Original meizu m3 note. Meizu M3 Note review: excellent characteristics, inexpensive

• Operating system: Android 5.1 Lollipop
• Screen: 5.5”, 1920x1080, IPS, 403 ppi
• Processor: MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755), 8 cores (4x Cortex-A53, 1.0 GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 1.8 GHz)
• Graphics: Mali-T860 MP2
• RAM: 2/3 GB
• Permanent memory: 16/32 GB, microSD slot
• Communications: 4G (LTE Cat.6), 3G, Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, GLONASS
• Cameras: main: 13 MP, with autofocus, video recording 1920x1080, front: 5 MP
• Battery: non-removable, 4100 mAh
• Dimensions: 153.6 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm
• Weight: 163 g

Appearance

Meizu design The M3 Note incorporates a bit of the flagship Meizu MX5 and Pro 5. This is a large 5.5-inch smartphone, the body of which is almost entirely made of durable metal. On the front side, under the screen, there is a single control key, and on top there is an inconspicuous front camera lens, an uncovered speaker and an event indicator.

Rounded edges and smooth curves make the device slippery; given its rather large dimensions (153.6 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm), you should consider purchasing a case, otherwise the smartphone may simply slip out of your hands.

On the back panel at the top and bottom there are small plastic inserts painted silver, which makes the smartphone look no worse.
The rest of the design is familiar to many: in the center is the main camera lens, framed by a thin metal frame. Below it is an LED flash.
In the center of the back there is a laconic company logo.

The keys are arranged as standard: on the right is the volume button and the power key. On the left is a slot for two nanoSIM cards or one card and one microSD.
There is a 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones on top, and a microUSB connector on the bottom.
Meizu M3 Note is available in three, already classic, colors: silver and gold versions have a white front; dark gray version - black.

Screen

The smartphone uses a 5.5-inch screen with FullHD resolution 1920x1080, pixel density 403 ppi, and all this on an IPS matrix.
The display has no obvious disadvantages. Wide viewing angles, a brightness level that allows you to read comfortably both in bright sunlight and in the dark, contrast, sufficient saturation and good color rendition.

In the settings you can choose the color temperature that suits you.
The M3 Note has a very good oleophobic coating, marks are easily erased. The anti-reflective coating also left no questions.

Iron

The smartphone uses Mediatek Helio P10 as a processor, Mali T860 is responsible for graphics, the amount of RAM depends on the selected model, it is either 2 GB or 3 GB. Volume internal memory also different depending on the configuration - 16 or 32 GB. There is support for microSD cards only if you do not need to use two nanoSIM cards.

Of course, the characteristics are lower than those of top-end flagships, but nevertheless, this hardware is enough to support the operation of a FullHD display; quick response interface, loading browser tabs and surfing the Internet.

The smartphone supports work in following networks: 4G (LTE Cat.6), 3G, dual-band Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, GLONASS.

Camera

The M3 Note is equipped with two cameras with a resolution that has become standard: a 13 MP main camera with autofocus and LED flash and a typical 5 MP front camera.
It seems to me that I have given characteristics to similar cameras so often that at this point it is enough to mention only the resolution. Nevertheless: the main camera produces quite good shots in bright daylight. The pictures are detailed, there is no pixelation, and there is no loss of resolution.

As for shooting in the dark, if you don’t use a flash, the photo turns out with noticeable pixelation and a little blurry.
The video is shot in 1080p format.

You can take good selfies with the front camera in good lighting. Suitable for video chatting.

Battery

The battery capacity is 4100 mAh, which is very large volume for a mid-budget device, with far from top-end hardware characteristics. For intensive use, including surfing the Internet, listening to music, answering calls and SMS, using Wi-Fi transmission etc., the battery capacity was enough to provide the smartphone with a charge for up to two days without recharging.
In our proprietary test with 50% brightness and Wi-Fi smartphone lasted 22 hours.

Operating system and interface

The device received Android 5.1 OS with the proprietary Flyme shell. The system is convenient and easy to use, the menu has a personalization option that allows you to have fun with the choice of themes for both desktops and the entire menu.

Let's sum it up

Meizu has released again indeed good smartphone, meeting all the requirements of unpretentious users - a laconic design and 2.5D glass covering the front side, LTE and a 4100 mAh battery. Of course, you can find fault with the average quality of pictures and performance, but in my part of the world, the battery and connection in a smartphone have always been better.

• Case materials: metal, plastic, glass
• Operating system: Android 5.x, Flyme
• Networks: GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, LTE (two nanoSIM slots)
• Screen: IPS LCD, 5” diagonal, resolution 1280x720 pixels (HD), ppi 294
• Platform: MediaTek MT6750
• Processor: eight-core, 64-bit, Cortex-A53 at up to 1.5 GHz (two clusters of 4 cores)
• Graphics: Mali-T860 MP2
• RAM: 2/3 GB
• Data storage memory: 16/32 GB
• Memory card slot: yes, microSD (instead of a second SIM card)
• Main camera: 13 megapixels, f/2.2, phase detection autofocus, dual LED flash
• Front-camera: 5 MP, f/2.0
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.0 (A2DP, LE), microUSB connector (USB-OTG, USB-Host) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm jack for headset/headphones
• Navigation: GPS (A-GPS support), Glonass
• Additionally: fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
• Battery: 3020 mAh
• Dimensions: 141.9 x 69.9 x 8.3 mm
• Weight: 138 grams

Introduction

The Chinese company, which has managed to become relatively popular in Russia (to some extent thanks to us, don’t consider it immodest), has released another metal smartphone. This time there is more metal in the budget (for China) or mid-range price category(For Russia). The collection has been replenished with the Meizu M3s mini device. They decided to give this fancy name to the gadget just for us, since in our homeland a similar one is simply called M3. However, it is worth understanding that M3s mini and M3 are still different: the version for Russian market has a metal case and an Android operating system, the battery capacity has slightly increased.

The price has not yet been decided, but according to rumors, a 2/16 GB smartphone will cost 12,000 rubles, and a 3/32 GB gadget will cost 14,000 rubles. Personally, it seems to me that it will be like this: 12,990 and 14,990 rubles. Sales in August.

Design, dimensions, control elements

This time, Meizu designers didn’t particularly bother with the design of the new product, so the M3s mini looks almost identical to the Pro 6: sloping edges, a flat back surface, a metal body, a scanner plus a touch-mechanical button, the location of some elements, etc. The only global difference: the back of the Pro 6 is entirely made of aluminum, and in the case of the M3S mini, there are plastic inserts on the top and bottom. A similar solution is used in many gadgets with non-plastic panels.

The front side is protected by glass with a 2.5D shape, the thin chrome edge is still made of plastic. By the way, a device came to me with a rather broken edging. On the one hand, this is not very good, since it will have to be photographed in such an unaesthetic form, on the other hand, you can immediately imagine what will happen to the smartphone after a certain amount of time.

The glass is durable and did not get a single scratch during testing. Oleophobic coating is present. The quality is good, your finger glides across the surface of the screen easily.

Due to its compact dimensions and extremely successful body shape, holding and using Meizu M3S mini is a pleasure, especially after “shovelling”. The device is assembled tightly, no backlash, creaks, or pressing into the battery.

There are quite a lot of colors for Meizu: dark gray, silver, gold and metallic pink. I hope that all of them will definitely be available to our consumers.

On the top of the front panel there are light and proximity sensors (they work quite slowly), an indicator of missed events (bright, white), a camera and a speaker, covered with a metal mesh. Its volume is high, the timbre is pleasant, the interlocutor can be heard clearly and legibly.

Below the screen is a touch-mechanical button, which is responsible for exiting to the home screen, “Back”.

It is also a fingerprint sensor. I was completely satisfied with the response speed. Using the mTouch 2.1 scanner, you can not only block the smartphone from turning on, but also limit access to any applications on the device using your fingerprint, including programs and games you personally installed.

The scanner works no worse or better than others.

At the bottom there is a microphone (left), microUSB and speaker speakerphone. The volume rocker and power button are on the right. Their stroke is minimal, the pressure is firm, and there is a pleasant “click” sound, like on an iPhone.

On the left is a metal tray for sharing nanoSIM+nanoSIM or nanoSIM+microSD.

On the reverse side there is a camera lens recessed into the body, below there is a two-color LED flash, the inscription MEIZU.

Meizu M3S mini and Apple iPhone

Display

Meizu M3S mini uses a screen with a diagonal of 5 inches. Let me remind you that in M1/M2 Note the diagonal is 5.5", in MX4 - 5.36", and in MX4 Pro - 5.5", in Pro 5 - 5.7", in Pro 6 - 5.2". The physical size of the M3S mini display is 64x110 mm, frame top – 15.5 mm, bottom – 15, right and left – slightly less than 4 mm. Present anti-reflective coating.

The display resolution of Meizu M3S mini is HD, that is, 720x1280 pixels, density is 294 pixels per inch. The matrix is ​​made using IPS technology without an air gap.

The maximum brightness of white is 400 cd/m2 (official data is 380), black is 0.59 cd/m2. Contrast ratio – 677:1 (officially – 1000:1).

The white line is the goal we are trying to achieve. The yellow line is the actual screen data. You can see that we are almost directly below the target curve at values ​​from 0 to 100%, which means that at each value the image is under-lit. The yellow line is actually the average amount of red, green and blue.

The average gamma value is 2.12.

Judging by the level graph, blue is in excess and red is in short supply.

On minimum brightness temperature is closer to 7800 K, on ​​average – 7200 K

Judging by the diagram, the data obtained does not exceed the sRGB triangle, especially in the green, red and blue zone.

Many gray points are located within a radius of DeltaE=10, which indicates that gray colors will not contain other shades.

The viewing angles are maximum; at certain angles of the screen, the picture becomes very yellow and violet. This suggests that the matrix here is one of the most budget-friendly.

Behavior in the light

Viewing Angles

White color

Battery

This model uses non-removable battery capacity 3020 mAh.

When working with the device, the battery lasted for about 16-18 hours: about 20-30 minutes of calls per day, about 7 hours of 3G/4G use (constant synchronization of mail, Twitter, WhatsApp, Skype, etc.), about 6 hours of Wi-Fi , several dozen photos, hours of listening to music.

In a more gentle mode, the gadget works for up to 24 hours. If you leave only data synchronization (Wi-Fi), then you can count on two days. Up to 13 hours of continuous talk time.

In movie mode (HD), the battery runs out after about 9 hours, in gaming mode the battery lasts for about 3.5 hours, in audio playback mode at maximum volume – up to 50 hours.

The PC Mark Work Battery life application showed a result of 10 hours 37 minutes.

Unlike top models, the M3S mini does not have fast charging. Network adapter– 5 V and 2 A.

Communication capabilities

The device is equipped with two nanoSIM slots. Both connectors support 3G/4G networks (LTE CAT 6) in Russian frequencies: FDD-LTE / TD-LTE / TD-SCDMA / WCDMA / GSM.

Network types:

• 2G GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz)
• 3G WCDMA/HSPA+ (900/2100 MHz)
• 4G FDD-LTE (1800/2100/2600 MHz)
• 3G TD-SCDMA
• 4G TD-LTE

The rest is standard: Wi-Fi (ac and b/g/n/ac) dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz/5 GHz) - sensitivity at Samsung Galaxy S6, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB connector (USB 2.0 with OTG support) for charging/syncing. GPS navigation works without problems.

Memory and memory card

The smartphone will be available in two versions:

• 2 GB RAM (LPDDR3) and 16 GB internal
• 3 GB RAM (LPDDR3) and 32 GB internal

Read speed of internal memory (16 GB LPDDR3) – 72 Mbit/s, write speed – 16 Mbit/s.

There is support for microSD cards up to 128 GB.

Cameras

The main module is 13 MP with phase focusing (5 lenses, f2.2 aperture, the lens is protected by Gorilla Glass 3), and the front one is 5 MP (4 lenses, f2.0 aperture). There is a dual LED flash with warm and cool glow.

The quality of the picture during the day completely satisfies me: accurate white balance, good dynamic range, relatively sharp picture. Focusing speed is high thanks to phase detection autofocus. The accuracy is also excellent.

As for shooting at dusk or simply in low light conditions, the camera shows extremely poor results: there is a lot of noise, the image becomes blurry, and the white balance often fluctuates. However, almost all modules in the price category of devices up to 15,000 rubles behave in a similar way.

The front module is not very wide-angle. The photos are good and sharp.

The video is normal – FullHD at 30 fps during the day and 20 fps at night. The picture is average, the focus is also average. The sound is loud, clear, excellent intelligibility, good sensitivity. The selfie camera records FullHD - quite suitable for vlogs.

The usual ones remain manual parameters ISO, shutter speed, focus, exposure. Otherwise, nothing new.

Sample photos

Performance and Software Platform

Meizu M3S mini uses MediaTek MT6750 chipset. Information about the chip appeared at the beginning of this year. This processor was created as a low-cost solution with LTE Cat 6, as well as VoLTE, ViLTE and VoWiFi. 8-core chip: one cluster consists of four Cortex-A53 cores operating at 1 GHz, and is designed for simple tasks; the second cluster consists of four high-performance Cortex-A53 cores operating at 1.5 GHz, designed for demanding applications. The graphics are handled by ARM Mali-T860MP2 with support for OpenGL ES 3.1, OpenCL 1.2 and DirectX 11.1, capable of operating at frequencies up to 700 MHz. In MT6750 it operates at 650 MHz.

When the processor is loaded, the case does not heat up so much (maximum 41–42 degrees), in normal conditions (music, camera, pictures, network use) – 32–35 degrees.

The smartphone is very fast, no microlags or system slowdowns. Meizu has polished the Flyme shell well, although it doesn’t have many functions.

With toys, not everything is clear: Unkilled shows an unstable 13–22 fps, Dead Trigger 2 – a stable 30 fps, Real Racing 3 – an average of 27, but the frames “jump” from 19 to 38 fps. Something like this…

Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. or simply " Meizu" is a Chinese digital electronics company based in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China. Meizu is also in the top ten the best manufacturers in China. And it received wide recognition in European countries after the presentation of the Meizu MX 2 smartphone. This monster became simply the crowning achievement of Meizu Technology, after a dozen unsuccessful attempts to expand beyond China.

Meizu did not stop at models MX they also have a line that is far from worse M. Which in April 2016 was replenished with another model called: M3 Note, we were all waiting for it with impatience after we got acquainted and played enough with the younger brother Meizu M2 Note. Its sales, according to the manufacturer, have amounted to more than two tens of millions of devices since last summer. Meizu obviously expects that the M3 Note smartphone will, if not surpass, then at least repeat the success of its predecessor.

Specifications Meizu M3 Note

• Model: M3 Note (M681H)
• OS: Android 5.1 (Lollipop) with Flyme OS 5.1.3.1G shell
• 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: 2 GB/3 GB LPDDR3 (933 MHz, single channel)
• Storage: 16 GB/32 GB, eMMC 5.1, microSD/HC/XC memory card support (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 charging/syncing, USB-OTG, 3.5 mm headphone jack
• Screen: capacitive touch, IPS LTPS (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon) matrix, GFF (full lamination), 5.5-inch diagonal, resolution 1920x1080 pixels, pixel density per inch 403 ppi, brightness 450 cd/sq. m, contrast 1000:1, protective glass NEG 2.5D T2X-1
• Main camera: 13 MP, PureCel matrix, OmniVision OV13853, optical size 1/3.06 inches, pixel size 1.12 microns, Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 5-element lens, f/2.2 aperture, phase detection (PDAF) autofocus, dual dual-color flash, 1080p@30fps video
• Front camera: 5 MP, BSI sensor, Samsung S5K5E8 or OmniVision OV5670 PureCel, optical size (1/5 inch), 1.12 µm pixel size, 4-element lens, f/2.0 aperture
• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz), WCDMA/HSPA+ (900/2100 MHz), 4G FDD-LTE (1800/2100/2600 MHz)
• 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 (infrared), fingerprint scanner
• Battery: non-removable, lithium polymer, 4,100 mAh
• Colors: dark grey, silver, gold
• Dimensions: 153.6x75.5x8.2 mm
• Weight: 163 grams

Design, ergonomics

When creating the M3 Note, the designers seem to have taken their inspiration from Meizu's older models from last year, in particular the MX5 and Pro 5 smartphones.

Thus, for the manufacture of the all-metal body of the new product, also known as unibody, we chose an aviation aluminum-magnesium alloy of the 6000 series.

To prevent the smartphone antennas from being shielded by metal, two inserts made of radio-transparent material were provided, separating them from the aluminum alloy with raised strips. The dimensions of the new product have not changed very significantly compared to the M2 Note - 153.6x75.5x8.2 mm versus 150.7x75.2x8.7 mm. Well, the weight has predictably increased due to the more capacious battery - 163 g versus 149 g.

Let us remind you that in its predecessor they were content with glossy colored plastic for the body and only matte polycarbonate was used for the gray color.

At the time of testing, two color options for the anodized coating of the M3 Note cases were offered for sale: silver (with a black or white front panel) and gray (with a black or white front panel).

The entire front surface of the M2 Note, including the screen, is covered with protective glass, which was chosen as Dinorex 2.5D T2X-1 from Nippon Electric Glass (NEG).

The 2.5D effect consists of a smooth “rounding” of this glass along the perimeter of the front panel.

Above the display, with traditionally narrow side frames,

The speaker grille is located, surrounded by the front camera lens (on the left), light and proximity sensors, and an LED indicator (on the right). The latter does not seem to be used by the standard smartphone tools.

Below the display there is a mechanical key with a built-in fingerprint scanner mTouch 2.1, which looks very similar to mBack, which first appeared in the M2 Note smartphone. From the latter it also inherited its basic functionality. So, a normal touch (tap) of this button activates the “Back” function, a short press with a hardware “click” returns to main screen(“Home”), and a long press (and hold) turns off the screen backlight. But the “Recent Applications” button is replaced by swiping up from the bottom edge of the display. After a short period of getting used to, this control scheme becomes very convenient.

On the right edge, in a small recess, there is a volume rocker and a power/lock button.

The left edge is occupied by a closed slot with a double tray, which can accommodate either two subscriber identification modules of the nanoSIM format, or the place of the second one will be taken by a microSD memory expansion card. To open the combination tray lock, you will need a special tool. As before, a thin paper clip can be used as it. Unfortunately, during the production of the device (by at least, our test unit), the size of the tray and the slot for it were not adjusted perfectly, as a result of which the tray rattles slightly if you shake the smartphone.

The hole for the second microphone (for noise reduction and sound recording) and the 3.5 mm audio headset connector remain on the top end.

The microUSB connector between two mounting screws at the bottom end is framed by decorative grilles (four round holes in each). At the same time, a “conversational” microphone is hidden under the left, and a “multimedia” speaker is hidden under the right.

On the rear panel, the first thing that catches your eye are the relief strips separating the metal from the radio-transparent plastic,

and just like the Pro 5, the stylized Meizu logo is moved closer to the main camera lens and dual two-color LED flash.

Despite the 5.5-inch screen diagonal, new smartphone, however, like the M2 Note, it is comfortable and easy to hold in your hand.

In addition, the slightly rough surface of the metal rear panel is pleasant to the touch.

Screen, camera, sound

The M3 Note screen uses a 5.5-inch IPS matrix, on which, with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels (Full HD) and a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, the pixel density per inch according to the passport is 403 ppi. For its manufacture, LTPS (Low Temperature Poly Silicon) technology is used, since replacing amorphous silicon with polycrystalline silicon ultimately makes it possible to achieve wider viewing angles (up to 178 degrees), better color palette, lower power consumption and response time. In turn, the GFF (Glass-to-Film-to-Film) full lamination technology eliminates the air gap between the display layers, which serves as the basis for good anti-glare properties and reduces the reflection effect. Let us remind you that the entire front panel, including the screen, is covered with NEG 2.5D Dinorex T2X-1 protective glass. They didn’t forget to apply an oleophobic coating to it, which, unlike that used for the M2 Note, is more effective (the glass is very easy to clean and your finger glides over the surface without problems).

Thanks to support for MiraVision 2.0 technology, which balances the best display and power consumption, screen brightness and colors are adjusted dynamically depending on lighting conditions. By the way, the declared contrast is 1000:1, and the maximum brightness is 450 cd/sq.m. At the same time, it is proposed to regulate the backlight level in a fairly wide range, either according to your own understanding, manually, or automatically (“Auto-tuning” option), based on information from the light sensor. Multi-touch technology allows you to process up to ten simultaneous clicks on capacitive screen, which is confirmed by the results of the AntTuTu Tester program. The settings also add the ability to adjust color temperature, so you can make the colors warmer or, conversely, cooler to suit your taste. Along with large viewing angles, a fairly high-quality anti-reflective coating is provided, so that even in the bright summer sun the image remains readable.

The main camera of the M3 Note has a 13-megapixel BSI matrix (OmniVision OV13853 PureCel, optical size 1/3.06 inches), as well as dual two-color LED flash with different color temperatures. The camera lens with 5-element optics, covered with Corilla Glass 3, has an f/2.2 aperture and fast (0.2 s) phase detection autofocus. Maximum resolution images 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 BSI sensor (Samsung S5K5E8 or OmniVision OV5670 PureCel, 1/5-inch optical size) equipped with a wide-angle 4-lens lens with f/2.0 aperture. But autofocus and flash are missing here. Maximum size a picture in a classic proportion (4:3) – 2592x1944 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 - audio).

The interface of the Camera application in the M3 Note, compared to that of its predecessor, has been slightly improved, but the main features have changed little. The modes “Auto”, “Manual”, “Portrait”, “Panorama”, “Change focus” and “Slow motion” (4 times, resolution 640x480 pixels, up to 60 minutes) remain in place. At the same time, having removed the “Scanner”, they added “Macro” and “GIF” (up to 6 minutes of animation). In the settings, you can select the HDR mode, as well as decide on the photo size and video quality. Shooting in manual mode (M) involves adjusting the parameters of shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, saturation, white balance, etc. By activating the appropriate option, focus and exposure can be measured separately. In addition, there are almost a dozen image filters at your disposal. It’s convenient to switch the viewfinder from the main camera to the front camera and back using vertical swipes. But the volume rocker (both increasing and decreasing) is also proposed to be used to release the shutter. The manufacturer notes the role of the ISP TrueBright image processor, which allows you to take pictures in low light brighter and clearer. However, even the main camera can hardly boast of special shooting quality in such conditions.

Not only in the placement of the “multimedia” speaker grille, but also in its acoustic capabilities, the M3 Note is practically no different from its predecessor. The standard smartphone tools still allow you to listen sound files, for example, with FLAC extensions, created by codecs to compress audio data without losing quality. After connecting the audio headset, you are offered to use a 5-band equalizer with presets and manual setting. Unfortunately, the device does not have a built-in FM tuner. The simple “Dictaphone” makes fairly high-quality monophonic recordings (44.1 kHz), which it stores in MP3 files.

But with playing music via Bluetooth, a small problem emerged - clicks that occur when you take the smartphone in your hand or move it on the table. Apparently, the reason is insufficient shielding of the audio path from static electricity on the case.

Filling, performance

If the M2 Note relied on the 64-bit MediaTek MT6753 platform with eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.3 GHz), then for the M3 Note they chose the first-born from the MediaTek Helio P10 family of mid-range chipsets (aka MT6755), designed for according to the manufacturer, for thin smartphones.

This chip is based on an 8-core processor, where four ARM Cortex-A53 cores are clocked at up to 1.8 GHz, and four more at up to 1.0 GHz. At the same time, the 2-core ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (550 MHz) architecture with support for OpenGL ES 3.2 and OpenCL 1.2 is used as a graphics accelerator. The MT6755 chip is made in a new way technological process TSMC 28HPC+ (28 nm), which, according to the manufacturer, reduced power consumption by 30-35% compared to chips manufactured in compliance with the “old” 28HPC design standards. In addition, 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 networks-TDD, LTE-FDD Cat. 6 (300/50 Mbit/s), HSPA+, TD-SCDMA, EDGE, etc., and is also equipped with Bluetooth 4.0 LE and 2-band Wi-Fi interfaces. Among the other proprietary highlights of the MediaTek MT6755, in addition to MiraVision 2.0, it is worth noting the load optimizer for processor cores CorePilot and the heart rate monitoring system (using the camera built into the smartphone) Heart Rate Monitoring.

The basic configuration of the M3 Note is supplemented by LPDDR3 (933 MHz) RAM, which is controlled by a single-channel controller. Note that the smartphone variants with 16 GB or 32 GB of internal storage (eMMC 5.1) have 2 GB or 3 GB of RAM, respectively. We received a device with a 2 GB/16 GB combination for testing. Judging by the published data, Helio P10 successfully competes with chipsets in performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 615/616, which does not contradict the results of the tests performed.

Number of “virtual parrots” obtained on a synthetic benchmark AnTuTu Benchmark, was obviously predetermined by the selected hardware platform.

The efficiency of using the processor cores (Geekbench 3, Vellamo) of the new smartphone looks quite optimistic, but the estimate of the amount of “horsepower” is not so positive.

On the Epic Citadel visual test settings (High Performance, High Quality and Ultra High Quality), the average frame rate changed as follows - 60.1 fps, 59.8 fps and 41.5 fps, respectively.

On the universal gaming benchmark 3DMark, where the Meizu M3 Note was tested on the recommended Sling Shot set (ES 3.1), a rather modest result of 326 points was recorded. If problems are unlikely to arise with simple games, then in “heavy” games (Asphalt 8: Take Off, World of Tanks Blitz) it is better to limit yourself to medium settings.

In turn, the total number of points scored by the smartphone on the cross-platform benchmark Base Mark OS II was 986.

Of the 16 GB of declared internal memory in the tested model, about 14.56 GB are available, and approximately 9.6 GB are free. At the same time, like the M2 Note, to expand the available storage, it is possible to install a microSD/HC/XC memory card with a maximum capacity of up to 128 GB. True, the dual tray into which the memory card is inserted is universal, and if you take up one place in it, you will have to sacrifice the installation of a second SIM card (nanoSIM format). By the way, you can also expand the built-in memory thanks to the support of USB-OTG technology by connecting an external drive.

Similar to its predecessor, the M3 Note's set of wireless communications also includes a dual-band Wi-Fi module 802.11 a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz) and Bluetooth 4.0 (LE).

When two nanoSIM cards (4FF format) are installed, one radio channel of the device operates with them in Dual mode SIM Dual Standby, 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 transfer, as well as the priority network mode, is selected in the corresponding menu. Unfortunately, only two “Russian” FDD-LTE bands are available – b3 (1,800 MHz) and b7 (2,600 MHz). But the most “disruptive”, low-frequency b20 (800 MHz), as before, remained “overboard”. The manufacturer especially emphasizes support for the promising VoLTE (Voice over LTE) technology.

The built-in multi-system receiver uses GPS and GLONASS satellites for positioning and navigation, as confirmed by the results of the AndroiTS GPS Test and GPS Test programs. Support is also provided A-GPS technology(coordination over Wi-Fi and cellular networks).

The volume of the lithium-polymer battery equipped with the M3 Note (4,100 mAh), compared to its predecessor (3,100 mAh), has increased quite significantly - by about 32% (1,000 mAh). Despite this capacity reserve, the body of the new smartphone has become 0.5 mm thinner. There is no support for fast charging here. The smartphone comes with a power adapter (5 V/2 A). It will take about 2 hours to fill the battery to 100% from a level of 15-20%.

We managed to earn an impressive 8,778 points in the AnTuTu Tester battery tests. While the M2 Note was limited to 6,289 points here. When the battery is 100% full, the manufacturer promises up to two days of operation. active mode, or up to 17 hours of video viewing, or up to 36 hours of listening to music. Test set of videos in MP4 format (hardware decoding) and Full HD quality At full brightness it spun continuously for almost 9.5 hours.

In the “Power Management” settings section, depending on the expected load, you can force the smartphone to switch from “Balanced” mode to “Energy Saving” or “Productive”. In addition, the “Power Consumption Optimization” section suggests not only managing the sleep mode of applications, but also taking advantage of flexible settings to save battery power – “Smart”, “Super” and “Custom”.

Software Features

The M3 Note smartphone runs on the Android 5.1 (Lollipop) operating system, the interface of which is hidden under the proprietary Flyme OS 5.1.3.1G shell. It should be noted here that in latest versions Flyme firmware, including the above, first launch of the store Google applications Play (creation Google account) must be performed on a smartphone with a SIM card installed. This additional device authorization has become one of the new security requirements.

All program shortcuts, folders and widgets in the Flyme launcher are placed directly on the desktop. Swiping down opens the quick settings panel (where a brightness adjustment slider now appears), and swiping up opens recently opened applications.

In the "Special" section capabilities”, as before, possible smartphone control gestures are collected, including the SmartTouch control “ring” (not shown in the screenshot) with adjustable transparency.

IN new version shell, it became possible to split the screen to simultaneously display the work of two applications, however, so far this only applies to the “Settings”, “Video” and “Maps” programs.

Using up to five fingerprints captured on the fast (0.2 second) mTouch 2.1 fingerprint scanner, you can lock not only the screen, but also access to files and applications.

The M3 Note has a minimal set of software installed. From this software, you can highlight a collection of utilities for regular smartphone care, collected in the “Security Center” (virus scan, garbage removal, memory cleaning, energy saving management, etc.), as well as practical tools from the “Useful” application ( “Mirror”, “Flashlight”, “Ruler”, etc.).

Purchase and conclusions

Improvements in Meizu M3 Note, compared to its predecessor M2 Note, affected not only the replacement of plastic with aluminum alloy, but also the functionality of the filling. Now the smartphone, which can have 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, uses new processor, the battery capacity has increased significantly, and a fast fingerprint scanner has been added. In addition, both trays in the slot support not only LTE technology, but also VoLTE. At the same time, they managed to keep the price of the M3 Note quite attractive: 127 $ for the 2 GB/16 GB version and 157 $ for 3 GB/32 GB (RAM/built-in memory, respectively) -

By using cashback you have the opportunity to save up to 10% on the purchase of goods -

Among Chinese smartphones with a diagonal of 5.5 inches, sales records were shared by two models: Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and Meizu M3 Note. Meizu devices are traditionally positioned as more expensive and functional due to proprietary features such as a hardware button and its own operating system based on Android.

The popular M3 Note was no exception. Its cost is $150, which corresponds to the average price segment for Chinese devices. But upon closer inspection it becomes clear: it could cost more.

Characteristics

Display	IPS 5.5″, 1,920 × 1,080, 403 ppi
CPU	MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755M), 8 cores, 4 × 1.8 GHz
Video accelerator	ARM Mali-T860
RAM	2/3 GB
Persistent memory	16/32 GB
Cameras	Main: 13 MP, f/2.2, autofocus, LED flash; front: 5 MP, f/2.0
Frame	Metal with plastic inserts
Wireless interfaces	Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (2 bands), Wi-Fi Direct; Bluetooth 4.0 BLE; GPS/A-GPS, GLONASS
Supported networks	GSM 900/1800/1900 MHz; WCDMA 900/2100 MHz, TD-SCDMA; LTE FDD Band 1/3/7, TD-LTE
Wired Interfaces	MicroUSB (USB 2.0, OTG)
Sensors	Directions, proximity, lighting, accelerometer, geomagnetic, fingerprint scanner
Battery	4,100 mAh
operating system	Flyme OS 5
Dimensions	154 × 76 × 8.2 mm
Weight	163 g

Appearance

When you open the box, you expect to see another iPhone clone or the embodiment of a dubious design concept. But the front side of the smartphone says the opposite: Meizu M3 Note is truly a stylish device.

The main decoration of the smartphone is the multifunctional branded mTouch 2.1 button with a built-in fingerprint scanner. The scanner operates in just 0.2 seconds. This is exactly what is used in the MX 5 from the mid-price category and the flagship of the previous generation Pro 5. The button works as a Home key, is used to unlock the gadget, and in the settings you can determine additional functions: for example, restrict access to certain files.

There are no other controls near the center button. To access the list open applications you must use a vertical slide from the place where the corresponding button should be.

The smartphone fits like a glove in your hand - it’s not for nothing that the company used it (one of the first, especially in this price segment) solid metal body. The corners are rounded, and so is the back cover. The forms are strict, nothing superfluous. 2.5D protective glass creates an imitation of a rounded screen in the overall style of streamlined contours.

Symmetry is another disease of Meizu designers. The bottom edge has two grilles (there is still only one speaker), the microUSB port is exactly in the middle. Even the camera and proximity sensor, combined with an LED indicator, are spaced as symmetrically as possible from the earpiece.

Thanks to its streamlined shape, the M3 Note fits perfectly in any hand: women's, children's or men's. The central button is under the thumb, as is the power button with a volume rocker on the left side.

Despite the 5.5-inch display, the smartphone fits perfectly into pockets and bags - the difference in size with 5-inch devices is almost invisible.

Screen

The overall impression is supported by a bright LTPS display with Full HD (1,920 × 1,080 pixels). Such matrices are usually used in more expensive smartphones, although they are relatives of IPS matrices.

The screen can display information both in bright sun and in complete darkness. Auto-adjustment works just like on high-end branded smartphones - instantly. The viewing angle approaches 180 degrees: the contrast drops slightly, colors are distorted minimally. The sensor is responsive, responds quickly and accurately. Up to 10 simultaneous clicks are supported. The device can be used while wearing cloth gloves.

The screen is protected from scratches, glare and dirty handprints. For the first, Dinotrail brand protective glass is used. For the rest - a special polarizing filter (like on SLR camera lenses) and an oleophobic coating.

Performance

Meizu M3 Note uses the Mediatek Helio P10 platform. It consists of 8 processor cores: four of them operate at a frequency of 1 GHz, another four operate at an increased frequency of up to 1.8 GHz. The graphics subsystem is based on a rather weak Mali solution.

You shouldn't expect performance records from such a system. Synthetic tests even show 3–5 times smaller numbers than the 2016 flagships. But are such indicators important in real use? Of course not.

The interface works smoothly. You can play World of Tanks, Asphalt 8 or their analogues. You can open a “heavy” presentation in PPT or a large PDF.

Low performance is the price to pay for efficiency and moderate heating. And this is more important than the “parrots” in Antutu (by the way, in it the M3 Note scores 46,978 points, in GeekBench - 809 for a single core and 3,002 in a multi-core test). Thanks to the use of a processor “cut” in frequency and number of cores, the temperature under load does not rise above 37–40 degrees.

Battery life depends just as much on the processor. The device's 4,100 mAh battery is sufficient for:

• 10 hours of video viewing in airplane mode;
• 18 hours of reading time at minimum brightness;
• 5 hours of 3D games;
• work up to 2 days in mixed mode of use;
• 14 hours with LTE, Bluetooth and occasional screen use enabled.

In any case, this is enough for a working or school day. Built-in energy saving features will increase battery life. For the rest you will need an external battery. Fast charging no, it will take 3.5 hours to replenish energy.

operating system

The Meizu M3 Note uses the proprietary Flyme 5.1.3 shell, based on Android 5.1. The system is quite well developed compared to the usual AOSP builds of Android.

All applications are located on desktops, there is no general menu. Instead of the menu bar from Flyme 4, the system shows a regular “carousel” with the ability to quickly clear all programs in one motion. The notification shade looks quite familiar.

Like the company's main competitor, Xiaomi, operating system received significantly more settings than regular Android 5.1. They mainly concern customization, but there is also display color correction.

In addition, you can clear memory, grant permissions to applications, enable a spam blocker and antivirus. There are clear power management and energy saving options. The shell is thought out, detailed, and at the same time laconic and beautiful. Perhaps Flyme OS is one of the best add-ons on the market today.

Photo

The main camera uses a 13-megapixel matrix and a wide-angle five-element lens with f/2.2 aperture. There is phase detection autofocus (PDAF). The two-color flash is quite bright. The application allows you to configure all the necessary parameters.

The resulting images are not perfect, but quite competitive. In the dark it turns out worse, but not completely bad, like, for example, the Lenovo K5 or.

Taking a selfie is not a problem. The front camera produces slight overexposure and does not work very well in difficult lighting. But thanks to the software capabilities of the proprietary application, you can select a preset that suits the shooting conditions or use the image enhancement function.

Sound

Unfortunately, the audio path in the Meizu M3 Note is much simpler than in the MX6 or Pro 6. Yes, the volume is sufficient and the clarity is not bad. You can listen to MP3s with headphones and not notice any shortcomings. Anything larger will require a different device.

Connection

Since the body is unibody, the M3 Note uses a dual SIM card slot. You can install two cards: microSIM and nanoSIM. Instead of the second one, you can insert a memory card. If desired, you can use a combined microSIM + microSD. There is enough space to place it.

The smartphone supports work in almost all networks necessary for Russia. But! Devices for the Chinese market do not work in LTE networks of the 20th band (Band 20). Therefore, in regions with 4G there may be certain problems.

Communication quality for everyone modern smartphones approximately at the same level. Meizu M3 Note does not break records, but it also does not allow itself to be considered an outsider. You can hear your interlocutor perfectly, and no one on the other side complains either.

GPS works well: enough for use as a navigator or compass for orientation on the ground.

conclusions

The main advantage of the M3 Note is ease of use. It manifests itself in everything: convenient form, convenient controls, convenient OS. Everything in the design is thought out to the smallest detail, and where hardware capabilities cannot be used, software saves the day.

Cost of modification of Meizu M3 Note with 3 GB RAM and 32 GB permanent memory in the Chinese market is 168 dollars. The junior version (2/16 GB) costs $149.

Among the real competitors of the reviewed Meizu in terms of equipment and convenience, only Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro can be distinguished (Note 4 is still quite expensive). It costs $140 for the 2/16 GB version and $180 for the 3/32 GB version. In addition, it does not have a hardware button, the scanner is located at the back, slightly worse camera, different OS. Thus, comparing smartphones is a bit unfair.

How to make a choice in this case? You need to decide what you like best, which device seems more beautiful. After a week with the M3 Note, you don't want to let it go. Even the stylish Xiaomi Note 4 seems rough in comparison. That's why I choose Meizu M3 Note - for the mTouch button and rounded shapes.

Greetings, dear readers!

We've got a new guy testing Meizu smartphone M3 Note. We’ll tell you what’s interesting about it now. The money they are asking for is relatively small, so we think this gadget is a good candidate for purchase.

Specifications:

• Case materials: Metal;
• Operating system: Android 5.1 (Flyme OS);
• Screen: 5.5″ IPS, 2.5D glass, 1920 x 1080, 401 PPI;
• Cameras: 13 MP + 5 MP;
• CPU (processor): MediaTek Helio P10 M (MT6755), 4x1.8 GHz + 4x1 GHz;
• Video processor: Mali-T860 MP2;
• RAM( RAM): 2 GB;
• ROM (built-in memory): 16 GB (free 9.5), + MicroSD up to 128 GB;
• Communication: GSM / 3G / 4G;
• SIM cards: 2 SIM (the second slot is combined with MicroSD);
• FM radio: No;
• Data transfer: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth;
• GPS/GLONASS/BDS: Yes / Yes / No;
• Battery, mAh: 4100;
• Real battery test: 9 hours, 17 minutes video at maximum brightness;
• Dimensions, weight: 153.6 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm, 163 grams;
• Features: Advanced gesture control, adjustable screen color temperature, critical energy saving, 6000 series aluminum alloy body, senior mode;

The Chinese did a very good job on the design. The body is made entirely of metal, there are only plastic inserts on the bottom and top for better signal reception. It looks very nice, but, unfortunately, the body is slippery. The front of the device also looks great thanks to the 2.5D glass. Of course, the case is non-separable and only experienced people can repair your smartphone at a service center.

On top of the case there is a headphone jack, we praise the sound as always, Meizu’s is excellent.

On the right side, I think you already guessed what it is. That's right, the power button, and the volume rocker. On the reverse side there is a combined slot.

At the bottom there is a microphone, speaker and MicroUSB connector.

There is a physical button on the front, it is one and replaces two standard Android buttons. Pressing the button is “exit to desktop”, and just a touch - “back”. And to see the list of applications you need to swipe up on the screen from bottom to top. In addition, this button has a built-in fingerprint scanner (up to 5 fingers can be entered).

There is absolutely nothing unusual in the kit, just a smartphone, charger and cable.

The display of the Meizu M3 Note is cool, comparable to flagships. There is a color temperature setting, there is an automatic brightness adjustment. In general, the screen has excellent color rendering and is perfectly readable in the sun.

The decoration of this model, to be honest.

The hardware of the Meizu M3 Note is quite good. Here the MediaTek Helio P10 M processor is responsible for the performance; this is not the top version, but its simplified model. And the memory capacity is standard for such devices: 16 GB ROM and 2 GB RAM. In our case, about 9.5 GB out of 16 are allocated to free memory, not a lot. There is a version of this smartphone 32 - 3, so there is something to think about which option to take. In any case, there is also support for memory cards up to 128 GB. The M3 Note copes well with games, especially since they look very colorful on the display that the hero of our review is equipped with. The test results are presented below:

Antutu gave out about 40,000 points, for those interested. You can also select the processor operating mode, but visually this did not significantly affect the operation of the smartphone.

The system here uses Android 5.1, but Meizu programmers have redesigned it beyond recognition. True, the same programmers screwed up a little, and the players did not see the music that we sent to the phone, we had to use the explorer to listen to it. But these are the little things in life. Otherwise the shell is very functional. On the abandonment of three standard Android buttons we already talked. A gesture control mechanism is also implemented here. Among the features, we note the ability to block any application using a fingerprint scanner.

And so, in terms of functionality, it’s even difficult to remember a function that is not here.

If you haven't glanced past technical characteristics, then you must have noticed that there is a very capacious 4100 mAh battery installed here. In video playback mode, we got a result of 9 hours 17 minutes, which is, in principle, very good for such a battery. But in real use it doesn’t feel like the battery is capacious. Meizu M3 Note is only enough for a day of active use. Perhaps the situation will change after the next update, but for now it’s like this. Among the features, we highlight the extreme energy saving mode.

On the networks, we should scold the Chinese for the lack of FM radio and NFC. All other networks exist, and there is nothing more to criticize. They are caught perfectly, even GPS works at a high level.

There are two cameras here. Despite a large number of shooting modes, the photo quality is not impressive. I was surprised that in 16:9 format you can only take a 3 MP photo.