I have always liked smartphones from Meizu, primarily for their design. But for a long time, the appearance of their models remained virtually unchanged and, frankly speaking, became boring to many. The company took into account the wishes of users and released two new models U10 and U20. The result exceeded all expectations; the design of the smartphone was very stylish, one might even say premium, and at the same time retained the main features inherent in Meizu.
But technically it turned out to be an almost complete copy of the already well-known Meizu M3 Note. I don’t know whether this is good or bad, but I’m only sure that manufacturers often “impose” excessive performance on us, forcing us to buy more and more powerful smartphones. But in practice, many do not use even half of the potential. Even that category of users who really need powerful hardware (for example, gamers) encounter another problem - throttling and excessive heating of the device under load. In general, today we will analyze in detail all the features and functions of the Meizu U20, and let’s start traditionally...
Detailed technical specifications
- Processor: MediaTek MT6755 Helio P10, 8 cores (4 powerful Cortex-A53 1.8GHz cores + 4 economical Cortex-A53 1.0GHz cores)
- Graphics: Mali T860 MP2
- Memory: 2Gb RAM and 16Gb built-in - in the standard version, 3Gb RAM and 32Gb built-in - in the top version. Supports micro SD memory cards up to 128Gb
- Screen: 5.5 inches with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD), GFF (full lamination)
- Camera: Main - 13 MP, F/2.2 aperture, 5-element lens, phase detection autofocus. Front - 5 MP, 4-element lens, F/2.0 aperture. Video - maximum resolution Full HD 1920 x 1080, 30 frames per second.
- Communication: 2 SIM cards (Nano+Nano) - GSM (850/900/1800/1900), 3G (900/1900/2100), LTE (Band1,3,7,38,39,40,41)
- Wireless interfaces: Dual-band Wi-Fi (5/2.4 GHz) - 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, Navigation (GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS)
- Sensors: Fingerprint scanner - mTouch 2.1, Hall sensor, gravity sensor, infrared proximity sensor, gyroscope, light sensor, digital compass.
- Battery: Built-in, 3260 mAh
- Operating system: Flyme 5.2.4 based on Android 6.0
- Dimensions: 153 mm x 75.4 mm x 7.7 mm
- Weight: 158 g
Prices:
Meizu U20 16Gb
Like Xiaomi, Meizu is trying to imitate Apple products in many ways. Snow-white box in a minimalist style. The cardboard is very thick and the contents are reliably protected.
Sticker with technical characteristics in the manufacturer’s native language. The only thing that can be understood is that we have a junior version with 16Gb of built-in memory. In addition, there is information about IMEI and serial number. 
The package includes the minimum necessary for work: an envelope with documentation, a key for removing the SIM card tray, a usb - micro usb cable and a charger. The seller put the adapter for the Euro plug separately; there is simply no room for it in the box.
Compact size charger.
It is capable of delivering a maximum current of 2A at 5V, load testing confirmed this. But the smartphone itself turned out to be more modest when charging; the maximum charge current does not exceed 1.3A at a voltage of 5.2V. Power - 6.78W. Just in case, I tried other charges - the same result. As a result, we get a leisurely charge: from 0 to 100% in 3 hours 19 minutes.
And of course the handsome man himself - Meizu U20. I liked the design so much that when, after testing (about 2 weeks) I returned to my main smartphone, my heart was filled with melancholy. In general, I like smartphones like this that are flat and have no curves. Meizu offers two classic colors - white and black. And each has its own advantages. The black one looks really cool, even the metal frame is painted black. And the already small frames around the screen are practically invisible in this design.
However, this is not my option, because I can’t stand a “tattled” smartphone, and this point is especially noticeable on a black gloss. Therefore, I generally prefer light colors when choosing a smartphone. But these are rather my “cockroaches”; in any color the U20 looks amazing.
Looking at the front part, we immediately understand that this is a Meizu representative. The designers barely touched on it and did the right thing - it’s hard to improve something here, but it’s easy to ruin it.
Meizu is of the opinion that the most convenient location for the fingerprint scanner is on the front. It is built into a button that is both touch and mechanical. For example, to unlock a smartphone you need to press it, and to go back you just need to touch it. This was done on purpose, because in general, a touch is enough to read a finger. This is clearly visible if you press the usual lock button, and when the screen is activated, simply touch the sensor to finally enter the smartphone. Visually, the button has not changed. mTouch 2.1 technology is used, which is based on a capacitive sensor. The reading speed is 0.2 seconds, and the recognition angle is 360 degrees. By scanning your finger once, you can unlock your smartphone from any angle. The recognition accuracy is high, the percentage of defects is extremely low, but for the sake of fairness, I note that the sensor in the latest Xiaomi devices, for example Redmi Note 4, is more accurate and fingerprint recognition is better there. Perhaps this is due to the shape of the sensor itself; out of habit, the finger does not always land exactly on the oval button.
At the top, everything is standard - front camera, proximity and light level sensors, earpiece. The quality of the speaker is good, the voice sounds natural.
Now let’s turn the smartphone over. I can’t even believe that we still have Meizu in front of us. I always really liked the design of the iPhone 4. My first purchase in China, about 5 years ago, was some kind of no-name clone of the fourth iPhone on Android 2.1. In the next model, Apple redesigned the design and all manufacturers began to diligently copy it, making smartphones more rounded. Samsung has been producing some identical “remnants” all its life. And now Meizu releases its U10 and U20, very similar to that same design. They used glass on the back, which resulted in a kind of sandwich made of a metal frame and glass on both sides, which looks stylish. One of the disadvantages of this design is that the smartphone is quite slippery.
The camera is located in the upper left corner. It protrudes above the body by a fraction of a millimeter, but the lens glass is protected by a metal frame. Next to it is a dual LED flash.
The frame is made of metal, in white it is not painted. Along the perimeter you can see a decorative chamfer, which makes the device visually more attractive and thinner.
The top edge is clean, only an additional microphone for noise reduction.
All connectors on the bottom edge:
- micro usb for charging and connecting to a PC, the smartphone also supports the OTG function.
- 3.5 jack for connecting headphones.
The main microphone and audio speaker are also located here. The speaker is of medium volume, the ringtone sounds clear, without wheezing even at maximum volume.
The tray with SIM cards on the left side is opened with a proprietary “key”. The smartphone supports two SIM cards, both cards are Nano format. If desired, you can replace one of them with a memory card, supported capacity up to 128 GB. I don’t consider the hybrid tray to be a disadvantage, because unfortunately, this solution has already become standard for many manufacturers.
Controls in the form of an adjacent volume button and a lock button on the right side. The device is assembled with very high quality; if the case is shaken or squeezed, it will not make a sound.
Screen
Made using full lamination technology, it transmits the image as clearly as possible and without color distortion. The contrast is 1000 to 1, and the detail is 400 pixels per inch. Black color looks very good on the screen - not gray, like on cheap screens, but deep black. Maximum brightness allows you to comfortably use your smartphone during the day outdoors in direct sunlight.
The screen glass is made using 2.5D technology - with rounded edges. To top it all off, a high-quality oleophobic coating is applied to the glass. The finger glides perfectly over the surface, leaving no traces of dirt. Multi-touch is supported for 5 simultaneous touches.
The absence of highlights is clearly visible on a black background. The viewing angles correspond to the IPS matrix; when the tilt angle changes, the brightness drops slightly, but there is no distortion or inversion even diagonally. In general, the appearance, quality of materials and excellent display are the strongest points of the model.
Operating system. Firmware. Interfaces.
The smartphone came fully Russified with international firmware. It works, as they say, out of the box. All Meizu fans are well aware of their proprietary Flyme shell; version 5.2.4.0 is installed here, which is based on the Android 6.0 operating system. There are proprietary applications, such as useful tools, which include: ruler, level, compass, etc. But I especially liked the flashlight with an adjustable brightness level - by switching the slider, you choose how bright it will shine.
Own fonts, styles, icons - everything has been redesigned to the smallest detail. In some ways, Flyme is similar to MIUI, or vice versa.
In any case, everyone will find a design to their liking. In the personalization center, a huge number of free themes and wallpapers are available that can easily transform your interior design into either IOS, MIUI, or Windows. There are also a huge number of exclusive themes with completely redrawn icons, badges, fonts, etc.
Security Center has many useful utilities:
- junk cleaning - built-in cleaner that will help remove excess junk from your phone,
- memory accelerator - optimizes memory, kills unnecessary processes,
- traffic management - to control consumed traffic on the mobile Internet with the ability to limit it,
- Spam blocking - from unwanted calls and messages, also known as a blacklist,
- Power management - control charge consumption, configure different modes of use,
- Antivirus. I wonder if anyone has encountered viruses on Android? I haven't yet)
There is a simplified mode that can be useful for children and the elderly - large icons and text, nothing superfluous.
In the screen settings you can select the color temperature; the default is neutral.
There are smart gestures that work when the screen is off. Double tap, swipes and graphic symbols - can be configured for a specific action or application launch. In addition, there is an additional Smart Touch panel, which, when activated, is always on the screen in the form of a small translucent ball; by performing various actions on it, we also give commands to the smartphone in this way.
Performance. Synthetic tests.
Meizu used in its new product the economical Helio P10 processor, which has been on the mobile device market for quite a long time and has managed to prove itself well. Moreover, technically the U20 is an almost complete clone of the Meizu M3 Note. This decision is completely justified, because there is no need to reinvent the wheel, but you can use ready-made and well-established developments. Yes, in terms of performance it is not super top, but the power of an 8-core processor is enough for absolutely any task. Even powerful and modern games run without lags, only on some the settings need to be reduced from maximum to medium. I’m generally silent about the operation of the shell and interfaces - the smartphone is very fast, everything just flies. Let's look at the information from CPU-Z
Next, we’ll run an Antutu test and talk about throttling. Absolutely all modern smartphones are susceptible to it to one degree or another. If throttling is disabled, the device boils in a matter of minutes, often even displaying a message about overheating, after which it is naturally impossible to use it. If the throttling is very large, then when the frequencies are reduced, the performance drops significantly and the meaning of all 100,500 powerful cores is lost. Therefore, you need to look for a middle ground. Often throttling does not even depend on the processor, but on the drivers and firmware version, so each smartphone needs to be checked individually. If you are interested in this topic, then in all subsequent reviews I will make the throttling test mandatory. In the meantime, let's return to Meizu U20. Having carried out the test on a cold smartphone, I got the result - 48225 . For the second test, I turned on a guided tour in the Epic Citadel application, loading the processor and graphics. I left the smartphone in this form for 30 minutes, after which I immediately ran the Antutu test - 43982 . The performance loss according to the antutu benchmark was 4243 points or 8.8%, which is almost an ideal result. For comparison, Vernee Apollo Lite on Helio X20 lost more than 30% in performance.
In Geekbench 4, the result is 737 points in single-core mode and 2521 when all cores are used.
Graphics capabilities are shown well by the Epic Citadel test: in high quality mode - 58.4 frames per second, ultra high quality - 42.4. The smartphone runs any, even the most modern and demanding games without any problems. In some, for a comfortable game you need to change the graphics settings to medium. WOT is fully playable on medium settings.
To complete the picture, results from Real Benchmark
An important role in real performance, that is, how quickly a smartphone will work, open folders, launch applications, load Internet pages - plays the speed of RAM and built-in memory. Which configuration to choose 2/16 or 3/32 is up to you - on the one hand there is never too much RAM, on the other hand, for simple work - calls and the Internet - 2Gb is enough. In any case, high-quality and fast memory awaits you. Reading speed of the built-in memory is 180 MB/s, writing speed is 85 MB/s. Androbench generally gave a huge read speed - 250 MB/s, write speed - 75 MB/s. RAM can boast speeds of more than 6000 MB/s.
One of the battery testing points for me is always video playback. When I connected my flash drive via OTG to start some movie and see how long it could continuously play it, I was very surprised. The smartphone opened and played almost all the video files on the flash drive without any problems, and there, in addition to the film, I had a small selection for testing TV boxes for omnivorousness. Putting aside battery testing, I installed Video tester. The result was pleasantly surprising - 877 points, 26 test videos with full support and 4 with partial support. Even TV boxes specially designed for video do not always produce such results. The smartphone was able to cope with all possible video formats. Moreover, I didn’t even install mx player and additional codecs, only the standard player.
It couldn't play only 2K and 4K video, but the smartphone doesn't need that.
Connection. Internet. Navigation.
Everything here is predictable, no surprises. The signal level and reception quality are at the level of other smartphones. The Internet can operate on both 3G and 4G - there is support for LTE (Band 1,Band 3,Band 7,Band 38,Band 39,Band 40,Band 41). WiFi supports operation in two bands - 5/2.4 GHz, the reception level is good. The first screenshot is through the wall from the router, the next one is 3 walls. The smartphone continues to receive the signal, although the speed drops significantly.
Navigation is supported by GPS, AGPS and GLONASS. The time of the first fixation was 5 seconds, on average it finds 12 - 16 satellites, in an active connection - 13, the accuracy is 3 meters. In normal weather it works flawlessly. In bad weather, I noticed a couple of times that it sometimes loses satellites for a couple of seconds, it feels like the antenna is not sensitive enough. It is located in the upper right corner, under the plastic connection. Even if you close it with your finger, you can immediately see how the reception is deteriorating.
Camera.
I have already spoken about the omnivorousness of a smartphone in video playback. Now about the camera. Using third-party software, I was able to find out that the main camera sensor from Omnivision is ov13853. The same sensor is used in Meizu M3 Note and Alcatel Flash Plus 2. The camera is equipped with fast phase detection autofocus, has an f/2.2 aperture and takes good photos in sufficient lighting conditions. Overall the camera is quite mediocre, but suitable for everyday use as long as you don't demand too much from it. Below are examples of photographs that can be downloaded in their original size (click on the photo):
Daytime shots in sunny weather conditions
But the video is weak. Maximum resolution - Full HD 1920x1080, 30 frames per second. But the detailing is not the best and even in good lighting it is noticeable how sometimes the camera slows down.
Battery. Autonomy.
The capacity of the built-in battery is 3260 mAh (average value), when turned off, 3206 mAh is filled into a completely discharged smartphone through the tester.
In moderate use mode, the smartphone can easily withstand 2 days; under heavy loads, the smartphone can withstand a working day with a total screen operating time of at least 5 - 6 hours. Next are the tests. With a high load on the processor and graphics core (guide mode in Epic Citadel) at maximum screen brightness and full speaker volume, the smartphone worked for 4 hours 28 minutes.
Video from the built-in memory at an average brightness level was played for about 14 hours, at maximum brightness - 9 hours. In the battery test - Geekbench 3, the smartphone scored 5555 points, the test lasted 9 hours 15 minutes.
I ran the battery test in Antutu Battery Tester twice. The first time in the automatic brightness adjustment mode at the average value - 9329 points, the second time at maximum brightness - 6441 points. The test at maximum brightness lasted almost 4 hours, more than a third of the charge was consumed by the screen.
So, let's summarize. Meizu U20 is not strong in synthetic tests; in terms of performance, it is rather a simple average. In my opinion, the device was created for pragmatic people who, when choosing, are guided by visual and tactile sensations, that is, what can be seen and touched. Extraordinarily beautiful design, high-quality materials, excellent display. This is the strength of Meizu U20. Among the shortcomings, I can highlight the slippery body and the not very high-quality recording of the video camera.
Video version of the review.
You can buy Meizu U20 on Ali, you can find the current price.
The affordable representative of the U line from the Chinese company Meizu looks elegant, stylish, and also much more expensive than it actually costs.
Hipster
The design of the smartphone clearly shows the features of the “style icon of 2010” - Apple iPhone 4. However, Chinese engineers went further in the wake of fashion trends of 2016-2017. equipped the phone with rounded 2.5D glass. And not only from the side of the screen, but also on the back of the gadget. Thanks to its glossy back, the smartphone deservedly received the title of “hipster.”
Optimization
The hardware for the smartphone was borrowed from the popular Meizu M3s mini. Nevertheless, excellent software optimization allowed the U10 model to outperform the “donor” in synthetic tests - the glass gadget receives about 40 thousand points during performance testing with the AnTuTu application. In reality, the interface responds to all user actions smoothly and predictably, and the smartphone copes well with demanding games at medium graphics settings.
IPS matrix
The model’s display raises no complaints either in terms of color rendering quality or brightness reserves. The screen resolution is 1280x720 pixels, which with a 5-inch diagonal creates a pixel density of 294ppi - individual pixels can only be seen if you look closely. Below the display is traditionally located the mTouch touch button with a built-in fingerprint sensor that instantly responds to finger touches.
Filming
In good lighting, it is possible to take sharp photos with good color reproduction using both smartphone cameras. As the quality of lighting deteriorates, noise appears in photographs. A number of manual settings for independently selecting exposure values, ISO and other shooting parameters will help to slightly correct the situation.
Family U
The battery capacity of 2760 mAh is enough for a day of battery life of the smartphone under average loads. The older alternative model from the same line, Meizu U20, has similar autonomy indicators, even despite a more capacious battery. Its charge is “eaten up” by a 5.5" FullHD screen and a more powerful “filling” - the key differences between the two representatives of the U family.
Meizu recently introduced a new series of smartphones, U, which stands out for its stylish design. the site has already met a large representative of the line, and now it has reached the more compact Meizu U10.
Characteristics
- screen: IPS, 5 inches, resolution 1280×720 pixels, 2.5D protective glass
- platform: 8-core MediaTek MT6750
- RAM: 2 GB, ROM: 16 GB (+microSD)
- main camera: 13 MP, f/2.2, phase detection autofocus, dual LED flash
- front camera: 5 MP, f/2.0
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 (LE), microUSB, GPS (A-GPS support), GLONASS
- battery: 2760 mAh
- fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
- dimensions: 141.9×69.6×8.0 mm, weight: 139 g
- OS: Android 6.0, Flyme 5.1
Appearance
The new product is practically no different from the Meizu U20: glass on the front and back, the arrangement of all elements is similar, except that the screen (and overall dimensions) is smaller. Both smartphones are similar in design not only to each other, but to the iPhone 4/4s, and the Meizu U10 is more similar to the latter due to its dimensions.
The site took the white version of the Chinese glass smartphone to see how different the models are in the two available colors.
After a lengthy comparison, we can say that the white modification looks less impressive, but is much more practical due to the fact that it is much more difficult to see grease marks and fingerprints on the case.
The white version of the smartphone also received a lighter metal frame - in color it is as close as possible to unpainted aluminum.
Overall, the device looks thoughtful and stylish, and the white color of the case impresses with its practicality - the black modification collects fingerprints so quickly that the more impressive appearance lasts for about 5 minutes at most, after which the smartphone must be actively rubbed with a cloth. The white modification looks good even after two days without any surface care.
Ease of use
Bluetooth and GPS did not cause any problems, and Wi-Fi works almost well - in some configurations of a particular router, the Meizu U10 refused to connect to a network with WPA2-PSK protection, although it worked without problems with other network equipment and exactly the same settings. We recommend checking in the first days after purchase how the device communicates with your home and work access points, so as not to be upset in the future if something goes wrong.
The sound in the headphones does not stand out among its competitors in any way: the maximum volume is sufficient, but there are no high-quality bass or clear highs here. You can listen to music, but don’t expect the smartphone to compete with a decent player. The same can be said about the external speaker - it is as normal as the competitors, both in terms of decent volume and mediocre quality.
Competitors
Which has almost the same density as a glass budget phone in terms of filling, lasts longer, and will also attract attention with its metal body and rounded shape. But the Meizu U10 camera showed itself a little better, and the smartphone is much more attractive in appearance. The main advantage of Meizu m3s is its lower cost - only 3199 UAH versus 3599 UAH.
Meizu U10 loses only in appearance and camera; all other technical aspects are slightly better in Xiaomi: performance is not higher, but games are better optimized for Snapdragon, battery life is higher. Practical users are better off taking the Redmi 3s, especially since its cost is UAH 3,199, but if style matters, then the Meizu U10 will be the right choice.
conclusions
Meizu U10 is an unremarkable inexpensive Chinese smartphone when we talk about its hardware. It performs well compared to its competitors, but it can only be called an outstanding representative of its class based on one criterion: design.
The appearance of the device attracts attention; it is not flashy or bright, but stylish. This gadget looks good both with an evening dress and with a casual outfit. At the same time, the dimensions of the device do not cause discomfort during use, despite the predominance of sharp corners and rough transitions at the junctions of materials.
A nice device is a fashion device with all the consequences: it is impractical, there are no breakthrough technologies or advanced components here, and there is no room for various additional utilities. But it is really beautiful and comfortable. If these characteristics are important to you, the Meizu U10 is definitely worth considering for purchase.
3 reasons to buy Meizu U10:
- pleasant appearance
- convenient sizes for everyday use
- high speed of most applications and shell
2 reasons not to buy Meizu U10:
- mediocre performance of radio modules
- glass is an impractical material that scratches quickly
From the swarm of metal devices that Meizu has released in recent years, the U-series, made with abundant use of glass, stands out. It includes three smartphones (breaking the covers!): the compact Meizu U10, which we are now studying, the large U20 and the most advanced Meizu X (developed as the U30). U10 is based on the M3S mini, in fact it is simply a remake of it. Most of the characteristics of the two devices are the same. The prices are also similar, the U10 is only 1,000 rubles more expensive (12,990 rubles for the 16 GB version and 14,990 rubles for the 32 GB).
Technical characteristics of Meizu U10:
- Network: GSM, CDMA, EVDO, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA, TD-LTE, FDD-LTE
- Platform: Flyme OS based on Android Marshmallow
- Display: 5", 1280x720 pixels, 296 ppi, IPS, full lamination, 380 nits
- Camera: 13 MP, phase detection autofocus, 5 lenses, f/2.2, dual LED flash in different tones, video recording 1080p@30fps
- Front camera: 5 MP, f/2.0, video recording 1080p@30fps
- Processor: 8 cores 1.5 GHz + 4 cores 1 GHz, 64 bits, MediaTek MT6750
- Graphics chip: ARM Mali-T860
- RAM: 2/3 GB
- Internal memory: 16/32 GB
- Memory card: microSD
- A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou
- Bluetooth 4.0LE
- Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
- microUSB
- mTouch fingerprint scanner
- Battery: non-removable, 2760 mAh
- Dimensions: 141.9x69.6x7.9 mm
- Weight: 139 g
Equipment and design
There is nothing new compared to other Meizu models: a thick white box, inside a smartphone, documentation, USB cable, SIM pin with the Flyme branded cloud, charger. Not as powerful as phablets, but also not weak - 10 W.
Despite the fact that U10 is part of the Meilan line (Blue Charm, “blue charm”), it does not have blue or blue colors - only the classic quartet: white, pink, gold and black. The front panel is painted in the color of the back in all versions except pink (there it is white). We have a completely white version. Externally, the device evokes a strong association with the iPhone 4/4S. Of course, it’s impossible to call the U10 a clone of the “four,” but there are plenty of parallels. Well, I can’t help but note that, to my subjective taste, the glass device looks prettier than the metal Meizu ones. Practicality is another matter.
The 5" smartphone feels compact. Of course: it is less than seven centimeters wide. Despite the sharp edges, the Meizu U10 is perfectly controlled with one hand, including a woman's. And in general, in white the device looks very feminine. The color is black in principle less preferable - the glass on the back panel is easily soiled, it quickly loses its presentation (judging by the U20, its review will be out soon).The only disadvantage of ergonomics I can note is the slipperiness of the case.
The Meizu U10 screen has a resolution of 1280x720 pixels. This is a good screen for a budget smartphone: the IPS panel without an air gap has wide viewing angles, almost does not change colors when tilted (you can only notice inversions in dark scenes when looking diagonally, but normal people don’t use smartphones like that), has good brightness , allowing you to safely use your smartphone on the street, ten-point multi-touch and oleophobic coating (there is also an oleophobic coating on the back). I didn’t like the font trails when scrolling and some looseness of the picture (the M5 had a similar effect).
The button below the screen is also a fingerprint scanner. It works quickly, but if you enter your finger only once, it is not very accurate. So, do it twice. The scanner responds to touch, but requires a tap to wake up the phone. As a button, it combines three functions: when touched it is “back”, when pressed it is “home”, when pressed it is “lock”. Meizu traditionally does not have a multitasking key; the corresponding menu opens by swiping up or from right to left (activated in the settings).
Software
Out of the box, Meizu U10 runs on Flyme OS 5, but a beta version of Flyme OS 6 is already available. How to update is explained in detail. The Android version does not change during the update, it is Marshmallow. “Six” in beta is expected to work less stable, but even it can be used without constant dissatisfaction with glitches. There are a lot of interesting features in the firmware, which could take a very long time to describe, but I won’t do that (I was bitten by Sergei Druzhko). See screenshots of Flyme OS 6 in the M3E review.
Camera
Meizu has stocked up on the same cameras and puts them in all budget smartphones. Five-lens optics, a 13-megapixel sensor, f/2.2 aperture, dual flash of different tones - we saw all this in the M3E, M3 Max, and M5 Note. The results of shooting on all devices are also the same, plus or minus - good detail, rare mixing of small details into a bunch (but there is some with trees), fairly accurate color rendition (if there is a lot of light). Panoramas are made with high quality (the test example has a resolution of 22 megapixels), and there is a well-functioning HDR mode. You can take a series of photographs with different focal lengths, and then, as it were, change the focus point on the finished photograph (it doesn’t work crookedly). Sample pictures:
Meizu U10 has many capabilities to shoot video. You can make GIFs of up to six seconds (320x320 pixels in total), you can shoot time-lapses (acceleration from 15 times), you can make slow-motion videos, you can also create regular videos. They are recorded in 1080p@30fps with good sound capture, but there is no autofocus during shooting.
The pictures taken by the 5-megapixel front camera with f/2.0 aperture are quite good, but it doesn’t always have enough dynamic range; the background is often overexposed. There is a mode for decorating the user's face (it is also available with the rear camera, by the way).
Performance and tests
Meizu U10, like M3S mini, as well as M5, uses one of the less popular MediaTek chipsets - MT6750. This is a kind of super stripped down Helio P10, it also has eight 64-bit cores. Of these, four operate at a frequency of 1.5 GHz, another four at 1 GHz. The amount of RAM is 2 or 3 GB. The built-in storage can be 16 or 32 GB, in the younger version (we have one) the amount of free memory after updating to Flyme 6 is only 8.7 GB - you can’t do without a memory card. It is inserted into the combination slot instead of the second nano-SIM. Here's what the filling shows in benchmarks:
What is real gaming performance like? Everything about her is very sad. Asphalt Extreme can run smoothly only with optimal graphics and MDPI, Unkilled - with minimal detail (that is, without most effects). Stuttering also happens in Hungry Shark World, and only in games like Ninja Spinki Challenges!! work great. Despite the slurred performance, the smartphone gets quite hot, and holding it after a long game is very uncomfortable. Look how the M5 handles gaming, the U10 does the same.
Meizu U10 is a “glass” smartphone in a compact body. The device has an attractive design, which is the main feature of this device. The gadget itself was announced in August 2016.
Appearance and ergonomics
The body of Meizu U10 is made of metal and glass. So, on both sides of the smartphone there are 2.5D glass panels connected by an aluminum frame around the perimeter. The rounded edge gives the gadget a special elegance. Below the screen is the mTouch navigation button, combined with a fingerprint scanner. There is absolutely nothing on the top end. But the bottom edge received an audio jack, external speaker, microphone and USB port. On the left side there is a universal slot for a memory card and two SIM cards.
As for the reliability of the case, tempered glass is quite durable. There are no squeaks, which indicates excellent build quality. Due to the slippery material, the smartphone may slide off an uneven surface - this must be taken into account during use. The model is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 2760 mAh. Available colors: white, black, pink and gold. Dimensions: height - 141.9 mm, thickness - 7.9 mm, width - 69.6 mm, weight - 139 g.
Display
The U10 features a 5-inch screen with full lamination technology. At the same time, a high-quality IPS matrix has a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels, which seems to be a classic solution for such a diagonal. There is no air gap here, so the picture looks very natural. The display supports ten simultaneous touches and also has maximum viewing angles. High contrast ratios (1000:1) are complemented by a fairly good level of maximum brightness. If the color rendering is not satisfactory, then you can adjust it yourself.
Hardware and performance
The U10 smartphone uses a MediaTek MT6750 processor with eight cores and a maximum clock frequency of 1500 MHz. The role of the graphics accelerator is performed by the GPU Mali-T860. There is 32 GB of internal memory, expandable up to 128 GB, as well as 3 GB of LPDDR3 RAM. There is also a simpler version with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage.
The gadget comes with the Android 6.0 operating system and the Flyme shell. Since the smartphone belongs to the budget class, 40,000 points in the AnTuTu test is quite a good result. Under load, the case heats up evenly, and not very much. Many simple games can be played without any problems. “Heavy” projects are also launched, but the graphics quality will have to be lowered.
Communication and sound
Meizu U10 cannot boast of perfect sound, but at the same time it does not disappoint. The moderate volume of the external speaker is complemented by good processing of many frequencies. The speaker here is of very high quality, the interlocutor can be heard clearly.
Camera
Meizu U10 has a 13-megapixel camera with f/2.2 aperture and dual-tone LED flash. There is also phase detection autofocus, which is fast. The front camera is 5 megapixel, has an aperture ratio of 2.0 and Beauty features technology. There is not only automatic but also manual shooting mode.
conclusions
The elegant and stylish U10 smartphone looks truly impressive. It is in his appearance that all his charm is hidden. At the same time, the filling of the device is quite consistent with the modern budget class. Contents: phone, documentation, paperclip, charger, USB-microUSB cable.
Pros:
- Wonderful design made of metal and glass.
- Very high quality materials.
- Accurate and fast fingerprint scanner.
- Effective oleophobic coating on both sides.
- Quite a modest price for a fashion gadget.
Minuses:
- Not all LTE frequencies are supported.
- The housing may feel a little slippery.
Specifications Meizu U10
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Model | Meizu U10 |
| Date of announcement and start of sales | August 2016 / August 2016 |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 141.9 x 69.6 x 7.9 mm. |
| Weight | 139 |
| Available colors | black, white, pink and champagne gold |
| operating system | Android 6.0 + Flyme |
| Connection | |
| Number and type of SIM cards | two, Nano-SIM |
| Communication standard in 2G networks | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 |
| Communication standard in 3G networks | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 |
| Communication standard in 4G networks | LTE |
| Carrier Compatibility | MTS, Beeline, Megafon, Tele2, Yota |
| Data transfer | |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, LE |
| GPS | yes, A-GPS, GLONASS |
| NFC | No |
| Infrared port | No |
| Platform | |
| CPU | eight-core Mediatek MT6750 Octa-core (4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.0 GHz Cortex-A53) |
| GPU | Mali-T860MP2 |
| Inner memory | 16 GB / 32 GB |
| RAM | 2 GB / 3 GB |
| Ports and connectors | |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 |
| 3.5mm jack | There is |
| Memory card slot | microSD, up to 128 GB (combined with SIM 2 slot) |
| Display | |
| Display type | IPS LCD capacitive, 16M colors |
| Screen size | 5 inches (~69.8% of the front surface of the device) |
| Display protection | strained glass |
| Camera | |
| Main camera | 13 MP, f/2.2, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash |
| Functionality of the main camera | Geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama |
| Video recording | 1080p@30fps |
| Front-camera | 5 MP, f/2.0 |
| Sensors | |
| Illuminance | There is |
| Approximations | There is |
| Gyroscope | There is |
| Compass | There is |
| Hall | No |
| Accelerometer | There is |
| Barometer | No |
| Fingerprint scanner | There is |
| Battery | |
| Battery type and capacity | Li-Ion 2760 mAh |
| Battery mount | non-removable |
| Equipment | |
| Standard kit | U10: 1 USB cable: 1 SIM tray eject clip: 1 User manual: 1 Warranty card: 1 Charger: 1 |
