Glass smartphone. Why covers and protective glasses on a smartphone are ridiculous. The choice of smartphone body material - is it worth chasing premium

Why glass smartphones? June 13th, 2018

Glass as a material for smartphone cases is a relatively recent invention. One of the first was the iPhone 4, then the line picked up the baton Sony Xperia Z, and a little later - Samsung Galaxy S. This year, glass has finally captured not only the market, but also the brains of manufacturers: all modern flagships are made of it, including the iPhone X, Samsung Galaxy S9 and Huawei mate 10 Pro. And what users of all these phones do is stuff them into cases. What nonsense, to buy a beautiful and expensive thing and cover it with a cover forever.

But really - there are many flaws in glass, and they all terribly enrage. So why are smartphones made of glass?

Glass smartphones are slippery

In 2010, during the announcement of the iPhone 4, no one worried about the glass case. But since manufacturers began to measure screens, using glass devices has become more difficult. From now on, you run the risk of breaking the gadget every time you grab it in your hand. And this is not to mention the fact that the "glass" strives to slip even from an almost horizontal surface.

This is the technique of the future: it looks cool, but absolutely not functional

To curb a modern smartphone, it is advisable to have some sort of gasket between the palm and the body - usually the case takes over this function. But plastic looks wretched, wood is strange, silicone is disgusting, and leather, although not the worst option, is too short-lived. Anyway, do you really like to hide an expensive and beautiful flagship in a "sock" for 500 rubles? Hardly, but there is still no alternative to covers. Or do you want to always carry with you, like a wrestler brother, a bag of talcum powder?

Glass collects fingerprints

The pores on our body constantly release sweat and fat - such a feature of the human body. And the palms have the most sweat glands. Alas, we cannot do anything with our own physiology, so the phone will remain clean only in one case: if you never use it. All the latest devices shimmer beautifully on display cases, but in the hands they are instantly covered with prints and dirt. After a while, the "captured" device for a thousand dollars looks hardly more attractive than a state employee.

Manufacturers tried to solve the problem by using an oleophobic coating, including on the back of the gadget. True, it only lasts a few months. Don't want to walk with a portable fingerprint base? The cover will save - and only the cover.

Perhaps you will now object: what about frosted glass? It does not slip, and prints do not remain. Well, the idea is really good, but for some reason manufacturers are reluctant to use matte materials instead of the tired gloss. Without straining our memory, we can only name a few models from the Xperia line in which such glass was inserted. Alas, now Sony has moved away from this practice.

Glasses are scratched

If in budget and mid-segment devices they are still trying to save money, then in modern flagships, they do not care about costs, they put two glasses at once Gorilla Glass... Or a similar hardened mineral. Does it matter how many dollars this adds to the final price if the buyer pays anyway?
But the problem is different - even Gorilla Glass 5 is easy to scratch. Yes, on modern smartphones, you can safely chop vegetables. However, just one grain of sand in your pocket is guaranteed to leave a noticeable mark on the body of the device. A "sandwich" of a pair of glasses increases this risk by about two times.

Have you already guessed what the conclusion follows? That's right: we use a cover. We were not the only ones who thought of this. There is a suspicion that all brands acquired a wide range of branded accessories precisely after the massive distribution of glass. Coincidence? We don't think so.

The glasses are breaking

If you can still protect the equipment from scratches, then making it truly shockproof is not. A fall, even from a low height, is almost always fatal: glass will break to smithereens, unlike metal, which will get off with only a small dent, or even a scratch. If you are unlucky, the device will be covered with a web of cracks. Even falling off your knee! And this is no fantasy, but personal pain - this is exactly what happened with the author's Galaxy S7 Edge.

The need for repair

The following follows from the previous drawback: back panel, if anything happens, it will have to be repaired. Yes, damage can be covered with a cover or simply forgotten about their existence. Just think what nonsense. After all, for this we bought an expensive flagship, in order to walk with a cracked tub, which not every homeless person will covet.

In case of victory of the aesthetic feeling, prepare cash. Replacing the back is cheaper than the screen, but still, new glass on the Galaxy S9 on the Internet is promised to be delivered for a measly 3,500 rubles. A similar procedure for the iPhone X will cost at least 6,000 rubles, but the happy owners of Apple technology are no stranger to paying more. But who said it would be a one-time promotion? You can change the socket at least every week, especially if hand tremors are overcome. And most importantly, why is there such a problem in the world where aluminum exists?

Glass does not conduct heat well

Go ahead. Glass is a useless conductor of heat. With a high processor load, the temperature inevitably rises, which, coupled with poor cooling, leads to so-called throttling. The processor frequency drops, and the FPS in games drops. The latter, however, does not apply to flagships: in expensive models the chipsets have a good performance margin - just for this case. The risk of overheating hurts not only battles in conditional PUBG: if it happens on a regular basis, the battery will throw a white flag sooner than you expect.

Why glass?

So why do manufacturers, knowing about the many shortcomings of glass, persistently shove it into smartphones?
Firstly, glass gadgets look attractive on showcases, renders and promo photos, pushing for an impulse purchase.

Secondly, the material is good for design tasks: you can create a "one-piece" apparatus. In aluminum counterparts, you have to go to tricks to place the modem antennas and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radio modules.
Finally, main argument in favor of glass - wireless charging cannot be placed in a metal case.

However, don't forget about the alternatives! Plastic and ceramics also have no problems with antenna placement and wireless charging... And ceramics is also quite exotic, and although it is inferior in strength to metal, it still surpasses glass. But manufacturers believe that these materials are unworthy of flagships, although a bunch of gadgets were once wrapped in such cases. What material do you think is preferable for smartphone cases?

sources

Each user, approaching the choice of a new smartphone, is faced with a typical set of questions: which screen to choose, which company is better, how many cores the processor needs, which material is preferable. Questions are warranted: as a rule, mobile phone bought on long term, and who wants to use a gadget that doesn't suit them for some reason ?! Choosing a smartphone is complicated by the variety of models and characteristics of these devices. Hundreds of companies offer solutions for every taste: powerful and small, large and small, in a variety of colors and designs. Sometimes it is difficult even for a professional to understand all the intricacies, let alone an average user who has no experience.

We decided to prepare a line of articles on how to choose an inexpensive and good smartphone that will only bring a lot of pleasure, and not nervous breakdowns. Since this topic is extensive, we will make separate materials about each characteristic, having considered all the nuances in detail. We suggest to start by choosing the material of the smartphone body.

Why is the choice of smartphone body material so important?

The modern user first of all evaluates the hardware of the smartphone, leaving such seemingly insignificant characteristics as body materials in the end. It is clear that everyone wants to have a smart processor, not to be deprived of memory, and also to receive high-quality images on the camera. But, no matter how powerful and modern "filling" is, without a well-assembled case you will never be able to enjoy the process of using a smartphone. Bad material will slip, feel uncomfortable in your hand, and will likely affect the durability of your smartphone.

An important factor is the preferences of a particular user. One is a fan of strong metal, the other does not accept anything but glass, and the third is served with some exotic user material. All of them feel differently, have different costs, have their own advantages and disadvantages. What material to choose for a smartphone? You will not find a definite answer. Neither users nor manufacturers agree 100%. Therefore, we get mountains of smartphones made according to the most daring concepts. It all depends only on your preferences. We will try to direct you in the right direction by talking about the features, distribution, advantages and disadvantages of each of the case materials.

Plastic

It is worth starting with these materials. Plastic can be safely called the first material that began to be used in the manufacture of phone cases, and then - smartphones. Its ease of manufacture and low cost have made it incredibly popular. Even today, it remains a key material for smartphones of the lower and sometimes even higher classes. Along with the prevalence, plastic is quite cool among users. This is due not only to its characteristics, but also to the wide distribution and low cost of the metal.

However, it should be understood that if plastic is used, this does not mean that the smartphone in general is of poor quality. This material can also vary in structure, some elements in the composition. Plastic case expensive smartphone may differ significantly from the cheap one. There are not many advantages of this material, but they are quite significant:

• First, the low price. If you want to save as much as possible on buying a smartphone - give preference to plastic. As a rule, the devices presented in this material are much cheaper.
• Secondly, lightness. As you might guess, it weighs much less than the same metal. Although some may write down lightness - plastic smartphones are often felt in the hand as a toy.
• Third, the relative strength. Of course, plastic is inferior to metal alloys, but it can give other materials in strength.
• Fourth, good signal transmission. Unlike metal, it does not drown out radio waves passing through the body.

There are not so many disadvantages as you might think:

• First of all, a cheap look. A fairly small percentage of smartphones boast a plastic case that will look premium.
• Predisposition to the appearance of abrasions and scratches. Even if such a case looks good after purchase, it will still seriously lose its attractiveness after some time. It quickly picks up scratches, rubs, and falls or squeezes tend to cause significant damage.
• Poor heat conductivity. The material can interfere with normal heat dissipation, resulting in overheating of the components.

Some also consider the tactile sensations when working with the material to the disadvantages. However, it all depends to a large extent on the preferences of a particular person. In addition, plastic is not always presented in a "pure" form - quite often the case also has an additional coating, for example, soft touch or leather.

Plastic is represented by a considerable number of varieties. As a rule, the material used for smartphone cases is ABS or polycarbonate. The first is ordinary plastic, the second is with impurities that make it more reliable.

Metal

The more expensive and premium material for smartphone cases is metal. As a rule, manufacturers prefer alloys of aluminum (light as plastic, but stronger), steel (heavier, but provides maximum protection), in rare cases magnesium. Until recently, it was used only in expensive gadgets, and even then it was more often used as an additional material. Today, many smartphone manufacturers choose metal, and more and more often you can find solutions in the budget segment.

Even all-metal phones don't go without plastic. To ensure acceptable signal conductivity, at least small inserts of less premium material are used.

Metal cases have a lot of advantages:

• High reliability. A smartphone is much more difficult to "kill" - the body takes the whole blow on itself, saving the insides.
• More stylish and expensive look. There are a lot of nuances (quality of the metal, its performance, color), but in most cases metal case looks more primitive than polycarbonate.
• Excellent cooling. This material removes heat much more confidently, protecting the device from overheating. However, there is a downside - metal reacts to the temperatures of the smartphone and the environment, becoming too hot or cold. The user's hand suffers.
• Durability. It is able to maintain its original appearance for a very long time. However, there is also a dependence on the origin of the metal, applied paint and other features.

And there are enough cons:

• Prone to deformation and scratches. Metal is not able to recover from a fall, as it happens with plastic - it simply bends. It will not be difficult to leave a couple of scratches.
• Not the best throughput... All-metal smartphones tend to transmit less radio waves than polycarbonate cases.

It is also worth noting that when choosing a metal smartphone, you refuse wireless charging - the technology simply cannot function in tandem with this material.

As the latest polls of large resources show, the largest percentage of users choose metal smartphones. By the way, the trend has not changed over the past few years, despite the emergence of other more exotic materials.

Glass

It stands apart from other materials, today it is considered more trendy and stylish. True, so far only manufacturers of high-end smartphones choose it. Companies of the third echelon, and the entire budget / middle segment, prefer more classic materials. There are also various varieties available to choose from (sapphire, tempered, aluminosilicate, etc.).

What are the advantages:

• Stylish and expensive. Glass phones, if the manufacturer did not save money by choosing the material, look premium. In addition, they often feel very pleasant and expensive in the hand.
• Not susceptible to scratches. It is very difficult to leave a scratch on expensive glass. During operation, smartphones with a glass body practically do not lose their attractiveness - the glass does not wear out. In this regard, it bypasses other materials.
• Good signal conductivity. In this regard, it is comparable to plastic.

What are the disadvantages:

• Fragility. If the glass is scratched on the shoulder, then it will not survive the fall in 90% of cases.
• Slippery. The one and watch that slides off the inclined surface. What's next? We return to the first drawback.
• It quickly becomes covered with dirt. A couple of minutes is enough to smudge a smartphone made of glass from head to toe. At the same time, fingerprints are clearly visible, spoiling the appearance of the device.
• Not the best thermal conductivity. When the processor gets too hot, your hand will feel perceptible temperatures.

Despite the disadvantages, glass is increasingly being chosen as a material for smartphone cases. As it became clear, it is easier to produce than metal or plastic. This confirms the ubiquity of glass covering the screens of even inexpensive phones. The possibility of using wireless charging also speaks in its favor (Samsung, for example, is not going to refuse it in its flagship line).

Smartphone cases made of exotic materials

From time to time, companies present smartphones with unconventional body materials. And users are not against such offers. For example, a tree is quite common. And recently, Mi Mix used ceramics. LG used leather in the flagship G4, which looks unusual and rather solid. Any rare element in the case will look great. However, it should be understood that companies make an additional mark-up, and not only the real cost of production of the material affects, but also its lower prevalence. In addition, rare materials are therefore not widely used, which, as a rule, have lower reliability indicators at a significant cost.

Some selected models of smartphones are offered in gem inlay. Usually they are supplemented not by the manufacturer itself, but by independent companies. They are as expensive as they look, but often become a disadvantage in the event of a smartphone breakdown.

The best choice is assorted materials

Today, most smartphones are presented in cases using different materials... Plastic and metal are often combined (metal alloy frame + metal back cover or vice versa). Increasingly, glass and aluminum are being combined to make the case more robust. Returning to exotic materials, it would be correct to note that the same leather, for example, is used as an additional element, and the main part is presented from a different material. The combination of different materials allows not only to transform the design of the case, but also to make it as resistant to damage as possible.

Give preference to smartphones with a metal frame. It will give the structure reliability, and in the event of falls, it will protect it from serious damage (as you know, the most unpleasant damage occurs precisely at the ends).

The choice of smartphone body material - is it worth chasing premium?

From a practical point of view, no, not worth it. Yes, glass looks cool and expensive, but will you be glad that it will have to be constantly scrubbed from stains? There is, however, a way out - a bumper. But in this case, it makes no sense at all to buy a glass phone. The most attractive in terms of practicality is the combination of plastic and metal - both inexpensive and reliable. And you can give originality with the help of a cover, since foreign sites offer hundreds of varieties.

Choosing an inexpensive, reliable phone - don't go after premium, but fragile materials.

Conclusion

Choice good smartphone - it's not an easy business, with its own nuances. Every detail, from body materials to battery capacity, requires attention and professionalism. Not taking advice, there is a great risk of ending up in a broken trough. Only instead of a trough you will hold a smartphone in your hands, which absolutely does not satisfy you.

We set out to help beginners with the difficult process of choosing a smartphone by talking about everything from A to Z. We will very soon tell you about how to choose the right phone screen, so subscribe to our notifications (the bell on the bottom right), as well as the Vkontakte group, where you will be the first to know the news of the site.

Tired of scratches and cracks on your screen? You can order and buy glass for a smartphone in the "Detaley.ru" online store. We offer a wide selection of original spare parts from all well-known manufacturers.

How to buy glass for phones in the Detaley.RU Store

The gadget can be judged on the success and solvency of its owner, therefore, sloppy appearance mobile device can significantly affect the image. At the same time, using a mobile phone with a scratched or cracked glass is extremely inconvenient.

Do not rush to throw the device away, you can still save it and save money at the same time. Usually, the glass comes complete with the front side of the case, which allows you to transform your smartphone and simplifies the installation procedure.

There are also spare parts for the assembly in parsing, this option will cost a little cheaper, but will require a complete parsing of the front panel of the device. This causes some difficulties for the user and in the absence of the necessary experience, it is better to immediately seek help from a professional.

Our company delivers goods through proven delivery services throughout Russia. Payment is accepted through all known online payment services ( bank cards, Qiwi, Yandex Money, WebMoney) and in non-cash form.

If you have any questions, please contact us, we will help you make the right choice and advise on the details of the upcoming purchase. Still wondering where to buy glass for your phone? Trust the professionals, we will not let you down!

When buying a smartphone offline, the first thing that a sales assistant does when a choice is made is to offer to purchase accessories for it, as well as some additional services. The same applies to online stores, after adding a product to the cart, issuing notifications like "along with this often buy". A cover and a protective film or glass for the screen are the main related products offered for a smartphone.

The production of covers and other accessories is now a huge business on which all participants in the process make money. And they make good money, especially a manufacturer that sells products, the cost of which is $ 0.5, wholesale for $ 1. Stores boldly set a price tag of $ 3-5-10 on covers bought from a dealer for $ 1.5, thus having a margin of several hundred percent.

Buyers themselves are clearly not against this development of events. After all, how can: a cover and glass protect the smartphone from shocks, scratches, etc., and a couple of dollars is not money. These arguments can be considered quite rational, but I still think that putting on a case on a smartphone and gluing glass or film is ridiculous. And this is not just some kind of groundless dislike for these accessories, but a well-reasoned position.

Design and ergonomics are not just empty words

To paraphrase an old joke, we can say that there are only two designers on the staff of small Chinese manufacturers (like Doogee or Leagoo): one is holding an iPhone or Samsung, and the other is circling it. After all, the Chinese really prefer not to reinvent the wheel, but borrow popular design solutions from others. But here are large firms - they contain a solid staff of people responsible for the design and construction of smartphones.

In the process of creating new models, engineers and designers strive to make the product beautiful and convenient, they struggle with every extra gram and millimeter. It is easy to draw a render of a frameless apparatus, and then do something that remotely resembles it, and claim that this in a live photo is the same as in the picture. But it is precisely such situations that one has to face when buying budget devices for $ 70-150.

It is much more difficult to make a smartphone that in reality has a small thickness, thin frames, fits comfortably in the hand, and at the same time is equipped good battery... But the engineers succeed, the same Samsung Galaxy S8 has a beautiful appearance, and ergonomics are in order, and the filling inside is very solid. Hiding this beauty under a cover, gluing glass, the user loses that beauty, but at the same time the gadget gets extra millimeters and grams. It turns out that the lion's share of the efforts of engineers and designers goes nowhere.

The problem here is not even disrespect for other people's work: the thing is yours - do whatever you want with it, you have the right. The very fact of such actions makes me wonder: why? Why did you buy a glass smartphone that shimmers beautifully in the sun, thin and with an excellent oleophobic effect on the screen, if all this is not needed? After all, there are special protected models (including flagships like the Galaxy S8 Active), with which you can at least crack nuts or open a beer. Their body is made of durable materials, and the glass is reinforced from the factory, and such devices are not afraid of shocks with falls.

Hiding the smartphone in a case and gluing it with glass in front, the user loses a significant part of the convenience. At a time when the average screen size is about 5.5 ", every millimeter of width and thickness matters. The iPhone 7 Plus, on which the case was put on and the glass was glued, is worse in the hand than a six-inch phablet without such protectors. - this is, first of all, the creation of artificial inconveniences for oneself.

Case and glass are illogical

Many have at least once laughed at representatives of the older generation, tight-fitting remotes for household appliances in cellophane bags. But at the same time, these same people perform similar actions with their smartphones. Let the cover and glass look more attractive, cost more, but in fact they are the same bag on the remote control from your grandmother's TV.

Someone might argue that the remote is much cheaper than a smartphone, and for him such a precaution is an overkill. Of course, it will be a shame to break a brand new iPhone even before the last loan payment is repaid. But if to buy this iPhone it is imperative to take a loan, because otherwise you will not be able to pull it - think: why do you need it at all? Can't you settle for some Meizu for $ 200 without worrying about scratching it inadvertently?

Self-restraint both in finances and in the use of a thing that cannot really afford is a very illogical step. Everyone wants to live better and allow themselves more, but it's hard to jump over their heads. This is in the USA, with their prices for communication and operator programs, even some janitor can afford to change an iPhone for a new one every year. It's more difficult with us, and if the purpose of buying the newest flagship on credit is to demonstrate it to others ("show-off" in common people) - the use of covers and glasses is doubly illogical.

Of course, the enterprising Chinese quickly understood the essence and set up a mass production of covers with a hole so that the apple on the lid could be seen by everyone. But, all the same, in this situation, it will be more difficult to unobtrusively demonstrate to everyone the latest iPhone. Go also figure out behind all these "decorations", an iPhone in a person's hands or a cheap Chinese. As a result, the goal has not been achieved, and the loan must be paid, and at the same time the dust particles must be blown off the smartphone, so as not to accidentally break it until the end of payments.

Smartphone is not a sacred cow

A smartphone is a practical thing, designed to perform a number of functions and satisfy some human needs. This is the same utilitarian thing as shoes, clothes, piece of furniture or kitchen utensils. But at the same time, people who use all of the listed things without any self-restraint hide their smartphone in a case. And this is again a violation of logic, double standards.

When buying leather shoes, no one worries that they can get dirty, and the sole will rub over time. Now let's imagine a person who, in autumn weather, puts on galoshes over Armani shoes to protect them, and for the same purpose wears a quilted quilted jacket on a Dolce & Gabbana jacket. Agree, it looks ridiculous. Even if he himself knows that he wears expensive branded clothes, others will think that this is some kind of village worker from a collective farm. But pulling covers on a premium smartphone is essentially the same thing.

Case and glass are not a panacea

Another argument in favor of not needing a cover - not always high degree protection. A cover (especially made of sweaty plastic) is not always able to reliably protect a smartphone. An unsuccessful hit with an angle can lead to a crack even on a “dressed” smartphone, the case will only slightly soften it. But in the case, the risk of dropping the smartphone grows, due to the increase in its dimensions. And any device (if it is not a "basement") bears light blows flat flat without additional funds protection.

Glasses are generally a separate conversation. No glass can help when hitting the touchscreen corner, the most dangerous for him. At the same time, any hardened socket tolerates plane impacts well, with the same iPhone you can even drive a small (20-40 mm) nail into the board without harming it (iPhone). And glass worsens the oleophobic qualities of the screen, or rather, completely eliminates them if it does not have a coating.

Considering the above arguments, including the deterioration of ergonomics, the leveling of design work, some absurdity of additional protection measures, and at the same time the lack of guarantees of complete protection, I think it is understandable why I do not like glasses and cases, considering them meaningless.

No, I do not at all think that everyone who pulled a case on their smartphone is doing something stupid. Everyone has the right to do as he sees fit, and I always respect this right, if these actions do not interfere with me. But at the same time, I believe that the massive use of all means of additional protection often takes on the character of some kind of unhealthy cult.

The reasons for the popularization of covers, films and glasses are easy to understand: everyone wants to eat, including manufacturers of accessories. Therefore, at the first opportunity they will happily convince you that their product is simply necessary, and without it there is no life. But if this is really so, the question arises: what do smartphone manufacturers think of themselves? Do they really not understand that they are releasing some kind of unreliable nonsense, unusable without "revision"?

Naturally, in reality everything is different. Any smartphone, be it Xiaomi for $ 150, samsung flagship or a brand new iPhone, you can safely use it without buying any covers. And you don't need to blow off dust particles from it, you just need to be more careful if you don't want to walk with a crack on the glass and scratches. If you cannot afford it, then it is better to “vote with the ruble” and immediately buy protected models. Seeing the growing demand, manufacturers will certainly expand the models of such devices, because as the fundamentals of the economy say, "demand creates supply."

By voting for best smartphones, only 13 percent of our readers voted for glass, and metal remained the undisputed leader. However, more and more sandwiches of two glass panels are appearing on the market - Apple abandoned the idea after the iPhone 4S was released in 2011, and devices inspired by its design continue to appear to this day. We have to admit that in most cases, the combination of an aluminum frame and a glossy back of the case turns out to be a winning one: all the participants on the list boast slender forms and visual appeal.

The Japanese vendor was one of the first to choose glass for its Z flagships. Since the time of the first representative of the line, the minimalistic design of the device has practically not changed and it is not known whether the Xperia family will change in the near future. Considering consistency as a sign of craftsmanship, Sony and its waterproof smartphones - a true master of his craft.

Last year's leader huawei phones positioned as a fashion model. Having played enough with the predecessor P6, the manufacturer remained faithful to the general concept of appearance - the same curved lines resembling a folded sheet of paper at the bottom. However, instead of a metal back cover - glass with an original, barely noticeable pattern.

This device, unlike the others, has never claimed the title of flagship. But the Tornado Slim looks and feels, which was praised by Ksenia Sobchak last year as the most premium device. In addition to its aesthetic beauty, this Fly smartphone stands out among its rivals in the 5.15 mm thick price segment.

Xiaomi Mi Note / Mi Note Pro

One of the most ambitious smartphone makers of our time may not yet be featured on russian market officially, his products are worth the inconvenience of ordering through resellers. Phablets Mi Note and Mi Note Pro is the answer of the world's most expensive startup on the iPhone 6 Plus.

Samsung Galaxy S6 /

Deciding to end the use of plastic, the largest smartphone vendor, Samsung, also switched to metal and glass. Galaxy S6 and its curved sibling have no perforations back cover, but retained the rounded shape of the body. What's the bottom line? Devices are called the most beautiful of the entire "galactic flotilla".

OPPO R1x

And this is the Chinese answer to the Xperia Z with a sapphire crystal that mimics the facets of a precious stone. The R1x can also be very thin: only 6.85 mm. Concerning technical characteristics, here the external beauty surpasses the internal one: Snapdragon 615, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory allow the gadget to be classified as a "mid-range".