Review of Meizu M6 Note (M721h) - the best budget smartphone. A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
We bring to your attention a review of the Meizu M6 Note smartphone. Fans of Chinese state employees immediately called this model “the best of the Meizu family.” The fact is that the M6 is equipped with an advanced Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and other innovations. If we compare the Meizu M6 Note with previous models from this manufacturer, the “six” looks noticeably better.
Or rather, the design and form factor are traditional, like all Meizu. The M6 Note can only be distinguished visually by its dual main camera. The color scheme offers devices in gold, blue, gray and classic black – Black. If the user wants to diversify the colors, you can try.
The smartphone display is securely covered with durable 2.5D glass with an oleophobic coating. Despite its rather large dimensions - 154.6x75.2x8.35 mm, the gadget fits easily and comfortably in the palm of your hand. The body is made of brushed metal.
Original Meizu M6 Note 4G LTE 3GB 32GB on AliExpress.
Original MEIZU M5S smartphone on AliExpress.
In general, Meizu M6 Note looks quite stylish and in the modern trend. The M6 is the first in Meizu's line of smartphones to feature a dual digital camera for enhanced selfies. 
The elongated body allows you to comfortably read texts and watch movies in a wide format. The audio system provides loud and clear sound and intelligible speech. 
Features and technical specifications of Meizu M6 Note
The price of Meizu M6 Note ranges from 10,000 to 20,000 rubles, depending on the configuration. User reviews of the smartphone show that for this money you will buy a fairly modern device.
- Versions with RAM/internal memory 3/16GB, 4/32GB 6/64GB are available.
- 2nd Nano SIM cards.
- 5.5-inch IPS IGZO display. Full HD resolution.
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 chipset.
- Main camera 12MP+5MP. Autofocus Portrait mode.
- Front camera 16MP.
The smartphone is equipped with a fingerprint scanner (up to 5 simultaneously). Available systems GPS navigation, GLONASS, digital compass.
High-capacity 4000 mAh battery with support for accelerated turbo charging. 
The weight of the device is about 175 grams.
The new Meizu M6 runs on the Android 7.1 Nougat OS platform and is controlled by the Flyme 6 shell, uniquely developed by the manufacturer. What does this give? The gadget has improved, more convenient system Gesture controls.
Several user interface styles are supported. Built-in cyber protection system and antivirus. A system for saving user settings and personal data with the possibility of emergency recovery. Phone call recording function.
The Flyme 6 shell supports animation, which greatly enlivens the interface.
A photo camera with a dual module and six lenses allows you to take portraits with the Bokeh effect (blurred background). 
Disadvantages and advantages
The disadvantages include the fact that the smartphone is not equipped with the NFC function, which is gaining popularity in our country. The device cannot be used as an alternative bank card for payments in stores. At this price, the user fully expects to receive a smartphone with payment terminal functions. However, many people have this same problem. 
Another drawback is that the expected modern USB-C interface is missing. The advantage is that it comes with an obsolete cable. USB versions.
The high-capacity battery reliably provides two days of active use of the device without recharging. It is quite possible to take it for a weekend out of town. The battery is fully charged in approximately 2 hours.
Conclusions
In general, Meizu M6 Note smartphones can be called not only the best of Meizu, but generally the best in the middle class. The features, design, amenities and features are superior to anything you can buy at this price. At least this is evidenced by numerous user reviews. In particular, a lot is written and discussed about the Meizu M6 Note 4 on the authoritative forum w3bsit3-dns.com.
Video review of the Meizu M6 Note smartphone: ideal budget employee with a powerful camera:
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Unexpectedly for many, Meizu, which is experiencing better times. Sales of smartphones from this company are falling even in its native Chinese market. It was necessary to release something interesting for little money so that the company could improve its position. And this was done when the budget employee was introduced Meizu Note 9, which has outstanding characteristics for its price.
The new device will compete with the sensational model Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro, because these devices are very similar to each other in terms of equipment and cost. As for the Note 9, it offers high performance, excellent battery life, a powerful camera and a beautiful design. The new product from Meizu will be discussed in more detail in this review.
Smartphone Meizu Note 9 Specifications
Video review of Meizu Note 9:
Equipment
For several years, the type of packaging has not changed; it is still the same simple white box made of thick cardboard. On its surface there is only the name of the model and a description of some parameters. There are also no surprises inside. The user receives a slot access clip, USB-C cable, 18-watt network adapter and paper. The Chinese chose to save money on the cover; it will have to be purchased in addition.
Design and materials
By appearance There are rarely any complaints about devices from Meizu. The manufacturer takes this important part of the smartphone seriously. For the most part, the devices look attractive and solid. Despite its affordability, Note 9 also pleased with its nice design.
The metal side frame pairs well with the glass back, which is curved at the edges for better ergonomics. From the front, a miniature cutout of the screen, called a teardrop, immediately catches your eye. Even the guys from Meizu, known for their conservatism, could not resist the teardrop neckline trend; they need to increase the attractiveness of their products.
They also tried to make the back panel fashionable; it has a fascinating shimmer when exposed to light. But it is incredibly slippery, so using it without a cover can hardly be called comfortable.
The color range is limited to black, blue and white options. For neat people, a smartphone with a white back will be suitable, since fingerprints are least noticeable on it. The gadget weighs 170 grams, proportions – 153.1 × 74.4 × 8.7 mm.
85 percent of the front panel is occupied by the screen, since the frames here are really thin. The side margins are generally difficult to see; the space below and above has also been significantly reduced. All this allows the smartphone to look modern.
The dual camera module is now on the left, with a flash located underneath it. There is also an area for reading a fingerprint on the back; you don’t have to look for it for a long time, since your finger immediately falls on this round area. Integrated into the bottom end USB-C port, which is still surprising to see in a budget device. This is an excellent solution that has been asking for a long time. Next to the USB port are a 3.5mm input, a call speaker and a voice microphone. There is only a noise reduction hole on the top edge. The tray can only be “charged” with two nanoSIM cards; there is no way to install a memory card, which is a pity.
Screen
The display is equipped with a rich IPS matrix with a high resolution of 2240 × 1080 pixels, which gives a nice and clear picture. There are no complaints about this part of Meizu Note 9 at all.
The 6.2-inch diagonal and unusual aspect ratio of 18.7:9 allow you to use the device comfortably, while it can accommodate a large amount of content. By the way, the cutout for the front camera in this budget phone is made more accurately than in the competitor Xiaomi Redmi Note 7 Pro, and it is also smaller. The brand of the protected glass is kept secret, but it has a high-quality oleophobic layer, so dirt can be easily wiped off. The display does not disappoint in terms of viewing angles, contrast levels and brightness.
Technical content, performance and sound
The device received a very powerful hardware platform, which was introduced quite recently. The Snapdragon 675 processor, which has an 11 Nm process technology, is in charge here. The chipset includes 2 cores at 2 GHz and 6 cores at 1.7 GHz; an Adreno 612 module is provided for processing the graphics component. Thanks to this hardware, the device runs all games at high graphics settings, and the heating of the case will be very small. Gamers can only rejoice at such opportunities, especially for little money.
The manufacturer did not skimp on RAM either; the initial version already has 4 GB of LPDDR4x RAM built-in, which is quite enough. The more expensive version of Meizu Note 9 offers as much as 6 GB of RAM LPDDDR4x. In AnTuTu, the smartphone scores a simply huge number of points for its price – 183,000. The technical parameters are certainly worthy of the most flattering words, but the new product still has a lot of trump cards up its sleeve. The lack of a memory card slot is more than compensated for by a capacious 64 or 128 GB drive.
NFC was not added to the standard list of wireless technologies Bluetooth 5.0, GPS and Wi-Fi with support for two frequencies. But this would be completely sweet, because we are just looking at a state employee. A common feature for Meizu products is the lack of FM radio; some will miss it. In all other respects, the model has everything you need, including a compass, Hall sensor and gyroscope. The finger scanner recognizes the fingerprint instantly and almost always the first time. There is also an unlock feature based on facial features.
The review hero has only one multimedia speaker, but it sounds pretty good. It is distinguished by high volume and good sound quality, there is even a hint of low frequencies. Thanks largely to the new processor, the sound in the headphones has become noticeably better than in its predecessor. By connecting high-quality headphones, you can please your ears with surround and loud sound with well-developed frequencies. Although the ninth laptop is still far from real music phones.
Autonomy
Note smartphones and excellent battery life are inextricably linked. The Chinese taught us this from the very first models. And the newcomer was no exception; it was equipped with a traditional 4000 mAh battery. Taking into account the energy-efficient hardware, the phone will confidently last 1.5-2 days in medium load mode. And the 18 W mCharge fast charging included in the kit will help you quickly replenish your battery life.
Software
The device received last year's Flyme 7 shell as an interface, but based on the latest Android 9. All that remains is to wait for the global firmware version. However, as in all Meizu, here users are unlikely to wait for an update to the next version of Android, this is the company’s policy. In this regard, Xiaomi's competitor is certainly better.
The interface itself in Meizu is minimalistic and neat, and works very quickly. Nothing new has been added in terms of functionality. As before, there are 3 control methods - gestures, classic Android buttons and the mBack softkey.
Cameras
The developers tried to impress potential buyers with the cool characteristics of the cameras, and they succeeded. For its modest price tag, the Note 9 offers an excellent main camera with two lenses, one of which has a 48 MP Samsung GM1 sensor with f/1.7 aperture and PDAF autofocus. It is accompanied by a 5 megapixel module, which performs the function of blurring the background in portrait mode.
Ever since the M6 Note model, Meizu's budget employees have learned to take excellent photos. And here we can clearly see progress in terms of image quality. There is a powerful flash with two LEDs of different colors. The camera, as is fashionable today, is endowed with algorithms artificial intelligence to detect scenes automatically. Can help in the dark night mode With additional settings, do not forget about the wide aperture of the camera, which lets in more light. Maximum video resolution is Full HD at 30 fps.
Selfie lovers will not be offended either, since there is a decent 20-megapixel selfie camera with f/2.0 aperture. Here you can apply different effects and make your face more beautiful if its appearance does not suit you.
Conclusion
The smartphone is endowed with chic parameters that make it a worthy alternative to the much-hyped Redmi Note 7 Pro. Meizu Note 9 loses to it only because it does not have an IR port. It is also not entirely clear whether the firmware will be transferred to new version Android. If you like Meizu phones, then you will definitely like this smartphone due to its excellent price-to-features ratio. And it now costs $240 in China for the 4/64 configuration.
Pros
High performance
big battery
USB Type C
fast charging
case design
Great screen with thin bezels
48 MP camera sensor
a lot of memory
Cons
no microSD slot
the back is very slippery
Blue Charm Note 6
M721L
Red Rise Note 4 64GB
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz | GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| CDMA | CDMA 800 MHz | CDMA 800 MHz |
| W-CDMA | - | W-CDMA 850 MHz W-CDMA 900 MHz W-CDMA 1900 MHz W-CDMA 2100 MHz |
| TD-SCDMA | TD-SCDMA 1880-1920 MHz TD-SCDMA 2010-2025 MHz | TD-SCDMA 1880-1920 MHz TD-SCDMA 2010-2025 MHz |
| UMTS | UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz | - |
| LTE | LTE 800 MHz LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) | LTE 850 MHz LTE 900 MHz LTE 1800 MHz LTE 2100 MHz LTE 2600 MHz LTE-TDD 1900 MHz (B39) LTE-TDD 2300 MHz (B40) LTE-TDD 2500 MHz (B41) LTE-TDD 2600 MHz (B38) |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
| Operating system (OS) | FlyMe 6.0 (Android 7.1 Nougat) FlyMe 7.8 | MIUI V8 (Android 6.0 Marshmallow) MIUI V8.5 (Android 7.0 Nougat) MIUI V9 MIUI V10 |
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on a single chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 | MediaTek Helio X20 (MT6797) |
| Process | 14 nm | 20 nm |
| Processor (CPU) | ARM Cortex-A53 | 2x 2.1 GHz ARM Cortex-A72, 4x 1.85 GHz ARM Cortex-A53, 4x 1.4 GHz ARM Cortex-A53 |
| Processor size | 64 bit | 64 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture | ARMv8 | ARMv8-A |
| Number of processor cores | 8 | 10 |
| CPU clock speed | 2000 MHz | 2100 MHz |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) | Qualcomm Adreno 506 | ARM Mali-T880 MP4 |
| Number of GPU cores | - | 4 |
| GPU clock speed | - | 780 MHz |
| Volume RAM(RAM) | 3 GB 4 GB | 3 GB 4 GB |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) | LPDDR3 | LPDDR3 |
| Number of RAM channels | Single channel | Dual channel |
| RAM frequency | 933 MHz | 800 MHz |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology | IPS | IPS |
| Diagonal | 5.5in 139.7 mm 13.97 cm | 5.5in 139.7 mm 13.97 cm |
| Width | 2.7in 68.49 mm 6.85 cm | 2.7in 68.49 mm 6.85 cm |
| Height | 4.79in 121.76 mm 12.18 cm | 4.79in 121.76 mm 12.18 cm |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.778:1 16:9 | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission | 1080 x 1920 pixels | 1080 x 1920 pixels |
| Pixel Density | 401 ppi 157 ppcm | 401 ppi 157 ppcm |
| Color depth | 24 bit 16777216 flowers | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area | 71.96 % | 72.9 % |
| Other characteristics | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance |
| 2.5D curved glass screen LTPS (Low Temperature PolySilicon) GFF full lamination 1000:1 contrast ratio 450 cd/m² | 2.5D curved glass screen 1000:1 contrast ratio 450 cd/m² 72% NTSC |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Rear camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.
| Sensor model | Sony IMX362 Exmor RS | Samsung S5K3L8 |
| Sensor type | CMOS | ISOCELL |
| Sensor size | - | 4.69 x 3.52 mm 0.23in |
| Sensor format | 1/2.56" | - |
| Pixel size | 1.4 µm 0.001400 mm | 1.127 µm 0.001127 mm |
| Crop factor | - | 7.38 |
| ISO (light sensitivity) | 100 - 3200 | 100 - 1600 |
| Svetlosila | f/1.9 | f/2 |
| Shutter speed (shutter speed) | 20 - 1/1000 | - |
| Focal length | 3.94 mm 24 mm *(35 mm / full frame) | 3.5 mm 25.82 mm *(35 mm / full frame) |
| Number of optical elements (lenses) | 6 | 5 |
| Flash type | - | Double LED |
| Image Resolution | 4000 x 3000 pixels 12 MP | 4160 x 3120 pixels 12.98 MP |
| Video resolution | 3840 x 2160 pixels 8.29 MP | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP |
| Video recording speed (frame rate) | 30fps | 30fps |
| Characteristics | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition White Balance Adjustment ISO Setting Exposure compensation Self-timer Scene Selection Mode Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) |
| Available also with Samsung S5K2L7 (ISOCELL) Flash type - Quad LED Secondary rear camera - 5 MP Aperture size - f/2.0 (#2) | 720p@120fps |
Front camera
Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity | 4000 mAh | 4100 mAh |
| Type | Li-Ion (Lithium-ion) | Li-polymer |
| 2G talk time | 34 h 2040 min 1.4 days | - |
| 3G talk time | 34 h 2040 min 1.4 days | - |
| Adapter output power | 9 V / 2 A 12 V / 2 A | 5 V / 2 A |
| Characteristics | Fast charging Fixed | Fast charging Fixed |
| - | Battery model: BN43 |
Meizu M6 Note is the company's first smartphone based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. Fans of the company have been waiting for this for many years, because despite the fact that MediaTek chips have become noticeably better in recent years, Qualcomm is “another level.” In addition, the M6 Note is the first member of the Note family to feature a second camera, which is used for portrait mode. Let's see what Meizu did and how competitive the model turns out to be.
The front side of the Meizu M6 Note smartphone is completely borrowed from its predecessors. To be honest, this design is already quite boring, but it is possible that for some it remains relevant.
The back cover has changed. A two-tone LED flash, which consists of four LEDs, was built into the antenna separator above the main camera. The main chamber protrudes above the surface by a fraction of a millimeter, while the additional one, on the contrary, is recessed. Otherwise, it's still the same Meizu. The Type-C connector never appeared; the good old MicroUSB is used for charging and synchronization.
The dimensions of the smartphone are almost the same as its predecessor - 154.6 × 75.2 × 8.35 mm, and weight 173 grams. The build quality is excellent - the phone feels solid. The back cover does not bend.
The device is available in black, blue, silver and gold. At the same time, in gold and silver devices the front will be white, and in the other two – black.
The mTouch fingerprint scanner is fast and accurate, but you have to press a key to activate it.
Screen
The diagonal IPS display is 5.5 inches, Full HD resolution. The maximum brightness of the screen of the test sample was only 193 cd/m², the minimum was 1 cd/m², the measured contrast was 1 in 697. Color accuracy was at a good level; an oleophobic coating was applied to the glass.
We hope that the M6 Note that goes on sale will have brighter screens (at least not worse than those of ) - otherwise, a maximum brightness of less than 300 cd/m² should be considered a critical “minus”, because the smartphone will be inconvenient to use in bright sun. 
Hardware platform
The prayers of many Meizu smartphone users were heard and in the M6 Note we see Qualcomm Snapdragon 625. Yes, this is not the most powerful chip, but it has a good performance/battery life ratio.
The market is full of devices with this processor, so we won’t dwell on benchmark performance. I will say one thing - Meizu did not spoil the chip and it gives the expected scores in the tests.
In total, the M6 Note is available in three versions: 3/16, 3/32 and 4/64 GB of memory. Built-in memory standard eMMC 5.1. We have a golden mean on the test - 3/32. Don't forget that you can use a microSD memory card instead of a second SIM.
The performance is enough for those users who do not play demanding games at maximum graphics settings. 
The quality of signal reception, the volume of the speaker and the microphone did not cause any comments. The multimedia speaker is loud.
operating system
The device was released on Android 7.1.2 Nougat, but it is heavily camouflaged with the proprietary Flyme 6 shell. The test device has Flyme 6.0G firmware installed. The letter G means that this is an international firmware, in which Google services will be immediately pre-installed.
The interface works quickly and smoothly. The Flyme 6 shell looks stylish and is not overloaded with unnecessary functions.
Cameras
Main camera 12 MP (Sony IMX362 or Samsung 2L7), ƒ/1.9. One of the main features of the phone is the second main camera, which is used for portrait mode. It has a resolution of 5 megapixels with an aperture value of ƒ/2.0. The maximum video recording resolution is 4K. At first glance, the characteristics are not bad, but we'll see what happens in practice.
The standard Camera application has many settings, ranging from filter selection to a completely manual mode, in which you can not only adjust the white balance, but also set the shutter speed to 20 seconds, which, under favorable weather conditions and the presence of a tripod, will allow you to capture the starry sky.
Regarding the quality of the pictures, we can say that everything is as usual - during the day and in good lighting conditions the pictures are not very good, but not bad, but in the dark or in a dim room, the rough work of the noise reduction is immediately noticeable.
HDR mode tends to produce highly oversaturated images. Some people might like it, but from our point of view it looks like someone doesn't know how to use a photo editor.
Portrait mode often requires you to manually specify the focus point, automatic detection often does not work accurately. In terms of quality, the main problem is the rough processing of the contours of objects in the foreground.
Front camera 16 MP with ƒ/2.0 aperture. The picture quality is average, especially indoors.
Examples of video recording in 4K and Full HD.
Autonomy
The capacity of the built-in battery is 4000 mAh, which, when paired with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor, allows the least active user to forget where the charger is for a day or two. If you like to play games and watch videos at maximum brightness, then you will need to try to discharge your phone in a day. Due to the fact that our sample had a maximum brightness of only 193 cd/m², the PCMark Work 2.0 battery life test ran at 100% brightness.
In the last few months, the life of Meizu, one of the largest Chinese smartphone manufacturers, has been filled with very remarkable events. 2018 marks the company's fifteenth anniversary, which will undoubtedly lead to many events dedicated to this date. In addition, last fall Meizu presented its first smartphone based on a single-chip system manufactured by Qualcomm. Yes, dear friends, as you may have guessed, the topic of today’s article will be a review of the fresh Meizu M6 Note.
Experienced readers of our resource know that MediaTek was previously the main supplier of processors for Meizu. However, no matter how successful their processors were in terms of price-performance ratio, they could not come close to the new Snapdragon in terms of power and energy efficiency. Now Meizu and Qualcomm have settled all their differences, and this gives Snapdragon processors the long-awaited green light.
How did the extraordinary new product from Meizu turn out? What features does it have and do it need special instructions? We will try to find answers to these and many other questions in today’s material. Let's go over the parameters, and also separately consider all the main components of any smartphone based on operating system Android. In general, we present to your attention our review of the Meizu M6 Note and wish you a pleasant reading.
The smartphone is delivered in a very standard and particularly unremarkable white cardboard box. If you don’t know that the box contains a device from Meizu, then from a distance it’s quite possible to confuse it with the packaging of any other vendor mobile phones, who also prefers a discreet style. Nevertheless, the packaging materials themselves do not cause any complaints; the cardboard is thick and does a good job of protecting the gadget from light mechanical damage.
The contents of the kit are also quite standard for a mid-budget representative of the first echelon of Chinese brands. In other words, the smartphone’s equipment is very meager and contains only the most necessary things. So, in addition to the main device, we also managed to find in the box:
- Charger.
- Cable for micro-USB connection.
- A paperclip for removing SIM cards.
- Accompanying documentation.
Design and ergonomics
The first thing you think about when you look at the brand new Meizu M6 Note smartphone is that Meizu does not change itself. Indeed, the design of the new device, so to speak, is as “standard” as possible and is similar to many other devices of the company that were released earlier. Some might say that in this way Meizu’s devices become distinctive and well-recognized. Perhaps this is so, but it seems to us that the approach that the company took when creating the Pro 7 is more correct, that is, a maximum departure from the same type and an attempt to bring something new and original to the industry.
Nevertheless, it is worth giving designers Maze credit for the fact that in each new smartphone They still try to add some “zest” that would make the device individual, and not leave it as a faceless, same-type representative of the model range. In Meizu Pro 6, the ring flash served as such a bright small element; in the M6 Note, the flash is inserted as a thin line into the plastic strip of the top antenna, which we have never seen before. The phone also features an elegant, soft rounding of the edges on the back cover, thanks to which the phone lies very comfortably and confidently in the palm of your hand, as well as a thin chamfer that is located on the side.
Traditionally for mid-budget Meizu smartphones, the M6 Note is made as an all-metal candy bar, the front is completely covered with a hardened protective glass, processed using 2.5D technology. The phone is assembled to a very high quality; during testing we did not notice any backlash or squeaks. Tempered glass also fully copes with its function, and if you do not set out to deliberately scratch it, then it is still quite for a long time will look like new. As for tactile sensations, the metal is slightly rough, but very pleasant to the touch; fingerprints on the back wall, although they remain, are very subtle. The phone comes in four colors: black, silver, gold and blue. We managed to hold several devices in our hands, and it was the gold and blue shades that seemed most “tasty” to us.
In terms of placement of functional elements on a smartphone, everything is mostly standard. On the front panel above the screen we have a speaker, front camera, a light indicator and a set of other sensors, and under the screen we find a multifunctional mTouch button, which also has a built-in fast fingerprint scanner. But back panel almost empty. In addition to the LED flash already mentioned today, we are also looking at two camera modules, which we are yet to talk about in more detail. One of them rises slightly above the body by literally a couple of millimeters, and the second, on the contrary, is placed flush with the body and even slightly buried in it, somewhat reminiscent of one of the options for placing a fingerprint sensor.
No matter how much we would like to repeat the same things once again, unfortunately, in the context of information about functional elements, we are forced to once again talk about the side faces. Everything here is completely standard for lovers of smartphones based on the Android operating system. On the right side of the M6 there is a power/lock button, as well as a volume key. On the left side we traditionally have a hybrid tray for two nano SIM cards or one SIM card and a micro-SD memory card.
At the top end of the smartphone there is only a hole for the active noise reduction microphone. But on the bottom edge we can see the main speaker grille, a micro-USB port and a standard 3.5 mm jack for connecting headphones, which Meizu does not refuse even under the influence of modern trends, and for which we thank her very much.
Screen
Meizu M6 Note is equipped with a high-quality 5.5-inch IPS display with Full resolution HD (1920x1080 pixels) and pixel density 403 ppi. If we judge the quality of the screen in comparison with other smartphones in the same price category, then we must admit that it turned out to be more than worthy. The colors are bright and at the same time moderately saturated, the colors are reproduced correctly and seem natural. In general, the color gamut of the screen is very close to sRGB and almost completely repeats the famous triangle.
By default, the smartphone settings are set to the average color temperature, but thanks to a special proprietary application, you can adjust the temperature to cooler or warmer shades at your discretion. The viewing angles are no less pleasing. Although good readability at large viewing angles remains a feature of IPS matrices, the M6 is especially pleased in this regard. Even at the most extreme angles, the picture practically does not fade and does not slide into outright whiteness. Inversion or purple shades also do not show themselves.
According to the passport data, the maximum brightness of a smartphone should correspond to the level of 450 cd/m2. This is a very good result, but it seemed to us that this value was not achieved either in manual mode or in auto-adjustment mode. In bright sunlight, the screen fades significantly and becomes difficult to read, which should not happen at a brightness of 450 nits. Having looked at the test results from our colleagues, we were able to make sure that in many devices the real value of maximum brightness does not reach the declared value and on average is at a level of approximately 360-380 nits, which, of course, is not good. Nevertheless, the anti-reflective coating is present and does its job well. So, although with reservations, you can still use the M6 Note on a sunny day.
The M6 Note screen has no air gap and is fully laminated. The test shows support for multi-touch up to ten touches, the display is quite sensitive, the clicks are triggered accurately and quickly. There is also a high-quality oleophobic coating, the finger glides across the screen confidently, fingerprints are reluctant to collect on the glass, but even those that accumulate can subsequently be very easily removed with a regular napkin.
Performance and autonomy
On the test we had a Meizu M6 Note M721H 32 Gb and in terms of performance it still managed to please us. As we already mentioned at the beginning of the article, the single-chip system produced by Qualcomm is responsible for this parameter in the M6, or, to be more precise, the Snapdragon 625. And here a very funny situation arises when talking about the performance of a smartphone is very simple and at the same time not. For Meizu, this is a completely extraordinary event; the processor is used for the first time on a company device and this should be covered in detail. On the other hand, this processor has been used for a long time; we have encountered it on many other devices. Both we and you already know almost everything possible about this “stone”. It’s hard to think of what to tell you about him so that it becomes at least a little new information for you.
In this regard, today we will not list detailed technical specifications processor, but let’s turn to our subjective feelings about its operation on the M6 Note. In the main menu of the smartphone, as expected, everything is quite smooth. Animations are smooth, transitions between applications and screens occur very quickly, while the processor is in background remains practically unloaded. With more complex tasks, it’s about the same story; the video is played without lags, and the smartphone can handle both 720p and 1080p quality equally easily. Surfing the Internet is also a pleasure; the phone has no problems both when working with one tab and when working with many open pages, despite its old age, “stone” is still quite good in multi-threaded performance.
As for gaming applications, not everything is as perfect as we would like. On the M6 Note, you won't be able to run any game and set the graphics settings to maximum without thinking. In many modern projects, to achieve a stable 60 frames per second, you will have to compromise and select medium-high quality settings. I was very pleased with the ability to select from the maximum and balanced performance modes in the phone menu, as well as apply a special game mode, in which you will not be bothered by pop-ups. In the benchmarks, the smartphone did not present any surprises and scored approximately the same number of points as other devices based on the Snapdragon 625. Thus, in everyone’s favorite AnTuTu benchmark, the phone scored 63,378 points, and in Geekbench 4, respectively, 858 points for single-threaded performance and 4,243 points for multi-threaded mode.
| Benchmark | Meizu M6 Note (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625) |
Sony Xperia XA1 (MediaTek MT 6757) |
HTC One X10 (MediaTek (MT6755) |
Huawei Nova 2 (HiSilicon Kirin 659) |
Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus (Qualcomm Snapdragon 625) |
| AnTuTu (v6.x) | 63378 | 61638 | 50597 | 60485 | 62955 |
| GeekBench (v4.x) | 858/4243 | 814/3518 | 757/2071 | 904/3513 | 872/4311 |
Due to the fact that we have long been accustomed to seeing mainly 3000 or 3200 milliamp-hour batteries in Meizu phones, the M6 Note was able to surprise us. The smartphone under review is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 4000 thousand milliampere hours, which is quite a lot in modern realities. No matter how much we tormented our test device, we managed to discharge it to zero by the end of the day under moderate load only a few times. Basically, under normal operating conditions, a smartphone can easily survive for about a day and a half, and with a more gentle usage scenario, a smartphone can easily last up to two days. As for testing with a certain type of task, with the M6 Note you can easily count on 15 hours in reading mode, about 10 hours when watching videos and about 5 and a half hours in modern games.
Multimedia capabilities
In terms of sound, the M6 Note is practically no different from other mid-budget smartphones powered by Qualcomm processors. The sound from the external speaker is quite loud, but the lack of stereo makes itself felt. Despite its strength, the sound is still too flat and does not adequately cover the entire audio range. When using headphones - fortunately the manufacturer took care of the presence of a 3.5 mm jack - the situation improves significantly. The sound begins to take on character, becoming much richer and deeper. The M6 Note is unlikely to be suitable for true music connoisseurs, but for those who simply don’t mind reclining on the sofa during long evenings with their favorite selection of tracks, it will do just fine.
The Meizu M6 Note camera is a separate matter. This time, Meizu decided to keep up with market trends and used a dual-camera solution in its new device, and, looking ahead, I would like to say that this solution turned out to be very successful. The main camera is a Sony IMX362 module with a resolution of 12 megapixels, six lenses and an f/1.9 aperture. The second camera is equipped with a 5-megapixel Samsung 2L7 sensor, has five lenses and an f/2.0 aperture. As always in such duos, all responsibility for filming falls on a stronger camera with higher resolution. At the same time, the second camera is designed to create high-quality background blur when shooting in portrait mode, and is also designed to help the smartphone increase focusing speed in low-light conditions.
Considering that the Meizu M6 Note belongs to the class of mid-budget devices, to say that it shoots quite well is to say nothing. If you look at example photos and don’t know that they were taken on an M6, you might well think that they were shot on a much more expensive camera. The smartphone works great with color and white balance, detail and sharpness are also at a very high level. But what surprised us most was the night shooting. Thanks to high-aperture optics and good focusing, you can see many small details in the frame, while there is virtually no digital noise, which is very unusual for this class of devices. The smartphone also has the ability manual settings some parameters. For example, you can finely adjust the shutter speed from one thousandth to 20 seconds, adjust the ISO from 100 to 3200, and also select the focusing and white balance parameters.
The main camera of the M6 Note can record video in 4K format at 30 frames per second. The quality is excellent and pleases about the same as the photo. However, here, unlike photography, you feel to a much greater extent that the smartphone is actually far from a flagship. Due to the lack of stabilization, the picture looks a little shaky, and the sound recording is not the best strong point of this device.
But the front camera did not disappoint at all. It has a resolution of 16 megapixels and f/2.0 aperture, which is not so often found in devices of this category. Thanks to high resolution, the image is clear and rich in detail. Of course, there are also various modes for beautifying and improving facial texture. Selfie lovers will surely be pleased.
Software shell
Meizu M6 Note operates on the basis of operating Android systems 7.1.2 and the proprietary Flyme 6 shell. Let us immediately note that talking about software shells is a kind of conversation about tastes, and, as you know, there is no arguing about tastes. The evaluation of the shell largely depends not on objective advantages, but on the preferences of specific people or on how accustomed the user is to a particular shell. So, some are strongly in favor of pure Android, while others may not imagine life without Flyme or, for example, MIUI.
Nevertheless, there is no escape from objective reality, and each shell has a certain set of qualities. Thus, Flyme 6 stands out among other software shells by the absence of a separate list of applications, as in many other systems from China, all application icons are placed directly on the desktop. The second distinctive feature of the system, perhaps, should be the very wide possibilities for customization. You can change almost anything at your discretion: wallpaper, various themes, icon and font sizes, status bar, customize automatic activation screen and much more.
Flyme 6 supports several modes. A simplified operating mode is available, which increases the size of interface elements and fonts, a children's mode, which imposes restrictions on the use of some applications, and a guest mode, which limits the amount of traffic and access to personal data. Another advantage of the Meizu shell is the wide range of gestures that can be used to unlock your smartphone, control your music player, launch certain programs and applications, as well as many other uses.
On the M6 Note, the proprietary shell works smoothly, everything is adjusted and configured to a very high quality. During operation, we did not have any problems with bugs, “brakes” or freezes. You can argue as much as you like about the advantages or disadvantages of competitors' software shells, but the fact that Meizu has done a great job with Flyme cannot be denied.
