Meizu M5 Note smartphone review: minor upgrade. Meizu M5 Note smartphone review: minor upgrade to Meizu m5 note which glass is worth

The confrontation between Meizu M5 Note and Meizu M5 has been going on for a long time. Despite the fact that smartphones came out a year ago, they are still relevant. Meizu is a proven company, so their products have been discussed and sold for a long time. And the question of whether the Note version is better, or is it better to take the regular M5, remains open. Everything is learned by comparison, so let's compare these two devices.

Meizu M5 Note is ahead of its counterpart in almost all characteristics. The first benefit of the Note version is the newer firmware. On board the Meizu M5 Note is the 6th version of Android, while the Meizu M5 is flashed with version 5.1, which is considered obsolete by 2018.

The Meizu M5 Note has a Mediatek MT6755 Helio P10 chipset clocked at 2.0 MHz, while the Meizu M5 has a Mediatek MT6755 clocked at 1.5 MHz. The CPU in the Note version has a frequency of 1.8 GHz versus 1.5 GHz in the Meizu M5.

The RAM in the Meizu M5 Note is more than in the "pure" M5, at least in the younger version. Meizu M5 is available in two versions - with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM, as well as 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM. The Meizu M5 Note with 16GB and 32GB storage has the same 3GB of RAM. The advantage of the model is that a version with 64 GB of ROM is available for the user, it has as much as 4 GB of RAM.

This is where the main technical differences end. As you can see from the comparison of the characteristics, Meizu M5 is very much inferior to the Note version.

What should you pay attention to when choosing?

There are a lot of aspects to consider when choosing one of these smartphones, as the difference between Meizu M5 Note and Meizu M5 is very large. From the very beginning, you should pay attention to the technical characteristics. If you need a fast smartphone that will run "heavy" games, support several applications in the background and not even heat up, then you should buy the Meizu M5 Note. If you just need to sit on social networks, call your friends and take a couple of photos, then it's better not to overpay and just take the Meizu M5.

Also, when choosing, you should pay attention to the size of smartphones. If you are not a fan of TVs in your pocket, then you should not take the Meizu M5 Note, as it is more of a "pure" M5. If you like big smartphones, then the opposite is true. The weight of the devices is also worth looking at. The Note version is 37 grams heavier than the regular M5. This is a significant difference.

But the most important aspect when choosing is the price. Your choice primarily depends on your financial capabilities. The Note version costs tens of dollars more.

Design

In our confrontation - metal against plastic. It is not difficult to answer the question which is better. Metal, of course. It is stronger and more durable. But this material is not always better than plastic, as it increases the weight of the smartphone, and this can be a disadvantage for some users. Meizu M5 Note is completely made of metal, even the inserts at the top and bottom are metal. M5 is made of impact-resistant plastic - polycarbonate.

The Meizu M5 boasts a large selection of colors, while the Note only has classic colors. In general, the design of smartphones is almost the same, so comparing the M5 Note to the Meizu M5 in this category becomes very difficult. But still Meizu M5 Note looks more solid.

Display

Smartphone displays are very different. The Note version has a 5.5-inch display, while the "pure" M5 has only 5.2 inches. Differences in size are not significant, but still noticeable. A much more significant difference is their resolution. The display in the Note version is Full HD, which is a significant advantage over the HD display found in the M5.

But everything is not so simple. High resolutions can affect smartphone performance, and a large display can be inconvenient for many users. Therefore, comparing Meizu M5 Note and its opponent is very difficult.

Cameras

The cameras on both smartphones are pretty much the same. The main cameras are 13 megapixels. There is no difference at all in good lighting, but with a lack of light, the cameras still show themselves differently. Meizu M5 has a noticeable shift to red tones, which is not liked by all users. Also, the Note version has a higher sharpness. But these differences are so insignificant that it is simply unrealistic to say unequivocally who wins in the confrontation between M5 and M5 Note.

Memory and memory card

The amount of permanent and random access memory in smartphones is different, we have already talked about this. It is important to note that the top version of Note (4/64 GB) is very difficult to get, since there are very few of them in the CIS countries. Nevertheless, the M5 Note is still in the lead, as in the younger version with 16 GB of ROM it offers 1 GB more RAM.

Each model allows you to use a memory card up to 256 GB, and this is a significant plus.

Is fast charging important?

The Meizu M5 Note has fast charging capability. This begs the question of the importance of this function. It is difficult to answer this question unambiguously. It all depends on your needs. If you need to charge your smartphone frequently and quickly, then this option will become indispensable for you. If you have the opportunity to charge your smartphone for a long time (for example, in the evening after a working day), then this function will not be important for you. But in any case, this is a plus for the Meise M5 Note.

Battery life and performance

Smartphone uptime is very important for all users, without exception. The M5 has a built-in 3070 mAh non-removable battery. The M5 Note also uses a non-removable battery, but with a capacity of 4000 mAh. At first glance, the difference is almost a thousand milliampere-hours, but this will not increase the operating time of the device much. It's about the needs of the smartphone. Display Meizu M5 Note has a resolution of 1080 × 920 pixels, which consumes significantly more power, and its size is 0.3 inches larger. Accordingly, the energy consumption of smartphones is different. Still, the M5 Note lasts a little longer than the M5.

Price

Price is the main parameter when choosing a smartphone. After all, it is the ratio "price - quality" that influences the final choice of the buyer. In comparison, it is clear that the M5 Note has more features and is significantly better from a technical point of view. But the price for the quality is also appropriate. The price for Meizu M5 Note is 10-11 thousand rubles, while the M5 costs only 6-7 thousand. But, despite such a difference in price, it is worth considering for what purpose you are purchasing the device and whether you need all the functions offered by a more expensive device.

Output

Meizu M5 Note wins in most parameters, but it's up to you which smartphone to buy. It all depends on your needs. If you are looking for a large smartphone with a good display and excellent performance, then the Meizu M5 Note is worth a look. If your smartphone is just a way for you to access the Internet, make calls or play undemanding toys, then you shouldn't pay almost double for the power that you simply won't use. In addition, the Note version will not be convenient for everyone, because a smartphone with such a diagonal cannot be used with one hand.

Of course they are good, but few can afford such things. But inexpensive smartphones of A-brands, as a rule, look boring and do not cause any emotions. And strictly speaking, they cannot be called so budgetary, 15 thousand rubles is quite a usual price for an ordinary Samsung or Sony. But with the flourishing of Chinese manufacturers in the last two years, many devices have appeared on the market at prices up to 10,000 rubles, which are in no way inferior to more expensive and eminent competitors. And by this year, among the owners of such pipes, there are almost no those who "could not afford anything else." Now the demand is dictated by those "who do not consider it necessary to overpay for the brand and believe the old stereotypes."

And if we talk about the best representatives of the Middle Kingdom, then after Huawei, Xiaomi and Meizu immediately come to mind. The latter recently released the M5 Note, which costs about 8 thousand rubles and leaves almost no chance for other budget handsets. However, let's find out what exactly he is so good at and whether there were no pitfalls?

Specifications

Design, ergonomics and software

Last year was, this year - M5 Note. The number four has traditionally been omitted and is a common practice among Asian companies.

There are not many external differences between the M3 Note and the M5 Note, but they all came in handy. The first thing to pay attention to is the shape of the case. The smoothly rounded edges of the M3 Note seemed to the designers not a very good idea, now the body is more angular, rough. But, oddly enough, the phone looks much more expensive. In terms of the overall level of performance, Meizu M5 Note is in no way inferior to the iPhone 6.

The upper and lower dies of the rear panel have become metal, unlike the plastic ones of the predecessor. And the inevitable plastic "window" for the antennas of the wireless modules turned into a thin strip at the top - just like that of the sixth generation iPhone.

The dimensions of the case remained the same, even its thickness does not differ, despite the fact that the battery has slightly lost its capacity. Due to the new shape, the smartphone looks thicker. But this is a purely visual feature, in practice 8.3 mm is normal. The previous model looked thinner just because of the rounded edges, but here we have a perfectly flat back cover. And the camera, by the way, does not protrude beyond the body - it is even slightly recessed inside. So those who like to put the gadget on the back don't have to worry - the lens won't get scratched.

As you can see, a white M5 Note came to my test, but this model also exists in dark gray, gold and blue versions. On the left side of the case there is a tray for a SIM card and a memory card. Below are two familiar connectors: mini-jack and microUSB. Well, on the right in the usual places are the power key and a double button for adjusting the volume.

The most unusual thing in the Android world (and very typical for Meizu) will continue to be the absence of three traditional buttons. The M5 Note, like other Meizu models, does just fine with one key on the front panel. It is large, comfortable, located right in the center under the screen, and a fingerprint scanner is also built into it. The charm button responds not only to physical taps, but also to gestures. For example, to return to the previous screen, you just need to touch a key without pressing it. Of course, after other smartphones it will be unusual, but in general, in terms of convenience, this option is no worse.

The fingerprint sensor works like a clock, and the smartphone is unlocked in a split second. Difficulties arise only with wet and heavily soiled fingers, in which case it is better to enter a pincode or pattern.

The operating system is not the most current version of Android - 6.0 Marshmallow, but the fifth generation Flyme OS shell compensates for this shortcoming. There are few branded applications, which is especially pleasing after the intrusive pipes of ASUS, ZTE and BQ Mobile. There are no complaints about the speed of the system. The only thing I really didn't like was the icon design in the default theme, but that can be easily fixed in the settings.

Meizu recently, 10 months ago, presented to the public its budget flagship smartphone M3 Note. After just six months, the company is releasing an update to the line, jumping over the index 4 and immediately releasing the M5 Note. At first glance, they are trying to give us the same smartphone, but with a different number. Well, let's take a closer look at whether this is really so.

First, let's give a table where we compare two brothers in the line:

As you can see from the table, there are practically no differences. Meizu M5 Note received an increased size of RAM and permanent memory, a fast charging function, and also slightly increased the weight of the device. Also, out of the box, the smartphone has Android 6.0.

Let's take a closer look at it.

Box and equipment

The smartphone is delivered in a standard white box, in which the device itself, a USB cable, a charger, an extractor for a SIM card tray and instructions are tightly packed. Standard equipment, neither add nor subtract.

Housing

The body of the smartphone is made of aluminum. There are almost no changes compared to the previous model. Sits well in the hand. No backlashes, gaps and creaks were noticed. The design of the M5 Note practically does not differ from the M3 Note.

Screen

The screen of Meizu M5 Note is made using IPS technology. Nothing new, most smartphones are now manufactured using this technology. The colors are bright, contrasting. There are no complaints against him.

Operating system and software

As noted above, the smartphone comes with Android 6.0 Marshmallow on board and Meizu's proprietary Flyme shell. The shell is nice, there is not much extra software and it does not interfere. There are no lags when switching to the menu.

Separately, I must say about the Home button. Control in Meizu M5 Note is carried out, in fact, using this single button. It is both sensory and mechanical. In addition, it has a built-in fingerprint scanner. Pressing the touch button is similar to the “Back” action, pressing the mechanical button is similar to the “Home screen” action. Long press brings up Google Now. To get a list of running applications, you need to swipe your finger from the bottom up from the subscreen space on the right or left.

Processor and memory

Meizu M5 Note comes in three configurations:

• 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of ROM;
• 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of ROM;
• 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of ROM.

If the RAM is enough for most needs, then the permanent memory in the younger model is still not enough. We recommend that you refrain from buying the weakest version. Of course, there is a slot for a microSD card, but when installing it, you will have to abandon the second SIM card.

The processor in the smartphone is not the newest, Mediatek Helio P10. The frequency of the main processor cores does not exceed 1.8 GHz. In demanding games, its power will not be enough - they will go only at low settings. Picky users will not be thrilled. Nevertheless, the performance is quite sufficient for everyday use in the “surfing - social networks - navigator - music” mode.

The fingerprint scanner

The scanner in Meizu M5 Note is combined with the Home button. When you press the mechanical button and correct finger reading, the smartphone is unlocked. By the way, with the correct settings, the scanner works almost always.

Interfaces

The smartphone is equipped with a standard set of interfaces: dual-band Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and LE profiles (sorry, not 4.2); Equipped with a microUSB 2.0 port supporting OTG and a 3.5mm headphone jack; there is GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS support. There is no infrared port and FM-radio, NFC, traditionally, too.

Battery

Meizu M5 Note is equipped with a very capacious 4100 mAh battery. The declared capacity should be enough for 1.5-2 days of work. In order to charge such a battery, the mCharge fast charging function is provided. You can charge the smartphone 90% in just over one hour, the remaining 10% the smartphone “catches up” in half an hour. The total charging time is thus about an hour and a half. The charger is rated for 3A at 5-8V and 2A at 12V.

Communication and sound

There are no complaints about the quality of communication - the interlocutor hears us well, as we do. The speaker sound is a little quiet but clear. The vibration is not strong, you may not feel it in your jacket pocket. In headphones, the sound quality is average and lacks maximum volume.

Two nanoSIM cards are provided. By the way, Meizu M5 Note began to support the LTE 20 band, which is good news. Now, along with the 7 and 38 bands, the smartphone supports LTE almost throughout Russia.

Camera

The rear camera has a resolution of 13 MP and is equipped with a dual flash, the front camera is 5 MP.

There are many shooting modes.

When shooting with the front camera, various enhancements are available that we believe will be useful for girls:

The main camera shoots mediocre. Periodically smears autofocus. In good lighting conditions, there is no nagging about the camera, even with a backlight it shoots acceptable, especially if you enable HDR mode. When shooting with flash, colors are almost natural. Examples can be seen below.

Outcome

Summing up, we can say with confidence that Meizu M5 Note turned out to be a good update for M3 Note - fast charging and increased memory capacity are necessary for a modern smartphone. If you already have an M3 Note, there is probably no point in buying this device, but it is quite good as a first device.

Among which was the M5 Note - the continuation of one of the most popular smartphones from Meizu, the M3 Note. The absence of the fourth version is explained by the fact that among the Chinese the number 4 is considered not lucky, so the new product immediately received the 5th number.

Looking ahead, we will say that according to its characteristics, the device is almost a complete copy of the M3e, and differs by and large only in the increased screen diagonal. Is it good or bad? Read our Meizu M5 Note review.

Price and main characteristics

M5 Note is available in 4 body colors: gray with black bezel, silver, blue and gold. The official cost of the gadget in China for the 16/3 GB version is 9 thousand rubles, the older version 64/4 costs 14 thousand rubles. In Russia, the junior modification of the smartphone will have to pay about 16 thousand.

Specifications:

• display: 5.5 ", IPS LCD FHD 1920 * 1080 px, 401 ppi;
• processor: Helio P10 (8 * 1-1.8 GHz) + video accelerator Mali T860;
• RAM: 3/4 GB;
• internal memory: 13/32/64 GB + micro SD flash cards up to 128 GB;
• camera: main - 13 MP (f / 2.2), front - 8 MP;
• communication: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, LTE;
• battery: 4000 mAh.

The dimensions of the M5 Note are 154 * 76 * 8.1 mm and the weight is 175 grams.

Completion and appearance

Traditionally, for all Meizu devices, the smartphone comes in a simple white box made of thick cardboard, the package also includes a USB cable, a charging adapter, a clip for a SIM tray and documentation.

In terms of design, the M5 Note is identical to the recently presented M3e, the novelty differs only in its greater thickness and dimensions. The monolithic body of the gadget is made of aluminum, there are plastic seams for the antenna on the back cover, which harmoniously fit into the design of the smartphone.

The front side is covered with hardened Gorilla Glass 3, rounded by 2.5D technology. Under the screen is the proprietary mTouch key, which combines a mechanical navigation button, a touch pad and a fingerprint scanner.

On the back there is a 13 MP camera module, flash and Meizu logo. The aluminum surface of the case has a good finish and is very pleasant in the hand.

The sides of the M5 Note are decorated with a neat bevel, which looks extremely impressive. The upper end is devoid of functional elements, it houses only the second microphone for noise reduction. Below is a Micro USB port, a main speaker grill and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. All holes are made neatly, there are no complaints about the build quality.

On the right side there is a volume rocker and a power button.

On the left is a hybrid card tray. In general, like all budget Meizu smartphones, due to the excellent build quality, the M5 Note looks much more expensive than its cost.

Screen

The M5 Note is equipped with a 5.5-inch IPS FULL HD resolution and 401 ppi pixel density. The screen is good for its money, it has a high level of contrast and natural color rendition, there is also a software adjustment of the color temperature and the inclusion of an eye protection mode.

The brightness range allows you to comfortably use the smartphone both in a dark room and in the open air, even in bright sun the screen remains well readable. The multi-touch display confidently recognizes 10 touches, the olephobic coating does not disappoint.

Compared to its predecessor, the M3 Note, the quality of the screen in the new product has significantly increased. The only drawback is when compared to flagship displays, which makes it clear that the M5 Note displays white with a slight bias towards pink. However, this does not cause any discomfort in everyday use.

Performance

Performance can be called the main Achilles' heel of the M5 Note, there is no progress in relation to its predecessor. The device runs on the Helio P10 processor, which is good in terms of power consumption, but in the Benchmark it is gaining a modest 47 thousand parrots.

In practice, the P10 is enough for the smooth operation of the interface, the main set of applications and casual toys. Performance is also provided by a sufficient amount of RAM - 3 or 4 GB, depending on the version. You will not experience any shortcomings in your daily work, but you won't be able to play demanding 3D toys at maximum graphics settings.

For example, in the same tanks, comfortable gaming at 40-50 FPS is possible only at minimum settings with disabled HD textures. At maximum load, the processor heats up to 40-43 degrees, throttling is absent.

Camera

But the camera in the M5 Note has been significantly improved. The 13 MP sensor with phase detection autofocus shoots an order of magnitude better than its predecessor and surpasses most smartphones in this price category. The native camera has a fully manual mode, which, even in difficult shooting conditions, allows you to get photos of decent quality.

Separately, we will cancel the 5 MP front camera, it is good. The post-processing algorithms in the M5 Note were handled by ArcSoft, known for developing the camera software for Vivo smartphones.

The M5 Note shoots videos in FHD resolution at 60 fps. The recording quality is average, there is some shaking due to the lack of an optical stabilizer. The sound is written well, much better than most state employees.

Speaker, sound quality

The sound in the headphones, like all Meizu, is of decent quality, but the M5 Note loses to solutions with a dedicated DAC. The smartphone is able to play with any vacuum headphones without any problems. The main speaker is also not bad, it is loud and practically does not suffer from distortion at maximum volume.

Battery

The battery capacity of the M5 Note is 4000 mAh, which is 100 mAh less than its predecessor. However, the new product supports fast charging technology MediaTek PumpExpress, and can be charged from 0 to 100% in 65-70 minutes, which is its indisputable advantage.

With continuous video playback at maximum screen brightness, the M5 Note fully discharges in 9 hours. When gaming in Asphalt 8, 11% of the battery is consumed per hour, and the autonomy is sufficient for comfortable work throughout the day. Even with active use of the smartphone in the evening, about 15-20% of the battery remains. If you do not play with toys and save a little charge, then the M5 Note will confidently live two days on a single charge.

Communication and Internet

The M5 Note has good reception quality of the operator's network, as well as the voice transmission of you and your interlocutor during a conversation. The device supports 2-band Wi-Fi and all LTE bands common in the Russian Federation.

The M5 Note finds navigation satellites quickly and maintains a stable connection with them. Also, the smartphone is equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, which is necessary for connecting smart watches and fitness trackers to the gadget. Instead of USB Type-C, the gadget uses a regular Micro-USB.

Video review Meizu M5 Note

Competitors conclusion

The M5 Note is a great value for money for those who do not require gaming performance from a smartphone. As for a budget device, its strengths are the cool screen, good camera, high build quality and decent battery life. Meizu has already announced that the M5 Note will be one of the first to receive the update to Flyme 6. However, there are no cardinal improvements in comparison with the M3 Note, which was released in early 2016, and there is no point in changing one device to another.

For those who want to get acquainted with the products of the Meizu company, we can safely recommend buying. If you want to get a generally similar, but more powerful gadget, then the best choice is still the Redmi Note 3 Pro from Xiaomi.

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Having jumped over the "four" in the serial number of the model, the design of the metal case of the 5.5-inch smartphone Meizu M5 Note, first of all, made some changes. Vesti figured out how they fixed the "three" to "five".

The replenishment of the lineup of Meizu smartphones looked pretty rapid last year. So, if the world premiere took place in April, then in December they announced the release of the M5 Note. In the best oriental traditions, the company in this case decided to skip the number "4", with which certain superstitions are associated in Asia. Note that the similarly named model differs from the M5 Note quite significantly. In particular, the new product is available in three variants of the amount of RAM and internal memory - 3 GB / 16 GB, 3 GB / 32 GB and 4 GB / 64 GB. All other technical details about the new smartphone are given below.

Specifications

• Model: M5 Note (M621H)
• OS: Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) with Flyme OS 5.2.11.0G
• Processor: 64-bit MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755), ARMv8 architecture, 8 cores ARM Cortex-A53 (4x1.8 GHz + 4x1.0 GHz)
• Graphics coprocessor: ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (550 MHz)
• RAM: 3 GB / 3 GB / 4 GB LPDDR3 (933 MHz, one channel)
• Storage memory: 16 GB / 32 GB / 64 GB, eMMC 5.1, support for microSD / HC / XC memory cards (up to 128 GB)
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), microUSB (USB 2.0) for charge / synchronization, USB-OTG, 3.5 mm for headphones
• Screen: capacitive touchscreen, GFF (full lamination), 5.5-inch diagonal, resolution 1920 x 1080 pixels, pixel density per inch 403 ppi, brightness 450 cd / sq. m, 1000: 1 contrast ratio, 2.5D protective glass
• Main camera: 13 MP, 5-element lens, f / 2.2 aperture, phase detection autofocus (0.2 s), dual two-tone flash, video [email protected]
• Front camera: 5 MP, 4-element lens, f / 2.0 aperture
• Network: UMTS 900, 2100; GSM 850, 900, 1800, 1900; CDMA 800; LTE (1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 38, 40); LTE Cat. 6 (300/50 Mbps)
• SIM card format: nanoSIM (4FF)
• Slot tray configuration: nanoSIM + nanoSIM, or nanoSIM + microSD / HD / XC
• Navigation: GPS / GLONASS, A-GPS
• Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, compass, Hall sensor, light and proximity sensors, fingerprint scanner
• Battery: non-removable, lithium polymer, 4000 mAh, support for fast charging
• Colors: dark gray, silver, gold, blue
• Dimensions: 153.6x75.8x8.1 mm
• Weight: 175 grams

Design, ergonomics

The new M5 Note smartphone has received a completely metal body, similar to older, more advanced models, for example. Recall that the rear panel has two inserts made of radio-transparent material.

In turn, for antennas on the M5 Note case, as in , only thin strips of radio-transparent material are now used. Due to this, the new smartphone looks more "metallic".By the way, this candy bar with rounded corners and edges is offered in the following colors: dark gray, silver, gold and blue (at the start of sales there are only the first three so far).

The overall dimensions of the M5 Note, in comparison with its predecessor, have practically not changed (153.6x75.8x8.1 mm versus 153.6x75.5.0x8.2 mm), which cannot be said about the weight (175 g versus 163 grams). However, this is easily explainable, because heavier metal has now replaced light plastic inserts. As for the 5.5-inch "classmates", as an example, we can give similar parameters for (150.9x76.2x8.2 mm; 162 grams) and Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (151.0x76.0x8.45 mm; 165 gram).

The entire front surface of M5 Note, including the screen, is covered with 2.5D protective glass (manufacturer unknown).

Above the display, there is traditionally a "spoken" speaker grill, surrounded by light and proximity sensors (on the left), as well as a front camera lens and an LED indicator (on the right), which is not visible when not in use.

Below the display is a mechanical key with a built-in mTouch 2.1 fingerprint scanner. Its basic functionality has not changed: tap on this button activates the Back function, a short press with a hardware click returns to the main screen (Home), and a long press (with hold) extinguishes the screen backlight. The "Recent Apps" button is replaced by a swipe up from the bottom edge of the display.

On the right edge, in a small depression, there is a volume rocker and a power / lock button that differ in size.

The left edge occupies a closed slot with a dual tray,

which can accommodate either two subscriber identification modules of the nanoSIM format, or the place of the second will be taken by a microSD memory expansion card.

The hole for the second auxiliary microphone is left on the top.

But the 3.5-mm audio headset connector moved to the bottom end, where they assembled a hole for a "spoken" microphone, a microUSB connector between two fastening screws, and a decorative grille (three oblong holes) of a "multimedia" speaker.

The back panel is decorated with a stylized Meizu logo, above which there are holes for a dual LED flash and the lens of the main camera.

At the bottom of the back panel, there is a place for an inscription from which you can learn about LTE support, as well as the name of the manufacturer and the country of production.

The M5 Note feels pleasantly heavy in the hand. In principle, there are no problems with one-handed operation, while special options in the settings are designed to facilitate it.

Screen, camera, sound

For the M5 Note screen, like its predecessor, a 5.5-inch IPS-matrix is \u200b\u200bused, on which, at a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels (Full HD) and a widescreen aspect ratio of 16: 9, the pixel density per inch according to the passport is 403 ppi. GFF (Glass-to-Film-to-Film) full lamination technology eliminates the air gap between the display layers, which is the basis for good anti-glare properties and reduces the reflective effect.

The declared contrast ratio is 1000: 1, and the maximum brightness is 450 cd / m2. At the same time, it is proposed to adjust the backlight level in a rather wide range, either at your own discretion, manually, or automatically (the "Auto-tuning" option), based on information from the light sensor. The multitouch technology allows you to process up to ten simultaneous clicks on a capacitive screen, which is confirmed by the results of the AntTuTu Tester and MultiTouch Tester programs.

In the settings, in addition to changing the font size, added the ability to adjust the color temperature. So it is easy to make the colors to your taste warmer or, conversely, colder. To protect the eyes, it is proposed to turn on the mode of the same name, reducing the amount of "harmful" light in the blue part of the spectrum (the image on the screen will begin to "turn yellow"). This option can be activated by timer. The oleophobic coating allows your finger to slide on the screen quite easily, as well as just remove small dirt from the glass.

The photo capabilities of the M5 Note, compared to, do not seem to have changed. The main camera also boasts a 13-megapixel sensor and 2-tone LED flash with different color temperatures. The lens with 5-element optics received an aperture of f / 2.2 and fast (0.2 s) phase detection autofocus. The maximum image resolution is achieved with an aspect ratio of 4: 3 and is 4208x3120 pixels (13 MP). Examples of photos can be viewed.

The front camera has a 5-megapixel sensor equipped with a wide-angle 4-element lens with an f / 2.0 aperture. Autofocus and flash are missing. The maximum image size in the classic aspect ratio (4: 3) is 2576x1936 pixels (5 MP).

Both cameras can record video in Full HD quality (1920x1080 pixels) with a frame rate of 30 fps, while the content is saved in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - sound).

The interface of the Camera app in the M5 Note hasn't changed at all in comparison with its predecessor. However, to the modes "Auto", "Manual", "Portrait", "Panorama", "Change focus", "Slow motion", "Macro" and "GIF", they also added "Scanner" (reading bar codes) ... In the settings, it is easy to activate the HDR mode, as well as determine the photo size and video quality. Focus and exposure metering can be performed separately. Shooting in manual mode (M) involves setting the parameters of shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, saturation, white balance, etc. There are 11 filters to create effects, including Black & White, Film, Oxidized, and more. It is convenient to switch from the main camera to the front camera and back with vertical swipes. The volume rocker (both up and down) can also be used to release the shutter.

In the sound capabilities of the M5 Note, there have been no fundamental shifts either. The standard tools of the smartphone allow you to listen to files with the FLAC extension, created by codecs for compressing audio data without losing quality. After connecting an audio headset, it is suggested to use a 5-band equalizer with presets and manual tuning. The Dictaphone application writes mono recordings (44.1 kHz) to MP3 files.

Filling, performance

The M5 Note relies on the same 64-bit MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755) platform as for.

Recall that the 8-core True8Core processor has four ARM Cortex-A53 cores clocked at up to 1.8 GHz, and four more - up to 1.0 GHz. At the same time, the 2-core architecture ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (550 MHz) with support for OpenGL ES 3.2 and OpenCL 1.2 is used as a graphics accelerator. At the same time, increasing energy efficiency while maintaining sufficient computing power is achieved by automatically adjusting the frequencies of the processor and video accelerator. Helio P10 can work in LTE-TDD, LTE-FDD Cat. 6 (300/50 Mbps), HSPA +, TD-SCDMA, EDGE, etc., and also equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 LE and 2-band Wi-Fi interfaces.

The basic configuration of the M5 Note is complemented by LPDDR3 RAM (933 MHz), which is controlled by a single-channel controller. Note that in the smartphone variants with 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB of internal storage (eMMC 5.1), 3 GB, 3 GB or 4 GB of RAM are installed, respectively. We got a device with a 3 GB / 16 GB combination for the test.

The synthetic benchmark AnTuTu Benchmark managed to knock out more than 47 thousand "virtual parrots", which was predetermined by the chosen hardware platform.

The efficiency of using the processor cores of the new smartphone looks, perhaps, more optimistic than the estimate of the amount of "horsepower" (Geekbench 4).

On the Epic Citadel visual test at High Performance and High Quality settings, the average frame rate remained practically unchanged - 57.3 fps, 56.9 fps, respectively. But at the Ultra High Quality setting, it dropped by almost 1.7 times (33.3 fps).

Not surprisingly, the universal gaming benchmark 3DMark, where the M5 Note was tested on the recommended Sling Shot Extreme set, recorded a rather modest result (318 points).

The total number of points earned by the smartphone on the Base Mark OS II cross-platform benchmark was 279.

Of the 16 GB of declared built-in memory in the tested model, about 14.56 GB was available, and about 10 GB was free. At the same time, like in the case of the existing storage, it is possible to install a microSD / HC / XC memory card with a maximum capacity of up to 128 GB. The dual tray, where the memory card is inserted, is universal, and, having taken one place in it, you will have to sacrifice the installation of a second SIM card (nanoSIM format). You can also expand the built-in storage thanks to the support of USB-OTG technology, by connecting a USB drive.

When two nanoSIM cards (4FF format) are installed, one radio channel of the device operates with them in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode, in other words, both SIM cards are active, but when one is busy, the other is also unavailable. Both trays in the slot support 4G, while the SIM-card for data transmission, as well as the priority network mode, is selected in the corresponding menu. The new smartphone has three main "Russian" FDD-LTE bands - b3 (1800 MHz), b7 (2600 MHz) and b20 (800 MHz) with VoLTE support. Similar to its predecessor, the set of wireless communications in the M5 Note also includes a 2-band Wi-Fi module 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 and 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.0 (LE). But, alas, they do not have an NFC interface.

The built-in multisystem receiver uses GPS and GLONASS satellites for positioning and navigation. This is confirmed by the results of the AndroiTS GPS Test and GPS Test programs. There is also support for A-GPS technology (coordination over Wi-Fi and cellular networks).

The volume of the lithium-polymer battery, which was equipped with the M5 Note (4,000 mAh), compared to its predecessor (4,100 mAh), has slightly decreased. However, the kit with the smartphone now includes a 24-watt UP1220E power adapter (5V / 9V / 12V, 2A), which supports mCharge fast charging technology.

On battery tests AnTuTu Tester, the new product managed to earn 7,809 points. With a 100% full battery, the manufacturer promises up to 30 hours of talk time, or 660 hours of standby, or up to 17 hours of watching videos, or up to 36 hours of listening to music.

In the "Power management" section of the settings, depending on the expected load, you can switch your smartphone from "Balanced" mode to "Energy saving" or "Performance". In addition, in the "Energy Optimization" section, you can not only manage the sleep mode of applications, but also use flexible settings to save battery power - "Smart", "Super" or "Custom mode".

Features of the software

The M5 Note smartphone, in comparison with, received a more recent firmware, represented by the operating system Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) and the branded launcher Flyme OS 5.2.11.0G (it seems that they promise to update to version 6.x), where all program shortcuts, folders and widgets traditionally placed right on desktops.

With the help of fingerprints obtained from any angle (360 degrees) on the fast (0.2 seconds) mTouch 2.1 fingerprint scanner, you can lock not only the smartphone screen, but also access to files and applications.

The "Accessibility" section still contains possible smartphone control gestures, including the SmartTouch control "ring" (not shown in the screenshot) with adjustable transparency.

The M5 Note retains the ability to split the screen to simultaneously display the work of two applications (so far only of the three - "Settings", "Video" and "Google Maps").

Purchase, conclusions

Thus, the "five" (Meizu M5 Note) compares favorably with the "three" () not only by the design "chips" of the metal body, but also by the appearance of fast charging, as well as support for the LTE b20 frequency range (800 MHz). In addition, do not discount the presence of a fast fingerprint scanner and the expected model variant in a configuration of 4 GB / 64 GB (RAM / built-in memory). Note that even with 16 GB of storage, the amount of RAM is now 3 GB (and not 2 GB, as it was).

The shortcomings of the Meizu M5 Note, along with the inherited low performance, can perhaps be attributed to the alternative installation of a second SIM card and memory card, well, and the lack of an NFC interface.

Official prices for the Meizu M5 Note models in 3 GB / 16 GB and 3 GB / 32 GB configurations are 16,990 and 18,990 rubles, respectively. As for the 5.5-inch "classmates" in metal cases (memory capacity 3 GB / 32 GB), then, at the time of testing, in large retail chains they asked for 16,990 rubles, and for Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 - 15,990 rubles ... At the same time, recall that I received a dual main camera (12 MP + 2 MP) and even an NFC interface (with support for Mifare Classic technology), but, however, a less capacious battery (3,340 mAh versus 4,000 mAh) ... In turn, Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, along with a faster processor, boasts a slightly more capacious battery (4 100 mAh versus 4000 mAh), as well as the presence of an IrDA.

The results of the review of the smartphone Meizu M5 Note

Pros:

• Updated metal body
• High-capacity battery complemented by fast charging
• Support for LTE b20 band (800 MHz)
• Option with 4 GB / 64 GB RAM / built-in memory
• Fast fingerprint scanner

Minuses:

• Low performance
• Alternative installation of a second SIM-card or memory card
• No NFC interface