What is a bezel?

On electronic device displays, the bezel is everything on the front of the devices that isn't the screen. Manufacturers are always trying to reduce the bezel on smartphones as it’s a dark frame around the edge of the display which reduces the amount of screen you can see images, movies and games on.

The bezel adds structural integrity to devices and houses electronics, such as front-facing cameras, so it’s necessary, but it’s also a hindrance to manufacturers wanting to create bigger and better screens. So, to increase screen size, manufacturers look to effectively decrease the size of the bezel.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of having a bezel-less phone?

Firstly, there are currently no bezel-less devices – the closest you’ll get is a device with minimal or slim bezel. The main benefit is increased screen size. This helps manufacturers reduce the overall size of the device without surrendering screen size, so it sits easily in your hand.

However, bezel supports structural integrity and is necessary – and when you use a case or screen protector on a phone or tablet with minimal bezel, you might lose part of your phone's wraparound edge, as it could be blocked by the edges of the case.

Below are just a few examples of devices that have a slim bezel: