It's been a very long time since we've seen a phone come out of Sharp's pipeline. So when the Japanese-based company announced its Aquos Crystal, I was not only surprised that Sharp released a new handset, but that said handset also had a wow factor worth paying attention to. Namely, the phone has an "bezel-less" screen.
At last, the mobile consumer pipe-dream to have an edge-to-edge display handset isn't so elusive anymore, and when it was announced, the Aquos Crystal made waves for its compelling design. But beyond its interesting aesthetic, the device is distinctly midrange. Instead of having an ultrasharp 1080p display, Sharp settled for a 720p display. The phone also has an average 1.2GHz processor and a solid, but not overly-impressive, 8-megapixel camera.
That doesn't make it a bad phone -- in fact, it performs quite well. And at $150 prepaid from Boost Mobile, or free with a two-year agreement with Sprint, the device is affordable. Indeed, it's definitely one of the best looking mid-range phone available today, even if it's not banging on all four cylinders inside.
Design
Although mobile manufacturers often boast about how thin their smartphone bezels are, the Aquos Crystal's 5-inch edge-to-edge displays runs right up to the sides of the device. Though there is no practical use for this feature, it definitely makes the handset unique. Gimmicky or not, I really like it. It makes the phone look both futuristic and downright cool. And though I assumed that this lack of a bezel would make the Crystal difficult to operate, that really wasn't the case. Whenever I navigated through the device, I didn't run into any problems with accidental taps and swipes.
Of course, with this lack of a bezel, some things have to be adjusted. At more than a half an inch thick, the device's chin is deep, and it houses the 1.2-megapixel camera and microphone. (To take a selfie, a small dialog pops up that instructs you to flip the handset upside down -- helpful if you want to avoid an unsightly double-chin.) There also isn't an in-ear speaker, which is usually located above the display. Instead, the phone uses audio wave technology (more on that later).
Other than the fact that it's edgeless, however, the display is pretty standard: It has a 1,280x720-pixel resolution and 293ppi. That means that while images and videos look smooth and are easily viewable, they don't look as razor-sharp compared to phones with 1080p or 1440p resolutions.
The Crystal measures 5.2 inches tall, 2.6 inches wide and 0.4-inch thick, and it weighs 5 ounces. Compared to the big-screen devices of today, its size is extremely pocketable, one-handed navigation is easy to manage, and I had no problem sliding it into front jean pockets. Its back arcs ever so slightly, rendering it comfortable to hold as well. On the left edge is a volume rocker, while the top houses a 3.5mm headphone jack and sleep/power button. The micro-USB port for charging is located on the bottom edge.
The back houses an 8-megapixel lens and flash, and below is a small slit for the rear speaker. Inside, you'll find a microSD card slot that's expandable up to 128GB and an embedded 2,040mAh battery. For power users, an irremovable battery is a bit of a downer -- it means you can't replace or switch out the battery when the need arises.
