This review explores the Minimal Phone, a unique smartphone boasting an E-Paper display and a physical keyboard. Its unconventional design aims to curb phone addiction while maintaining modern functionality.

A Retro-Modern Blend: The Minimal Phone blends a 4.3-inch E-Paper display with a 35-key physical keyboard, reminiscent of classic Blackberry devices. Three capacitive buttons provide familiar navigation. Connectivity is surprisingly comprehensive, including a microSD card slot, headphone jack, USB-C port, and dual SIM capability. A fingerprint scanner is integrated into the power button. The phone's dimensions (5.59 x 3.07 x 0.34 inches) make it wider than many modern phones.

Keyboard: Nostalgia vs. Efficiency: While the physical keyboard evokes nostalgia, touchscreen typing remains faster. The placement of alternate characters presents a usability challenge. However, this could improve with software updates.

E-Paper Display: A Double-Edged Sword: The E-Paper display delivers on its promise of reducing screen time, mimicking the feel of physical paper. However, the black and white display limits visual detail, and the slow refresh rate significantly impacts responsiveness. While excellent for reading ebooks, it hinders app usage and image viewing. A physical refresh button helps mitigate ghosting.

Call Quality and App Compatibility: Surprisingly, call quality is excellent, even in areas with weak signal. Unlike some minimalist phones, it supports popular chat apps like WhatsApp and Signal, although the black and white display impacts the user experience.

Software and Updates: Running Android 14 with full Play Store access, the Minimal Phone offers broad app compatibility, although the E-Paper display discourages extensive app usage. The long-term software update strategy remains uncertain, posing a risk for future OS compatibility.

Battery Life: A Trade-off: Battery life is exceptional under light use, lasting several days. However, heavy use, particularly scrolling and typing, significantly reduces battery life.

Camera: Functionality Over Quality: The 16MP rear and 5MP front cameras provide basic functionality, but image quality is significantly compromised by the E-Paper display and processing limitations.

Should You Buy It? The Minimal Phone offers a compelling alternative to other minimalist phones, particularly for those familiar with E-Paper technology. Its strong call quality and full Android functionality set it apart. However, the slow display, subpar camera, and uncertain software update policy should be carefully considered. The device’s appeal hinges on prioritizing reduced screen time and a unique user experience over optimal performance and visual fidelity.

Minimal Phone: 7/10 Available for $500 (6GB RAM) or $600 (8GB RAM) from the Minimal Company.

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