MEIZU M5 Note. First look. Meizu m5 note review: a new potential bestseller? Meizu m5 note full review

For Meizu, 2016 was a very productive year. It was even unusual to see the appearance of such a large number of new phone models within one calendar year. And although compared to many competitors the lineup Meise still does not seem oversaturated with gadgets, for fans of this trademark the situation looked a little strange.

Apparently, Meizu's management also noticed that what was happening looked strange, and released the M5 Note. The appearance of this smartphone can be considered a manifestation of the desire of manufacturers to make the lineup a little more understandable and simple for consumers. Did you manage to achieve the goal? We invite you to find out about it right now by reading our Meizu M5 Note review.

Traditionally, we begin our review by considering the design features of the gadget. Although in this case we will rather not try to find something unique in appearance smartphone, but we can only state that it completely copies the MEIZU M3e in this regard, which appeared just a couple of months before the hero of our review entered the market.

There is only one significant difference - the Meizu M5 Note smartphone is somewhat thicker than its predecessor. The reason is that a more capacious battery is installed here. Otherwise, smartphones are like two drops of water.

From a practical point of view, the Meise 5m Note has become better due to the reduction in the percentage of plastic in the case relative to metal. Therefore, in general, we can say that the M5 Note has become more premium in appearance, although, in fact, it belongs to the category of budget devices.

The quality of assembly and fitting of elements to each other is clearly above average. There are no backlashes and squeaks, it is pleasant to use such a device. Visually and tactilely, the smartphone seems more expensive than it really is.

The available body colors are white, gold with a white front panel, or gray and blue with a black front panel.

In terms of dimensions, there are no differences from MEIZU M3e either. They are quite standard for a device with a screen diagonal of 5.5 inches. Of course, you can’t call the phone compact, but in terms of ergonomics, everything is in order.

The main controls are located exactly the same as in any other Meizu phone. The volume and power buttons are on the right, opposite them is a tray for two SIM cards. It is, as usual, combined, therefore, instead of one of the SIM cards, you can insert a memory card.

The micro-USB port and the microphone are located on the bottom edge. At the top there is a headset output and an additional microphone responsible for noise reduction.

There is only one mechanical control button. It is located right in the center below the screen. It has two main functions: the traditional, inherent in the "Back" button, as well as the function of a fingerprint scanner. Use the scanner without any doubts in its work - the print is read quickly and efficiently.

Display

Diagonal of our Meizu smartphone is 5.5 inches at Full resolution HD. People who bought this phone use it with great pleasure, because the quality of the image on the screen is just fine. The maximum viewing angles are guaranteed, and the highest margin of brightness is also pleasing. Color rendering is very close to natural. Of course, in terms of juiciness, the smartphone is a little short of the Meizu flagships, but for a “state employee” it is even better than we could imagine.

There is a familiar oleophobic protective coating on the surface, which reduces the likelihood of the constant appearance of greasy marks and fingerprints. And if they still appear, then it will be quite easy to remove them.

In addition to the standard automatic brightness control mode, there is an interesting “eye protection” function, in which the screen starts to display everything only in warm colors.

Performance

The smartphone is based on the Helio P10 chip from MediaTek. We saw exactly the same platform in both M3 Note and M3e. The chip, of course, is not the top and not the latest, but let's admit that for a budget mobile device, this solution looks quite suitable. The processor is combined with the Mali-T860 graphics accelerator, which is also very good.

Volume depending on configuration random access memory is 3 GB or 4 GB. You can also choose the amount of internal memory on the disk drive - 16 GB or 32 GB for 3 GB of RAM and 64 GB for 4 GB of RAM. It is most practical to take the Meizu M5 Note 32 gb or, in general, the prime package 4GB / 64GB. Do not forget that we do not use all the declared memory, but only occupy 60-70% of its volume. Therefore, 16 GB will not be enough, given that the memory card slot is combined with a slot for a second SIM card.

Recall that the MEIZU M3 Note had two configuration options - 2 or 3 GB of RAM. So, when reviewing the Meizu m5 note, we see a clear movement forward in comparison with its predecessor in the line.

Camera

We are used to the cameras budget smartphones Meizu in 2016 are almost identical to each other. But in this case, the camera began to work a little better than its predecessors. And it's not about allowing modules. The main one, as before, has 13 megapixels, and the front one has 5 megapixels. It's just that the developers tweaked the software settings for the better, and as a result, the photos from the device are much better.

One of the secrets of success was that the algorithms for the cameras were written by the notorious company ArcSoft. Recall that it was she who worked on the creation of a camera for the XShot smartphone - one of the best in terms of shooting. The result of ArcSoft's work is especially noticeable when we evaluate the front camera. It is not customary to demand a lot from her, but the fact that she shoots an order of magnitude better than the M3 Note or M3e can be seen with the naked eye.

It is possible to switch to a fully manual shooting mode, in which the user is prompted to personally set all the parameters. Pictures in this case will turn out exactly the way you want.

The phone can record video in good quality, although, of course, noise cannot be avoided. The darker the environment in which the shooting is carried out, the more noise will be. I also didn’t really like the fact that Meizu still can’t make the interface rotate to landscape orientation when shooting. To better understand how photos and videos are taken on the Meizu M5 Note, we suggest watching a video review on Youtube.

Interfaces

If you bought this gadget, then feel free to use dual-band Wi-Fi and 4G Internet. He catches all over Russia in any range. There is also Bluetooth 4.0. So with the transfer of data over wireless network there can be no problems at all.

As for the operating system, sales started with the pre-installed Flyme 5 shell, but it is already known that the fifth Note will receive the sixth update one of the first.

autonomy

What is a smartphone review without a battery rating? In this case, the battery has a reserve of 4000 mAh, which is almost the same as that of the M3 Note. But keep in mind that technology has changed a bit, and now the software platform requires less energy. Accordingly, the autonomy of the gadget increases in comparison with its predecessor.

Particularly pleased with the presence of a fast charging function using MediaTek PumpExpress technology. This was very lacking in the third Note.

In practice, with everyday use in moderate mode, you will have to charge the gadget about once a day.

conclusions

Summing up, we conclude that in its price category the phone must take its rightful place in the market. It has a pretty good processor, improved cameras and a fairly capacious battery. And, of course, the large and bright screen with excellent color reproduction is especially pleasing. At least for these advantages, we predict a bright future for the Meizu M5 Note in the Russian and global markets.

Sales of the Meizu M3 Note smartphone reached 20 million units last year, making it one of the most successful devices in the history of the company. The manufacturer decided to repeat its success in the new M5 Note model.

The Chinese consider the number 4 unlucky, so the name of the smartphone appears five. According to the company, the first million devices were sold out in about 21 seconds. In the Meizu M5 Note review, we will tell you why this model is also destined to become a bestseller.

Video review Meizu M5 Note

Price and main characteristics

Meizu M5 Note comes in three versions of 16/32/64 GB internal memory and 3/3/4 GB of RAM. The cost of copies is $130/$165/$195 respectively.

Characteristics:

• display: 5.5”, IPS LCD 1920*1080 px, ppi 403;
• processor: eight-core MediaTek MT6755 (1.8 GHz) + Mali-T860 video accelerator;
• RAM: 3/4 GB LPDDR3;
• internal memory: 16/32/64 GB + microSD flash cards up to 128 GB;
• camera: main - 13 MP, front - 5 MP;
• connectivity: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n) Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, LTE (TD/FDD-LTE);
• battery: 4000 mAh.

Dimensions - 153.6 x 75.8 x 8.1 mm. The approximate weight of the smartphone is 165 grams. The system runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with proprietary shell FlymeOS 6.0. This version of the shell has a built-in smart assistant One Mind.

Design and ergonomics

The smartphone is sold in a white box with a minimalist design. In addition to the M5 Note itself, there is a miniUSB cable, a charger unit, documentation and a branded clip to open the SIM card tray inside.

Externally, Meizu M5 Note is practically no different from the previous model. The changes affected the body material, now it is entirely made of metal, except for thin plastic strips on the back of the device. They perform the functions of antennas, which, according to Meizu, began to work almost twice as well. Due to the high build quality, the smartphone looks much more expensive than its price.

The color palette has also been updated. To the three traditional options (dark grey, silver, gold) was added blue coloring.

The layout of almost all controls is identical to the M3 Note. Under the display is a fingerprint scanner built into the mechanical button. When pressed, it performs the functions of the "Home" key, when touched - "Back".

At the top of the front side are proximity and light sensors, a speaker grille, a 5-megapixel camera and led indicator events.

On the left is a combo tray for two SIM cards, which opens with a branded paper clip. The user can insert a microSD into one of the slots to expand the internal memory.

On the right side are the volume and screen activation buttons.

The 3.5 mm headphone jack has moved to the bottom end. There is also a microUSB connector, speaker and microphone.

Above is the only hole for an additional microphone. Together with the main one, it forms a noise reduction system.

On the rear panel is a 13-megapixel camera with flash, just below the company logo. The cover cannot be removed, the case is monolithic.

Bottom line: M5 Note looks more expensive than its predecessor and most competitors in its price category. Its body is slightly thinner, and the headphone jack is now on the bottom. But in general, it's still the same recognizable Meizu.

Display

The M5 Note uses a 5.5-inch IPS Full HD display. The pixel density is 403 units per inch. The screen is covered with 2.5D glass with an oleophobic coating.

The display brightness varies from 5 to 345 cd / m², the stock is enough for comfortable use in direct sunlight. The contrast level is slightly higher than its predecessor. Viewing angles are almost maximum.

The M5 Note display can operate in a special "eye protection" mode. After activating it, the colors on the screen turn into warmer tones. Other display options can be adjusted in the machine settings. There is the possibility of unlocking with gestures.

In general, the screen of the M5 Note is slightly better than that of the M3 Note. The display still does not reach the level of Meizu's flagship smartphones, but at the same time it is in no way inferior to competing with similarly priced solutions from Xiaomi and other manufacturers.

Iron, performance

At the heart of the hardware component is an eight-core MediaTek MT6755 processor with a frequency of 1.8 GHz. The phone comes with three versions of internal storage for 16, 32 and 64 GB. The size of the RAM has expanded compared to its predecessor. Now even the cheapest version has 3 GB of RAM.

The video accelerator Mali-T860 works with graphics. In Antutu, the smartphone scored 43429 points.

The power reserve of the device is almost completely identical to the previous model. In everyday use of the smartphone in the Flyme shell, no lags or slowdowns were noticed.

To some extent, the M5 Note can be used as a gaming smartphone. World of Tanks Blitz produces about 50-60 frames per second at medium graphics settings, which is a very good result. During the test, the case also did not heat up to over 40 degrees.

Cameras, image and video quality

The main disadvantage of the M3 Note is the weak camera. In this matter, the smartphone lost much to its competitor Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, which also lacked stars from the sky. The next Meizu model was supposed to correct the situation.

The M5 Note camera almost lived up to the expectations of brand fans. The 13-megapixel phase-focusing main lens performs better than its predecessor. The difference is clearly visible when shooting close-ups.

Some problems were also noticed. For example, capturing a frame indoors in low light, there are problems with autofocus, it sometimes selects the wrong subjects. Manually specifying the focus point negatively affects the brightness of the resulting photo, exposure problems slip quite often.

The algorithm for shooting the front camera was developed by ArcSoft, which participated in the creation of the camera in the Vivo XShot smartphone. It is considered one of the best camera phones on the market. mobile phones. The innovation had a positive impact on the quality of frames from the Meizu M5 front camera.

Speaker and sound quality

The work of the main speaker did not cause any complaints or admiration. The sound of the phone is average.

During a conversation, the interlocutor is well heard, thanks to a good microphone, you will also be understood. The noise reduction system works at a high level.

Battery, battery life

A 4000 mAh battery is installed inside the smartphone. This is 100 mAh less than the previous model. In normal use, the device will last from one to two days.

The M5 Note features MediaTek PumpExpress fast charging technology. With it, you can charge the battery by 80% in about an hour.

Wireless communications and the Internet

The smartphone supports dual-band Wi-Fi, 4G, EDGE, GPRS, HSPA+, LTE, Bluetooth interface with Low Energy energy saving profile.

Satellite navigation is provided by GPS, A-GPS and GLONASS. There is a digital compass.

Competitors, conclusions

Meizu M5 Note is the already well-known M3 Note in a slightly different wrapper. The manufacturer did not offer something revolutionary in the new model. There are minor design and performance changes. Now even for the most low price the buyer gets 3 GB of RAM. Meizu also tried to slightly improve the quality of pictures from the camera - the weakest point of the previous model. In general, M5 Note is one of the best solutions in its price range.

Users of the top M3 Note with three gigabytes of RAM may not upgrade to the M5 Note due to the minimal difference between devices. If you have not used the Meizu technique before, we strongly recommend that you start your acquaintance with the brand with the M5 Note.

Xiaomi's traditional competitor has in its range a Redmi Note 4x phone similar in positioning. The only significant advantage the 4X has over the M5 Note is in performance, so it makes sense if you want a smartphone for toys. In all other cases, we recommend the M5 Note for purchase - this is a high-quality and pleasant gadget to use for adequate money.

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Balanced model in an all-metal case, with good autonomy and fast charging

At the very end of last year, Meizu introduced its new smartphone, the Meizu M5 Note, in Beijing. The novelty is an update to the successful Note line of mid-range tablet phones, which has already sold more than twenty million units. As one of the most notable features, the Meizu M5 Note received an all-metal body similar to older and much more expensive models such as the MX6. This favorably distinguishes the hero of the review from the background of most competitors and distinguishes it from its predecessors: the previous model M3 Note, for example, did not have a solid, but a prefabricated case made of metal and plastic.

In addition, the latest member of the Note series has received a large amount of memory, a capacious battery with a fast charging function, and supports the LTE FDD 800 MHz (Band 20) frequency, which is better than others for indoor communications, as well as in sparsely populated areas. Read about all this and other features of the novelty in the review of the Meizu M5 Note smartphone.

Key Features of Meizu M5 Note (Model M621H)

• SoC MediaTek MT6755M (Helio P10), 8 cores @1.8 GHz (ARM Cortex-A53)
• GPU Mali-T860
• operating room android system 6.0
• 5.5″ IPS touch display, 1920×1080, 401 ppi
• Random access memory (RAM) 3/4 GB, internal memory 16/32/64 GB
• Support Nano-SIM (2 pcs.)
• microSD support up to 128 GB
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• Networks WCDMA/HSPA+ (850/900/1900/2100 MHz), TD-SCDMA
• LTE Cat.4 FDD (B1/3/5/7/20), TD LTE (B38/40) networks
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz)
• Bluetooth 4.0 BLE
• GPS, A-GPS, Glonass
• Micro USB, USB OTG
• 13MP camera, autofocus, f/2.2, 1080p video
• Front camera 5 MP, f/2.0, fixed focus
• Proximity sensor, lighting, magnetic field, fingerprint, accelerometer, gyroscope, step detector
• Battery 4000 mAh
• Dimensions 154×76×8.1 mm
• Weight 138 g

Contents of delivery

The packaging of Meizu M5 Note is made in the same style as all the latest mobile products of the company. This is a rectangular box made of hard matte white cardboard with a minimum number of inscriptions and logos. Everything is stylish, concise, executed with high quality. Inside, the contents are not piled up, but arranged in separate cells and smaller boxes.

The kit consists of a connecting cable of a rather thick section and a powerful network adapter with an output current of 2 A and a variable voltage of 5/9/12 V. The key for extracting cards is standardly fixed on a cardboard folder with paper documentation.

Appearance and usability

Meizu can be praised for the fact that in the mainstream, affordable segment, the company does not try to save as much as possible, but offers maximum opportunities. For example, unlike the recently tested Lenovo K6 Note and Huawei Honor 6X with prefabricated cases, in which the ends are completely plastic and only the middle part of the back side is metal, the Meizu M5 Note has an all-metal case, only grooves for antenna output are cut out in it.

The metal end parts gleam with chamfers, real metal peeps through the slots of the connectors and grilles, and in general the case produces a pleasant feeling of massiveness, solidity and reliability. The Meizu M5 Note looks and feels good, which makes it stand out from the aforementioned competitors made by Huawei and Lenovo.

Real metal not only feels more pleasant in the hand and does not allow the sockets of the connectors to become loose over time, but also more resistant to shocks and falls. The surfaces of the case are absolutely not slippery and not easily soiled, since the manufacturer has finally learned how to process metal correctly: a 12-stage sandblasting is used.

In terms of dimensions, the smartphone is quite consistent with modern standards for 5.5-inch devices. It is, of course, slightly more compact than the iPhone 6s Plus, which currently has perhaps the widest bezels at this screen size. The side edges are also highlighted a little more, they are not so rounded, but not quite straight. In any case, the body of the Meizu M5 Note is held in the hand much more comfortably and more reliably than the case of the Apple Plus series smartphones.

All elements are placed on the case in places familiar to Meizu smartphones. What distinguishes them from most products from other manufacturers is the absence of two touch buttons under the screen with the central key. Usually there are either three buttons under the screen, or none. Here, only one button is installed, but it is even more functional than that of the same iPhone, since it supports the function of returning to the previous screen by a short touch without pressing. By pressing, the unlocking is carried out using the fingerprint scanner built into the key. The scanner in our test sample worked rather strangely, sometimes making mistakes, but this, perhaps, can be attributed to the fact that we tested not a serial commercial product, but a test copy. The positive point is that the Meizu fingerprint sensor is not installed on the back of the case, but on the front, where it is easier to reach it in any position of the smartphone.

The entire front panel is covered with 2.5D glass with sloping edges and a high-quality oleophobic coating, which makes the finger slide comfortably across the screen without “sticking”. Sensors, a front camera peephole without its own flash, as well as an LED event indicator with a pleasant, dim milky backlight, are habitually installed above the screen.

On the back side there is a non-protruding camera module with a dual bright two-tone flash.

The main speaker here is brought to the bottom end, it is usually covered by a grill formed by three relatively large holes in the metal of the case. Meizu, unlike many, did not decorate the bottom end with two symmetrical grilles, one of which is always fake. A small round hole was made for the microphone nearby. It is curious that here, at the bottom, there is not only the traditional USB port (Micro-USB connector), which supports connecting external devices in USB mode OTG, but also a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Thus, the upper end is practically free from elements - with the exception of a small hole for an auxiliary microphone.

But there is still something to complain about: the Meizu M5 Note, like many modern smartphones, has a hybrid card slot, which most users do not like, since you have to sacrifice a second SIM card to install a memory card. This slot is designed for two Nano-SIM cards (instead of one of them, you can install a microSD memory card). Hot swapping of cards is supported.

There are no complaints about the buttons on the opposite side face: the keys are large, metal, moderately hard, easily groped blindly, have a distinct springy move, do not rattle or dangle in their sockets.

Meizu M5 Note is presented in four colors: light silver, dark gray, as well as gold and blue. Meizu never paints the front panel in the overall color of the case, so the classic options were used here too: a black facade for dark gray, and white for all other case options.

Screen

Meizu M5 Note is equipped with an IPS display covered with 2.5D glass with sloping edges. The physical dimensions of the screen are 68×121 mm with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. The resolution is 1920×1080, the dot density is about 401 ppi. The frame around the screen looks thin: it has a width of about 3 mm on the sides, 15 mm at the bottom and top.

The display brightness can be adjusted manually or set to automatic settings based on the operation of the ambient light sensor. The AnTuTu test diagnoses support for 10 simultaneous multitouch touches. There is an eye protection mode to prevent eye fatigue with blue light filtering.

A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the sections "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" 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 slightly worse than the screen of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (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 M5 Note, then they can be distinguished by size):

The screen of Meizu M5 Note is slightly lighter (brightness in photos is 126 versus 118 for Nexus 7). The doubling of reflected objects in the screen of the Meizu M5 Note is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen (more specifically, between the outer glass and the surface of the LCD matrix) (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 intense 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 (in terms of efficiency it is better than 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 about 440 cd/m², the minimum was 5.5 cd/m². The maximum brightness is quite high, and, given the good anti-reflective properties, readability even on a sunny day outdoors should be at a decent level. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. In the presence of automatic brightness control by light sensor (it is located to the left 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 auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 40 cd / m² (normal), in an artificially lit office (about 550 lux) sets it to 210 cd / m² (suitable), in a very bright environment (corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) the brightness rises to 440 cd / m² (to the maximum - it is necessary); if the adjustment is about 50%, then the values ​​​​are as follows: 15, 150 and 440 cd / m² (suitable values), the regulator at 0% is 5, 80 and 430 cd / m² (the first two values ​​​​are underestimated, which is logical). It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately and to some extent allows the user to customize their work to individual requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

This smartphone uses an IPS type matrix. Micrographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:

For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.

The screen has good viewing angles without significant color shift even at large deviations of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen and without inverting shades. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of Meizu M5 Note and Nexus 7, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to about 200 cd / m², and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 K.

White field perpendicular to the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

The color saturation on the Meizu M5 Note screen is higher than natural. As testing has shown, this is achieved by increasing the color contrast. The color balance between the Nexus 7 and the test screen is slightly different.

Now at an angle of about 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, but on the Meizu M5 Note, the contrast has decreased to a greater extent due to the strong black highlighting.

And the white box:

The brightness at an angle at the screens has decreased (at least 5 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Meizu M5 Note, the brightness drop is slightly larger. The black field, when deviated diagonally, is highlighted strongly and acquires a reddish or purple hue. The photos below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same!):

And from another angle:

With a perpendicular view, the uniformity of the black field is average:

Contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is normal - about 700:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 19 ms (10 ms on + 9 ms off). The transition between grayscale 25% and 75% (according to the numerical value of the color) and back in total takes 31 ms. 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 highlights or in the shadows. The fit exponent is 2.16, slightly below the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power dependence:

We did not find the presence of dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image, which is very good.

Color gamut close to sRGB:

The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components to each other:

As a result, visually, the colors on this screen might not differ from natural ones, but due to the overestimation of color contrast, this is not the case. As a result, the colors are too saturated, and in the region of the most saturated colors, the halftones are no longer distinguishable. The balance of shades on the gray scale is average, since the color temperature is much higher than the standard 6500 K, but the deviation from the black body spectrum (ΔE) is below 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, ΔE changes little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance does not matter much there, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

This device has the ability to correct the color balance by adjusting the hue.

Curves in the charts above Without corr. correspond to the results without any color balance correction, and the curves Warm- data obtained after moving the slider to its extreme position, as in the picture above. It can be seen that the change in balance corresponds to the expected result, since the color temperature has approached the standard value, but ΔE has become too large. It doesn't make much sense to correct.

There is a setting that allows you to reduce the intensity of the blue component.

In this case, the wording about harm to health is not extreme, which, however, still does not add to the usefulness of this function. Recall that, in principle, bright light can lead to disruption of the daily (circadian) rhythm (see the article about the iPad Pro with a 9.7-inch display), but this problem is solved by adjusting the brightness to a comfortable level, and distorting the color balance by reducing the contribution of blue, there is absolutely no point.

To summarize: the screen has a fairly high maximum brightness and 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 lowered to a comfortable level. It is permissible to use the mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages of the screen include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker. The disadvantages are the low stability of black to the deviation of the gaze from the perpendicular to the plane of the screen and the overestimation of the color contrast. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of the characteristics for this particular class of devices, the screen quality can be considered high.

Camera

The cameras appear to be the same as the predecessor M3 Note. The front camera received a sensor with a resolution of 5 megapixels and a four-element lens with an aperture of f / 2.0 and a fixed focus; The camera does not have its own flash. There is a mode manual settings, in which you can set the sensitivity (up to ISO 1600), shutter speed up to (1/5000 s), white balance, saturation, contrast, adjust exposure compensation.

The camera shoots well for its level: there are no complaints about detailing and color reproduction, nor about sharpness in the center of the frame. The proportions of the face in the pictures are slightly distorted, but these are standard problems with wide-angle optics with a short focal length.

The main camera uses a module with a 13-megapixel matrix and a five-element lens with a maximum aperture of f / 2.2, it is equipped with fast phase detection autofocus. The flash here is quite bright, two-tone, but there is no stabilization system.

There are two control modes in the settings, automatic and manual, as well as several additional ones, such as portrait beautification, panorama, QR code scanning, slow motion, HDR, etc. If you turn on manual mode, sliders with adjustable shutter speeds up to (1 /5000 s), ISO (up to ISO 1600), manual focus, white balance, exposure compensation scale. In all modes, it is possible to select the metering point manually. The green frame is the focus point, and the white circle is the metering point. To align the exposure to a specific object, you need to move the round frame to this object, and the camera will set the desired exposure.

You can't transfer camera control using the Camera2 API third party applications, there is no possibility of saving pictures in RAW.

The camera can shoot video in the maximum resolution of Full HD @30 fps, there is a slow motion mode, there is no stabilization function. In general, the camera copes well with video shooting: sharpness, color reproduction and detailing are normal, no artifacts were noticed in the image, and there are no complaints about the smoothness of the video sequence either. The sound is recorded cleanly, clearly distinguishable, the noise reduction system almost always copes with wind noise adequately.

• Movie #1 (42 MB, 1920×1080 [email protected] fps, H.264, AAC)

The camera turned out to be quite good, although not the most budget smartphones would like to see better solutions. On the one hand, she pays a lot of attention to small details, on the other hand, she loses them already in the middle plans. Blurred areas appear periodically along the edges of the frame, and the program works too noticeably. However, the camera is quite suitable for documentary shooting.

Telephone part and communications

Meizu M5 Note supports five LTE FDD frequency bands with VoLTE support, including 3 bands used in Russia (Band 3, 7, 20), as well as two TD LTE bands (Band 38 and 40). I am glad that the LTE 800 MHz frequency (Band 20) is supported - this is far from true for all Meizu models. Within the city limits of the Moscow region, the device behaves confidently, the quality of signal reception does not cause any complaints.

The smartphone also supports both Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz), there is Bluetooth 4.0 BLE. You can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. There is no NFC module in the device. The navigation module works with both GPS (with A-GPS) and domestic Glonass, but without the support of Chinese Beidou. The first satellites during a cold start are detected within the first minute. The clarity of positioning is not satisfactory, but as for the speed of work, we have also seen faster navigation modules in smartphones. The device has a magnetic compass required for navigation programs.

The smartphone does not support dual 3G/4G SIM cards at the same time. That is, for example, the SIM card of the Tele2 operator in Moscow will not work in 3G for voice communication if a card from another slot is assigned for data transmission in 4G. The interface in Meizu smartphones traditionally does not allow you to select a specific SIM card for voice calls and SMS in advance - only during the connection. Cards work in Dual mode SIM Dual Standby, there is only one radio modem.

Software and multimedia

Google is used as the software platform android version 6.0 with its own proprietary Flyme OS shell of the fifth version. This is the latest version so far, but it is no longer new, it has long been used in all modern Meizu smartphones, we met with it in the flagship Meizu MX6 and Meizu Pro 6 Plus. The shell has become even lighter compared to the fourth version, all interface and application icons have been redrawn, new animation options have appeared, and design themes have been added. IN new version interface, a special Editor's Choice section has appeared, which advises the most common programs, and also allows you to download and install google apps. And it is necessary to do this, because now the purchased brand new Meizu smartphone does not even have the usual store installed initially. Google Play. There are almost no additional programs, as usual, only pre-installed file manager and phone manager - a comprehensive utility responsible for security, memory management, performance, etc. There is also an interesting program with tools: a magnifying glass, a flashlight, a ruler, a compass and a mirror. Flashlight, by the way, can work in flashing SOS mode. The standard keyboard does not support Swype-type stroke input by default, but in Meizu smartphones, the user is immediately given the opportunity to switch to the pre-installed TouchPal with a much wider range of features, including stroke input, custom dictionaries, backup, and even with its own TouchPal cloud.

To listen to music, you use your own branded audio player with the usual set of settings in the form of preset equalizer values, which can only be used with headphones connected. Both in the headphones and in the dynamics the device sounds average: the sound is clear, without impurities, the volume margin is not excessive, high frequencies predominate.

There is no FM radio in the smartphone. The microphone demonstrates satisfactory sensitivity, it is quite suitable for recording lectures on a voice recorder.

Performance

The Meizu M5 Note hardware platform is based on a MediaTek MT6755M (Helio P10) single-chip system, made using 28-nanometer technology. The structure of this SoC includes eight 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores with a frequency of up to 1.8 GHz. The dual-core GPU Mali-T860 is responsible for graphics processing. The amount of RAM is 3 or 4 GB, and the built-in flash memory is 16, 32 or 64 GB. The version with 16 GB of memory initially has about 10 GB free for the needs of the user. It is possible to expand the memory by installing microSD cards, but then you have to remove one of the SIM cards. In addition, you can not install applications on a memory card here. It is possible to connect external flash drives in USB OTG mode.

Helio P10 is quite popular on this moment platform designed for mid-range smartphones. In general, this is true, although it is slightly inferior in all respects to the same mid-range SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 625, it turns out to be closer to the lower level and performance Snapdragon 430. Nevertheless, there are no particular complaints about it, the smartphone confidently copes with any tasks, including quite demanding games.

Testing in comprehensive AnTuTu and GeekBench tests:

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 benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, therefore, many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions test programs.

Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark gaming tests, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:

When tested in 3DMark for the most productive 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 M5 Note (MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755))	Honor 6X (HiSilicon Kirin 655)	Lenovo K6 Note (Qualcomm Snapdragon 430)	Asus Zenfone 3 (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625)	Meizu MX6 (MediaTek Helio X20 (MT6797))
3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot ES 3.1 (more is better)	326	378	288	466	969
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (Onscreen, fps)	4	5	4	6	10
GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen, fps)	4	5	4	6	10
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (Onscreen, fps)	14	19	15	22	34
GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen, fps)	14	19	16	23	—

Browser cross-platform tests:

As for benchmarks for evaluating 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.

AndroBench memory performance test results:

thermal images

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after 10 minutes of running a battery test in the GFXBenchmark program:

It can be seen that the heating is more localized in the upper part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 36 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), this is not very much.

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, don't expect mobile device decoding of everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.

According to the test results, traditionally for Meizu smartphones, the hero of the review turned out to be equipped with all the necessary decoders that are needed to fully play most of the most common multimedia files on the network, including audio (AC3).

Further testing of video playback performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.

We did not find an 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) Red marks indicate possible problems associated with the playback of the respective files.

According to the criterion for displaying frames, the quality of playing video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since in most cases 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. The screen refresh rate is 61 Hz, so in the case of files with 60 fps, at least one frame per second is displayed longer than the others. 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. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235: in the shadows, about a couple of shades merge with black, but in the highlights, all gradations are displayed.

Battery Life

Fixed accumulator battery, installed in Meizu M5 Note, has a capacity of 4000 mAh. With such a battery, the smartphone could not fail to demonstrate impressive autonomy results, the hero of the review is doing very well with this issue. In real usage scenarios, with a normal average mode of operation, the hero of the review is quite capable of quietly holding out without recharging for a couple of days or even more.

Testing has traditionally been conducted at normal power levels without power saving features.

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at the minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd / m²) lasted about 18 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and with continuous video viewing in high quality(720p) with the same brightness level via home wifi network the device operates for almost 13 hours. In 3D game mode, the smartphone can last up to 6 hours, depending on the specific game.

The smartphone supports mCharge fast charging. Thanks to it, the smartphone is charged from the supplied network adapter within 1 hour and 40 minutes with a current of 1.14 A at a voltage of 12 V.

Outcome

The Meizu M5 Note smartphone is available in three versions depending on the amount of RAM and ROM memory: 3+16 GB, 3+32 GB and 4+64 GB. With the maximum version of 4 + 64 GB, Meizu's proprietary wired headset is included. The smartphone has not yet entered the official sale in Russia. It was assumed that this would happen in April, and prices were supposed to be about 16-18 thousand rubles, depending on the modification. Unofficial import is already offering this device with might and main at a price of 8-9 thousand.

There is hope that the blue version of the Meizu M5 Note color will also get to us - the most unusual of all, and therefore the most curious. For example, the Chinese released the Meizu M5s in pink only for the domestic market, and this option is not officially supplied to our stores. However, gray imports, of course, have been offering Meizu M5 Note Blue for a long time.

Well, Meizu turned out to be a decent balanced tablet phone of a confident average level. We can safely assume that this successor to the worthy Meizu Note series will become as popular and in demand as its predecessors. An excellent screen and a good hardware platform, acceptable cameras, a practical and attractive body, as well as a good set of communication modules and high level autonomy, coupled with a solid quality of workmanship without marriage and shortcomings, allow us to count on it.

Meizu review m5 note: smartphone specifications, display, camera, battery and processor tests. Comparison Meizu m5 note vs Meizu m3 note: key differences.

A comparative review of Meizu m5 note opens a series of materials on the budget line of Meizu smartphones. In the coming days on Five-Inches will be published detailed reviews popular models, comparison of Meizu phones with each other and with the main competitors. Reviews are based on test scores, not passport data, but specifications Meizu smartphones will also be. Links to all articles in the series can be found at the end of the publication.

In the Meizu m5 note review, we evaluate the smartphone and compare it with the Meizu m3 note according to the following scheme:

• Battery and phone autonomy rating. Comparison of Meizu m5 note and Meizu m3 note in terms of battery life.
• Meizu m5 note display. What do the test results show? Has the picture quality changed compared to its predecessor?
• Hardware Meizu phone m5 note: performance and benchmark results, including AnTuTu 6, GeekBench and GFX.
• Meizu m5 note camera: strong and weak sides, photo examples.
• Headphone sound quality: a review section for fans of pure sound.
• Design, housing materials, wired interfaces and wireless connection. What's new?
• The results of the review of the Meizu m5 note phone.

Meizu m5 note: battery and autonomy rating

In terms of autonomy, Meizu m5 note deserves high marks. The overall autonomy rating was 98 hours. The rating shows how long the smartphone keeps the battery, if every day you talk on the phone for one hour, watch video for 1 hour and surf the Internet for 1 hour. In a rational and economical mode of operation, the Meizu m5 note battery holds a full 4 days, which, by modern standards, draws an “excellent” rating.

In continuous talk mode, the phone is able to plow more than 34 hours. When working on the Internet, the operating time from a single charge drops to 16 hours, but this is one of the best indicators to date. Few smartphones can last more than 15 hours in this mode. A little discouraging is the sharp drop in autonomy when watching a video (08:31), but otherwise the battery is 4000 mAh does its job superbly.

Meizu m5 note battery: comparison of autonomy with Meizu m3 note

	meizu m5 note	meizu m3 note
Battery	4000 mAh	4100 mAh
fast charging	Pump Express 3.0, 24W	not supported
Autonomy rating	98 hours	93 hours
3G calls	34:38	48:35
Internet	16:16	11:33
Video	08:31	11:18

Comparison of Meizu m3 note and Meizu m5 note. The battery capacity of the predecessor is 100 mAh higher, but the overall rating of the Troika is slightly lower. Less time on the Web, but you can talk on the phone even indefinitely - in talk mode, the phone keeps the battery for two full days.

Another difference between Meizu m5 note and Meizu m3 note is that the fifth model supports fast charging using MediaTek Pump Express 3.0 technology. Comes with the phone Charger at 24 W, which restores the battery from 0 to 35% in half an hour. Given the battery capacity of Meizu m5 note, a good indicator.

Meizu m5 note display: specifications and tests

Meizu m5 note received a display with a diagonal 5.5 inches and resolution 1080 x 1920, exactly like its predecessor. With such a diagonal and screen resolution, we get the pixel density 403 ppi. The ratio of the display area to the area of ​​the front panel is about 71%. Matrix type IPS LCD, the screen is covered with a protective 2.5D glass. In their review of the Meizu m5 note, GSMArena experts noted that the glass is not particularly resistant to drops and scratches.

Let's move on to the test results. We do not see a cardinal improvement in the quality of the picture on the Meizu m5 note display when compared with the m3 note. The saturation of the black color remained about the same level ( 0.614 cd/m2), as well as the maximum screen brightness ( 463 nits). As a result, the contrast has changed little. Test results in comparison with other Meizu phones in the table.

Meizu m5 note: display tests at 100% brightness

	Black, cd/m2	Brightness, cd/m2	Contrast
meizu m5 note	0.614	463	754
meizu m3 note	0.520	425	816
Meizu M5	0.453	480	1060
Meizu MX6	0.34	457	1344
Meizu MX5	0.00	346	~
Meizu Pro 6	0.01	360	40000
Meizu Pro 6 Plus	0.34	457	1344
Redmi Note 4 (SD625)	0.322	484	1503
Redmi 4 Prime	0.475	528	1112

Comparison of Meizu m5 note and Meizu m3 note. The disadvantages of the previous model were poor screen readability in the sun and poor screen calibration. The readability factor is below two, which means that in bright light it is quite problematic to make out anything on the screen. Meizu m3 note's average color accuracy ratio was 5.1, and the maximum DeltaE reached 11 (lower is better).

Meizu m5 note display is no better calibrated - average DeltaE color accuracy ratio rose to 8.7 . White and gray shades clearly fall into blue, and no dancing with a tambourine can fix this. Readability in the sun has improved a little, but it still does not draw a high mark. Outdoors on a fine day can be a problem.

Readability in the sun

In general, the display of the Meizu m5 note deserves a "satisfactory" or "good" rating. Satisfactory when compared with models of the middle price segment, and “good” when compared with state employees. The viewing angles of the Meizu m5 note are excellent, the picture is practically not distorted, but there is not enough contrast, brightness and color accuracy.

Meizu m5 note: hardware specifications

The hardware specs were the Achilles' heel of the Meizu m3 note. The budget one (MT6755) provides a reasonable speed for the operating system and several running applications, but the frame rate in games is low even at medium settings. This is due to the not very successful dual-core graphics accelerator Mali-T860 MP2.

According to the chipset, the characteristics of the Meizu m5 note exactly repeat the passport data of its predecessor. All the same MediaTek Helio P10, whose capabilities are well known. But there are changes for the better. When comparing Meizu m5 note and Meizu m3 note, we see an increase in RAM - now you can choose 3 or 4 GB RAM, and an extra gigabyte will definitely not be superfluous. There was a complete set with 64 GB internal memory, but the cost of such a model is higher.

Meizu m5 note vs Meizu m3 note: chipset specifications

	meizu m5 note	meizu m3 note
Chipset	MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10	MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10
Process technology	28 nm	28 nm
Number of Cores	8	8
Processor architecture	8x ARM Cortex A53	8x ARM Cortex A53
Clock frequency	4x 1.8 GHz + 4x 1.0 GHz	4x 1.8 GHz + 4x 1.0 GHz
graphics accelerator	Mali-T860MP2 700 MHz	Mali-T860MP2 700 MHz
RAM	3 / 4 GB LPDDR3 933 MHz	2 / 3 GB LPDDR3 933 MHz
Built-in memory	16 / 32 / 64 GB	16 / 32 GB
microSD slot	hybrid, up to 256 GB	hybrid, up to 256 GB
LTE Modem	Cat.6 300/50 Mbps	Cat.4 150/50 Mbps

Meizu m3 note or Meizu m5 note? Compare phones in benchmarks. GeekBench 3 measures the processing power of a central processing unit (CPU). The processors in the phones are the same, and therefore the results are almost identical. The difference in the points scored can be attributed either to errors in the tests, or to the fact that the fifth model works under a different operating system with a different firmware. Be that as it may, m3 note ended up being a little faster.

Meizu m5 note vs Meizu m3 note in GeekBench 3 (multi-core)

Meizu m5 note in GeekBench 3 (single-core)

We check the capabilities of the graphics accelerator using the GFX 3.1 and BaseMark X benches. The graphics adapters are the same, but due to the increase in the amount of RAM, the Meizu m5 note comes out half a wheel ahead. However, its advantage over its predecessor is minimal, and the lag behind Meizu phones, oriented to the middle and top segments, is more than significant.

Meizu m5 note in GFX 3.1 Manhattan (onscreen)

Meizu m5 note vs Meizu m3 note in GFX 3.1 Car Scene (onscreen)

Meizu m5 note in BaseMark X

It remains to be tested overall speed smartphone operation. For this, the almost legendary Antutu is best suited, the points in which are affected by the central processor, and the graphics accelerator, and memory interfaces, and much more. Meizu m5 note in Antutu is ahead of its predecessor by 3000 points, but in relative terms the advantage was less than 10%. The lag behind the Meizu MX6 is almost twofold, but there, and this is a completely different processor with fundamentally different capabilities.

Meizu m5 note vs Meizu m3 note in AnTuTu 6

What conclusions are drawn from the hardware tests? Meizu m5 note smartphone suitable for those who does not plan to play 3D games and load the phone with full program. It will cope with the operating system and a dozen running applications, but lags and freezes are possible. You need to be prepared for this, especially if you actively use heavy applications like Twitter.

Meizu m5 note camera

With the Meizu m5 note camera and the entire line of Meizu state employees, the situation is as follows. From generation to generation, smartphones inherit the same main and front camera modules. Fixed Resolution 13 MP, aperture f/2.2, phase detection autofocus, the ability to record video 1080p @ 30 fps - this is the back, and 5 megapixels with aperture 2 - the front.

The Meizu m5 note camera interface traditionally offers the user a wide range of options in terms of settings. You can activate HDR, which performs its direct duties and really noticeably improves the quality of the pictures. You can turn on Macro mode to capture small subjects. You can choose manual mode and set key parameters yourself: you can increase shutter speed up to 10 seconds, adjust ISO (sensor sensitivity), manual focusing and exposure compensation. The Meizu m3 note camera provides similar opportunities.

And now about the quality of the pictures. In short, the Meizu m5 note camera takes very good pictures and deserves high marks if you use the criteria for budget employees and a smartphone. It is impossible to find a smartphone with a cool camera for comparable money, so Meizu m5 note is passing the exam.

If we evaluate the quality of pictures a little more strictly, we should highlight the following shortcomings of photos from the Meizu m5 note camera:

• Sharpness issues.
• Lots of noise.
• Problems with auto focus.
• Poor quality in low light.

But the Meizu m5 note camera also has advantages:

• Correct color rendering.
• The dynamic range is above average.
• Excellent contrast.
• Good detail, better than previous models.
• Good white balance.

Sample photos from the Meizu m5 note camera on the slider, and you can see more photos and 100% crop.

Front-camera. The Meizu m5 note front camera makes good selfies that are not ashamed to be posted on Instagram or social networks. Demanding more from a 5 MP camera is not worth it.

Video. Meizu m5 note can record 1080p video at 30fps. Smooth video with a frame rate of 60 is too tough for the Helio P10 chipset, this is not provided for in its specifications. The video is packed into an MP4 container with a bitrate of 17 Mbps. The quality is acceptable - the lack of detail is compensated by good contrast and color reproduction.

Meizu m5 note sound quality: a review for audiophiles

The intrigue is that Meizu m3 note, when connected to an amplifier or headphones, produced an almost perfect sound - with minimal harmonic and intermodulation distortion, with uniform signal amplification at high and low frequencies, with excellent signal-to-noise ratio and good dynamic range. Did the developers manage to maintain a high degree of linearity of the audio system in Meizu m5 note?

In general, yes, although the coefficients of harmonic and intermodulation distortion have grown a little. Nevertheless, on the 3.5 mm output of the Meizu m5 note phone, you can count on a clean signal, which, in terms of technical characteristics, is not ashamed to compare even with many flagships. If you are looking for a budget audiophile smartphone, you should go to the store, connect a good headset to the m5 note and personally evaluate the sound quality.

Meizu m5 note: sound quality comparison

	Cho	Signal/Noise	DD	OIG	KII
meizu m5 note	+0.02, -0.11	-93.8	93.9	0.0042	0.0080
Meizu m5 note (in headphones)	+0.12, -0.06	-93.1	93.2	0.192	0.126
meizu m3 note	+0.13, -0.00	-91.9	91.9	0.0021	0.0082
Meizu m3 note (in headphones)	+0.02, -0.20	-90.7	91.2	0.0028	0.050
Meizu MX6	+0.10, -0.03	-94.2	94.0	0.0019	0.0064
Meizu MX6 (with headphones)	+0.30, -0.07	-92.5	93.0	0.810	0.271
Meizu Pro 6 Plus	+0.05, -0.00	-93.5	93.4	0.0052	0.010
Meizu Pro 6 Plus (with headphones)	+0.18, -0.02	-92.5	93.3	0.020	0.201
Xperia XA1	+0.17, -0.04	-95.2	95.0	0.0028	0.0066
Xperia XA1 (with headphones)	+0.63, -0.29	-92.9	86.2	0.090	0.473
Galaxy A5 2017	+0.02, -0.32	-93.1	93.3	0.0039	0.0032
Galaxy A5 2017 (with headphones)	+0.29, -0.09	-88.3	87.7	0.015	0.232

Meizu m5 note: design, body materials, interfaces

The design of Meizu m5 note has undergone minor changes that can be called cosmetic. The 3.5mm audio jack has moved to the bottom end, where it is accompanied by microUSB, a microphone and a speaker. For comparison, the Meizu m3 note had an audio jack on the top.

The case is still made in the form of a metal monoblock, but a groove has appeared between back cover and side frames, which distinguishes Meizu m5 note from Meizu m3 note. The build quality is not satisfactory, the phone is made to last.

Meizu m5 note phone came out in December 2016, and it is controlled by operating system Android 6, on top of which is Flyme 5.2 proprietary firmware. The LTE modem was replaced with a Category 6 modem, so that the peak data reception rate increased to 300 Mbps. The rest is unchanged. NFC, FM radio and infrared port were not, and are not.

The metal lock button and volume rocker are on the right, while the SIM and/or microSD card tray is on the left. The screen is covered with a protective 2.5D glass. The fingerprint scanner is embedded in the Home button, which supports proprietary mTouch technology. When touched, it turns into a Back button, when pressed, it works like a Home button. The scanner is turned off by default, but it works accurately and quickly.

Meizu m5 note: general characteristics

	meizu m5 note	meizu m3 note
Battery capacity	4000 mAh	4100 mAh
Frame	metal monoblock	metal monoblock
Dimensions	153.6 x 75.8 x 8.2mm	153.6 x 75.5 x 8.2mm
Weight	175 g	163 g
Operating system	Android 6.0 Marshmallow	Android 5.1 Lollipop
Firmware	Flyme 5.2	Flyme 5.1
Interface	micro USB v2.0	micro USB v2.0
Bluetooth	4.0	4.0
Fingerprint scanner	on the front	on the front
release date	December 2016	April 2016

Meizu m5 note review results

It's time to sum up the Meizu m5 note review. The Chinese company once again offered customers a decent state employee with a good balance of qualities. When comparing Meizu m3 note and Meizu m5 note, we see the following differences:

• There was a fast charge Pump Express 3.0 with a power of 24 watts.
• The amount of RAM has grown: there is a complete set of 4 GB.
• Doubled the amount of internal memory: there is a complete set of 64 GB.
• Operating system Android 6 instead of the fifth version of Lollipop.
• The LTE Cat.6 modem can receive data at 300 Mbps.
• The quality of pictures from the main camera has slightly improved.

Strengths of Meizu m5 note:

• Excellent autonomy rating.
• Very good quality sound in headphones.
• Sturdy metal body, excellent build quality.

Disadvantages of Meizu m5 note:

• Display with mediocre color reproduction and low readability in the sun.
• A modest chipset with a weak graphics adapter.

Thank you all for your attention. If you find inaccuracies or errors in the material, write in the comments, we will correct it. Stay with us, we are always glad to see you on the pages of Five-Inches!

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

Meizu M5 Note is ahead of its counterpart in almost all characteristics. The first advantage of the Note version is more new 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.

Meizu M5 Note is powered by Mediatek MT6755 Helio P10 chipset clocked at 2.0MHz, while Meizu M5 is powered by Mediatek MT6755 clocked at 1.5MHz. 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 “clean” 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. Meizu M5 Note with 16GB and 32GB storage has the same 3GB 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 can be seen from the comparison of characteristics, Meizu M5 is very 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 surf social networks, call 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 larger than the “clean” M5. If you like big smartphones, then the opposite is true. It is worth looking at the weight of the devices. The Note version is heavier than the regular M5 by as much as 37 grams. This is a significant difference.

Meizu M5 Note

But the most important aspect when choosing is the price. Your choice primarily depends on your financial capabilities. Note-version is more expensive by a few tens of bucks.

Design

In our confrontation - metal against plastic. It is not difficult to answer the question which is better. Of course, metal. It is stronger and more resilient. But this material is not always better than plastic, because 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 top and bottom inserts are metal. M5 is made of impact-resistant plastic - polycarbonate.

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

Meizu M5

Display

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

But everything is not so clear. A high resolution can affect smartphone performance, and a large display can be inconvenient for many users. That's why Meizu comparison M5 Note and its opponent is very difficult.

cameras

The cameras on both smartphones are almost 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. The Meizu M5 has a noticeable departure to red tones, which not all users like. Also, the Note version has a higher sharpness. But these differences are so insignificant that it is simply unrealistic to say who wins in the confrontation between M5 and M5 Note.

Meizu M5 Note

Memory and memory card

The amount of permanent and RAM 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, as there are very few of them in the CIS countries. Nevertheless, the M5 Note is still in the lead, as the younger version with 16 GB of ROM 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?

Meizu M5 Note has the ability to fast charge. The question arises about the importance of this function. This question is difficult to answer unambiguously. It all depends on your needs. If you need to charge your smartphone often and quickly, then this option will be 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.

Meizu M5

Battery life and performance

The operating time of a smartphone is very important for all users without exception. The M5 has a built-in non-removable battery with a capacity of 3070 mAh. 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 milliamp-hours, but this will not increase the device's operating time by much. It's about the needs of the smartphone. The Meizu M5 Note display 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. But 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 price-quality ratio that influences the final choice of the buyer. By comparison, it is clear that the M5 Note has more features and is much better from a technical point of view. But the price is right for the quality. 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 that a more expensive device offers.

Meizu M5 Note

Output

Meizu M5 Note wins in most respects, but which smartphone you buy is up to you. It all depends on your needs. If you need big smartphone with a good display and excellent performance, then you should pay attention to Meizu M5 Note. If a smartphone is just a way for you to access the Internet, call somewhere or play undemanding toys, then you should not overpay almost twice for power that you simply will not use. In addition, the Note version will not be convenient for everyone, because it is impossible to use a smartphone with such a diagonal with one hand.