Xiaomi Black Shark review and smartphone specifications

There were quite a few good gaming phones released last year, including the Razer Phone 2, Honor Play, and Asus ROG Phone. Xiaomi also decided to break off a piece of this pie by introducing the Xiaomi Black Shark gaming sub-brand.

The Chinese giant is not directly involved in the production of Black Shark, but its influence is strong. The top-end specs, included controller and lower price, sound great. But can it all live up to expectations? There's no denying the excellent value for money, although some software issues prevent me from recommending the Black Shark.

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Characteristics of Xiaomi Black Shark

Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone: powerful gaming smartphone for $477

As promised by Xiaomi, the event organized by the Chinese manufacturer together with the Black Shark company became the venue for the debut of a gaming smartphone, the announcement of which can be considered one of the main events of the current month. Looking ahead, it should be noted that the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone model is not at all a hybrid of a smartphone and a portable console, as originally intended, but quite a traditional (in appearance) mobile gadget.

Yes, in visual terms, it boasts an original design on the back side, the design of which has a purely aesthetic function. What makes the smartphone in question a gaming one is, first of all, its flagship characteristics, a set of unique software options and hardware “chips,” as well as a gaming accessory intended for use in a pair of Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone.

Looks normal, inside looks like a game

Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone is positioned as an affordable alternative to the Razer Phone smartphone, and therefore not only avid gamers, but also ordinary users who prefer the classic version of such devices should pay attention to the new product. The gaming smartphone from Xiaomi has a 5.99-inch screen with a resolution of 2160 × 1080 pixels and an aspect ratio of 18:9. Please note that the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone screen refresh rate of 120 Hz, which appears in the materials of some news sites, does not correspond to the real display parameters. Instead of the desired 120 Hz, the user will have to be content with the standard 60 Hz.

But the “filling” of the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone allows us to classify the device as one of the most powerful mobile solutions in its class today. The smartphone is equipped with SoC Snapdragon 845 and 8 GB of RAM, which allowed it to complete the AnTuTu benchmark with a score of 279 thousand conditional points. The authors of the Black Shark Gaming Phone project paid due attention to the problem of Snapdragon 845 throttling due to overheating of the chip during prolonged use. They were helped in this by their own development - a highly efficient liquid cooling system for the mobile processor. Thanks to Water Cooling System technology, the temperature of Qualcomm's flagship SoC was reduced by 8 °C at peak loads.

In addition to the version with 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB UFS 2.1 flash drive, the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone will be available in a simplified version, carrying 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory of the same class.

With a slight movement, an ordinary smartphone turns into a gaming one

But where is the promised adaptation to the needs of hardcore gamers who want to dominate in some PUBG Mobile over players who prefer touch controls without auxiliary peripherals? And here Xiaomi has found a completely compromise solution that allows us to consider the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone a universal device, and not a gadget exclusively for games. We are talking about a plug-in accessory with an analog stick and a trigger on the end, which should turn the smartphone into some kind of portable console running Android.

The module called H66, the prototype for which was the gamepad, interacts with the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone via Bluetooth: you just need to install the smartphone on the side of it, and then synchronize the devices with each other wirelessly. The gamepad, weighing only 40 g, has its own 150 mAh battery (data on capacity also differ, but information about 340 mAh is not true), which is enough for about 3.5 hours of continuous use of the accessory or 30 hours in mode expectations.

Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone as an alternative to non-gaming flagships from leading brands

In addition to all of the above, the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone smartphone has something to boast about for those who do not use their mobile device for entertainment purposes. The specification for the smartphone states the following components:

• dual rear camera, consisting of a main 12-megapixel sensor with an f/1.75 aperture and a pixel size of 1.25 microns and an auxiliary 20-megapixel sensor;
• 20 MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture and 1.0 micron pixel size;
• Pixelworks coprocessor for image processing;
• a fingerprint scanner integrated into the under-screen navigation button;
• Hi-Fi level DAC and stereo speakers;
• 4000 mAh battery with support for fast charging via USB Type-C.

The SHARK button on the Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone is used to activate high-performance gaming mode with one touch. The ability to quickly change the smartphone profile after biometric unlocking is announced. The dimensions of the device are 161.6 × 75.4 × 9.25 mm, and the weight is 190 g. Out of the box, the gadget will receive pre-installed Android 8.x Oreo OS with the JOY UI interface.

The Xiaomi Black Shark Gaming Phone model will go on sale in China from April 20, 2020. The smartphone will be available in black and gray colors. The development company valued the modification with 6/64 GB at $477, and the top version with 8/128 GB will cost approximately $557. The first 50 thousand customers who pre-order a gaming smartphone will receive a branded H66 gamepad for free. Everyone else will have to pay another $28 for it.

Smartphone design

The back of the Xiaomi Black Shark has a unique look that gamers will love. Compared to other phones. Black Shark is like the street racer from The Fast & The Furious - all polycarbonate panels with shimmering green trim. I really liked this look, but many will find it childish.

The front of the phone is more discreet, with a fingerprint scanner, large bezels at the top/bottom and thin on the sides. The smartphone body is made of metal and plastic on the back and glass on the front. The gadget weighs 190 grams and feels durable in your hands. The surface of the back panel is very slippery and scratches easily, so I recommend carrying the device in a case.

The most attractive aspect of the rear panel is the "S" logo, which lights up when there are incoming notifications or calls. On the left side of the Black Shark there is a special Shark Space button that activates the game mode. On the bottom edge there is a USB-C port and one stereo speaker. The second speaker is located at the top. There is no headphone jack, but a USB-C to 3.5 mm adapter is included.

Black Shark package

The Xiaomi Black Shark 128Gb smartphone comes in a thick cardboard package that looks very expensive and premium. The delivery set includes everything the user may need:

• Charger;
• USB Type-C cable;
• An adapter for a 3.5 mm jack, which was abandoned in the gaming smartphone;
• Screen protector and transparent silicone case. Thus, right out of the box the phone is protected from any external influences;
• Key to access the SIM card tray and documentation.

The quality of the packaging is at a consistently high level, and at the same time the manufacturer managed to convey to it the overall style and purpose of the smartphone. One glance is enough to understand that there is an unusual device inside, which you can’t wait to get to know better, which is what we will do.

Middle display

The Xiaomi Black Shark has a 5.99-inch IPS LCD display. Don't expect the 120Hz smoothness of the Razer Phone or the color depth of OLED panels, but the Pixelworks chip does a great job of enhancing image quality.

But the adaptive brightness software does not always work correctly, and sometimes freezes when determining brightness. At this moment, it is impossible to change the brightness even manually.

Black Shark Display

The screen has excellent characteristics for everyday use and games - a large diagonal of 5.99 inches combined with FullHD+ resolution gives a pixel density of 403 ppi. This is a high-quality IPS matrix with natural color reproduction and maximum viewing angles. Even with a significant tilt, contrast and brightness remain at the same level. Individual pixels are not visible even when viewed point-blank. Long before the official announcement of the phone, there were rumors that it could get a 120 Hz screen, but contrary to all expectations, they were not confirmed. Multi-touch supports up to ten simultaneous clicks.

A review of the display of the Xiaomi Black Shark gaming smartphone revealed an excellent brightness reserve. It is enough to maintain readability even on a bright sunny day, and at a low level you can read in the dark without discomfort to the eyes. The color temperature is noticeably high and moves towards cooler shades.

The screen offers everything you need for comfortable work with content, but does not have any features that make it better than competitors. This is just a good screen, which is spoiled only by the factory calibration, in which the colors go towards colder shades. Viewing angles, brightness margin and quality of detail have become its strengths.

Performance

Under the hood of the Black Shark there is an 8-core Snapdragon 845 processor paired with 6/64 GB or 8/128 GB of memory. There is no MicroSD card slot, so I advise you to buy the 128 GB version.

Test results:

• AnTuTu 3DBench: 286,163.
• Geekbench 4 CPU: 2411 single core; 7100 multi-core.
• 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme: 3648 (Vulcan).

The high AnTuTu score puts the Xiaomi Black Shark above the Sony Xperia XZ3, Honor Play and Razer Phone 2, but below the OnePlus 6T and Asus ROG Phone. During testing, I did not notice any performance issues. Apps open smoothly and switching between them is fast.

Fourth place - Redmi Note 7 (from $175)

We have a full review of this new product from Xiaomi. The phone surprised with dust and water protection, a drop-shaped notch, a 48-megapixel camera and a beautiful rear panel.

Another device from the selection that claims to be the best in its price category.

This is not least due to the powerful Snapdragon 660 processor. Although it is already more than four years old, for a device priced under $200 it is simply a godsend. It runs any programs, games (PUBG, Tanks) at high settings.

But yes, of course, its system smoothness is not the same as that of Mi 8 SE.

Peak performance is enough for programs to start very quickly and pages in the browser to load without delay.

If you are an active user, we recommend purchasing the version with 4 GB of RAM. 3 GB is too little in the realities of 2020, when applications can take up 400–600 MB of RAM while running in the background.

What about games?

I ran Fortnite, PUBG Mobile and Shadowgun Legends. The gaming Black Shark coped with them without straining. The phone has a water cooling system similar to the Pocophone F1. During a long session of Shadowgun Legends, the gadget got a little warm, however, this did not affect performance or make it uncomfortable to use.

An excellent addition to the Xiaomi Black Shark smartphone is the built-in Bluetooth controller, which is securely fixed at the top. Thanks to this controller, games become more fun and easier to control. Not all games support the controller. It did not work in Fortnite, and the game launched with the error “An unknown device is connected.” Shadowgun Legends also experienced calibration issues, resulting in incorrect performance. Things are best with PUBG Mobile. The Black Shark controller is the best way to play PUBG and I think it was designed with the game in mind.

Design and appearance

Gaming smartphones always differ in design. The first Razer Phone had a truly huge body, and all Asus ROG models looked like they were assembled by the Klingons from the Star Trek series. Therefore, Black Shark has an appearance that immediately lets you know that it was created for gamers.

The appearance of Xiaomi Black Shark 3 contains elements that are usually found on system units of gaming computers. For example, there is a full-fledged RGB backlight, and at the back there are two diamond-shaped protrusions: one for the main camera module, the second for the magnetic connector through which charging occurs.

RGB backlights rarely look good not only on phones, be it a gaming PC or a laptop - the only exception is keyboards. Typically, such a design leads to a sharp increase in price, and the gadget itself becomes like a children's toy. All of the above applies to the Black Shark 3, which in its pretentiousness is second only to the ROG Phone 2. At least the backlight here allows us to easily see notifications.

On the side there is a switch that activates the Shark Space 3.0 function. This is a special shell necessary for working with connected gaming accessories, for broadcasting games and creating special profiles in certain applications. The function is useful, but it would be nice if the key could be assigned to other actions, such as turning on quiet mode.

There is no official IP protection against water here. This is normal for smartphones with a relatively reasonable price, because you have to pay for such features. Luckily, even without an IP rating, the Black Shark 3 feels very durable - just like the old Nokia Lumia, if you drop the phone on the floor, it's unclear which one will get the most. However, you should not swim with the device. The entire set is completed by an under-screen fingerprint scanner. It works as it should - it never slows down or makes mistakes.

Shark mode

Shark Game Mode is activated by pressing the Shark Space button on the left side of the phone. -Enabling it ends all active processes and turns off notifications, allowing you to fully concentrate on games. The mode's interface is impressive. The green and black aesthetic matches the style.

Turning on Shark turns your smartphone into a portable gaming console. Unfortunately, this often happens without your consent due to accidentally pressing the Shark Space button, even when you simply take the gadget out of your pocket. This creates real problems, as it disables all standard phone functions.

Cameras Xiaomi Black Shark

Black Shark is equipped with a dual camera consisting of a main 12-megapixel lens with dual-pixel PDAF and an additional 20-megapixel with a 2x telephoto lens. Most of the pictures taken looked good, with great color depth and excellent contrast. Each lens has an f/1.8 aperture, allowing for decent shots even in low light.

The lack of optical stabilization does not allow for quick shooting. Slow focusing speed results in blurry images. Portrait mode is decent, but doesn't match the iPhone XR's results.

The Xiaomi Black Shark camera received a scene recognition mode using AI (artificial intelligence). The software analyzes the scene and changes settings to create the best shot. The function works especially well inside buildings and during night shooting.

Camera

The Xiaomi Black Shark smartphone is equipped with a dual camera, which has the following characteristics:

• sensor type: CMOS;
• ISO (light sensitivity): 100 ... 3200;
• aperture: f/1.75;
• flash type: dual LED
• image resolution: 4000 x 3000 pixels or 12 MP;
• video resolution: 3840 x 2160 pixels or 8.29 MP;
• video - frame rate/frames per second: 30 frames/sec;
• Pixel size: 1.25 µm;
• stabilization: digital and optical;
• additional camera: 20 MP (telephoto lens), pixel size 1.0 microns, lens aperture f/1.75.

There are no problems with daytime photography. The pictures are juicy and saturated, the white balance is correct, the sharpness is good, and the detail is high.

Shooting at close range is also a success. The camera transmits the true image.

The bokeh effect looks realistic.

The Xiaomi Black Shark camera does well when shooting in low light. The transitions between light and dark areas are soft. Detailing is maintained at a sufficient level. The color rendition is correct. PHOTO 40-43

The Xiaomi Black Shark gaming smartphone is equipped with a 20 MP front camera with a pixel size of 1.0 microns and an f/2.2 lens aperture. In general, the “selfies” come out of good quality. What I definitely didn’t like was the autofocus, which tends to miss. Portraits are a bit soft and lack sharpness.

Software

Xiaomi Black Shark runs on JoyUI - a shell on top of Android 8.1 Oreo with some improvements. The interface is not cluttered and visually does not differ much from pure Android, but the large number of bugs in the software is disappointing.

During testing, this gaming phone turned itself off several times, and once refused to restart until I pressed the volume down and power buttons. Also, sometimes the “Do Not Disturb” function did not turn off, which is why I missed several calls. None of the touch buttons were backlit at the time of testing, so I didn’t immediately learn about their existence. After updating the software, the bug with the backlight was fixed.

Despite solid performance, software bugs are disappointing. I have sent a list of all the errors to the developers, and hopefully they will be fixed soon.

Battery autonomy

There is no need to worry about recharging in the middle of a decisive battle - Xiaomi Black Shark comes with a 4000 mAh battery. I unplugged the smartphone from the charger at 8:30 am, by 5 pm the indicator showed 85%, while heavy use of music streaming and social networks. With normal use, the device can easily work for several days on a single charge.

The Black Shark charger supports Quick Charge 3.0. A smartphone connected to a power outlet with 15% charge remaining was charged to 100% in an hour and a half. Unfortunately, there is no wireless charging here.

Mi Max 3

The gaming Xiaomi Mi Max 3 stands out from other models with its incredibly huge screen. Just imagine: its diagonal is 6.9″ with an aspect ratio of 18:9! The resolution of the sensor module is also decent - it is 2160x1080 pixels.

Inside the metal case lies the Snapdragon 636 chipset, consisting of eight custom Kryo 260 cores. The amount of RAM varies from 4 to 6 gigabytes; if desired, you can increase the ROM using a microSD card.

As for power, this model will not be able to impress with its characteristics, as it belongs to the middle segment. However, it copes perfectly well with playing all games at medium settings.

Its main feature is its huge display combined with an amazingly capacious battery: after all, 5000 mAh sounds respectable. A nice bonus is the game panel, which consists of 6 modes:

• Access to chat;
• Acceleration and Do Not Disturb modes;
• Simple steering wheel;
• Game recordings;
• Floating window.

Of course, there is a Quick Charge 3.0 function, thanks to which you can restore the charge by 71% in 1 hour.

Price, warranty and alternatives to Xiaomi Black Shark

The cost of Black Shark for the 6 GB/64 GB version starts at $400 (RUR 26,800) and about $480 (RUR 32,250) for the 8 GB/128 GB model. The device comes with a standard one-year warranty against manufacturing defects.

As an alternative gaming phone, you can choose Asus ROG Phone or Razer Phone 2, however, both cost twice as much. Red Magic Phone and Honor Play are also good alternatives. But if you don't need a gaming phone, you can look at the OnePlus 6T, which has excellent performance, good looks and a reliable camera for $550 (RUR 36,950).

Bottom line

The Xiaomi Black Shark has stunning looks, ideal for avid gamers, and strong performance, although the software is disappointing.

Is it worth buying?

Yes. Despite the fact that there are problems with the software, the smartphone has the necessary level of gaming performance. If you are a mobile gamer, then this is a good option for a reasonable price.

Advantages

• Affordable price.
• Not bad cameras.
• Unique design.
• Excellent autonomy.
• High performance.
• JoyUI is similar to stock Android.

Flaws

• Raw software.
• No NFC.
• No protection against moisture.

conclusions

The Black Shark gaming mobile device is equipped with powerful hardware and a large amount of memory. Gamers will appreciate it, as it has a high-quality display with good resolution and high frame rates. To prevent overheating, the smartphone is equipped with a liquid cooling system. The device consumes a lot of energy when running heavy games and applications. The capacitive battery allows the smartphone to work for a long time without recharging. It has fast charging technology.

The phone has a modern sporty appearance. Equipped with Xiaomi Black Shark game handle - a controller that makes gaming battles as comfortable as possible.

Initially, the software was not optimized for Russia. But over time, global firmware versions appeared that eliminated this drawback. The Black Shark smartphone is well equipped. In addition to the charger, cable for connecting to a computer and recharging, the package includes a rubber bumper designed to protect the device when dropped and connecting a game controller, a protective film for the display and an adapter from USB to 3.5 mm audio jack.