The new flagship of the Chinese company in a metal case and on the latest Mediatek Helio X10 platform
The popular Chinese smartphone maker Meizu continues to gain momentum, introducing its new products more and more often - now this happens several times a year. The next product, presented at the beginning of last week in Beijing, was the new flagship device Meizu MX5, which led the company's smartphone family.
Representatives of our editorial board managed to attend the event, and it should be noted that the scale was really impressive. Several thousand people gathered in the huge complex of the Beijing International Convention Center, groups of dozens of fans helped warm up the atmosphere, the honor of opening the presentation fell to one of China's most popular crooners, everything was grandiose and pathetic. But it is also worth noting the fact that European journalists among those invited could be counted on the fingers. This is explained by the fact that for Meizu the entry into the international market, which so far does not account for even a few percent of its sales, is still ahead.
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And yet, fame is ahead of the heroes, and those people who, until recently, have not even heard such a name, are starting to talk more and more about the quality of Meizu products. Smartphones of this company really sometimes make up that very rare combination of good quality and favorable price, which is called the "golden mean". Recall at least the M1 Note, excellent in most characteristics, which is still one of the best products in its middle class in terms of price and quality - many are equal to it even now.
The smartphone that will be discussed in today's review is, of course, more expensive, but this is already a completely different level. The flagship device called Meizu MX5 not only became the next top-end product in the mobile market, it was also a kind of work on the mistakes made in its predecessors.
The new flagship Meizu has increased the screen diagonal, the aspect ratio of the display has “corrected” (it has become “like everyone else”), real metal has become an integral component not only of the chassis, but of the entire body, a fingerprint scanner has been added, autonomy has been significantly improved, even better The speakers began to sound and the camera to shoot. As for the dimensions and weight, they are almost a record for such a large screen, a device with a 5.5-inch display really looks and feels almost miniature.
But it was not without a fly in the ointment: if replacing an IPS screen with an AMOLED with PenTile still looks like just a moot point, then the exclusion from the operating frequencies of the LTE modem, the most common frequency in our country, 2600 MHz, will certainly be considered by domestic users as a "hit below the belt" . And yet, even with such shortcomings, the device turned out to be extremely interesting, and today the readers of our publication will have the opportunity to be among the first to get acquainted with this outstanding smartphone in detail.
Video review
To get started, we suggest watching our video review of Meizu MX5 and LeTV One (X600) smartphones:
Now let's look at the characteristics of new items.
Key Features of Meizu MX5 (Model M575H)
| Meizu MX5 | LeTV One | Nexus 6 | LG G Flex 2 | HTC One M9 | |
| Screen | 5.5″ Super AMOLED | 5.5" IPS | 5.96" AMOLED | 5.5″ P-OLED | 5″ S-LCD 3 |
| Permission | 1920×1080, 401ppi | 1920×1080, 401ppi | 2560×1440, 493 ppi | 1920×1080, 401ppi | 1920×1080, 441ppi |
| SoC | Mediatek MT6795T Octa-core (8x Cortex-A53 @2.2GHz) | Mediatek MT6795 Octa-core (8x Cortex-A53 @2.0GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 805 (4x Krait 450 @2.7GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (4x Cortex-A57 @2.0GHz + 4x Cortex-A53) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (4x Cortex-A57 @2.0GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 @1.5GHz) |
| GPU | PowerVR G6200 | PowerVR G6200 | Adreno 420 | Adreno 430 | Adreno 430 |
| RAM | 3 GB | 3 GB | 3 GB | 2 GB | 3 GB |
| Flash memory | 16/32/64 GB | 16/32/64 GB | 32/64 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Memory card support | — | — | — | microSD | microSD |
| Operating system | Google Android 5.0 | Google Android 5.0 | Google Android 5.0 | Google Android 5.0 | Google Android 5.0 |
| Battery | non-removable, 3150 mAh | non-removable, 3000 mAh | non-removable, 3220 mAh | non-removable, 3000 mAh | non-removable, 2840 mAh |
| cameras | main (20.7 MP; video 4K), front (5 MP) | main (13 MP; video 4K), front (5 MP) | main (13 MP; video 4K), front (2 MP) | main (20.7 MP; video 4K), front (4 MP) | |
| Dimensions and weight | 150×75×7.6mm, 149g | 148×74×9.5mm, 168g | 159×83×10.1mm, 184g | 149×75×9.4mm, 154g | 145×70×9.6mm, 157g |
| average price | N/A | N/A | T-11153512 | T-11883628 | T-12259334 |
- SoC MediaTek MT6795T (Helio X10 Turbo), 2.2 GHz, 8 cores ARM Cortex-A53
- GPU PowerVR G6200 @700 MHz
- Android 5.0 operating system with Flyme 4.5 shell
- Touchscreen display AMOLED, 5.5″, 1920 × 1080, 401 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 3 GB, internal memory 16/32/64 GB
- No microSD card support
- Support Nano-SIM (2 pcs.)
- Communication 2G: GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz
- 3G communication: WCDMA 900/2100 MHz
- Data transmission FDD-LTE: 1800/2100 MHz
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct
- Bluetooth 4.0 BLE
- Micro USB 2.0
- GPS (A-GPS), Glonass, BDS
- Camera 20.7 MP, Sony IMX220, autofocus, f/2.2, LED flash
- Camera 5 MP (front), OV5670, f/2.2, fixed focus
- NXP TFA9890 Sound Chip
- Proximity sensor, light sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetic compass, fingerprint sensor
- Battery 3150 mAh
- Dimensions 150×75×7.6 mm
- Weight 149 g
Contents of delivery
Meizu MX5 goes on sale in a package that has already become traditional for this brand: a flat cardboard “book” with three hard sheets and an internal compartment designed to store the smartphone itself is enclosed in an ordinary cardboard box. This unusual way of presenting has been rooted in Meizu since the very first flagships of the MX line.
This time, the bundle was a pleasant surprise: Meizu provided its new flagship not only with the usual charger (5 V, 2 A) and a Micro-USB connecting cable, but also with headphones, which have become a rarity for smartphones today. Headphones, of course, of their own manufacture, and we know that their company really knows how to make good ones, quite successfully selling such models at retail.
Appearance and usability
The design of the new device of the flagship Meizu series can be admired or treated as neutral, but the two most outstanding points must be mentioned without fail. Firstly, Meizu MX5 received a metal case, and this is a rarity for smartphones of this brand. True, the case here is clearly not all-metal, as the developers stated during the presentation: obviously non-metallic elements are cut into the top and bottom at the ends, but still the middle part of the case is really made of real aluminum.
As for the upper and lower segments, it would be strange if they were also made of metal. After all, the antennas here are not brought out into the outer grooves, as in HTC or Apple devices, and a one-piece metal case would shield these elements. And yet, these small lids are made so similar to real metal ones that you can’t tell right off the bat.
And the second point, which should be especially noted in connection with the design, is the unusually miniature dimensions and weight of the device. With a 5.5-inch screen that has already become standard for top smartphones, the Meizu MX5 turns out to be much smaller than the same iPhone 6 Plus, and the weight of less than 150 g is a record for modern flagships with such a display size.
Due to such outstanding indicators as an unusually small case thickness, weight, and overall dimensions of the case, the Meizu MX5 smartphone is very comfortable to hold in your hand. The metal surface here is matte, slightly rough, there is no gloss at all, so the device does not slip out of the hands and is not covered with fingerprints. The extremely narrow frame around the screen does not cause any discomfort.
Since the back cover of the Meizu MX5 case is non-removable, the appropriate method of attaching cards is used here: a metal farm with SIM cards inserted into it enters the side slot, and it is removed by pressing a hidden button using a paper clip or a complete key.
The smartphone supports two Nano-SIM SIM cards, but the Meizu developers, as usual, did not provide for memory expansion through microSD cards at all. It is logical that in this case it is possible to choose a modification with a different amount of internal memory (16, 32, 64 GB), and you can also connect external flash drives via an OTG adapter.
On the right side of the case, mechanical keys for blocking and volume are habitually located. Large metallized buttons are not far from each other, they protrude quite strongly from the surface of the case, they are easy to find blindly, they have an elastic and distinct move. There are no claims in general to these elements.
The main speaker of the Meizu MX5 is not placed on the back surface, but on the bottom end, so that the sound of the device lying on the table is not muffled at all. The end is beautifully designed in the style of the iPhone, there are also two shiny metal screws screwed in on both sides of the Micro-USB connector, and the grill covering the speaker is made in the form of several large round holes.
The upper end is given over to a minijack (3.5 mm) for headphones, a second, auxiliary microphone is placed next to it. The connectors are not equipped with plugs, since the device does not have protection against moisture and dust.
On the back surface, one can note the presence of a laser rangefinder for measuring the distance to the subject of photography, combined with a single unit with a two-segment multi-colored LED flash. The large round window of the main camera located next to it is slightly raised above the surface and covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass.
At the bottom of the front panel there is an equally interesting element: it is a mechanical key with a fingerprint scanner built into it. The button reads the fingerprint at the same time as pressing, unlocking the screen. The very process of reading the fingerprint and setting the lock are identical to those in the iPhone: there is no need to drag your finger along the button, a point touch is enough. Naturally, you can add several fingers for recognition, and for reliability, you will be asked to come up with a code. Recognition is always clear, we have not recorded erroneous clicks. The fingerprint scanner is implemented in the new version of mTouch 2.0 with an improved controller and increased detection accuracy - just like in the MX4 Pro model.
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It should be noted that in the light version of the front panel, this oval button is additionally surrounded by a golden rim, and this is clearly visible. The black panel has no rim around the button, it merges with the general background and becomes visible only at a certain angle.
As for the color options, in this regard, the Meizu MX5 turned out to be somewhat more unexpected: now there is neither dark gray nor light gray - instead, both modifications have the same color of the back of the case and differ only in white or black color of the front panel . There is also a third, golden version of the color of the rear surface, it has a front panel under the glass is also white.
Screen
One of the most significant surprises during the release of Meizu MX5 turned out to be related to the screen. The fact is that all previous Meizu flagships were famous for their excellent displays, these were always some of the best IPS screens on the market. And suddenly the developers announced that they are releasing their next flagship with a Super AMOLED screen manufactured by Samsung. During the presentation, such an unexpected turn, of course, was presented by representatives of the company as a boon for the user, although the replacement of excellent IPS displays with AMOLED, and even with PenTile, was perceived by many fans of the brand not so unambiguously.
The screen dimensions of the Meizu MX5 are 68 × 121 mm, the diagonal is 5.5 inches, and the resolution is 1920 × 1080 pixels. The width of the frame from the edge of the screen to the edge of the case is once again record-breaking small: from the sides it is less than 3 mm, from above and below - about 15 mm. The frame is really very narrow, but it does not cause discomfort, since the well-thought-out shape of the case with one-sided rounding of the side edges prevents accidental pressing on the edges of the screen.
The brightness of the display can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment based on the operation of the light sensor. The multi-touch technology here allows you to handle 10 simultaneous touches. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is locked using the proximity sensor. The screen can be unlocked by double tapping on the glass, or by simply swiping anywhere on the screen.
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A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens (on the left is Nexus 7, on the right is Meizu MX5, then they can be distinguished by size):
The screen of the Meizu MX5 is slightly lighter (brightness in photographs is 106 versus 104 for the Nexus 7) and has a brownish tint. Note that the reflection from bright objects on the screen of the Meizu MX5 has a pale bluish halo a little more pronounced in the transverse direction. The doubling of reflected objects in the Meizu MX5 screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the screen layers (OGS type screen - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of strong external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. On the outer surface of the screen there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, even better than the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
With manual brightness control and with a white field displayed in full screen, the maximum brightness value was approximately 340 cd / m², the minimum was 1.2 cd / m². The maximum brightness is not very high, but you need to take into account the excellent anti-glare properties of the screen and the fact that in this case the smaller the white area on the screen, the lighter it is, that is, the actual maximum brightness of the white areas will almost always be higher than the specified value. As a result, readability during the day in the sun is at a fairly good level. The reduced brightness level allows you to use the device without any problems even in complete darkness. There is an automatic brightness control according to the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker slot). In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. This function depends on the position of the brightness slider. If it is at 100%, then in complete darkness, the automatic brightness adjustment function reduces the brightness to 120 cd / m² (too light), in an office lit by artificial light (about 400 lux) it sets to 170 cd / m² (normal), in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to a maximum - up to 340 cd / m² (which is what you need). Brightness slider at 50% - the values are as follows: 37, 95 and 340 cd / m² (from our point of view, acceptable values), at 0% - 2.4, 12 and 340 cd / m² (the logic can be traced). In general, the automatic brightness adjustment function works adequately.
Only at a low level of brightness is there a significant modulation at a frequency of 237 Hz. The figure below shows the dependence of brightness (vertical axis) on time (horizontal axis) for several brightness values:
It can be seen that at maximum and medium brightness, the modulation amplitude is minimal, its frequency is approximately 59 Hz (screen refresh rate), so there is no visible flicker. However, with a strong decrease in brightness, modulation with a large relative amplitude appears. Therefore, at low brightness, the presence of modulation can already be seen in the test for the presence of a stroboscopic effect or simply with rapid eye movement. Depending on individual sensitivity, such flickering can cause increased fatigue.
This screen uses an AMOLED matrix - an active matrix on organic light-emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B), but there are twice as many green subpixels, which can be referred to as RGBG. This is confirmed by a fragment of a microphoto:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
On the fragment above, you can count 4 green subpixels, 2 red (4 halves) and 2 blue (1 whole and 4 quarters), while repeating these fragments, you can lay out the entire screen without gaps and overlap. For such matrices, Samsung introduced the name PenTile RGBG. The manufacturer considers the screen resolution based on green subpixels, on the other two it will be two times lower. The location and shape of the sub-pixels in this variant is similar to the variant in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S4 screen and some other newer devices from Samsung (and not only) with AMOLED screens. This version of PenTile RGBG is better than the old one with red squares, blue rectangles and stripes of green subpixels. However, some uneven contrasting borders and other artifacts are still present. However, due to the high resolution, they have a minimal effect on image quality.
The screen has excellent viewing angles. True, the white color, when deviated even at small angles, acquires a light blue-green tint, and at some angles it turns a little pink, but the black color remains just black at any angles. It is so black that the contrast parameter is simply not applicable in this case. When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the white field is good. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of Meizu MX5 and the second comparison participant, while the brightness of the screens is initially set to about 200 cd / m², and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K. A white field is perpendicular to the screens:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:
The color balance of the screens is slightly different and the colors of the Meizu MX5 are oversaturated and unnatural. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen.
It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens and the brightness of the Meizu MX5 at an angle is noticeably higher. And the white box:
The brightness at an angle on both screens has noticeably decreased (in order to avoid strong darkening, the shutter speed is increased compared to the previous two photos), but in the case of the Meizu MX5, the drop in brightness is much less pronounced. As a result, with formally the same brightness, the Meizu MX5 screen visually looks much brighter (compared to LCD screens), since you often have to look at the screen of a mobile device at least at a slight angle.
Switching the state of the elements of the matrix is \u200b\u200bpractically instantaneous, but at the on edge (and less often off) there may be a step about 17 ms wide (which corresponds to the screen refresh rate). For example, this is how the dependence of brightness on time looks like when moving from black to white and back when the field is displayed in full screen:
In some conditions, the presence of such a step can lead to plumes trailing behind moving objects, but in normal use it is difficult to see these artifacts. On the contrary, dynamic scenes in films on OLED screens are distinguished by high clarity and even some “twitchy” movements.
The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the shadows or in the highlights. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.27, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve practically does not deviate from the power dependence:
Recall that in the case of OLED screens, the brightness of image fragments dynamically changes in accordance with the nature of the displayed image: it decreases for light images in general and increases for dark ones. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve), most likely, does not correspond slightly to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential grayscale output almost on the entire screen. There is no possibility of choosing a color correction profile, and in particular a profile with hardware color gamut reduction, in this case, as a result, the color gamut of the Meizu MX5 is very wide:
The spectra of the components (that is, the spectra of pure red, green, and blue colors) are very well separated:
Note that on screens with a wide color gamut without proper color correction, normal images optimized for sRGB devices look unnaturally saturated. The balance of shades on the gray scale is good. The color temperature is close to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the black body spectrum (ΔE) throughout the entire significant part of the gray scale remains below 10 units, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of the color balance:
(The darkest areas of the gray scale in most cases can be ignored, since there the color balance does not matter much, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
This device has the ability to adjust the color balance by adjusting the hue warmer-colder.
However, even with the default value, the color temperature is close to the standard value, so there is no point in touching this setting.
Let's summarize. The screen does not have a very high maximum brightness, but it has good anti-glare properties, so the device can be used outdoors without any problems even on a sunny summer day. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. It is permissible to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works quite adequately. The advantages of the screen include a very good oleophobic coating and close to standard color balance. At the same time, let's recall the general advantages of OLED screens: true black color (if nothing is reflected on the screen), good white field uniformity, noticeably smaller than that of LCDs, a drop in image brightness when viewed from an angle. The disadvantages include flickering of the screen, which manifests itself at low brightness. Users who are particularly sensitive to flicker may experience fatigue as a result. The negative properties include an excessively wide color gamut, which makes ordinary images look unnatural. However, overall the screen quality is high.
Sound
In terms of sound, there are no complaints about the Meizu MX5. There is only one external speaker here, but the device equipped with a separate sound chip produces sound of sufficient quality for comfortable listening both through it and through headphones. This is not the level of Oppo or HTC, the smartphone does not abound with excessive volume and deep bass, but still the sound is loud enough, moderately saturated with all frequencies, bright, the sound at any volume level remains clear, without distortion and impurities, low frequencies are partly present, though and not fully.
To play music, a proprietary player is used. In its settings, it is possible to use an equalizer with preset values. To enhance your headphone sound quality, you can choose from several different Dirac HD Sound system profiles for the most popular headphone models.
The device is able to record telephone conversations from the line, for this it is enough to press the corresponding button in the interface of the telephone application right during the call. There is no FM radio support in the smartphone.
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Camera
The hero of the review has complete order with the cameras. Meizu MX5 is equipped with two decent digital camera modules with a resolution of 20.7 and 5 megapixels. The front camera is equipped with a 5-megapixel OmniVision OV5670 sensor and an f/2.2 aperture lens without autofocus and flash. The maximum resolution when shooting video on the front camera is 1920 × 1080 pixels. You can also shoot on the front camera using the hardware volume control key, which is convenient when creating self-portraits. The quality of pictures for the level of a selfie is more than decent.
The main camera in the Meizu MX5, contrary to expectations, was equipped with the same familiar 20.7-megapixel Sony IMX220 sensor with a six-lens lens and f/2.2 aperture. The camera has its own laser rangefinder, very fast autofocus and dual-color LED flash. The lens is covered with protective glass Gorilla Glass 3. Video recording is carried out with a resolution of up to 4K.
The camera control menu has not changed at all since the previous models in the series. There are several modes: in addition to automatic and manual, the user is given the opportunity to additionally use panoramic, portrait, night modes, as well as more specific ones, such as manual focus change, macro photography, and even a special built-in barcode recognition mode. There is a "Focus" mode, after shooting in which, already on the finished picture, you can touch different areas in turn to focus on objects that were at different distances from the camera during shooting. Shooting modes are changed by scrolling with a horizontal gesture, and depending on the selected mode, additional settings that are inherent in each specific selected mode pop up at the bottom.
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The camera can shoot video in a maximum resolution of 4K, the quality of shooting is excellent. It is a pity that there is no possibility of shooting in a more interesting combination of size and quality of video in 1080p mode at 60 fps, but there is a Slo-mo mode: 720p, 100 fps. Sample test videos are shown below.
- Video #1 (82 MB, 3840× [email protected] fps)
- Video #2 (22 MB, 1280×720, Slo-mo)
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Night shooting works relatively well with the camera. |
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Good close-up for long exposure, low light and high ISO. |
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Another example of good indoor work. |
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The camera copes well with shooting difficult objects, without unnecessary artifacts. |
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With good lighting, the pictures are obtained at the level of good compacts. In addition, thanks to the accurate noise reduction, the camera manages to preserve a lot of details. |
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Car numbers vary without any problems. |
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The color of the sky is not very even, however, due to the fine grain of the noise reduction, this is almost imperceptible. |
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An example of a decent indoor shot for a smartphone. |
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Even small inscriptions on signs can be disassembled if desired. |
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The macro works well for the camera, but only in the central part of the frame. |
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The camera works well with details on all shots. |
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The text worked out well only in the center of the frame, while sharpness drops towards the edges, although not very much. |
We also tested the camera on a laboratory bench according to our methodology.
Meizu MX5 managed to get a very decent Sony sensor. Despite the seemingly stock software of the MediaTek Camera Application module, the camera works almost perfectly. Its main advantage is good performance at high values of light sensitivity in low light. In addition, due to the high resolution, the noise reduction manages to get by with a fairly fine grain during processing. As a result, many small details are perfectly worked out.
However, the camera also has disadvantages. When shooting macro, the focus “moves out” a little, and blur zones appear along the edges of the frame - not very strong, but unpleasant. It is difficult to say what exactly is the reason for this behavior, but it is possible that such a flaw can be corrected programmatically or is a marriage of a particular sample. Checking a smartphone for the presence of this defect when buying is not difficult.
Unfortunately, the MX5 fell short of the famous flagships in terms of camera, which is confirmed by the laboratory test. In general, the camera will cope well with both documentary and artistic shooting.
Telephone part and communications
The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, there is also support for LTE FDD, but, unfortunately, Meizu MX5 can only work at frequencies of 1800/2100 MHz, and does not support the most common frequency of 2600 MHz, that is, with 4G the device will work in Russia far from everywhere and not with all operators.
The remaining network capabilities of the smartphone are standard: NFC is not supported, but there is Bluetooth 4.0 that supports work with wearable gadgets such as smart watches and bracelets; supports two Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. The Micro-USB 2.0 connector supports the connection of external devices (USB Host, USB OTG), so you can connect flash drives and mice with keyboards to this port. The navigation module works not only with GPS (with A-GPS), but also with domestic Glonass. There are no complaints about the operation of the navigation module, the first satellites are detected during the first minute during a cold start. Among the sensors of the smartphone there is a magnetic field sensor, on the basis of which the digital compass works in navigation programs.
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The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is also carried out immediately by the first letters in contacts. Swype seamless swipe input is not supported by the stock keyboard, but the device comes pre-installed with an alternative third-party keyboard TouchPal with a wider range of settings and features. For the convenience of working with a large screen with one hand, the Smart Touch function is standard for Meizu smartphones. Enabling this mode brings up a virtual round multi-function button on the screen, which, among other things, allows you to move the entire home screen halfway down, just like in the Apple iPhone 6.
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The smartphone supports two SIM-cards. When making a call, you can select the desired card, but you cannot pre-assign one of the SIM cards as the main one for organizing voice calls or sending SMS messages. A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G / 4G networks, however, only one of the cards can operate in this mode at the same time. To change the assignments of card slots, you do not need to swap places - this can be done directly from the phone menu. Working with two SIM-cards is organized according to the usual Dual SIM Dual Standby standard, when both cards can be in active standby mode, but cannot work at the same time - there is only one radio module.
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OS and software
The system uses the latest Google Android software platform version 5.0.1, but the proprietary features of the fifth version of the LolliPop OS with its Material Design, interactive tiles, its own notification curtain, a promising menu of recent open programs, etc. cannot be found here, the interface has been completely modified on your own - the Flyme OS shell is used. The proprietary graphical user interface has the latest serial number 4.5, however, there are almost no innovations, the Flyme shell serial number update is mainly due to the fact that it works with the new version of the Android OS, but otherwise remains almost the same in appearance and capabilities as in previous models of the series.
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Traditionally, much attention has been paid to gesture control. With gestures, you need to open the menu of recently used applications, clear the smartbar and remove it from the screen. That is, otherwise than with a swipe from the bottom up from the bottom edge of the screen, you can’t enter the menu of the last open applications, which is inconvenient. But it is even more inconvenient to close all the programs in it at the same time: if the finger gets at least a little bit in the wrong place, nothing happens, so training is necessary. This whole idea with a lower smartbar is extremely inconvenient, and what is most offensive, users have to suffer with it only because Meizu once headed for copying the iPhone, so to this day they refuse hardware control buttons (except one).
But the use of the central key here is not limited to a simple press: for example, you can return to the previous menu by briefly touching it - this compensates for the lack of a separate hardware back button. You can unlock the screen by swiping anywhere on the display or by double-tapping. You can also immediately unlock the screen with a simultaneous transition to a specific program (camera, for example), but again, you need to remember in which direction which shift works. The aforementioned Smart Touch function with its virtual button, which can be placed anywhere on the screen and repelled from it when using specific gestures, also adds variety to the work with gestures.
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Performance
The Meizu MX5 hardware platform is based on the latest and most powerful of the entire family of MediaTek single-chip systems, and it uses an overclocked modification - MT6795T, called Helio X10 Turbo. This 64-bit platform is made on a 28 nm process technology, it includes eight 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 2.2 GHz.
The modern PowerVR G6200 video accelerator is responsible for processing graphics in the SoC. The amount of RAM of the smartphone is a decent 3 GB. For the needs of the user in the device is available 16, 32 or 64 GB of built-in flash array. The memory cannot be expanded by installing microSD cards, but the device supports connecting external flash drives to the Micro-USB port in OTG mode.
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Meizu MX5 is not the first device to be released on the latest and most productive of the modern SoCs from MediaTek. The Chinese company LeTV has already launched its own LeTV One smartphone based on the Helio X10 platform, and it should be noted that in comparison with it, the results of the Meizu novelty were surprising. Perhaps the developers slightly “strangled” the powerful processor so that the metal case does not heat up too much, or the firmware in the Meizu test samples is still damp, but the Meizu MX5 is on the same platform and with a higher core frequency (2.2 GHz versus 2.0 GHz for LeTV One) showed in all tests the results are the same or even slightly worse than LeTV One.
In comparison with the main opponent, the top Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 platform, the results of Helio X10 were also not impressive. In the comprehensive AnTuTu test, both platforms show parity, and in graphics and browser tests, the Helio X10 performance was noticeably lower than that of the Snapdragon 810. Summing up, we can state that if mid-range and entry-level platforms such as MT6752 and ”in all tests, competing analogues of Qualcomm (Snapdragon 615 and 410), then at the top level for MediaTek everything is not so rosy - at least, this is how it turns out according to the results of the first signs on the new SoC Helio X10 (MT6795).
Be that as it may, the hardware filling of the Meizu MX5 smartphone is in any case productive enough to cope with any tasks set by demanding programs and heavy 3D games. In this regard, the smartphone will remain relevant for a long time.
Testing in the latest versions of AnTuTu and GeekBench 3 comprehensive benchmarks:
For convenience, we have summarized all the results obtained by us when testing a smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks in tables. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the received dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.
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Graphics subsystem testing in 3DMark, GFXBenchmark, and Bonsai Benchmark gaming benchmarks:
When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (due to which the speed can rise above 60 fps).
| Meizu MX5 (Mediatek MT6795T) |
LeTV One (Mediatek MT6795) |
HTC One M9 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 810) |
LG G Flex 2 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 810) |
Nexus 6 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 805) |
|
| 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme (more is better) |
Maxed out! | Maxed out! | Maxed out! | Maxed out! | Maxed out! |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (more is better) |
16390 | 16750 | 20538 | 24102 | 23234 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen) | 27 fps | 26 fps | 37 fps | 46 fps | 23 fps |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen) | 27 fps | 27 fps | 36fps | 46 fps | 29 fps |
| Bonsai Benchmark | 3966 (57fps) | 3874 (55 fps) | 4092 (58fps) | 3613 (52 fps) | 3633 (52 fps) |
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Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them depend significantly on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
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thermal images
Below is a thermal image of the back surface (top right in the image; the lighter, the higher the temperature), obtained after 10 minutes of running a battery test in the GFXBenchmark program:
It can be seen that the heating is higher in the upper part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. However, localization is weak, as the metal back of the case distributes heat well. Also in the picture, plastic inserts are clearly visible at the top and bottom, which, due to low thermal conductivity, have a temperature significantly lower than the metal surface adjacent to them. According to the heat chamber, the maximum temperature was 41 degrees Celsius, which is the average temperature for this test among modern smartphones.
Video playback
To test the "omnivorous" when playing video (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, do not expect everything from a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.
According to the test results, just like the previous models of the series, the next Meizu flagship was pleasantly surprised by the presence of hardware support for the AC3 sound decoder, but it could not play videos in the XviD container without using a third-party player. But even in a third-party MX Player, in order to successfully play them, you will need to switch to the additional Hardware+ decoding mode.
| Format | container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Regular video player |
| DVDRip | AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | not playable | |
| Web-DL SD | AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally with decoder Hardware+ | not playable |
| Web-DL HD | MKV, H.264 1280x720 3000Kbps, AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280x720 4000Kbps, AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920x1080 8000Kbps, AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
Video output features tested Alexey Kudryavtsev.
Video playback
We did not find the MHL interface, as well as Mobility DisplayPort in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video signal playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output frames of video files with different parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p) and 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In tests, we used the MX Player video player in Hardware mode. The test results are summarized in the table:
Red marks indicate possible problems with the playback of the respective files.
According to the frame output criterion, the quality of video files playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) to be displayed with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without frame drops. Except for files with 60 fps, in which case one frame is skipped about once per second due to a non-standard screen refresh rate (approximately 59 Hz). When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in its original resolution. On the test worlds, the features of PenTile appear - the vertical world through the pixel looks like a grid, on the horizontal world with stripes through the pixel there is a typical greenishness. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 - in the shadows, only a couple of shades closest to black do not differ from it in brightness, in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed.
Battery life
The Meizu MX5 has a 3150 mAh non-removable battery worthy of any modern flagship, and it should be noted that in terms of autonomy, the Meizu smartphone significantly outperformed its rival LeTV One on the same platform. And in general, for a smartphone with a huge Full HD screen and top-end hardware stuffing, the Meizu MX5 unexpectedly showed very good autonomy results - much better than the previous model in the line (MX4). In principle, this once again confirms the suspicions that either we are dealing with raw firmware (in terms of achieving maximum performance), or developers from Meizu somehow deliberately “strangled” the productive platform, but in any case, this level of autonomy is not may not be happy. Naturally, it is possible, if necessary, to use the power saving mode provided in the smartphone.
| Battery capacity | Reading mode | Video mode | 3D game mode | |
| Meizu MX5 | 3150 mAh | 15:00 | 11:00 a.m. | 4h 10m |
| LeTV One | 3000 mAh | 10:30 | 8h 20m | 3h 50m |
| HTC One M9 | 2840 mAh | 11:00 a.m. | 8h 20m | 3h 50m |
| Samsung Galaxy S6 | 2550 mAh | 20:00 | 12:00 p.m. | 4 a.m. |
| Samsung Galaxy A7 | 2600 mAh | 22h 10m | 12:00 p.m. | 3h 20m |
| Samsung Note 4 | 3220 mAh | 10:30 | 8:30 a.m. | 3h 50m |
| Google Nexus 6 | 3220 mAh | 18:00 | 10:30 | 3h 40m |
| Lenovo Vibe X2 | 2300 mAh | 13:00 | 6 a.m. | 3h 15m |
| Meizu MX4 | 3100 mAh | 12:00 p.m. | 8h 40m | 3h 45m |
| Meizu MX4 Pro | 3350 mAh | 16:00 | 8h 40m | 3h 30m |
| Sony Xperia Z3 | 3100 mAh | 20:00 | 10:00 a.m. | 4h 50m |
Our own tests in the most common modes of use showed that continuous reading in FBReader (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness set to 100 cd / m²) lasted 15 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and with continuous viewing video in high quality (720p) with the same level of brightness through a home Wi-Fi network, the device lasted at least 11 hours. In the 3D gaming mode, the smartphone confidently worked for more than 4 hours.
The smartphone supports proprietary mCharge fast charging technology, in which the device is able to charge the battery up to 25% in the first 10 minutes, and up to 60% in 40 minutes. The full charging time is less than 1.5 hours.
Outcome
As for the cost of the new flagship, it has not yet been finally determined for our market, but for the Chinese market it is 1799 yuan for the junior model, which in terms of rubles is about 16.5 thousand. This is a very attractive figure, but at such a price, an ordinary retail buyer is unlikely to receive this device, especially a Russian one. According to rumors, the device will be officially presented on the Russian market at a price of 26 thousand rubles.
Meizu's next flagship came out not just good: the main thing is that the new model can rightly be called a successful work on the bugs. Almost everything that was unsuccessfully implemented in previous models of the series has been corrected, refined and improved here. The smartphone received a practical and at the same time cute stylish metal case, the quality of materials and assembly are on top. A good large screen, an improved camera, excellent sound and autonomy, the presence of truly flagship features, such as a fingerprint scanner and a laser rangefinder, complete the rosy picture. The only noticeable disadvantage for the domestic user can be considered the absence of the most common LTE 2600 MHz frequency in Russia, but at such a declared price this is unlikely to stop the majority of thoughtful buyers looking for the best value for money - after all, in this regard, the Meizu MX5 satisfies most of the requirements like no other .
Meizu MX5 is a top class smartphone at a low price. The device is equipped with productive iron, and also has an advanced design. The presentation of the device took place in June 2015.
Appearance and ergonomics
Meizu MX5 got an all-metal body, which has undergone a truly meticulous processing. A multi-level anodizing process was used here. 12-nozzle sandblasting three-dimensional metal processing is also applied. The final stage of case production is careful polishing and painting. Some internal parts of the phone are made of magnesium alloy, which significantly strengthens the gadget. The corners of the case are neatly rounded. As for the side faces, they are sloping. It should be noted high-quality assembly, as well as very strong aluminum. There is a protective glass on the front that covers the entire panel. The mTouch 2.0 navigation button, along with the fingerprint scanner, is located under the screen. On the top end, you can find only a headphone jack, and on the bottom - a microUSB port, a microphone and an external speaker. The device is equipped with a 3150 mAh battery with support for mCharge fast charging. Available colors: silver, gold, dark gray and light gray. Dimensions: height - 149.9 mm, thickness - 7.6 mm, width - 74.7 mm, weight - 149 g.
Display
The MX5 has a 5.5-inch screen with an advanced AMOLED matrix. Thanks to this, the display boasts an excellent contrast ratio (10,000:1) and a high level of maximum brightness. It uses MiraVision technology, which makes the image crystal clear. At the same time, the user's eyes practically do not get tired. The resolution of this display is 1920 x 1080 pixels, which allows you to enjoy a smooth and realistic picture without separate pixels. It is also worth highlighting the wide viewing angles, and the colors almost do not change even when tilted.
Hardware and performance
Inside the MX5 smartphone is an eight-core Helio X10 Turbo processor with overclocked cores up to 2200 MHz. This chip not only has a stable high power, but also economically consumes battery power. There is a PowerVR G6200 3D accelerator and 3 GB LPDDR3 RAM (dual-channel mode). Available amount of built-in memory: 32 GB or 16 GB. There is no separate microSD card slot. The device uses the Flyme 4.5 shell for its work, which modifies the Android 5 operating system. So, in the AnTuTu test, such a gadget scores more than 51,000 points. A lot of games run at the highest graphics settings. The system works very fast.
Communication and sound
In Meizu MX5, you can insert two SIM cards at once. FDD-LTE and TD-LTE networks are supported. The multimedia speaker got an extremely high volume margin, and with a clear sound. The sound quality of the headphones is very good. This is truly a "musical" smartphone. It should be noted and high-quality conversational speaker.
Camera
The progressive 20.7-megapixel IMX220 camera from Sony has undergone some improvements in the software area in the Meise MX5. Thanks to this, sharpness has improved, and the color gamut has become more natural. Thanks to fast laser focusing and an abundance of modes, you can create great photos at any time of the day. It also houses a 5-megapixel front camera with f/2.2 aperture and FotoNation 2.2 technology. Now pictures are improved in real time without post-processing.
findings
With the help of extensive improvements, the MX5 turned out to be an almost perfect smartphone with high performance. Advanced cameras and a juicy display stand out in particular. The kit includes documentation, a paper clip for the tray, a USB cable and a power adapter.
Pros:
- Sturdy and beautiful metal body.
- Very decent performance in real tasks.
- Two modified cameras.
- Excellent sound in speakers and headphones.
- Fast fingerprint scanner.
Minuses:
- LTE frequencies do not function everywhere.
- It may lack a radio and a microSD slot.
Specifications Meizu MX5
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Model | Meizu MX5 |
| Date of announcement and start of sales | June 2015 / July 2015 |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 149.9 x 74.7 x 7.6 mm. |
| The weight | 149 |
| Available colors | gold, silver, dark grey, light gray |
| Operating system | Android 5.0.1 (Lollipop) + Flyme Flyme 4.5.2 |
| Connection | |
| Number and type of SIM cards | two, Nano-SIM, dual stand-by |
| Communication standard in 2G networks | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 |
| Communication standard in 3G networks | HSDPA |
| Communication standard in 4G networks | LTE |
| Compatibility with telecom operators | MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2, Yota |
| Data transfer | |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 4.1, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | yes, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS |
| NFC | No |
| infrared port | No |
| Platform | |
| CPU | octa-core Mediatek MT6795 Helio X10 (Octa-core 2.2GHz Cortex-A53) |
| GPU | PowerVR G6200 |
| Inner memory | 16 GB / 32 GB |
| RAM | 3GB |
| Ports and Connectors | |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, USB On-The-Go |
| 3.5mm jack | there is |
| Memory card slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display type | AMOLED capacitive, 16M colors |
| Screen size | 5.5 inches (~74.5% of device face) |
| Display protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Camera | |
| Main camera | 20.7 MP (f/2.2, 1/2.3″, 1.2 µm), laser autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash |
| Functionality of the main camera | Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama |
| Video recording | [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] |
| Front-camera | 5 MP, f/2.2, [email protected] |
| Sensors and Sensors | |
| illumination | there is |
| Approximations | there is |
| Gyroscope | there is |
| Compass | there is |
| Hall | No |
| Accelerometer | there is |
| Barometer | No |
| Fingerprint scanner | there is |
| Battery | |
| Battery type and capacity | Li-Ion 3150 mAh |
| Battery mount | fixed |
| Equipment | |
| Standard kit | MX5:1 USB cable: 1 SIM eject tool: 1 User manual: 1 Warranty card: 1 Charger: 1 |
Prices
Video reviews
Six months ago, my old smartphone began to work poorly: it would spontaneously turn off, then freeze. At that time, I decided to buy Meizu MX4, but after reading the reviews, I decided to wait a bit. The network was full of rumors about the new MX5. What they just didn’t write there: about a 30 megapixel camera, and about a 4k screen. Rumors were rumors, only the presentation / sale date was reliably known - June 30th. I had to wait patiently. June ended and I started monitoring the web for the first reviews/reviews. After reading several reviews and talking with my amphibian, I decided to take it. If anyone is interested in what came of this, I ask under the cut (a lot of photos and text).
In the early days, there were few sellers of the MX5. It was possible to take it on gearbest by pre-order, but after reading the reviews about the store, I had to abandon this idea. On AliExpress, the choice of sellers was not very large, all with a good rating. Having chosen a seller with a small price and a good rating, I ordered a phone.
I wanted to write a little about delivery, but I'm afraid there will be a lot of text, so if you are interested, we open the spoiler.
delivery
I ordered the phone on July 6th. The description of the goods said that for delivery to Russia, you must select the "Seller's Shipping Method". The essence of the delivery is that first one transport company (local) delivers to the border in China, then a "specially trained" smuggler goes border with a phone hidden in pants or under a hat.All customs clearance issues fall on this mysterious person.Then, through the Russian transport company (in my case, CDEK), the phone is sent to the buyer.In practice, delivery to large cities should be around 8-10 days. In the order, one track number is first given, then the seller writes the CDEK track number in a message.I had a trip abroad scheduled for July 23. I thought that the phone should arrive in 15 days.
Everything went fine at first. The phone reached the border of China in the prescribed 5-7 days. Then the seller gave me a CDEK track number. I waited a day or two, on the order tracking page it said: the shipment is expected to be transferred from the sender. On the third day, I turned to the seller: “Dear Chinese person, the status of the track number does not change, what will we do next?”. Literally the next day I got this reply:
“Dear buyer. Have a nice day and happy shopping. May your life be counted in hundreds of years and that you always buy from us in China. We have problems at the border, a trained Chinese put on holes in his pants, and the phones fell out along the way, so you have to wait a bit. All registrations in CDEK are secret, and we will soon solve this problem by hiring another Chinese.
If you receive this package in 21-25 days after shipping, we will refund 5$;
If you receive this package in 26-30 days after shipping, we will refund 8$;
If you receive this package more than 30 days after shipping, we will issue a $12 refund
I am autumn-autumn sorry for this bad situations. Let your patience be like the height of the Eiffel Tower.
Nothing to do but wait. A week has flown by, and there has been no change in status. On the eve of departure on July 22, I looked at the status and saw that the goods were transferred to CDEK and began to move. The saddest thing is that the pre-delivery date was July 27, and I will be outside my homeland at that time. There was a button on the tracking page to change the address and delivery time, but nothing was active there, since the goods had not yet arrived in my city. There was also an online assistant on the CDEK website. Having contacted him via chat, I explained the situation and wrote that I would be in the city on August 1. The online assistant made a note in the order, and I calmed down.
Already on vacation, I found out that on July 24 the phone arrived in my city. One day was not enough :(. I spent my vacation without a phone.
In total, instead of the prescribed 8-10 days, the phone reached me in 18 days. Most of the time, the phone must have been crawling across the China-Russia border.
August 1 (Saturday) I phoned CDEK. I found out how they work, canceled home delivery, since the delivery was only on Monday (August 3), got into the car and went to pick up the package.
After receiving the package right in the car, I opened the package to look at the phone.
The first impression when I opened the package was how big it is.
Another spoiler for parcel lovers
In principle, there is nothing interesting under the spoiler.
CDEK packaging 
Inside the package, in which they were transferred to the transport company CDEK. There is also a sticker on the back, however, everything is in Chinese 
Inside is a good packaging made of polyethylene foam, rewound with a wide adhesive tape 
Well, then the egg is in the duck, that duck is in the hare, that hare is in the chest, and the chest is standing ...
The box is made of thick cardboard, so it's not easy to wrinkle it. In addition to the phone, the seller put two protective films, an OTG cable, a silicone case and an adapter for our sockets in the package.
The box was a little wrinkled around the edges, but we didn’t buy a box :).
There is a sticker on the back of the box that lists the model and main frequencies. Unfortunately, FDD LTE only has two frequencies available on channels B1 and B3. B7 (2600MHz) is not there. This is the first inconsistency with the description, I will write about this a little later.
We open the box. The box is made like a book on which something is written in Chinese
To the right of the phone, under the cardboard, there is a charger and a paperclip for pulling out the SIM card slot.
Consider the charger.
The charger uses Quick Charge technology. That is, voltage up to 12 V can be applied to the device.
Charger with adapter
The adapter looks strange. At first I did not understand that the adapter itself must always sit in the outlet, and any other devices can be inserted into it.
Everything would be fine, I would leave the adapter in the socket, only it is held there uncertainly.
I started to check the dimensions and understood why it happened.
Here is a comparison with a normal fork
Here you can see that the seat is smaller by about 3-4 mm, so the adapter plug does not fully fit into the outlet.
And here is a comparison of the pins
Here you can also see that the pins are a couple of millimeters shorter. As a result, the adapter sits loosely in the outlet.
Under the phone is a warranty card and a USB cable 
USB cable is hard. The cable is almost 1 meter long. 
Warranty card in Chinese
Warranty card
So we got to the phone. The phone has Chinese stickers on both sides, which shows the main elements of the phone.
Consider the phone from different angles
Bottom of phone: 
From left to right - speaker holes, micro-USB, microphone holes.
Left-hand side: 
On this side there is only a tray for SIM-cards.
Phone top: 
From left to right - headphone jack, microphone hole (for noise reduction)
Right side: 
Volume rocker and power button.
At the back is the camera, LED flash and laser rangefinder. 
We turn on the phone. We are greeted by the company logo, and then the Flyme shell is loaded 
Since the old smartphone had a regular SIM from 2003, I had to go to the operator's office and change it to a nano-SIM. Yes, I forgot to say, MX5 is a dual SIM phone. Two nano-SIMs are used there. To pull out the SIM card tray, use a special paper clip 
The first tray is closer to the edge. Numbers are very finely stamped on the tray - SIM numbers 
Slowly we got to the internals/components of the phone.
Phone Specifications: 
Appearance
After my 4 inch phone, the MX5 seems huge at 5.5 inches. In my opinion, this is the limit in size, which should not be increased. It is difficult to operate the phone with one hand. The thumb does not reach the top of the screen, and my hand is rather big.
Phone dimensions: 149.9mm X 74.6mm x 7.6mm
Weight: 149 g.
Meizu releases MX5 in several colors. The back cover is silver. Front black, white. In the future, they are preparing a color scheme in golden color, but so far there are no such phones on sale.
On the front panel there is one button, it is also a fingerprint scanner.
The scanner works well and quickly, I have never had false positives.
The back cover is made of aluminum, top and bottom plastic inserts. There is a small groove between these elements. 
For some reason, many owners, and even more non-owners of the MX5, write that this groove interferes, that dirt will accumulate there, and stuff like that. For me, this is a normal solution, I don’t see anything wrong. I like it, and it doesn't bring any comfort.
Screen
Here Meizu abandoned their traditions and did not install a non-standard screen. This phone has a standard Full HD resolution of 1920x1080. Is this good or bad? Here is a moot point. If in MX4 the width of the screen was increased and due to this, visually it did not look so long. But at the software level, problems sometimes arose, since not all programs / toys were optimized for this resolution, and even when watching movies, there were black bars on top and bottom.
Meizu also sacrificed the tradition and did not install an IPS screen, but installed an Amoled screen from Samsung. If many resigned themselves to the screen resolution, then the last step of Meizu scared away many people from buying. In fact, the eternal debate about what is better Amoled vs IPS, Intel vs AMD or nVidia GeForce vs AMD Radeon has not subsided so far, and each technology / device has both serious pluses and minuses.
What is the difference between an Amoled screen and an IPS one?
Let's dive into the technology a bit to understand how the screens differ. I will explain in a simple way so that everyone can understand.
An IPS screen consists of a kind of sandwich: a lamp (LEDs) - an LCD matrix, a sensor, and glass. If you turn on the IPS screen, then the lamp under the matrix is always on. Depending on which pixel on the matrix transmits light and which does not, we see the image.
Amoled has a different sandwich: each pixel is a separate small LED, then a sensor and glass. Naturally, if we use black on the screen, then the LEDs do not light up. This results in savings. But if we use white light, then the LEDs in total consume more energy than the backlight on IPS.
If you write the pros of Amoled, then they will be like this:
1) economical when using dark colors on the screen;
2) the darkest black color;
3) large maximum brightness;
4) the ability to use only certain pixels, and not the entire screen;
5) saturated colors;
6) maximum viewing angles.
Cons for Amoled will naturally be pluses for IPS:
1) IPS screen more natural colors;
2) white color on IPS looks white. On Amoled, white goes green or yellow at high angles.
3) the IPS screen has a greater screen clarity at the same resolution. This is due to the fact that on Amoled screens, pixels of different colors are arranged in a certain way due to the different brightness of LEDs of different colors.
If we ignore theory and move on to practice, then for the average user, by and large, it doesn’t matter what screen it costs. For me, this was not an obstacle to buying a phone. And when I evaluated the screen live, after 2 weeks, I can say that the screen is no better and no worse than IPS (it's just a little different). Many people like the juicy picture. At Full HD resolution, the clarity of the screen is such that it is not possible to see a specific pixel without a magnifying glass (15 pixels per 1 mm in length is very difficult to see). White as white, I rarely look at wild angles at the phone. Usually in the morning I see the alarm clock with sleepy eyes, but then I don’t care what white it is :).
The phone uses Gorilla Glass 3 with an oleophobic coating. There are no comments here. Capacitive screen, supports 10 touches. 
Communication and connection
On the 4Pda forum in the MX5 topic, every two pages a question arises, does it support MX5 4G. As I wrote above, the ranges b1, b3, b38, b39, b40, b41 are supported. There is no favorite b7 range for everyone, although it is present in the specification on the site. Whether this range will be in the international version of the phone, which will be officially sold in Russia, no one knows. There is an opinion that these frequencies were disabled by software, but so far no one knows how to enable them.
Also on the forum the question often arises that 3G does not work. The easiest answer to this question is to update Flyme to version 4.5.2.4A (not lower).
In general, all communications work normally.
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Support 2.4GHz/5.0GHz. The wifi analyzer did not take screenshots, and so the review is overloaded with information, and the signal level is a purely individual parameter that depends not only on the phone, but also on many other factors.
speed test 
My network is 60 Mbps. On a computer and on a tablet via wi-fi, the download speed was 30-32 Mbps.
Navigation and GPS
Here, too, everything is fine. There is GPS, GLONASS and another Chinese system. Catches satellites quickly. Navitel started up without problems. 
Memory
The phone has 3 GB of memory. This volume is enough for any resource-intensive applications. I bought a 32 gig phone. Out of the box in the memory section was 29.12 GB, and free 24 GB. To be honest, I do not understand where you can put 8 gigs. In my opinion, even for the system it's too much. Other people with MX5 have a similar problem.
Camera
Rear camera 20.7 Mp, front 5 Mp.
Let's start with the front. In Skype, the camera picked up normally, the interlocutor sees me perfectly.
Good for a selfie. My physiognomy flatly refused to be photographed, despite persuasion :-). Then I noticed a cat that did not suspect anything. She had to take pictures. 
The originals can be viewed.
The rear camera has a dual flash, a laser rangefinder.
The pictures are average, but they can not be called bad either. For example, I will give a few photos under the spoiler
Main camera
Photos in nature in sunny weather 
Enlarged part from the boat (100%) 
Here you can read the name, although it is clear that some kind of processing is present (similar to handshake noise reduction).
Filmed in the children's room
No light, only flash 
Same room with lighting 
My LED lamps are a little yellow, so there is a slight tint. On the SLR, similar photos are obtained.
Now I'll experiment with the modes
Auto mode 
Macro mode (closer did not work, does not focus) 
Manual mode with manual focus 
Macro mode with manual focus 
Played around with focus:
close object 
distant object 
Many on the forums write that the camera is bad ... I would say that it is an ordinary soap box. If you shoot smartly and in manual mode, you get quite decent photos. By the way, I only shoot in manual mode. I do not understand how you can shoot on the machine. Those who have learned to shoot on Smena 8M with a manual exposure meter and a detachable rangefinder will understand me.
According to the experience with MX4, which initially also had a not very good camera, and then in subsequent firmware the situation changed radically for the better, I think that the MX5 camera has potential.
The originals can be viewed.
Sound
Here I pass. No, of course I can write, something like: “Cymbals remained restrained and not very musical. Maracas are somewhat sketchy, they lack clarity. In male vocals, there is some exaltation on the upper notes, which not only interferes with listening, but changes the soul of the vocal, ”but I don’t have an ear for music. My feelings on the sound may be: “this sounds cool ... but this is complete ****.” On the forums they write that the sound of the MX5 is between the MX4 and MX4 pro. My feeling is that the sound in the speakers does not choke and does not wheeze. When talking on the phone, the interlocutor is heard well and they hear me well too. That is, no manipulations to improve the sound need to be done, as in MX4. There is sound in the headphones, I can’t evaluate its quality (sorry, not a music lover).
Hardware and performance
The phone uses a processor MT6795T, 2.2 GHz, 64Bit, 8 cores.
PowerVR G6200 is responsible for the graphics
Such a bundle provides good smartphone performance.
synthetic tests
Now let's find out who has more pussy of virtual parrots
AnTuTu 
CPU-Z 
NenaMark2 
Epic Citadel 
3D mark 
quadrant 
Battery and autonomy
The MX5 has a 3150mAh non-removable battery. This battery is enough for a day with very intensive use. More precisely, even so, I have never managed to discharge the battery in one day.
Here are screenshots of using the phone for examples. The phone quietly lasted 2 days in productive mode 
Antutu Tester Tests 
On average, with my use, the phone quietly lasts 2-3 days (few calls, few games, wifi, browser, programs).
I wrote that the charger supports Quick Charge technology, this technology allows you to charge a completely discharged phone in 1.5 hours.
System and interface
Meizu uses its own Flyme skin for its phones. On the one hand it is good, on the other hand it is bad. The good thing is that the phone practically does not need to be configured, like bare Android. By customization, I mean that the user will not dig into system files to improve something. For example, some install their own bootloaders and use firmware mods. This cannot be done here. The system, one might say, is closed, like IOS. With this approach, it is almost impossible to get a brick from MX5.
On the other hand, the poor settings are a bit alarming. In general, the interface is thought out, but some little things are missing.
findings
Have I reached this point? I've been writing a review for a few days now.
Probably, I will not write the pros and cons. I posted too much information here. Let everyone decide for himself whether the phone is worth the money and whether it is worth buying. I can only write my subjective opinion after two weeks of using the phone.
In general, I like it, I did not regret that I bought it. The interface flies, there are no brakes even in heavy toys. In principle, everything suits.
Happy shopping!
I plan to buy +8 Add to favorites Liked the review +35 +61Smartphone manufacturers pay a lot of attention to devices that, while not breaking the bank, are of very high quality. An example is the fantastic products of Asus, Alcatel and many phones from Chinese manufacturers. The fact that high class doesn't necessarily mean expensive was further confirmed when the ZTE Axon Phone, OnePlus 2, Moto X Style and Moto X Play hit the market in 2015. They were joined by Meizu MX5, whose characteristics make it possible to attribute it to the flagship models. Has this smartphone been able to stand out from the ever-growing and impressive crowd? This review attempts to find out.
Case design
The Meizu MX5 phone retained much of its predecessor's design and acquired a still familiar look, the origin of which is obvious. Unlike previous iterations of this flagship line, which used a metal frame and plastic back, the manufacturer decided to move to an all-metal construction, rounded at the edges, framing a large display and providing first-class tactile sensations, as befits a smartphone of this class.
An easily noticeable difference in the design of the generations is the presence of a physical button to go to the home screen with an integrated fingerprint scanner, which replaced the predecessor's capacitive sensor, which also served as a notification indicator. This was the reason for placing the LED in a more traditional position above the display. The Home button at times seems too cheap, which is not very good given its versatility - in addition to these actions, it also serves as a back key.
After examining the device, on its right side you can find the power switch, and below - the volume rocker, placed within easy reach. On the opposite side is a dual SIM slot. The buttons may not be of the highest quality, but offer a decent tactile feel and good responsiveness. The headphone jack is located at the top, and at the bottom there is a microUSB port, a microphone and a single speaker.
The design of the MX5 follows the evolutionary path of its predecessors. From a distance, the smartphone looks like a combination of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but up close it becomes clear that the style is typical of Meizu, with the exception of the new Home button with a fingerprint sensor.
The glass on the front is mounted in an all-metal frame that is shiny enough to be visible from the front of the phone. The frame of the screen goes into a metal case. The edges are rounded towards the back to fit comfortably in the hand and have a smooth matte finish. The coating was specifically mentioned by the manufacturer during the presentation of the smartphone as a complex 68-step, 30-day process for processing a 21-gram case. And the efforts made really pay off with a beautiful appearance - the surface speaks of the high quality of the product, worthy of the flagship title. However, the metal case interferes with the signal flow, so as a compromise, there are two strips of high-quality PPS plastic on the top and bottom of the phone. They are hard to distinguish from metal at first, but after a month of use they become shiny from the many prints left on them. There is also a small metal strip that separates the metal from the plastic, and it feels like a surface roughness. It is small, but if you run your hand over it, it immediately announces its presence, probably because the plastic is a little thicker than the case.
The smooth metal surface and smooth edges make the smartphone often slip out of hands and fall. This is also the case with the MX5. Several factors are responsible for this: the thickness, weight and size of the phone. 7.6 mm is not enough to hold securely in the hands, and the design does not contribute to this. 149g of weight is too much to stop slippage. As a result, you will need to purchase a case for Meizu MX5 or the owner will have to put up with the presence of scratches on the edges and several dents on the plastic part of the phone. But even after a couple of heavy accidental drops, not a single scratch appeared on the metal polished to a mirror finish, which once again confirms what efforts were invested by the manufacturer. The third factor, size, is dictated by the display.
Meizu MX5: review of screen characteristics
The thin bezel display dominates the front of the phone, leaving little space for the LEDs, front camera and sensors at the top of the phone and the Home button at the bottom. The screen is a 5.5-inch full HD panel that not only achieves a thickness of 7.6mm but is remarkable in many ways. The infinite contrast AMOLED display is beautiful in almost all ambient lighting conditions. Thanks to this technology, not only excellent colors are reproduced, and the phone can be used in bright sunlight - the Meizu MX5 screen view is maintained at a large angle. The smartphone is capable of ultra-high brightness or dims it when necessary, covering the entire gamut of the NTSC color space. Moreover, it uses the Miravision image processing algorithm from MediaTek. It resembles the CABC technology found in other flagship phones. Laminated displays were the backbone of Meizu's products, but the MX5's properly tuned, not-too-saturated AMOLED screen took the company to the next level. True, according to user reviews, the sub-pixel tile arrangement used in it becomes noticeable in experiments with virtual reality.
In the Meizu MX5 Pro version, the screen size has increased to 5.7 inches while maintaining the pixel count of 1080 x 1920.
Photo quality
The Sony IMX220 camera with a 20.7-megapixel sensor, f2.2 aperture and a six-element lens has already been used before the Meizu MX5. An overview of its characteristics is almost the same as the MX4 Pro camera, but the manufacturer claims that it has become better thanks to improved algorithms. The result is nice daylight photos with accurate white and color balance, but the sensor's 1.2µm pixels and aperture are not conducive to shooting in low light, as photos tend to come out blurry.
The clarity of the pictures is probably too great, but this is very subjective. However, those who want to change some image properties will be disappointed - in the basic Meizu MX5 camera application, sharpness settings and even saturation cannot be changed. The interface is very simple, with quick access to modes and filters. HDR photos are good, but are best taken with enough light and steady hands. The same goes for macro, but in all cases, even in low light conditions, focusing is accurate and fast thanks to the laser AF module located just below the camera's round lens. It sits next to a dual-color flash that, depending on the scene, produces neutral, hot, or cold flashes of light. The way the laser autofocus and flash have been combined into a single unit deserves special praise. Like most modern flagships, another positive quality Meizu MX5 reviews call the ability to manually change the exposure in the standard camera application.
The camera app is very simple and easy to use, with quick access to many different modes, such as manual, which allows you to control shutter speed, ISO, exposure and focus. Light Field, for example, takes many shots with different focus points, which makes it possible to adjust the focus after the fact. Shooting in auto mode makes for great photos, and it's amazing how good they can look. Dynamic range is excellent, but a lot depends on the user - the Auto mode should automatically build on the best image, but this doesn't always happen.
Touching the viewfinder helps to focus and adjust light, but is sometimes finicky. The user has to make sure they touch the right spot for the camera to focus and adjust the light in that area. A small shift can result in an image that is too dark or too bright and takes a few tries to get right, which is a little annoying. The HDR mode helps with this, but it takes a second or two to take a picture.
The smartphone is also equipped with a 5-megapixel front camera that allows you to take good self-portraits. The photos are well detailed, but keep in mind that the camera favors the main subject, leaving the background a little blurry. In Beauty mode, you can change the size of the eyes, make the face thinner, etc.
Video filming
In the Meizu MX5 smartphone, the camera can record 4K video using the new HEVC H.265 codec, as well as slow motion at 100 fps in 720p, along with other standard resolutions and frame rates. Video quality is very good in 4K and surprising in slow motion because it's pretty rare for phones to get decent high frame rate video compression other than the iPhone. The MX5 has become a rare exception in this regard.
4K with HEVC and slow motion is made possible by Mediatek Helio X10 chip with 8 A53 cores running at 2.2GHz and PowerVR G6200 GPU. 3GB of RAM easily handles multitasking and full HD resolution without straining the processor.
Performance
To understand the performance of Mediatek, you can use the results of checking the work of Meizu MX5. The specifications of the Helio X10 match the Snapdragon 805 processor, except for some graphics tests. In normal use, the difference will not be noticeable, because the operation of most phones is optimized, and the MX5 is no exception. During daily use of the smartphone, its performance does not deteriorate, and the system continues to function normally with many applications in the background. In games, the phone behaves as expected, and overheating is not a problem to worry about. Of course, the MX5 heats up like any other smartphone, but it doesn't turn into a furnace despite the metal construction and is under control even under stressful conditions, which is quite satisfactory.
Helio X10 is also responsible for the dual nano SIM slot. The chip supports LTE at 1800 and 2300 MHz (channels 3 and 40), and of course both SIM slots are 4G capable, providing all the usual control options.
ROM size
The storage capacity of a smartphone is its critical characteristic, since the memory of the Meizu MX5 cannot be expanded using memory cards. It does not have an appropriate slot, so the user is forced to be content with what the manufacturer has allocated to him. Meizu MX5 16GB allocates about 4.56 GB to the system and leaves 11 GB to the user. If this is not enough, then you should choose devices with more ROM (32 and 64 GB), which are significantly more expensive than the base model.
The Meizu MX5 Pro smartphone already has a slot for microSD memory cards with a capacity of up to 256 GB. This was made possible by a second SIM card slot.
mtouch technology
While the price is low on the Meizu MX5, the phone has a lot of flagship features such as a fingerprint sensor. The MX4 Pro was the manufacturer's first device with mTouch technology, but it looks like it has been improved and called mTouch 2.0. This is a physical button with a biometric fingerprint input and recognition sensor hidden under glass. Meizu devices have always had one Home key, so replacing it with a sensor must have come in handy, but caused a special indicator to appear above the display instead of the previous circular backlight on the capacitive home screen key. This new piece of hardware is internally protected to keep water or sweat out of the sensor. Users feel sorry for the loss of the ability to double or long press the phone's glow-in-the-dark button to lock and unlock it, but the change can quickly get used to.
mTouch 2.0 technology exceeds all expectations when it comes to its performance. It is extremely fast and works well even with dirty glass, but of course sometimes you have to give it a second chance. The level of accuracy is high, and the system allows up to five fingers to be enrolled to unlock the device immediately, except in a few rare cases. In terms of security, the Meizu MX5 phone is reliable. It uses an encoded TEE chip that stores all fingerprint data locally that is not otherwise accessible.
The capacitive mTouch technology also acts as a back button with a single soft touch, while a hard press brings up the home screen. This dual functionality is one of the many tricks of Flyme OS, the fully customizable user interface on top of Android 5.0 Lollipop on the Meizu MX5. The phone's firmware has been updated with many new features and tweaks since the MX2, and it's nice to see the interface is more consistent than before.
User Interface
The Meizu MX5 launcher is also of interest. The phone's firmware contains a user interface that consists of screens filled with delightfully minimalistic applications. By default the icons have a fresh look and most of them are customizable thanks to the app which is a pre-installed icon pack. There are also plenty of customization options and, thankfully, the necessary Google programs are there, unlike the Meizu hardware sold in China. The user interface is fast and smooth, mostly maintaining a high frame rate, but some pre-installed apps crash from time to time, especially the browser. But it's Android, so there's too much choice to complain about that sort of thing.
The single speaker at the bottom of the phone doesn't sound the best, but it's far from the worst either. It does feel a bit tinny at times, but overall it makes for an enjoyable music experience, and the MX5 is certainly capable of playing it very loudly. As with any bottom speaker, it's fairly easy to cover up when holding the phone in landscape orientation, but the curve along that side eliminates that issue to some degree, albeit a little.
Battery life
Playing videos, or even just using your phone consumes battery power. 3150 mAh of capacity is enough for one day, while leaving very little charge at the end. This happens when using the smartphone with medium intensity. Screen operating time ranges from 3 to 3.5 hours until the battery is completely discharged with additional loads in the form of continuous use of the mobile Internet, modem and Twitter. Thus, it turns out about 18 hours of standby time. And, like a true flagship, the phone has a fast charging technology called mCharge, which, with a dedicated charger, restores the MX5's battery from 0 to 25% in 10 minutes, and up to 60% in 40 minutes.
Meizu MX5: an overview of the advantages and disadvantages
One of the key aspects of these types of devices is their cost. The Meizu MX5, which is priced at $339 for the 16GB version and $459 for the 64GB model, excels in this regard. The smartphone is available in black, gold and silver. The performance is smooth, the display is good, the battery life is impressive, the camera is solid, the build is very good and the phone fits comfortably in the hand. Despite the low cost of Meizu MX5, owner reviews call it a true flagship device. The smartphone is well-designed, looks beautiful, takes decent pictures with fast autofocus, supports advanced technologies such as fingerprint authentication, and for relatively little money, it makes you feel like you own a high-end phone. At the same time, however, you will have to purchase a case to protect the metal and glass, so as not to prematurely hand over the Meizu MX5 for repair. You will also need to put up with limited storage options if the buyer is short of money. However, with the low price of the Meizu MX5 16GB, the phone should be at the top of the list of potential purchases.
The flagship Meizu MX5 received an all-metal body that hides a more recent processor, 3 GB of RAM and two SIM cards. And he, in comparison with the predecessor MX4, changed the type of display and added a fingerprint scanner. To what extent the advantages of the novelty outweigh its disadvantages, Vesti.Hi-tech found out.
At the very end of June, Meizu introduced its new MX5 gaming smartphone, which replaced the one that has not yet lost its relevance. Since not even a year has passed since the release of the last one, the next incarnation of the leader has become, for the most part, a work on the bugs. However, it also took into account successful options that have proven themselves in other devices. This, in particular, concerns the appearance of a mechanical button with a built-in fingerprint scanner, which was first seen in the "musical" flagship. The MX5 is currently available in 16 GB and 32 GB versions. A little later, they promise a variant with 64 GB in a golden case.
Specifications
- Model: MX5 (M575H)
- OS: Android 5.0.1 (Lollipop) with Flyme OS 4.5.2.5I shell
- Processor: 64-bit MediaTek MT6795 Helio X10 Turbo, ARM big.LITTLE GTS architecture, 8-core ARM Cortex-A53 2.2GHz
- Graphics co-processor: PowerVR G6200 MP4 (700 MHz)
- RAM: 3 GB, 2-channel LPDDR3 (933 MHz)
- Storage Memory: 16/32/64 GB
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), microUSB (USB 2.0) for charging / synchronization, USB-OTG, 3.5 mm for headphones
- Screen: capacitive touchscreen, manufactured by Samsung, Super AMOLED-matrix, On-Cell technology, diagonal 5.5 inches, resolution 1920x1080 pixels, pixel density per inch 401 ppi, brightness 350 cd/sq. m, contrast ratio 10,000:1, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Cameras: main - 20.7 MP, Sony IMX220 Exmor RS, 6 lenses, f / 2.2 aperture, infrared autofocus (laser), dual flash, digital zoom; front - 5 MP, wide-angle lens, 4 lenses, f/2.0 aperture, Full video [email protected] fps
- Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE, WCDMA/HSPA+, FDD-LTE (Cat. 4)
- SIM card: two nanoSIM (4FF format), DSDS mode
- Navigation: GPS/GLONASS/Beidou (BDS), A-GPS
- Sensors: gyroscope, digital compass, accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, biometric sensor (mTouch fingerprint scanner)
- Battery: non-removable, lithium-ion, 3 150 mAh
- Colors: silver with black bezel, silver with white bezel, graphite, gold
- Dimensions: 149.9x74.7x7.6 mm
- Weight: 149 grams
Design, ergonomics
Retaining the main features of the corporate design of Meizu smartphones,
the new flagship has got a monolithic metal unibody-case. The company, in particular, claims that it takes up to 30 days to turn 250 grams of T6063 aircraft grade aluminum into a 21-gram frame. The technological process consists of several stages, which use dozens of different procedures, while the processing accuracy is 0.01 mm. Recall that the previous flagship was limited only to a metal frame, while the back cover of the device was removable.
However, the current novelty was only 2 grams heavier (149 g vs. 147 g). By the way, additional stiffening ribs appeared in the design of the MX5 case. But the use of a Super AMOLED screen instead of IPS in Meizu explains the decrease in the thickness of the device from 8.9 mm to 7.6 mm.
It is easy to be convinced of the compactness of the device if we compare its dimensions in terms of, for example, with the largest "style icon", the 5.5-inch Apple iPhone 6 Plus - 149.9x74.7 mm versus 158.1x77.8 mm.
So that the antennas are not shielded by metal, two inserts made of polyphenyl sulfide (PPS, PolyPhenylene Sulfide) were provided, a material that is distinguished not only by high strength and elasticity, but also by good radio transmission.
The visual difference between anodized aluminum alloy and PPS finish could not be leveled (or did not want to?). In addition, these two materials are separated by embossed stripes. The smartphone is available in four colors: silver with a black front panel, silver with a white front panel, graphite and gold. For the test, we got a variant in the first color version with 16 GB of internal memory.
The entire front surface of the case, including the screen, is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, which is coated with an oleophobic coating.
Above the screen are (from left to right) a notification LED, a narrow speaker grille, light and proximity sensors, and a front camera lens.
A significant difference between the flagship MX5 and became a mechanical button with a built-in fingerprint scanner mTouch 2.0, which replaced the round touch key "Home" under the screen.
A closed slot appeared on the left edge, where a tray is installed for two subscriber identification modules of the nanoSIM format.
A figurative key clip with the Flyme inscription is included. Recall that there is only one microSIM card, which is hidden under the back cover.
On the right edge, where the previous flagship has only a volume rocker, the power / lock button has moved.
The top end now has a 3.5mm audio headset jack and a hole for a second microphone.
The bottom end has not changed much - here, as before, there is a microUSB connector for charging and communication with a computer, surrounded by a "multimedia" speaker grill (in the form of four round holes) and a hole for a conversational microphone. Incidentally, the "5-star" mounting screws on the sides of the aforementioned connector are design elements.
On the back panel, which was not forgotten to be decorated with the Meizu logo, two holes were provided,
one for the main camera lens, which protrudes slightly above the surface, and the other is divided between a two-color LED flash and infrared autofocus.
As already noted, despite the rather large screen size (5.5 inches), the new smartphone not only looks compact - it is really comfortable and easy to hold in your hand. The slightly rough surface of the back panel is pleasant to the touch and slightly cools the palm.
The fingerprint scanner
The first version of the mechanical button with an integrated mTouch 2.0 scanner made its debut in the "musical" flagship. In the MX5, its shape has become more rounded, while outwardly it is almost indistinguishable from the mBack key that appeared in the smartphone. By the way, it inherited its basic functionality from the latter. So, a normal touch (tap) to this button activates the "Back" function, a short press with a hardware "click" returns to the main screen ("Home"), while a long press (hold) turns off the screen backlight. Meizu claims to have made a second version of the button, with a stainless steel frame, simpler and more convenient, and most importantly, durable - a service life of at least 300,000 clicks.
The use of a fingerprint scanner is preceded by a simple procedure for registering papillary patterns from one to five fingers, after which, to activate the recognition process, simply place the selected finger on the sensor area. Meizu claims that the recognition speed (scanner activation plus data processing) decreased from 0.5 to 0.48 seconds. But the resolution in pixels per inch has increased by 81% (from 508 ppi), which promises more correct recognition.
Fingerprint screen unlock is used in combination with a (4-6 digit) PIN code. In addition, with the help of mTouch 2.0, it is proposed to protect any of the applications installed on the smartphone (browser, Gallery, video player, etc.), which can only be launched after checking the owner's fingerprint, even if the device is unlocked at that time. But the possibility of paying in a Flyme account using a fingerprint scanner in Russia without the need.
The company claims that even if administrator rights (root) are open on the smartphone, access to the secure TEE (Trusted Execution Environment), on which mTouch 2.0 is based, cannot be obtained. TEE is developed by the British company Trustonic, whose partners include ARM, HTC, MasterCard Worldwide, Samsung, etc.
Screen, camera, sound
The screen in the MX5 not only increased in size (from 5.36 inches to 5.5 inches), but also acquired a standard aspect ratio (16:9) with Full HD resolution (1920x1080 pixels). All this provided a pixel density per inch of 401 ppi. But most importantly, the flagship from Meizu for the first time received a Super AMOLED display. The main advantages and disadvantages of this type of device are well known. Recall that it was thanks to the new screen that it was possible to save 1.3 mm on the thickness of the smartphone itself. The really "black" color of the pixels made it possible to increase the passport contrast ratio by almost an order of magnitude, from 1,100:1 to 10,000:1. Such a Super AMOLED display is comfortable to use both under the bright sun and in the dark. After all, On Cell technology eliminates the air gap between the touch layer and the matrix, which allows you to increase brightness, reduce light reflection, and also reduce the already economical (due to the lack of backlight) power consumption. Well, one can only guess about the presence of the notorious scheme with two subpixels (PenTile RGBG) with such a diagonal and resolution.
The brightness level is easy to set manually, or rely on the readings of the light sensor, according to which it is automatically adjusted ("Auto-adjust" option). Compared to that, there was a slight decrease in the declared brightness (from 500 cd / sq. M to 350 cd / sq. M), although this cannot be said by eye. The multi-touch technology allows processing up to ten simultaneous taps on the capacitive screen, which is confirmed by the results of the AntTuTu Tester program. At the same time, according to the manufacturer, the sensitivity of the new generation sensor layer has increased a thousand times.
Opponents of too juicy images on AMOLED displays will be unhappy, since there are no additional color correction profiles (as in Samsung Galaxy smartphones). The settings only provide for adjusting the color temperature of the screen, when the colors can be easily made warmer or vice versa, colder. Traditionally, the bezels around the display (less than 3 mm) remained narrow, which is covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with an oleophobic coating.
The new flagship received a main camera based on a 20.7-megapixel Sony Exmor RS sensor of the IMX220 modification (type 1 / 2.3 "), where the size of the square pixel of the matrix is 1.2 microns, which allows you to shoot even in low light. Lens with f / 2.2 aperture is covered with Corilla Glass 3, and an IR filter of the Blue Glass type is used for the sensor. Retaining the dual two-color LED flash, infrared laser focusing was added to the photo module, and a sixth lens was added to the lens. The maximum resolution is achieved with the aspect ratio of the frame 4:3 and is 5248x3936 pixels (20.7 MP).Examples of photos can be viewed.
The front camera in the MX5 was equipped with a 5-megapixel sensor, as well as a wide-angle lens with 4-lens optics and f / 2.0 aperture. Flash and autofocus are absent. The maximum resolution is achieved with the "classic" aspect ratio (4:3) - 2576x1936 pixels (5 MP).
The main camera can record video in 4K mode (3840x2160 pixels, 16:9) at 30 fps. In turn, slow motion (100/25 fps) is available only in HD quality (1280x720 pixels). Content is stored in MP4 container files (HEVC - video, AAC - sound). But for the front camera, the best recording quality is Full HD (1920x1080 pixels, 16:9) at 30 fps.
Meizu says that the camera has new image processing algorithms. The very same interface of the application of the same name has not changed outwardly. In addition to automatic and manual modes, macro photography is still available here, as well as panoramic, portrait and night modes. In addition, "Scanner" can read QR- and one-dimensional barcodes. And for the "Portrait" options such as "Eyes", "Lift", "Smooth Skin" and "Whitening" are relevant. "Focus change" allows you to create seven frames (5 MP, 2624x1968 pixels, aspect ratio 4:3) with different depth of field and then select the desired one. See our review for more details.
"Multimedia" speaker MX5, located, as in the previous flagship, at the bottom of the case, provides a fairly clear and loud sound. Note that the functions of the output amplifier are assigned to the TFA9890A chip from NXP Semiconductors. This is a class D switching amplifier, characterized by high output power with low consumption. Note that such devices using pulse-width modulation (transistors operate in key mode) are especially good at low frequencies, for example, for subwoofers.
After connecting an audio headset, you can listen to recordings in studio quality, while using a 5-band equalizer with presets and manual adjustment, as well as Dirac HD Sound sound enhancement technology with profiles for different types of headphones. The fact is that the architecture of the audio hub Wolfson WM8281 is integrated on the crystal of the MediaTek MT6795 base platform (as, indeed, MT6595). The FLAC audio file (96 kHz, 24 bits, 3138 kbps) was listened to with Sennheiser CX300-II headphones. Unfortunately, the set with a smartphone does not include its own audio headset. There is no FM tuner function in the device. But the recording of telephone conversations, as before, can be used.
Filling, performance
Even in the predecessor of the MX5, Meizu relied on the MediaTek MT6595 platform, and for the new flagship they settled on a more recent version - the MT6795, also known as the Helio X10 Turbo.
It features a 64-bit processor built to 28nm design standards with eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 2.2GHz. Heterogeneous multiprocessing allows you to use all eight cores simultaneously, and Smart CorePilot technology makes it possible to use them in any combination and at any available frequency. The dual-channel controller works with RAM LPDDR3 (933 MHz), the volume of which in the basic configuration of the smartphone is 3 GB. The processing of graphic operations is taken over by the PowerVR G6200MP4 accelerator from the Rogue family, whose four execution units are clocked at 700 MHz. The MT6795 chip is positioned as an updated version of the MT6595, so it is not surprising that there is not much difference in the test results between them. Moreover, on some benchmarks, the "outdated" model is in the lead, as if confirming the proverb that the old horse does not spoil the furrow.
So, from the synthetic tests of AnTuTu Benchmark, it follows that the new flagship, lagging behind, is at the smartphone level in terms of the number of "virtual parrots".
But the Vellamo benchmarks showed that in multi-core tests (Multicore) and in evaluating the "horse" forces of the processor (Metal), the MX5 was ahead of not only, but also its predecessor.
The new flagship performed very confidently on the Epic Citadel visual test. As usual, with variable High Performance and High Quality settings (performance at the expense of quality and vice versa), the average frame rate at a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels did not drop very much - from 58.2 to 57.9 fps. But even when changing the setting to Ultra High Quality, this parameter turned out to be at the level of 43.3 fps.
The new and "old" flagship scored approximately the same number of points (more than 16 thousand) on the 3DMark universal gaming benchmark (recommended tests Ice Storm Unlimited). So, MX5 for gamers is at least as good as .
The total number of points earned by the MX5 on the Base Mark OS II cross-platform benchmark was 1,176.
In the model with 16 GB of internal memory, only about 11 GB is available. Unfortunately, there is still no slot for expanding it with microSD cards in the new smartphone. For this reason, MX4 models with 32 GB of memory (or 64 GB after their announcement) are worth paying attention to. Thanks to the support of USB-OTG technology, it is easy to connect a flash drive to the device (for example, to "reload" the content of a part of the built-in memory).
Unlike the previous flagship with one microSIM, the MX5 provides space for up to two subscriber identification modules, but already in the nanoSIM (4FF) format. At the same time, both trays support 4G, so in the settings you should specify which SIM card will work with LTE, since only GSM networks will remain available for the other. Unfortunately, only two LTE frequency bands are available - b1 (2,100 MHz) and b3 (1,800 MHz), of which only the last one is "Russian". So about the possibility of using 4G networks in a particular area, you must first check with mobile operators.
The MX5 has a standard flagship set of other wireless communications - a dual-band Wi-Fi module 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac (2.4 and 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.0 (LE). True, to complete the picture there are no NFC and infrared.
A multi-system receiver will help in determining the location and navigation. Even indoors, satellites from the GPS and GLONASS constellations are quickly searched for. There is also support for A-GPS technology (coordination over Wi-Fi and cellular networks).
The MX5 smartphone was equipped with a 3,150 mAh battery, while the capacity remained practically unchanged (it has a 3,100 mAh lithium-polymer battery manufactured by Sony).
On battery tests AnTuTu Tester 2.5, the new flagship earned 7,070 points. A test set of MP4 and Full HD videos at full brightness played continuously for about 7 hours. Recall that in such conditions lasted a little more than 4.5 hours. Video viewing time has increased largely thanks to the Super AMOLED screen.
In the "Battery" settings section, depending on the expected load, you can forcefully transfer the smartphone from the "Balanced" mode to the "Energy Saving" or "Productive" mode. To take advantage of mCharge technology, which can fill the battery to 25% in just 10 minutes and 60% in 40 minutes, a dedicated AC adapter (5V/9V/12V) is required. Such an opportunity will be of great help if the smartphone suddenly runs out of power in the middle of the day.
Software
The new flagship runs on the Android 5.0.1 (Lollipop) operating system with the proprietary Flyme OS 4.5.2.5I shell installed on top of it. Despite the increase in the serial number of the version, compared to the launcher on , the appearance and capabilities of Flyme OS do not seem to have changed.
Recall that the shell does not provide a separate program menu - all shortcuts and widgets go directly to the desktops. The notification panel also contains a list of missed events and notifications. The number of pre-installed applications on the smartphone is still minimal.
Purchase, conclusions
The obvious advantages of the new flagship Meizu MX5 in the first place include its compact all-metal body. At the same time, the device retained good performance and high-quality sound in headphones. Mainly due to the Super AMOLED screen, video playback time has increased significantly. But among the useful innovations, it is also worth noting a fingerprint scanner and infrared laser autofocus for the main camera.
On the other hand, the flagship camera was left without optical stabilization. As before, there is no way to expand the built-in memory, and the lack of support for the "seven" (b7, 2600 MHz) - the most popular LTE frequency band in Russia - limits the use of 4G networks by smartphones.
At the time of testing, the recommended price for Meizu MX5 with 16 GB of memory was 27,990 rubles, and with 32 GB - 29,990 rubles. Given the lack of a microSD card slot and a small amount of free memory in the 16 GB version, as well as the difference in price (only 2 thousand rubles), the main attention should be paid to the device with 32 GB. By the way, at the same time, according to Yandex.Market, for the previous flagship with 32 GB of memory, they asked for an average of 24,000 rubles. Whether the totality of changes in the new flagship is worth the price difference with the "old" one (6,000 rubles) is ultimately up to the buyers to decide.
The results of the review of the smartphone Meizu MX5
Pros:
- Compact all-metal body
- Good performance
- Main camera with laser focus
- High-quality sound in headphones
- Fast fingerprint scanner
- Extended video playback time
Minuses:
- No microSD card slot
- Limited LTE frequency band
- Lack of optical stabilization in the camera
