Manufacturers of mobile gadgets and designers have to “break their brains” in order to surprise their consumers at least with something. Almost everything has been squeezed out of today's smartphones: the diagonal has grown to the limit, cameras receive professional matrices, and the amount of RAM on board is equal to the performance of our desktop PCs.
It was then that the idea came up to create a combined device with a second display. Surely many still have a fresh memory in their time when we admired clamshell phones with 2 screens. But then the designers were limited in many ways, where the main problem was the cumbersome "filling", but the beautiful, interesting and compact gadget could not do anything else.
With the advent of new technologies, and at the same time ultra-compact devices, where one square centimeter can be placed almost like a computer, the manufacturers untied their hands and rushed to conquer the new and well-forgotten old. Moreover, there is enough space for fantasies, because there are simply no specific standards for mobile phones with 2 screens. Some make the second display narrow, others wide, still others extend to the back panel or side, and the fourth ones completely duplicate the original screen.
So, we present to your attention a review of phones with 2 screens, which includes the most noteworthy models, distinguished by a quality component.
HTC U Ultra
This new 2-screen phone was introduced this spring. He burst into the market like a hurricane, sweeping away competitors in his path. Meet on clothes, and in our case, there is something to see. Users were delighted with the design of the model: pleasant outlines, perfectly matched colors and overflow of the glass case in the sun - they simply cannot help but fall in love with themselves.
In addition, this Taiwanese phone with 2 screens has a chic sound, good cameras and excellent performance. The second display (2.5 inches) is located directly below the main ones (5.7 ”); by default, data on time, battery charge, and weather are displayed on it. Also, notifications from background applications appear on it. The settings for the second screen are quite flexible. You can display calendar events, almost any shortcuts on it, control the player, set reminders and much more.
Device Features
The basic features of a 2-screen phone are impressive. One of them is a large 5.7-inch display on a high-quality matrix with high Quad HD-resolution (2560 x 1440 px). The latter works on Super LCD technology, is reliably protected by fifth-generation glass from venerable Gorilla Glass.
Performance didn’t let us down. The modern Snapdragon processor of the 821 series, 4 GB of RAM will “digest” any application without friezes, brakes and other lags, not to mention the ordinary, lightning-fast operation of the interface.
The phone with 2 screens HTC U Ultra received excellent cameras, and the main one is also equipped with optical stabilization, it has chic functionality. In general, the set of characteristics can be called flagship with full confidence, so the gadget justifies its high price.
The only thing users complained about in their reviews of phones with 2 screens from the NTS was the battery life. The device received a modest 3000 mAh battery. Such a battery for a powerful set of chipsets and a gluttonous Quad HD-resolution is clearly not enough, so the smartphone almost asks twice a day for a power outlet.
Estimated cost - 30 000 rubles.
YotaPhone 2
The device appeared on the mobile gadget market with the help of Russian designers and engineers. The model turned out to be pretty, interesting, moderately productive, but too expensive for the domestic consumer.
If it were flagship, that is, with the appropriate surroundings and “stuffing,” then sales would be noticeably more active. But the gadget could not find its track in a heap of similar Chinese phones with 2 screens, so the manufacturer was forced to release the price and sell the device at a loss. Despite such sad marketing statistics, an underrated smartphone deserves attention.
Model Features
The YotaPhone 2 device received a 5-inch screen with AMOLED technology and Full HD-development (1920 x 1080 pixels) with a pixel density of 441 ppi. The second E-Ink class display, which is located on the back of the device, has a full-fledged sensor and qHD resolution (960 x 540 pixels).
Both screens are protected by third-generation Gorilla, are scratch-resistant. The second screen is great for reading books, so lovers of the latter will surely appreciate the device. Working with the E-Ink matrix is several times more economical than the main display.
In their reviews, users note the impossibility of using both screens simultaneously: tapas are delayed, only after some time they switch to another display.
Estimated cost - 20 000 rubles.
LG V20
This is not the first time that Koreans have introduced 2-screen phones on the mobile gadget market. The previous generation of the series - the V10 model somehow quickly sunk into a pile of other, more noble and nimble counterparts, and the new device is firmly entrenched in the tops of sales.
The V20 series has an attractive appearance and a productive set of chipsets. In addition, after working on the bugs, the battery capacity (3200 mAh), RAM (4 GB) was increased, and a second powerful camera appeared.
Device features
The second 2.1-inch screen (1040 x 160 px) during the first (5.7 ”/ 2560 x 1440 px) operation displays all important data: date and time, battery charge, multimedia control interface, and quick access to calls and messengers. Such a tandem could be called ideal if the manufacturer equipped the understudy with the same AMOLED technology as the main display.
The phone with 2 screens received an attractive metal case, excellent cameras (16 megapixels + 8 megapixels), a removable battery and independent interfaces for SIM cards. As for autonomy, the indicators are slightly below average, when compared with Android phones. Still, a powerful set of chipsets and a second screen make themselves felt, they “eat” energy with great appetite.
Users are quite flattering about the V20 smartphone from LG, and the average rating on Yandex.Market does not fall below 4.5 points out of 5. The manufacturer slightly released prices after all the presentations and sales peaks, so the model can be called more or less affordable for domestic consumer.
Estimated cost - 25 000 rubles.
Meizu Pro 7 (Plus)
The Chinese are not far behind the Koreans and the Taiwanese, so they produce quite decent gadgets with two screens. This summer, the Meizu brand introduced two devices at once on the mobile device market - Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus.
They differ in two main parameters. The first model has a 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, and the second has a 5.7 ”diagonal and a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. There are differences in the "stuffing": Pro 7 - 4 GB of RAM and 8 cores in the processor, and Pro 7 Plus - 6 GB of RAM and 10 cores. Everything else remained identical, except that on sale you can sometimes find a modification of the Pro 7 Plus with a 3500 mAh battery versus 3000 mAh in the basic configuration.
Pros and cons of models
The second screen with a diagonal of 1.9 inches (536 x 240 px) is located on the rear panel, and this performance, when compared with competitors, is very unusual. The second display complements, as it were, continuing the style of the main camera behind the gadget. Many users in their reviews, and experts too, consider such a solution an image “chip”, and not a practical necessity. Nevertheless, all this looks surprisingly beautiful and harmonious.
The second screen can be turned on or off through the menu, as well as a combination of mechanical keys. Also choose your favorite wallpaper, displayed notifications: time, date, weather, pedometer and even the state of the camera, which allows you to use it for a selfie.
As for the overall appearance, there is nothing to complain about: an attractive metal case, ergonomically scattered controls and an amazing main screen with AMOLED technology. There are no questions about the “stuffing” of the gadget: decent cameras, good sound and high performance.
Users in their reviews complained for a short battery life with such a "gluttonous" set of chipsets and a second screen, but the manufacturer put the slim body and lightness of the device to the fore.
Estimated cost - 24,000 rubles for Pro 7; 30,000 for the Pro 7 Plus.
DOOGEE T3
In this model, the second screen is located in an unusual place - on the upper beveled edge, you will not even notice it right away. Judging by user reviews, the smartphone turned out to be brutal and interesting, successfully standing out among a host of other devices of a similar plan.
The back panel was framed in leather, and the ends shine with polished metal. A similar solution can be observed with the noble Vertu family. Despite this specific and monolithic design, the gadget has a removable back cover, as well as a replaceable battery.
Due to the competent angle of the bevel, the information on the end display is perfectly visible. In the basic setting, it displays the time, calls and status of the messenger. Wide functionality for it is not provided in principle, because the display space of 0.96 inches is clearly not conducive to this. The main task of the second screen is a detailed indication of current events.
Device Features
The main 4.7-inch display received a good matrix with an HD-scan (1280 x 720 px), which is enough for the existing diagonal. Responsible for the performance is a fairly fast processor that runs on eight cores. Three gigabytes of RAM is enough for trouble-free operation of the interface and the launch of modern applications. The chipset set is not designed for the stable operation of serious and “heavy” applications, so in a good half of modern games, the graphics settings will have to be reset to average, and sometimes to minimum values.
The battery life of the 3200 mAh battery can be called average. The processor, the main and auxiliary screens do not consume much energy, so even at a good load, the phone will calmly last from morning to evening.
Pleased with the capabilities of the cameras. The main 13 megapixel camera can take quite tolerable high-definition images. The front camera showed itself well in video messengers and in selfies. In general, the phone is worth the money, fulfills it to the fullest.
Consumer opinion
As for user reviews, here they are ambiguous. Some consider such design solutions to be nonsense, perceive this smartphone as some kind of monster, while others, on the contrary, almost sing praises to designers for such originality. Many owners complain about the sound of the gadget. Not only that, the speaker quality was a little disappointing, but also the layout was somewhat ill-conceived: while working with the phone, the grill is constantly closed with either a palm or fingers, so the sound is hard to hear. If you unscrew the slider to full volume, the bass along with high frequencies break into a cacophony.
However, these shortcomings are more than offset by the cost of the gadget. A manufacturer from the Middle Kingdom did not begin to equip his brainchild with premium chips, which we observed among past respondents, but made just an intelligent gadget with a democratic price tag for its characteristics. Estimated cost - 9 000 rubles.