GADGET GIZMO REVIEW - Meizu m1 note

GADGET GIZMO REVIEW Meizu m1 note

PRICE Rs 11,999

SPECIFICATIONS 5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) IPS display, 1.7Ghz octa core Mediatek processor, 2GB RAM, 16GB storage (non expandable), 13MP rear + 5MP front camera, dual SIM, WiFi, 4G, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, USB host, 3,140mAh battery, Flyme OS based on Android 4.4, 145 grams

Meizu is amongst the top smartphone brands in China and one of the latest to set foot in India. The company ventured into the smartphone space in 2008 with a focus on providing value for money devices.For India, the company's mid-range dual SIM phablet, the Meizu m1 note, is the kickstarter.

Weighing 145 grams, the m1 note looks stylish and elegant with its unibody design. Although the glossy back panel has a stylish design, it is also prone to fingerprints and scratches. It's also quite slippery -we almost dropped on a daily basis. On the right side is the dual SIM tray while the volume keys are on the left and the power button is placed on top. The buttons give good tactical feedback but we would have preferred metal buttons instead of plastic. In side-byside comparison, the m1 note is slimmer by a few mm compared to Asus Zenfone 2 and YU Yureka.

Up front is a gorgeous 5.5-inch display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels protected by Gorilla Glass 3.Untill the Lenovo K3 Note annoucment last week, this was the cheapest smartphone available in the market with a full HD display . We were impressed by the wide viewing angles, rich colours, deep blacks and good sunlight legibility .

One of the unique things about the m1 note is the mixed use of on-screen and hardware sensitive buttons. Under the display is a single touch sensitive home button that also doubles up as a notification light. The back and options buttons are on-screen.The area around the home button is also touch sensitive -you can swipe up from the bezel to the screen to access running apps. If you are switching from an Android device, this combination of on-screen and home button takes a few days to get used to.

Inside is a 64-bit 1.7Ghz octa-core Mediatek MT6752 processor with 2GB RAM and 16GB storage. You get 13GB of storage and you're stuck with it (no microSD slot). Battery is a massive 3,140mAh unit but its not user replaceable. You also get 4G connectivity , WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0 and USB host.

In real world usage, the phone's performance is topnotch. Opening and closing apps as well as navigating the user interface is zippy . We played Shadowgun that runs smoothly while Asphalt 8 shows a tiny bit of stutter. With constant 3GWiFi connectivity , two email accounts, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and mix use of calls and camera, the m1 note easily goes a day and half on a full charge.

Meizu has used their customised user interface called Flyme OS (based on Android 4.4) on the m1 note. The interface is bloatware free and strangely goes the other extreme because it even skips the basic pre-installed Google apps like Gmail, Chrome and YouTube -you have to install all these from the Play store yourself. The interface is fluid and all icons and widgets are placed on the home panels. It comes with a built in security center (cleaning junk, virus removal, permissions, data traffic manager) as well as handy functions like double tap to wake and a built-in call recorder. Overall we liked Flyme for its simplicity , feature set and responsiveness.

Cameras are another strong point of the Meizu m1 note. You get a 13MP autofocus rear camera with dual tone flash. It is surpringly good for the price. You get nicely detailed shots both in daylight as well as in doors. The minimal level of noise in the images is a surprise -it was only visible when zoomed in or viewed on a larger display . You get multiple camera modes including a manual mode, barcode scanner mode, HDR, panorama as well as a Light Field mode (adjust focus in the image as per choice in post processing). Even for video there is a standard mode and a slow-motion mode (recording limited to 640 x 480 pixels resolution). The front 5MP camera is also equally impressive for selfies -there's minimal noise and good details.

Overall we feel the Meizu m1 note is an excellent smartphone and is priced very well too. You get a fantastic display , great performance, good cameras and excellent battery life. The only issue is the limited 16GB internal storage. If you can spend a bit more, get the Asus Zenfone 2 (`14,999) that has a 5.5-inch full HD display , expandable storage, Android 5.0 and a brushed metal finish.

karan.bajaj

ET1JUL15