Why you shouldn't buy a phone with super thin bezels?

While some people may like smartphones with ultra-thin bezels for their sleek, modern aesthetic, such devices are not without their trade-offs. Bezels serve a variety of purposes, and with that in mind, many people will not buy any smartphone with ultra-thin bezels.

1. Increased risk of damage

One of the biggest downsides to ultra-thin bezels is that they expose more of the edges of the screen, making the phone more susceptible to damage. While bezels make phones less aesthetically pleasing, they serve an important purpose: protecting the screen. They can absorb impact when you accidentally drop your device, reducing the chance of screen damage.

With ultra-thin bezels, there's less material to protect the phone's display, so even a minor fall could damage it. Note that smartphone screens are expensive to replace. For example, Samsung says it will cost $259 to replace a broken Galaxy S24 Ultra screen. It's even worse if you own an iPhone 16 Pro Max, as Apple says it will cost you around $379.

This high repair cost is one of the main reasons you should buy a premium warranty for your phone. And it's a premium that you pay up front or monthly.

2. Increased risk of accidental touches

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Another downside to phones with super thin bezels is that there is a higher chance of accidental touches. If the phone has large bezels all around, there will be enough space to hold the device. Therefore, the chance of accidentally touching the screen is much lower.

However, if the bezels are thin, you'll run into the opposite situation. With narrow bezels, you'll have less surface area to hold the device, so the chances of you accidentally touching the edges of the screen are high.

This happens every time you interact with your device. For example, while you're typing, your palm might occasionally touch the screen, adding or deleting characters from your message. And if you're into gaming, it can be hard to avoid accidental touches.

Samsung ran into this problem when it came to phones with curved displays (like the Galaxy Note Edge and S6 Edge+). To fix it, the company had to let users adjust the sensitivity of the edges around the screen using a dedicated app called EdgeTouch.

3. Limited grip

The bezel provides a buffer around the phone's screen that can be used to comfortably hold the device without touching the screen. That's why the size of the bezel is important. A phone with narrow bezels will have limited grip space, which can make the device feel slippery and fragile.

Many people prefer phones with slightly larger bezels because they provide enough room to hold comfortably. Considering how smartphones have been increasing in size due to consumers generally preferring larger phones, having large enough bezels will give you a better grip.

4. Repairability concerns

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Smartphone manufacturers have to make the internal design of their devices complex and compact to achieve razor-thin bezels. This makes the devices much harder to repair and often more expensive.

With a compact design, there is less room to work on the device, so there is less room to maneuver without risking further damage. This is especially true for screen replacements, which are one of the most common phone repair services.

If you are a geek, you probably already know that the compact design of electronics makes it difficult to repair any device yourself.

5. More glare and reflections

Razor-thin bezels can also lead to more glare and reflections. This is because bezels on phones help reduce glare, especially when using the phone outdoors. They achieve this by blocking out external light, thereby minimizing reflections. Light can easily shine in and reflect off the edges of the screen if there isn't enough bezel around the screen, resulting in poor screen visibility, especially in bright environments.

Phones with razor-thin bezels look more aesthetically pleasing. However, this aesthetic has practical drawbacks that many people find undesirable. From limited grip to increased risk of accidental touching and damage, repairability concerns, and increased risk of glare and reflection, it's best to avoid buying a phone with razor-thin bezels.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 09 December 2024