms over the design - they literally could not have been
more angry if their own mother had been rogered by a rabid badger.
Well as it turned out, the notch didn’t give us all cancer or anything, and everyone
kind of forgot why they were so angry in the first place and went off to shout at women
on Twitter instead.
Now it’s no secret that one of my favourite phones of 2018 is the Huawei P20 Pro.
After the rather lackluster P10 last year, Huawei hit back strong with this tri-camera
delight.
The colourful design is dazzling, while the hardware and software combine to produce a
highly satisfying mobile experience - whether you’re a movie lover, gamer or whatever.
And yes, you get a full-screen experience in a form that’s not too tricky to handle,
thanks to that notch up top.
I also love the slightly less ridiculously expensive Huawei P20, which still offers very
strong camera chops despite dropping a lens.
The pinky model is super cute and yes, the notch is once again back in action.
Another of the best blowers of 2018 is the OnePlus 6, which fully justifies the notch
design - this beast sports a screen that’s almost 6.3-inches, so no notch would make
it absolutely massive - and about as easy to handle as that rabid mum-bothering badger.
[GRAPHIC HERE??]
Of course, that massive display makes the OnePlus 6 a media monster, while the super-powered
Snapdragon 845 chipset - backed by a rather nutty 6 or 8 gigs of RAM - means performance
can’t be beat.
You also get some seriously impressive optics - this handset can stand toe-to-toe with most
other flagships for photo capture, while you can also shoot great-looking 4K footage at
60 frames-per-second.
Considering all that and the fact that it costs less than 500 quid in the UK, the OnePlus
6 is one of the best phones of the year - not just one of the best notch phones.
Now LG hasn’t had a great run when it comes to smartphone tech in the past couple of years,
although I quite liked last year’s V30 handset - right up to the point where it didn’t
bother launching in this bloody country.
But the new G7 flagship was basically a souped-up version of that V30 handset, complete with
a tasty bit of notch action.
That HDR display is simply stunning, and with the eye-searing Super Brightness mode active,
you can watch even the murkiest of Marvel telly shows in bright daylight.
Audiophiles will also love the awesome Quad DAC, which belts out some incredible-sounding
music and works wonders for movies and the like.
Factor in the feature-packed camera, strong specs and dependable battery life, and the
G7 is one of the most interesting smartphones of 2018 - with a strong bit of notch design.
If your budget isn’t quite that meaty, then maybe have a gander at the Honor 10 instead.
This flagship Honor phone also offers a full-sized screen, complete with notch up top - but at
half the cost of the LG G7.
Okay, so the camera tech isn’t quite as infallible across any conditions, but you
sure get plenty of features packed in there again - and the Honor 10 is perfectly decent
for grabbing cute snaps of your fuzzy-faced kitty.
Performance and battery life get our thumbs up and that psychedelic disco design is endlessly
entertaining when you’ve had a skinful.
Another budget option for anyone who wants a bit of notch in their lives is Asus’ latest,
the Zenfone 5 and 5Z.
These handsets really look the biz despite their cheap asking price, while the specs
are solid enough too.
Asus has crammed in loads of bonus features, some of which are pretty tasty - including
impressive customisation over the visuals and audio, and a nifty bit of facial recognition.
Just don’t leave it on the arm of your sofa, or….yeah, too late.
Now, plenty of other notch phones have also been released in 2018, including the Vivo
X21, Oppo F7 and of course the Essential Phone.
Unfortunately these either haven’t made it over to the UK, or I simply haven’t got
around to reviewing them yet - so I can’t speak for their general adequacy and whether
they’re worthy of inclusion in this round-up of notchy greatness.
Stay tuned however for plenty more coverage of the latest and greatest mobiles, notch
or no notch - and hit that subscribe button to be the first to see it all.
Love you, bye!