Year in review: Best smartphones of 2019 in terms of design and aesthetics

Business Standard lists top five smartphones launched in 2019 with a distinct design language. Read on for top 5 smartphones design trends of 2019

Smartphone design trends 2019: Once a game of specifications, the smartphone market came a long way this year. Besides offering the best mix of specifications and features, mobile phone makers now are also making efforts on their products' design language — that might have been one of the key differentiators for smartphones launched in 2019. From a reflective gradient design to 3D curved body and obstruction-free profile, the smartphones launched in 2019 experimented with different designs while also enhancing the overall product build.

Business Standard lists top five best-looking smartphones launched in 2019 with a distinct design language:

Oppo Reno 2

The Reno 2 (review) perfected the smartphone design to become one of the best of the year 2019 in terms of looks. The phone has a dual-colour-tone design that looks absolutely gorgeous, especially in the luminous black colour. Moreover, its design is accentuated by better ergonomics and a light-weight build. The phone’s premium glass-metal sandwich construction complements its design, and the use of Corning Gorilla Glass on the front and back makes it resilient to everyday abuses. Additionally, the phone has an obstruction-free profile with no notch or cut-out on the front, and no camera bump or capacitive fingerprint sensor on the rear. The phone’s design feels natural and it is comfortable to hold and operate. Its overall design is accentuated by a ‘Shark Fin’ mechanical pop-up selfie camera module that houses the front camera and earpiece.
 

Build	Display	Processor	Battery	Camera	Launch price
Glass-metal	6.5-inch AMOLED fullHD+	Qualcomm Snapdragon 730	4000 mAh	Rear: 48MP + 13MP + 8MP+ 2MP Front: 16MP, sharkfin pop-up	Starts at Rs 37,000

Samsung Galaxy S10+

Ergonomics and design go hand in hand. A phone may be really good only if it has a good design and sound ergonomics for easier handling. Thankfully, the Galaxy S10+ (review) has both – great ergonomics and impressive design. Made of glass and metal, the phone has Gorilla Glass 6 on the front and Gorilla Glass 5 on the back. These give it a premium look without compromising on durability. Moreover, its light-weight build and compact form factor make it easy to use. The Galaxy S10 Plus is a balanced smartphone with nothing out of place to diminish its overall charm.

Build	Display	Processor	Battery	Camera	Launch price
Glass-metal	6.4-inch dynamic AMOLED QHD+, Gorilla Glass 6, HDR10+	Exynos 9820	4100 mAh	Rear: 12MP + 12MP + 16MP Front: 10MP + 8MP	Starts at Rs 73,900

Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro

The Redmi K20 Pro (review) has an impressive design that most other smartphones in the midrange flagship segment lack. Made of glass and metal with Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the front and back, the phone has a glacier-inspired (blue-colour edition that we reviewed) arc-shaped gradient reflective design on the back which looks mesmerising and distinctly different from any other iteration of the gradient reflective design. On the front, the phone has an obstruction-free profile with no cut-out area for notch or punch-hole. Overall, Xiaomi has done a great job in keeping the phone’s design minimal yet functional. The phone looks modern and has a dazzling design. It fits perfectly in your hand and feels comfortable to hold and operate with its compact and lightweight build.

Build	Display	Processor	Battery	Camera	Launch price
Glass-metal	6.39-inch AMOLED fullHD+, Gorilla Glass 5, HDR10	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855	4000 mAh	Rear: 48MP + 8MP + 13MP Front: 20MP pop-up	Starts at Rs 27,999

Asus 6z

This phone stands true to its tagline ‘defy ordinary’ — at least in terms of design. The 6z (review) boasts an obstruction-free front profile with no cut-out area for notch or punch hole. However, it is not the display but its motorised flip-camera module accommodating the phone’s dual-camera set-up that adds novelty to the overall design language and makes it look different from others. Moreover, for durability, the phone uses Gorilla Glass on the front and back. Though a tad heavy, the phone’s motorised flip camera module is definitely an eye catcher.

Build	Display	Processor	Battery	Camera	Launch price
Glass-metal	6.4-inch LCD fullHD+, Gorilla Glass 6	Qualcomm Snapdragon 855	5000 mAh	48MP + 13MP motorised flip	Starts at Rs 31,999

Honor 20

This phone has a no-frills design with a glass body and a metallic chassis. The Honor 20’s (review) back is covered with a curved reflective glass that renders different colour hues and shapes when exposed to light and looked at from angles. The reflective glass properties are more prominent in the blue variant than the black one that we reviewed. The phone’s front is dominated by a punch-hole screen, which adds to both style and substance. The capacitive fingerprint sensor placed under the power button on the right side of the chassis adds to the phone’s functionality without compromising its minimal design language.
 

Build	Display	Processor	Battery	Camera	Launch price
Glass-metal	6.26-inch LCD fullHD+, Punch-hole	Kirin 980	3750 mAh	Rear: 48MP + 16MP + 2MP + 2MP Front: 32MP on-screen	Starts at Rs 32,999