Meizu m3 laptop specifications. Review: meizu m3 note - a smartphone that you don't want to let go

Considering worthy Chinese manufacturers of consumer electronics, such as laptops and phones, Xiaomi is the first company that comes to mind. Probably because it was the first on the Russian market. But there is another vendor from China. Meizu M3 Note 32GB (as well as 16gb models) is one of the best inexpensive smartphones of 2016, the most balanced in terms of features and price of the last five years.

At the beginning of 2017, the company announced the release date of the M5 Note, which received a couple of minor mini updates, so last year's model, along with the dropped price, is now almost the most profitable purchase both on the global market in general and in Russia in particular. And also the most popular topic for discussion on consumer forums.

Of course, before deciding on such a purchase, you should carefully weigh all the pros and cons, advantages and disadvantages, study unbiased reviews in Yandex (Yandex) and, of course, carefully read the description and photos presented in this material.

Let's make a full review of the Meise M3 Note 32gb and see why some Russian publications are already predicting this model to be legendary.

Appearance

Meizu has always had and has its own corporate identity. Even during the release of Meizu M3 Note 32gb (and 16gb), critics often discussed the presence of numerous signs of copying in it. And only now they recognize the beauty and uniqueness of the company's smartphones, even though they have hardly changed with the release of new versions.

The front panel of the smartphone is somewhat reminiscent of the iPhone. Small bezels around the edges of the screen; speaker, camera, sensors on top; hardware button on the bottom. The latter has become a recognizable feature of the company's smartphones, both externally and in terms of its functionality.

2,5 d glass, rounded at the edges. Looks impressively smooth until practical users start gluing a protective glass or film. They physically cannot fit snugly to the edges, which is why long “air stripes” form over the entire area of ​​​​the smartphone. This is definitely a minus. But since the glass is protected, in favor of aesthetics, you can not use such protection. Moreover, such a 2.5D visually reduces the size.

On the right side of the smartphone is the power button, volume rocker. On the right is a hybrid SIM slot. you can paste or two sims, or oneSIM and othermicroSD to increase the amount of internal memory.

On the top edge there is a headphone jack, on the bottom there is a microSD slot and two symmetrical grilles, behind which a speaker and a microphone are hidden.

The back panel looks especially stylish. She metallic, except for small plastic inserts at the top and bottom, separated by antennas.

Top center is the camera and dual-tone flash; below is the mini logo of the company.

Device dimensions - 153.6 x 75.5 x 8.3 mm, weight - 163 g.

The colors are standard: silver and gold with a white front panel and dark gray with black. Elegant black (black) will be appreciated by lovers of classic models. And for those who find black too gloomy, glamorous gold and stylish silver (silver) options are intended. The latter, judging by the reviews in Yandex (Yandex) from fans of this model who have already made a purchase, are more focused on the female part of the audience.

The mobile phone looks much more expensive than $150.

Performance Specifications

Meizu M3 Note has a processor MediaTekHelioP10. graphics accelerator Mali-T860. In 2017, these components cannot even be classified as average in terms of performance, however, this should be enough for almost any task, be it games, working with photos, listening to the radio and other functions that, judging by the reviews in Yandex, are usually accepted more to lay not on the phone, but on the laptop.

Complementing this 3 GB RAM (RAM), the user receives a smartphone that is able to hold several resource-intensive programs at once, run complex games: Asphalt 8, Vainglory, Modern Combat 5.

To Antututhe device is getting close to 50000 points.

If you are buying a smartphone exclusively for gaming, then pay attention to more expensive devices with better technical characteristics, at least from the same company. But if you run them only from time to time, M3Note is a great choice even in 2017.

The smartphone has 32gb of internal memory (in 16gb - respectively, 16), which can be supplemented with a microSD card for data storage. But only if you install one SIM card.

Display

The screen on the M3 Note is the best you can get for the money.

Diagonal - 5.5 inches in size,IPS-matrix, screen resolutionFullHD, aspect ratio - 403ppi. These figures are not unambiguous, but it is worth noting that everything is improved programmatically with the help of MiraVision 2.0 technology. You can manually adjust the color temperature. Perhaps this balances all the other shortcomings of the model.

cameras

We continue the discussion by mentioning the technically weakest point of the smartphone. Optical sensors are the most expensive components, so it is not surprising that the manufacturer decided to save on them.

Description on paper promises 13 MP, phase detection autofocus, dual tone flash and aperturef/2.2.

In practice, the smartphone has an unsatisfactory quality of detail, inaccurate color reproduction of photos, even those taken in sunlight. The video is shot in Full HD; Slow motion is supported.

5 MP front camera with software chips to improve the quality of the selfie.

Battery

4100 mAh together with a sufficiently economical chip can guarantee you 2 days at medium load. Even if you use it more like a laptop than a phone, constantly playing games, listening to the radio and watching videos, you should have enough smartphone for the whole daylight hours. With a sparing mode, using energy-saving programs, a cell phone can be saved for a period 3 to 5 days.

operating system

Meizu M3 Note running Android 5.1 with an add-on from a company called Flyme OS. An update is expected this year.

The operating system itself is made in the style of iOS. There is no separate menu here, installed applications are located on desktops. And at the bottom there is a panel for placing the four most used applications (for example, photo editors, or radio).

The list of recent applications is launched with a swipe from the bottom. After that, you can get rid of both individual processes and completely clear the memory.

Description of some built-in Meizu apps:

• "Gallery" includes editing tools;
• "Security" controls the consumption of internal memory and the load of RAM. Responsible for battery operation modes;
• "Explorer", which has ample opportunities for managing files;
• "Useful" adds elements unusual for a mobile device, such as a compass, level, ruler, magnifier.

You definitely need to watch a video review of this OS in order to understand how convenient it will be for you personally to work with it. After all, even putting a launcher curtain, settings panel, the style of built-in applications cannot be changed.

Rest

Meizu is famous for its tradition of installing separate audio chips in smartphones. The M3 Note doesn't have that, but the sound quality is above average. To a greater extent, this applies to listening through headphones. And the speaker, albeit loud, is not suitable for lovers of high-quality music.

At the beginning of the material, the hardware button of the smartphone was mentioned. It plays such an important role that it even has its own name - mTouch 2.1. Its peculiarity is that the manufacturer was able to lay several functions:

• fingerprint sensor for fingerprint unlock;
• a touch surface, soft pressing of which is responsible for the “back” action;
• the usual button to return to the desktop.

The dimensions of the button make its use comfortable for any user.

NFC is missing.

OTG supported. With it, you can connect mice, flash drives, external hard drives.

Communication characteristics correspond to 2017. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth of the latest generation. Mobile communication - 4G (LTE).

The package includes a smartphone, adapter, USB cable, mini-instruction manual. Headphones, no case.

SAR values ​​(Specific Absorption Rate of Electromagnetic Energy): 0.417 W/kg (head) and 0.893 W/kg (body).

Advantages and disadvantages

Pros:

• appearance;
• choice of colors (black black, gold and silver)
• hardware platform;
• display;
• autonomy;
• sound;
• price.

Minuses:

• cameras;
• hybrid card slot;
• long OS update process.

conclusions

Meizu M3 Note is one of the best budget Android devices of recent years, which will definitely become legendary over time.

Combining such a beautiful case with technical parameters that are enough to complete 99.9% of tasks, and also setting a similar price tag, Meizu not only helped turn the market around, but also proved that everything is possible.

Following Xiaomi and Huawei, Meizu introduced a budget device with a typical set of characteristics for the middle segment. Moreover, the Chinese went further and equipped the new smartphone with the main parameters that were typical for their flagship a year ago. And this is at a very low (especially for China at the start of sales) price. Let's see what Meizu M3 Note is.

Specifications Meizu M3 Note

• Body materials: metal, glass, plastic inserts
• Operating system: Android 5.1, Flyme 6.1
• Network: GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, LTE (TD/FDD-LTE)
• Screen: IPS (LTPS), diagonal 5.5", resolution 1920x1080, ppi 406, automatic backlight level adjustment, protective glass
• Platform: MediaTek Helio P10
• Processor: Octa-core, 64-bit, four Cortex-A53 cores at 1.8 GHz + four Cortex-A53 cores at 1 GHz
• Graphics: Mali T860
• RAM: 2/3 GB
• Storage Memory: 16/32 GB
• Memory card slot: yes, microSD
• Main camera: 13 MP, 5 lenses, f / 2.2, phase detection autofocus, dual LED flash, video is recorded at 1080p
• Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.0, video is recorded in 1080p
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n) Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), microUSB connector (USB 2.0, MHL) for charge/sync, 3.5 mm for headset
• Navigation: GPS (support A-GPS), Glonass
• Optional: mTouch 2.1 fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
• Battery: 4100 mAh
• Dimensions: 153.6 x 75.5 x 8.2mm
• Weight: 163 grams

Case design and materials

Externally, the M3 Note resembles the Meizu MX5 and Pro 5, that is, the flagships of last year. Tactilely, the device also corresponds to these models: here the back is made of metal and volumetric (2.5D) glass, due to which the smartphone feels expensive. Yes, there are plastic inserts on top and bottom, but they are painted in the color of metal and do not make the weather. So in terms of design and feel, Meizu devices were able to play at the same level as Xiaomi and Huawei with Redmi Note 3 and Honor 5X, respectively, and maybe even better. It's a matter of preference which one you like. What I like about the Meizu M3 Note is the overall simplicity and uncluttered design, it is neat and without unnecessary details. And “borrowed” from Apple, which is a disadvantage for some, but a plus for others.

The colors are the same as the flagships - silver and gold with a white front panel and dark gray with a black front panel. No bright colors, only classic options.

Dimensions

The Meizu M3 Note is comparable in size to the MX5 and other 5.5" smartphones. I can’t call it compact among classmates, but it doesn’t stand out in a big way either - a typical middle peasant in this category in terms of size. The device is not too thick, which is good considering the 4100 mAh battery.

Controls

In terms of basic controls, the Meizu M3 Note is no different from its predecessors. The power and volume buttons are on the right, the tray for two SIM cards (or a SIM card and a memory card) on the left, a microUSB connector, a microphone and speaker grilles at the bottom (one of them is decorative), and a 3.5 mm mini-jack on top.

Meizu finally paid attention to the fact that many elements on the cases of their smartphones used to be located asymmetrically, and this shortcoming was corrected in the M3 Note. Symmetrical camera eye and light/proximity sensors, symmetrical speaker grilles and cogs. Including because of such trifles, the device looks more neat than the M2 Note.

But the important difference between the M3 Note and last year's model is still not in this. The device has a fingerprint scanner, it is inscribed in a mechanical key, which also plays the role of the "Back" button thanks to the touch layer. The button is convenient, it is available in Meizu MX4 Pro, MX5, Pro 5 and M1 Metal smartphones. And now in M3 Note.

Screen

The device uses a screen with a diagonal of 5.5 "" and a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels based on an IPS matrix. Display with maximum viewing angles, a good margin of brightness and close to natural color reproduction. Although, in terms of the last parameter, to be honest, the screen reminded me of that in Xiaomi Redmi Note 3: both smartphones give out a picture that is not juicy enough, a little pale. But in general, for an inexpensive device, the display is just excellent.

By the way, the screen is better than the Meizu M2 Note, not only in terms of brightness and picture quality, but also in terms of the quality of the glass used and especially the oleophobic coating. In this regard, the M3 Note is very good, better than the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and most other competitors. Probably, Meizu took the criticism of the relatively poor oleophobic coating in the M2 Note too close to heart and simply used the panel from the Pro 5 in the next device in the line.

platform, memory

The smartphone is built on one of the new platforms from the Taiwanese company Mediatek - Helio P10. This is not a top-end chip, but for FullHD resolution and a budget segment device, it is a good option. Graphics Mali T860. The smartphone has 2/3 GB of RAM and 16/32 GB of internal memory. There is a slot for a microSD memory card, combined with a second slot for a SIM card. You can also install two SIM cards in the nanoSIM format.

Camera

Both cameras, both the main and the front, have not changed in terms of characteristics compared to the cameras in the Meizu M2 Note. Accordingly, the photo quality in the new M3 Note is about the same. I will not describe any features, yet we have an inexpensive smartphone in front of us, just look at the photo examples and evaluate for yourself.

I will only note that, like in all other devices from Meizu, there is a completely manual shooting mode (this is good), and also that the interface still cannot rotate to landscape orientation (this is bad).

Shooting during the day

Shooting at night

Front-camera

Manual mode

Interfaces

From most budget devices (including the M2 Note), the new Meizu M3 Note differs in two ways. Firstly, there is support for dual-band Wi-Fi, and secondly, the device supports VoLTE. In 4G networks, the smartphone works in all common bands for Russia. Bluetooth version 4.0 with LE (Low Energy) profile support.

Battery

Perhaps the main feature of the Meizu M3 Note is a 4100 mAh battery. Here you can say thank you to Xiaomi, which Meizu considers its main competitors, because it was they who, having equipped their Redmi Note 3 with a 4000 mAh battery, gave Meizu the sign - “we must do the same or better.” I don’t know how well the device will show itself in terms of operating time in reality, but such a battery capacity is encouraging. Coupled with non-top-end features (platform, screen resolution), you can expect two full days of device operation in active mode.

flyme

The smartphone runs on Android 5.1 with a proprietary Flyme 5.1 interface. It is strange that the company did not upgrade the device to Android 6.0, probably Meizu decided to introduce a major update for its Flyme interface in the near future and make a big announcement out of it. I don't see any other explanation.

The shell is Flyme, with the familiar “iOS-like” interface logic, beautiful, neat, not overloaded. Some like it, others hate it, it's a matter of preference.

Conclusion

In China, the first batch of Meizu M3 Note will be priced at 800 and 1,000 yuan for 2/16 and 3/32 GB versions, respectively. If we go back a few years and look at the prices the company set for its new products compared to its main competitor, Xiaomi, we will see that similar smartphones from Meizu have always been more expensive at the start of sales. This time the situation is different, and this, it seems to me, is an indicator of the “action” of the prices announced at the presentation. Otherwise, the device turns out to be very attractive even against the background of Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, which, in turn, looks like an amazing offer at a Chinese price.

The cost for Russia is not yet known, perhaps it will be in the range of 16,000 to 18,000 rubles, maybe lower, maybe higher, here I'm just trying to guess. Official sales in Russia will start approximately in May.

After Xiaomi introduced their Redmi Note 3, I had very strong doubts about Meizu's ability to show something at least about this level. Too strong product came from Xiaomi. However, Meizu was able to perform at the same level and in some ways even get ahead of its main competitor. The main feature of the M3 Note is the design and materials of the case. This is the case when the company managed not only to take metal, glass and assemble a smartphone out of it, but they did it very high quality and thoughtfully: 2.5D glass, chic oleophobic coating, like on flagships, neat thin lines of antenna wiring, symmetry in small elements – all this makes the device impressive. The rest of the Meizu M3 Note is a strong “middle peasant” by Chinese standards with the price of a budget device.

P.S. In addition to the smartphone, Meizu introduced new headphones - Meizu EP51 with plastic temples for fixing in the ear and magnetic stripes on the cases for attaching to each other and easy carrying. The headphones look interesting, but when they appear in Russia is still unknown.

Model Features:

• Processor MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755);
• RAM 3GB;
• Dual SIM support;
• Screen 5.5", resolution 1920x1080;
• Camera 13 MP, autofocus;
• Built-in memory 32 GB;
• Slot for memory card up to 128GB;
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS/GLONASS.

Introducing the Meizu M3 Note in Silver White with 32GB of built-in memory. 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 Silver White

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.

Specifications:

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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 mTouch 2.1 navigation, in which a fingerprint scanner is mounted. 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

Prices

Video reviews

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, 1080p@30fps video
• 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 dual 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).

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.

Stuffing, 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 the 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 assessment 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 with 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 -