Meizu M8c review - a fast smartphone with two drawbacks

Note: the review and operating experience of the MEIZU M8 is current at the time of publication. Some information is a free translation into Russian

The new generation Internet phone Meizu M813H is designed to bring users a huge amount of surprise and joy.

— PDF file “MEIZU M813H User Manual” (p. 2)

MEIZU M8 is one of the affordable latest smartphones from MEIZU , which provides the user with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, modern technologies and functions.

Specifications

• Model: M813H
• Release year: 2018
• Operating system: Flyme 7.1.6.0G
• Android Version: 8.1.0
• Android security patch: October 1, 2019
• Housing: all metal
• Black color
• Display: 5.7″, 18:9, in-cell, 2.5D, 1440x720 pixels (HD+), 282PPI, NTSC 83%, contrast 1000:1, brightness 450 nits
• Chipset: MediaTek Helio P22
• Processor: 8-core, 64-bit, 12nm FinFET, ARM® Cortex®-A53, 4 cores @ up to 2.0 GHz and 4 cores @ 1.5 GHz
• Graphics chip: IMG PowerVR GE8320, 520MHz
• RAM: 4GB, LPDDR3
• Data storage memory: 64GB
• Memory card: 128GB, supports MicroSD memory cards up to 128GB
• Main dual camera: 12MP (5-element lens) + 5MP (3-element lens), ƒ/2.2 aperture, portrait mode, continuous shooting, panoramic shooting, dual two-color flash, ArcSoft noise reduction algorithm, support for video recording in 1080p quality
• Front camera: 5MP, 4-element lens, ƒ/1.9 aperture, fast AI face recognition, ArcSoft self-portrait editor, real-time skin editing, Face AE technology
• SIM: 2 Nano-SIM
• Network: 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE) GSM: B2, B3, B5, B8
• WCDMA: B1, B2, B4, B5, B8
• TD-SCDMA: B34, B39
• CDMA: BC0
• TDD-LTE: B40
• FDD-LTE: B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B7, B8, B20

Review of the Meizu M8 smartphone: a modern budget hit?

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Specifications
• Packaging and equipment
• Appearance and design
• Display
• Hardware platform and performance
• Software and firmware
• Safety
• Multimedia
• Wireless Interfaces and Communications
• File system
• Battery life
• Camera
• Comparison with competitors
• Conclusion

Introduction

Not long ago, we introduced readers to the flagship model Meizu 16th and its “light” version Meizu 16.
They deservedly received positive ratings for their balanced characteristics and high quality workmanship. However, along with the top versions, ]Meizu[/anchor] also offers more affordable smartphones. And today we will talk about exactly this.

Our laboratory received the Meizu M8 model, which is already on sale. We will take a closer look at the new product and try to understand how smart a decision it would be to purchase.

First, let's take a look at the technical specifications.

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Meizu M8 review: technical specifications

*Price recommended by the manufacturer.
In the best Meizu traditions, the device is built on a MediaTek processor. Although the overall balance of characteristics is pleasing. There are no noticeable lags in any of the parameters; only the low resolution of the display makes it possible to accurately determine the price category of the new product.

Meizu M8 review: packaging and accessories

The cardboard box has a traditional design and high quality workmanship. There is no need to worry about the safety of the contents.

The cover is made in blue with a white manufacturer's logo and model designation. There are no more design elements visible.

The back side is reserved for identification information and brief information about the technical characteristics of the smartphone.

Inside we are greeted by the smartphone itself. It is protected by transport films and fixed in place.

The set of accessories is housed in a separate small box located under the smartphone. The scope of delivery is standard, without any additional bonuses. However, this is typical for budget smartphones of this brand.

The package includes:

• Power adapter;
• USB to microUSB cable;
• A key-clip for removing the slot for SIM cards and memory cards;
• Documentation.

The quality of the packaging does not raise any complaints. Everything is neatly and carefully packaged, the manufacturer’s responsible approach is felt. There are no special solutions here, but the main thing is that the packaging copes with its direct tasks - protecting the contents. And the design was in the spirit of modern fashion for minimalism.

Meizu M8 review: appearance and design

The traditional candy bar with a touch screen is made of metal. The housing is carefully assembled and has high rigidity under bending or torsion loads. The front panel is covered with protective glass with an oleophobic coating and rounded edges.

At the top there is a standard set of elements - an earpiece, a front camera lens and light/proximity sensors. Instead of minimizing the side frames as much as possible, the manufacturer relied on conciseness and symmetry - the upper and lower frames are of the same thickness.

The ends are a constructive continuation of the back cover. Thanks to the rounded corners, the smartphone is comfortable to hold with one hand. The top edge remained free, with microUSB and AUX connectors located below, as well as the main speaker and conversational microphone.

The configuration of the side faces is absolutely standard. On the left is a hybrid slot for two nano-SIM and a memory card, and on the right are mechanical volume and power control buttons.

The lid is made of all-metal with a matte surface. This solution allowed us to achieve maximum practicality, since the surface is pleasant to the touch and is not at all prone to collecting fingerprints.

All elements are lined up in the center. At the top we see a two-color LED flash, below is a dual camera lens and a fingerprint scanner. There are no elements at the bottom of the lid, with the exception of the manufacturer's logo.

The case pleased me with the quality of workmanship and pleasant materials. Although the smartphone belongs to the budget price segment, nothing gives it away. Many will be pleased by the absence of a unibrow at the top of the display and the overall design, which does not openly repeat more famous models.

Meizu M8 review: display test

The use of a 5.7-inch display with an aspect ratio of 18:9 made the smartphone compact enough and easy to use with one hand. The resolution is 1440 x 720 pixels. The final pixel density is 282 ppi. This is not the highest figure, but it is enough for comfortable everyday use.

Viewing angles are as wide as possible, there are no stray flares or changes in contrast at angles.

Black color has bluish and pinkish tints - a typical picture for budget displays.

There were no complaints about the white color from the point of view of subjective impressions. But the camera showed some illumination unevenness. However, this does not have a noticeable impact on the overall impressions.

Using a colorimeter, we measured the backlight brightness in various modes and tested the quality of the factory color rendering calibration.

The brightness range is wide. Although the maximum level is not the highest, it is enough for comfortable use in sunny weather. The use of a high-quality matrix with light filters played a role here.

The graphs almost completely coincided with the reference value, uniting into one common line. The indicator is good.

There is a noticeable jump in indicators. Color accuracy may be affected under certain conditions. However, this may only appear at a certain moment and is unlikely to attract attention.

A similar picture is observed on the color temperature graph - at a certain moment it can decrease, making the shades “warmer”.

The color range is more typical for AMOLED screens than for traditional IPS. This is expressed in an excess of green shades. When compared with more precisely tuned matrices, this difference may be noticeable, but not during everyday use.

The points of the gray wedge are located at some distance from the boundaries of the delta - parasitic shades, if present, their number will be insignificant and will not create discomfort.

To better match color rendering to specific user needs, color temperature adjustment is available.

Overall, the display performed well. At the basic resolution there is sufficient brightness margin and high contrast is provided. There are questions about the quality of color rendering calibration, but they appear more on the graphs than in real life.

Meizu M8 review: hardware platform and performance

Although many modern Meizu smartphones are based on Qualcomm processors, our hero is not one of them. The MediaTek Helio P22 is used here. This is a modern eight-core processor with a maximum clock frequency of up to 2.0 GHz. It is built using a 12 nm process technology, is equipped with a PowerVR Rogue GE8320 graphics chip and supports artificial intelligence technologies.

The amount of RAM is 4 GB. No other modifications are provided.

Let's turn to various benchmark applications and try to evaluate the level of performance of our hero.

Yes, you shouldn’t expect flagship performance from an affordable device, but it doesn’t seem slow either. In everyday use and under standard loads, it does not seem that the smartphone is working at its limit. Although problems may arise with modern and resource-intensive games, in most cases they can be resolved by lowering the graphics settings. In this case, it makes sense to use HD display resolution, because it creates less load on the processor.

Using stability tests, we will look at the quality of optimization of the hardware platform and evaluate its tendency to heat up under load.

Ultimately, we can state an almost complete lack of tendency to heat up. Even under prolonged use, the case remains barely warm, effectively dissipating what little heat the processor generates.

Although many criticize MediaTek processors, this solution has proven to be very, very good. Stable performance is ensured, a good level of multitasking is provided, and there is practically no heating of the case even under prolonged loads. Although you shouldn’t expect any miracles, and a budget smartphone remains a budget smartphone, there are no complaints about the quality of its direct tasks.

Meizu M8 review: software and firmware

The new product runs on the Android 8.1 operating system with the proprietary FlymeOS shell. This shell is actually its own operating system, as it completely changes the interface and functionality of the system.

This shell is installed on all current Meizu smartphones and is well known to our readers from previous reviews. And we will not dwell on its detailed study.

We note the good smoothness of operation, a fairly developed system for setting various parameters and compliance with modern trends. For example, you can abandon traditional touch buttons in favor of a proprietary mBack button or gesture control.

Modern trends dictate the fashion for attention to the protection of personal data stored in a smartphone. But we'll talk about this in the next section.

Meizu M8 review: security

Since almost the entire front panel is occupied by the display, the traditional fingerprint scanner is located at the back. It is easily detected by touch thanks to its traditional placement and noticeable recessing into the body.

The scanner is controlled through the corresponding item in the settings - everything is standard here. You can save multiple prints for greater convenience.

Using the scanner, you can unlock the smartphone itself, certain applications or a special data storage. There are no complaints about the operation of this module - everything works as quickly and correctly as possible. A split second is enough for the scanner to read the fingerprint and, recognizing the owner, to unlock.

A more modern way of unlocking is by face. This function is implemented on the basis of the front camera with the resulting features. So, with sufficient lighting, the smartphone very quickly recognizes the owner and unlocks the device. And with a lack of light, difficulties can arise.

The facial recognition system can unlock not only a smartphone, but also applications or data storage. Each of these features can be separately activated or disabled in the settings.

We have already mentioned the data warehouse. This is a separate folder with password access or the functions described above, storing data in encrypted form. Here you can copy confidential and personal data that you want to further protect from unauthorized access.

If you plan to give your smartphone to an unauthorized person for use, you can activate guest mode with limited access to personal data and files, as well as allow or deny outgoing calls and messages.

To organize your space, hidden from others, personal mode is well suited. It is accessed using a specific fingerprint or password.

Here you can store personal files that will be hidden in other modes of use.

In standard use mode, you can protect certain applications. Then to launch them you will need to enter a password, use a fingerprint scanner or the face unlock function. For example, you can protect instant messengers and other applications with personal information.

Meizu M8 review: multimedia

The Antutu Video Tester application traditionally helps to determine our hero’s “omnivorousness” regarding various video formats.

Traditionally, Meizu smartphones support the largest possible list of formats. The heritage of the company, distinguished by the multimedia focus of its products, can be traced.

The built-in video player is convenient and has all the necessary functions; you will hardly have to look for a replacement for it.

The music player is convenient and understandable. It is standard for the FlymeOS shell and has all the necessary functionality.

Various software settings are available to fine-tune your sound.

Using an ASUS Xonar U7 sound card with a recording signal-to-noise ratio of 113 dB, we conducted software testing of the sound quality in headphones. The signal level during calibration was -0.8 dB.

As you can see, the test results were positive. And subjective sensations really confirm them. The device has a sufficient volume reserve and is able to provide clear sound with a fairly wide frequency range. There is no pronounced lack of highs or lows.

For the vast majority, the sound will seem excellent, but to identify any serious shortcomings you will need headphones comparable in cost to the smartphone itself. In such cases, you should still take a closer look at more advanced smartphones.

Meizu M8 review: wireless interfaces and communications

Traditionally, affordable models have only a basic set of communication tools. Two nano-SIM are installed in a common slot, the second takes the place of a memory card.

In the settings you can configure the operating modes of each SIM card depending on your preferences.

In the conditions of Moscow and the surrounding Moscow region, the device performed well in terms of communication stability. There were no dips or reduction in signal where other smartphones provided reliable communication.

The phone application is typical for FlymeOS and has a user-friendly interface with all the necessary functionality.

Navigation testing was carried out in position determination mode using all available sources. The cold start took a few seconds, after which several satellites belonging to different navigation systems were connected.

But the use of a Wi-Fi module capable of operating in the 2.4 and 5 GHz bands and Bluetooth version 5.0 is atypical for smartphones in this price range. I am glad that modern technologies are gradually becoming available in the budget segment. Maybe we will soon see an NFC module with support for contactless payments?

Meizu M8 review: file system

The main memory capacity is 64 GB. There are no other versions available, and you can increase this space using a memory card. However, it is worth considering that for this you will have to abandon the use of a second SIM.

The speed of the file system was tested using the AndroBench application.

Its own file manager has quite a wide range of functionality. Thus, here access to protected storage is provided and work with file archives is supported. The application itself is clear, convenient and functional.

Meizu M8 review: battery life

The capacity of the non-removable battery is 3,100 mAh - not so much. Nevertheless, this is a good indicator, especially considering the not-so-top equipment of our hero. Also, the FlymeOS shell is quite energy-saving. However, it is too early to draw conclusions.

First, let's look at the results of software testing of autonomy.

But it was not possible to display the final result, which was about 17 hours, in the Geekbench 3 application - there was no connection between the application and the server. But there is a screenshot taken during the testing process, which shows a solid result.

And here are the indicators we were able to achieve in our laboratory.

The discharge graph shows a fairly stable loss of charge without sudden drops or jumps. Interestingly, the load on the smartphone consistently remained slightly lower than 80%, although it is usually 100%. Apparently, this is due precisely to the peculiarities of the energy saving settings of the software shell.

In the settings, a separate section is allocated for monitoring and managing battery operation. Here you can monitor the condition of the battery and an approximate forecast of operating time, as well as manage energy saving modes.

The included power adapter is standard for all Meizu smartphones that do not support fast charging. The output current is up to 2 A.

The autonomy of Meizu M8 is at a fairly high level. If you don't spend hours playing games or watching videos on the Internet, you can count on several days of work without recharging. The most important thing is that even with active use, the user has energy reserves for the whole day and even a little more.

Meizu M8 review: camera

The budget device received affordable camera modules. The front camera is single, with a resolution of 5 megapixels, equipped with a lens of four lenses. The aperture of this lens is f/1.9. The main camera received two modules – 12 and 5 megapixels. In her case, the aperture of each lens is f/2.2, but the main one is made of five lenses, and the additional one is made of three.

The camera application is typical for all smartphones with FlymeOS; you won’t find anything new here.

You can evaluate the quality of the cameras using the sample images presented below.

Meizu M8 camera test

Example of a photo from the front camera:

Examples of pictures from the main camera (street):

2x zoom:

Portrait mode with background blur:

Examples of pictures from the main camera (indoors):

Video example:

The cameras showed good results by the standards of the segment, providing good image sharpness and high operating speed in general. The device focuses quickly and accurately and spends a minimum of time processing photos.

Meizu M8 review: comparison with competitors

Recently, the budget segment of the smartphone market has been replenished with interesting new products from various brands. Let's see how the Meizu M8 looks against their background and compare it with its closest competitors.

*Price recommended by the manufacturer.
The compatriot of the review hero – Xiaomi Mi A2 Lite – runs on the standard version of Android and is based on a mid-level Qualcomm SoC. It has a higher resolution and display diagonal. A good option for those who like to save money.

And the battery capacity is larger, which is reflected in the weight and thickness of the case. Interestingly, only a modification with 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of main memory is available in the manufacturer’s official store.

ASUS Zenfone Max (M2), recently presented in Moscow, looks like a very attractive offer. At more or less the same cost, it is able to offer a Qualcomm processor and a display with a larger diagonal.

The memory capacities are similar, and you can save money and purchase a lower version. And this turns out to be a justified decision, because the lack of main memory is easily compensated by installing a memory card in a separate slot. Among other advantages are better autonomy results.

If you don’t want to pay a large sum, but want a device from a famous brand, you can consider the Samsung Galaxy A6+. Its price is higher, but the smartphone has something to offer besides the famous logo on the body. Including a budget but modern Qualcomm processor, 3 GB of RAM and 32 GB of main memory.

The larger diagonal display has Full HD+ resolution and is based on a SuperAMOLED matrix. The camera resolution is also noticeably higher; In addition, this model was the only one on our list that supports contactless payments via the NFC module.

Conclusion

Impressions from the hero of the review are ambiguous. On the one hand, Meizu M8 makes good use of every ruble spent and provides a good balance between price and quality. Its advantages include a metal body, a good display and stable software, as well as comfortable everyday use. The level of autonomy, which has become one of the strengths of the new product, will not disappoint.

On the other hand, despite all the advantages, the device does not stand out as something memorable; it is simply a reliable smartphone for a user who needs a tool for solving assigned tasks, and not emotions and impressions. Although if we are talking about a budget device, it is hardly worth counting on everything at once; something will have to be sacrificed.

Pros of Meizu M8:

• High-quality case;
• Stable software;
• Good autonomy;
• Adequate cost.

Disadvantages of a smartphone:

• No fast charging.

Alexey Pashchuk

We express our gratitude to:

• To the official representative office of Meizu in Russia for providing the Meizu M8 smartphone for testing.

Equipment

get acquainted with the contents of the MEIZU M8 in the article MEIZU M8: unpacking the smartphone.

The power adapter and microUSB-USB cable are of good quality and look like new after 6 months. The length of the microUSB-USB cable is 1 m.

But in the MEIZU M813H User Manual (p. 65) the model of the power adapter is indicated - UP1220E , not UP0515E , which was included in the kit.

Where is Meizu M7?

If you are at least a little interested in smartphones and follow the development of models, then you are aware that Meizu showed M6, M6s, then announced M8c and M6T, now M8 has come out, and for some reason they missed M7. Apparently, the Chinese really believe in the lucky number eight, since they took such a step. I have no other arguments. It is easy to get confused in all these designations, especially since the devices are very similar to each other in appearance.

I will say that Meizu M8 is a new inexpensive but powerful smartphone. Of course, by the standards of its class, this is its peculiarity compared to the mass of similar devices.

Appearance

All-metal body and nanoantenna

Meizu M8 is made in an all-metal body, onto which a thin layer of black dye is applied. We focus on elegant, strict color. The antenna design decorates the Meizu M8, and the comfortable weight of 159 grams is another argument in favor of the new smartphone.

— page about MEIZU M8 on the official MEIZU website

The build quality of the smartphone is excellent, not a single part creaks or “plays”. After 6 months of careful use, there is not a single scratch or chip on the back of the smartphone. But a single barely noticeable small stripe appeared due to the fact that the smartphone was often placed in a wooden stand, and this stripe does not rub off. Fingerprints and smudges quickly appear on the back of the smartphone.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

Since the body is all-metal, the side edges are also made of metal, and over time they became a little glossy, which is why the smartphone became slippery. This is especially felt when using a smartphone in the cold.

By the way, on the left side there is a tray for two SIM cards in Nano-SIM format or a SIM card and a microSD memory card. A 128GB memory card works great.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

SIM1 SIM2/TF

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

HL-813-A2

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

On the right side there is a power button and volume buttons, which “do not play” and are pressed like new after 6 months of use.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

There is nothing on the top side edge.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

And on the lower side there is a speaker, a microUSB port, a microphone and a 3.5mm audio jack.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

The speaker is loud and of high quality, so incoming calls and notifications can be clearly heard using the Flyme , which is installed by default in the Flyme 7 .

The microUSB port continues to hold the connected cable tightly after 6 months.

There are also no complaints about the microphone’s performance, since the interlocutors did not complain that it was hard to hear.

The sound in the Marley Positive Vibration and Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Basic is of good quality, the entire range of sound frequencies is present.

On the back of the smartphone there is a double flash, a main dual camera and a fingerprint scanner, and below is the company logo.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

The main dual camera protrudes a little, so when you press the screen, the smartphone wobbles when lying on the table.

Fingerprint scanner - a new level of security

Safety is now not only a necessity, but also a comfort. In 0.2 seconds, the smartphone scans your fingerprint and confirms the phone is unlocked, or the launch of any application that can be protected from unauthorized persons accidentally gaining access to your device.

— page about MEIZU M8 on the official MEIZU website

The fingerprint scanner is conveniently located, so when you take the smartphone in your hand, your index finger is always on the scanner. But it does not always work quickly and accurately when the smartphone screen is turned off, especially if the finger is a little wet or a little dirty, or the smartphone body is cold. When the screen is on, recognition is faster, but this requires additional action.

On the front of the smartphone at the top there are a light and proximity sensor, a notification indicator, an earpiece and a front camera. There is another round hole to the right of the front camera, but there is nothing there.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

Smart brightness control

The screen brightness adapts to changes in the environment, the angle of the smartphone and lighting. The AI-controlled dimming process smoothly changes the brightness of the screen and creates an even more comfortable reading experience.

— page about the Flyme 7 operating system on the official website of the Flyme operating system

The light sensor sometimes makes mistakes when the Auto Brightness , adjusting the brightness as it seems to it. But this can be corrected by manually adjusting the screen brightness.

The proximity sensor also does not work very well - when you put the smartphone against your right ear during a phone conversation, as expected, the screen turns off, but when you put the smartphone against your left ear, the screen either turns off and turns on again, or does not turn off at all. There is a solution to this problem, but it is temporary, because after calibrating, the problem returns after a while:

• open Settings
• Click on the Special section. possibilities
• click on Proximity sensor calibration

But the earpiece works great, helping you hear your interlocutor clearly, even in a busy place.

The notification light in MEIZU M8 is white and not very bright. Do Not Disturb is activated, it does not blink. Very rarely, after reading a notification when the screen is unlocked and turning off the screen, the notification light continues to blink.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

As for convenience, the smartphone fits comfortably in the hand due to its elongated dimensions and small thickness, but it is impossible to reach the opposite edge or corner with one hand. Therefore, the help of a second hand is often necessary so as not to drop the smartphone.

The vibration motor in the smartphone is good, the vibration feels high quality and not “rattling”.

Name an alternative!

There are now a great many inexpensive smartphones in the range of “from 13 to 17 thousand rubles”. Meizu's strong point is good performance, reasonable prices and brand recognition. Still, over many years of hard work on the Russian market, the Chinese manufacturer has proven itself well.

But Meizu is not the only one so persistent. Active promotion of Huawei and Honor models has done its job: there are a lot of smartphones, interesting characteristics and good prices. Take, for example, the same Honor 7X for 17,990 rubles or Huawei P Smart for 13,990 rubles. But there is also Xiaomi and ASUS - and here you are already wondering who to give the money to. Or even look at a model of a higher class and order, for example, the discount Pocophone F1?!

Pocophone F1 review: like Xiaomi Mi 8, but even cheaper

Alexander Pobyvanets

September 25, 2018

In my opinion, if you buy a smartphone now and choose between the Meizu M6s and the new Meizu M8, then I would go with the old model. I liked her better. In terms of characteristics, the phones are comparable, but the Meizu M6s has a more interesting design, the bright blue version is especially chic.

On our website we published a comparative review of Meizu M6s and Xiaomi Redmi 5, I am sharing with you a link to useful material.

Screen

5.7″ HD+ screen: more possibilities

The new Meizu M8 is equipped with a 5.7-inch HD+ display with 18:9 aspect ratio and a color range of 83% NTSC color gamut. The image on the screen looks alive and natural. The maximum display brightness is 450 nits, which allows you to avoid glare and comfortably use your smartphone outdoors in sunny weather. Meizu focuses on the aesthetic component and achieves perfectly rounded corners of the smartphone. 2.5D glass makes operating your smartphone easy and enjoyable.

— page about MEIZU M8 on the official MEIZU website

The modern screen of the MEIZU M8 is of good quality, has excellent color reproduction and viewing angles, but the sensor is not very good, especially at the edges of the screen. Because of this, you often need to press keys on the TouchPal , such as Backspace , Shift , Y , Z , and this becomes annoying when entering a large number of words and symbols. This problem is relevant not only with the system keyboard, but also when using the TouchPal and Gboard .

Also, the animation on the screen becomes “jerky” after the smartphone has been left in a cold place for some time at a temperature of ~ 0°C.

The maximum brightness of the screen in the sun is not enough due to strong reflection, so using the smartphone in sunny weather is not comfortable.

After 6 months of using the smartphone, there is not a single scratch on the screen. But the oleophobic coating on the screen has worn off, and now fingerprints and smears are visible.

Shot on Xiaomi Redmi 4A

There is no protection against false taps on the screen if you hold the smartphone tightly in one hand. Therefore, when flipping through, for example, the feed of pages of a search query in the browser, some page may open by mistake.

What is the price?

The model will appear in Russia in the fall and will replace the Meizu M6s. It went on sale for 16 thousand rubles, during which time the dollar exchange rate changed not for the better for the Russian buyer. Everything goes up in price, as usual, at the end of the year.

It is difficult to evaluate an item without knowing how much money will be asked for it. On the Russian Internet, it is common to take prices for the Chinese market as a basis, and then wonder why everything costs more in Russia. At the same time, for some reason people don’t think about the fact that phones need to be imported, cleared at customs, delivered to stores, and employees need to be paid. In short, you have to include all costs in the price.

Hardware + operating system Flyme 7

Helio processor with 8 cores

The new Meizu M8 smartphone has a modern Helio P22 processor with four high-performance 2.0 GHz cores and four 1.5 GHz cores, which easily copes with any everyday tasks. As for mobile games, the smartphone is also not inferior in performance: the IMG GE8320 graphics processor with a clock frequency of 520 MHz and 4 GB of RAM allow you to play any game, if you have the time and desire.

— page about MEIZU M8 on the official MEIZU website

High performance

The One Mind artificial intelligence engine creates system optimization strategies, ensuring system stability, fast interface operation and ultra-low power consumption. Flawless smartphone performance.

Instant launch

We've optimized over 300 usage scenarios, including fingerprint unlocking, gallery loading, video playback, and app installation. Now the system responds to actions 2-3 times faster.

Dedicated channel

The system automatically analyzes application launch times and how they use resources. If an application takes a relatively long time to open, the system temporarily freezes other concurrent processes to speed up its launch. As a result of self-learning, the system opens a dedicated channel when this application is reopened. This increases the launch speed of frequently used applications by 20%.

— page about the Flyme 7 operating system on the official website of the Flyme operating system

MediaTek Helio P22 chipset Flyme 7 operating system works quickly , the speed of opening applications and web pages, as well as installing applications is fast, but not always lightning fast. But scrolling through the video feed in the YouTube is not smooth, but “slows down.”

When running resource-intensive applications such as Camera , the back of the smartphone becomes slightly warm, which is considered normal:

(6) The device may become warm when used for a long time. This is fine.

— article MEIZU M8: unpacking the smartphone

As for games, together with the IMG PowerVR GE8320 , you can comfortably play the game Real Racing 3 , enjoying smoothness.

System Memory Manager

Intelligent memory management for smooth operation

The system analyzes application processes, automatically freeing memory for optimal system operation. All background data is retained. So you don't have to wait for relaunch when switching between apps.

— page about the Flyme 7 operating system on the official website of the Flyme operating system

MEIZU M8 smartphone has 4GB of RAM, and intelligent memory management does not always have a positive effect on the comfort of using the smartphone. For example, some apps running in the background may close automatically, so when you open them, they restart, and apps in the Play Store in the background if the screen is on. But viewing a feed of posts with video files and GIF images in the VKontakte does not lead to the application freezing, and when opening links and returning to the feed, the VKontakte does not restart, and copying information from one application to another does not restart the previous one .

But the data storage memory, which has a capacity of 64GB, is enough for more than 100 installed applications, provided that all application data, such as downloads, music, photos and videos, if technically possible, are placed on a memory card with a capacity of 128GB. After activating the Flyme 7 Google were installed , which cannot be removed using standard means. And from the standard applications of the Flyme 7 , only Migration .

GPS and GLONASS satellite navigation systems quickly pick up satellites and accurately determine the location, but sometimes they may not follow the navigator's path accurately. And you need to run with the Nike Run+ Club with the screen turned on, otherwise the program will record the distance and speed less than it actually is.

Iron

The budget Meizu M8c received a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor quite appropriate to its status, as well as 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. The latter can be expanded using one of the SIM card slots for a memory card. Those. In this case, the smartphone will no longer be a “dual-SIM” one.

The Meizu M8c cannot be called particularly fast, but there are no special brakes either, unless you put heavy tasks on the device.

This is the moment, by the way, that often amuses me in user reviews. I bought a smartphone for “three kopecks” and am upset that it doesn’t play games at maximum settings.

Meizu M8c is an excellent dialer that also allows you to have smartphone features like Facebook and Instagram. For more serious tasks, it is worth buying more serious smartphones.

The unpleasant thing is that Meizu M8c does not have an NFC chip, so you can’t even dream about paying with a smartphone at supermarket checkouts.

But there is LTE support here. If you are lucky and you live where at least Ukrainian cellular operators carefully simulate the deployment of fourth generation networks, then sometimes you will see the coveted high-speed network icon on the screen.

The sound of a single speaker is unlikely to please those who like to listen to music loudly. The sound in headphones is also mediocre, and the volume reserve is not enough.

If you like to listen to music on the subway, you will have to use some very thick headphones to block out extraneous noise.

In general, this is not a music lover’s smartphone, no matter how you look at it.

Battery

Large and reliable battery

In order to significantly increase the battery life of the smartphone, we installed a 3100 mAh battery, with which Flyme 7 can work with maximum optimization.

— page about MEIZU M8 on the official MEIZU website

On average, one full battery charge is enough for 1-1.5 days of smartphone operation with moderate active use - viewing social networks, traffic jams and navigation in the Yandex.Maps or Yandex.Navigator , reading books in .epub format in the Lithium , “surfing” in Internet through the standard Browser and the Chrome , listening to music in the Apple Music , watching videos in the YouTube , a constant connection to the Internet via Wi-Fi or via a mobile network, as well as with notifications from applications turned on and at a comfortable screen brightness with Auto brightness parameter .

2. It usually takes 2-3 hours to fully charge your phone. This depends on whether the phone is turned on, whether any calls are being made while charging, etc.

— PDF file “MEIZU M813H User Manual” (p. 12)

During charging, the smartphone hardly heats up and does not slow down, so you can use it. From the power adapter and cable included in the kit, the smartphone charges to 100% in ~2-3 hours from 10-20%. The battery charging algorithm itself is a little strange - sometimes it quickly charges up to ~80-90%, and then this 10-20% can take 1-1.5 hours to charge, and sometimes the charging speed is initially slow. And it is somehow impossible to predict this algorithm.

Overnight, the smartphone consumes from 4% to 15% of the charge with applications unloaded from RAM, connected to a Wi-Fi network, active mobile communications and with Do Not Disturb .

Performance and software Meizu M8c

This time, the budget Meizu received a Qualcomm processor, not MediaTek - a quad-core Snapdragon 425 with Adreno 308 video. There are no options for RAM and storage capacity - only 2/16 GB. You can use a memory card only if there is no need for two SIM cards. There are Bluetooth 4.1 and Wi-Fi N standard sensors (2.4 GHz only). But it supports work in LTE networks. There was no place for the NFC sensor. The set is quite typical for this segment of devices.

Let's start with the fact that 16 GB is not enough for the device. I didn’t even get to the point of installing large games when my smartphone demanded that I delete something. That is, those users who need a large number of applications for all occasions will have to “tighten their belts” a little. And you shouldn’t expect much agility; with a rather weak processor and a modest amount of RAM, the gadget sometimes has to “think”, and its work as a whole can be called leisurely.

The test sample has Android 7.1.2 and Flyme OS 6.3.5.0G on top. There is also no menu with all applications, and the overall appearance differs from the “original”. I wouldn’t say that the system is seriously lacking anything; more questions arise about performance rather than functionality. The only thing I didn’t like about the standard settings was the hidden navigation bar, which is inconvenient to “get out” every time. It won’t be difficult to secure it, and it won’t take up any extra space.

Unfortunately, during the test there were some problems and errors in the software. Notifications from instant messengers and social networks did not always appear on time, or did not arrive at all. Also, several times after unlocking, some of the shortcuts on the desktop did not load, and the multitasking menu showed an empty list of running programs. Apparently, the manufacturer will need to improve the software.

Main camera

The main camera is the main source of inspiration

The combination of 12 MP and 5 MP cameras will allow you to create incredible images. Portrait mode keeps getting better, and coupled with a 6-element lens and a large ƒ/2.2 aperture, you're not limited by technical nuances. Even in low light, your photos can look brilliant.

— page about MEIZU M8 on the official MEIZU website

The main camera in Auto and Square produces photos of good quality, with good detail, even with 2x zoom .

There are also the following modes:

• Portrait
• Manually
• Panorama
• Scanner
• Frame by frame
• Slow motion

In Manual , you can adjust Shutter Speed , ISO , Exposure , Focus and White Balance .

Among the features, it is possible to select the Photo Aspect Ratio in Auto and Manual and 2x zoom in Auto , Video , Manual , Single Frame and Square modes .

Examples of photos:

Note: Photos were taken in Auto . The first two photographs are presented in original quality, without processing or compression

2x zoom

When recording video in 1080P , videos are produced with good detail, and autofocus quickly focuses on objects or text. A slight stabilization is also felt. And 2x zoom works even when recording video.

Supported Video Quality:

• 480P (4:3)
• 720P (16:9)
• 1080P (16:9)

How does he take photos?

Meizu M8 is not the company’s first phone with two cameras; for example, let’s remember the Meizu M6 Note of a similar level.

According to first impressions, the camera is not fire, but the sample is raw and early, so for now we’ll wait and see how the final sample will be filmed. Here are some examples on the street: