Top-notch phones: 8 phones with display cut-outs

Apple launched iPhone X in September 2018, and it's probably the best-known smartphone with a display notch. The black bar is not just for aesthetics; it holds the phone's front-facing 7-megapixel camera as well as the TrueDepth sensors that power Face ID.

Read more: Apple iPhone X review: This is as good as it gets

Believe it or not, Apple wasn't the first smartphone maker to embrace the notch. Essential was actually one of the first to so do, with its first Essential Phone PH-1 flagship. But instead of a using a wide bar for a notch, it added a tiny tab, which houses the phone's front-facing camera.

Read more: Essential Phone review: Lovely titanium and ceramic with potential for greatness

The heads of the FBI, CIA, and NSA have all expressed security concerns over Huawei's phones, causing AT&T, Verizon, and Best Buy to drop their plans to carry them. Nevertheless, Huawei recently confirmed it managed to sell some six million P20 units, although it didn't say what the breakdown is between the regular P20 and the super P20 Pro model, both of which boast notches.

Oh, and like the P20 series, Huawei Honor 10 also ships with a notched display screen.

Read more: Huawei P20 review: A smaller, sleeker Mate 10 Pro | Huawei P20 Pro review: Three rear cameras, and a lot more

OnePlus recently confirmed it sold one million units of the OnePlus 6 in just 22 days. It's a flagship killer with flagship-level design elements: Slim bezels, complete with a display notch. The company's co-founder, Carl Pei, said this cut-out enabled OnePlus to move the phone's display and notification bar further. As a result, it has a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio.

Read more: OnePlus 6 review: Top-quality design, features

The LG G7 phone has a notch, but unlike similar phones, you can get rid of it. Well, technically, you can black out the bars on each side of the notch in order to get a more traditional look. LG's decision to bundle a software feature to hide the notch is interesting, because, on one hand, it's embracing the trend, while on the other, it's acknowledging some people don't like it.

Read more: LG G7 ThinQ review: Average battery life and high price

Is that an iPhone X in your hand? Nope, it's a ZenFone 5 running Android. If you're looking for a budget-friendly, Android-powered iPhone X clone, look no further than Asus' latest smartphone. It has the screen notch, 6.2-inch display, and two rear cameras. But it starts at just $499.

If you want a more premium device with a notch, Asus also sells the ZenFone 5Z.

Read more: Asus announces ZenFone 5 family: Apple iPhone X clones

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi just launched three new phones that are obviously inspired by Apple's iPhone X: the Xiaomi Mi 8, Mi 8 Explorer, and Mi 8 SE. But it's the standard Mi 8 that's getting all the attention, with its 6.21-inch AMOLED display, notch design, and face-unlocking feature. It's only for sale in China, though, and costs RMB 2,699 ($420).

Read more: iPhone X clone? Xiaomi Mi 8 has notch, face unlock, top chipset but far lower price

After making headlines with its in-display fingerprint scanning technology, this Chinese manufacturer adopted the notch. The company actually has two phones featuring a notch: the Vivo V9 and Vivo X21. The Vivo V9 was announced in March as an iPhone X competitor. It has a massive 6.3-inch full HD+ display screen, 25MP selfie camera, and dual shooters on the back.

Read also: Vivo V9 from China borrows lots from the iPhone X (CNET)