Best Meizu smartphones (November 2018)

Meizu isn’t one of the big Chinese OEMs in the international market, but it’s got some fantastic devices with the flagship-like specifications at comparatively affordable prices we’ve come to expect from Chinese companies. Along with some truly unique features, certain Meizu smartphones easily stand out from the crowd.

Here is a quick roundup of the best Meizu phones!

Meizu 16 series

Meizu

There are three phones in Meizu’s 16 series. The first and best one is the 16 Plus, which comes with top-of-the-line specs like a Snapdragon 845 and up to 8GB of RAM. It also has a 6.5-inch display, a headphone jack, and an in-display fingerprint scanner.

The second device goes by the name of Meizu 16 and is extremely similar to the Plus model. The main difference is its smaller display, with a diagonal of 6.0 inches. Other differences can be found in the battery and storage departments, which you can check out in the specs section below.

The last of the three devices is the Meizu 16X, which packs a little less power under the hood, running on a Snapdragon 710 chipset with 6GB of RAM. The battery and screen sizes are the same as those of the Meizu 16, as are the rest of the specs and features including the in-display fingerprint scanner and headphone jack, among others.

The Meizu 16 phones weren’t officially released in the U.S., but you can still get the international model of the Meizu 16 on Amazon for $640. The other two models appear to only be available in select Asian markets for now, though you can still get the Plus model via the popular Chinese online retailer AliExpress — linked below.

Specs

Meizu 16 Plus

• 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 374ppi
• Snapdragon 845 chipset
• 6/8GB of RAM
• 128/256GB of storage, non-expandable
• 12 and 20MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,570mAh battery
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• 160.4 x 78.2 x 7.3mm, 182g

Meizu 16

• 6.0-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 402ppi
• Snapdragon 845 chipset
• 6/8GB of RAM
• 64/128GB of storage, non-expandable
• 12 and 20MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,010mAh battery
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• 150.5 x 73.2 x 7.3mm, 152g

Meizu 16X

• 6.0-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 402ppi
• Snapdragon 710 chipset
• 6GB of RAM
• 64/128GB of storage, non-expandable
• 12 and 20MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,100mAh battery
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• 151 x 73.5 x 7.5mm, 154g

Buy on 1(Meizu 16)

Buy on AliExpress (Meizu 16 Plus)

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Meizu 15 Plus

Meizu

The predecessor to the 16 Plus was announced back in April and is powered by the Exynos 8895, the same chipset used by the Galaxy S8 series. Its 5.95-inch display has a 16:9 aspect ratio, surrounded by slightly thicker bezels than we’d like, which makes the device feel less modern than its successor. Nevertheless, it’s still one of the best Meizu phones you can get.

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The Meizu 15 Plus has a dual-camera setup on the back with 12 and 20MP sensors, one of which offers 3x optical zoom for those close-up shots. It also packs a 3,500mAh battery and has a headphone jack, which is slowly becoming a thing of the past on high-end Android phones. The device ships running the older  Android Nougat.

The Meizu 15 Plus was not officially released in the U.S., which means you’ll have to go the import route to get it. AliExpress sells it for $375.

Meizu

Specs

• 5.95-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, 494ppi
• Exynos 8895 chipset
• 6GB of RAM
• 64/128GB of storage, non-expandable
• 12 and 20MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,500mAh battery
• Android 7.1.2 Nougat
• 153.8 x 78.3 x 7.3mm, 177g

Buy on AliExpress

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Meizu Pro 7 and Pro 7 Plus

What makes both these Meizu phones stand out is the unique 1.9-inch secondary display found on the back that not only looks great, but proves quite useful at times. On the specs side of things, the Pro 7 comes with a 5.2-inch 1080p display, a Helio P25 processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of onboard storage, and a 3,000 mAh battery. On the other hand, the Pro 7 Plus earns its moniker by giving a bump to almost everything. The Pro 7 Plus features a 5.7-inch Quad HD screen, a Helio X30 processor, 6GB of RAM, 64GB or 128GB of onboard storage, and a 3,500mAh battery. 

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Remaining the same between the two versions is the secondary display and the camera setup that includes dual 12MP rear cameras and a 16 MP front-facing shooter. Both smartphones also run Flyme 6-based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. 

The Meizu Pro 7 Plus is priced at around $385, while the regular Pro 7 will set you back $315. Of course, if you are planning to buy these Meizu phones for use in markets other than China, check for network compatibility first.

Specs

Meizu Pro 7

• 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display with 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, 423ppi
• 1.9-inch AMOLED secondary display with 240 x 536 resolution
• MediaTek Helio P25 chipset
• 4GB RAM
• 64GB of storage, non-expandable
• Dual 12MP rear cameras, 16MP front camera
• 3,000mAh battery
• Android 7.1.1 Nougat
• 147.6 x 70.7 x 7.3mm, 163g

Meizu Pro 7 Plus

• 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with 2,560 x 1,440 resolution, 518ppi
• 1.9-inch AMOLED secondary display with 240 x 536 resolution
• MediaTek Helio X30 chipset
• 6GB RAM
• 64/128 GB of storage, non-expandable
• Dual 12MP rear cameras, 16 MP front camera
• 3,500mAh battery
• Android 7.1.1 Nougat
• 157.3 x 77.2 x 7.3mm, 170g

Buy on Amazon (Meizu Pro 7)

Buy on Amazon (Meizu Pro 7 Plus)

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Meizu X8

The X8 is the first Meizu phone with a notch. It’s not the most powerful device in the company’s lineup, as it packs the Snapdragon 710 chipset along with 4 or 6GB of RAM under the hood — more than enough power for the average user.

Meizu X8’s screen-to-body ratio is close to 90 percent.

The Meizu X8 has a modern design with thin bezels and an 18.5:9 display that measures 6.2 inches. The screen-to-body ratio comes in at almost 90 percent. It sports a dual-camera setup on the back, a single 20MP shooter on the front, and has a headphone jack on board.

Other specs and features include a 3,210mAh battery, a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, and Android 8.0 Oreo. The phone is already available in select Asian markets but was not released in the U.S. AliExpress has it listed for around $270.

Specs

• 6.2-inch IPS LCD display with 2,220 x 1,080 resolution, 398ppi
• Snapdragon 710 chipset
• 4/6GB of RAM
• 64/128GB of storage, non-expandable
• 12 and 5MP rear cameras, 20MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,210mAh battery
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• 151.2 x 74.6 x 7.8mm, 160g

Buy on AliExpress

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Meizu Note 8

The Note 8 was announced in October and falls into the mid-range sector. It sports a 6.0-inch Full HD+ display, the Snapdragon 632 chipset, and 4GB of RAM. It runs Android 8.0 Oreo with the company’s Flyme UI skin on top.

The Meizu Note 8 doesn’t sport a notch and has a headphone jack on board.

The phone has thin bezels, which give it a modern look. It doesn’t feature a notch, which is a good thing for many. There’s also a headphone jack on board. The battery comes in at 3,600mAh, which is average based on the footprint of the device. There’s no expandable storage or IP rating for protection against water and dust.

Other specs and features include a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner, a dual-camera setup on the back, and dual-SIM support. The phone has already launched in China, but there’s no word on its international release yet. It’s also available via AliExpress for $240.

Specs

• 6.0-inch IPS LCD display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 402ppi
• Snapdragon 632 chipset
• 4GB of RAM
• 64GB of storage, non-expandable
• 12 and 5MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,600mAh battery
• Android 8.0 Oreo
• 153.6 x 75.5 x 7.9mm, 168g

Buy on AliExpress

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Meizu E3

The last model on our list of the best Meizu phones is the E3. The device’s metal body and minimalistic design may not stand out, but it will appeal to many. Like a number of Sony phones, it has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.

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The mid-ranger packs the Snapdragon 636 under the hood along with 6GB of RAM. It also comes with a 3,360mAh battery, two cameras at the back, and one at the front. There’s also a headphone jack on board. Unlike all the other Meizu phones on this list, the E3 supports expandable storage.

The phone is already available in a few markets, with the U.S. not being one of them. Like with most Meizu phones, you’ll have to buy this one from a Chinese online retailer if you want it. AliExpress is selling it for $275.

Specs

• 5.99-inch IPS LCD display with 2,160 x 1,080 resolution, 402ppi
• Snapdragon 636 chipset
• 6GB of RAM
• 64/128GB of storage, expandable up to 256GB
• 12 and 20MP rear cameras, 8MP front camera
• Non-removable 3,360mAh battery
• Android 7.1.2 Nougat
• 156.8 x 75 x 7.6mm, 160g

Buy on AliExpress

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These are the best Meizu phones you can get your hands on in our opinion, although there are a few other great ones to choose from. Which Meizu phones would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments!

Source: Android Zone

The post Best Meizu smartphones (November 2018) appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Honor wants to be a top 3 brand by 2022, will start with world’s first 5G phone

• The president of Honor smartphones made some bold claims regarding the company at an event held over the weekend.
• According to George Zhao, an Honor 5G smartphone will be the world’s first, and Honor will be a top-three smartphone brand by 2022.
• Honor did not give any information about the Honor 5G phone, other than it will launch in 2019.

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At a large event over the weekend in Beijing, George Zhao — the president of the Honor smartphone brand, a sub-brand of Huawei — made some bold claims in regards to the company. Zhao says that an Honor 5G phone will be the world’s first and that the launch of the device will help propel Honor to be one of the world’s biggest smartphone brands.

According to Zhao, Honor will be a top-five smartphone brand by 2020 and be a top-three brand by 2022.

Since Huawei is already a top-three brand, one can only speculate that Huawei expects to stay on as a top-three brand in 2022 as well, which means the company expects to have two brands in the top three simultaneously.

That doesn’t leave much room for other companies in the top three. We can only guess that Huawei expects the top three to eventually be Huawei, Honor, and Apple, as its far more likely that Samsung will get knocked out of the top three before Apple does.

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At the event, Zhao talked at length about 5G technology and how Huawei and Honor have been at the forefront with 5G, much more so than its competitors. He also talked at length about the Honor brand’s incredible growth over the years and how the focus of the company is now squarely on the future, and not on short-term goals.

However, at no point during the event did he give any concrete information on the mysterious Honor 5G phone, simply stating that an Honor 5G phone will land in 2019 and will be the first to market.

Several other companies have already made the claim that they would be the first with a 5G device, including LG and even Honor’s parent company Huawei. However, it’s likely that Huawei is considering the Honor 5G phone as the first “Huawei” phone to market, as it also has yet to disclose any concrete information about 5G devices.

The long-awaited 5G revolution will likely start by the end of this year with a carrier in the United States turning on the first official commercial 5G network. But it will likely be early 2019 before we have a phone that can connect to that network (natively, anyway), and even then 5G will only be available in very select locations.

What do you think? Do you think it’s possible that the Honor brand could be a dominant player in just two years time? Let us know in the comments!

NEXT: Huawei and Honor bend the rules to catch up to Qualcomm

Source: Android Zone

The post Honor wants to be a top 3 brand by 2022, will start with world’s first 5G phone appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Best true wireless earbuds – there’s more than Apple out there

If your new phone’s missing the headphone jack, you’ve probably already had to entertain the idea of switching to Bluetooth. Why stop there? Why not go with a true wireless option, and ditch even the cables connecting the earbuds to each other? There’s more than just AirPods out there.

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We put a bunch of headsets through the wringer over at SoundGuys, but I’m going to give you the overview here. We measured sound performance, battery life, and isolation, with a calibrated test fixture to suss out what you can expect when you buy true wireless earbuds. In Twitter polls over the last year, it was obvious battery life was the most important metric for true wireless earbuds, followed by sound quality, then isolation. Price was a distant fourth.

AirPods are justifiably popular, but may not be for everyone because they don’t take reasonable measures to stay in your ears.

Your needs might be different, so we’ve included all our data at the bottom of the article. With that in mind, let’s attack these needs one by one, shall we?

Best battery life: Jabra Elite 65t

If battery life is your main concern, the Jabra Elite 65t is king. Posting the best score by over an hour, Jabra’s true wireless earphones lasted 5 hours 51 minutes on average before they needed to be recharged. Considering most commutes are shorter than that, these should last you through most of the day — even if you take them to the gym.

Music lovers: how long do you listen to your headphones each day?

— Android Authority (@AndroidAuth) August 7, 2018

This is better for power useres that need a near-constant earphone presence. While 76% of poll respondents (n=5,120) use their headphones under 3 hours a day, those that need more than that should look to models like the Jabra Elite 65t.

Jabra’s Elite 65t has stellar battery life, but imperfect audio.

They don’t have the greatest sound, though. While they have a high rating for isolation, they don’t block out low-frequency noise. You may find on the subway you can’t hear your music over the din of a train ride. They’re a great case study for why we show the charts on isolation, because simply reading one number doesn’t tell you the whole story. These are great for the office or walking on the street, but you’ll want to keep looking if you ride the bus or take the train often.

Best sound quality: Samsung Gear IconX (not Apple)

Absolutely loaded with features, the Samsung Gear IconX has the best sound quality too.

Probably one of the most credible options on this list is the Samsung Gear IconX. It offers 4GB of storage for your tunes when you can’t carry your phone with you and offers a boatload of features too. The icing on the cake is that this also offers the best audio performance of the group.

Part of the audio advantage the Gear IconX has is that it’s one of the few models here using the aptX standard, but the biggest check in the plus column is its relatively even frequency response. That may not add as much bass as you might like, but it equalizes your music fairly heavily. On top of that, the music will sound a little more “clear,” making smaller details you may not normally hear with entry-level headphones less likely to be masked out by the earphones themselves.

If we picked a best overall, this model would be a frontrunner. While Apple’s AirPods measure very similarly, the key difference here is that the Samsung Gear IconX can block outside noise and the AirPods can’t. The AirPods function quite well where there’s outside noise, but the Samsung Gear IconX won’t lose as much quality to the stuff you’d rather not hear. In a lab they’re neck and neck, but on the bus or subway the Samsung Gear IconX is the clear winner.

Unfortunately the Samsung Gear IconX has abysmal battery life. In our tests, it lasted merely 1 hour and 31 minutes on average — something Samsung claimed to fix from its previous model. While that’s more than enough for two 40-minute trips, you should absolutely always put them in the charging case when they’re not in use. They aren’t ideal for long flights.

Best for commuters: Sony WF-SP700N

The Sony WF-SP700N not only sits in your ear, but it also uses a helix fin to hold it in place.

Sony’s entry on this list is a really solid jack of all trades, but the WF-SP700N is a master at noise cancellation. Though not as good as its bigger, badder brother the WH1000X M2, the true wireless earphones shown here block out more noise in every range than any other entry on this list. This is super important because the base frequencies of most music live in the lows, which are very hard for in-ears to block out. If low-frequency noise gets into your ear canal, you’ll perceive a larger loss in audio quality due to auditory masking.

The advantage of these earphones is twofold: not only does the ANC unit block out mids and highs (green and cyan, respectively) well, but it also bumps bass frequencies to help mask out the world around you. While we don’t recommend ever cranking the volume to drown out the train, we also know that it’s a necessary evil in a world where bass boost and Beats exist.

Even adding that little bit of low-end attenuation helps a lot.

These true wireless earbuds sound pretty decent as well, offering SBC and AAC support, but their shortcoming is battery life. Even though the WF-SP700N lasts a full hour longer per charge than the Samsung Gear IconX, that’s still only about 2 hours, 35 minutes. Definitely keep that charging case handy if you binge music like I do.

True wireless earbuds complete test results

I only highlighted three models here. If you want to see how they all did, the data’s all here. Even the best truly wireless earbuds have a tough time competing with similarly-priced Bluetooth headsets connected by a wire or neckband. Poor battery life, subpar Bluetooth codecs, and terrible connection strength plague this product category.

	Battery life (75dB)	Bluetooth Codec	Attenuation average (dBSPL)	Price
Jabra Elite 65t	5.85 hours	SBC	14.23	$170
Bose SoundSport Free	4.583 hours	SBC	Negligible	$200
Bang & Olufsen E8 Wireless	4.45 hours	aptX	Varies by tip	$299
JBL Free	4.333 hours	SBC	6.9	$129
Sol Republic Amps Air	3.98 hours	SBC	8.91	$100
Anker Zolo Liberty	3.567 hours	SBC	6.83	$99
Earin M-2	3.5 hours	aptX	Varies by tip	$250
Apple AirPods	3.45 hours	AAC	Negligible	$159
Optoma Nuforce BE Free8	3.1 hours	aptX	6.99	$129
Sony WF-SP700N	2.583 hours	SBC	19	$179
Samsung Gear IconX	1.52 hours	aptX	7.19	$180

You should take those average isolation numbers with a grain of salt, because not every set blocks out the same frequencies. The Jabra and Sony above appeared similarly good, but the Jabra had a 0dB rating under 1000Hz, which is where most of your music is. The difference between the Sony WF-SP700N and the rest of the pack is that it can lop off about 10dB of noise in that range where no other truly wireless earbuds can.

There’s no “one size fits all” standard out there for frequency responses — people’s biology varies too greatly for that. We highlighted the Samsung Gear IconX because it’s not only the easiest to equalize, but it generally sounds the most clear of the options here. Some models targeted something akin to an equal-loudness contour with emphasized bass (pink) and treble (cyan), and others aimed for a more studio (read: “flat” or “neutral”) response.

How we tested

Audio engineers use a dummy head to test out how products will perform for most people — we did too. Specifically, we tested frequency response, isolation, and battery life to keep things simple. You can read more about it here if you want to know more about the specifics.

• For each product, we played several sine sweeps through the earphones, and logged the frequency response once we arrived at a repeatable result demonstrating the hallmarks of a good seal.
• To test the battery, we use pink noise and a real-time analyzer to find the setting needed to output 75dB(SPL) over the products, and we play music on an infinite loop. This means every reading can be directly compared to each other.
• To test isolation, we took a sample of pink noise at 90dB SPL at one meter, once with the headphones off, and another with the headphones on. We then subtract one curve from the other.

These three tests are simple — they cover the biggest areas of concern with true wireless earbuds. Your battery life will vary if you tend to crank the volume. Additionally, you could squeak out better isolation performance with third-party tips.

What we considered

We buy most of our test units, so this one got expensive. In order to figure out what to test, we used what we knew from reviewing this category since its beginnings. While most people know only the AirPods, a slew of products you may not know much about have hit the market. We took the units that held up the best in daily use, and rolled with that.

We tested a boatload of true wireless earbuds to figure out if there were any hidden gems.

That means many true wireless earbuds didn’t quite make it into our article for one reason or another. It’s not that they’re bad, they just have a major tradeoff or two. You may find one of these fit your needs better than what’s listed above.

Honorable mentions

• Apple AirPods: We’re not biased — I swear! These lack in certain areas relating to sound (isolation) and form. They’ve got great features and decent battery life owing to that W1 chip, but some people straight up won’t be able to use them because they don’t seal the ear canal or even really hold your outer-ear’s helix.
• Bang & Olufsen E8 Wireless: This model was absolutely exceptional in features, battery life, and isolation (memory foam tips are a godsend). However, it had persistent connection issues with Windows 10 and Android devices. Considering it’s the most expensive entry in our competition here ($300), those problems — plus a strange sound — were enough to sink them.
• Sol Republic Amps Air: This $100 option was decidedly average in sound quality, but decent in isolation and battery life. A steal at $100.
• JBL Free: Another rock-solid option, these perform well in battery life and sound quality. A playback time of 4 hours, 20 minutes (stop it) was third best in our tests. Also they’re under $130.
• Earin M-2: These are actually pretty good. We honestly don’t have many nits to pick here, they just weren’t the best in any of our categories. They’re essentially our Mendoza line.
• Jabra Elite Sport: On top of a good fit, the Elite Sport also has a built-in heart rate sensor to help you more accurately track your workouts. Check out the full review if you’re interested.
• Bose Soundsport Free: These were disqualified because they could not maintain a connection to three different devices. They have outstanding battery life and sound good enough, but the product has to actually work well for us to recommend it. You can read more in the full review.
• Erato Apollo 7: These were on our list for a while as the best all-around option mainly because of their size and sound. If all you want is a discreet pair of good ‘buds, give these a look.
• Jaybird Run: Jaybird has been running the Bluetooth earbud game for a while, and its true wireless ‘buds are also worth checking out. They didn’t make this list mainly because of a jittery connection, but if you can live with the inconsistency these aren’t a bad option.
• Sony WF-1000X: Sony has been on a tear recently, releasing products that dominate their respective categories (see MDR-1000X M2 or Sony XB40). The WF-1000X true wireless earbuds are one such option which seem to be getting plenty of fanfare and might be worth checking out, though battery life doesn’t seem too great.
• Anker Zolo Liberty: If you don’t want to spend too much, Anker is always a good bet. Although the Zolo earbuds weren’t perfect and honestly a little disappointing, you can’t go wrong with a sub-$100 price tag. Check out the full review to see more.
• Bragi Dash: Our experience with these was not very good, but some people report success.

What’s next

So far, only the Apple AirPods have a rock-solid connection with their W1 chip, though Qualcomm’s got a competitor coming out soon. The current crop of true wireless earphones just don’t quite compare to the ease and stability offered by the W1. We’ll be there to document how this product category unfolds at SoundGuys, so check back as things get released!

As IFA comes to a close, we now have a few more models to look forward to, namely the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless, which promise aptX Low Latency, aptX, and AAC support. However, there are other exciting prospects on the horizon such as the waterproof JBL Endurance Peak and the Audio-Technica Sound Reality, the company’s first true wireless product.

Related:

• Improve your phone’s sound: Headphone volume booster apps and more
• Expect phones to start shipping with true wireless earbuds in-box
• Best Bluetooth Earbuds
• Best Workout Earbuds

Source: Android Zone

The post Best true wireless earbuds – there’s more than Apple out there appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.