Meizu M3 Mini: characteristics, comparison with analogues and reviews. Full specifications of Meizu M3s Mini. Meizu M3s mini features
- 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-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 the M3s mini and M3 are still different: the version for the Russian market has a metal case and an Android operating system, and 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 (on the left), microUSB and a 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. There is an 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.
At minimum brightness the 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
Battery
This model uses a non-removable battery with a capacity of 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. AC 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 the level of Samsung Galaxy S6, Bluetooth 4.0, microUSB connector (USB 2.0 with OTG support) for charge/sync. 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 manual settings for ISO, shutter speed, focus, and exposure remain. 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. The chip is 8-core: 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 shows a stable 30 fps, Real Racing 3 shows an average of 27, but the frames “jump” from 19 to 38 fps. Something like this...
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 69.9 mm (millimeters) 6.99 cm (centimeters) 0.23 ft (feet) 2.75 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 141.9 mm (millimeters) 14.19 cm (centimeters) 0.47 ft (feet) 5.59 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 8.3 mm (millimeters) 0.83 cm (centimeters) 0.03 ft (feet) 0.33 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 138 g (grams) 0.3 lbs (pounds) 4.87 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 82.33 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 5 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Golden Rose gold Silver Grey |
| Materials for making the case Materials used to make the device body. | Metal |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | MediaTek MT6750 |
| Process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | 4x 1.5 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, 4x 1.0 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv8-A |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 32 kB + 32 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 512 kB (kilobytes) 0.5 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 8 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1500 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-T860 MP2 |
| Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 2 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 520 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 2 GB (gigabytes) 3 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Single channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 667 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | IPS |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 5 in (inches) 127 mm (millimeters) 12.7 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 2.45 in (inches) 62.26 mm (millimeters) 6.23 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 4.36 in (inches) 110.69 mm (millimeters) 11.07 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 720 x 1280 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on screen with clearer detail. | 294 ppi (pixels per inch) 115 ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 69.71% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance |
| SCHOTT Xensation cover glass 2.5D curved glass screen GFF full lamination 1000:1 contrast ratio 380 cd/m² |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the body and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor model | Samsung S5K3L8 |
| Sensor type | ISOCELL |
| Sensor size | 4.69 x 3.52 mm (millimeters) 0.23 in (inches) |
| Pixel size | 1.127 µm (micrometers) 0.001127 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor | 7.38 |
| Diaphragm | f/2.2 |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile device cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes produce softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | LED |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which shows the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in the image. | 4160 x 3120 pixels 12.98 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution when shooting video with the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard video shooting and playback speeds are 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
| Phase detection 5-element lens |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.
| Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the photo sensor used in the device's camera. | Samsung S5K5E8 |
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take photographs. The sensor, as well as optics, are one of the main factors in the quality of the camera in a mobile device. | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Sensor size Information about the dimensions of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with larger sensors and lower pixel densities offer higher image quality despite the lower resolution. | 2.9 x 2.15 mm (millimeters) 0.14 in (inches) |
| Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels per unit area, thereby increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality at high ISO levels. | 1.118 µm (micrometers) 0.001118 mm (millimeters) |
| Crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the dimensions of the full-frame sensor (36 x 24 mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35 mm film) and the dimensions of the device's photosensor. The indicated number represents the ratio of the diagonals of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor of a particular device. | 11.99 |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture opening is larger. | f/2 |
| Image Resolution Information about the maximum resolution of the additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera. | 2594 x 1944 pixels 5.04 MP (megapixels) |
| 4-element lens |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device close to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards, subject to the guidelines of ICNIRP 1998. | 0.653 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards. | 1.46 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
The productivity of Chinese companies will be the envy of many. It has already become a norm for them to present 3 or even more devices per year. Frequent output of products gave rise to high competition that reigned in the Chinese market. Xiaomi, Meizu, Huawei and a dozen other companies regularly delight fans of budget smartphones. Today’s review is dedicated to a specific model – Meizu M3S 3GB. The company not only makes good gadgets, but also sells them at a low cost, which is very useful at the current exchange rate of the ruble. Meizu M3S 3GB went on sale in the summer of 2016 and received a lot of positive reviews. Well, let's take a closer look at it.
Specifications
- Android 5.1
- Metal body
- 5-inch screen, HD resolution
- Two cameras: 13 and 5 megapixels
- 8-core MediaTek MT6750
- RAM: 3 GB
- ROM: 32 GB
- 3G, 4G
- Battery: 3020 mAh
So, let's start the Meizu M3S 3GB review with an external examination. In terms of design, the model is not much different from the recent Pro 6. The same rounded edges, the same arrangement of controls, metal at the base of the frame. The only difference between the Meizu M3S 3GB is the plastic inserts in the places where the antennas are installed. This approach is used today by many companies in order to provide a high-quality communication signal. Fortunately, the inserts are painted in the color of the body and do not stand out too much.
The front side of the Meizu M3S 3GB is occupied by a screen covered with the now fashionable 2.5D glass. It is framed with a chrome edging made of plastic. Looks attractive, but wears out quickly. At the top there is a front camera, earpiece and sensors. Of the mechanical keys, only “Home”, which has a built-in fingerprint scanner. The back side of the Meizu M3S 3GB is occupied by a camera eye, an LED flash and the manufacturer's logo.
The main controls of Meizu M3S 3GB are located on the right side. There is a power key and a volume rocker here. On the left there is only a combined tray for SIM cards and a memory card. The bottom end received an input for charging the device, a microphone and an external speaker. On the top there is a lonely input for headphones.
Meizu M3S 3GB looks prestigious and quite expensive. The compact size is pleasing, especially when you pick up the device after “shovelling”. It is convenient to use even with one hand.
Display
Meizu M3S 3GB has an average (by today's standards) 5-inch screen. Let me remind you that previous smartphones from the manufacturer had a larger diagonal. There is a good anti-reflective coating. The bezels around the screen are quite small. The display resolution is HD, that is, 1280x720 pixels. Sufficiently high pixel density per inch, which ensures clear images. The matrix is made using IPS technology, there is no air gap. The viewing angles of the Meizu M3S 3GB are not bad, but at a certain angle the picture turns yellow, which confirms the budget class of the device. Confidently behaves in the sun, does not fade or glare.
According to modern standards, Meizu M3S 3GB has 2 cameras. The main module is 13 megapixels, uses an f2.2 aperture, the peephole is protected by high-quality glass, and is also slightly recessed into the body of the device. There is an LED flash with cold and warm glow. Front camera 5 megapixels, f2.0 aperture.
In general, the Meizu M3S 3GB cameras are very good. The main one takes good, rich pictures with good clarity and sharpness. Autofocus is also quite good. True, the camera is not suitable for night photography. In low light conditions, a lot of noise appears, and the clarity drops significantly. However, not only Meizu M3S 3GB suffers from this problem, but also most smartphones under 15,000 rubles. Videos are recorded in FullHD.
The front camera is not bad for selfies, but it does not have the widest angle. There are a number of interesting modes and effects that will add variety to your photos. In general, it is the same as the main competitors Meizu M3S 3GB.
Well, let's move on to the review of the hardware of the Meizu M3S 3GB. The device is powered by a MediaTek MT6750 processor. It appeared at the beginning of 2016 as an inexpensive solution for the budget segment. The main advantage is support for working with modern networks. The chip consists of 8 cores, which are divided into two parts: the first - for undemanding tasks (clock frequency - 1 GHz), the second - for games and modern programs (1.5 GHz). The graphics adapter is Mali-T860MP2.
The hardware of Meizu M3S 3GB boasts normal temperature conditions. Under load, the smartphone warms up to 40-42 degrees, normal use – 30-35 degrees. The device operates smoothly, without freezing, and runs modern games without any problems. In Antutu, Meizu M3S 3GB scores 38,000 points.
3 GB of RAM is responsible for multitasking. Please note that there is also a 2 GB version, but in our review the Meizu M3S is 3 GB. The internal storage is 32 GB, which is enough for most users. There is support for memory cards, which can be installed in the combined tray. The maximum capacity of a flash drive is 128 GB.
Meizu M3S 3GB runs on the Android 5.1 operating system with Flyme firmware installed. It is quite convenient and works smoothly thanks to the efforts of the developers. In addition, it constantly receives updates, which is why this smartphone is so popular in our country, and if you decide to buy it at a discount, then follow the link http://www.gearbest.com/cell-phones/pp_397208.html ?wid=21 .
Meizu M3S 3GB received a non-removable 3020 mAh battery. With an average load, the gadget works quietly without recharging for up to 18 hours: half an hour of talk, several hours of Internet, music, a dozen photos. If you lower the screen brightness and disable unnecessary functions, the Meizu M3S 3GB can go without charging for a day. You can watch movies in high quality for about 9 hours. You will be able to play less - about 4 hours. I am pleased with the battery consumption in music playback mode, which allows you to listen to your favorite songs for about 50 hours. The lack of fast charging, which is used in flagship solutions, is disappointing.
I always look forward to the appearance of new Meizu smartphones. I won’t say that I’m a particularly ardent fan of this brand, but I managed to use Meizu MX4, Meizu MX5, Meizu M1 Metal and now, as my main device, I use Meizu MX4 Pro. And each of these models left an extremely pleasant impression, today we will look at their first 5-inch smartphone presented on the Russian-speaking market, meet -.
CHARACTERISTICS
- System: Android 5.1, Flyme 5, (Lollipop)
- Processor: 64Bit MTK MT6750 1.5 GHz 8 cores ARM Cortex-A53 (4xA53 1.5GHz + 4xA53 1.0GHz)
- Graphics: Mali T860 MP2 520MHz
- Memory: 2GB RAM + 16GB ROM
- SIM cards: Supports two Nano SIM cards
- Frequencies: WCDMA 850/900/1900/2100, GSM 850/900/1800/1900, FDD-LTE 1800/2100/2600
- Screen: 5.0" IPS with HD resolution (1280x720), multi-touch 10 touches
- Front camera: 5 MP
- Main camera: 13 MP
- Battery: 3020mAh
- Dimensions: 142x70x8 mm, weight with battery 138 g.
- Bluetooth: 4.0
- GPS: GPS + GLONASS
- OTG: Supports
- Additionally: fingerprint scanner
UNPACKING AND EQUIPMENT
The device arrived in a thick white box, on the back of which some technical characteristics are indicated.
The kit includes: instruction manual, a paperclip for opening the SIM card tray, a MicroUSB cable and a 5 volt 1.5 ampere charger.
DESIGN/ERGONOMICS
The device lies comfortably in the hand, the metal body pleasantly cools the palm, and most importantly, it is easy to operate with one hand. There are no backlashes or squeaks - the assembly was done perfectly.
On the front of the smartphone there is a 5" screen, sensors, earpiece, front camera and a single touch-mechanical button. The button is slightly recessed into the body and has a metal rim. Its purposes: simple touch - “back”, press - “home”, touch press to activate the fingerprint scanner.
The scanner has excellent accuracy, response time is about 1 second.
The event indicator is located in the upper right corner of the smartphone.
On the back we see two horizontal stripes separating the main metal part of the body from the plastic inserts under which the antennas are hidden. Located at the top, slightly recessed into the body, with a metal rim, is the eye of the main camera; under it there is a two-color LED flash and the MEIZU logo.
On the right side there is a power button and a volume rocker, made of metal and having a tight move with a pleasant click.
On the right side there is a combined tray for 2 nano SIM cards or one SIM card and a memory card.
On the top of the smartphone we see only a 3.5mm audio jack.
On the bottom there is a MicroUSB connector and two grilles, under one of which a multimedia speaker is hidden, under the second there is a single microphone.
BATTERY
The Meizu M3s has a 3020mAh non-removable battery, the USB tester readings confirm the indicated capacity.
In the Antutu tester, the device scores a record 10,269 parrots for its capacity.
In the settings you can set the performance and energy saving modes. With average use, the battery charge should consistently last for 2 daylight hours.
DISPLAY
Meizu M3s has a 5-inch 2.5D IPS OGS HD display with multi-touch for 10 touch points. Thanks to 2.5D technology, the smartphone tactilely resembles a sea stone rounded on all sides, the oleophobic coating is good, the finger glides gently on the glass. The image is bright, rich, with the right color shades, but for those who like to customize it, there is software adjustment of the color temperature.
At different viewing angles, the image retains its richness and contrast.
SOUND
The main speaker of the Meizu M3s is not rich in bass, but is loud enough, the sound in the headphones, as in all Meizu, is excellent.
CONNECTION
Meizu M3s supports 2G, 3G and 4G LTE communication frequencies.
The Wi-Fi signal is average, you can see the measurement results through 1 and 2 concrete walls.
The electronic compass is supported, I personally was satisfied with the GPS quality, only after using the FasterGPS program.
It records tracks quite accurately.
OTG works, Bluetooth version 4.0 is stated.
INTERFACE
Meizu M3s runs on FlyMe 5, based on Android 5.1. Some nice additions include on-screen gestures and a smart SmartTouch button.
Although split screen is supported, it only works on built-in applications, and not on all of them.
There is a built-in security center, but Google Play is not pre-installed out of the box. To install it, you need to install Google Installer from the standard store. This operation is very simple and even a child can handle it.
IRON
Meizu M3s is based on a fresh 64-bit 8-core processor MTK6750, which has 4 cores of 1.5 GHz and 4 economical cores of 1.0 GHz. The graphics are handled by a Mali T860 MP2 with a frequency of 520 MHz, RAM in my version is 2 gigabytes, permanent memory is 16, but there is also an advanced version with a memory configuration of 3/32. The smartphone's performance is enough to run very demanding games at medium and high graphics settings. No noticeable heating was noticed during the games, although I specifically spent about two hours in fierce tank battles. For more detailed information, you can familiarize yourself with the readings of the CPU-X program:
All popular benchmarks passed, except for the Epic Citadel program:
CAMERAS
I really liked the 5 megapixel front camera. Regardless of the time of day, the pictures turned out simply excellent.
The main camera is stated to be 13 megapixels and the vast majority of photos turned out simply gorgeous, but it happens that the device makes a mistake with focus. To check this nuance, photographs of the ground and sidewalk were taken. As a result, the focus over the entire area of the image turned out to be correct, I assume errors in focusing were due to incompletely debugged firmware.
Pictures with original quality are possible.
The video quality is also very good, supporting resolutions up to FullHD in MP4 format.
VIDEO
Unboxing and first impressions of the smartphone:Full video review of Meizu M3s:
CONCLUSIONS
To summarize, the Meizu M3s smartphone showed itself to have a nice design, good quality cameras and simply excellent battery life. The disadvantages include the average quality multimedia speaker and some shortcomings in the software. Naturally, the Meizu brand is known for its long-term support for its devices, so with the next firmware updates everything will get even better.There are smartphones that you pick up and immediately want one for yourself, regardless of the price and technical characteristics. He is charming and at the same time very smart, and nothing else matters. This is exactly how we can characterize the hero of our today's review - Meizu m3 s.
Usually, when buying an ultra-budget device, you don’t expect to get a nice device, much less one made of metal with excellent assembly. But Meizu m 3 s did it. this is to suggest It has external data of the flagship standard:
- metal that feels pleasantly cool to the hand;
- 2.5D Xensation Cover, which creates a feeling of integrity of the device.
Let's go over the location of the main elements. On the right side there is a volume rocker and a power button. On the bottom panel there is a speaker, a high-quality microphone and a charging connector. At the top end there is only a lone 3.5 mm headphone jack. If we talk about sound, then the sound in the headphones, then the external speaker feels a little above average.
On the left is a tray where you can install either two nano SIM cards, or one SIM card and a memory card. The choice here is yours.
The front panel is covered with 2.5 D glass. Overall it looks good, but the metal frame still protrudes a little. Above the five-inch HD display are:
- front camera;
- good earpiece speaker;
- proximity and light sensors;
- an event indicator that glows blue and white.
There is a physical button under the display that houses a decent fingerprint scanner.
The back panel is metal, but at the same time has plastic inserts at the top and bottom, which perfectly harmonize with it in color. At the back is:
- camera;
- two-color flash;
- Meizu logo.
In the hand, Meizu m3 s feels very pleasant, as the smartphone fits comfortably in the palm.
Display
As we mentioned earlier, there is a 5-inch display with an IPS matrix, which is very insidious. If you look at bright colors at right angles, everything is fine, but if you tilt the screen, then the inversion of colors is noticeable. This is especially clearly visible in the dark areas of the image, where black turns into blue, then into gray, then into white.
Screen resolution is 1280*720 pixels, that is, HD format. The display supports 10 simultaneous touches.
The declared brightness is 380 cd/sq. m. In the bright sun it is difficult to see anything, but at night with minimal brightness you don’t want to make the backlight smaller. The display has an oleophobic coating, which feels very pleasant when touched. If fingerprints remain, they can be easily wiped off.
The screen looks decent for a smartphone costing about 10 thousand rubles, even despite some color inversion at extreme angles.
Performance and autonomy
The hardware used here is a processor from MTK 6750 and a Mali-T860 video accelerator. In performance tests, the state employee showed:
- AnTuTu - 38,056 points;
- Epic Citadel on ultra settings - 50.4 fps;
- 3DMark showed 9143.
Meizu m3s comes in two versions:
- 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory;
- 3 GB RAM and 32 GB built-in.
But the user will not have access to the entire volume. For example, if you take a 16 GB version, the user will be able to fill only 10. Everything else will go under system files. In any case, you can expand the built-in memory using a card, but at the expense of one SIM card.
The gadget, in general, copes quite well with games. The phone runs Android 5.1, which makes it possible to split the screen into two parts to display two applications simultaneously. Unfortunately, the choice of applications that can be displayed on the second screen is quite limited.
Inside the Meizu m3s there is a 3000 mAh battery installed. A full battery charge with sufficient active use will last for 1-2 working days. The autonomy here is in order, especially considering that the smartphone has a thin, attractive body.
Camera
Meizu m3 s has two camera modules: a 13 MP main camera and a 5 MP front camera. During the day, the smartphone takes good pictures, but at night problems begin. The camera here is not ideal, but for its price, in principle, it’s quite okay. There's no point in quibbling. But here there is everything you need and even a little more.
Here you can set the settings:
- level;
- net;
- manual exposure metering;
- time;
- location.
Of course, there is also a full-fledged manual mode where you can change:
- endurance;
- contrast;
- focus;
- exposure;
- saturation;
- white balance, etc.
For those who like to take photographs in manual mode, Meizu m3 s will be a godsend.
An overview of the camera and sample photos can be seen in the video below.
Results
To summarize, I would like to give the phone several advantages for:
- Appearance.
- Autonomy. For a 3000 mAh battery, the smartphone lasts quite a long time.
- Camera.
The disadvantages include:
- Green screen bug in camera.
- A fingerprint scanner that requires you to press a button rather than put your finger on it to unlock your smartphone.
- The firmware is still not international, but universal and even more likely Chinese.
Otherwise, I really like Meizu m3 s, even more than Redmi 3. But whether to buy it or not is up to you to decide.
Video