Vivo unveils NEX 3 with insane 99.6% screen-to-body ratio, 64MP camera

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What you need to know

  • The Vivo NEX 3 has a waterfall display with curved edges and 99.6% screen-to-body ratio.
  • The device eschews physical buttons for virtual ones that deliver a haptic feedback.
  • There's also a 64MP camera at the back, Snapdragon 855 Plus, and a 4500mAh battery with 44W fast charging.
  • Like previous devices in the NEX series, the NEX 3 will be limited to select Asian markets.

For the last two years, Vivo has served up innovative designs in the NEX series. The first-gen NEX was one of the first phones with a retractable camera, and last year's NEX Dual Display had two screens.

This time around, Vivo is showing off its take on a true bezel-less phone. The NEX 3 is now official, and it has a Waterfall FullView curved display with a 99.6% screen-to-body ratio. The screen curves along the sides, so much so that there's no room for physical buttons. The NEX 3 instead has virtual Touch Sense buttons that work in conjunction with a haptic motor to deliver an experience that's "tangible, comfortable and futuristic."

The screen itself is a 6.89-inch OLED display with no cutout — there's a 16MP retractable front camera — and you get an in-display fingerprint sensor. The panel has HDR10, a coating that's designed to act as a blue light filter, and a "multi-scenario ambient light" around the screen's edges that "opens the door to a new audiovisual adventure with music rhythm recognition and unique notification reminders."

Under the hood, the NEX 3 is powered by a Snapdragon 855 Plus, and the phone will be sold in 8GB or 12GB configurations with 256GB of UFS 3.0 storage. The phone has a 4500mAh battery with Vivo's 44W Super FlashCharge charging tech, and there's also a liquid cooling chamber. There's a 64MP primary shooter at the back, along with a 13MP wide-angle lens and a 13MP zoom lens. Vivo will make the NEX 3 available in both 4G and 5G-enabled variants.

As for availability, the NEX 3 will be sold in "Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia and other markets" in the coming months. If history is any indication, it will be limited to China and select Asian markets.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.