The Minimal Phone measures 5.59 by 3.07 by 0.34 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.82 ounces. The Pixel 9a (5.99 by 2.86 by 0.35 inches, 6.63 ounces) is close in size, though slightly heavier.

Unlike the sleek designs of most modern phones, the Minimal Phone adopts a modernistic, boxy, and angular look. The E Ink display takes up about three-quarters of the phone’s front panel. The remaining quarter is allocated to the full QWERTY keyboard, resulting in a device that looks like an old-school BlackBerry.

(Credit: Sarah Lord)

The phone is made of plastic, but it feels solid. On its right side, there’s a power button with a built-in fingerprint reader. On its left, there’s a tray that supports either two SIM cards or one SIM and one microSD card, volume up and down buttons, and an E Ink refresh button stuffed between the volume controls. The buttons are easy to find by feel.

The bottom of the device features a 3.5mm headphone jack, microphone, USB-C port, and speaker grill. Three capacitive navigation buttons—back, home, and app switcher—sit directly below the screen and harken back to Android phones from yesteryear.

(Credit: Sarah Lord)

The full QWERTY keyboard measures 2.91 inches across and has 35 backlit keys (including one hotkey), each with 0.01 inches of travel. I found the keyboard easy to type on, though I have small hands. The keys make an audible click when pressed, which is incredibly useful. If you grew up with a BlackBerry or Palm Treo, you’ll love using this keyboard. The only odd design choice is the front-facing camera, which Minimal sticks in the lower left corner of the keyboard. The placement makes it difficult to take selfies, and means the camera lens is prone to collecting smudges.

(Credit: Sarah Lord)

The phone’s rear panel is covered in smooth, slippery plastic with the Minimal logo at the center. A singular, round camera sits in the upper left corner next to a small flash. The back surface picks up fingerprints fast, so you’ll want to wipe it down from time to time. Minimal sells MagSafe-compatible cases for the phone in white or black, along with a range of dbrand phone skins.

Minimal offers the phone in three color schemes: Fusion (black screen bezel with a white body), Onyx (all black), or Pebble (all white). I received the Onyx version for review. 

The phone doesn’t have an IP rating for water and dust protection, so you’ll want to keep it away from the bath, beach, or pool. The Pixel 9a has an IP67 rating, meaning it can handle being submerged in about 5 feet of water for up to 30 minutes.