Most recently, the presentation of Meizu Pro 6 took place, which has become an outstanding novelty in the smartphone market. Today, another model from a well-known Chinese manufacturer is next in line - meizu m3 note. The device is the next generation of one of the company's most popular and successful gadget lines. The model refers to the average price segment and has good characteristics and even more favorable cost. It is impossible to find fault with the build quality, and the materials for the case are perfectly matched, as for a budget device.

Ergonomics and case design

Smartphones of the Chinese company are already habitually imitating the overseas manufacturer. But in this case, the manufacturer decided to bring a few fresh notes to the overall look. If we consider the front panel, then the device can be confused with Apple iPhone 6s plus. Although the back side gives out in it rather Xiaomi Redmi Note 3.

If you decide meizu m3 note buy, then first of all you should pay attention to the 5.5 ”screen, which has good viewing angles and brightness. Above it you can see the speaker, as well as the front camera and standard set sensors. Under the display is a hardware-touch button, which is complemented by a built-in fingerprint scanner.

The speed and efficiency of the sensor is not satisfactory. With it, you can not only protect the device from third-party users, but also put protection on certain applications. With a normal key press, you can access the screen, as well as minimize an application that is in this moment is being executed. In this case, the button acts as the Home button.

The right side is used for the location of large mechanical keys, which stand out significantly from the background of the body. They are smooth and distinct. Standard connectors are located on the top and bottom edges of the device, including microUSB and a headphone jack. The hybrid tray for SIM cards and storage is located on the left.

The back cover has a streamlined shape, so from the side you may get the impression that the device has an all-metal body. Plastic inserts are located at the bottom and top of the cover, they cover the antennas. Their color is fully consistent with the shade of the metal surface, so you can only notice their presence when touched.

From above you can see the camera module with a flash, and closer to the center is the company logo.

The meizu m3 smartphone has a compact size of 153.6 x 75.5 x 8.2 mm with a weight of 163 grams. The device is comfortable to hold in the palm of your hand. Given the 4100 mAh capacitive battery, one can only wonder how the manufacturer managed to make the gadget so thin. Externally, the device looks quite expensive and presentable. Buyers have the option to choose between a silver or gold case.

Smartphone screen

pleasant surprise meizu m3 note, price which is low, was the use of a 5.5-inch display, the resolution of which reaches 1920x1080. The manufacturer decided to opt for a high-quality IPS matrix, and also abandoned the air gap. The presence of protective glass should be attributed to the pluses of the model.

Thanks to the rounded edges of the glass, the smartphone looks more aesthetically pleasing. In addition, this form allows you to feel increased comfort during operation. Often meizu m3 notereviews indicate that the device supports MiraVision 2.0. And that's really important, because this technology allows you to significantly improve picture quality and reduce energy consumption.


The pre-sale version is somewhat short of the declared brightness and contrast indicators, but without taking into account the test results, we can safely say that the smartphone’s display is quite good. gadget meizu m3 laptop features small bezels and natural color reproduction. The model has a significant margin of brightness, which allows you to use it even in sunny weather with maximum comfort. Users also have the option to enable automatic brightness adjustment. From others important points It is worth pointing out that the device received an excellent oleophobic coating.

Soft devices

Our meizu m3 notereview allowed us to discover that, in addition to Android 5.1, the company decided to supplement the device with its own Flyme OS shell. There were no questions regarding the smoothness of the interface during the testing process.

A feature of this shell is the absence of a separate menu with applications. The workspace is represented by a desktop, on which all the necessary applications are placed. At the bottom is a panel for the four most popular folders or applications.

The pinch gesture allows you to go to the desktop settings menu. Here you can see three items that allow you to change the order of shortcuts, set wallpapers and manage widgets.

For user convenience meizu m3 note 16 gb all settings are summarized in 17 groups. Most of them repeat the settings of stock Android, so it will not be difficult to figure them out.

It is worth paying attention to some native applications. There are many in the gallery advanced settings to edit pictures. With this editor, you can meet the basic needs of most users.

Thanks to the "Security" application, a deep check of the system is provided, as well as its optimization. With the help of this program, it is possible to clean the RAM and ROM, as well as provide control over mobile traffic.

Meizu m3 laptop review which is in front of you, pleased with the functionality file manager, which allows you to edit and move folders and their contents.

Multimedia

If you use statistics, then more than half of smartphone owners use their gadgets every day to listen to music. Approximately the same number does not represent life without speakerphone. It is impossible to provide such functions without high-quality sound reproduction. For this reason, the company paid enough attention to this indicator, which we were able to detect during the testing process. The coefficient of non-linear distortion does not exceed 95 dB, which is not available to all modern devices.

The speaker has a significant margin of volume, although we are not talking about amazing sound. In terms of video playback, it is worth noting the use of H.264 and H.265 formats, so the model plays Full HD video without any problems. The architecture does not support the 4K format, but it allows you to play such clips without significant lags.

Platform and run time

Smartphone meizu m3 note, specs which is represented by the MediaTek Helio P10 chipset, allows you to provide the user with the maximum duration of work with high level performance. For this reason, the device performs normal tasks without any complaints, but you can also run modern 3D games without fear.

The gadget's wireless modules are represented by GPS, LTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0.

2 GB of RAM was pre-installed for smooth operation, but 3 GB models have also appeared in some markets. The user can choose from two options for devices with 16 and 32 gigabytes of ROM, you can increase the storage capacity using MicroSD. But in this case, you will have to sacrifice one of the NanoSIM slots.

Detailed meizu m3 note 32 gbreview showed that one of the main advantages of the model can safely be called a battery. The device received a 4100 mAh capacitive battery, which had a very positive effect on the duration of work. The user can safely count on two days of operation even with a high level of activity.

cameras

The rear panel is complemented by a 13 megapixel matrix, which received a two-tone flash and autofocus. The camera aperture is f/2.2. It makes no sense to consider the interface in more detail, since users have access to great amount settings. Nevertheless, the wide range of options for choosing shooting modes did not particularly affect the quality of the pictures, which remains the weak point of the manufacturer's devices.

The camera was tested with automatic mode, which allows you to notice problems with detail and color reproduction.














The camera allows you to get 1080p videos. Users also have the opportunity to use slow motion mode, but it does not differ in special quality.

The front panel received a 5 megapixel camera, which makes it possible to take good pictures, as for its characteristics. Smartphone owners will be able to evaluate the capabilities of Face after effects and FotoNation, which allow you to get higher quality selfies.

The advantages of the device can safely be called the assembly and quality of materials for the case, as well as autonomy. In general, the architecture allows you to achieve solid performance, as for a budget device. In the shortcomings, it is worth pointing out the quality of the resulting images, as well as the secondary design.

The smartphone is positioned as a budget phablet, so you should not expect much from it. However, with daily tasks he copes perfectly, and good autonomy will allow you not to worry about the battery charge. High-quality assembly and comfortable operation make it one of the best representatives of the segment.

Specifications

Meizu M3 Note 16GB (Silver-White)
2 500 − 5 047 UAH
Type of Smartphone
Preinstalled OS Android 5.1 (Lollipop)
RAM, GB 2
Built-in memory, GB 16
Expansion slot microSD/SDHC/SDXC (up to 128 GB)
SIM card type Nano SIM
Number of SIM cards 2
CPU MediaTek MT6755 (Helio P10) + GPU Mali-T860 MP2
Number of Cores 8
Frequency, GHz 4x 1.8 + 4x 1.0
Accumulator battery 4100 mAh (non-removable)
Operating time (manufacturer's data) no data
Diagonal, inches 5,5
Permission 1920×1080
Matrix type LTPS
PPI 403
Brightness sensor +
Other protective glass T2X-1
Main camera, Mp 13
Video filming 1080p, 30 fps
Flash double LED
Front camera, Mp 5 MP
High speed data transfer EDGE/GPRS, HSPA+, LTE Cat.6 (UL 50 Mb/s / DL 300 Mb/s)
WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Bluetooth 4.0
GPS + (A-GPS, Glonass)
IrDA
FM radio
Audio jack 3.5mm
NFC
interface connector USB 2.0 (micro USB)
Dimensions, mm 153.6×75.5×8.2
Weight, g 163
Protection against dust and moisture
Type of shell monoblock (non-separable)
Housing material metal
Keyboard type screen input
More proximity and light sensors, accelerometer, E-compass, gyroscope, mTouch 2.1 fingerprint scanner

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 low-cost smartphones 2016, the most balanced in terms of features and price of the last five years.

In early 2017, the company announced a release date for the M5 Note, which received a couple of minor mini updates, so last year's model, together with the fallen price, is now almost the most bargain both on the world market in general and on the Russian market 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 volume 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 is 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 random access memory (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 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 located on desktops. And at the bottom there is a panel for placing the four most used applications (for example, photo editors, or radio).

List latest applications triggered by a swipe from the bottom edge. 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 unusual for mobile device elements such as 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 connection- 4G (LTE).

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

SAR (Specific Absorption Rate 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 devices for Android recent years which over time will definitely become legendary.

Having placed in such beautiful body technical specifications, which is enough to complete 99.9% of the tasks, and by setting a similar price tag, Meizu not only helped turn the market around, but also proved that everything is possible.

Meizu Technology Co., Ltd. or simply " Meizu» - a Chinese company that produces digital electronic devices, based in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province of China. Meizu is also in the top ten the best 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 Memory: 16GB/32GB eMMC 5.1 card support microSD memory/HC/XC (up to 128 GB)
  • Interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), microUSB (USB 2.0) for charging / synchronization, USB-OTG, 3.5 mm for headphones
  • Screen: capacitive touch, IPS matrix 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 protective glass, which was chosen 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 lens front camera(left), light and proximity sensors, and 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 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. Maximum size a picture in the classical proportion (4:3) - 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 sound files, for example, with FLAC extensions, created by codecs to compress audio data without quality loss. After connecting the audio headset, it is proposed to use a 5-band equalizer with presets and manual setting. 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 made a bet on 64-bit MediaTek platform MT6753 with eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.3 GHz), then for the M3 Note they chose the first-born from the MediaTek Helio P10 (aka MT6755) mid-range chipset family, intended, 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, improving energy efficiency while maintaining sufficient computing power achieved automatic adjustment 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 for “heavy” ones (Asphalt 8: Airborne, World of Tank Blitz) it is better to limit yourself to medium settings.


In its turn, total number 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 USB-OTG technologies 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 mode SIM Dual Standby, in other words, both SIM cards are active, but when one is busy, the other is also unavailable. Both trays in the slot support 4G, while the SIM card for data transfer, as well as the priority network mode, is selected in the corresponding menu. Unfortunately, only two "Russian" FDD-LTE bands are available - b3 (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. Support fast charging there is no. 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".

Peculiarities software

The M3 Note smartphone is running an operating system Android systems 5.1 (Lollipop), the interface of which is hidden under the proprietary Flyme OS 5.1.3.1G shell. It should be noted here that in fresh versions Flyme firmware, including the above, the first launch of the store Google Apps Play (create Google account) must be performed on a smartphone with a SIM card installed. Such additional authorization devices 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 panel quick settings(where the brightness slider has now appeared), and swipe up - recently opened applications.


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


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


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 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 -

Metal smartphones have already firmly occupied the niche of modern mobile gadgets. This is because the metal perfectly emphasizes the image status of the smartphone, unlike the cheap plastic from which almost all the flagships of past years are made. Well, it looks like the company Meizu decided to keep up with the market and also began to switch to metal. True, she did it a little late, following Xiaomi. Be that as it may, the new long-awaited Meizu m3 note smartphone will also receive a stylish design, which was previously available in completely non-budget Meizu MX5 and Meizu Pro 5.

Design

Actually, the design of the devices of this brand is distinguished by an enviable constancy. This is still the same device of the Note line, though in the flagship version. Apparently, the company looked at its closest competitors, who managed to create a super-popular smartphone Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and in order to somehow catch up with him, they released a rather strange positioning meizu metal. Be that as it may, the third generation of Note will also become metal, otherwise it is still the same device, made based on Apple iPhone 6. Separately, it is worth noting that in addition to the rounded side faces, the device received a trendy 2.5D glass. Thus, the smartphone looks modern.

Specifications

Responsible for performance is the Helio P10 mediatech chipset, which works in conjunction with the Mali-T860 graphics accelerator. Versions with two and three gigabytes of RAM will be available for sale, which is also quite typical for all modern gadgets. But if experienced user already guesses what to expect from the performance of any modern near-flagship, the next question worries potential buyers much more: what about autonomy? But here it's all right meizu m3 note keeps up with Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro, since the device has a 4100 mAh battery. In general, it is difficult to answer which of these solutions is better, only a real comparison of smartphones will show this.

As for the camera, it hasn't really changed in terms of image quality, although it's faster thanks to phase detection autofocus. It is worth adding that the device is equipped with a fingerprint sensor, which is built into the home button, as in the pro versions. Interestingly, company representatives do not like it when others are purely Chinese brands resort to a similar solution, and do not place the scanner on the back, because the developers themselves also borrowed the solution from Samsung. In any case, the device will be wanted by everyone who has not yet tried to work with Flyme OS, because given the price, the smartphone turned out to be quite balanced.