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Features

The Essential Phone’s 4 most interesting features

essential camera

Andy Rubin’s Essential company unveiled its impressive new Essential (PH-1) phone earlier this morning.

The device appears slim, sleek and features great specs. It also includes certain features that separate it from other smartphones on the market.

Essential Phone (PH-1)

LG G6

Google Pixel

Samsung Galaxy S8

Display

5.71-inches, IPS LCD display, 2560 x 1312 pixels, 19:10 aspect ratio

5.7-inch, QHD+ display, 2880×1440, 18:9 aspect ratio

5.0-inch, AMOLED display, 1080 x 1920 pixels

5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, 18.5:9 aspect ratio

Processor

Snapdragon 835

Snapdragon 821

Snapdragon 821

Snapdragon 835 (Exynos 8895 in Europe and other regions)

RAM

4GB of RAM

4GB of RAM

4GB

4GB of RAM

Storage

128GB

32GB (expandable up to 2TB)

32GB, 128GB (non expandable)

64GB (expandable up to 256GB)

Dimensions (in.)

141.5 x 71.1 x 7.8mm

148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9mm

143.8 x 69.5 x 8.5mm

148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm

Weight

185g

163g

143g

152g

Rear Facing Camera

13-megapixel, (f/1.85)

13-megapixel (f/1.8) +13-megapixel (f/2.4)

12.3-megapixel, (f/2.0, EIS, AF) dual-LED flash

12-megapixel (f/1.7, OIS)

Front Facing Camera

8-megapixel, (f/2.2)

5-megapixel (f/2.2)

8-megapixel, (f/2.4)

8-megapixel (f/1.7)

OS

Android 8.1.1 Oreo

Android 7.0 Nougat

Android 7.1 Nougat

Android 8.0 Oreo

Battery

3,040mAh

3,300mAh

2,770mAh battery

3,000 mAh

Network Connectivity

GSM / HSPA / LTE / Band 66

GSM/HSPA/LTE

GSM / HSPA / LTE

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Sensors

Rear Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, 10 finger multitouch, Accelerometer, Magnetometer , Compass sensor, Ambient light Sensor

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, colour spectrum

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor

SIM Type

Nano SIM

Nano SIM

Nano SIM

Nano SIM

Launch Date

May 30, 2017

April 7, 2017

October 20, 2016

March 29, 2017

Misc

Colours: Black Moon, Stellar Grey, Pure White, Ocean Depths | Modularity, USB Type-C, No headphone jack, Bezel-less, Titanium build

Colours: Ice Platinum |USB Type-C port, Headphone jack, IP68 certified water and dust resistant

Colours: Quite Black, Very Silver, Really Blue |

Colours: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue and Maple Gold| Bixby, IP68 certified water-resistant, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C.

Display

Essential Phone (PH-1)

5.71-inches, IPS LCD display, 2560 x 1312 pixels, 19:10 aspect ratio

LG G6

5.7-inch, QHD+ display, 2880×1440, 18:9 aspect ratio

Google Pixel

5.0-inch, AMOLED display, 1080 x 1920 pixels

Samsung Galaxy S8

5.8-inch Super AMOLED display, 18.5:9 aspect ratio

Processor

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Snapdragon 835

LG G6

Snapdragon 821

Google Pixel

Snapdragon 821

Samsung Galaxy S8

Snapdragon 835 (Exynos 8895 in Europe and other regions)

RAM

Essential Phone (PH-1)

4GB of RAM

LG G6

4GB of RAM

Google Pixel

4GB

Samsung Galaxy S8

4GB of RAM

Storage

Essential Phone (PH-1)

128GB

LG G6

32GB (expandable up to 2TB)

Google Pixel

32GB, 128GB (non expandable)

Samsung Galaxy S8

64GB (expandable up to 256GB)

Dimensions (in.)

Essential Phone (PH-1)

141.5 x 71.1 x 7.8mm

LG G6

148.9 x 71.9 x 7.9mm

Google Pixel

143.8 x 69.5 x 8.5mm

Samsung Galaxy S8

148.9 x 68.1 x 8.0mm

Weight

Essential Phone (PH-1)

185g

LG G6

163g

Google Pixel

143g

Samsung Galaxy S8

152g

Rear Facing Camera

Essential Phone (PH-1)

13-megapixel, (f/1.85)

LG G6

13-megapixel (f/1.8) +13-megapixel (f/2.4)

Google Pixel

12.3-megapixel, (f/2.0, EIS, AF) dual-LED flash

Samsung Galaxy S8

12-megapixel (f/1.7, OIS)

Front Facing Camera

Essential Phone (PH-1)

8-megapixel, (f/2.2)

LG G6

5-megapixel (f/2.2)

Google Pixel

8-megapixel, (f/2.4)

Samsung Galaxy S8

8-megapixel (f/1.7)

OS

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Android 8.1.1 Oreo

LG G6

Android 7.0 Nougat

Google Pixel

Android 7.1 Nougat

Samsung Galaxy S8

Android 8.0 Oreo

Battery

Essential Phone (PH-1)

3,040mAh

LG G6

3,300mAh

Google Pixel

2,770mAh battery

Samsung Galaxy S8

3,000 mAh

Network Connectivity

Essential Phone (PH-1)

GSM / HSPA / LTE / Band 66

LG G6

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Google Pixel

GSM / HSPA / LTE

Samsung Galaxy S8

GSM/HSPA/LTE

Sensors

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Rear Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Proximity Sensor, 10 finger multitouch, Accelerometer, Magnetometer , Compass sensor, Ambient light Sensor

LG G6

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, colour spectrum

Google Pixel

Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

Samsung Galaxy S8

Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, RGB Light Sensor, Iris Sensor, Pressure Sensor

SIM Type

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Nano SIM

LG G6

Nano SIM

Google Pixel

Nano SIM

Samsung Galaxy S8

Nano SIM

Launch Date

Essential Phone (PH-1)

May 30, 2017

LG G6

April 7, 2017

Google Pixel

October 20, 2016

Samsung Galaxy S8

March 29, 2017

Misc

Essential Phone (PH-1)

Colours: Black Moon, Stellar Grey, Pure White, Ocean Depths | Modularity, USB Type-C, No headphone jack, Bezel-less, Titanium build

LG G6

Colours: Ice Platinum |USB Type-C port, Headphone jack, IP68 certified water and dust resistant

Google Pixel

Colours: Quite Black, Very Silver, Really Blue |

Samsung Galaxy S8

Colours: Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Arctic Silver, Coral Blue and Maple Gold| Bixby, IP68 certified water-resistant, 3.5mm headphone jack, USB Type-C.

1. Nearly bezel-less

essential phone

We appear to be in a new world where the side bezels on smartphones are slowly disappearing. Devices like the LG G6 and especially the Samsung Galaxy S8 have all ditched the side bezels and the Essential has too.

However, that’s not what sets the Essential Phone apart from its competitors. The device’s lack of top bezel ‘forehead’ is what makes it truly stand out from other phones on the market. The smartphone’s Gorilla Glass 5 molds around the device’s 8-megapixel front-facing camera, and the bottom ‘chin’ is very small as well, similar to the LG G6. Because of the complete lack of forehead and relatively small chin, the Essential has the most screen real estate of any 5.7-inch device ever released.

2. Modularity

Essential Phone

While modularity isn’t exactly new, with companies such as Google and LG abandoning the idea, it’s not a feature we typically associate with 2017 smartphones. The Moto Z 2, however, will likely feature modularity, giving the Essential Phone some competition in the space.

The Essential phone’s modularity appears to work similarly Motorola’s Z series of devices, with magnetic connectors, though the Essential’s are placed at the top rear of the device — like the above Essential 36-degree camera — while the Moto Z smartphones’ Mods take up the entire rear.

Currently, we only know about two modules for the Essential, according to the company — the world’s smallest 360-degree personal camera and a phone dock. However, modularity has the potential to be limitless, which means we could see accessories like speakers, battery packs and zoom lenses for the Essential phone.

3. Titanium frame

Essential Phone

The device’s adamantium — er, titanium — is another heavily-touted aspect of the device. While not completely foolproof, having a titanium frame should protect the device from falls that would be considered fatal for other smartphones, particularly those with curved glass sides like the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Camera

The Essential sports a 13-megapixel rear facing camera with a dual shooter setup. According to the Essential company its new device contains the “the world’s thinnest dual camera system built for a phone.”

Essential also says the their phone uses colour and monochrome sensors that can capture 200 percent more light than other phone cameras. The rear camera also has a 1.85 aperture and can take 4K video, however, Essential’s website doesn’t mention anything about image stabilization. While we haven’t tested the cameras and can’t compare it to shooters featured in other smartphones, being able to brag about “the world’s thinnest dual camera system,” is quite interesting in itself.

Bonus

The Ocean Depths colour is beautiful, with its gold-like frame. Definitely a must-have colour, if it makes its way to Canada.

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