It's time to take a closer look The most powerful smartphone of this year according to Antutu, not cheap at all, but insanely attractive Meizu MX4. When buying, there were several questions, the simplest was 16 or 32 gigabytes inside, and it’s a pity for money and there is no expansion for memory cards, so here the advantage was obviously 32 gigabytes and the second question was between choosing Meizu MX4 - Oneplus One - Xiaomi Mi4. Reviewed a bunch of reviews of each, re-read the specifications, all three smartphones are great, but I only need one. I opened ancient aphorisms and subtracted: “if you can’t choose the best, choose the worst and discard, the best will remain in the end”- so I did.
Was the first to be discarded Xiaomi Mi4 lack of networks 4G now it is unacceptable in the flagship, and although my operator does not support 4G, but who knows what will turn out for us tomorrow. Oneplus One confused by the forum w3bsit3-dns.com and the message that there are many batches, half of which are defective, my friend received with broken pixels right out of the box and of course the huge dimensions of the device. So the best remains Meizu MX4, the glory of Meizu as a master of making quality sound in my devices, and I love clear sound, whoever follows my reviews knows.
So, the month of October is in the courtyard, the price tags for Meizu MX4 make you fall into a slight gloom, but on the site groupb.ru- these are group purchases of equipment, a coupon for a 100 usd discount appears on any Meizu MX4, I ordered when the “promotion is closed” was already written, I managed to break into the remnants in the warehouse, although many were offered a 16 gig version or a refund. Here, of course, readers will have a suspicion, and not “is it a Cossack sent?”, - I will answer - my own Cossack, screenshots are attached, I had to cover up personal information, do not blame me.
Purchase Information
The smartphone was purchased and news appeared that did not add optimism - the fastest SingPost mail, which the device was sent to me, is now the slowest, the device went to me for a month, after 7 days I ordered accessories with China Post delivery and they arrived at the same time. Okay, it's time to move on to the device itself, and I will add the story as I review it.
The box came packed in a film, that is, no one touched the device from the factory. By the way, both for me and for others, the box was slightly wrinkled, it is not known who is to blame for this, thanks to the Meizu packaging, not a single smartphone was damaged, at least no cases were detected on w3bsit3-dns.com. 
Inside, charging is immediately under our sockets, which is nice, at 2 amperes, the device charges for about an hour, I didn’t pinpoint it exactly. High-quality cable, before that the cable from Xiaomi Red Rice 1S was the best cable, but I liked this one more. Instead of headphones, I received a stub, as the seller unsubscribed, they had only 100 copies with headphones, I was not among them and all that was left was to admire the cardboard saying that they were not here. 
The smartphone was traditionally Meizu in a book. 
There were films on the front and back, which I immediately removed.
In addition, I saw waste paper, the warranty card does not mean anything, since the warranty applies only to PCT devices. 
To start the specs: 
Let's now consider the hero of the review, Meizu MX4, and carefully discuss all its charms and not charms, in the center one round touch button is clearly visible, it glows in the dark and blinks like an event indicator, there are no other indicators, just like there are no buttons to the left and to the right of her, how to be? - I asked myself, before that I had Elephone p6i with one button, everything was decided by the number of clicks, once - back, twice - home, hold down - the menu. Here it’s a little different, press the button - home, swipe up from the button - back, it looks pretty cool and convenient, but the menu only appears on the screen in applications where it is needed, here we meet the first inconvenience - the lack of a “menu” button, - maybe they will solve it, for example, by swiping left or right, but so far there is an inconvenience. 
The front camera is 2 megapixels, the speaker, the light and proximity sensor, everything is in place. Between the screen and the side faces there is a layer, the meaning of which is to prevent damage when dropped, they say it is very useful and no one has such protection.
The back part is the peephole of the main camera, a dual very bright flash. The back cover is plastic. 
The upper part is a 3.5" headset (headphone) jack, a noise-canceling microphone, and the second drawback is the power button, I would look into the eyes of the one who thought of leaving it on top, there are many reservations about it, that they say it only needs to turn on the smartphone and that's it, unlocking with a double tap on the screen, locking by pressing the round touch button - everything is so, and I will be frank - there is a plus in this, I saw it just the other day, when I had already put my smartphone in a case, then I saw that I had not blocked it - enough I had to press the top button, - I didn’t have to get the smartphone, - this is a plus, but how to press it in normal use mode, see below, and yes - taking screenshots is also not convenient, you need to hold down the power button and any of the volume keys, you can’t avoid hand yoga. 
The lower part is very interesting, it is as beautiful as an iPhone, a latch for removing the cover, it is removed, unlike older versions of Meizu smartphones, very easily, a MicroUSB socket. Kruglyashki with a mesh, under which a microphone and a speaker - I have never heard such a speaker, very loud and clear with bass, here I take off my hat, really very cool. The increase in volume and bass depth is achieved through the use of the second generation NXP SmartPA audio processor, the official website writes. 
The left side face contains a volume swing, the metal buttons are pleasant, cool, the move is elastic. 
The right side edge makes us closer to Zen, there is nothing on it. Well, I did not say only about the strips, the purpose of which is not clear, since the back cover is plastic and there is no need to draw conclusions for the antennas. 
What I liked most about the smartphone, I can’t be silent anymore, is its more square screen, I like to read sometimes, and those who share this hobby will understand me, usually the width of the smartphone is narrow, not enough, but here it’s just magnificence, there were doubts regarding the FullHD + screen resolution, it is non-standard, but everything is fine, I have never met an application that would not be displayed correctly. But there are pitfalls here, although the frames are very thin, the width makes itself felt. Let's see how it looks. In principle, the thumb covers the screen and you can reach anywhere. 
But pressing the round button is no longer so convenient. Many will say - “you find fault”, yes, I find fault, but what can I do, the smartphone is very good, so small nitpicks are all that can be found and I will try to point them all out. 
Pulling out the top curtain is very convenient, since the smartphone is wide, but not high. 
In general, the sensations in the Meizu MX4 hand are very pleasant, I’ll say more, I want to put a bumper on it so that it is a little thicker and heavier, and protection won’t hurt, but hiding such beauty is recklessness.
In addition to the screen, you can add that it is good, improved IPS, the colors are vibrant, the brightness is from almost no to high, but the light sensor works so well that I didn’t have to turn the brightness. Everything is perfectly visible in the sun, see the tilt angles below.
Screen at an angle
What else I would like to point out is the lack of MicroSD, - this is obviously a minus, - I got out of the position of reasoning, - I have a lot of cards, you can carry at least a dozen of them with you, which means you need a convenient reader, and I found one earlier in my reviews you can find it. With such a reader, even a 16 GB version will be enough, because you can always transfer an excess of information to a card or vice versa, transfer the missing information to a smartphone. So the question with the amount of internal memory has disappeared by itself, I highly recommend the reader. 
It remains to remove the cover to finish with a description of the appearance. The lid is thin with a cap for NFC - it is not here. 
The smartphone itself is milky white inside, and has only a slot for MicroSim, it’s very good that the cover was made removable, since Ali has something for every taste, and bamboo, and leather, and whatever. 
Antutu
Let's deal with the tests, the antutu squeaks with delight, 51000 or 52000 depends on whether the Internet is connected, it is, alas, slow for me. 
cpu-z
The latest octa-core processor MTK 6595 (4 cores Cortex A17 and 4 cores Cortex A7), operating at frequencies up to 2.2 GHz and a whole bunch of sensors. The MTK website mentions that Meizu helped develop this processor. 
Epic Citadel
Nenamark
What can I say, yes, Meizu MX4 is powerful, gamers will be delighted. 
WiFi b/g/n/ac format 
Photo, next to the router, one and two walls. 
Mobile frequencies full spectrum 2G 3G 4G LTE available 
Job GPS and Glonass I was 100% satisfied, and my requests, as a tourist, are quite high, the satellites themselves caught at the window in 3 seconds, the positioning accuracy increased for another 5 seconds. Compass on board. 
Meizu MX4 works great with smart bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band, but unlocking is not supported by it, you need miui. 
The built-in antivirus monitors the installed applications and warns in case of danger, a very nice feature, since not all applications are installed from the play market. 
I will give screenshots about device and basic settings: 
The smart bar, as you can see here, can be hidden, it will be shown only when necessary, a handy feature. The built-in keyboard did not please me, but it was easy to install the keyboard from Xperia. Three types of work, the most optimal - balanced, others, in fact, are needed only in rare situations.
To open access to the system is the installation of root rights. Root is installed in Meizu MX4 out of the box and is obtained by registering on the Meizu website. The sensor supports 10 clicks. Shell flyme slightly inferior to MIUI, but on the whole it has an antivirus, an over-the-air update, a painter and other additional applications. 
Meizu MX4 battery capacity is 3100mAh the manufacturer is Sony, and the reputation of Meizu is trustworthy, the battery is not removable, it lasts for 2-3 days when I use it, the Internet, calls, photos and a little game and Youtube. The device almost does not heat up during tasks and there is no waste of charge in the temperature as in a snapdragon, I always liked MTK more.
Camera
This is one of the most praised virtues of the Meizu MX4, here the device received the latest 20.7 megapixel camera from the flagship Sony Z3. The possibilities are listed below. 
The quality of the pictures is really striking in detail and significantly surpasses the camera of my Xiaomi Red Rice 1S even at a comparable image resolution. 
The front camera is 2 megapixels, it is enough for video calls and selfies. 
Shooting with the rear camera in a dark room simply amazed me, there is nothing to say, only emotions of admiration. 
There are a lot of examples of pictures on the net, so I don’t see the point in repeating myself, I don’t shoot at 20 megapixels myself, this feature is very useful when traveling, and for everyday shots, 12 megapixels are enough, which are set by default, and even they are very impressive.
The last thing left is what I love the most - sound, for the test I used my favorite Vsonic VSD1S headphones and compared it with the Cowon J3 player, there is no point in comparing it with the sound of my Xiaomi Red Rice 1S, because it surpasses it many times in quality, here we can only compare with players of a good sound level on high-quality headphones. Meizu MX4 itself does not have a dedicated audio chip, however, a fairly high-quality chip is built into the MTK 6595 Wolfson WM8281 when comparing MX4 and Cowon J3, no obvious differences were found, I can say that they sound about the same level, the sound of Meizu MX4 is a little softer, a little missing volume is compensated from the engineering menu by changing the maximum volume value from 126 to 150 (maximum 160), then there is a stock left with a vengeance. The low frequencies are very lively and legible, the bass is excellent, the mids are also excellent, there is a slight lack of high frequencies, but just a little bit. I highly recommend purchasing high-quality headphones for this device and enjoying the soundscapes.
As a result, we have
Minuses:
- one SIM card;
- no support for microSD memory cards;
- no NFC;
- power button at the top;
- no hardware menu button;
- wide, not for any hand.
Pros:
- excellent camera from Sony 20.7 megapixels;
- decent sound;
- very high quality screen;
- the most powerful processor MTK6595;
- loud high-quality speaker;
- Wi-Fi class ac;
- Volumetric accumulator Sony on 3100;
- more square screen;
- narrow screen bezels;
- very light for its battery 147 grams;
- 4G LTE support.
What can be said as a conclusion, it is obvious that the smartphone is great, do I recommend it? - of course I recommend, anyone who takes Meizu MX4 in his hands will not release it for anything. This is truly the best smartphone of this year.
I reviewed the Pro version, I can only note an even better sound chip, everything else is not significant, such as a higher resolution, increased dimensions, a slightly better front camera, the processor is not the latest from Samsung. To some, the Pro version will seem tempting, but the price for it is still high.
Good shopping everyone, Black Friday is coming, you can still have time to take Meizu ...
Great news, the 100 bucks MINUS100 coupon is still working on Meizu.
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Characteristics
- Class: smartphone
- Case materials: plastic, glass and metal
- Operating system: Google Android 4.4.2
- Network: GSM/WCDMA/4G LTE
- Processor: 8 cores, MediaTek MT6595
- RAM: 2 GB
- Storage Memory: 16/32/64 GB
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi (b / g / n / ac), Bluetooth 4.0 HID, microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging / synchronization, 3.5 mm for a headset
- Screen: capacitive, IPS 5.36"" with a resolution of 1152x1920 pixels
- Camera: 20.7 MP Sony Exmor RS + 2 MP Sone Exmor R, dual flash
- Navigation: GPS+GLONASS
- Optional: accelerometer, proximity and light sensors
- Battery: removable, capacity 3100 mAh
- Dimensions: 144x75x8.9mm
- Weight: 147 g
- Price: from 18,000 rubles (Q4 2014)
Contents of delivery
The box, made of white cardboard, is packed in a thin transparent cellophane bag. The inscription "MX4" is applied on top, and colored balls are depicted around it.
Inside, traditionally for Meizu, you will find a booklet-box with a smartphone. Below it is a USB cable, a warranty card and a place where the headphones should have been (they are not included in the kit, they must be purchased separately). To the right of the booklet is a power adapter with a standard plug.
Introduction
The presentation of Meizu MX4 took place on September 2 in Beijing. Before this event, spy shots were circulating on the network, and they were interspersed with shots of the MX4 Pro, so it was immediately clear that the MX4 would be released earlier, then the Pro version would be shown. For those who are not in the know: not so long ago there was a presentation of Meizu MX4 Pro. It will start on sale from December 6, the price is not yet known exactly, I think that it is necessary to focus on 25,000 rubles.
However, today we will talk about the younger model MX4, which has already gone on sale at a price of 18,000 rubles, depending on the amount of built-in memory.
What is remarkable about this device? First of all, a metal case, or rather, a metal frame made of aircraft-grade aluminum. It is also worth noting that there is a special shock-absorbing layer between the protective glass and the frame.
The second is the "heart" of the MX4 - the chipset. If in the past generation the “Samsungian” quad-core Exynos was used, then this time it is the eight-core MediaTek. Tests have shown that the processor is one of the fastest on the market.
Third, the camera. Meizu decided not to waste time on trifles and "slapped" a cool module from the Sony Xperia Z3. Apparently, the Chinese programmers outdid the Japanese in terms of photo processing algorithms, so it seems to me that the shots taken on the MX4 are slightly better than the shots taken on the Z3.
Everything else is familiar, but will be discussed in detail in the text. Below you will find a video review, it is large, for 40 minutes. I apologize in advance for the sound quality. According to the well-known expression of one of our politicians: “we wanted the best, but it turned out as always,” that is, he tried to increase sensitivity, but “he went too far.”
Design, dimensions, controls
From the point of view of appearance, the MX4 differs little from the MX3: the same rounded corners, smooth outlines of the rear surface, approximately the same dimensions and weight. The MX3 uses a metal frame and a thin frame, the MX4 is the same, only the frame has become larger, this time you definitely understand that the case is “not a bastard”.
Of course, it is worth mentioning that the MX4 reminds many of the iPhone 6. I don’t know if the Chinese craftsmen were inspired by leaks from the “six” network or they themselves invented it, the main thing is that it turned out very well. The smartphone has sloping edges, light weight, interesting materials.
However, it seemed to me that it had a too streamlined body shape: it often slipped out of my hands, despite the fact that the back surface is made of porous plastic. Naturally, this is my personal opinion.
I repeat that the back cover is made of porous, rough to the touch plastic (polycarbonate). At one time, it was fashionable to call plastic the beautiful word “polycarbonate”: thoughts about something unusual immediately arose in my head ...
The surface gets dirty over time, leaving traces on it: for example, when rubbing the black soft-touch plastic against the MX4 case. This behavior is quite natural, there is nothing wrong with that, the main thing is that they are easily erased.
By the way, about color schemes. Everything here is like with the iPhone: white, dark gray and gold. The latter is not yet available in Russia.
The frame, as already mentioned, is made of aircraft-grade aluminum. It is painted in body color. I don’t know where the fashion to paint metal came from, but there is such a strange “fad”. Samsung, for example, released two all-metal gadgets at once, which feel like plastic to the touch - the paint is to blame :)
The edge of the frame is polished, looks nice, plays cool in the light. If we talk about whether the metal is felt in the hand or, then rather no than yes. But in the cold you will immediately understand where the metal is and where the plastic begins :)
The screen is protected by third-generation Gorilla Glass. After several weeks of active use, not a single scratch appeared. An oleophobic coating is applied on top. Fingerprints, of course, remain, but are erased quickly. Anti-reflective properties are average.
Between the glass and the metal frame is a special shock-absorbing material. It reduces the pressure on the display in case the device hits the edges. And I thought it was the Chinese who could not remove the glue from the grooves.
At the top in the center is a speech speaker, covered with a thin black metal mesh. It is very loud, you can hear the interlocutor in any conditions, be it the street or the subway. You can compare with the iPhone 5/5S, Samsung Galaxy S5/Note 4, only the MX4 has a different sound timbre, it is higher. To the right of the speaker are light and proximity sensors, a front camera.
Below the screen is a traditional round touch button with a bright white backlight. If the screen is turned on, the button is highlighted weakly, if you press it, it flashes brightly, if the screen is turned off, then it glows faintly with a greenish tint for some time.
At the bottom there is a microphone (covered with a thin light mesh), micro-USB and a speaker hidden under four round holes.
On the left side there is a volume rocker key, painted in the color of the case. The silver border indicates that the button is metal. It is thin, long, almost recessed into the body. The pressure is firm, the stroke is minimal. There are no elements on the right.
At the top are a 3.5 mm audio jack, a second microphone (only for noise reduction, since mono sound is recorded in video) and a power button. It is also metal, painted in the color of the case. The button is tight, the move is minimal. In my opinion, it would be better if it was on the right - there is a place there, and the ergonomics of the design would be much better.
On the reverse side there is a large camera eye, framed by a metal ring. The camera protrudes above the body by about half a millimeter. Just below is a dual dual-color LED flash.
The cover, unlike the MX3 and other Meizu smartphones, can be removed easily, you just have to pry it off the notch on the bottom end. Below it you will see a non-removable battery and one microSIM slot.
All in all, Meizu MX4 made an excellent impression in terms of appearance. The device came out pretty nice, soundly assembled and strong. But for my hand the gadget is a little big. Maybe because I'm used to the dimensions of the Nexus 5 and iPhone 5, which I almost never part with.
Display
Meizu again wanted to stand out and therefore released the MX4, whose screen diagonal is 5.36". Let me remind you that in the MX3 it was 5.1 inches. Why was it so "outrageous" when you could make 5.2 "or 5.3", but it would be better to leave 5.1 ". Moreover, the aspect is non-standard - 15: 9.
The physical size of the display is 70x117 mm, the frames on the right and left are 2.6 mm each, at the top and bottom - 14 mm each. That is, the usable screen area is approximately 75%.
The screen resolution is also non-standard - 1152x1920 pixels, density - 418 PPI. The IPS matrix (OGS - no air gap) is a joint effort between Sharp and JDI. The matrix has wide viewing angles without visible image distortion. According to our measurement data, there is a slight bluish shift. The color gamut is slightly larger than sRGB in the red and green areas. The maximum white brightness is 409 cd/m2, the minimum white brightness is 1.4 cd/m2, the maximum black brightness is 0.44 cd/m2, and the contrast ratio is 930:1. Naturally, our figures may differ from those indicated on the official website. And it says so: the contrast ratio is 1100: 1, the maximum brightness is 500 cd / m2.
In simple terms, the brightness of the display matrix backlight will be enough for you to comfortably read information in direct sunlight, and the minimum will be enough even on the darkest night.
Black color
White color
Viewing angles
Battery
This smartphone model uses a 3100 mAh non-removable battery. Manufactured by Sony and Samsung. There is no official information about the operating time of the device, so I tested it myself:
- 1080p video playback (MKV) at maximum screen brightness and headphone volume - approximately 6 hours
- Browsing via Wi-Fi - about 18 hours
- Browsing via 3G - about 10 hours
- The total average operating time of the device (3G, calls, sms, letters, twitter) is about 20 hours, about 2.5 hours of screen time.
Communication options
The main thing that I want to note in this section is the support for 4G LTE (TD-LTE / FDD-LTE / TD-SWCDMA / WCDMA / GSM) in Russian networks. Can switch manually between 2G/3G/4G.
There is dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) not only a / b / n, but also AC; Bluetooth version 4.0 with HID puncture.
The USB OnTheGo function works, that is, third-party devices (for example, flash drives) can be connected to USB! By the way, NFC is not here.
There are no problems with GPS and GLONASS. Below are screenshots from the tracker program.
Memory and memory card
The Meizu MX4 has 2GB LPDDR3 933MHz RAM. At the moment, this is a typical volume of most smartphones in the middle price segment, and there are still few devices with 3 gigabytes. For those who are not enough, they can safely run in December for the MX4 Pro.
Built-in memory 16/32/64 GB depending on the model. I advise you to take more, since there is no memory card here, and 20 MP pictures and 4K video will “eat up” a lot of memory.
Camera
As always, there are two camera modules: the main one is 20.7 MP with an aperture of F2.2, the front one is 2 MP with an aperture of F2.0 for the best “selfie” in poor lighting conditions.
The main module came from Sony - it's a well-known backlit CMOS Exmor RS IMX220. Matrix size - 1/2.3 (diagonal 7.87 mm), maximum number of pixels - 21.01 M, effective - 20.84 M, active - 20.65 M, cell size - 1.2x1.2 μm. More details can be found.
In my subjective opinion, Meizu MX4 shoots chic: accurate and fast focus, almost always perfect white balance, minimal noise (I like the non-aggressive noise reduction). Unlike many smartphones with good cameras, such as the Samsung Galaxy S5/Note 4, the MX4 tries not to cover up noise. Sony devices behave the same way. However, it seemed to me that they did not quite succeed in achieving a qualitative result.
At the moment, I think that the MX4 camera is one of the best in terms of photo detail and HDR work (there are glitches in which the camera shoots in HDR for a long time).
In addition, it is worth noting that the device was equipped with manual settings for shutter speed, ISO, exposure and focus. It does not function as efficiently as on the Nokia 1020 (I still consider it the best camera phone), but such options are present.
Video Meizu MX4 can record at a maximum resolution of 3840x2176 pixels (UltraHD 4K) at 30 fps. The picture is very clear, you can take freeze-frames and get 8 MP pictures from them. The only thing I didn't like was the way the exposure works: it "jumps" sharply depending on the lighting, there is no smooth transition in the brightness of the image. Another nuance: the codec for 4K recording is H.265. It is not as common as H.264, so some video players on a PC or MAC may not open videos, do not understand this codec and YouTube. So the clips shot on the MX4 cannot yet be “uploaded” to the Google service.
There is slow motion in HD resolution at 100 frames per second. The video itself is played at 25 fps.
The front camera is ordinary (4 Sharp lenses with a blue glass filter). Characteristics: Sony CMOS Exmor R module, matrix size - 1/2.3 (diagonal 3.1 mm), maximum number of pixels - 2.22 M, effective - 2.17 M, active - 2.12 M, cell size - 1.4x1.4 μm. More details can be found here
"Tap" adjusts the exposure. Clips are recorded in HD resolution at 30 fps. The angle is not the widest.
The interface is simple: from the top, swipe to the right or left to scroll through the modes, from the bottom - a button for recording a video, taking a photo, a gallery; even lower - "Back", flash, effects, front camera and settings.
Modes
- Manual mode
- Portrait
- Panorama
- Focus change
- Scanner (Bar/QR codes)
- Slow motion
- Macro
Settings
- Net
- Level
- Countdown
- Photo size (from 5 MP to 20 MP)
- Video size (480p, 720p, 1080p, 4k)
EXIF information
Video file characteristic
- File Format: MP4
- Video codec: HEVC, 42 Mbps
- Resolution: 3840 x 2176, 30 fps (or 24 fps at night)
- Audio codec: AAC, 128 Kbps
- Channels: 1 channel, 48 kHz
Photo examples
Day
Twilight
Night
Flash
In room
Examples of photos on the front camera:
Performance and software platform
In early 2014, MediaTek announced the MT6595 single-chip SoC with an octa-core processor, an LTE modem, and Ultra HD H.265 hardware support. If the company called the previous generation of the chip the first true 8-core, then the MT6595 is the first 8-core with 4G support, ARM Cortex-A17 and the H265 codec.
The processor of the system is made according to the ARM big.LITTLE technology familiar to many. In short, 4 Cortex-A17 cores (at 2.2 GHz) can work simultaneously with 4 Cortex-A7 cores (at 1.7 GHz). Naturally, everything depends on the load, so, in theory, the device should save energy.
Responsible for graphics PowerVR G6200 (4 cores at 600 MHz) codenamed Rogue. Supports DirectX 10, OpenGL 3.x, 4.x, OpenGL ES 3.1.
In practice, without superfluous marketing words and exaggerations of possibilities, you get one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful device on the market. The device does not slow down and does not buggy. Games run ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING on the settings that the games themselves allow.
Screenshots from games
brief information
Performance Tests
Smartphone Meizu MX4 operates on the operating system Google Android version 4.4.2. There is a proprietary shell Flyme OS. At the moment (at least on my device) version 4.0.4 update is available.
Meizu MX4 is a flagship smartphone at a reasonable price. The gadget received not only powerful hardware, but also a very attractive design. The device was announced in September 2014.
Appearance and ergonomics
Meizu MX4 has a plastic case with rounded corners. The outlines of the back cover are very smooth. Between the protective glass and the case there is a spectacular metal frame. The sloping edges make the smartphone very comfortable to hold. Improves ergonomics and porous polycarbonate with a rough surface. This is a very practical solution that helps the device not slip out of the palms. Below the screen is a small round touch button. It is illuminated in bright white. The bottom end got a microphone and microUSB, as well as a multimedia speaker. On top is an additional microphone, a power button and a headphone jack. The back cover is easy to open, but the built-in 3100mAh battery is non-removable. Available colors: gold, white and grey. Dimensions: height - 144 mm, thickness - 8.9 mm, width - 75.2 mm, weight - 147 g.
Display
The MX4 houses a 5.36-inch screen that was developed by JDI and Sharp. This advanced IPS-matrix received Nega liquid crystal technology, as well as progressive LED backlighting. Thanks to this, the display stands out with increased brightness and excellent contrast. It is worth noting the unusual aspect ratio of the screen - 15:9. Its resolution is 1920 by 1152 dots. Since the matrix does not have an air gap, the image can pleasantly surprise you with its extraordinary realism. It is necessary to highlight very wide viewing angles, as well as a high-quality oleophobic coating.
Hardware and performance
The MX4 is powered by a powerful MediaTek MT6595 octa-core processor that has been overclocked to 2200MHz. PowerVR G6200 MP4 3D accelerator is used. The gadget has a built-in 2 GB LPDDR3 RAM. Designed to improve performance technology Smart Core Pilot. Compared to its predecessor, this device turned out to be almost twice as powerful. So, in the AnTuTu Benchmark v5 test, the model scores about 53,000 points. A lot of games run at the highest level of graphics, and everyday applications do work extremely quickly. It is noteworthy that the gadget operates on the Android 4.4 operating system with subsequent updates. At the same time, this OS has been seriously modified with the help of the Flyme shell. Built-in memory: 64 GB, 32 GB or 16 GB. There is no possibility to install microSD cards.
Communication and sound
Thanks to the NXP SmartPA audio processor, the Meizu MX4 boasts excellent sound. The bass is especially well developed, and the volume level is seriously increased. The multimedia speaker has become not only louder, but also reproduces more surround sound. The special chip Wolfson WM8281 makes it possible to enjoy music in headphones, as the tracks are played very clearly. The interlocutor is heard well through the conversational speaker.
Camera
Meizu MX4 has a high-quality 20.7-megapixel Sony IMX220 camera. This Exmor RS sensor allows you to shoot 4K video, as well as instantly focus on the subject. The dual-color LED flash helps a lot at night. There is also a 2-megapixel Sony IMX208 front camera with f/2.0 aperture.
conclusions
The flagship smartphone MX4 stands out from the competition with its excellent technical characteristics, excellent cameras and attractive appearance. Includes documentation, USB cable and power adapter.
Pros:
- Gorgeous FHD display.
- High quality speaker and headphone sound.
- Practical and stylish design.
- Advanced main camera.
- Very powerful processor.
Minuses:
- Slightly missing a slot for memory cards.
- Autonomy could be higher.
Specifications Meizu MX4
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Model | Meizu MX4 |
| Date of announcement and start of sales | September 2014 / September 2014 |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 144 x 75.2 x 8.9 mm. |
| Weight | 147 |
| Available colors | gold, grey, white |
| operating system | Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) + Flyme 4.0 |
| Connection | |
| Number and type of SIM cards | one, Micro-SIM |
| Communication standard in 2G networks | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| Communication standard in 3G networks | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100; TD-SCDMA - Chinese version |
| Communication standard in 4G networks | LTE band 1(2100), 3(1800), 7(2600); LTE band 38(2600), 39(1900), 40(2300), 41(2500) - Chinese version |
| Compatibility with telecom operators | MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2, Yota |
| Data transfer | |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 A2DP |
| GPS | yes, A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS, QZSS |
| NFC | No |
| infrared port | No |
| Platform | |
| CPU | octa-core MediaTek MT6595 Octa-core (4×2.2 GHz Cortex-A17 & 4×1.7 GHz Cortex-A7) |
| GPU | PowerVR G6200 |
| Inner memory | 16 GB / 32 GB / 64 GB |
| RAM | 2GB |
| Ports and connectors | |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 (MHL TV-out), USB Host |
| 3.5mm jack | There is |
| Memory card slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display type | IPS LCD capacitive, 16M colors |
| Screen size | 5.36 inches (~75.5% of device face) |
| Display protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Camera | |
| Main camera | 20.7 MP (f/2.2, 1/2.3″), autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash |
| Functionality of the main camera | Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama |
| Video recording | [email protected], [email protected] |
| Front-camera | 2 MP [email protected] |
| Sensors and Sensors | |
| illumination | There is |
| Approximations | There is |
| Gyroscope | There is |
| Compass | There is |
| Hall | No |
| Accelerometer | There is |
| Barometer | No |
| Fingerprint scanner | No |
| Battery | |
| Battery type and capacity | 3100mAh |
| Battery mount | fixed |
| Equipment | |
| Standard kit | MX4: 1 USB cable: 1 SIM eject tool: 1 User manual: 1 Warranty card: 1 Charger: 1 |
Prices
Video reviews
Characteristics
- Class: smartphone
- Case materials: plastic, glass and metal
- Operating system: Google Android 4.4.4
- Network: GSM/WCDMA/4G LTE
- Processor: 8 cores, Samsung Exynos 5430
- RAM: 3 GB
- Storage Memory: 16/32/64 GB
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi (b / g / n / ac), Bluetooth 4.0 HID, microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging / synchronization, 3.5 mm for a headset
- Screen: capacitive, IPS 5.5 "" with a resolution of 2560x1536 pixels
- Camera: 20.7 MP Sony Exmor RS + 5 MP OmniVision OV5693, dual flash
- Navigation: GPS+GLONASS
- Optional: accelerometer, proximity and light sensors
- Battery: non-removable, capacity 3350 mAh
- Dimensions: 150x77x9 mm
- Weight: 158g
- Price: from 29,000 rubles (Q1 2015)
Contents of delivery
- Telephone
- UBS cable
- Network adapter
Introduction
Last year was rich in various events in the IT industry, companies presented many devices, some of them even managed to demonstrate two flagship smartphones with a difference in the announcement of almost a month. We are talking about Meizu devices - MX4 and MX4 Pro.
The first gadget was shown to the public on September 2, and the second on November 19. Both events were held in Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic of China. From us you have received quite detailed reports from the presentations. Both “first looks” at the devices and a full-fledged detailed review of the Meizu MX4 came out. It's time to test a more advanced version - MX4 Pro.
At first I wanted to write a text solely about the flagship product, but many of you asked to compare these two gadgets. The MX4 and MX4 Pro, although they differ from each other in some features, in general they are similar. Therefore, in this material there will be a review-comparison of two rather interesting smartphones.
Before you start getting acquainted with the devices, I propose to recall how 2014 turned out for Meizu.
Design, dimensions, controls
Despite the fact that Meizu already had devices with rectangular-shaped mechanical buttons with smoothed corners, I still remember not the M9, but the Samsung Galaxy S or Galaxy S2. However, in fairness, it should be noted that both the Galaxy S and Meizu M9 came out at about the same time, as far as I know.
I wrote all this to the fact that the MX4 Pro reminds me of the first devices of the “galactic” line of the South Korean company. I don’t know about you, but I like this comparison, because until recently I was in some way a fan of the Galaxy S2, Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2, and even Note 3. Starting with the second version of the Galaxy S, I stopped liking devices not only externally , but also with its internal content, I mean the notorious TouchWIZ shell. But it's not about Samsung today.
The body shape of the MX4 Pro has remained unchanged from the MX4: sloping edges, a smooth transition from the ends to the back side. The dimensions of the Pro version are 150x77x9 mm, the weight is 158 grams, while the younger model has the following dimensions - 144x75x8.9 mm, the weight is 147 grams. The most interesting thing is that before I looked into the weight and size parameters of the gadgets, I was completely sure that the MX4 Pro is much thicker than the MX4, since both gadgets lie completely differently in the hand. The older model feels massive and bulky piece of iron, the younger one is thin, elegant and light. That is, Pro, in my subjective opinion, is more brutal, one might say, masculine than MX4. If you ask me which of the devices is more convenient to use in everyday life (here I do not mean sitting in the office, but active movement around the city - public transport, subway, and so on), then I will confidently answer that Meizu MX4. Despite all this, I really like the look of the MX4 Pro, probably due to the use of a mechanical button in it, which reminds me of the old Samsung Galaxy.
By the way, in MX4 Pro this is not just a button, but a fingerprint sensor, protected from above by sapphire glass, framed by stainless steel, working out the fingerprint processing in half a second and recognizing your fingers from any angle. The resolution of the scanner is 508 pixels per inch.
The chip, in my opinion, is peculiar, but since companies such as Apple, Samsung, HTC, Huawei and others have built it into their gadgets, it means that Meizu should follow the trend of 2014. I do not think that 2015 will be held under the slogan: "In every smartphone - a fingerprint scanner."
With the settings of this sensor, everything is quite simple: enter a few “drawings” of fingers and then calmly unlock the screen. In addition, you can buy any content in the Flyme system. And it's also easy to "unlock" any applications that were previously blocked by your fingerprint.
Some information about scanner security from official sources:
“We only store the function code of the fingerprint pattern in the device memory, not any detailed information. At the time of data transmission, the function code is encrypted using the Tiny Encryption Algorithm (TEA) encryption algorithm, and AES 128 algorithm is used for the data stored in the device memory. The decryption algorithm is also encrypted using the GOODIX exclusive method and stored in the function code. In this way, multi-level encoding fully ensures the security of your fingerprint data.”
“Encrypted feature code information is stored in the secure ARM TrustZone®. ARM TrustZone® can separate all SoC hardware and software sources and store them in secure areas. Even if your phone is rooted, you can work with resources in the safe zone.
Third party applications must be approved and signed by Meizu in order to use the API. The safe zone provides only the result of verification for applications. Applications will not be able to get the encrypted function code information even after being verified. Thus, under no circumstances can your fingerprints be copied or downloaded by third party applications.”
In addition to the TouchID function, let's call it that, the button acts as an exit to the main screen and "Back". If everything is clear with the first option - I pressed it and left (although the button is very tight, sometimes it is inconvenient to press), then I had some problems with the second. The fact is that the sensor is capacitive, and it is not clear to me how exactly it works out touches: sometimes from a light touch, sometimes you have to press a little, in general, most often it was not possible to go back to the point the first time. To lock the screen, just touch the sensor and press the button. As a rule, doing this is also inconvenient, since you often hold the device in such a way that you can only touch the button with the tip of your thumb, and the sensor hardly recognizes this zone.
By the way, by connecting your phone to a computer, you will not get access to files until you put one of your fingers to recognize it!
The MX4 is much simpler: there is a round little touch button that works great for touch.
The Pro version will be on sale in three colors: silver (I would say that this color is closer to light gray), white and gold. Approximately the same design and MX4, only it has a slightly darker gray.
Both models use third-generation Corning Gorilla Glass protective glass. If the appearance of the third “Gorilla” in the MX4 is understandable (the device has been on sale for a long time), then in the MX4 Pro I would like to see Gorilla Glass 4 already. However, it seems to me that there will be no particular difference: nothing lasts forever under the moon.
Assembly of devices does not raise questions. Everything is fine: nothing creaks and does not play.
The layout of the elements in the Meizu MX4 Pro smartphone is similar to that in the MX4. The power button in the Pro version, unfortunately, is also on the top end, despite the increased dimensions.
The quality of speech transmission through the spoken speakers seemed to me about the same, in any case, it is extremely difficult to accurately determine by ear. Maybe the MX4 Pro is a little more muffled and bassy, but it's still very loud and clear. The vibration feedback of the MX4 Pro is identical to that of the MX4. They also hear you equally well with the MX4 Pro and with the regular version of the smartphone.
The back covers in both models are removed only so that you can install a microSIM standard SIM card. The only noticeable difference is the presence of an antenna in the Meizu Pro version for the NFC chip.
To summarize, it is worth repeating that I liked the MX4 Pro more externally, but it is easier to use the more compact MX4 in everyday life. Naturally, this is my subjective impression.
Meizu MX4 Pro and MX4
Display
Meizu MX4 Pro screen diagonal is 5.5". Let me remind you that in MX4 - 5.36", in MX3 it was 5.1 inches. Non-standard aspect - 15:9.
The physical size of the display is 71x120 mm (for MX4 - 70x117 mm), the frames on the right and left are 2.6 mm each, at the top and bottom - 15 mm each (for MX4 - 14 mm each).
Screen resolution - 2560x1536 pixels (for MX4 - 1152x1920 pixels), density - 546 pixels per inch (for MX4 - 418 PPI). The IPS matrix (OGS - without an air gap) is made by the efforts of NEGA. Panel Self Refresh (PSR) technology allows you to spend less energy when displaying information on the display compared to the screen performance of the MX4.
Naturally, our indicators may differ from those indicated on the official website.
Average gamma 2.2. Judging by the RGB levels, blue dominates green and even more red. The color temperature with increasing or decreasing the brightness of the matrix practically does not change and remains at the level of 8200 K. If we talk about the CIE chart, then as you can see, the color gamut is completely the same as sRGB.
If we compare the photos of the MX4 Pro and MX4 screens, then the color saturation is higher on the MX4 Pro, the viewing angles are also larger on the MX4 Pro, but when tilted, the picture on the Pro version is a little yellow and purple. The image on the MX4 is practically not distorted.
Meizu MX4 Pro and MX4 screens (right)
Anti-glare properties are also higher on the MX4 Pro.
Bottom line: Meizu MX4 Pro screen behaves better in most cases. I would not pay attention to resolution, since it is almost impossible to distinguish 400 PPI from 500 PPI by eye.
Battery
The Meizu MX4 Pro uses a 3350 mAh battery (developed in collaboration with Sony, Samsung and ATL), while the Meizu MX4 uses a 3100 mAh battery (Sony).
From official sources about the Pro version battery:
“Thanks to our power-saving technology for 2K displays, the 3350mAh battery in the MX4 Pro offers more than a day and a half of use even in 4G LTE mode!”
I don’t know what Meizu has done with the battery and technologies to optimize power consumption, but compared to the MX4, the MX4 Pro device lasts much longer. I thought it was about twice.
- 1080p video playback (MKV) at maximum screen brightness and headphone volume - approximately 9 hours (6 hours MX4)
- Browsing over Wi-Fi - approx. 28 hours (approx. 18 hours MX4)
- Browsing via 4G - approximately 12-14 hours (about 10 hours)
- The overall average battery life (4G, calls, texts, emails, twitter) is about 27 hours and 3.5 hours of screen time (20 hours, about 2.5 hours of screen time for the MX4).
Communication options
The main thing that I would like to note in this section is the support for 4G LTE (TD-LTE/FDD-LTE/TD-SWCDMA/WCDMA/GSM) in Russian networks. Can switch manually between 2G/3G/4G.
- GSM 850/900/1800/1900MHz
- HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100MHz
- LTE 1800/2100/2600MHz
There is dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) not only a / b / n, but also AC, Bluetooth version 4.0 with BLE support.
The USB OnTheGo function does not work, that is, third-party devices (for example, USB flash drives) cannot be connected to USB. Unlike the MX4, the MX4 Pro has an NFC chip.
There are no problems with GPS and GLONASS (even the Chinese Beidou is present - a satellite navigation system).
Memory and memory card
The Meizu MX4 has 3 GB of dual-channel LPDDR3 RAM, the MX4 has a little less - 2 GB (LPDDR3 933 MHz), but also enough for absolutely any task.
Built-in memory 16/32/64 GB depending on the MX4 Pro model.
Camera
Since the Meizu MX4 Pro uses the same camera module as the MX4, I will not describe the difference in detail, since it is minimal. Everything will depend on the firmware of the MX4 Pro and MX4. Referring you to the MX4 review for a detailed walkthrough of the main camera.
The front cameras differ greatly: the Pro version has the OmniVision OV5693 module, and the Sony has Exmor R. Unfortunately, I could not find a detailed description of the OV5693, so I turned to the Meizu official website:
- 5 MP, OmniVision OV5693
- 4 element lens
- Blue optical filter
- Aperture F/2.2
- 84.4° wide angle lens
- Face After Effects and FotoNation technologies to improve the quality of "selfie" shots
Meizu MX4 Pro right
Below is a comparison of the front cameras (MX4 Pro on the right)
Of course, the MX4 Pro module is better in terms of detail and optical quality, and it also has a wider angle - more information fits in, however, distortion is added (the standard situation with wide-angle lenses).
As for video, both gadgets write in 4K resolution. Information compression algorithms are different, and codecs are different: MX4 encodes video in HEVC, and MX4 Pro encodes video in the more popular AVC. Therefore, videos from MX4 to YouTube without conversion, again, unfortunately, you will not download, and videos from the Pro version are easy.
I liked the video from the MX4 Pro more. There is a cleaner picture, less soap, better white balance, or rather geometry. The sound is the same by ear, but the bitrate is lower for Pro.
Meizu MX4 Pro right
Interface
Video file characteristic
- File Format: MP4
- Video codec: AVC, 35 Mbps
- Resolution: 3840 x 2160, 30 fps (or 24 fps at night)
- Audio codec: AAC, 96Kbps
- Channels: 1 channel, 16 kHz
Photo examples
Sample photos on the front camera
Performance and software platform
If the Meizu MX4 preferred the powerful eight-core MediaTek MT6595, then the MX4 Pro installed the no less productive 8-core Samsung Exynos 5430.
The chipset was introduced at the end of last year. Together with the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, the company showed its 20nm processor, which was named Exynos 5 Octa 5430, the first single-chip system produced at 20nm High-K Metal Gate. A 25% reduction in power consumption is claimed compared to SoCs manufactured using the 28nm process technology.
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