- Case materials: glossy or matte plastic (polycarbonate), tempered glass (front panel), magnesium alloy (case base)
- Available body colors: white, gray, pink, blue
- Operating system: Android 5.1, Flyme 4.5
- Network: 2G/3G/4G (including support for bands common in Russia for FDD-LTE), two nanoSIM cards with LTE support (in Meizu m1 mini LTE networks were supported by only one slot)
- Processor: quad-core, 64-bit, Cortex-A53 at 1.3 GHz, on the Mediatek MT6735 platform (in Meizu m1 mini 64-bit, Cortex-A53 at 1.5 GHz, Mediatek MT6732)
- Graphics subsystem: Mali T720 (in Meizu m1 mini Mali T760 MP2)
- RAM: 2 GB (Meizu m1 mini 1 GB)
- Memory for data storage: 16 GB (Meizu m1 mini 8 GB)
- Memory card slot: yes, supports cards up to 128 GB
- Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n) Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset
- Screen: IPS matrix, 5” diagonal, resolution 1280x720 pixels, ppi 296, Dragontrail X protective glass, automatic adjustment backlight level, tempered glass
- Main camera: 13 megapixels, 5 lenses, f/2.2, 1080p video recording
- Front camera: 5 MP without autofocus, OV5670 sensor, 69 angle, 4 lenses, f/2.0, real-time effects application
- Navigation: GPS (A-GPS support), Glonass
- Additionally: accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
- Battery: 2500 mAh
- Dimensions: 140.1 x 68.9 x 8.7 mm
- Weight: 131 grams
Introduction
The conveyor of the Chinese company Meizu does not stop for a minute. Over the past couple of years, a large number of different devices have come out of the oven, and recently we have seen a trend of several lines of devices appearing: MX, MX Pro, M Note, and, most likely, it will become a good tradition to release gadgets with the M mini prefix. However, in China the mini prefix is not used.
Not long ago, the Meizu M2 mini model was introduced (another name is Blue Charm m2). Artem Lutfullin said in his acquaintance with the device: “The main task that the company solved when creating a new model was to transfer it to an even lower price category, to the segment of ultra-budget solutions or simply the most affordable smartphones with normal characteristics." It must be emphasized that these are not gadgets with poor TFT-TN screens and 1400 mAh batteries. In fact, with the M2 mini we get a stripped-down M2 Note in some respects.
Unfortunately, due to exchange rates, the Russian representative office of Meizu was unable to keep the cost of the device low. The price in China is about 7,000 in rubles. In our country, the cost of the M2 mini is 13,000 rubles. Frankly speaking, I was expecting a price of around 10,000 rubles or less.
Design, dimensions, control elements
Personally, I am happy when a company finds a design that is eventually implemented in future devices, emphasizing the seriousness of the corporation’s commitment to releasing new devices. Sometimes the appearance gets boring quickly: for example, Samsung had too many identical gadgets in terms of design, so in less than a couple of years such devices began to create an ambiguous impression.
It seems to me that Meizu has already found the appearance that will be recognizable, at least among those who understand mobile devices. To be fair, it should be said that the development team, when creating Meizu gadgets, was inspired by products Apple. Therefore, in part, the smartphones of the Chinese company may remind us of Apple phones.
The Meizu M2 mini from the front side is similar to Apple iPhone 6, live, not in pictures. It's my opinion. Yes, the M2 mini does not have the notorious curved screen, but common features can be traced. The sensations in the hand are similar.
- Apple iPhone 6: 138x67x6.9 mm
- Meizu M2 mini: 140x68x8.7 mm
The shape of the case is rectangular, the corners are sloping, the front panel is flat, the back panel smoothly transitions to beveled edges. If we compare it with Meizu gadgets, then with the M2 Note. The MX4 Pro is also worth mentioning. Only it has a metal edge and the central button is more rectangular.
From point of view appearance, the device makes an excellent impression. Ergonomics also did not disappoint: due to its small width, smooth contours and weight of 130 grams, the M2 mini is very comfortable to hold and use for a long time. If it weren’t for the trend of smartphones being pushed in all directions, I would say that the size of the M2 mini is ideal.
The front panel is protected by AGC Dragontrail tempered glass. Not everyone knows Corning, but it’s also not bad. After a month of active use, there wasn’t a single scratch left on it (though I’m a neat person and I try to treat devices with care). There is an oleophobic coating, it is of average quality, that is, traces remain and cover the surface of the display abundantly, but no greasy residue remains. The finger glides well.
The body is monolithic, like most Meizu devices. The inside of the chassis is traditionally made of metal. The lid is plastic, or, as it is now fashionable to call this material, polycarbonate. Looks durable. Assembly without any complaints. Please do not write in the comments, saying that you bought an M2 mini the other day, and the body is all wobbly and creaking. I am describing a specific sample and cannot be responsible for other samples.
As for the colors of the rear panel, there are only four of them: white, grey, blue and pink. As far as I know, the first three colors are currently available for pre-order. I periodically use Meizu M1 Note in blue. Nice colour, practically not easily soiled, although the material is glossy. By the way, matte is only gray.
It seems to me that the most strict and representative is matte gray, like the MX4 Pro.
At the top center of the front panel is the speech speaker. It is loud, the timbre is pleasant, there are enough highs and lows. The interlocutor can be heard clearly and intelligibly. Compared to the M1/M2 Note, their speaker is at about the same level. Only the MX4/MX4 Pro/MX5 is cooler - the volume there is one and a half times higher. Personal opinion.
To the left of the speaker are light and proximity sensors. There are no questions for them. On the right is the front camera and a small indicator of missed events.
There is a mechanical button under the display. It has an oval shape and a chrome-plated rim. The pressure is firm, the stroke is minimal, there is a barely audible “click” sound. The button is used to activate the backlight (short press when the screen is locked), exit to the desktop (short press in active screen mode), exit back (short press), lock the screen (long press in active screen mode). Comfortable!
Bottom – microphone, microUSB and speaker, top – 3.5 mm audio output for headphones.
There are metal slides on the left side. They can hold either two nanoSIMs, or one nanoSIM and a microSD memory card.
On the right side there is a volume rocker key and a power button for the device. Slightly convex, with clear pressing. I liked the power button because you can definitely feel the press. There is a quiet high-frequency sound of a “click”, or rather a “click” that is pleasant to the ear.
On the reverse side there is a lens (it is mounted flush with the body) and a flash.
Overall, it turned out to be a cool device in terms of appearance, design ergonomics, ease of use, and so on.
Meizu M2 mini and M1 Note
Meizu M2 mini and Highscreen Power Five
Meizu M2 mini and Apple iPhone 5
Display
Meizu M2 mini uses a screen with a diagonal of 5 inches. Let me remind you that the M1/M2 Note has 5.5 inches, the MX4 has 5.36, and the MX4 Pro has 5.5. The physical size of the M2 mini display is 62x110 mm, the frame on top and bottom is 15 mm, on the right and left - approximately 3.5 mm. There is an anti-reflective coating.
The M2 mini display resolution is HD, that is, 720x1280 pixels, density is 296 pixels per inch. Matrix - IPS OGS. The screen-to-body ratio is 75.6%.
The maximum brightness of white color is 386 cd/m2 (for M1 - 480, for M2 Note - 409), the maximum brightness of black color is 0.52 cd/m2. Contrast ratio – 741:1.
The white line is the goal we are trying to achieve. The yellow line is the actual screen data. You can see that we are directly on the target curve - perfect value!
An average gamma value of 2.2 is ideal throughout the entire curve.
Judging by the level chart, there is a shortage of red, a lot of blue, and just right green. Judging by the graph, the higher the brightness, the more blue and less red.
The temperature remains virtually unchanged and remains around 8000 K.
Judging by the diagram, the data obtained does not quite correspond to the sRGB triangle. It is slightly shifted upward.
Almost all gray points are located outside the DeltaE=10 radius, which indicates that other shades of colors will be present in gray colors.
Although the viewing angles are maximum, at certain angles the screen even slightly inverts the picture. Of course, the matrix is not as cool as in the M1 Note and M2 Note, but for its price category(if you don’t take our prices) it will do just fine.
Behavior in the light
Behavior in the shadows
Viewing Angles
Settings
Battery
This model uses non-removable battery from Sony with a capacity of 2500 mAh.
When working with the device, the battery lasted for about 19-20 hours: about 20-30 minutes of calls per day, about 3-6 hours of 4G 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 (3G, music, a little less talking), 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.
Below is a screenshot with official data:
When the screen backlight brightness is automatically adjusted, the display operates for 2 to 3 hours.
Communication capabilities
The device is equipped with two nanoSIM slots. Both connectors support operation in the 4G LTE network, however, if one SIM is in LTE, the other automatically switches to the GSM network.
- GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800 MHz)
- WCDMA/HSPA+ (900/2100 MHz)
- LTE (1800/2100/2600 MHz)
The rest is standard: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n) Dual-Band (2.4 GHz/5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 LE, microUSB connector (USB 2.0 with OTG support) for charging/synchronization. GPS navigation works without problems. By the way, GLONASS is also available. There is no NFC chip.
Memory and memory card
Meizu M2 mini has 2 GB installed random access memory. On this moment This is the typical volume of most mid-price smartphones. Here you need to understand that in China this device is considered a budget device, so 2 GB is cool. For us, the M2 mini falls into the middle DS section.
Built-in memory 16 GB EMMC 5.0 from Samsung. Unlike the M1 Note, the M2 mini (like the M2 Note) now has a slot for a microSD memory card. The maximum volume is up to 128 GB!
Cameras
Two cameras: main 13 MP (CMOS sensor from Samsung, 5 lenses, F2.2 aperture) protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, front 5 MP (4 lenses, F2.0 aperture, 69 degree angle). The flash has one LED.
The camera shoots approximately at the level of the M1/M2 Note, that is, the waveform is good: the white balance is always fine, the detail is slightly above average, there is little noise, but there are small artifacts, the focus is accurate and fast.
The front camera is excellent: also accurate white balance, fairly good detail, minimal noise in poor lighting conditions, a wide viewing angle, but not the maximum among mobile phones.
The gadget shoots video in FullHD resolution at 30 fps in good lighting conditions and 15 fps in poor lighting conditions. Mono sound. The picture is clean and crisp. The only thing I didn't like was the viewing angle. It is frankly small, almost 30-40% of the frame is cut off relative to taking a photo.
The front camera shoots video in FullHD resolution at 24 fps.
As always, at your disposal manual settings cameras: shutter speed, ISO value and other parameters. There are very few gadgets with such things, and none at all among inexpensive ones.
Sample photos
Performance
The device runs on the Taiwanese MediaTek MT6735 chipset. It was announced at the end of last year. This is a 64-bit SoC that contains 4 ARM Cortex-53 cores, 28 nm process technology, each clocked at up to 1.5 GHz. The graphics used are Mali T-720 with support for Open GL ES 3.0 and Open CL 1.2 API.
It should be noted that the MT6735 chip was created as inexpensive solution for use in devices that can operate on different networks. Therefore, its main feature is LTE in our country.
The interface is very fast and smooth – two main advantages of the device. Applications launch instantly. With games, everything is not so smooth: you should not count on a large number of FPS and high quality graphics (BIA3 slows down, DeadTrigger at maximum also slows down). The smartphone is slightly weaker than the M1/M2 Note in this regard.
System Information
Performance tests
Software platform
The Meizu M2 mini smartphone runs under the operating system Google systems Android version 5.1. But, unfortunately, there is nothing left of the “five” here after the Chinese “rolled” the Flyme shell version 4.5 onto it. In fact, nothing new or interesting has appeared: the animation, icons, and general design are the same. It's sad, of course, because Android 5.0 is good without any decorations.
Multimedia
The music player is standard for Meizu. The speaker has a very high volume, I think it was “inherited” from the M1/M2 Note. Clean, no overload.
The sound in the headphones is loud, but a little quieter than in the M2 Note. The quality is great. As always, there is an equalizer and Dirac HD Sound (sometimes it is useful).
There is still no radio - very strange. The video player has not changed, but a special button has appeared to display other videos in memory. The device “plays” any video in resolutions up to FullHD and a maximum bitrate of 40 Mbit/s.
Conclusion
I like the way the Meizu company thinks - fellow Chinese are moving in the right direction, in my opinion. Maybe an even more affordable device will appear. In this case, a segment that is still inaccessible to the company will close: inexpensive - mini, middle segment– Note, the expensive ones are MX, the premium ones are Pro, and the most budget ones... well, I don’t know what they’ll be called Meizu.
The device made an extremely positive impression. It has a nice appearance, excellent ergonomic design, several colors to suit every taste, good specifications, quite a long operating time, good cameras and the ability to operate in fourth generation networks.
Up to 15,000 rubles, I often recommend taking either the M1 Note, or for 4G lovers, the M2 Note. Now we can recommend the Meizu M2 mini among compact smartphones with excellent hardware.
Competitors:
- Highscreen Power Five. Costs about 15,000 rubles. Amoled HD screen, 5000 mAh battery, LTE, metal body. The downside is the 8 MP camera, the Pentile is visible.
- Philips Xenium V526. It also costs about 15,000 rubles and is practically an analogue of Highscreen.
- ZTE Blade S6
- ASUS ZenFone 2 ZE500CL
- Lenovo S60
Pros of Meizu M2 mini
- Sturdy body
- Great build
- Ergonomic design
- Loud speaker
- Good cameras
- Capacious battery
- Two SIM cards
There are no downsides as such, but I would like a better IPS matrix (at least like the M1 Note) and a slightly lower cost of the device.
Good day to the readers of our site! Today in our section great review- budget smartphone. But this is precisely the budget that is extremely interesting
The January premiere from the Chinese brand Meizu M1 became quite successful and competitive, but other Chinese companies did not stand still, which forced Meizu to launch a battle for a sweet piece of the pie in the niche already in the summer budget smartphones new fighter - Meizu M2. I will provide you with a review of the Meizu m2 mini in this article. The Chinese did not surprise much with the new product; however, they endowed it with twice the amount of RAM that was available in its predecessor. The new mini model received 4x nuclear processor, which is inferior in total power to its predecessor, but has an excellent core frequency of 1.3 GHz. The appearance of the new product does not differ much from its predecessor - a polycarbonate body in several colors to choose from, the edges and corners are rounded.
I came across a traditional Meizu white compact box made of snow-white thick cardboard. In the box itself, in addition to the smartphone itself, there are instructions, a 1.2 A charger, a tray ejector with SIM cards, and a USB cable.
My first impression was how small it is! Yes, how cool he is! And indeed, it is much more convenient to use than a 5.5-inch smartphone. My wife was absolutely delighted - the smartphone was bought for her.
Meizu m2 mini design issue
In fact, the smartphone has nothing new in its design. The volume and power keys have been moved to the right edge - everything else is the same as in the Meizu m2 Note.
The front panel is from Dragontail - just like its big brother M2. At the bottom of the panel there is an mBack button, which has already become signature feature rulers.
On the right side there is a set of sensors, indicators, holes for speakers, and a rocker for adjusting volume and power. On the left side there is an oblong tray for two SIM cards (Nano). The second slot is unusual - it is combined and allows you to use it for both a Micro-SD card and a SIM. There is only one radio module, so the second SIM card will not be available during a conversation on the first.
On the top of the polycarbonate case there is a standard 3.5 headphone jack. MicroUSB and speakers with a microphone are located at the bottom.
There are a minimum of details on the back cover. In addition to the camera and LED flash I found only the MEIZU badge and the country of manufacture. External review Meizu M2 mini only confirmed the obvious and follows from the name - the phone is smaller than its predecessor in all respects except thickness.
I won’t hide the fact that the usability of the phone, thanks to the rounded corners and its reasonable size, left a pleasant impression. No problems with ergonomics, even when using the device with one hand. Surprisingly primary Meizu M2 mini review I left a very pleasant impression about the build quality. Surprisingly, because a budget smartphone creates a biased attitude, but this is definitely not the case. There is nothing loose or rattling, all the panels fit well, the phone fits nicely in the hand, all the buttons are exactly where they should be.
The Chinese also saved money on the oleophobic coating, so the phone will often ask to be “cleaned”, since any touch with a finger leaves an unsightly mark. The problem can be solved simply - stick on a matte film and voila! Our smartphone will no longer be dirty!
Display
5-inch, with an expansion of 1280 by 720. Three-component, having glass and two sensor layers-films, an anti-reflective coating, which, unlike the oleophobic one, is still there. Good viewing angles, but don't expect premium features from a budget phone. From some angles there is a significant loss of brightness, and sometimes there is too much dominance yellow color. The sun will not become a hindrance, the brightness is at the level, and the contrast is also good. I'll be honest, the review of the Meizu M2 mini display showed one of the best results in the price segment, if not the best.
If we compare it with the Meizu M2 Note, then the latter is clearly better. This catches your eye literally right away. But if you don’t make a direct comparison, the display is very good, for the budget segment.
The Chinese equipped Android phone 5.1 with Flyme 4.5 shell. We were able to successfully optimize the technical and system parts of the device; everything works without lags or slowdowns. The touchscreen responds perfectly. The bottom swipe will give you access to Wi-Fi, brightness control, Bluetooth and a few other basic functions. The top swipe will open the sheet latest apps, and a long hold on an empty point will open a useful settings panel with widgets, customizing wallpaper, and icons.
Review of Meizu M2 mini features showed the presence various functions, such as unlocking with a double tap, activating the application using a finger drawing, SmartTouch function. What caught my eye, or rather even my ears, was a really loud click when using the mBack button. Meizu M2 provides the ability to select one of three energy use modes - energy saving, optimal balance, performance. Naturally, the screen can be customized to a color scheme that pleases you.
You don’t have to worry about performance either; most games don’t load the phone to the point of its inability to work correctly, which will please those who like to pass the time with toys. A pleasant discovery for me personally, as a sound connoisseur, was the presence of high-quality sound on the device. Meizu M2 mini review in terms of speaker capabilities and headphone playback, it showed that volume, sound level, saturation, low frequencies- everything is present in due measure, which is not what you expect from a budget phone. The only annoying thing worth noting is the lack of a built-in FM receiver.
Full Meizu M2 Mini specifications
- Device type: smartphone.
- Available colors: white, gray, blue, pink.
- Case materials: plastic, glass.
- Operating system: Flyme 4.5 on Android based 5.1 Lollipop
- Networks (depending on phone versions*):
- GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz (band 5/8/3/2);
- TD-SCDMA: 1880-1920, 2010-2025 MHz;
- UMTS: 900/1900/2100 MHz;
- FDD LTE: 1800/2100/2600 MHz (band 3/1/7);
- TDD-LTE 1900/2300/2500/2600 MHz (band 39/40/41/38)
- SIM cards: Dual Nano-SIM, Dual Standby
- Processor: MT6735, 64 bit, 1.3 GHz, 4 Cortex A53 cores
- Video accelerator: Mali-T720 MP2, 600 MHz
- RAM: 2 GB LPDDR3 EMMC 5.0 (Samsung), 640 MHz
- Memory for data storage: 16 GB, the ability to install a Micro-SD memory card with a capacity of up to 128 GB in the SIM2 slot
- Interfaces: Micro-USB 2.0, dual band 2.4/5.0 GHz WiFi 802.11 (a/b/g/n), Wi-Fi Hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0, OTA, OTG, 3.5 mm audio
- Screen: IPS, 5.0"" HD (1280x720), GFF full lamination, 294 ppi, AGC Dragontrail glass
- Cameras: rear -13 MP (4160x3120), Samsung ISOCELL, f/2.2, 5 lenses + protective Gorilla glass Glass 3, autofocus, digital stabilization, LED flash (continuous shooting, digital zoom, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, HDR, panorama, ISO selection, exposure compensation, white balance, timer, scene selection), 1080p video @30fps; front - 5 MP (2576x1936), f/2.0, OmniVision OV5670, PureCel, 4 lenses, FotoNation 2.0
- Navigation: GPS,
- A-GPS, GLONASS
- Battery: non-removable, SONY/ATL, 2500 mAh
- Dimensions: 140.1 x 68.9 x 8.7 mm
- Weight: 131 g
Question about the photos.
What to hide - the smartphone received exactly the same camera module as its older brother Meizu M2 Note. But it boasts a macro glitch. This glitch was discovered not only by me, but also on the 4pda profile thread, they also write a lot about it. Most likely, this is a software miscalculation and it will be removed with the next firmware.
The quality of shooting on the phone leaves no questions - both videos and photos come out quite decent, as you can see on Meizu photos M2 mini. I'm glad to see the display function, which came here from more expensive price segments.
It's raining and cloudy in Kyiv right now, so you need to make allowances for poor lighting.
badMETER Meizu smartphone M2 Mini
performance - 6 out of 10 appearance - 8 out of 10 value for money - 10 out of 10
My personal rating is excellent.
In recent years, Meizu has been remembered by users not only for its production of high-quality gadgets, but also large smartphones. The first “shovel” was the MX3 with a 5.1-inch diagonal. Further - more, MX4 conquered the 5.36-inch bar, and MX4 Pro debuted with a 5.5-inch diagonal, and it seemed that the company no longer intended to produce compact smartphones, similar to the prominent sales leader Meizu MX2 with a diagonal of 4.4 inches. But the relatively recently introduced new line of smartphones pleased users. The ideological models were the M1 Note devices and its younger brother M1 mini. Unfortunately, in areas outside of Chinese networks, the smartphone simply turned out to be useless due to problems with networks above GSM. But today the picture is changing and the M1 mini is logically evolving into the M2 mini with improvements. Now, against the background of the previous design, a tempting filling and an LTE module operating in the Russian Federation have been added, as well as much more, which you will learn about from the review, including a pleasant surprise at the end of the article for readers.
Main characteristics
Case materials: plastic, glass (front panel – Asahi Glass);
Display: IPS, 5.0”-inch diagonal, resolution 1280 x 720 pixels, 296 ppi;
Processor: quad-core MediaTek MT6735, up to 1.3 GHz;
Video chip: Mali-T720;
Operating system: Android 5.0.1, Flyme 4.5*;
RAM: 2 GB;
Memory for data storage: 16 GB, microSD slot up to 128 GB;
Interfaces: Wi-Fi (ac/a/b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0, GPS (A-GPS support), Glonass, microUSB 2.0 connector (MHL, USB-OTG), AUX;
Network: GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, LTE (TD/FDD-LTE), (Dual SIM support);
Main camera: 13.0 MP. Ability to shoot video in 720/1080p;
Front camera: 5 MP without autofocus, f/2.0 aperture;
Battery: 2,500 mAh;
Dimensions: 68.9 x 140.1 x 8.7 mm;
Weight: 131 grams.
Packaging and delivery
Meizu M2 Mini comes in the usual packaging format of this manufacturer - its dimensions can be called average for the market. The cardboard from which the box is made has a silky and smooth tactile sensation, looks expensive and pleasant. Its density is significant, which will certainly have a positive effect on the transportation of the gadget.
It is quite difficult to express an unambiguous opinion on packaging design, since perception is always individual and depends on personal preferences. In my opinion, the device deserves a positive response. By focusing on the quality of packaging, the manufacturer rather hints at the low-budget nature of the product. 
There is minimal information on the box - just the name of the model on top and a neatly designed sticker on the bottom, which contains all the necessary legal and technical information. 
Under the cover is the Meizu M2 mini itself, as well as a clip for removing the SIM tray. Under the smartphone there is a recess with documentation.
Underneath the smartphone you will see a modest delivery kit, which consists of Micro USB cable and charger. Judging by the molding, it should have included headphones, but, alas, not in the case of official deliveries to the Russian Federation and Europe. Instead of headphones, there is only a plug. However, if desired, the empty space can be supplemented with one of two branded headsets - EP-21HD or EP-20S. From my point of view, the decision to abandon the included headphones will not greatly upset a potential buyer. Price in this case plays an important role, and not everyone will want to overpay for a “weak” headset, as is usually the case. There are no complaints about the quality of the accessories. 
Appearance, design features and display
Let me start this section by saying that Meizu apparently did not have the task of producing a new and distinctive design for our model. The Meizu M2 Mini was made in the general style of the company's older devices, besides, it looks like its big brother M2 Note or vice versa, whichever you like best. Many companies are now using similar tactics. But we can’t say that this strategy is wrong for budget models; visually everything is presented with dignity and this is important. 
However, unlike the older models of the MX series, the M2 Mini has several bright body colors, namely pink and blue, to which are also added the usual white and gray. The latter is exactly what we have on the test. I recommend taking a closer look at this particular shade; your smartphone looks charismatic in it. 
Despite the impressive five-inch display, the smartphone is very compact. The dimensions of Meizu M2 mini are 68.9 x 140.1 x 8.7 mm, weight – 131 g. The margins on the sides of the display are about 3.5 mm. Such indicators and the sloping edges of the case allow it to lie in the hand with great comfort. 
Meizu M2 mini is made of plastic, namely polycarbonate. Internal frame for metal components. Well, the front panel, accordingly, is completely covered with tempered glass with an oleophobic coating (Asahi Glass). In your hands, the smartphone looks expensive like a flagship. I can’t call the case easily soiled; it is resistant to any defects, such as scratches, especially if handled well. And even if they appear in small quantities, they will not be noticeable due to the color and texture of the case. The situation is approximately similar with glass. But since soiling is still present and dirt is not very easy to remove from the display, the conclusion suggests itself about the mediocre application of the oleophobic coating. 
Returning to the front panel, let's discuss the display in more detail. As I already said, Meizu M2 mini is equipped with a high-quality five-inch IPS matrix - resolution 1280 x 720. Pixel density 269 PPI. Multi-touch supports up to ten simultaneous touches. The manufacturer claims a contrast level of 1000:1 and a maximum brightness of 400 nits. Unfortunately, I was not able to check whether this is true or not. But the overall impressions of the display are quite satisfactory. The picture is quite clear, I like the color rendition. The display cannot be called bright, since at maximum brightness outdoors, it is quite difficult to view, for example, articles on geektimes.ru from the phone, but in the dark the display will definitely not blind your eyes. 
When examining the gadget in detail, the first thing that attracts attention is the mechanical key in the center, exactly like the older models. However, unlike its MX series brethren, it does not carry a fingerprint scanner. Its functionality is quite wide. When you press the key, you go to the home screen, and when you touch it, you go back. When pressed and held, the display is locked. The button is flat, slightly recessed into the body, made in the shape of a rectangle with rounded corners. There seems to be a metal edging. There are no more keys on the central panel. Looking ahead a little, I’ll say that the multitasking menu opens by swiping up from the bottom edge of the display. 
There is a small speaker in the center above the display. Its location is convenient and there are no complaints about the work. The volume reserve of the speaker is quite large. Next to it is a block with a proximity and light sensor. And even further is the peephole of the front camera. An LED event indicator is hidden on top. It hides under glass and does not show itself in any way when not in use. Flashes smoothly white - moonlight. The LED is quite bright and can be seen from any angle when illuminated. There are no complaints about the sensors in my test device. 
On the lid, closer to the bottom, there is a logo and a small inscription on English language, which informs about the development of the model in China. 
But at the top center there is a single flash and a rather large camera eye, which, by the way, does not stick out. Rather, it lacks a small metal edging. 
At the bottom center there is a Micro-USB connector, a little to the right is a microphone, and on the left side is a speaker, which is hidden under a perforated strip. There are also several recessed screws that hold the body together. The AUX connector has found its place on top. It was not possible to find an additional microphone in the smartphone, after all middle class. On the right side there is a volume rocker and an on/off key. The buttons, like the body, are plastic. They press with a characteristic click that is pleasant to the ear, do not play, and are located conveniently. 
On the left, except for the implied SIM tray, there is nothing else. The phone is “dual SIM”, but in the case of a second SIM card, you will have to make a choice, either a memory card and one SIM card, or only two SIM cards. I will note that in the case of my test copy, the tray somehow did not fit very tightly and was loose. Otherwise, there are no complaints about the assembly, everything is sound. Nothing creaks, does not play, does not press through, the fit of parts is very precise.
Hardware, performance and software platform
Meizu again gave preference to MediaTek’s solutions when choosing a hardware platform. Meizu M2 mini is equipped with a quad-core MediaTek MT6735 processor, which is capable of operating at frequencies up to 1.3 GHz. The Mali-T720 chip is responsible for the graphics. The smartphone has 2 gigabytes of RAM and 16 GB of storage space. MicroSD memory cards up to 128 gigabytes are supported. 
Before we start talking about how a smartphone works in real life, I suggest you evaluate the test results in some popular benchmarks. Let me remind you that the manufacturer chose HD display resolution, most likely this will have a positive effect on performance. 
Test results, caution, original resolution
Stability testing (Classic test - up to 20 minutes, and final result in 45 minutes)
In general, the end result does not amaze the “consciousness”, but calling a smartphone weak or budget in the truest sense of the word simply does not work. But these are just the numbers that we get when real work with a smartphone? Quick start applications, almost complete absence of lags in them and the interface, moderate heating under heavy load. There is enough RAM to keep all the necessary software running at hand (objectively, up to 10 applications with average RAM consumption). As for game compatibility, as well as texture display, no serious problems were noticed. 3D games are generally doing well. According to statistics, most of the tested games, like GTA: San Andreas or Asphalt 8 were launched at medium graphics settings. The only thing is that in Real Racing 3 problems were identified with loading textures, but I won’t say that this problem occurred frequently and the game status changed to “not playable”. Although even the graphics settings were clearly not maximum and average. There are no problems with the stability of the smartphone. 
As a basis operating system the choice fell on Android 5.1. But there is practically nothing left of the native interface in the Flyme shell. At the same time, there is an update over the air. Based on the manufacturer's experience with previous models, it makes sense to expect further updates to the system over time. We have already talked in more detail about the Flyme system in our Meizu review MX5 and its features. In the case of the M2 Mini, everything is approximately the same. To familiarize yourself with the interface, as usual, I will provide a package of screenshots. 
It is worth noting that the manufacturer did not clog the system unnecessary applications, but only preinstalled the most necessary things. As for official supplies, all Chinese services are excluded from them. In other versions, they are not only present, but also supplemented by the absence of the Russian language. In part, Meizu made a strange decision related to the Russian language, but from a certain point of view it can be explained... In order not to start empty talk and then not enter into polemics, we simply state it as a fact. 
In general, getting used to the firmware is not difficult. It is made logically and clearly, many actions will be familiar from standard versions of Android. There are also some bugs, exactly those described in the MX5 review, but in principle you can live with them and it’s not even possible to find out about them at first. Let's just say, you need to look ☺.
Now about the video playback capabilities and other multimedia features. Using AnTuTu Video Tester, I checked the exact number of supported video formats. I suggest you look at the results, they are clearly worth it. 
A music player with a nice appearance and a common interface style. It is easy to use and compatible with most formats.
Subjectively, the device plays well, I liked it. The device was tested with Sony-MDR 1R headphones. The smartphone plays loudly, there is enough volume reserve, the sound is not as clear and detailed as the MX5, but clearly better than the Xiaomi Mi4i, for example. I was also pleased with the sound of the speaker, both the main one and the voice one. In the case of the voice speaker, I would like to note its volume, you can hear it even from a little distance. There are no problems with the microphone.
Wireless interfaces and communication
Following the trend of using two SIM cards, Meizu M2 Mini was no exception. Both SIM cards can operate in 3G/4G networks and are installed in one tray (nano-SIM). But you can use only one SIM card out of two in 3G/4G mode, the second will be active only in GSM networks(In which mode the SIM card will work can be selected in the settings). As mentioned above in the review, if you decide to install a memory card, then one SIM card will have to sacrifice.
The smartphone supports the following frequencies: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800 MHz), WCDMA/HSPA+ (900/2100 MHz) and LTE (1800/2100/2600 MHz). Wi-Fi (ac, b/g/n) is available (both 2.4 GHz and 5.0 GHz bands are supported), Bluetooth 4.0, as well as GPS (A-GPS)/GLONASS. All modules work stably, there were no issues with connections.
A cold GPS start takes about one and a half minutes, and a hot start takes about half a minute. Positioning accuracy is excellent, tracking when moving is smooth. The smartphone tries to maintain a stable connection with satellites; in deep tunnels or buildings, of course, the connection may be interrupted. Phone and SMS applications are clearly no different in functionality from older models. Normally, you can record conversations. 
In the conditions of Moscow and the Moscow region, the network signal level is high. The connection is not lost, the smartphone stably maintains the network, even when it comes to connecting to LTE networks. Although, in the case of the latter, the situation greatly depends on the coverage.
Battery and operating time
The Meizu M2 mini battery has a capacity of 2,500 mAh. For an energy-efficient hardware platform with HD display resolution, the results battery life quite satisfactory. The battery is in the style of the latest trends - non-removable. The standard charger has an output of 2 amps. To begin with, I suggest looking at the result of testing autonomy in AnTuTu Tester.
AnTuTu Tester
The result cannot be called advanced among budget smartphones, but the points scored will clearly compete with many mid-range smartphones. What about in everyday life? The smartphone lasts for about a day of moderate use, of which 5–6 hours are allocated to using the screen. If you save battery power and don’t use the device often, you can expect it to last up to two days. With some continuous active tasks, such as games or watching videos in 720p, the smartphone will last 5 or 6-6.5 hours, respectively. Night power consumption in standby mode was minimal and did not account for more than 2-3% of the charge.
Meizu M2 mini is the company’s second ultra-budget gadget, which has attracted the interest of users with the most favorable price-performance ratio. Already during the presentation, it became clear that this is the main contender for the title of the best 100-dollar smartphone, but is it really that good?
Appearance and ergonomics
Meizu M2 mini is made in the image and likeness of its “big brother” with the note prefix. Externally, they differ only in size, otherwise they are completely analogous - the same plastic monolithic body with rounded ends, a glass-covered front surface and an oval button in the center.
This is not to say that the smartphone looks like an expensive device; no, it is rather a gadget from the “ stylish trendy youth" The case comes in four colors, three are available in Russia: white, blue and gray. The first two are glossy, the last is matte. We got a blue one for testing, which initially gave the impression of an ordinary Chinese “toy”, but after a closer acquaintance, the opinion changed somewhat.
The smartphone is well assembled, convenient for use with one hand, but in the case of glossy plastic, it is slippery and tends to fall out of your hands if you move awkwardly. There is no question of using gloves at all. Probably, in the case of a gray case this problem is less relevant.
Located below the display mechanical button does not have a built-in fingerprint scanner, but recognizes a short press (activation of the backlight and exit to the desktop), pressing (activation of the screen lock) and touch (going back). In general, it is very convenient to use, you get used to it quickly, and you can set other actions if desired.
It is also worth noting the presence of a miniature LED indicator that signals missed events; it is located above the display to the right of the speaker. It does not light up suddenly, but gradually, and goes out the same way. Looks nice.
Display
Meizu M2 mini is equipped with a 5-inch capacitive touch screen with a high-quality IPS matrix and a resolution of 1280x720 pixels (296 ppi). The maximum brightness reaches 400 cd/m2, which is really noticeable - even in the sun the picture remains quite readable.
There is an anti-reflective coating and AGC Dragontrail protective glass. Regarding the reliability of the latter, nothing bad can be said; if you carry the smartphone carelessly, it will lose its presentation much sooner back cover, rather than the front panel.
In general, the screen is decent for its price category - optimal contrast, maximum viewing angles with virtually no color inversion. Those who like to peer into the “ladder” of pixels will also be pleasantly surprised - they will only be able to see the “grain” at close range. In the display settings, you can adjust the dynamic blur of the image during animation and color temperature.
Iron
The hardware is based on a 64-bit quad-core MediaTek MT6735 with a frequency of 1.3 GHz and a Mali T-720 graphics accelerator. The solution is budget, and you shouldn’t expect much from it. Paired with 2 GB of RAM, such a chip is quite capable of providing a smooth shell interface and minimal delays during everyday tasks, but there are slight “brakes” in the browser and top 3D games.
In terms of scores in benchmarks, everything is also quite predictable, although AnTuTu itself does not vouch for the honesty of the 27,652 points awarded to the M2 mini. It is possible that there is artificial cheating, that is, deception of the tester.
In Vellamo, the smartphone is completely defined as Gionee M2, which has nothing in common with the Meizu M2 mini in terms of filling. Probably the reason for the confusion is the similarity in the names of the models. Be that as it may, the results here are quite plausible and quite good: 1,884 in the browser test, 1,409 in Multicore, 983 in Metal. The latest M2 mini is almost on par with last year's flagship MX4.
Regarding the internal storage, there is 16 GB of high-speed EMMC 5.0 memory from Samsung, which is very rare for devices in this price category. Plus there is a card slot microSD up to 128 GB, which is also commendable.
Communications and communication
The smartphone's only tray provides the ability to install two nanoSIM cards, in both cases 4G is supported, but used for high-speed mobile internet You can only use one of them; the second one automatically switches to GSM mode for calls only.
With the rest of the communications set, everything is quite standard - there is Wi‑Fi a/b/g/n (2.4 GHz/5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 LE, GPS and GLONASS. There is only an NFC module, which is expected. Additionally, OTG support is provided for connection external media. There were no problems with connecting to the operator’s network and signal quality during use.
Sound
Those who like to listen to music on a smartphone through a speaker have nothing to please - the sound quality is very mediocre, detail is low, but the maximum volume is such that even on a noisy street you can hear a call without any problems.
Things are a little better in the case of headphones, here the ears no longer “wither”, and even with mediocre earplugs, the device is quite suitable for the role of a permanent player. You can customize the sound using a proprietary player with an equalizer and technology support Dirac HD Sound. The latter, in theory, provides improved compatibility with certain headphones, but in practice this turned out to be little noticeable.
System
M2 mini runs on Android 5.1 Lollipop with a proprietary shell Flyme 4.5, which successfully hides all the visual delights of the latest version of the “green robot” like Material Design with its colors and animation. If the fan is pure Android versions If you are not, Flyme may well pleasantly surprise you, because it is a simple and at the same time convenient interface.
This shell does not provide a traditional list of applications - icons for all installed games and programs are displayed on desktops. Many standard widgets are missing, and there are no proprietary alternatives either. This problem, of course, can be solved by Google Play, but overall it’s strange that there’s not even the usual clock that usually adorns the main screen.
Another one Meizu feature- a list of running applications, which is traditionally displayed by pressing a mechanical or on-screen button on the right, but the M2 mini has neither one nor the other. Everything turned out to be quite simple; in the Flyme 4.5 shell, this action is implemented by swiping up from the bottom of the screen.
The default notification shade displays five quick settings, but the icon in the right corner reveals them full list, which includes do not disturb mode, a flashlight, and an access point. The control panel is also displayed here music player and the last actions like screenshots and file uploads - in general, everything is quite standard.
Themes for transforming the interface are still not localized, so you will have to be content with just changing the background. As for the pre-installed software, it is quite usable file manager, the previously mentioned music player and drawing app.
Also included in the pre-installed applications is a security center that allows you to clean up memory, detect potential threats, and configure autorun and permissions for individual applications.
In the settings it is worth highlighting the item Quick awakening, which allows a specific program or service to assign a special character to launch directly from the lock screen. For example, if you drew “C,” the camera turned on, “W,” the browser, and so on. At the same point, the option to switch tracks by swiping across the lock screen is activated, which is quite convenient, although not new.
From the unpleasant— excessive protection against accidental swipes, if that’s what it is, of course. You won't be able to unlock the screen if you hold the smartphone by its upper part, that is, if you cover the light sensor (it's to the left of the speaker). It's not May outside, and gloves are more relevant than ever, the cover of the M2 mini is slippery, so in order not to drop it, sometimes you involuntarily grasp the body more tightly - this is when your finger can easily cover the sensor. The result of such “concern” is a message about unlocking refusal. For the next attempt, you will have to wait a couple of seconds or clear the warning by double pressing the volume key.
Cameras
Meizu M2 mini is equipped with a 13-megapixel camera with a CMOS sensor from Samsung, 5 lenses, an f/2.2 aperture and Gorilla Glass 3 protective glass. When we saw these parameters, we hoped that the pictures would pleasantly surprise us, but in reality everything turned out differently. In situations with sufficient lighting levels photos were often blurry, but at dusk or in a room with dim lighting, sometimes quite decent shots were obtained.
The set of settings here is standard for Meizu - there is activation of HDR, adjustment of brightness, shutter speed and ISO, display of a grid or level for those who like to fill the horizon, as well as a set of effects and color filters.
The front camera here is 5 megapixels. It also lacks stars from the sky, but overall the pictures turn out quite acceptable. Girls might like it special service enhancement of self-portraits, allowing you to change skin tone, enlarge eyelashes, paint on lips, do a facelift or apply blush.
Working hours
The smartphone received a non-removable battery with a capacity of 2,500 mAh. The manufacturer claims 23 hours of operation telephone conversations, 12 hours Wi-Fi usage and 45 hours of music playback. In general, the data is really close to reality; even in very intensive mode, the battery will last until the evening without recharging. If you are not a fan mobile games, and you don’t disappear in the browser for hours - you can count on two to three days.
Summary
The Meizu company managed to release a really decent budget phone, all of whose shortcomings simply pale in comparison to the official starting price of 599 yuan or 6,000 rubles, now around 8,000 rubles. For this money, I simply don’t want to look for any downsides in a smartphone, but alas, the official Russian price was as much as 12,990 rubles. Is it expensive for such a smartphone? Still no.
Yes, there are several shortcomings that are typical for gadgets of this class, but even with them, the M2 mini looks more attractive than most of its competitors, and this concerns both the appearance and the filling. In your hands, it feels like a really high-quality, solid device that can convince even the most inveterate skeptics who still do not recognize the successes of Chinese manufacturers.
Pros:
- high-quality assembly;
- good autonomy;
- support microSD cards up to 128 GB;
- LTE support.
Minuses:
- low photo quality;
- mediocre sound.
Technical characteristics of Meizu M2 mini:
- operating system: Android 5.1 with Flyme 4.5 shell;
- chipset: 64-bit quad-core Mediatek MT6735 (Cortex-A53) with a frequency of 1.3 GHz;
- video processor: Mali-T720;
- RAM: 2 GB;
- permanent memory: 16 GB + support for microSD memory cards up to 128 GB;
- display: 5 inches, IPS matrix, resolution 1280x720 pixels, 296 ppi, Dragontrail X protective glass;
- main camera: 13 MP, 5 lenses, f/2.2 aperture, 1080p video recording, autofocus, LED flash;
- front camera: 5 MP, f/2.0 aperture;
- communications: LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS, GLONASS;
- battery: 2,500 mAh;
- dimensions: 140.1 x 68.9 x 8.7 mm;
- weight: 131 grams.
All Meizu smartphones are like twin brothers. Edges rounded on all sides, narrow frames on the sides of the screen and maximum minimalism in design. The “nothing superfluous” philosophy continues in the design of the proprietary Flyme OS shell; this is one of the most laconic and complete add-ons for Android. The public clearly liked this ascetic approach; in the first half of 2015 alone, the company sold 9 million smartphones. Until recently, when choosing a new product from Meizu, the buyer automatically opted for very large gadgets. MX4, MX5, M2 Note are large smartphones the sizes of which you need to get used to. To change the location of icons in the menu or quickly write a message on such a device, you will most likely need two hands, and not all users are ready to put up with this.
The hero of our review is the first compact phone from Meizu in the last few years. Meizu M2 mini designed just for those who are looking for a gadget that can be operated with one hand, regardless of the usage scenario.
Characteristics
Reasonable sufficiency. This is what Meizu marketers were thinking when compiling a list of M2 mini characteristics. The device has no obvious weak points, no expensive bells and whistles, like a fingerprint scanner or wireless charging. 5″ IPS display with HD resolution, 16Gb of built-in and 2Gb of RAM, a modern 4-core MediaTek chipset and a slot for MicroSD memory cards. That's what it is modern smartphone middle class.
Design
It is almost impossible to distinguish the M2 mini from its larger counterparts without placing them next to each other. Back panel and the side and all side edges of the smartphone are a single element made of polycarbonate, while the front part is covered with Dragontrail tempered glass. There are simply no unnecessary joints on the body, this feeling of integrity Meizu M2 mini captivates first. Meizu designers remain true to minimalism even in the design of the camera and buttons. No chrome frames or unnecessary inscriptions or color accents. Perhaps in some places the developers have become too carried away with minimalism; there is no oleophobic coating on the front panel, which means the device will quickly become covered with fingerprints.
Chipset
It is based on a modern 4-core MediaTek MT6735 chipset. Cortex A53 cores operate at 1.3 GHz. Among its classmates, MT6735 stands out with at least two features. Firstly, the chipset is built on a 64-bit architecture, it is with it that the advantages of 64-bit are best revealed Android systems 5.0, the interface and applications of the smartphone work faster, and the battery life is spent more slowly. The second advantage is full support LTE networks built directly into the chipset. Thanks to work with all major world bands, MT6735 will catch a 4G signal no matter where you are on the planet.
Performance
It is thanks to the MT6735 chipset that the smartphone has decent performance at a very reasonable price. Meizu M2 mini will not disappoint with interface sluggishness, will score about 27,000 points in Antutu and will give you the opportunity to play all modern 3D games with high settings graphics. Thanks to an economical processor and a 2500 mAh battery, the smartphone showed amazing survivability. To discharge a smartphone within a day of use, you really need to try. CorePilot technology also played a significant role in such energy modesty, which helps to consume battery power more slowly while maintaining performance levels.
Results
By all indications, Meizu has managed to release a real bestseller. For $160, each owner will receive a well-built and pleasant-looking smartphone, in which there are simply no weak points. A modern 4-core MediaTek processor and minimalism in design will help the M2 mini remain relevant for several years. This is exactly what a truly popular smartphone should be.
Specifications of Meizu M2 mini:
- Network: GSM (900/1800/1900 MHz), WCDMA (900/2100 MHz), TD-SCDMA (34, 39), TD-LTE (40), LTE (1800/2100/2600 MHz)
- Platform (at the time of announcement): Flyme 4.5 based on Android 5.1 Lollipop
- Display: 5″, 1280 x 720 pixels, 296 ppi, contrast 1000:1, brightness 400 nits, AGC Dragontrail glass
- Camera: 13 MP, sensor size 1/3.06″, autofocus, LED flash, 5-lens optics, f/2.2 aperture, Gorilla Glass 3
- Front camera: 5 MP, 4-lens optics, f/2.0, FotoNation 2.0
- Processor: 4 cores Cortex-A53, 1.3 GHz, MediaTek MT6735
- Graphics chip: Mali-T720MP2
- RAM: 2GB LPDDR3
- Internal memory: 16 GB eMMC 5.0
- Memory card: up to 128 GB (slot shared with second SIM slot)
- Navigation: GPS, GLONASS
- Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n), 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz
- Bluetooth 4.0 BLE
- microUSB
- 3.5mm jack
- Two SIM slots
- Battery: built-in, 2500 mAh
- Dimensions: 140.1 x 68.9 x 8.7 mm
- Weight: 131 g
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