TFT IPS - High quality liquid crystal matrix. Has wide viewing angles, one of the best indicators of color and contrast quality among all that are used in the production of displays for portable equipment.
Super AMOLED - if a conventional AMOLED screen uses several layers, between which there is an air gap, then in Super AMOLED there is only one such touch layer without air gaps. This allows you to achieve a brighter screen for the same power consumption.
Super AMOLED HD - differs from Super AMOLED in high resolution, thanks to which it is possible to achieve a size of 1280x720 pixels on a mobile phone screen.
Super AMOLED plus - this is a new generation of Super AMOLED displays, which differs from the previous one by using more subpixels in a conventional RGB matrix. The new displays are 18% thinner and brighter than the older PenTile technology.
AMOLED - an improved version of OLED technology. The main advantages of the technology are significantly reduced power consumption, the ability to display a wider color gamut, smaller thickness and the ability of the display to bend slightly without the risk of breaking.
Retina -display with high pixel density, designed specifically for Apple technology. The pixel density on Retina displays is such that individual pixels are invisible to the eye at a normal distance from the screen. This provides the highest picture detail and dramatically improves the overall viewing experience.
Super Retina HD - the display is made using OLED technology. The pixel density is 458 PPI, the contrast ratio reaches 1,000,000: 1. The display has a wide color gamut and unrivaled color accuracy. Pixels in the corners of the display are anti-aliased at the sub-pixel level, so the edges are smooth and smooth. 50% thicker Super Retina HD gain layer. It will be harder to break the screen.
Super LCD is the next generation of LCD technology and offers improved performance over earlier LCD displays. The screens have not only wide viewing angles and better color reproduction, but also lower power consumption.
TFT- A common type of liquid crystal displays. With an active matrix controlled by TFTs, display performance and contrast and image clarity are significantly improved.
OLED - organic electroluminescent display. Consists of a special thin-film polymer that emits light under the action of an electric field. This type of display has a large margin of brightness and consumes very little power.
Every day, in the hands of real users, you can increasingly see the Chinese Xiaomi and Meizu. Balanced entry-level smartphones are the main driving force behind the sales of these devices. Our today's guest Meizu M5 belongs to this segment.
Equipment
The smartphone comes in a white cardboard box with typical contents: charger, cable, a couple of pieces of paper and a branded cloud clip.
Design
Having skipped the number "4" for religious or some other reasons (however, this did not stop the company from releasing the Meizu MX4 earlier), Meizu introduced the new M5 at the end of 2016.
The design of the device may seem controversial. Unlike last year's Meizu M3s, where metal was used, the M5 is more like the Chinese version of the Meizu M3 (Meizu M3 mini in common people), since the base of the case is polycarbonate. The manufacturer explains this by the fact that the model is positioned as a youth smartphone with an abundance of body colors.
The screen is still covered with a 2.5D protective glass, but its diagonal has increased and is now 5.2 inches. The phone fits comfortably in the hand, the build quality is at a decent level, there is no backlash or creaks, and it certainly doesn’t give it away cheap.
The enlargement of the M5 display indicates that now the minimum diagonal of Meizu smartphones will be exactly 5.2 inches. Of course, not everyone will like this, but the manufacturer is most likely looking for a middle ground between 5.5 and 5 inches.
Meizu M5 (left) and Meizu M3 (right)
The controls are located in a familiar and convenient way - at the bottom of the screen is the mTouch 2.1 multifunctional button, on the right are two physical volume and lock keys, on the left is a hybrid tray for two NanoSIMs, and below is a MicroUSB connector. But the transfer of the 3.5 mm jack to the bottom end of the phone is a definite plus.
The front panel has symmetrical margins at the top and bottom, and an event indicator is located at the top of the screen next to the camera.
Screen
The display of the device is made using IPS technology and has an HD resolution. Compared to previous models, the screen quality has been significantly increased. The backlight brightness varies from 1.9 to 400 cd / m², the measured contrast ratio is 1 in 1047 - a good result. The Meizu M5 uses improved full screen lamination technology, which improves the contrast for readability in the sun.
Meizu M3 (left) and Meizu M5 (right)
As for a budget smartphone, the screen is well calibrated and has a calm, natural color reproduction. Naturally, it is possible to adjust the color temperature to your liking.
In general, there are no complaints about the screen, graininess is not striking, there is a decent color rendition, contrast and wide viewing angles. Naturally, someone will say that HD-resolution is "not ice" on such a diagonal, but maybe then you should just look at more expensive models?
Platform, sound
What the developer's hand did not touch was the hardware filling. Everyone, of course, understands that the device is budgetary, but the “new” device on the exact same platform as the past raises questions. A budget chip MediaTek 6750 is used - it has 8 Cortex-A53 cores operating in two clusters at frequencies of 1 and 1.5 GHz, respectively. Integrated graphics - Mali T860. The smartphone is available in two configurations with 16/2 and 32/3 GB of memory. You can expand the built-in memory by using a MicroSD memory card by installing it instead of the second NanoSIM.
Meizu M5 shows in benchmarks quite predictable and comparable to its predecessor ( ) results. The platform is clearly not for gamers, there are more powerful models for this purpose. But with browsing, social networks and mail, M5 copes with a bang. It is also worth noting the overall stability of the system, fast switching between programs and minimized games, no lags, sudden freezes and reboots. FlymeOS is not for nothing considered one of the most bug-free shells on Android.
In the power supply system settings, you can select one of the performance profiles, this will allow you to customize the device for specific tasks.
There are no criticisms for the rest of the functionality either. Wi-Fi and GPS are working as expected.
The sound in the headphones remained at the same good level, but the call speaker began to sound a little better. In short, all without any special claims, taking into account the price of the device.
The single function key mTouch 2.1 has a built-in fingerprint scanner. According to Meizu, it should work faster than the models in the M3 line. In practice, the speed and accuracy of the response did not raise any questions.
Working hours
It is known from the "passport" data that a 3070 mAh battery is used. Compared to the previous model, an increase in capacity by 50 mAh is not critical, but given the larger screen diagonal, I would like to see a bigger battery.
Under standard load: Internet surfing, social networks, calls, photos - Meizu M5 easily lasts two daylight hours, with intensive use you can count on a day of work.
Shell
Our test sample of the Meizu M5 came from China - Flyme OS 5.2 based on Android 6.0 with the YunOS 5.1.1 add-on is used as the operating system. We received the device from the store, completely ready for use. Even if the seller does not bother with such preparation, it will be possible to install Google services from the built-in app store, localization (partial) can be done using MoreLocale2. In the "official" deliveries, you can find devices from the global version of FlymeOS, but the version on YunOS does not differ from the point of view of the performance of third-party programs. The same Google Now works correctly and is always ready to help - "OK Google"!
All system control is built around a single multi-function key and swipes. A simple touch of the button works as "Back", a quick press is responsible for returning to the home screen ("Home"), holding it locks the device. A swipe from the bottom edge of the screen brings up a list of running applications. This scheme of work at first may cause some inconvenience, however, having quickly mastered it and picking up devices from other manufacturers, you appreciate the convenience of the Flyme shell.
Cameras
The main camera is built on the basis of a 13 megapixel sensor with f2 / 2 aperture. Looking back at the M3s, the quality of the images has not changed much, but the autofocus has become faster and more confidently catches the subject, and the automatic white balance has been slightly tightened (the pictures get less overexposure and under-highlights). If you can count on decent image quality in good lighting conditions, then in the evening and twilight everything is not so much fun.
5MP front wide-angle camera with f / 2.0 aperture. Subjectively, there is a slight improvement in detail and shooting speed.
Site evaluation
Pros: build quality, variety of body colors, comfortable shell, autonomy, screen, fingerprint scanner on the front panel, 3.5 mm jack on the bottom
Minuses: glossy body (in some colors), hardware platform, cameras would be better, secondary design
Output: Another variation of a modern budget smartphone turned out to be interesting. Compared to its predecessor, the abandonment of the metal case seems to me not critical, but the transfer of the headphone output to the bottom edge made the device a little more convenient. The new display is slightly larger and better in picture quality. In the bottom line, we have small cosmetic changes and improvements, which for someone can play a decisive role when choosing, so that Meizu M5 will definitely find its buyer.
Pre-installed OS
Greetings friends!
I needed a nice smartphone with a small display screen for a mother's gift. Technical characteristics did not play a special role, the main thing was: to like the design, the color of gold or rose gold, the dimensions of the case were relatively miniature, the smartphone had a low weight, the material of the case is preferably metal. The price did not play a special role, but it is clear that an expensive smartphone is useless. the smartphone will be used mostly as a "dialer" + viber. At one time I even thought about buying an iPhone 5S because of the small diagonal of the display, because there are no such ones among the Chinese anymore ... However, the price for this gadget, even now, in my opinion, is inadequate offline. For this money, you can practically buy a Chinese flagship)) As a result, with a joint choice, we settled on the Meizu M5S, which outwardly I liked more than competitors from Xiaomi and other companies.
Screenshot of the order
SPECIFICATIONS
display: 5.2 ”, IPS LCD 1280 × 720 px;processor: MediaTek MT6753 (1.3 GHz) + Mali-T720 video accelerator;
RAM: 3 GB;
internal memory: 16/32 GB + micro SD flash cards up to 128 GB;
camera: main - 13 MP, front - 5 MP;
communication: Wi-Fi (a / b / g / n) Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, A-GPS, LTE;
battery: 3000 mAh.
Dimensions: 148.2 x 72.5 x 8.4 mm;
Weight: 143 g.
OS: Android 6.0 with Flyme shell
PACKAGING AND COMPLETE SET
The Meizu M5S box as a whole does not differ much from the other packaging of the company, everything is quite standard: white cardboard with logos and the name of the model. The top lid of the box sits tight, so you have to "shake out" the contents. Be careful not to drop it on the floor)
On the back of the box are the main technical characteristics 
Inside is a Meizu M5S smartphone in Gold color. 
There is a clip for the SIM card tray under the smartphone 
Also: charger, microUSB cable and documentation 
The power supply unit has decent dimensions, but the parameters are also excellent for an actually budget smartphone: 5 / 9V, 2A 
Also, in addition to the contents of the box, another charger with a European plug was put in the kit, it has output characteristics of 5V, 2A, although the charger is not original. 
But it's better not to use it, because it says: Designed by Apple in Califronia))) Basement adapter) It's better to take the adapter to our outlet and charge it with an original charger: it's faster and safer. 
DESIGN AND ERGONOMICS
The Meizu M5S smartphone lies very pleasantly in the hand due to the rounded edges, the small thickness of the device and the dimensions of the case. The front panel appearance is standard for Meizu; in principle, almost all smartphones are very similar. But despite this, their design is always attractive to me.
The back panel, made of metal with plastic inserts, is no exception. Somewhere we have already seen this and more than once. 
The front panel of the M5s is covered with 2.5D DragonTrail glass. The bezels around the display are relatively small and do not cause irritation even in the white color of the case, as is the case with LeEco, for example. 
Under the display is an mTouch 2.1 touch button with a metal rim in the color of the case, and a fingerprint scanner is also integrated into it. 
Above the screen are located: an earpiece, a proximity and light sensor, a 5-megapixel front camera and an event indicator. 
On the back are the camera, flash and second microphone. 
At the bottom and top of the rear panel, we see stripes-transitions between the plastic and metal parts of the case. 
They are made imperfectly in my opinion, the transitions are tactilely felt. I can't say that this causes any discomfort, but this is the case. 
On the right side there is a power button and volume rockers 
On the left is a combined tray for two SIM cards of the nano-SIM format or one SIM card + memory card. 
Above is a 3.5 mm headphone jack 
At the bottom there are a speaker, a microphone hidden under the grilles, and a micro-USB port. 
Measured dimensions of the device: 148.1 * 72.8 * 8.3 mm 
Lightweight and easy to use: 147 grams 
DISPLAY
Meizu M5S has a 5.2-inch screen, an IPS matrix without an air gap between the glass and the touchscreen, 282 ppi, 1000: 1 contrast ratio, 380 nits brightness. HD resolution (1280 * 720). For this hardware, perhaps, a more suitable option, but still I would like Full HD.
There is no graininess of the image, pixels cannot be seen. It is worth noting a good range of brightness adjustment, which can be comfortably set for both complete darkness and bright sun. The color rendition is adequate, pleasing to the eye. There is no color distortion at the corners, as was the case with the M5. 
The viewing angles are close to the maximum; when tilted, the picture does not change the natural colors. 
In direct sunlight, the picture remains readable, there are no problems with the perception of information from the smartphone display. In the photo, the camera did not quite accurately convey the image, the image is transmitted much better with the eyes. 
The multi-touch test showed 5 points of simultaneous touch. 
The front panel of the M5s is covered with 2.5D DragonTrail glass with an oleophobic coating. Water droplets do not spread and slide over the surface like balls on a board. Although I cannot say that fingerprints remain badly on this glass ... They do exist, but they can be removed from the surface quite easily. 
SOFTWARE PART
The Meizu M5S smartphone runs on the Android 6.0 operating system with the Flyme 5.2.13.0G proprietary shell. The model of this M5S is called the M612H - the international (global) version. But the plug in the kit is Chinese ... maybe the Chinese themselves rolled this firmware before selling it with certain dances with a tambourine and the version of the smartphone began to be displayed differently. In fact, this is a smartphone for the Chinese market initially, but with a global firmware.
But in general, the standard fly, to which I'm used to, because my previous smartphone was Meizu MX4. There is a simplified mode of operation, many settings for the mBack button, the ability to take "long" screenshots, etc. The shell works smoothly, there are no slowdowns or glitches. 
PERFORMANCE
The 8-core processor MediaTek MT6753 is responsible for the operation of the device, made using the technology of 28nm technical process. Eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores operate at a maximum frequency of 1.3 GHz. Responsible for the graphics is the Mali-T720 video accelerator. The choice of the processor is clearly not the best, it is old, not the most productive and not to say that it is especially energy efficient. There are better options even among the media library, they could have inserted Helio X10. The smartphone has 3GB of RAM and 16GB of built-in memory.
When the device is launched, the user has access to: around 9 GB of permanent memory and about 1.6-1.7 GB of free RAM. 
The processor is non-gaming, so you shouldn't rely on high graphics settings in games with good fps. You can play World of Tanks Blitz on medium graphics settings, but fps is kept at the level of 30-35, in scenes of active battles it can drop even lower. But on the minimum settings, there are no problems with the game. It should be noted that even with a long game, the fps level is kept at the same level. With Asphalt 8 the situation is the same, the minimum settings are your choice) Well, with simple games, there are no questions of course. 
A detailed video game test is here:
With a long game, the smartphone heats up, but within normal limits. The temperature of the back cover rises as much as possible in the camera area to 39 degrees Celsius, the front side heats up weaker, up to 35 degrees. 
In the Antutu test, the smartphone showed 38854 parrots. The results are not high ... In repeated performance tests and playing games for a long time, the figure remains approximately the same, and games do not drop in terms of fps. This indicates the absence of throttling. 
3DMark test 
CPU-Z test 
Geekbench 4 test 
RAM Benchmark 
A1 SD Bench (RAM / ROM test) 
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES
GPS was tested using the GPS Test program, as well as in the car using the Yandex Navigator application. The satellites are found instantly, the number of satellites is usually in the region of 10-13.
The smartphone can be used as a navigator, no errors or incorrect positioning were found. 
The Wi-fi module works well, the access points are found quickly, the connection is stable. The screenshots show the signal level through the wall and at a distance of two meters from the signal source. 
The device supports all communication ranges necessary for Belarus, Russia and other CIS countries. Available LTE Cat.4, FDD LTE, TD LTE. The signal did not cut off when traveling out of town. The quality of speech transmission is excellent, the interlocutor also hears your voice at a good level. 
There are no questions about the operation of Bluetooth version 4.0. The smartphone finds other devices quickly enough. File transfer rates are standard for this technology. 
CAMERAS
The Meizu M5S has a 13-megapixel camera from Samsung (S5K3L8) with a five-element lens and an f / 2.2 aperture. There is a fast phase detection autofocus. There is a dual-tone flash, but there is no image stabilization. In good light, the pictures are of good quality, but small details are slightly washed out. The worse the lighting, the more noise appears and detail suffers. In general, for a smartphone camera in this price category, the pictures come out quite suitable.Sunny
Reconstruction of the 44th year partisan parade (cloudy, rain)
Late evening
Photos in original resolution can be downloaded from the link below:
The smartphone records video with both the main and front cameras in FullHD resolution, the frequency is 30 fps. Slow motion mode is available. In my opinion, the video comes out quite good for a state employee, but there is clearly not enough stabilization. Shaking will distort the image. The sound is written quite cleanly.
Sample video:
The front-facing camera is also suitable for a low-cost smartphone. Of course, the quality of photographs indoors can hardly be called good, but with proper lighting, you can make an acceptable look. It has the same module here as in the M5 model, namely the 5-megapixel Samsung S5K5E8 sensor. The camera works without flash and has a fixed focus.
Selfie camera
BATTERY
According to the manufacturer, the smartphone has a non-removable 3000 mah lithium-ion battery that supports fast charging mCharge.
The complete power supply unit has a power of 18 W. 
In 30 minutes, Meizu M5S gains 35% of the charge, 85% in an hour, and the smartphone fully charges in 1 hour 40 minutes. 
From experience of use, I can say that this smartphone is enough for a day of work, if you do not play games. Calls, surfing the Internet (within reasonable limits) and instant messengers did not manage to set the battery to zero in a day, although by the end of the day it sometimes remained about 20-25%. Those. you shouldn't expect much autonomy from this smartphone.
SCANNER FINGERPRINT
There are no complaints about the speed and accuracy of the fingerprint scanner. The difference with the flagship solutions is of course in terms of speed, but it is quite decent here too. There is a problem with the fact that there is no way to immediately unlock the screen with a touch of your finger. First you need to turn on the screen by pressing the mTouch or power button, or by double tapping on the screen, and only then put your finger on the scanner to unlock. in my opinion this is inconvenient ...
But the scanner is located at the front, and not at the back, like most budget devices. 
SOUND
The external speaker is average in volume, its sound quality is quite good, the speaker does not squeak or creak even at maximum volume. I think it will suit most users, although it does not offer something radically different in quality among potential competitors.
All Meizu smartphones traditionally sound good in headphones, even in the budget segment. Meizu M5S is no exception, the sound is quite pleasant. Music lovers will certainly find something to complain about, but the sound quality should be enough for an ordinary listener. 
I listened to music on my everyday "ears": Xiaomi Piston 2, Meizu HD50 and Xiaomi Hybrid Pro. Most of all, I liked the sound in conjunction with the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro. 
SCRATCH TEST
A smartphone is not shockproof or something like that, however, some individuals (not me) who do not mind smartphones sometimes decide to chop nuts with them) This video cannot be watched without tears, so I ask the faint of heart to move away from the screens!TOTAL
Meizu M5S came out as a good device, but far from perfect. It offers a beautiful smartphone with a metal back cover and relatively small body dimensions. You can only find fault with the assembly about metal-plastic joints ... And then, I think it's uncritical, although the transitions should be smoother. Flyme shell is comfortable to use, works smoothly and stably.Despite the smooth operation, the smartphone is equipped with, to put it mildly, not the most productive processor, besides, it is already a bit old. Of course, for people who do not play games and buy a smartphone for other needs, this is not the most important parameter when choosing a device. However, I would like to see a newer solution as a processor, even if it comes from Mediatek.
In terms of performance, it is much wiser to take the Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime or Redmi Note 4X, and if you look at other Meizu smartphones, then the M5 Note. There are also questions about the autonomy of work, when playing games, the battery charge melts before our eyes. Perhaps thanks to the ancient process, and such a situation.
But this model also has a number of clearly successful "goodies": a fast and stable fingerprint scanner located on the front panel of the device; fast charging (18W), which is rare for this price segment of smartphones. The display gives a good picture despite the HD-resolution, besides it is covered with glass with a good quality oleophobic lens. The sound from the external speaker and headphones will satisfy most users. And all would be fine, but the cost for this device could be slightly lower (looking at the previous Meizu models). I think for the 16GB option it would be possible to reduce the price tag to at least $ 110-115. The manufacturer justifies the price by raising the price of components, but the ordinary buyer is hardly interested in these questions.
So the smartphone left two senses: on the one hand, there are obvious advantages, and on the other, there are obvious disadvantages. And it all depends on what you need specifically. So I'm not going to recommend the Meizu M5S directly, I think there are more interesting options for this amount of money or a little higher, but the smartphone is not bad in its own way. In my particular case, for a mother's gift, a smartphone almost ideally suited the requirements and I think it will delight the owner for a long time with its appearance and smooth operation.
PROS:
Good body materials and build
- Fast and stable fingerprint scanner
- Charging mCharge (18W)
- 3GB of RAM in the basic version
MINUSES:
Weak and ancient processor
- High price (compared to previous models of the M series)
- Weak battery life when playing games
That's all for me! Until new reviews!
I plan to buy +3 Add to favourites I liked the review +7 +18Even before the announcement, it became clear that Meizu, due to the massive rise in the cost of components, decided not to experiment this year in the accessible segment, keeping the same hardware platform. Indeed, the technical characteristics are almost the same as those of their predecessors, due to which they managed to maintain a pleasant price.
Appearance and ergonomics
Many people criticize Meizu smartphones for the fact that it is almost impossible to distinguish one from the other from the front, and the M5 is no exception. The entire front of the novelty is a protective glass, as if slightly protruding above the body, that is, 2.5D format. It covers the display, front camera lens and sensor peephole. The glass has cutouts for the earpiece and the control button.
When creating the Meizu M5, engineers came up with the idea of \u200b\u200busing different plastic textures for different color versions. The black version that came to us is matte, a little rough, but at the same time smooth. Feels like it is somewhat reminiscent of the formerly popular soft-touch, but it is not. White and green options are glossy, blue and gold are also rough, but with a different texture.
On the back of the body, in addition to the company logo, you can see a lens, fortunately, not protruding above the surface, as well as a round dual flash module. Meizu is still postponing the transition to USB Type-C in the accessible segment, so there is a regular microUSB... To the left of it you can see a row of holes covering the speaker, to the right - a microphone and a headphone jack.
Although formally the Meizu M5 is slightly wider than the M3s Mini, it is just as good in the hand. A slightly smaller thickness played a role here, 8 mm versus 8.3 mm, although the slightly different roundness of the ends also means a lot. For me personally, a plastic case, especially with such a texture, is nicer than a metal one, and it freezes much less in the cold, in our climate this is an argument.
Screen
If in the past three generations of compact inexpensive smartphones Meizu used a 5-inch display, then in the M5 it switched to a 5.2-inch display, keeping the previous resolution - 1280 × 720 pixels. A decrease in the density of points is formally present, but it will not be possible to catch it with the eyes.
The quality of the IPS-matrix of the M5 screen is not inferior to that of its predecessors. The colors are bright and juicy, even the traditional significant leaving in cold shades is not observed. Perhaps the point is in the use of some kind of blue filter, which Meizu writes about in promotional materials.
The sensitivity of the touch layer is high, the processing of clicks is accurate. I will note and good oleophobic coating - if prints remain, they are extremely easy to erase. Despite the increase in the diagonal of the display, it is still convenient to use it with one hand, Meizu managed to fit into the required dimensions.
Sound
Meizu is not yet ready to install dedicated DACs in affordable smartphones, so the audio capabilities of the M5 are the same as those of the M3s Mini, that is, very modest. The sound in the headphones is enough to brighten up a ten-minute trip from home to work or back with music from VK or Google cloud. However, to enjoy each instrument of an orchestral piece from a lossless file, it is better to choose a different device. The loudspeaker is average in volume, reproduces low ones extremely poorly.
Filling and performance
Meizu did not trick the M5 hardware, leaving the eight-core MediaTek MT6750 processor in the smartphone. One half of the cores in it can reach a frequency of 1.5 GHz, and the other - 1 GHz. The processor also integrates an accelerator Mali-T860 and a modem with LTE support. Depending on the modification, the Meizu M5 can be equipped with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB or 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB storage.
As with the M3s Mini and U10, to the new performance claims in everyday use, no. The processor and accelerator do a great job with the smartphone interface, third-party apps and most of the games from the Play Store. Of course, the top settings in modern 3D hits M5 will not pull, but it will be possible to play at medium ones.
The situation with synthetic tests is standard, the new smartphone even slightly surpasses the U10 equipped with the same hardware in GeekBench. In this benchmark, it scored 590 points in the single-core test and 2,439 in the multi-core test. AnTuTu also rated the new product at 41,256 points.
System
Meizu is in no rush to upgrade to Nougat, so the M5 runs Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Installed on top of the system flyme 5 shell, however, the upgrade to the 6th version is unlikely to take long, the company is already testing it. Meizu's own interface is simple and cute, it has support for themes that can be downloaded from a dedicated "store".
The company has also created a large set of its own programs for all occasions, executed in the same style as the shell. Flyme is currently one of the best Android shells in my humble opinion, including due to optimization. It is clearly seen that engineers "lick" each element so that it works well even on not the most powerful hardware. With some not well-written third-party programs, lags are sometimes encountered, unfortunately, not all developers are engaged in optimization.
The fingerprint scanner has long been the norm for Meizu mobile devices and the M5 is no exception. This module is traditionally integrated into the mButton button below the display. His work does not raise any questions - he reacts well and clearly, misfires occur, but extremely rarely. The scanner is also compatible with Android applications that support fingerprint authentication. These include, for example, many bank customers.
Cameras
Meizu M5 did not become a breakthrough in the field of photography, because it has the same 13-megapixel module with phase detection autofocus and f / 2.2 aperture as in almost all inexpensive smartphones of the company last year. In good lighting during the day, the camera produces clear images with correct color reproduction, however, there are no serious reasonable claims to night ones either. Of course, they are noisy and with blurry moving objects, but it's strange to expect flagship results from this class of cameras.
The front 5-megapixel camera is traditionally of high quality for Meizu. This year, the company bought a proprietary algorithm to automatically process images from it, so selfies should be better than before. However, in this aspect I am not an expert, it is better to ask beauty bloggers.
Autonomy
Meizu M5 cannot be called a long-liver, the built-in battery with a capacity of 3,070 mAh is enough for about two days in the "some music, chats and browser" mode... If you load your smartphone with watching videos from the Web and several hours of games, then it will last only a day. Unfortunately, the M5 lacks support for fast charging technology.
Flyme has several ready-made power saving modes built into the shell. For those who are used to customizing everything for themselves, there are also flexible settings.
Summary
Overall impressions of the Meizu M5 are positive, of course, with a discount for the device class. Official sellers ask 10,990 rubles for the younger version, and 12,990 rubles for the older version. Both the one and the other are exactly 1,000 rubles cheaper than similar modifications of the M3s Mini. This difference can be considered a small compensation for the abandonment of metal. However, the materials are a matter of taste, as I wrote about above. A one-piece and very tactilely pleasant plastic case will seem more interesting to many than a metal one with inserts.
The Meizu M5 has plenty of competitors in the Russian market and their prices are about the same. There are models with similar equipment and for the same money from Highscreen, Huawei, BQ and others, so the buyer will have to choose based on knowledge of the brand, love for the branded shell (if any) and purely visual preferences.
Meizu M5 specifications:
- OS: Android 6 + Flyme 5;
- screen: 5.2 inches, 1280 × 720 pixels, IPS-matrix;
- processor: MediaTek MT6750, 8 cores, 4 × Cortex ‑ A53 1.5 GHz + 4 × Cortex ‑ A53 1 GHz;
- RAM: 2/3 GB;
- memory: 16/32 GB + microSD slot;
- modules: 4G, Wi-Fi 802.11 b / g / n (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS / GLONASS;
- cameras: 13 megapixel main camera with phase detection autofocus, f / 2.2 aperture and dual-tone LED flash + 5-megapixel front;
- battery: 3,070 mAh;
- fingerprint scanner;
- dimensions: 147.2 × 72.8 × 8 mm;
- weight: 138 grams.
M5 is a continuation of the line of budget smartphones from Meizu, the past generation of which included devices such as M3s, M3e and more expensive M3-Note and M3 Max. This is the most affordable model among, which is notable primarily for its polycarbonate body.
Good smartphones in a plastic case, due to the widespread fashion for the use of metal, are now quite difficult to find - usually cheap Chinese are produced in plastic, with a stretch fit for comfortable use. But not everyone likes metal cases, and the M5 has the potential to become an outlet for such people. Let's start reviewing the Meizu M5 and see if it deserves the title of a good smartphone.
Price and main characteristics
M5 is one of the most affordable Meizu smartphones in Russian retail. In version 2/16, the device can be taken for 11 thousand rubles, in 3/32 - for 13 thousand. Available in matte black, blue, and glossy mint and gold. According to users, the M5 looks the most aesthetically pleasing and expensive in black, it was he who became the hero of our review.
Specifications:
Display: 5.2 ”, FHD 1280 * 720 px;
processor: MediaTek M6750 (1.6 GHz) + Mali T860-MP2 video accelerator;
RAM: 2/3 GB;
internal memory: 16/32 GB + micro SD memory cards up to 128 GB;
camera: main - 13 MP, front - 5 MP;
communication: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, LTE;
battery: 3070 mAh
Case dimensions - 147 * 73 * 9 mm, weight - 183 grams. The smartphone out of the box runs on Flyme 5.X, but an update to the 6th version of the proprietary shell is expected in the near future.
Completion and appearance
Meizu M5 comes in a simple white cardboard box, in which you can find the smartphone itself, a USB cable and a charging adapter (2A), as well as a clip for removing the card tray and technical documentation. All accessories are packed in small individual boxes and are of very good workmanship.
The M5 body is made of polycarbonate, it is a monolithic boat, the side edges of which are a continuation of the back cover. There are no complaints about the build quality of the tested sample - everything is at the highest level: we did not find any backlash or squeaks, the mTouch button is set flat, the side keys have a pleasant soft stroke.
The front surface of the smartphone is covered with 2.5D tempered glass. It's not Gorilla Glass, but after 2 weeks of using the smartphone, not a single scratch appeared on it. The oleophobic coating is not bad - a finger glides on the screen easily, but prints remain. Above the screen is a speaker grill, a miniature front camera module, a set of sensors and an LED event indicator that glows blue and white.
The proprietary mTouch 2.1 multifunctional key is located under the screen. It functions as a fingerprint scanner, Back (when touched) and Home (when pressed). Also, with a long press, you can turn off the screen backlight, and through the standard software, password-protected applications or memory sections selected by the user.
The upper end of the smartphone is devoid of any functional elements. At the bottom there is a multimedia speaker hole, an earpiece microphone, a micro-USB port and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
On the right side there is a power key and a volume rocker. The keys are snug and have a pleasant travel with soft click feedback.
On the left side there is a slot for a hybrid tray with cards. The smartphone works with Micro-SD flash drives and Nano format sim cards.
The Meizu logo flaunts in the middle of the back of the case. Above it there is a double flash and a main camera module framed by a protective glass ring. The optics are made flush with the body surface. At the very bottom of the back cover there is an inscription indicating the manufacturer and country of assembly of the smartphone, it does not spoil the look of the smartphone, as it is almost invisible.
Now about the subjective impressions of use. Meizu M5 in black just looks gorgeous, the device looks and feels much more expensive than its cost. In the hand 5.2 '' the device sits like a glove, the ergonomics is excellent, if you get used to it, you can easily operate it with one hand. Among the shortcomings - the matte body collects fingerprints and is covered with scratches, which can be seen in the photo above.
Screen
Meizu M5 is equipped with a 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 * 720 pixels and a pixel density of 282 ppi. You can only complain about the lack of FHD, otherwise the screen is good - this is a high-quality IPS panel made using OGS technology (without an air gap) with accurate color reproduction, good contrast and decent levels of minimum and maximum brightness.
Automatic brightness control works correctly, in the sun the screen remains readable in any conditions, which is largely ensured by the presence of a high-quality anti-reflective coating.
When changing the viewing angles, there is a noticeable inversion of the brightness level, which absolutely does not interfere in practice, the color rendition does not tolerate changes visible to the eye. Flyme lets you fine-tune the color temperature with a slider instead of choosing one of several preset profiles. There is also an eye protection mode, which helps out well when reading from the screen in a dark room.
Multi-touch works out 10 touches. In general, the screen of Meizu M5, in direct comparison with the similarly priced Xiaomi Redmi 3S, loses somewhat in contrast, but noticeably surpasses the competitor in terms of clarity and color quality, and overall leaves a more pleasant impression.
Performance
Meizu M5 is powered by the budget MediaTek MT6750 chipset (28 nm, 8 cores, 1-1.5 GHz). In synthetic tests, this hardware platform predictably gains far from record results:
AnTuTu Benchmark - 41 thousand points;
GeekBench - 2117 (multi-core), 576 (single);
Epic Citadel - 60.5 fps (High Quality), 48.9 fps (Ultra Quality).
The M5 is not a gaming smartphone, but if you wish, you can play any toys on it (the heaviest ones - on medium and minimum graphics settings). The device practically does not heat up under load, noticeable heating is felt only in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Wi-Fi module during prolonged downloading of large files.
In everyday work, the smartphone pleases. Thanks to the excellent optimization of the proprietary Flyme shell, it works flawlessly quickly, without any jams or delays. 3 GB of RAM is enough for surfing the Internet with a bunch of open tabs and launching many applications in the background, and the built-in storage can be expanded with a flash drive up to 128 GB or a USB drive (M5 supports USB-OTG technology).
Camera
The camera is the weak point of the Meizu M5. The main 13 MP module (phase detection autofocus, f / 2.2 aperture) allows you to get decent pictures on the machine only in the presence of good lighting. The worse the shooting conditions, the less detailed and noisier the picture becomes.
You can make good shots with the proper use of the manual settings mode, a standard camera provides all the full range of actions - from choosing ISO and white balance, to setting shutter speed and depth of field. We also note the very high speed of the camera application - focusing, shooting and saving photos are done in a matter of seconds.
As for video recording, it is expected to be mediocre, although the sound is written very decently and there is a possibility of slow-mo shooting. But the front camera (5 MP, f / 2.0) exceeded expectations - selfies are sharp, detailed and, in general, delightful.
Speaker, sound quality
The multimedia speaker of the Meizu M5 disappoints - not the highest volume reserve (although the incoming call is heard even in public transport), the complete absence of low frequencies and, as a result, even the slightest hint of sound volume. For watching a video, it will do, but you can't listen to music with pleasure from a smartphone.
The sound in the headphones is good. The smartphone has a balanced sound with powerful, elastic bass, calm highs and a well-developed mids. The undeniable advantage is support for uncompressed FLAC 192/24 out of the box.
Battery
The Meizu M5 has a 3070 mAh battery, from the included adapter (2A) it fully charges in 100-110 minutes. With very active use, the smartphone confidently holds on to the working day, if you save the charge and use the preset power saving modes, then it is quite possible to get two days of battery life from the device.
During testing, the M5 lasted 7.5 hours with HD video playback at maximum screen brightness, 3.5 hours with continuous gaming and about 50 hours with music playback. The indicators are not bad, moreover, there is a "super-economy" mode, which turns the smartphone into a dialer. In extreme cases, it is quite useful.
However, when buying the M5, it should be borne in mind that many smartphones, including the tested sample, have a problem with an accelerated discharge in standby mode. In short, the smartphone does not go into deep sleep, which is why it loses 8-10% of its charge overnight, while 2-3% is considered the norm. Meise said that this is a software problem and the company's engineers are working to fix it. If you do not pay attention to this, then the autonomy of the smartphone can be called quite normal - it holds an honest working day from one charge.
Communication and Internet
Meizu M5 is equipped with a hybrid card tray and can work with two Nano-SIM, while both SIM cards support connection to LTE networks. Also from the wireless interfaces there is a 2-band WiFi (2.4 + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0. The smartphone also supports the USB-OTG protocol.
Navigation by GPS and GLONASS satellites works perfectly, even at a cold start, synchronization occurs almost instantly. But the signal reception quality is not the best. In places with a good coverage of the operator's network, there are no problems, but when traveling by train or by car, the signal often falls off or stays at the level of 1-2 strips.
Video review Meizu M5
Competitors conclusion
After lengthy testing, Meizu M5 left a positive impression of itself. This is an excellent budget smartphone that visually looks and feels like an expensive device - it has a chic appearance (in black), a good storage capacity, an excellent display for its price, and also boasts fast and smooth operation and good battery life. The budget nature of the device is given only by the not record performance, which you will not even notice if you do not play with heavy toys, and the mediocre main camera (while the selfie quality is at a very good level).
If you want to get a high-quality, pleasant to use and at the same time inexpensive smartphone, then M5 can be safely considered for purchase. Alternatives: with 5.5 '' screen - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro (better performance), (design, camera, autonomy); 5.2 ″ - Asus ZenFone 3 Max (better autonomy, worse screen), or 5-inch or Meizu M3s (budget option).
In Russian retail, the price of the M5 at 13 thousand rubles for the version looks somewhat overpriced, for example, in Ukraine the official device can be taken for 9 thousand. Therefore, if you are interested in a smartphone, we recommend that you consider buying it on AliExpress.
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