It is actually very interesting to follow the development of Meizu. The fact is that this company is noticeably different from other Chinese smartphone manufacturers. Meizu understands that it primarily has to compete with other rapidly growing Chinese companies, and therefore is trying to stand out from them. How to do it? Meizu decided to try to give people not only high-quality, but also unusual smartphones in terms of software, which in their capabilities and characteristics can easily compete with more famous competitors and at the same time cost reasonable money. It's safe to say it worked.
For example, the Meizu M8 model, which went on sale in early 2009 and is based on the Windows CE 6.0 operating system, at one time seemed fantastically thought out compared to devices running Windows Mobile. This was a success for a start-up smartphone manufacturer - the company sold more than fifty thousand devices per month. Meizu managed to attract attention - so much so that Apple itself requested to stop selling the M8 due to the obvious similarities with the iPhone 2G/3G. In 2011, the next model entered the arena - M9. It was already based on Android, on top of which the proprietary Flyme OS shell was preinstalled. The peculiarity of this model was that it played on equal terms with the then flagship Samsung - the first Galaxy S, which appeared in mid-2010. Since then, Meizu has released a smartphone a year - well, just like Apple - each time having the only current and at the same time flagship model. This was the case until recently.
Meizu gained enough experience and courage and decided (perhaps also following the example of the company they have always looked up to) to expand the line of existing smartphones. Recently, the company showed three devices at once. The flagship of 2013 - MX3 - has been replaced by the expected Meizu MX4, and for those who want a little more and a little cooler, the MX4 Pro is offered. This smartphone is notable for the fact that it not only quite successfully competes with the current flagships of other companies, like the MX4, but also surpasses them in certain parameters, and at the same time does not cost as much as it could.
However, all this is the hi-end segment, and most recently the company has released its first mid-range device - we are talking about the M1 Note model. Its official cost is only sixteen thousand rubles for the version with 16 GB of built-in flash memory ($249 in China). Agree, in modern realities this is quite a little for a smartphone. Logically, it should be seriously inferior to the MX4 and MX4 Pro - significantly more expensive devices.
⇡ Specifications
| Meizu M1 Note | Meizu MX4 | Meizu MX4 Pro | |
| Touch screen | 5.5 inches, 1920 × 1080 pixels, IPS; |
5.36 inches, 1920 × 1152 pixels, IPS; Capacitive, up to 10 simultaneous touches |
5.5 inches, 2560 × 1536 pixels, IPS; Capacitive, up to 10 simultaneous touches |
| Air gap | No | ||
| Protective glass | Corning Corilla Glass 3 with oleophobic coating and polarizing filter | ||
| Factory film | No | ||
| CPU | MediaTek MT6752: Eight cores ARM Cortex-A53 (ARMv8), frequency 1.7 GHz; 28 nm process technology; Support for 64-bit computing |
MediaTek MT6595: four ARM Cortex-A17 (ARMv7) cores, 2.2 GHz + four ARM Cortex-A7 (ARMv7) cores, 1.7 GHz; 28 nm process technology |
Samsung Exynos 5430: four ARM Cortex-A15 (ARMv7) cores, 2 GHz + four ARM Cortex-A7 (ARMv7) cores, 1.5 GHz process technology 20 nm |
| Graphics controller | Mali T760 MP2, 700 MHz | Imagination Technologies Power VR G6200MP4, 600 MHz | Mali T628 MP6, 600MHz |
| RAM | 2 GB LPDDR3-1600 | 2 GB LPDDR3-1600 | 3 GB LPDDR3-1600 |
| Flash memory | 16/32 GB |
16/32/64 GB (without memory card slot) |
16/32/64 GB (without memory card slot) |
| Connectors | 1 × Micro-USB 2.0 1 × Micro-SIM |
1 × Micro-USB 2.0 1 × 3.5mm headset jack 1 × Micro-SIM |
1 × Micro-USB 2.0 1 × 3.5mm headset jack 1 × Micro-SIM |
| cellular | 2G/3G/4G Two SIM cards in micro-SIM format |
2G/3G/4G |
2G/3G/4G One SIM card in micro-SIM format |
| Cellular connection 2G | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 900/1800 MHz | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | |
| Cellular 3G | HSPA+ (42 Mbps) 900/2100 MHz |
DC-HSPA+ (42 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz |
DC-HSPA+ (42 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz |
| Cellular 4G | LTE Cat. 4 (150Mbps) band 1, 3, 38, 41 | LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbps) band 1, 3, 7 | |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4 and 5 GHz | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz | |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | ||
| NFC | No | No | Yes (NXP PN65T) |
| IR port | No | ||
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou |
| Sensors | Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer/Gyroscope, Hall Sensor (Digital Compass), Gravity Sensor, Pedometer | Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer/Gyroscope, Hall Sensor (Digital Compass), Gravity Sensor, Pedometer, Fingerprint Scanner | |
| Main camera | 13 MP (4192 × 3104), back-illuminated matrix; Autofocus, LED flash |
Autofocus, LED flash |
20.7 MP (5248 × 3936), Sony Exmor RS (IMX208) matrix with back illumination; Autofocus, LED flash |
| Front-camera | 5 MP (2576 x 1936), OmniVision OV5670 matrix with back illumination | 2.1 MP (1920 × 1080), Sony Exmor R back-illuminated sensor | 5 MP (2592 × 1944), OmniVision OV5693 matrix with back illumination |
| Nutrition | Non-removable battery 11.93 Wh (3140 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery 11.78 Wh (3100 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 12.73 Wh (3350 mAh, 3.8 V) |
| Wireless charger | Not supported | ||
| Size | 151 × 75 mm Case thickness 8.9 mm |
144 × 75 mm Case thickness 8.9 mm |
150 × 77 mm Case thickness 9 mm |
| Weight | 145 g | 147 g | 158 g |
| Housing protection | No | ||
| operating system | Android 4.4.4 KitKat Own FlymeOS 4.2 shell |
Android 4.4.2 KitKat Own FlymeOS 4.0 shell |
Android 4.4.4 KitKat Own FlymeOS 4.1 shell |
| Current price | 15,990 rubles for the 16 GB version 17,990 rubles for the 32 GB version |
23,990 rubles for the 16 GB version 25,990 rubles for the 32 GB version |
30,990 rubles for the 16 GB version 32,990 rubles for the 32 GB version |
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Meizu M1 Note - information about the system and hardware according to the CPU-Z application
⇡ Appearance and ergonomics
We have already said more than once that Meizu is inspired by Apple’s design and borrows certain “tricks” for its devices from the Cupertino team. M1 Note in this case was no exception. It is noteworthy that for the younger model the design was borrowed not from the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, as was the case with the MX4/MX4 Pro, but from... the budget iPhone 5c.
Believe me, we are not trying to discern an “apple” where there is none: it’s just that there are a lot of parallels that can be drawn between the 5c and the M1 Note: both are made of glossy plastic, have a similar corner radius, similar shapes and key layout... except that the device is from Meizu is noticeably larger - it has a 5.5-inch display versus four inches for the iPhone 5c. Well, the point here is that Apple has not yet updated the budget device. The M1 Note's screen occupies approximately 72.9% of the front surface area, which is quite good - the side bezels around the display are quite narrow.
Meizu even adopted the “trick” of bright body colors: the M1 Note comes in white, green, yellow, blue and red
In theory, it is possible to use a smartphone with one hand, but before buying it is better to hold it in your hands - it may be too big, and it does not fit in every pocket. The gadget weighs moderately - 145 grams, the thickness of the case is also within the normal range - 8.9 millimeters. At the top of the front panel there is a front five-megapixel camera lens and a slot for the earpiece.
The M1 Note is equipped with the familiar touch key at the bottom of the front panel. Its distinctive feature is that with its help you can not only return to the main screen, but also lock the device with a long press.
We have no comments regarding the ergonomics of the smartphone. All connectors and keys are in their standard places for an Android smartphone - it’s very easy to get used to the gadget.
The volume keys are located on the left side, right under the middle finger. On the top edge there is a universal 3.5 mm audio jack and a power/lock button for the device. It’s not difficult to reach the latter, but the need for this appears only when you need to reboot the device. You can “wake up” the device by double tapping on the screen.
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Meizu M1 Note - side ends
On the right side there is a combined slot for two Micro-SIM cards. It opens using the usual paperclip key. The Micro-USB connector is located at the bottom end. There is also a slot for an external speaker. Its location is very good - the loudspeaker does not overlap, even if the smartphone is lying on the table.
The M1 Note has a non-separable body. The back panel is quite easily soiled, it is prone to collecting “fingers” and generally gets dirty quite quickly. Its surface is glossy, which is why the smartphone constantly tries to slip out of your hands - in this case, you can’t do without a case. On the back panel there is a 13-megapixel rear camera lens and a dual LED flash. The device is assembled well - there are no backlashes or creaks. However, if you press on the front panel, you can see colored streaks. Obviously, the matrix is not protected in the best way.
- Class: smartphone
- Case materials: plastic, Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Operating system: Google Android 4.4
- Network: GSM/WCDMA/4G LTE
- Processor: 8 cores, MediaTek MT6752
- RAM: 2 GB
- Data storage memory: 16/32 GB
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi (b/g/n/) dual band, Bluetooth 4.0 HID, microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset
- Screen: capacitive, IPS 5.5"" with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels
- Camera: 13 MP Samsung (F2.2) + 5 MP OV5670 (F2.0)
- Navigation: GPS+GLONASS
- Additionally: accelerometer, proximity and lighting sensors
- Battery: removable, capacity 3140 mAh
- Dimensions: 150x75x8.9 mm
- Weight: 145 g
- Price: 16,000/18,000 rubles (Q1 2015)
Contents of delivery
- Telephone
- Network adapter
- USB cable
- Metal clip for removing the SIM tray
Introduction
The smartphone from the Chinese company Meizu was presented at the end of December 2014. Frankly speaking, I personally did not expect anything new, since we were already shown two cool gadgets, MX4 and MX4 Pro, before the New Year. And considering that Meizu held four presentations in four months, this is all the more unusual for a small company. It seems to me that this is an interesting development of the situation: I think that in 2015 we will see a continuation of the M1 Note line, which means that Meizu will have more devices in different price categories. This trend is already visible: M1 Note costs from 16,000 rubles, MX4 – from 24,000 rubles, MX4 Pro – from 31,000 rubles.
Therefore, the question “what is M1 Note and who is it for?” should disappear - an affordable smartphone with a Flyme shell, a large screen, a powerful processor, a bright design for young people and not only.
Design, dimensions, control elements
I won’t lie if I say that the M1 Note is an almost complete copy of the Apple iPhone 5C, but increased in size. I will say more: such a move is almost always perceived positively. Of course, in the comments we read the opposite: they say, it’s nonsense, the Chinese copied everything from Apple. However, as a rule, such comments are also written from some Jiayu, Umi, Thl or Xiaomi :)
The M1 Note has the following dimensions: 150x75x8.9 mm and weighs 145 grams. Oddly enough, it feels thinner and lighter in the hand. Even a 5.5-inch screen doesn't feel big. I don’t know what this is connected with, but those to whom I gave the gadget to “use” noted the same thing. It fits very comfortably in the hand due to the sloping edges and the elongated shape of the body. I think this is one of the most successful smartphones in terms of ergonomic design. An extremely pleasant device in this sense.
There is, however, a small drawback to this design - the M1 Note often slips out of your hands, especially when your hands are wet. One more point: since the front side is dark in color, you sometimes confuse the top and bottom of the device, and you rarely pay attention to the light circle.
The screen is protected by third generation Corning glass. Over the course of a month of intensive use, there was not a single scratch left on the glass, despite the fact that the gadget was carried with other things, including keys, USB cables, portable chargers, phones with metal covers, and so on.
There is an oleophobic coating. Believe it or not, I have to say again that the M1 Note is one of the best in terms of covering the screen with an oleophobic layer. Fingerprints are almost invisible, and if traces remain, they are erased very easily. The finger glides across the display smoothly and easily.
The rest of the body is made of glossy plastic. There are many colors: white, blue, yellow, green and pink. However, only white is available in Russia for now. The rest will come later.
The plastic is ordinary, nothing super original. During the period of use, abrasions appeared on the back panel just above the logo and flash, on the sides on the right and left. Almost invisible against a white background. It's right that they didn't go crazy with black plastic - it would have looked much worse.
The back cover smoothly transitions to the ends and is partially protected by a thin side on the front panel.
In general, the materials are ordinary, but reliable and practical.
The speech speaker is located on top, covered with a thin metal mesh. Its volume is high, the interlocutor can be heard clearly and intelligibly, the timbre is pleasant: there are enough high and low frequencies, the middle frequencies are pleasant, not mumbling. Compared to the MX4 and MX4 Pro, their speaker is probably a little better quality, but not by much.
On the right are light and proximity sensors. If there are no questions about the first, then the second brings you. During a conversation, the screen backlight most often does not turn off; you have to “search” for the position of the phone. There is an obvious bug in the firmware, but I hope it will be fixed. Even further to the right of the sensors is the front camera.
This device has one touch button on the body - below the display. It is marked with white translucent phosphoricidal paint (in the dark, after illumination, it still glows with a weak green light for some time). The button backlight is bright. Flashes when an event is missed. Serves as an exit to the main screen. If you “swipe” it towards the screen, the display backlight is activated. Holding it for a long time while the device is operating means blocking. Quite convenient, considering that the power button is on the top end.
At the bottom there is the main microphone, micro-USB and speaker. The speakerphone speaker is located, in my opinion, not very well, since when watching a video you often have to cover it with your hand. However, it's a matter of habit.
On top is a 3.5 mm audio output for headphones, a second microphone for noise reduction, and a power button. I didn't like the button. It is tight, there is practically no movement, that is, it is not clear whether you pressed it or not. Perhaps I had such a sample.
On the left are two separate keys responsible for volume control. They have a characteristic “click” sound.
On the right is a tray for two microSIM cards.
The camera eye, slightly recessed into the body, and the dual LED flash are located on the back of the device.
In my opinion, the device turned out to be relatively simple in appearance, but at the same time, very easy to use and practical in terms of the materials used. I’ve been using it with pleasure for about a month now as my main device.
Meizu and Apple iPhone 5
Display
Meizu M1 Note uses a screen with a diagonal of 5.5 inches. Let me remind you that in MX4 it is 5.36, and in MX4 Pro it is 5.5. The physical size of the M1 Note display is 68x121 mm, the frame at the top and bottom is 15 mm, on the right and left is approximately 3.5 mm. There is an anti-reflective coating.
The display resolution of the M1 Note is FullHD, that is, 1080x1920 pixels, density is 400 pixels per inch. IGZO IPS OGS matrix from Sharp.
The maximum brightness of white color is 480 cd/m2, the minimum brightness of white color is 1 cd/m2 (very steep), the maximum brightness of black color is 0.65 cd/m2. Contrast – 740:1. The average gamma value is 2.2, the average temperature value is 7000 K, but at the minimum brightness level it rises to 7500 K.
Judging by the RGB levels, there is a slight deficiency in the red color. Based on the CIE color chart, the coverage is sRGB.
In my memory, the M1 Note is the first gadget with such excellent screen parameters, one might say, standard ones, especially in terms of color reproduction!
Viewing Angles
Battery
This model uses a non-removable battery with a capacity of 3150 mAh.
When working with the device, the battery lasted for about 23-25 hours: about 20-30 minutes of calls per day, about 3-4 hours of 3G use, about 20 hours of Wi-Fi (constant synchronization of mail, Twitter, WhatsApp, " Skype” and so on), several dozen photos, 2 hours of listening to music.
In a more gentle mode (without 3G, music, a little less talk), the gadget works for up to two days. If you leave only data synchronization (Wi-Fi), you can count on 3-4 days. Up to 13 hours of continuous talk time.
When the screen backlight brightness is automatically adjusted, the display operates from 3.5 to 5 hours.
In my opinion, for such a device this indicator is simply excellent.
Communication capabilities
The gadget operates in 2G/3G networks (900/1800MHz/2100). There is LTE support, but it does not work everywhere, since the frequencies are like this – 1800/2100 MHZ Band 1,3,38,41. In Moscow, the MegaFon operator does not see 4G on the M1 Note, despite the fact that you can set the option in the settings.
There is dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) a/b/n standard, Bluetooth version 4.0 with BLE puncture.
Naturally, GPS is present. But GLONASS, as it seemed to me, exists only on “paper”, since during testing I was unable to “catch” our satellites using the AndroidTS GPS Test program.
Memory and memory card
Meizu M1 Note has 2 GB of dual-channel LPDDR3 RAM. At the moment, this is the typical volume of most smartphones in the mid-price segment, and there are still few devices with 3 gigabytes. Those who don't have enough can safely run to the store for the MX4 Pro.
Built-in memory 16 and 32 GB depending on the model. I advise you to take more, since there is no memory card here, and out of 16 GB, approximately 12 GB are available.
Camera
As always, there are two camera modules: a 13 MP main one with a five-element lens (F2.2 aperture), protected by Gorilla Glass 3, and with a blue IR filter; 5 MP front with a four-element lens (OmniVision OV5670 module, F2.0 aperture) for the best “selfie” in poor lighting conditions. There is a dual LED flash with warm and cool glow.
Unlike the MX4 and MX Pro (they have 20 MP modules), the M1 Note has a slightly simpler matrix, but its photo capabilities are not much worse than those of flagship devices. I think that the M1 shoots very well: a clear picture without soap and noise reduction, a minimum of color noise, excellent white balance, fast and accurate focusing, high speed of working with the camera in general. Frankly speaking, I did not expect such a high-quality camera and lens to be used in this device.
Separately, it is worth noting that HDR works correctly, that is, it can always be used, it does not deteriorate the picture, and does not make it too colorful. Exposure determination by focusing point has not gone away. And the best part is that Meizu M1 Note has adopted completely manual camera settings from its older brothers: ISO value, shutter speed and focus! If you use your smartphone skillfully, you can get the coolest noise-free footage with excellent sharpness and detail.
The gadget shoots video typical of any modern inexpensive smartphone. FullHD resolution (UHD has already appeared in the MX4 and MX4 Pro) at 15 or 30 frames per second depending on the lighting level.
The front camera is not the widest (about 70 degrees), but the pictures from it have good detail, and in poor lighting conditions you can shoot without any problems using F2.0. The videos are released in FullHD resolution with an even smaller angle than when shooting photos. The quality is decent.
Video file characteristics
- File Format: MP4
- Video codec: AVC, 12 Mbit/s
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080, 30 fps (or 16 fps at night)
- Audio codec: AAC, 128 Kbps
- Channels: 1 channel, 48 kHz
Photo examples
Meizu and Xiaomi smartphones have gained a foothold in the minds of users as products with an excellent price/quality ratio that can offer an alternative not only to the flagships of mass manufacturers, but also to their mid-price segment models. But if a year or two ago many people looked closely at the flagships of Chinese companies and bought them, today they are more likely to just look at them - prices in national currencies make few people happy. However, even in times of crisis you can find interesting offers. The hero of the review, the Meizu M1 Note smartphone, can be classified as one of these.
Design and usability
Meizu M1 Note is positioned as a more affordable device for the youth audience compared to the company's flagships. Immediately after the announcement, it was dubbed the enlarged iPhone 5C, which had the same positioning.
The resemblance to an Apple product is possible, but in most cases it is clearly exaggerated. Yes, smartphones have a completely overlapped palette of body colors, but similar plastic was used in smartphones long before the iPhone 5C, for example, in the Xiaomi Mi-2/3, and the M1 Note’s body shape is similar to the MX4 and MX4 Pro.
The body of the smartphone has become completely plastic, but inside there is a magnesium alloy base to which all components are attached. A rather interesting plastic is used, which is first completely painted and then varnished.
In real life this material looks interesting. The white body collects fingerprints, but you can only notice them if you look closely. Over time, the glossy finish will probably get scratched; it’s clear from the test sample that it has already seen a lot, but on a white case, traces of use are not noticeable, but on versions of bright colors they will certainly be more noticeable.
Naturally, glossy plastic turns out to be slippery. At first, the association with the bar of soap haunted me, but after a week I managed to get used to it and not pay attention to it. At the same time, the owner of the glass LG Optimus G M1 Note did not find it so slippery.
The arrangement of elements is similar to Meizu smartphones: a round touch key that acts as an indicator of missed events, an earpiece, a front camera lens and sensors on the front side, a microphone, a speaker and MicroUSB on the bottom, a power key and an audio jack on top, separate volume buttons on the left, a tray for two MicroSIM on the right and a camera with dual flash on the back.
The power button is located inconveniently, you have to reach for it. But the screen can be turned on by double tapping the glass, immediately unlocked by swiping from the bottom of the screen and locked by holding the touch key. These functions work absolutely correctly, so you don’t have to use the power key at all. All three physical keys have the same short travel, a characteristic click, and the pressing force is slightly above average.
Thanks to the rounded edges of the back, the Meizu M1 Note fits very comfortably in the hand and, although the top edge of the display is relatively difficult to reach, the smartphone is comfortable in everyday use.
Display
Meizu M1 Note received a 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (403 ppi). The IPS matrix is made using IGZO technology, manufactured by Sharp/AUO, there is no air gap between the glass and the matrix, and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 acts as protection.
The measured brightness adjustment range is from 1.7 to 480 cd/m², contrast is 1:719. Automatic brightness adjustment works correctly; due to the very high level of maximum brightness, there are no problems with readability in the sun, and the minimum level is more than comfortable for working in complete darkness.
Everything is fine with factory calibration, the display has a gamma close to the reference value, and the color temperature is lower than that of the Meizu MX4 Pro screen, so the colors do not have characteristic cold shades.
Perhaps flagship displays will boast even greater viewing angles, but overall there is nothing to criticize the Meizu M1 Note screen, absolutely everything about it is good: brightness levels, clarity and smoothness of the picture, viewing angles, natural color rendition, even the oleophobic coating is good.
Hardware platform
The basis of the smartphone is the modern MediaTek MT6752 platform. This is an 8-core 64-bit chip, made using a 28 nm process technology, in which Cortex-A53 cores operate at frequencies up to 1.7 GHz, and the video core is Mali T760 MP2, 700 MHz.
The amount of RAM is 2 GB, internal memory can be 16 or 32 GB, depending on the version. Traditionally, Meizu smartphones do not have a memory card slot, although there is OTG support. We had a 16 GB version in our review, which leaves 11.9 GB for the user’s needs.
Meizu M1 Note shows not only decent results in benchmarks, but also an enviable speed during normal use. The interface works as smoothly as possible, applications launch quickly.
The smartphone can easily be called a gaming smartphone. We tested Real Racing 3 and Modern Combat 5 and there were no performance issues. Avid gamers can watch videos on , which demonstrate the excellent performance of many games.
The Wi-Fi module supports operation in two frequency bands, there is Bluetooth 4.0 with support for the LE profile and GPS. The operation of all modules did not cause any complaints.
Calls, multimedia
The hero of the review is the company’s first smartphone with two SIM cards, their operation scheme is completely similar to other devices, the Meizu M1 Note has one radio module. In the Phone application there is a separate call key for each SIM, and in SMS there is a corresponding menu. One of the features of Meizu is the ability to record telephone conversations from the line (both individual and all automatically).
Good quality speaker. It has a normal volume reserve, the voices of the interlocutors retain their usual recognizable notes, and communication is comfortable even in a noisy environment. The vibration alert is average in strength, like most smartphones. The multimedia speaker turned out to be of average quality, it is noticeably simpler compared to flagship Meizu smartphones. The maximum volume level is usually enough to not miss a call, but it sounds completely flat; in the same Moto G of the first generation, the speaker is noticeably better quality. Plus, it is poorly positioned - with a horizontal grip while playing games or watching videos, the speaker holes are easily blocked by your hand, so you have to slightly change your grip.
The company has always paid a lot of attention to the quality of music reproduction. Unfortunately, Meizu M1 Note did not receive a special chip or amplifier for headphones, but this does not prevent it from showing good quality music playback. Yes, the MX4 Pro plays more interestingly, but the M1 Note is not inferior to most smartphones in this field - the sound is clear, detailed, there is a good volume reserve and proprietary equalizers. In addition, the M1 Note works correctly with three-button headsets; at least there were no problems with the noname cable with remote control for Shure SE215, Xiaomi Mi Piston 2 and headphones from Samsung Galaxy S4.
Operating system and shell
Meizu M1 Note runs Flyme OS 4.2.0.3 based on Android 4.4.4 KitKat. The features of the shell are described in detail in, here we will focus only on the minimal differences related to control.
The only control element here is a touch key. A single click on the button returns you to the desktop, swiping from the key to the screen acts as “Back”, although you can use the corresponding on-screen key, and holding the button locks the screen. Since you can activate Root rights on your smartphone right out of the box, you can also install the FlymeTools module. With its help, you can change the algorithm of the button, for example, assign “Back” to a single press, “Home” to a double press, and opening the notification curtain or “Menu” to swipe up.
Working hours
The smartphone is powered by a non-removable battery with a capacity of 3140 mAh. The manufacturer claims that it will last for 12 hours of web surfing on 4G networks, 15 hours of video playback, 40 hours of calls on 2G networks or 60 hours of listening to music.
In my case, with a fairly active smartphone usage profile, including conducting various tests, a few games, experiments with FlymeTools and using the usual set of programs from messengers, players, social network clients, the smartphone worked for at least a day, more often a day and a half. With a more gentle mode of use, you can probably get two days of work. Using different power modes affects gaming performance, although simple programs and interfaces run quickly even in low power mode. In addition, a software glitch was noticed - after being discharged to 10%, the smartphone rapidly lost the remaining charge in a few minutes.
| Device | Reading | Watch HD video | Watching HD videos from YouTube | GFX Bench (minutes) | 288,1 | 142,8 | 173,7 | 285,4 |
| GFX Bench (points) | PCMark |