Last December Meizu unveiled the m1 rating, a little late replica of Redmi Note Xiaomi. At the recent Mobile World Congress, the French distributor announces the arrival of the PHABLET in France. A few weeks later, we publiions in our columns a comprehensive test. The balance is quite satisfactory, large Full HD screen, a decent camera sensor, rather good performance offered by the MediaTek chipset, all for 229 euros. The proposal, while not the best, is good (especially as the mobile price has since dropped). Except that the smartphone, which international claims are obvious, is not compatible with the majority of 4G frequency bands. Where a marketing and sales offset.
Three months later, Meizu is trying to make up for it with a score m2 wearing a new MediaTek chipset, compatible with the 2600 MHz frequency band used by the three main French operators. But this is obviously not the only change to be expected in a data sheet can be a little less ambitious. Consider this:
- dimensions: 150.9 x 75.2 x 8.7 mm
- Weight: 149 grams
- screen ratio / dimensions: 72.8%
- IGZO screen Full HD 5.5 inch Sharp signed (resolution of 403 pixels per inch)
- MediaTek MT6753 chipset consists of four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.3 GHz and a GPU ARM Mali-T720 MP3
- 2 GB RAM
- 16 GB of internal storage (expandable by microSDXC)
- 3100 mAh battery (non-removable)
- Dual SIM card port (the second port being convertible for microSD)
- ISOCELL Samsung CMOS sensor of 13 megapixels, 5-element lens opening to f / 2.2, Flash true-tone compatible Full HD video
- webcam Omnivision 5 megapixel front-compatible Full HD video
- 4G connectivity, dual-band WiFi n, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS Glonass
- Touch hardware button Mback
- Operating System FlymeOS 4.5 based on Android 5.0 Lollipop
The biggest change is obviously the chipset, the internal modem is compatible with both LTE frequency bands used in France, 1800 and 2600 MHz (shame SFR prefers the 800 MHz band that is not accessible on the mobile). This component is also distinguished by the Cortex-A53 cores slower and less interesting GPU. The handset is slightly thinner (0.2 mm), but slightly heavier (4 grams). The operating system has been updated. Does it have an impact? Answer later.
An almost identical design
Meanwhile, first go around the owner. The M2 rating is much like its predecessor, especially in the back and on the edges, where the most outstanding elements were preserved. Whether the location of the photo sensor, the gate of the speaker, the drawer for both nano-SIM slots, the 3.5 mm jack or microUSB connector. The volume controls are, once again, left the mobile, which will appeal to both left and right handed disrupt. They are joined, and that is good news, for the power button, simplifying its access. The polycarbonate shell remains the same. Unlike m1 note to citrus colors (apple green and sky blue), the notes played sobriety m2 with two dresses. Gray and white
Once is not custom, is to face that you will succeed to distinguish between the two models. The grade m1 has a touchpad below the screen that hosts a navigation key marked with a small circle for the return to home. The notes m2 forget it and replaces it with a hardware button called Mback. Looking exactly like the fingerprint reader MX4 Pro Mback is provided a button on a touch surface offering two levels of interaction: tap to go back, click back to Home
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A hardware button that changes the whole grip
The presence of this single button is very good news. Beyond providing a simple way to access the return command, it fills one of the biggest flaws of Meizu smartphones (excluding MX4 Pro). Indeed, by removing the two navigation keys “back” and “multitasking”, the manufacturer complicates navigating the operating system. If access to the management of background applications traditionally is done quite easily (by dragging the bottom of the screen up), Meizu had previously offered no alternative to “return” . It was always possible to go through SmartTouch (the configurable virtual button), but then had to turn it on (and therefore know that there is).
For the rest, the handling of the notes is exactly m2 the same as m1 rating, maybe a little better given the new location of the switch-on button. The construction is solid, even if it is less well made that the MX series. The presence of a glass Gorilla Glass has not been confirmed, unlike the m1 note. We tend to think that Meizu would communicated widely on this detail if this had been the case. The touchpad does not frankly sliding under the fingers tends to confirm this assumption.
The display is itself the same as m1 Note: a 5.5-inch IGZO panel and full HD supplied by Sharp . Beautiful colors, bright, but not overloaded. A good contrast ratio and a thin piqued. Always viewing angles a bit narrow in portrait mode, but very satisfactory landscape. Ideal for watching movies, then. Fortunately, this is one of the strengths of Meizu.
An interface that has not changed much
operating system side, we expected new. Indeed, the notes m2 is the first mobile Meizu Android Lollipop decked out (it was time, Android M arrives in three months!). And as such, it benefits from a new version of FlymeOS, version 4.5 (against 4.2 for the m1 note). We waited even a few corrections to translations of the interface, one of the weak points of FlymeOS. Results? Nothing moves. In this, we are obviously very disappointed.
Despite Lollipop, the ‘FlymeOS 4.5 interface is almost identical to that of FlymeOS 4.2
Some areas for improvement are clearly noticeable. Translating the French interface is incomplete, especially in settings. Some elements of designations are cut. The FlyMe account is still associated with the Chinese yuan and not to the European currency. Integrated shops (AppCenter and Theme) are in Mandarin. And the QWERTY keyboard appears, not QWERTY.
Still location problems and some cuts in the texts
We noted two changes. First the TouchPal keyboard, which you find in mobile Chinese (Wiko, ZTE, Alcatel, etc.), replaces Fleksy. Lovers will be delighted. The others will still be able to return to their former keyboard by downloading it from the Play Store. Also note that the mobile like its predecessors, is not certified Google (Google Play Services all applications are absent except Maps and Search), but it offers the preinstalled Play Store. It will prevent you to go get him. Second change, the Security Center is enriched with a tool to create energy-saving profiles that comes in manual adjustment of the supplement in the settings menu.
TouchPal Keyboard and new security center
Disappointing raw performance
As we reported earlier this article, the main change between m1 and m2 grade rating is the chipset. The MT6752 is replaced by the MT6753. The configuration remains the same (2 GB of RAM, full HD), but the operating system changes (to KitKat Lollipop). Relayed an article in our columns following the presentation of the notes m2 stated that the MT6753 was clearly below the MT6752. Logic: the hearts are slower and the GPU is less good. We thought before running benchmarks on the mobile that the presence of Lollipop slightly counterbalance this finding. Finally, it is not.
On AnTuTu the m2 score reaches 31,566 points, which is obviously vis-à-vis withdrawal of 40,800 points m1 note. 3DMark and Basemark OS II, the rating reaches 6786 m2 and 776 points respectively. The difference is more marked on 3DMark as Basemark. You will notice that on the latter, the m1 m2 rating exceeds the rating system level, demonstrating that Lollipop is more suited to the chipset 64-bit. But this is obviously not enough. Video on AnTuTu, as always with Meizu, the score is excellent: 817 points, only videos in 4K are not supported
AnTuTu Video
gaming experience better than expected
In the video game, this mixed impression is confirmed, even though, unlike the notes m1, m2 note has been able to launch Dead Trigger 2. We even managed to force the end of the graphics display. The game remained fluid during games, but a rather long loading time can be expected. Thus encouraging result. Two small remarks gaming. First, the touch screen slides actually less than the m1 rating, but it does hinder the most experienced gamers. Then the notes m2 not being certified Google, it is impossible to install Google Play Games, a useful brick. And it will certainly be the same for Play Music and Play Videos.
Dead Trigger 2
In video, this is obviously just the opposite. The reputation of Meizu almost missed here: the default video player is really excellent. Not that offers many tools (such as Archos Video), but it decodes all popular file formats. MKV, MP4, AC3, AAC, etc. Even the sound DTS and subtitles do not resist him. Rare, very rare, are the smartphones to ship in the box a video player compatible with many formats. Naturally there is no miracle: 4K is incompatible. But it is a lesser evil.
Video Player
A much improved camera
In photo, we see a better compared to m1 note. Is the integration of a new chipset or upgrade to Lollipop? Impossible to know exactly. However, the result is there: the pictures are finally detailed and balanced at the light. The sky is blue. The side streets are a bit dark, but nothing unusual. Still some problems in contrast, a little bit low, probably because the sun is beating at the end of June on France. Some noise also on the sides of the photo. But compared to m1 rating, there is no “photo”.
Photo taken with the Meizu m2 Note
The interface of photo enforcement has in However not changed. And that’s good, because we find the manual that we had enjoyed during the handling of the m1 note. The latter provides access to exposure, sensitivity, white balance and even the focal length for bokeh effects. The other shooting modes are also present. That is one point that we find pleasure in FlymeOS.
Application photo FlymeOS 4.5 (and 4.2 …)
An update that lack ambition
Sold at the same price as the m1 rating, that is to say 199 euros before subsidies, PO2 note would be the replacement of 4G m1 note. If on certain points, the difference is imperceptible or negligible (especially on the side of the interface remains much room for improvement in localization), the notes m2 manages to deviate from its predecessor by having better treatment and Photo a hardware button that finally brings simplified access to the return function of Android. This is not luxury. On other points, including the power of its platform, the M2 rating is clearly behind.
The M2 rating is not addressed to players or demanding users. He wants to be a versatile LTE solution (careful again to SFR subscribers who do not always will capture 4G) on the most common uses. At 200 euros, we would obviously tend to forgive some small defects (even if the interface would still have been settled since the launch of … MX3). However, we tested last week the Archos 50 Diamond. And the comparison is clearly not in favor of Meizu. Too bad the Chinese brand has not chosen its chipset with a little more ambition …
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