Weekly poll: What materials should flagships use?

We had this one two years ago, but a reader email got us thinking that it might be a good idea to give it another shot and see if preferences have changed. The market trends certainly have and now metal is by far the the most popular material on any smartphone - flagship or not. But has that resulted in its devaluation as a luxury good or are you still considering it the most premium of materials?

On the hand there are those that prefer their phones covered with glass - the cool reflection effects and the gloss certainly look fancy even if they require plenty of upkeep to keep fingerprints at bay. Glass also means you can live without the ugly antenna lines and enables stuff like wireless charging.

A plastic finish with a rubbery texture is the most grippy option and while it’s rarely seen lately few can argue its practicality. It mostly got phased out as people weren’t very fond of its looks and because it added thickness to the devices that employ it. But we’re still getting the occasional comment that maker should use it more often so maybe there are some fans left.

Finally, there are the more exotic options - Xiaomi has been experimenting with ceramic, while HTC took the world by surprise by announcing a sapphire glass covered U Ultra. Such materials are hard to produce in large quantities though so they limit the supply and drive up the price - are you willing to pay the premium?

What materials should flagships use?

Metal all the way You can't beat glass for looks

Plastic/Rubber are the most practical choice Go wild: Ceramics, Sapphire glass or other exotics

Survey Maker