Meizu M5 review: hardware specifications and benchmarks, display test results, battery and battery life. Photo from Meizu M5 camera.
Meizu M5 is a Chinese state employee on an entry-level processor with a modest HD screen and the same modest technical characteristics. However, these are the smartphones we buy most often. The flagships of Apple, Samsung or Huawei are interesting, but the lion's share of users have low-cost phones in their pockets and bags. Why? They provide basic needs, and as a rule, we do not require more from a smartphone.
The purpose of the Meizu M5 review is to understand the main features of the smartphone. How long does it hold the battery, how well the screen is read in the sun, what can you expect in terms of performance. Since we all love to listen to music, and prefer to listen to it in good quality, we will pay attention to the sound quality in headphones. And, of course, the Meizu M5 camera will not remain out of sight - we will also appreciate the photographic abilities of the phone.
Meizu M5: battery and autonomy rating
Compared with the Meizu M3, the battery capacity of the Meizu M5 has grown, but it may seem to many that a battery with a capacity 3070 mAh modern phone is not enough. If we are talking about a flagship with a QHD screen resolution and a powerful processor, it is. But when we talk about a budget smartphone with a 720p display resolution and a 1.5GHz processor, the situation changes.
| Meizu M5 | |
|---|---|
| Battery | 3070 mAh |
| Autonomy rating | 76 hours |
| 3G calls | 15:26 |
| Internet | 10:27 |
| Video | 10:26 |
The Meizu M5 battery does not break records, but generally copes with its functions. An autonomy rating of 76 hours means that if you watch videos, use the Internet and talk on the phone for one hour a day, the battery will last for 3 days. With the active screen, the Meizu M5 battery holds about 10 hours, which is also not bad. However, if the autonomy of the phone is of great importance to you, you can find inexpensive samples with a much more powerful battery. For example, m5 note().
Meizu M5: specifications and screen tests
Meizu M5 screen resolution 720x1280 pixels is a necessary measure, which is explained by the low processing power of the processor. With a Full HD display, the smartphone would become too slow, and with a small number of pixels, the base chipset can easily handle it.
Diagonal IPS screen Meizu M5 - 5.2 inches. Slightly larger than its predecessor, but smaller than the m5 note. Pixel density in the area 282 ppi, the ratio of the screen area to the total area of the front panel is about 70%. Standard features for budget smartphones, it remains to check the screen in action.
According to the test results, the Meizu M5 screen even exceeds expectations. Black Depth 0.453 cd/m2 maximum brightness 480 nits, contrast 1060: 1. I must say that such indicators are sometimes found among flagships, and for smartphones in the middle price segment they are generally the norm. Well, by the standards of state employees, the Meizu M5 has a great screen!
Color accuracy is good - color accuracy factor (DeltaE) at 6.5. Separate flattering words deserve readability in the sun. The phone uses full screen lamination technology, which reduces the reflection effect and gives the display anti-glare properties. Apparently, it is precisely this technology that Meizu M5 owes to the fact that the screen is ahead of many competitors in terms of readability in the sun. And it's much better than m3/m5 note!
Readability in the sun
Smartphone Meizu M5: hardware specifications
The Meizu M5 computing unit is built around the MediaTek MT6750 processor, which is one step below the budget Helio P10 in the rankings. The number of cores is 8, the architecture is the reference ARM Cortex A53, the clock frequency is 1.5 GHz. The graphics accelerator is not a very successful Mali-T860MP2, which does not shine with a high frame rate.
The phone has 2 GB or 3 GB of RAM, depending on the configuration. Considering that this is a slow LPDDR3 RAM operating at a frequency of 666 MHz, it is better not to run a large number of applications, especially heavy ones. The benchmark results show where the Meizu M5 ranks in the overall hierarchy in terms of processing power. In the GeekBench 3 and Antutu 6 tests, it demonstrates unenviable stability.
Meizu M5 in AnTuTu 6
Meizu M5 in GeekBench 3 (multi-core)
Meizu M5 in GeekBench 3 (single-core)
Nevertheless, in general, the power of the hardware is enough for smooth, although not very fast operation of the operating system, which by the way is represented here by Android 6. No one is safe from slowdowns, freezes and crashes, although their number can be minimized if applications are closed in time .
When working with graphics, we see a curious situation - Meizu M5 is ahead of many in Onscreen tests, that is, with a native screen resolution. We have already briefly mentioned the reasons for this. The HD screen makes it easy for the graphics accelerator, and the other smartphones we tested have a Full HD screen with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels.
Meizu M5 in GFX 3.1 Manhattan (onscreen)
Meizu M5 in GFX 3.1 Car Scene (onscreen)
Meizu M5 in BaseMark X
Output? Thanks to the small screen resolution on the Meizu M5, it will even be possible to run modern games, although it is better to do this at the minimum graphics settings.
Meizu M5 camera
The characteristics of the Meizu M5 camera are typical for modern smartphones, not only state employees. Permission 13 MP, aperture f/2.2, phase auto focus, HDR and panoramic shooting are supported, video can be recorded in 1080p resolution at 30 fps. A front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels and aperture of 2 is also in the order of things.
The question is, what kind of pictures can be taken with this standard camera? The check shows that the Meizu M5 takes good photos for a state employee. Color saturation, contrast, white balance and dynamic range deserve high marks. Detailing is lame, and with it sharpness and focus accuracy. There is a lot of noise, and all these problems increase dramatically when trying to take a photo in poor lighting.
If you like to take pictures at night, you need to look for another smartphone. If there are no special complaints about the camera, you can stop at the Meizu M5. Examples of photos are on the slider, and 100% crops can be viewed.
Meizu M5: sound quality
Some Meizu smartphones produce very high-quality sound in headphones - with minimal non-linear distortion, good dynamic range and uniform signal amplification at all frequencies. For example, Meizu m3 note.
The Meizu M5 is not all right with sound quality, although the shortcomings are not critical. Connecting a headset increases intermodulation distortion. The signal is amplified unevenly at different frequencies, and the signal-to-noise ratio leaves much to be desired. As for the built-in speaker, it sounds frankly bad.
| Cho | Signal/Noise | DD | OIG | KII | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meizu M5 | +0.02, -0.11 | -93.3 | 93.2 | 0.0043 | 0.0086 |
| Meizu M5 (in headphones) | +0.73, -0.18 | -89.2 | 88.9 | 0.0076 | 0.415 |
| Meizu MX6 | +0.10, -0.03 | -94.2 | 94.0 | 0.0019 | 0.0064 |
| Meizu MX6 (with headphones) | +0.30, -0.07 | -92.5 | 93.0 | 0.810 | 0.271 |
| Meizu Pro 6 Plus | +0.05, -0.00 | -93.5 | 93.4 | 0.0052 | 0.010 |
| Meizu Pro 6 Plus (with headphones) | +0.18, -0.02 | -92.5 | 93.3 | 0.020 | 0.201 |
| Redmi Note 4 SD625 | +0.05, -0.04 | -90.6 | 91.9 | 0.0018 | 0.0086 |
| Redmi Note 4 SD625 (headphones) | +0.05, -0.03 | -96.3 | 90.5 | 0.0047 | 0.023 |
| Galaxy A5 2017 | +0.02, -0.32 | -93.1 | 93.3 | 0.0039 | 0.0032 |
| Galaxy A5 2017 (with headphones) | +0.29, -0.09 | -88.3 | 87.7 | 0.015 | 0.232 |
Meizu M5: design, interfaces and general specifications
The phone is made of polycarbonate (plastic), the build quality does not cause any particular complaints. It cannot be said that the Meizu M5 looks “premium”, like, for example, Huawei nova, but the price is corresponding. But the Meizu M5 has a multifunctional Home button with support for mTouch technology, which its predecessor, the Meizu M3, did not have. Tapping activates the Back function, tapping opens the home screen. A fingerprint scanner is integrated into the same button, which works without errors.
The tray for the SIM card and microSD card is on the left side, the power button and volume rocker are on the right, as expected. 3.5 mm audio jack and microUSB - on the bottom, along with a speaker and microphone. The camera is in the center of the rear panel, immediately below it is a flash. The screen is covered with a protective 2.5D glass, which one is not specified.
| Meizu M5 | Meizu M3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3070 mAh | 2870 mAh |
| Frame | polycarbonate, monoblock | polycarbonate, monoblock |
| Dimensions | 147.3 x 72.8 x 8.2mm | 141.5 x 69.5 x 8.3mm |
| Weight | 138 g | 132 g |
| Operating system | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| Firmware | Flyme 5.2 | Flyme 5.1 |
| Interface | micro USB v2.0 | micro USB v2.0 |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| Fingerprint scanner | on the front | No |
| release date | November 2016 | May 2016 |
Meizu M5 Review Results
The main advantage of the phone is its relatively low cost. "Relatively" because with a small surcharge you can get a phone with a higher-end processor, a better screen and a powerful battery. Even though it's Chinese...
The Meizu M5 buyer should tune in to the fact that there may be problems with the stability of the cellular signal, crashes from applications, some other malfunctions, for example, wild battery consumption for no apparent reason. Unfortunately, cheap Chinese smartphones are guilty of this, and one device can work fine, while the other, exactly the same, will act up. Nobody is immune from this. However, even on the seventh iPhones, the mechanical buttons break, let's not forget about this either.
The advantage of Meizu M5 is a display with good brightness and readability in the sun, albeit with HD resolution. At a decent level of autonomy. Disadvantages? The Meizu M5 has a weak processor - in the budget segment there are phones with a more powerful chipset.
If you have used or are using Meizu M5 (or another smartphone from Meizu, Xiaomi and other Chinese brands), share your impressions in the comments. Especially if you think that our conclusions do not really correspond. Thanks in advance, and thanks for sticking with Five-Inches. Always glad to see you on our pages!
The M5 is a continuation of Meizu's line of budget smartphones, the previous generation of which included devices such as the M3s, M3e and the more expensive M3-Note and M3 Max. This is the most affordable model among, which is notable primarily for its polycarbonate body.
Good smartphones in a plastic case, due to the general fashion for the use of metal, are now quite difficult to find - usually cheap Chinese are produced in plastic, with a stretch suitable for comfortable use. But not everyone likes metal cases, and the M5 has the potential to become an outlet for such people. Let's start the Meizu M5 review and see if it deserves the title of a good smartphone.
Price and main characteristics
M5 is one of the most affordable Meizu smartphones in Russian retail. In version 2/16, the device can be taken for 11 thousand rubles, in version 3/32 - for 13 thousand. Available colors are matte black, blue, and glossy mint and gold. The most aesthetically pleasing and expensive, according to users, looks M5 in black, it was he who became the hero of our review.
Characteristics:
Display: 5.2”, FHD 1280*720 px;
processor: MediaTek M6750 (1.6 GHz) + video accelerator Mali T860-MP2;
RAM: 2/3 GB;
internal memory: 16/32 GB + micro SD memory cards up to 128 GB;
camera: main - 13 MP, front - 5 MP;
communication: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, LTE;
battery: 3070 mAh
Case dimensions - 147 * 73 * 9 mm, weight - 183 grams. The smartphone runs on Flyme 5.X out of the box, but an update to the 6th version of the proprietary shell is expected in the near future.
Equipment and appearance
Meizu M5 comes in a simple white cardboard box, in which you can find the smartphone itself, a USB cable and a charging adapter (2A), as well as a paper clip to remove the card tray and technical documentation. All accessories are packed in small individual boxes and are of very good quality.
The M5 body is made of polycarbonate, it is a monolithic boat, the side faces of which are a continuation of the back cover. There are no complaints about the build quality of the tested sample - everything is at the highest level: we did not find any backlash or creaking, the mTouch button is planted evenly, the side keys have a pleasant soft stroke.
The front surface of the smartphone is covered with tempered glass with 2.5D effect. This is not Gorilla Glass, but in 2 weeks of using the smartphone, not a single scratch appeared on it. The oleophobic coating is not bad - the finger slides easily on the screen, but the fingerprints remain. Above the screen is a speaker grille, a miniature front camera module, a set of sensors and an LED event indicator that glows white and blue.
Under the screen is a branded multifunction key mTouch 2.1. It performs the functions of a fingerprint scanner, the Back key (when touched) and Home (when pressed). Also, with a long press, you can turn off the screen backlight, and use standard software to password-protect user-selected applications or memory sections.
The top end of the smartphone is devoid of any functional elements. Below is a multimedia speaker hole, a microphone, a micro-USB port and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
The right side houses the power button and volume rocker. The keys sit tight and have a pleasant travel with a soft click feedback.
On the left side there is a slot for a hybrid card tray. The smartphone works with Micro-SD flash drives and Nano SIM cards.
The Meizu logo flaunts in the middle of the back of the case. Above it is a double flash and a main camera module, framed by a protective glass ring. The optics are made flush with the body surface. At the very bottom of the back cover there is an inscription indicating the manufacturer and country of assembly of the smartphone, it does not spoil the look of the smartphone, as it is almost invisible.
Now about the subjective impressions of use. Meizu M5 in black just looks gorgeous, the device looks and feels much more expensive than its cost. The 5.2’’ device sits like a glove in the hand, the ergonomics are excellent, and if you get used to it, you can easily operate it with one hand. Among the shortcomings - the matte case collects fingerprints and is covered with scratches, which can be seen in the photo above.
Screen
Meizu M5 is equipped with a 5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1280 * 720 pixels and a pixel density of 282 ppi. One can only complain here about the lack of FHD, in all other respects the screen is good - this is a high-quality IPS panel made using OGS technology (without an air gap) with accurate color reproduction, good contrast and decent levels of minimum and maximum brightness.
Automatic brightness adjustment works correctly, the screen remains readable in the sun in any conditions, which is largely ensured by the presence of high-quality anti-reflective coating.
When viewing angles are changed, there is a noticeable inversion of the brightness level, which does not interfere in practice at all, color reproduction does not suffer changes visible to the eye. Flyme allows you to fine-tune the color temperature with a slider rather than choosing one of several preset profiles. There is also an eye protection mode, which helps out well when reading from the screen in a dark room.
Multitouch works out 10 touches. In general, the Meizu M5 screen, in direct comparison with the similarly priced Xiaomi Redmi 3S, loses some in contrast, but noticeably outperforms the competitor in clarity and color reproduction quality, and generally leaves a more pleasant impression.
Performance
Meizu M5 is powered by the budget MediaTek MT6750 chipset (28 nm, 8 cores, 1-1.5 GHz). In synthetic tests, this hardware platform predictably gains far from record results:
AnTuTu Benchmark - 41 thousand points;
GeekBench - 2117 (multi-core), 576 (single);
Epic Citadel - 60.5 fps (High Quality), 48.9 fps (Ultra Quality).
M5 is not a gaming smartphone, however, if you wish, you can play any toys on it (the heaviest ones - at medium and minimum graphics settings). Under load, the device practically does not heat up, noticeable heating is felt only in the area of \u200b\u200bthe Wi-Fi module during prolonged downloading of large files.
In everyday work, the smartphone pleases. Thanks to the excellent optimization of the proprietary Flyme shell, it works flawlessly quickly, without any jamming and delays. 3 GB of RAM is enough for surfing the Internet with a bunch of open tabs and running many applications in the background, and the built-in storage can be expanded with a flash drive up to 128 GB or a USB drive (M5 supports USB-OTG technology).
Camera
The camera is the weak point of the Meizu M5. The main 13 MP module (phase autofocus, aperture f / 2.2) allows you to get decent pictures on the machine only if there is good lighting. The worse the shooting conditions, the less detailed and noisier the picture becomes.
You can make good shots with proper use of the manual settings mode, the standard camera provides the full range of actions - from choosing ISO and white balance, to setting shutter speed and depth of field. We also note the very high speed of the camera application - focusing, shooting and saving a photo occur in a matter of seconds.
In terms of video recording, it is expected to be mediocre, although the sound is written quite decently and there is the possibility of shooting slow-mo. But the front camera (5 MP, f / 2.0) exceeded expectations - selfies are sharp, detailed and, in general, delight.
speaker, sound quality
The Meizu M5 multimedia speaker is disappointing - not the highest volume margin (however, an incoming call can be heard even in public transport), the complete absence of low frequencies and, as a result, even the slightest hint of surround sound. To watch a video, it will do, but you won’t listen to music with pleasure from a smartphone.
With the sound in the headphones, things are going well. The smartphone has a balanced sound with a powerful, elastic bass, calm high frequencies and well-developed mids. An undeniable advantage is support for uncompressed FLAC 192/24 out of the box.
Battery
The Meizu M5 has a 3070 mAh battery, it is fully charged in 100-110 minutes from the supplied adapter (2A). With a very active use, the smartphone confidently lasts a working day, if you save the charge and use the pre-installed power saving modes, then it is quite possible to get two days of battery life from the device.
During testing, the M5 lasted 7.5 hours of HD video playback at maximum screen brightness, 3.5 hours of continuous gaming, and about 50 hours of music playback. The indicators are not bad, besides there is a “super-saving” mode that turns the smartphone into a dialer. In extreme cases, it is very useful.
However, when buying an M5, it should be borne in mind that many smartphones, including the sample under test, have a problem with accelerated discharge in standby mode. In short, the smartphone does not go into deep sleep, which is why it loses 8-10% of the charge overnight, while 2-3% is considered the norm. Meizu said that this is a software problem and the company's engineers are working to fix it. If you do not pay attention to this, then the autonomy of the smartphone can be called quite normal - it holds an honest working day from a single charge.
Communication and Internet
Meizu M5 is equipped with a hybrid card tray and can work with two Nano-SIMs, while both SIMs support connection to LTE networks. Also from the wireless interfaces there is 2-band WiFi (2.4 + 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0. The smartphone also supports the USB-OTG protocol.
Navigation on GPS and GLONASS satellites works fine, even on a cold start, synchronization occurs almost instantly. But the signal reception quality is not the best. In places with good coverage of the operator's network, there are no problems, but when traveling by train or by car, the signal often falls off or stays at the level of 1-2 bars.
Video review Meizu M5
Competitors, conclusion
After extensive testing, the Meizu M5 left a positive impression of itself. It's a great budget smartphone that looks and feels like a high-end phone - it's got a chic look (in black), plenty of storage, a great display for the price, and boasts fast and smooth performance and decent battery life. The budgetary nature of the device is only betrayed by a non-record performance, which you won’t even notice if you don’t play heavy toys, and a mediocre main camera (while the quality of the selfie is at a very good level).
If you want to get a high-quality, pleasant to use and at the same time inexpensive smartphone, then the M5 can be safely considered for purchase. Alternatives: with 5.5” screen – Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro (better performance), (design, camera, autonomy); 5.2″ - Asus ZenFone 3 Max (better autonomy, worse screen), or 5-inch or Meizu M3s (budget option).
In Russian retail, the M5 price of 13 thousand rubles per version looks somewhat overpriced, for example, in Ukraine the official device can be taken for 9 thousand. Therefore, if you are interested in a smartphone, we recommend that you consider buying it on AliExpress.
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The release of the Model S shortly after the successful introduction of some gadget to the market is just a matter of time. And usually manufacturers try not to delay, revealing to the world a new (or relatively new) smartphone almost immediately.
This fully applies to the Meizu M5 phone. Its version with the S prefix appeared a few months after the presentation of the basic configuration of the gadget. The difference between them, as usual, is minimal, but still noticeable. This smartphone will definitely satisfy the demand of buyers who appreciate the advantages of a metal case. Recall that the main "five" was produced in plastic. Otherwise, in terms of appearance and performance, the phone has remained almost the same.
We offer you a complete review of the Meizu M5S smartphone to figure it out - does the new product outperform its predecessor?
The body of the device is made in a typical Meizu design. Almost all gadgets of this manufacturer, produced recently, have a very similar appearance. The only difference is in size and materials.
Just in this regard, 5S outperforms many brothers, since its body is made of metal with plastic elements. There are quite a lot of the latter - there are not only rear inserts to improve the operation of the antennas, but there are also plastic parts on the end. Full metal only in the middle of the back cover.
In terms of color and texture, elements from different materials fit perfectly, there are no differences and transitions between them.
I definitely like the ergonomics of the smartphone. Due to the small thickness of the case and its mass, using the device is very simple. In addition, the corners of the gadget are rounded. The surface does not slip and does not get dirty, the appearance of a large number of fingerprints is excluded.
On the side there is a slot for installing SIM cards. Traditionally, it is hybrid, and therefore the user can choose between installing two SIM cards and combining one SIM card with a memory card. On the opposite side of the screen on / off button and volume control. They are large enough to control the phone by touch.
The front panel has the popular 2.5D glass with sloping edges. Immediately above the screen we see backlight and proximity sensors, and here is the front camera module and the LED indicator of missed events. Unlike competitors' gadgets, the indicator does not help determine the charging status.
Under the screen there is one mechanical key, which is inscribed with a fingerprint sensor. The scanner works well, recognizing the owner's fingerprint quickly and efficiently.
On the back panel there is a main camera module with dual flash. It does not protrude to the surface, which allows the smartphone to lie on the surface steadily and without shaking without the slightest interference.
At the bottom there are main and conversational speakers. There is also a micro-USB connector. Top headphone jack.
Case design is possible in one of four options, and only three are oriented to the Russian market: silver, gold and dark gray. For some reason, a phone with a pink case is not delivered to Russia.
Display
Meizu M5s has a 5.2-inch IPS display. HD screen resolution. There is a frame around the perimeter of the display, but its dimensions are small - a little more than 3.5 mm on the sides.
Screen brightness is adjusted automatically or manually. Multi-touch technology supports up to 5 touches at the same time. We note the resistance of the screen to the appearance of scratches on the surface, as well as good anti-reflective properties. Judging by the fact that the screen has a very weak ghosting of reflected objects, there are no air gaps between the layers of the monitor.
Viewing angles do not have a significant color shift, even if you deviate the view significantly from the perpendicular. Colors on the screen are naturally saturated, and there are no problems with color balance.
Camera
The gadget is equipped with two camera modules with quite standard characteristics for this price segment. The main camera has a resolution of 13 megapixels and f / 2.2 aperture. Of its advantages, fast phase detection autofocus and a bright dual-tone flash stand out. A general stabilization system would not hurt, but it is not provided.
In the settings we see the usual modes, including manual and automatic, as well as the popular HDR. It is possible to take panoramic photos and portraits, take slow motion, etc. Mobile video is shot in resolutions up to Full HD at 30 frames per second. Video recordings are good. Here at a decent level of color reproduction, sharpness and detail. Noises appear only in low light conditions. Among the shortcomings of the main camera, we note the appearance of blur zones at the corners of the shots.
The front camera with a resolution of 5 megapixels and f / 2.0 aperture does not do any miracles, but it can take great selfies and allows you to chat on the Internet with video signal transmission.
To fully understand the features of the camera, we recommend watching our video review.
Performance
The phone is based on the MediaTek MT6753 chip with eight cores. The processor has a frequency of 1.3 GHz. It is combined with a graphics accelerator GPU Mali-T720. There is 3 GB of RAM, and a choice of 16 GB or 32 GB of built-in memory.
In general, the platform used is not the most productive today. Rather, it can be called weak, and even with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 it cannot be compared. The smartphone copes with simple everyday tasks, there are no brakes during the operation of the interface, games also go well, if you do not go too far with the graphics settings. The benchmarks are also average. So to call a smartphone a gaming or high-performance language does not turn. But if you are looking for a "workhorse", then you can opt for such a gadget.
autonomy
The battery has a capacity of 3,000 mAh. Again, the figure is far from the best, especially when competitors already have models with 4100 mAh. Synthetic tests define the gadget as “average”, and we can say the same about the actual use of the smartphone. Without recharging, it will last a maximum of a day. So you can not do without the standard charging of the phone every night.
Let's give a few more numbers in our mobile review. With continuous reading at the minimum brightness, the battery lasts for 13 hours, and if you watch high-quality video via Wi-Fi without interruption, then charging will be required after 10 hours. In gaming mode, the gadget can withstand no more than 4 hours.
An important feature of the Meizu M5S smartphone was the emergence of the mCharge fast charging function. With it, you can charge the battery to 100% in just 70 minutes.
Software platform
The software used is Android 6.0 in the fifth shell of Flyme OS. Compared to previous versions, the shell has become lighter. The interface icons are nicely drawn, new animation options appear. There is a handy Editor's Choice section, where you will see developers' tips on installing the most necessary programs for your phone. Pre-installed applications are minimal. There is only a phone manager and a file manager.
conclusions
Our mobile review is coming to an end, and it's time to draw conclusions about the Meizu M5S. As expected, there are no big differences from the usual "five" in the S-version. The slightly higher price in comparison with it is due to the ability to choose the size of the internal memory (16 GB or 32 GB), as well as the fact that the smartphone has a metal-based case.
In general, we have a solid "middle peasant" from the budget category. He does not have enough stars from the sky, but he will cope with the everyday tasks of an ordinary user. Overpaying in comparison with the Meizu M5 is quite worth it, if only because of the ability to do without a memory card and for the sake of using two SIM cards at the same time.
Introduced in 2017, the Meizu M5 smartphone has become one of the main discoveries for lovers of high-quality budget mobile devices. If before you used the "state employee", and its functionality did not suit you, then you should not assume that all representatives of the budget line are like that! An inexpensive phone can be good - you can see this just by looking at the characteristics of the gadget. Well, so that you have no doubts about this at all, we offer our full review of the Meise M5.
Meizu phones are delivered almost always the same way. In the box, in addition to the smartphone itself, there is a USB cable (suitable for connecting the OTG gadget that is gaining popularity), there is also a charger, a clip for the SIM card tray and documentation, including instructions. Everything is more than standard.
Although other manufacturers are beginning to use metal and glass to create the body of budget smartphones, Meizu does not deviate from the practice of using plastic. The main reason is clear: it is cheaper than alternative materials. But if you have been using smartphones from this company for some time, then you can hardly say at least one bad word about the strength and durability of such a case. This choice even seems somewhat preferable. For example, in winter, the case will not cool your hand, and there are usually many more color options for plastic.
This, by the way, is clearly seen in the case of the M5. For lovers of stylish gadgets, five colors are provided at once. Among them are two glossy (mint and white) and three matte (blue, gold and black). So forget that a cheap phone can only be made in black or white. There are plenty of options, the main thing is to choose what you like. Note that Meizu supplies only matte versions of its phones to Russia.
It's nice that the company pays attention to detail. It was decided not to round the glass in order to stand out from the competition. The camera is well recessed into the body and does not stick out. The keys on the side surface are easy to feel, there are no backlashes or inconsistencies in the assembly. Even the SIM card tray fits perfectly and does not dangle.
Screen
Of course, on budget smartphones, manufacturers have to save some money and make some sacrifices in order to reduce the final price of the product. In this case, the display got hit. The screen here has a diagonal of 5.2 inches and a resolution of only HD. For 2017, these are clearly outdated characteristics. The pixel density is quite low, so if you look closely at the screen, it is quite possible to see them. And another unpleasant moment is that the screen does not convey colors very naturally. There is a bias towards cold shades. However, if you don’t like it, then you can go to the settings in the “Color temperature” section and adjust it to an acceptable value.
The panel is not very juicy, and you can adjust the shades in a limited range. In a word, the screen received not the best matrix. And it's not that it's strange for a phone in this price segment, it's just not as pleasant to use as some competitors' gadgets at the same price. However, there is an oleophobic coating that protects the panel from greasy marks and fingerprints. We also note a quick response to pressing. That is, it is noticeable that the display is budgetary, but it copes with the main functions with dignity.
Performance
In terms of hardware, the M5 is a twin of the M3s mini, and, accordingly, their capabilities are approximately the same. Under the lid is an 8-core MT6750 chipset from MediaTek with a Mali-T860MP2 graphics accelerator. There are two configuration options to choose from - with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory or with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of internal memory.
Meizu M5 16 gb, of course, is cheaper than its counterpart, but it is unlikely that you will have enough built-in memory, which is less than 10 GB available to the user. Therefore, either focus immediately on an additional purchase of a memory card, or give preference to Meizu M5 32 gb. As usual, immediately after the release of the smartphone, its various configuration options appeared, differing minimally from each other. For example, Meizu M5 Black mt6750 or m611h is already on sale. What's there - even the Meizu M5S has already come out - where without this fashionable prefix to the name! Meizu M5S has practically no difference with the basic options. Manufacturers decided to create Meizu M5S just for extra money on lovers of new products. If we talk about the essence of the Meizu M5S offer, then only a slightly different combination of RAM and internal memory stands out in it - 3/16 GB, respectively. Although 16 GB is not enough in any case, it would be better if the Meizu M5S had 32 GB or even 64 GB in the basic kit. And it’s just that another gadget has been released, which will replenish some smartphone rating, but in practice it’s not really needed.
But back to our mobile review. In practice, the M5 is quite productive and gives good results in synthetic tests. Here, just not very high screen resolution can be considered an advantage. Applications work quickly, the smartphone can easily cope with elementary everyday tasks. Of course, we will not watch a movie in high quality on such a phone, and the latest games at the “maximum speed” will not work here, but what can you do - saving on a product, you have to put up with its shortcomings.
Camera
The phone has two cameras, as usual. The resolution of the main camera is 13 megapixels, and the front camera is 5 megapixels. Daytime shots are obtained in good quality, and evening shooting is contraindicated for those for whom photo quality is very important. Adjusting the camera exposure manually is very difficult, and noise cannot be avoided. Although shooting control is not very difficult. There are also errors in the white balance. With the front camera, it's about the same, with a discount for the fact that it is initially inferior to the main one in quality.
The device shoots video at a maximum resolution of 1080p, there is no stabilization, as well as tracking autofocus.
Interfaces
Internet surfers will be pleased: the phone supports the LTE data transfer standard. It is no coincidence that this interface is called "long-term development". LTE is the same 4G. That is, LTE is the fastest standard at the moment. As you know, in this format, the phone transmits and receives mobile data at a cosmic pace. So if you buy this smartphone, then feel free to use LTE, unless, of course, you find a place in Russia where this standard is supported.
In addition, we note the presence of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi - we already mean them by default.
autonomy
Based on reviews and synthetic texts, the phone will need to be charged approximately once every 2-3 days. The battery capacity, based on the manufacturer's description, is 3070 mAh. It is clear that this is not a record figure, but not the worst.
conclusions
Meizu M5 is a budget smartphone with high specifications for such a price segment. It does not work miracles and is not suitable for gamers and fans of the latest developments in the field of mobile technologies, but it will become an excellent workhorse if you use it in everyday communication or for business. To better understand the features of the gadget, we recommend watching its video review.
Hello friends!
I needed a nice smartphone with a small display diagonal for a gift to my mother. The technical characteristics did not play a special role, the main thing was: to like the design, the color of gold or rose gold, the dimensions of the case were relatively miniature, the smartphone had a light weight, the material of the case was preferably metal. The price did not play a special role, but it is clear that an expensive smartphone is useless, because. the smartphone will be used for the most part as a dialer + viber. At one time I even thought about buying an iPhone 5S because of the small diagonal of the display, because there are no such people among the Chinese anymore ... However, the price for this gadget, even now, in my opinion, is inadequate offline. For this money, you can practically buy a Chinese flagship)) As a result, when choosing together, we settled on Meizu M5S, which outwardly liked more than competitors from Xiaomi and other companies.
Order screenshot
SPECIFICATIONS
display: 5.2”, IPS LCD 1280×720 px;processor: MediaTek MT6753 (1.3 GHz) + Mali-T720 video accelerator;
RAM: 3 GB;
internal memory: 16/32 GB + micro SD flash cards up to 128 GB;
camera: main - 13 MP, front - 5 MP;
connectivity: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n) Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, A-GPS, LTE;
battery: 3000 mAh.
Dimensions: 148.2 x 72.5 x 8.4 mm;
Weight: 143 g.
OS: Android 6.0 with Flyme skin
PACKAGING AND COMPLETE SET
The Meizu M5S box as a whole does not differ much from other packages of the company, everything is quite standard: white cardboard with logos and the model name. The top lid of the box sits tight, so the contents have to be “shaken out”. You have to be careful not to drop it on the floor)
The main technical specifications are given on the back of the box. 
Inside is a Meizu M5S smartphone in Gold color. 
Under the smartphone is a clip for the SIM card tray 
Also: charger, microUSB cable and documentation 
The power supply has decent dimensions, but the parameters are excellent for a practically budget smartphone: 5/9V, 2A 
Also, in addition to the contents of the box, another charger with a European plug was included in the kit, it has output characteristics of 5V, 2A, although the charger is not original. 
But it’s better not to use it, because it says: Designed by Apple in Califronia))) Basement adapter) It’s better to take an adapter to our outlet and charge it with an original charger: both faster and safer. 
DESIGN AND ERGONOMICS
The Meizu M5S smartphone is very pleasant in the hand due to the rounded edges, the small thickness of the device and the dimensions of the case. The appearance of the front panel is standard for Meizu, in principle, almost all smartphones are very similar. But despite this, their design is always nice to me.
The rear panel, made of metal with plastic inserts, is no exception. Somewhere we have already seen this and more than once. 
The front panel of the M5s is covered with 2.5D DragonTrail glass. The bezels around the display are relatively small and do not cause irritation even in the white case, as LeEco does, for example. 
Under the display is the mTouch 2.1 touch button with a metal rim in the color of the body, it also has a built-in fingerprint scanner. 
Above the screen are located: earpiece, proximity and light sensor, 5-megapixel front camera and event indicator. 
On the back are the camera, flash, and a second microphone. 
From the bottom and top of the back panel we see stripes-transitions between the plastic and metal parts of the case. 
They are made imperfectly in my opinion, the transitions are tactilely felt. I can’t say that this causes any discomfort, but this is the place to be. 
On the right side there is a power button and volume rockers. 
On the left is a combined tray for two SIM cards in nano-SIM format or one SIM card + memory card. 
On top is a 3.5mm headphone jack. 
At the bottom are: a speaker, a microphone hidden under the bars, and a micro-USB port. 
Measured dimensions of the device: 148.1 * 72.8 * 8.3 mm 
Lightweight and easy to use: 147 grams 
DISPLAY
Meizu M5S has a screen with a diagonal of 5.2 inches, a matrix - IPS without an air gap between the glass and the touch, 282 ppi, a contrast ratio of 1000: 1, a brightness of 380 nits. HD resolution (1280*720). For this hardware, perhaps a more suitable option, but still I would like Full HD.
There is no graininess in the image; pixels cannot be seen. It is worth noting a good range of brightness settings, which can be comfortably set for both complete darkness and bright sun. Color rendition is adequate, pleasing to the eye. There is no distortion of colors at angles, as was the case with the M5 model. 
Viewing angles are close to the maximum, when tilted, the picture does not change the natural colors. 
In direct sunlight, the picture remains normally readable, there are no problems with the perception of information from the smartphone display. In the photo, the camera did not accurately convey the picture, the image is transmitted much better with the eyes. 
Multi-touch test showed 5 points of simultaneous touch. 
The front panel of the M5s is covered with 2.5D DragonTrail glass with an oleophobic coating. Water drops do not spread and glide over the surface like balls on a board. Although I can’t say that fingerprints remain bad on this glass ... They have a place to be, however, they are removed from the surface quite easily. 
SOFTWARE PART
The Meizu M5S smartphone runs on the Android 6.0 operating system with the proprietary Flyme 5.2.13.0G shell. The model of this M5S is called M612H - international (global) version. But the plug in the kit is Chinese ... perhaps the Chinese themselves rolled this firmware before selling it with certain dances with a tambourine and the version of the smartphone began to be displayed differently. In fact, this is a smartphone for the Chinese market initially, but with global firmware.
But in general, the standard fly that I'm used to, because my previous smartphone was Meizu MX4. There is a simplified mode of operation, many settings for the mBack button, the ability to take “long” screenshots, etc. The shell works smoothly, there are no slowdowns or glitches. 
PERFORMANCE
The 8-core MediaTek MT6753 processor, made using 28nm process technology, is responsible for the operation of the device. Eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores operate at a maximum frequency of 1.3 GHz. The video accelerator Mali-T720 is responsible for the graphics. The choice of processor is clearly not the best, it is old, not the most productive, and not to say that it is particularly energy efficient. There are better options even among the media library, and Helio X10 could have been inserted. The smartphone has 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of built-in memory.
When the device is started, the user has access to: around 9 GB of permanent memory and about 1.6-1.7 GB of RAM remains free. 
The processor is non-gaming, so you should not count on high graphics settings in games with a good fps level. You can play World of Tanks Blitz at medium graphics settings, but fps stays at the level of 30-35, in scenes of active battles it can drop even lower. But on the minimum settings there are no problems with the game. It should be noted that even with a long game, the fps level is kept at the same level. With Asphalt 8 the situation is the same, the minimum settings are your choice) Well, with simple games, of course, there are no questions. 
Detailed gaming video test here:
With a long game, the smartphone heats up, but within normal limits. The temperature of the back cover rises as much as possible in the area of the camera to the mark of 39 degrees Celsius, the front side heats up weaker, up to 35 degrees. 
In the antutu test, the smartphone showed 38854 parrots. The results are not high... In repeated performance tests and playing games for a long time, the figure remains about the same, and the games do not drop in fps. This indicates the absence of throttling. 
3DMark test 
CPU Z test 
Geekbench 4 test 
RAM Benchmark 
A1 SD Bench (RAM/ROM test) 
WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES
I tested GPS using the GPS Test program, as well as in the car using the Yandex Navigator application. Satellites are located instantly, the number of satellites is usually around 10-13.
It is quite possible to use a smartphone as a navigator, no errors or incorrect location were found. 
Wi-fi-module works well, access points are fast, the connection is stable. On the screenshots: the signal level through the wall and at a distance of two meters from the signal source. 
The device supports all communication bands necessary for Belarus, Russia and other CIS countries. Available LTE Cat.4, FDD LTE, TD LTE. The signal did not break even when traveling out of town. The voice quality is excellent, the interlocutor also hears your voice at a good level. 
There are no questions regarding the operation of Bluetooth version 4.0. The smartphone finds other devices quite quickly. The file transfer speed is standard for this technology. 
CAMERAS
The Meizu M5S has a 13-megapixel camera from Samsung (S5K3L8) with a five-element lens and f/2.2 aperture. There is a fast phase autofocus. There is a dual-tone flash, but there is no image stabilization. In good light, the pictures are of good quality, but small details are a little washed out. The worse the lighting, the more noise appears and detail suffers. In general, for a smartphone camera in this price category, the pictures come out quite suitable.Sunny
Reconstruction of the parade of partisans of the 44th year (cloudy, raining)
Late evening
Photos in original resolution can be downloaded from the link below:
The smartphone writes video with both the main and front cameras in FullHD resolution, the frequency is 30 fps. Slow motion mode available. In my opinion, the video is not bad for a state employee, but stabilization is clearly not enough. Shaking causes image distortion. The sound is pretty clear.
Video example:
The front camera is also suitable for an inexpensive smartphone. The quality of photographs indoors can hardly be called good, but with proper lighting, you can make your self look acceptable. Here it has the same module as in the M5 model, namely a 5-megapixel Samsung S5K5E8 sensor. The camera works without flash and has a fixed focus.
selfie camera
BATTERY
The smartphone, according to the manufacturer, has a non-removable lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 3000 mAh, which supports mCharge fast charging.
The complete power supply has a power of 18 watts. 
In 30 minutes, Meizu M5S gains 35% of the charge, 85% in an hour, and the smartphone is fully charged in 1 hour and 40 minutes. 
According to the experience of use, I can say that this smartphone is enough for a day of work, if you do not play games. Calls, surfing the Internet (within reasonable limits) and instant messengers did not work to put the battery to zero in a day, although by the end of the day sometimes there were about 20-25%. Those. You should not expect special autonomy from this smartphone.
FINGERPRINT SCANNER
There are no complaints about the speed and accuracy of the fingerprint scanner. Of course, there is a difference with flagship solutions in terms of speed, but it is quite decent here. There is a problem with the fact that there is no possibility to immediately unlock the screen with a touch of a finger. First you need to turn on the screen by pressing the mTouch or power button, or double tap on the screen, and only then put your finger on the scanner to unlock. I find it inconvenient...
But the scanner is located in front, and not behind as in most budget devices. 
SOUND
The external speaker is average in volume, its sound quality is quite good, the speaker does not squeak or creak even at maximum volume. I think it will suit most users, although it does not offer something radically different in quality from possible competitors.
In headphones, all Meizu smartphones traditionally sound good, even in the budget segment. The Meizu M5S is no exception, the sound is quite pleasant. Of course, music lovers will find something to complain about, but the sound quality should be enough for an ordinary listener. 
I listened to music on my everyday "ears": Xiaomi Piston 2, Meizu HD50 and Xiaomi Hybrid Pro. Most of all I liked the sound in conjunction with Xiaomi Hybrid Pro. 
SCRATCH TEST
The smartphone is not shockproof or anything like that, however some individuals (not me) who do not feel sorry for smartphones sometimes decide to crack nuts with them) This video cannot be watched without tears, so please move away from the screens for the faint of heart!TOTAL
Meizu M5S came out a good device, but far from perfect. At your service is a beautiful smartphone with a metal back cover and relatively small body dimensions. The assembly can only be faulted with metal-plastic joints ... And then, I think this is not critical, although the transitions should be smoother. The Flyme shell is convenient to use, runs smoothly and stably.Despite the smooth operation, the smartphone is equipped, to put it mildly, not with the most productive processor, besides, it is already a bit old. Of course, for people who do not play games and buy a smartphone for other needs, this is not the most important parameter when choosing a device. However, I would like to see a newer solution as a processor, even if it is from Mediatek.
In terms of performance, it is much more reasonable to take Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime or Redmi Note 4X, and if you look at other Meizu smartphones, then M5 Note. There are also questions about the autonomy of work, when playing games, the battery charge is melting before our eyes. Perhaps thanks to the ancient processor and such a situation.
But this model also has a number of clearly successful "goodies": a fast and stable fingerprint scanner, which is also located on the front panel of the device; fast charging (18W), which is rare for this price segment of smartphones. The display produces a good picture despite the HD resolution, and is covered with good quality oleophobic glass. The sound from the external speaker and headphones will satisfy most users. And everything would be fine, but the cost of this device could be a little lower (looking at previous Meizu models). I think for the 16GB option it would be possible to reduce the price tag to at least $110-115. The manufacturer justifies the price by increasing the price of components, but the average buyer is unlikely to be interested in these issues.
So the smartphone left twofold feelings: on the one hand, there are obvious pluses, and on the other, there are clear minuses. And it all depends on what you need specifically. So I won’t directly recommend buying Meizu M5S, I think there are more interesting options for this amount of money or a little higher, but the smartphone is not bad in its own way. In my particular case, for a gift to my mother, the smartphone almost perfectly suited the requirements and I think it will please the owner for a long time with its appearance and smooth operation.
PROS:
Good case materials and assembly
- Fast and stable fingerprint scanner
- Charging mCharge (18W)
- 3 GB of RAM in the basic version
MINUSES:
Weak and old processor
- High price (against the background of previous models of the M series)
- Weak battery life when playing games
That's all for me! Until new reviews!
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