Meizu M3 Note. First look. Meizu M3 Note review - inexpensive phablet in metal Meizu m3 note white

We present the model Meizu M3 Note, made in gray-black color (Gray Black) with a built-in memory of 32GB.

Meizu M3 Note is a smartphone at an affordable price that deserves attention due to its excellent thoughtful design and modern technical equipment.

Meizu M3 Updates

Looking at the M3 Note in comparison with the M2 Note, the first thing that catches your eye is the metal case, like last year's older models MX5 and PRO 5. The previous model had a plastic case. Meizu M3 Note is made of 6000 series aluminum. The design shows a symmetrical arrangement of elements and similarity with the iPhone. The case has a matte finish, which makes the smartphone less easily soiled and slippery. The M3 Note also has a fingerprint scanner built into the mTouch 2.1 universal button, capable of reading data in 0.2 seconds. Among other things, the new phablet received greater autonomy, faster autofocus of the camera and a modern technical base for convenient and smooth control of all functions of the device.

Display

The smartphone has a 5.5" display with a pixel density of 403. At the same time, the screen of the device consumes little energy. Compared to the M2 Note, the next model uses a new protective glass with a much better oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating, as well as anti-glare properties. Thanks to the support of technology MiraVision™ 2.0, the image is always clear and contrast, and the color reproduction is natural.The display boasts flicker-free and good viewing angles.The device supports the Smart Touch function, which allows you to conveniently use the work areas of large screens.

Main and front cameras Meizu M3 Note 32Gb Gray Black

The cameras of the M3 Note are similar to those of the previous M2 Note, this is the main 13 MP module with F/2.2 aperture. and a 5-lens lens and a 5-megapixel front camera with an aperture of F / 2.0 with a 4-lens lens. However, the new main camera has phase detection autofocus, which can focus in 0.2 seconds. Coupled with new noise reduction and photo processing technology, as well as a dual-color flash, it's faster to take clear and high-quality pictures. The rear camera allows you to shoot video with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 at a frame rate of 30 fps.

Battery Meizu M3 Note

Perhaps the main "feature" of the device is impressive autonomy, thanks to the built-in battery with a capacity of 4100 mAh, which is 32% more than the previous version. At the same time, the thickness of the device became less by 0.5 mm. Together with energy-efficient filling components and an optimized FlYME shell, the phablet, with active use, "does not ask for an outlet" for up to 2 days. Able to play up to 17 hours of video without stopping and up to 36 hours of music playback.

Performance

The energy-efficient MediaTek Helio P10 is responsible for the performance in the M3 Note. This is a 64-bit octa-core processor based on TSMC HPC+ technology. It includes 4 Cortex-A53 cores with an operating frequency of 1.8 GHz and 4 Cortex-A53 cores - 1 GHz. This processor, along with 3 GB LPDDR3, allows it to cope with most tasks at the level of the flagships from Meizu and Xiaomi last year. In terms of performance, it is comparable to HiSilicon Kirin 650.

Connection

The device has two alternate working Nano-sim, with the possibility of replacing one of them with a MicroSD card up to 128 GB. Meizu M3 Note supports 4G technology with a maximum data transfer rate of up to 150 Mbps. It should also be noted the presence of dual-band Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.0, satellite navigation GPS and GLONASS.

Meizu M3 Note gives you the opportunity to comfortably use modern technology at an affordable price.

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

Meizu did not stop at models MX they also have a far better line M. Which in April 2016 was replenished with another model called: M3 Note, we were all looking forward to it, after we got acquainted, and played enough with the younger brother Meizu M2 Note. Its sales, according to the manufacturer, since last summer amounted to more than two tens of millions of devices. Meizu is obviously counting on the fact that the M3 Note smartphone, if not surpassing, then at least repeating 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 (4x1.8GHz + 4x1.0GHz)
Graphics co-processor: ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (550 MHz)
RAM: 2 GB / 3 GB LPDDR3 (933 MHz, single channel)
Storage: 16GB/32GB eMMC 5.1, microSD/HC/XC card support (up to 128GB)
Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), microUSB (USB 2.0) for charging / synchronization, USB-OTG, 3.5 mm for headphones
Screen: capacitive touch, matrix IPS LTPS (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon), GFF (full lamination), diagonal 5.5 inches, resolution 1920x1080 pixels, pixel density per inch 403 ppi, brightness 450 cd/sq. m, contrast ratio 1000:1, protective glass NEG 2.5D T2X-1
Main camera: 13 MP, PureCel sensor, OmniVision OV13853, optical size 1/3.06 inch, pixel size 1.12 µm, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 5-element lens, f/2.2 aperture, phase detection (PDAF) autofocus, dual dual color flash, video [email protected]
Front camera: 5MP BSI, Samsung S5K5E8 or OmniVision OV5670 PureCel, 1/5" optical size, 1.12µm pixel size, 4-element lens, f/2.0 aperture
Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900MHz), WCDMA/HSPA+ (900/2100MHz), 4G FDD-LTE (1800/2100/2600MHz)
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 drawn their inspiration from last year's older Meizu models, in particular the MX5 and Pro 5 smartphones.

So, for the manufacture of the all-metal body of the novelty, also known as unibody, they chose the aviation aluminum-magnesium alloy 6000 series.

So that the smartphone antennas are not shielded by metal, two inserts made of radio-transparent material were provided, separating them from the aluminum alloy with relief strips. The dimensions of the novelty compared to the M2 Note have not changed very significantly - 153.6x75.5x8.2 mm versus 150.7x75.2x8.7 mm. Well, the weight, due to a more capacious battery, has grown quite predictably - 163 g against 149 g.

Recall that in the predecessor for the case they were content with glossy colored plastic and matte polycarbonate was used only for gray.

At the time of testing, two anodized color options for 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 a protective glass, which was chosen as Dinorex 2.5D T2X-1 from Nippon Electric Glass (NEG).

The 2.5D effect lies in the smooth "rounding" of this glass around the perimeter of the front panel.

Above the display, with traditionally narrow side bezels,

the grille of the “conversational” speaker is located, surrounded by the front camera lens (left), light and proximity sensors, as well as an LED indicator (right). The latter does not seem to be used by regular means of a smartphone.

Under the display is a mechanical key with a built-in fingerprint scanner mTouch 2.1, outwardly very similar to mBack, which first appeared in the M2 Note smartphone. From the latter, she inherited her basic functionality. So, a normal touch (tap) of this button activates the “Back” function, a short press with a hardware “click” returns to the main screen (“Home”), and a long press (with hold) turns off the backlight of the screen. But the button "Recent applications" replaces the swipe up from the bottom edge of the display. After a short getting used to, such a 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 occupies a closed slot with a double tray, which can accommodate either two nanoSIM format subscriber identification modules, or a microSD memory expansion card will take the place of the second one. You will need a special tool to open the combo tray lock. A thin paper clip can still be used as it. Unfortunately, during the production of the device (at least in our test sample), the size of the tray and slot for it did not fit 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 jack remained on the top end.

The microUSB connector between the two fixing screws on the lower 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, first of all, embossed strips are striking, separating the metal from the radio-transparent plastic,

and just like the Pro 5, moving the stylized Meizu logo closer to the main camera lens and dual dual-tone LED flash.

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

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

Screen, camera, sound

For the M3 Note screen, a 5.5-inch IPS-matrix is used, 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 one allows, in the end, to achieve wider viewing angles (up to 178 degrees), a 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 layers of the display, which serves as the basis for good anti-reflective properties and reduces the reflection effect. Recall that the entire front panel, including the screen, is covered with NEG 2.5D Dinorex T2X-1 protective glass. They did not forget to apply an oleophobic coating on it, which, unlike the one used for the M2 Note, is more effective (the glass is cleaned very easily and the finger glides over the surface without problems).

With support for MiraVision 2.0 technology, which balances best display and power consumption, screen brightness and colors are dynamically adjusted according to lighting conditions. By the way, the declared contrast ratio is 1000:1, and the maximum brightness is 450 cd/sq.m. At the same time, it is proposed to adjust the backlight level in a fairly wide range, either at your own discretion, manually, or automatically (the “Auto-adjustment” option), based on information from the light sensor. The multi-touch technology allows processing up to ten simultaneous taps on the capacitive screen, which is confirmed by the results of the AntTuTu Tester program. In the settings, the ability to adjust the color temperature has also been added, so that the colors can be made warmer or, conversely, colder to 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 acquired a 13-megapixel BSI-matrix (OmniVision OV13853 PureCel, optical size 1 / 3.06 inches), as well as dual dual-color LED flash with different color temperatures. The camera lens with 5-element optics, covered with Corilla Glass 3, received an f / 2.2 aperture and fast (0.2 s) phase detection autofocus. The maximum resolution of images is achieved with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and is 4208x3120 pixels (13 MP). You can see photo examples.

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-element lens with f/2.0 aperture. But autofocus and flash are absent here. The maximum image size in the classical aspect ratio (4:3) is 2592x1944 pixels (5 MP).

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

The interface of the "Camera" application in the M3 Note, compared to that of its predecessor, has been "ennobled" a little, but the main features have changed little. The modes "Auto", "Manual", "Portrait", "Panorama", "Change of focus" and "Slow motion" (4 times, resolution 640x480 pixels, up to 60 minutes) remained in place. At the same time, having removed the "Scanner", added "Macro" and "GIF" (up to 6 minutes of animation). In the settings, you can select the HDR mode, as well as determine the size of the photo and video quality. Shooting in manual mode (M) involves adjusting shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation, saturation, white balance, etc. By activating the corresponding option, focus and exposure can be measured separately. In addition, nearly a dozen image filters are available. It is convenient to switch the viewfinder from the main camera to the front camera and vice versa with vertical swipes. But the volume rocker (both increase and decrease) 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 a picture with a lack of lighting brighter and clearer. Nevertheless, even the main camera can hardly boast of a special shooting quality in such conditions.

Not only by the placement of the "multimedia" speaker grille, but also by its acoustic abilities, the M3 Note is practically the same as its predecessor. Regular smartphone tools still allow you to listen to audio files, for example, with FLAC extensions, created by codecs for compressing audio data without quality loss. After connecting the audio headset, it is proposed to use a 5-band equalizer with presets and manual settings. Unfortunately, there is no built-in FM-tuner in the device. The unpretentious Voice Recorder makes fairly high-quality monophonic recordings (44.1 kHz), which it stores in MP3 files.

But with the playback of music via Bluetooth, a small problem was discovered - clicks that occur when you take the smartphone in your hand or move it around 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 mid-range chipset family (aka MT6755), designed, according to according to the manufacturer, for thin smartphones.

At the heart of this crystal is 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 architecture ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (550 MHz) with support for OpenGL ES 3.2 and OpenCL 1.2 is used as a graphics accelerator. The MT6755 chip is manufactured using the new TSMC 28HPC+ (28 nm) process technology, which, according to the manufacturer, provided a 30-35% reduction in power consumption compared to chips manufactured in compliance with the “old” 28HPC design standards. In addition, an increase in energy efficiency while maintaining sufficient computing power is achieved by automatically adjusting the frequencies of the processor and video accelerator. Helio P10 can work in LTE-TDD, LTE-FDD Cat. 6 (300/50 Mbps), HSPA+, TD-SCDMA, EDGE, etc., as well as Bluetooth 4.0 LE and dual-band Wi-Fi. Among other branded “highlights” of MediaTek MT6755, in addition to MiraVision 2.0, it is worth noting the CorePilot processor load optimizer and the Heart Rate Monitoring system (using the camera built into the smartphone).

The basic configuration of the M3 Note is supplemented with 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 got a device with a combination of 2 GB / 16 GB for the test. Judging by the published data, Helio P10 successfully competes with Qualcomm Snapdragon 615/616 chipsets in terms of performance, which does not contradict the results of the tests performed.

The number of "virtual parrots" obtained on the synthetic benchmark AnTuTu Benchmark was deliberately predetermined by the chosen hardware platform.

The efficiency of the use of processor cores (Geekbench 3, Vellamo) of the new smartphone looks quite optimistic, but the estimate of the amount of "horsepower" is not so major.

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 3DMark universal gaming benchmark, 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 on “heavy” ones (Asphalt 8: Airborne, 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 Base Mark OS II cross-platform benchmark was 986.

Of the 16 GB of internal memory declared in the tested model, about 14.56 GB are available, and approximately 9.6 GB is 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 where the memory card is inserted is universal, and, having taken one place in it, you will have to sacrifice the installation of a second SIM card (nanoSIM format). By the way, you can also expand the built-in memory thanks to the support of USB-OTG technology by connecting an external drive.

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

One radio channel of the device, when two nanoSIM cards (4FF format) are installed, operates with them in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode, in other words, both SIM cards are active, but when one is busy, the other is inaccessible. 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 (1800 MHz) and b7 (2600 MHz). But the most "punching", low-frequency b20 (800 MHz), as before, remained "overboard". The manufacturer emphasizes support for the promising technology VoLTE (Voice over LTE).

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

The volume of the lithium-polymer battery that was equipped with the M3 Note (4100 mAh), compared to its predecessor (3100 mAh), has increased quite significantly - by about 32% (1000 mAh). Despite such a reserve in capacity, 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 up to 100% of the 15-20% level.

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

In the "Power Management" settings section, depending on the expected load, you can forcefully transfer the smartphone from the "Balanced" mode to "Energy Saving" or "Productive". In addition, in the "Power optimization" section, it is proposed not only to manage the sleep mode of applications, but also to use 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 the latest versions of Flyme firmware, including the one indicated above, the first launch of the Google Play app store (Google account creation) 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 desktops. Swipe down to open the quick settings panel (which now has a brightness slider), and swipe up to open recently opened apps.

In the "Special Opportunities”, still contains possible smartphone control gestures, including the SmartTouch control “ring” (not shown in the screenshot) with adjustable transparency.

The new version of the shell has the ability 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.

With up to five fingerprints obtained 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 comes with a minimal set of software. From this software, one can single out a collection of utilities for regular smartphone care collected in the "Security Center" (scanning for viruses, cleaning up "garbage", clearing memory, managing energy savings, etc.), as well as practical tools from the "Useful" application ( "Mirror", "Flashlight", "Ruler", etc.).

Purchase and conclusions

Improvements in Meizu M3, compared to its predecessor M2 Note, touched not only the replacement of plastic with aluminum alloy, but also the functionality of the filling. Now the smartphone, which can be installed 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory, uses a new processor, significantly increased battery capacity, and added a fast fingerprint scanner. 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 / internal memory, respectively) -

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

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 (4x1.8GHz + 4x1.0GHz)
Graphics co-processor: ARM Mali-T860 MP2 (550 MHz)
RAM: 2 GB / 3 GB LPDDR3 (933 MHz, single channel)
Storage: 16GB/32GB eMMC 5.1, microSD/HC/XC card support (up to 128GB)
Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), microUSB (USB 2.0) for charging / synchronization, USB-OTG, 3.5 mm for headphones
Screen: capacitive touch, matrix IPS LTPS (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon), GFF (full lamination), diagonal 5.5 inches, resolution 1920x1080 pixels, pixel density per inch 403 ppi, brightness 450 cd/sq. m, contrast ratio 1000:1, protective glass NEG 2.5D T2X-1
Main camera: 13 MP, PureCel sensor, OmniVision OV13853, optical size 1/3.06 inch, pixel size 1.12 µm, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass 3, 5-element lens, f/2.2 aperture, phase detection (PDAF) autofocus, dual dual color flash, video [email protected]
Front camera: 5MP BSI, Samsung S5K5E8 or OmniVision OV5670 PureCel, 1/5" optical size, 1.12µm pixel size, 4-element lens, f/2.0 aperture
Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900MHz), WCDMA/HSPA+ (900/2100MHz), 4G FDD-LTE (1800/2100/2600MHz)
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 drawn their inspiration from last year's older Meizu models, in particular the MX5 and Pro 5 smartphones.

So, for the manufacture of the all-metal body of the novelty, also known as unibody, they chose the aviation aluminum-magnesium alloy 6000 series.

Recall that in the predecessor for the case they were content with glossy colored plastic and matte polycarbonate was used only for gray.

At the time of testing, two anodized color options for 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 a protective glass, which was chosen as Dinorex 2.5D T2X-1 from Nippon Electric Glass (NEG).

The 2.5D effect lies in the smooth "rounding" of this glass around the perimeter of the front panel.

Above the display, with traditionally narrow side bezels,

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

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

On the rear panel, first of all, embossed strips are striking, separating the metal from the radio-transparent plastic,

and just like the Pro 5, moving the stylized Meizu logo closer to the main camera lens and dual dual-tone LED flash.

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

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

Screen, camera, sound

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

Filling, performance

The number of "virtual parrots" obtained on the synthetic benchmark AnTuTu Benchmark was deliberately predetermined by the chosen hardware platform.

The efficiency of the use of processor cores (Geekbench 3, Vellamo) of the new smartphone looks quite optimistic, but the estimate of the amount of "horsepower" is not so major.

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.

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

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

Software Features

In the "Special Opportunities”, still contains possible smartphone control gestures, including the SmartTouch control “ring” (not shown in the screenshot) with adjustable transparency.

The new version of the shell has the ability 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.

With up to five fingerprints obtained 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.

Purchase and conclusions

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

Meizu M3- one of the best state employees of past years, practically devoid of shortcomings. It has a beautiful all-metal body, a 5.5-inch IPS-matrix with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. It's great, with a slippery oleophobic coating, rich colors, durable glass, and a well-adjusted white balance. Under the screen, as usual, mBack with an integrated fingerprint scanner. Below is a MicroUSB port and symmetrically arranged grilles of the main speaker and microphone. On the top edge there is an audio jack, volume and power buttons on the right, a slot for MicroSD and SIM cards on the left. In the hand, the smartphone feels nice and weighty.

The rear module is 13 MP with f/2.2 aperture. Exactly the same was in M2 Note. In its class, this is no longer the best solution, it loses even to the ancient iPhone 5. During the day or indoors with bright light, the photos are normal, except that the dynamic range is average. But using the camera in poor lighting is problematic, as blurry photos with low detail will often slip through. The presence of manual shooting adjustments saves a little, but it is not convenient to use them every time. The video is recorded in 1080p resolution, there is no stabilization, the quality is not very good. The front lens is 5 MP, its aperture is f/2.0. There are tools for auto-correction of the face, filters, but selfies are still mediocre.

The hardware is represented by an eight-core MediaTek Helio P10 processor, created in accordance with the 28-nm process technology. Graphics "twists" Mali-T860 (two cores). These components were quite adequate for their cost in 2016, but now the hardware is weakly competitive in its price category. Tests award it below average performance, in games you can count on 40-60 FPS at low settings. The power consumption of the processor is decent, but the 4100 mAh battery eliminates this, and the phone "lives" from one charge for two days. There is no fast charging or NFC. Available in 2/16 GB and 3/32 GB versions.

Meizu M3 Note received Flyme 6 and works smartly on it. Everyday scenarios are executed promptly, without lags. This is a really good, balanced solution, but now for this price you can buy devices that are more sophisticated in all respects from other brands or from the same Meise (for example, new models of the Note line). Nevertheless, the device will please with its appearance, display, smoothness, sound and autonomy, but its photo and video capabilities are weak, and the processor is outdated.

Meizu M3 Note is a beautiful, modern and productive budget smartphone. This balanced device got a large display, as well as a fingerprint scanner. The device was officially introduced in April 2016.

Appearance and ergonomics

Meizu M3 Note case is made of high quality aluminum alloy. This material is actively used in the aviation industry, as it has excellent characteristics. Such metal is carefully processed so that the user notes excellent tactile sensations. The all-metal body received rounded corners for better ergonomics. Symmetry dominates here, so all the elements are arranged accordingly. At the bottom there is a microUSB connector, and there are also multimedia speaker grilles. But the audio jack is placed on the top edge. The entire front side is covered with a very stylish 2.5D glass. Directly below the screen is a mechanical button for navigation mTouch 2.1, which has a built-in fingerprint scanner. The gadget has a 4100 mAh battery. This battery guarantees a long battery life. Available colors: gold, gray and silver. Dimensions: height - 153.6 mm, thickness - 8.2 mm, width - 75.5 mm, weight - 163 g.

Display

The M3 Note has a 5.5-inch screen, which is implemented using MiraVision 2.0 technology. For this reason, the display stands out for its natural color reproduction, as well as minimal power consumption. The LTPS matrix has a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels, which provides high image detail. The display will please the user with a contrast image and wide viewing angles. Flyme Assistive Touch technology has made the screen extremely responsive and sensitive, and you can use it even with gloves.

Hardware and performance

M3 Note got an eight-core Helio P10 processor, which is capable of operating at a maximum frequency of 1800 MHz. This solution strikes an optimal balance between low power consumption and high performance. The device has at its disposal 2 GB or 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM (dual-channel mode). The amount of internal memory is 16 GB or 32 GB. It also supports MicroSD cards up to 128 GB. The Mali-T860 chip is a graphics accelerator. It uses the Android 5.1 operating system along with the proprietary Flyme 5 shell. In the AnTuTu test, this model easily scores about 46000-48000 points. With many daily tasks, the smartphone copes confidently. Almost all games run smoothly, if you do not overestimate the level of graphics to the maximum.

Communication and sound

The Meizu M3 Note has a multimedia speaker that stands out, which is really loud here. Sound detail is quite good. The interlocutors are perfectly audible through the conversational speaker. The device supports 4G TD-LTE and FDD-LTE wireless networks, as well as Bluetooth 4.0.

Camera

Meizu M3 Note has a 13-megapixel camera with dual-color flash, f/2.2 aperture, panoramic lens and phase detection autofocus. TrueBright ISP technology makes it possible to take a bright picture even in poor lighting conditions. The 5-megapixel f/2.0 front camera allows you to capture very high-quality self-portraits.

conclusions

It is unlikely that the M3 Note has gone far ahead of its predecessor, but it certainly received very necessary and high-quality improvements. This is a truly balanced smartphone that is worth every dollar or ruble spent.

Pros:

High quality aluminum body.
Great modern design.
Excellent indicators of autonomy.
Fast fingerprint scanner.
Massive display with a juicy picture.

Minuses:

The smartphone does not take good pictures in the evening.
There may be software problems with some firmware.

Specifications Meizu M3 Note

General characteristics
Model	Meizu M3 Note, Meizu Blue Charm Note3
Date of announcement and start of sales	April 2016 / April 2016
Dimensions (LxWxH)	153.6 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm.
Weight	163
Available colors	gold, silver, gray
operating system	Android 5.1 (Lollipop) + Flyme UI
Connection
Number and type of SIM cards	two hybrid, Nano-SIM, dual stand-by
Communication standard in 2G networks	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2
Communication standard in 3G networks	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 TD-SCDMA
Communication standard in 4G networks	LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 7(2600), 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500)
Compatibility with telecom operators	MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2, Yota
Data transfer
WiFi	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
Bluetooth	4.0, A2DP, LE
GPS	yes, A-GPS, GLONASS
NFC	No
infrared port	No
Platform
CPU	octa-core Mediatek MT6755 Helio P10 Octa-core (4×1.8 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.0 GHz Cortex-A53)
GPU	Mali-T860MP2
Inner memory	16 GB / 32 GB
RAM	2 GB / 3 GB
Ports and connectors
USB	microUSB 2.0, USB Host
3.5mm jack	There is
Memory card slot	microSD, up to 128 GB (shared with SIM 2 slot)
Display
Display type	LTPS IPS LCD capacitive, 16M colors
Screen size	5.5 inches (~71.2% of device face)
Display protection	Dinorex T2X-1
Camera
Main camera	13 MP, f/2.2, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash
Functionality of the main camera	Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama
Video recording	[email protected]
Front-camera	5 MP, f/2.0, 1080p
Sensors and Sensors
illumination	There is
Approximations	There is
Gyroscope	There is
Compass	There is
Hall	No
Accelerometer	There is
Barometer	No
Fingerprint scanner	There is
Battery
Battery type and capacity	4100 mAh
Battery mount	fixed
Equipment
Standard kit	M3 Note: 1 USB cable: 1 SIM eject tool: 1 User manual: 1 Warranty card: 1 Charger: 1