The Morning After: Thursday, October 12th 2017
Hey, good morning! You look fabulous.
This Thursday, one porn site is using AI to catalog the stars of its clips, Amazon has a waterproof Kindle (unrelated) and we discuss how Blade Runner 2049 is pushing forward AI in fiction.
No strings on me.Oculus Santa Cruz gets closer to the future of wireless VR
Last year, Oculus’ wireless VR headset was a hacked together jumble of exposed wiring, but now the Santa Cruz prototype is looking more like a real product. Nicole Lee gave it a shot, along with some new Touch controllers, quickly deeming it “easily one of the most comfortable VR headsets I’ve ever tried.”
Everything you need is right there.Oculus Go is a $199 self-contained VR headset
While Santa Cruz is still a concept, Oculus is ready to put this VR headset on sale. It also lacks tethering, but for a different reason — it’s completely standalone, with no PC or phone required. Better yet, the Go brings virtual reality to your face for just $199. Apparently, it will run the same apps as the Gear VR and is expected to ship early next year.
The system uses machine learning to catalog and tag every clip in Pornhub’s vast database.Pornhub is improving search with an AI porn addict
“I’d recognize that face anywhere.”
A glitch could cause the smart speaker to listen in a little too closely.Google disables Home Mini’s top button so it won’t record everything
Google hasn’t even started shipping the Home Mini yet, but its launch has been marred by an unusual situation where some of the devices would record and upload practically any sound. As a result, Google says it’s taking the step of disabling all top touch functionality on the Home Mini. While owners can still control it using their voice and a volume switch on the side — that’s it.
More movies in one place.Disney relaunches Movies Anywhere with support from Fox, Warner, Sony and Universal
After nearly a decade, Disney may have the advantage in its digital movie locker war vs. Ultraviolet. Four other big studios are joining its Movies Anywhere platform, which will link to accounts on stores like iTunes, Vudu, Amazon and Google Play to unlock movies you’ve purchased across all of them. Even if you’re not set up with Movies Anywhere, you can snag five free movies just by logging in and linking your accounts.
The latest premium Kindle has a lot more going for it.Amazon’s new Kindle Oasis is waterproof and has a bigger screen
Amazon’s last Kindle Oasis was “the perfect e-reader for the one percent.” That still describes the new Oasis, which Amazon is officially unveiling today. It includes some genuinely useful features: a larger 7-inch screen, an all-metal body, and yes, it’s waterproof. A decade after introducing its first e-reader, Amazon has finally delivered the first beach-ready Kindle.
The rare sequel that surpasses a classic.‘Blade Runner 2049’ dives deeper on AI to transcend the original
According to Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar, Blade Runner 2049 is a miracle. It’s a sequel that nobody really wanted — certainly not fans of the seminal 1982 original by Ridley Scott. And ponderous explorations of artificial intelligence aren’t something that typically clicks with mainstream audiences. But it turns out that Blade Runner 2049 — directed by Denis Villeneuve — may be the ideal sequel. It builds on its incredibly influential predecessor by asking deeper questions about AI. As the lines between humans and replicants blur, the idea of being “more human than human” seems truer than ever.
The only way to stop a bad guy with a drone is a good guy with an RF rifle.The rise of drone crime and how cops can stop it
In 2015, US Border Patrol caught a two people dropping off 28 pounds of heroin in Calexico, California, and, in the same year, caught another drug ring delivering 30 pounds of cannabis to San Luis, Arizona. Drones — easy to fly, difficult to spot and far more practical than catapults — are quickly gaining favor among criminals for everything from smuggling and snooping to actively countering police actions and intimidating the locals. Elsewhere, police in the UK received 3,456 incident reports of drones behaving badly in 2016, a threefold jump from 2015, a 12-fold increase since 2014. The incidents ranged from minor spats between neighbors to covertly dropping drugs and firearms into prisons. Fortunately, counter-drone systems are as varied as they are numerous, ranging from shotgun shells loaded with wire nets to eagles trained to snatch UAVs from midair.
But wait, there’s more…
- OnePlus’ OxygenOS is collecting your private data without permission
- Twitter temporarily locks Rose McGowan’s account
- Cadillac’s hands-free Super Cruise fixes the worst parts about driving
- Razer will debut its first smartphone on November 1st
- Kamigami is a cute robot bug you build yourself
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Niantic is hosting a ‘Pokémon Go’ AR photography contest
How good are your Pokémon Go photography skills? We’re asking, because Niantic is holding an in-app augmented reality photography contest for all players where Pokémon Go has been officially released. Yep, it’s not limited to US residents only, and the winner will get a sweet swag bag containing a poster autographed by the team, a pair of wireless Bluetooth earbuds and — this is the best part if you still avidly play the mobile game — a Go Plus accessory.
You have today until October 25th to join — simply post your entries on Instagram and tag #PokemonGOcontest. Niantic’s last big event, the Pokémon Go Fest, unfortunately turned out to be a huge mess. This one doesn’t sound complicated enough to mess up, but you’ll probably have to give the developer some time to decide on the best image, since the contest is open to players from countries across the globe.
Source: Pokémon Go (Twitter)
Himax Begins Shipping Wafer-Level Optics Technology for iPhone X’s Face ID
Fabless semiconductor company Himax Technologies has begun shipments of chips based on wafer-level optics (WLO) technology to Apple, according to industry sources (via DigiTimes). The solution is reportedly a key component of the Face ID facial authentication sensor exclusive to the upcoming iPhone X.
ChipMOS Technologies will also see revenues generated from orders for WLO chips increase substantially later in 2017 as the backend house has cut into the supply chain for the iPhone X by partnering with Himax, said the sources. ChipMOS’ revenues from orders for WLO chips are expected to reach between NT$50 million (US$1.66 million) and NT$60 million, up from the current NT$20-30 million, the sources indicated.
Apart from Apple’s demand for the WLO chips, HiMax and its backend partner ChipMOS are gearing up for a busy 2018, with Android phone makers expected to follow Apple’s lead by bringing facial recognition features to their own devices.
According to a recent research note by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has tilted interest in the mobile industry away from under-display fingerprint recognition, and instead towards camera-based 3D sensing technologies as the ideal user authentication solution. Kuo believes the next two to three years will see shipments of 3D sensor-equipped Android devices to exceed those with under-display fingerprint recognition by a factor of two or three or more.
In line with Kuo’s analysis, industry sources claim Qualcomm’s recently announced 3D depth-sensing solution, jointly developed with Himax, is directly targeted at orders from the Android camp, with solutions from Orbbec and Mantis Vision also jostling to business. Himax and ChipMOS declined to comment on specific customers and orders.
In related news, supply chain sources speculate that Apple may delay iPhone X shipments otherwise the supply of the device could be limited this year due to yield problems with key components for new features that require 3D sensing modules. Apple is allegedly waiting to see how many iPhone X pre-orders it receives, and monitoring how well the already-released iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sell, before fully ramping up production overseas.
A report last month claimed Apple’s suppliers are shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for initial production of the iPhone X, with Kuo subsequently claiming the 3D sensing components used in the TrueDepth camera, which represents a far more complex structure than those of rivals, may be the main production bottleneck.
Kuo said shipments of iPhone X components will likely ramp up in mid to late October. Given pre-orders begin October 27, with in-store availability starting November 3, all signs point towards the iPhone X being in extremely short supply.
Related Roundup: iPhone XTags: Face ID, TrueDepth
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IKEA Again Delays HomeKit Support for Trådfri Smart Lighting Range
IKEA has had to backtrack once more on its claim that the company’s Trådfri Smart Lighting range is ready to work with Apple HomeKit.
According to German tech blog SmartDroid, IKEA began rolling out an update yesterday to owners to bring support for Apple’s smart home platform as well as Amazon Alexa, only for the company to announce on its blog that many users were reporting “technical difficulties” in getting the connectivity to work.
This is the second time IKEA has had to apologize to Trådfri owners waiting for HomeKit compatibility. Back in August the company told customers that support was ready, but quickly retracted the advice when word spread online.
IKEA has promised HomeKit support for its affordable range of home lighting products since May. The system was originally announced in late March, and includes LED bulbs, illuminated panels, a motion sensor kit, a gateway kit, and dimming lights.
IKEA went on to say yesterday that there is still no working support for HomeKit and Alexa, and apologized for the inconvenience while it works on another update that rectifies the situation. As it stands, Philips Hue smart hubs remain the only other means to control the Trådfri lights from smartphones.
Tags: HomeKit, Ikea
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Hands on with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2!
Xiaomi certainly took everyone by surprise with the launch of its nearly bezel-less smartphone last year, with the Mi Mix proving to be a precursor to the dominant display and design trends in 2017. With its successor facing far more competition than the Mi Mix ever did, can Xiaomi manage to deliver once again in a segment that they jump started? We find out, as we go hands on with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2!
See also:
Xiaomi Mi Note 3 with 6 GB of RAM and dual camera announced
In addition to the Mi Mix 2, Xiaomi also took the wraps off the Mi Note 3 this week. This new mid-range device looks sharp, features a dual camera, and comes with new beautification features …
The Mi Mix 2 is a fairly predictable update to the highly anticipated and pretty well regarded Mi Mix, and continues the different approach to the display and design of a large smartphone that Xiaomi first introduced last year. For most people, the original Mi Mix was just too big, despite its near bezel-less design. But that has changed for the better with the Mi Mix 2, while still retaining what made the Mi Mix such a fascinating phone.
The original Mi Mix was just too big, but that has changed for the better with the Mi Mix 2.
The updated design brings with it rounded corners and sides, a frame that is made with an aluminium alloy, and a ceramic backing that Xiaomi loves to use with their premium smartphones. All of this makes for a phone that is still really nice to look at, and feels much better in the hand due to its smaller overall footprint when compared to its predecessor. Another change from generation to generation may not be to everyone’s liking though, with the Mi Mix 2 not coming with a headphone jack.
The display quality is excellent, and the absolutely minimal bezels around it let the screen really shine through.
The Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 comes with a 5.99-inch display with a Full HD+ resolution and 18:9 aspect ratio. The display quality is excellent, and the absolutely minimal bezels around it let the screen really shine through.
Just like last year’s Mi Mix, the top portion of the phone is almost as thin as the side bezels, resulting in the front-facing camera being moved to the bottom right corner. The camera placement will definitely take some getting used to, but it doesn’t look out of place or stand out significantly, thanks to a black coating that has been used to make the camera unit blend in with the rest of the front.
When using the 5 MP front-facing shooter, the camera app actually tells you to turn the phone around to let you take a selfie in a more traditional manner.
See also:
Essential Phone review: Maximum hardware, minimum software
It’s a question that will inevitably be asked by just about everyone, so we’re here to give our perspective on whether or not the Andy Rubin backed Essential Phone is actually, well, essential. (I’ll try …
Another issue with the original Mi Mix was that the replacement for the phone speaker just wasn’t the most effective alternative. With the Mi Mix 2, you now get an actual speaker with a tube unit that points upward and comes with a tiny slit at the top. However, the ultrasonic proximity sensor is still found around the the top area under the screen, so the phone still knows when it is next to your face or inside your pocket.
It’s not all about the design and the display though, with the Mi Mix 2 coming with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 platform under the hood, along with 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB, 128 GB, or 256 GB of built-in storage. Keeping everything running is a non-removable 3,400 mAh battery, and the device comes with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 support to be able to charge the phone in a short amount of time.
There is also going to be a special edition of the phone (see the second image gallery below) that features a ceramic unibody design without the aluminium alloy frame, and has a 18K PVD gold coating surrounding the camera and fingerprint sensor rim. This special edition Mi Mix 2 will also come with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of built-in storage.
Taking a look at the camera, it is unfortunately not a dual camera setup as is available with some of Xiaomi’s other recent releases like the Mi 6. Instead, you get an IMX386 image sensor with 4-axis optical image stabilization and an f/2.0 aperture. As far as the camera app is concerned, things stay mostly the same when compared to what is found with other Xiaomi smartphones. We will certainly be putting this camera through its paces in our in-depth Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 review.
One of the other interesting features of the Mi Mix 2 is that it will come with support for global bands, and will include more bands this time around than the Mi Note 2 did when it was released. What this means is that you will now be able to use this phone in the US as well, even though it may not officially be released in that market. However, the Mi Mix 2 will see a wider release and far more availability than its predecessor, and will make its way over to Xiaomi’s main markets around the world, including India.
Overall, what we really like about the Mi Mix 2 is that it takes a lot of the same cues from its predecessor while making it more accessible. The phone is a lot easier to handle even with a 6-inch screen, which alleviates one of the major concerns from last year.
The rounded sides and corners, curves along the back, and ceramic body not only make for a phone that looks incredible, but feels very comfortable in the hand as well. Xiaomi continues to use ceramic to great effect, but the key here is the fact that it definitely feels like you are holding a device that is all display, all the time.
Interested in reading more about the Mi Mix 2?
- Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 specs We’ve rounded up all the specifications of the Mi Mix 2 (standard and Special Edition). Spoiler: there are a few features that competitors offer that the Mi Mix 2 does not.
- Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 price and availability When, where, and for how much? We’re answering the essential questions about the Mi Mix 2 availability.
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review: Do bigger things, at a bigger price
This review is brought to you by MNML Case, an ultra-thin case that showcases the beauty of your new phone and fits like a glove!
After the disaster of last’s year Galaxy Note 7, Samsung is looking to redeem itself and the decision to continue with the Note brand is a rather bold one. Will the Galaxy Note 8 be able to rebuild the Note brand in a positive light and regain the trust of Samsung’s customers? And are there enough improvements to make it a top contender in the second half of 2017’s smartphone onslaught? Find out in our full Samsung Galaxy Note 8 review!
Buy Galaxy Note 8
Design
On the exterior, the Galaxy Note 8 delivers a very familiar design that we’ve gotten used to from Samsung over the last couple of years. Glass is the main material of choice filling up the entire front and back and a sturdy metal frame wrapping around the perimeter holds it all together. One thing that you’ll notice that is quite different from last year’s Note 7 or the more current Galaxy S8 is that the body is much more square and angular. Even the dual curved display is less pronounced this time around.
Instead of a completely smooth taper between the glass and metal all the way around, the Note 8 has a much more distinct separation between the glass and metal and the sides are much flatter, giving a phone that’s usually slippery a lot more grip. Of course, the biggest drawback with any phone made predominantly of glass or any shiny materials is how prone it is to fingerprints. Depending on the color, it may be more or less visible but you’ll still want to keep a cleaning cloth handy if you want your phone looking pristine at all times.
The only other major cosmetic design change is that the camera housing on the back is black instead of being color matched with the body of the phone. On the black version it blends in seamlessly but on any other color you’ll get a visor-like appearance which looks pretty cool to my eyes but it’s a design choice that not everyone is going to like.
Display
The infinity display that was first introduced with the Galaxy S8 has made it’s way over to the Note 8. This means super thin bezels on all sides and a screen that takes up almost the entire front. The thinner bezels allows Samsung to fit in the largest screen we’ve ever seen on a Galaxy Note.
Measuring in at 6.3 inches but with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio, the screen is much taller than it is wide and in comparison to last year’s Note 7 or the Fan Edition, the size difference is mostly noticeable in height while the change in width is almost undetectable by feel. The added height does make the phone quite tall but it doesn’t feel any less manageable or harder to operate than any other big screen Android phone currently available.
Despite its height, the Note 8 doesn’t feel any less manageable or harder to operate than any other big screen Android phone.
The screen is the usual Samsung Super AMOLED technology that brings all the typical characteristics that we’ve seen on previous Samsung phones such as vibrant colors, high contrast, and inky dark blacks. With a resolution of 2,960 x 1,440, or 3K QHD+, it’s incredibly sharp but in order to enjoy the display to its fullest potential, you’ll have to change the display resolution in the settings as the phone defaults to 1080p the same way the Galaxy S8 does.
The Note 8’s display overall is absolutely gorgeous and the large size is fantastic for all kinds of use cases such as watching YouTube videos, playing games, casual web browsing, and productivity. It’s also bright enough that viewing the screen comfortably outdoors is a non-issue.
The big bonus with the Note 8’s screen is its mobile HDR certification.
The big bonus with the Note 8’s screen is its mobile HDR certification meaning the phone can play back true HDR content that allows for better color accuracy and contrast.
HDR content is still somewhat scarce but should be a little easier to access (provided you have the right plan) due to the Note 8 recently being added to Netflix’s list of HDR supported devices.
Performance
The increase in RAM is definitely a welcome change and it certainly helps the multitasking experience feel much smoother.
The Galaxy Note 8 checks all the right boxes in terms of 2017 flagship specs. There’s a Snapdragon 835 running the show but this year Samsung has bumped up the RAM to 6 GB. It’s not the first time we’ve seen Samsung put 6 GB of RAM on a phone but it’s the first time that it isn’t on a regional exclusive. The increase in RAM is definitely a welcome change especially for a device that’s meant to be a productivity/multimedia powerhouse and it certainly helps the multitasking experience feel much smoother.
The typical every day experience such as swiping and scrolling through menus, web browsing and jumping in and out of apps are also quite smooth and the Snapdragon 835 does a great job of handling more intense tasks such as playing high end games with very smooth frame rates.
Hardware
Obviously we can’t talk about the Note 8 without mentioning the S Pen, after all, this is the hallmark feature that defines the Galaxy Note line. The actual hardware of the S Pen itself remains practically identical to last year. It features the same clickable top, a 0.7 mm ballpoint-sized tip, and over 4,000 levels of pressure sensitivity. The major changes to the S Pen are really within the accompanying software features which we will dive into in the software portion of the review.
The actual hardware of the S Pen itself remains practically identical to last year.
Other hardware on the Note 8 includes pretty much everything that you would want except for the kitchen sink. There’s a microSD card slot for additional storage should you need more than what the phone offers internally (a 128 GB and 256 GB version were announced, but at launch we’re only getting the 64 GB base model).
Fast wireless charging capabilities, Bluetooth 5 and gigabit LTE support are all on board, and an IP68 certification means it is dust and water resistant and can withstand submersion in up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
For all you headphone jack lovers out there, you’ll be very happy to know that the Note 8 still has one.
For all you headphone jack lovers out there, you’ll be very happy to know that the Note 8 still has one as Samsung is one of the few smartphone manufacturers left that is choosing to keep this feature intact. At least for now.
For external audio, the Note 8 doesn’t offer anything special and this has been a weakness of a lot of Samsung smartphones over the years. The Note 8 comes with a single bottom-firing speaker that is easily muffled by the palm of your hand when holding the phone in landscape and the audio quality can sound distorted at max volume. It’s certainly a serviceable speaker but audio is clearly an area that Samsung doesn’t put too much emphasis on improving. For those that expect more out of their smartphone audio, consider the LG V30 or the HTC U11.
Besides external audio, the other unfortunate part of the Note 8’s hardware is the placement of the fingerprint sensor.
The other unfortunate part of the Note 8’s hardware is the placement of the fingerprint sensor. It still sits on the back to the side of the camera which isn’t the most ergonomic location, but at least Samsung did make some improvements to it that makes this one surprisingly better to use than the one found on the S8.
The fingerprint sensor is now slightly more recessed making it easier to find by feel and Samsung repositioned the camera flash and heart rate monitor to sit in between the cameras and fingerprint sensor giving you more room for error when reaching for the fingerprint sensor.
These minor changes definitely make a huge difference as smudging the camera lenses is a much rarer occurrence. But while Samsung’s changes to the fingerprint sensor are appreciated, its location still desperately needs to change to a friendlier position.
If you’re still not a fan of the fingerprint sensor, Samsung’s alternate unlocking methods such as facial recognition and the iris scanner are available. While I personally prefer the fingerprint sensor as my main way of unlocking the Note 8, the iris scanner and facial recognition are just as reliable in terms of accuracy.
My biggest concern and probably a main concern of many during the Note 8’s official announcement was how long this phone would last on a single charge. It has a 3,300 mAh cell which by 2017 standards is by no means small but is smaller than what we would have expected for a phone with such powerful specs and massive 6.3-inch QHD+ display.
Battery life on the Galaxy Note 8 has been far better than anticipated, even at QHD+ resolution.
In my experience, battery life on the Galaxy Note 8 has been far better than anticipated. Screen-on time is typically around the five hour mark with anywhere between 15 to 18 hours off the charger allowing me to comfortably get through a full day.
By no means am I a light user when it comes to smartphones either. Along with the usual social media, emails, and web browsing, I play games and watch YouTube for several hours per day and the Note 8 has managed to satisfactorily meet my needs. This was also all while running the screen at QHD+ resolution which didn’t seem to make as much of an impact on the battery life as I might’ve thought.
Camera
One of the more drastic changes to the Note 8 this year is the addition of dual cameras on the back.
One of the more drastic changes to the Note 8 this year is the addition of dual cameras on the back, a feature that is becoming increasingly more popular on smartphones.
It was only a matter of time before Samsung jumped on the bandwagon and they couldn’t have picked a more perfect phone on which to to do it. The Galaxy Note 8 camera utilizes a wide angle and telephoto lens setup similar to the iPhone 7 Plus or the OnePlus 5 and the secondary telephoto lens allows the Note 8 to achieve 2X optical zoom.
Both sensors are 12 MP with f/1.7 aperture on the main sensor and f/2.4 on the secondary, but Samsung’s super fast dual pixel autofocus is only available on the main camera. Both sensors feature optical image stabilization, which is a first for any smartphone utilizing dual cameras and guarantees that all of your photos and videos are optically stabilized regardless of which lens you decide to use.
Both sensors feature optical image stabilization, which is a first for any smartphone utilizing dual cameras.
While the ability to instantly zoom in by 2X is available on the viewfinder at all times, the caveat is it isn’t always optical. If the camera detects that the lighting situation isn’t optimal, the camera will not switch lenses. This behavior is intentional though, as the camera software decides that sometimes better results can be achieved through the main sensor. Other phones like the iPhone 7 Plus and OnePlus 5 react the same way.
Aside from optical zoom, the secondary sensor is being leveraged to create a depth effect or bokeh that we’ve seen from many smartphones using dual cameras. Samsung is calling their take on it “Live Focus” as it allows you to adjust the background blur before you take the shot and adjustments can also be made after the fact as well.
My favorite part of the Live Focus mode is the ability to dual capture. This means that a photo is simultaneously captured from both the wide and telephoto lens with only a single press of the shutter button, saving you the hassle of switching back and forth between lenses when you want to capture two focal lengths of the same subject.
With the exception of the new 2X zoom button, Samsung’s camera app remains practically identical to the one found in the S8. There’s a handful of shooting modes such as panorama, slow motion, virtual shot, and a pro mode for full manual controls but the experience isn’t overwhelming. The camera app is also packed with a wide variety of image filters and snapchat-esque effects that adds a unique level of creativity and fun to the camera.
General picture quality isn’t much different from what we’ve already seen on the Galaxy S8 but by no means is that a bad thing. It’s usually pretty safe to assume that you’re getting a great camera experience with a Samsung flagship and the Note 8 doesn’t fall short of that expectation. Photos from the Note 8 are packed with detail, vibrant colors, and some of the best dynamic range offered on a smartphone.
Optical image stabilization along with fast dual pixel autofocus, makes it easy to capture photos with tack sharp focus in a reliable fashion.
The optical image stabilization along with the fast dual pixel autofocus makes it easy to capture photos with tack sharp focus in a reliable fashion. This also allows for photos in low light to maintain plenty of detail and the camera’s good dynamic range prevents highlights in night time scenery from being overblown. It’s only in the worst of low light situations that noise starts to be noticeable, but for the most part Samsung’s image processing keeps the images quite clean.
On the front of the Note 8 there’s an 8 MP front-facing shooter that offers Samsung’s smart autofocus for sharper and clearer selfies, but Samsung’s softening at times can be aggressive causing too much detail in the face to be lost.
Software
The Galaxy Note line has always offered a slightly tweaked version of the software found in the Galaxy S flagship and with the Galaxy Note 8, the experience is largely the same as that found on the Galaxy S8 with a few key changes. The ultimate productivity device brings the now-familiar S Pen menu that pops up whenever you detach the pen (or when you click the button while hovering over the screen). With it comes a refinement in the features of Samsung’s stylus.
There’s not a lot new with the S Pen this year, with Samsung instead choosing to listen to user feedback and simply tweak a few features. The useful translate feature just got a lot more useful with the ability to now translate full sentences, whereas you could only translate individual words before. The Galaxy Note 8 also comes with the Pen Up coloring-in app preloaded, which offers access to a community of millions of Galaxy Note users around the world and tons of helpful presets for you to color in and create with.
The biggest new S Pen feature is Live Message, which lets you add a little flair to your everyday communication.
The S Pen also has some handy productivity features and last year’s Screen Off Memo has been improved so you’re now able to write up to 100 pages of notes, edit them and pin them to the Always On Display, which is one of the fastest ways to jot down something when you’re in a hurry.
The biggest new feature is Live Message, which lets you record the pen strokes of writing a short message, turning it into an animated GIF. Added effects like sparkles and neon lighting add more flair and the effect is pleasing GIFs that you can send to friends and anyone else. It’s not exactly productive but it’s fun and practical and lets you add personality to your daily communication.
Samsung is hoping the Galaxy Note 8 is the perfect multitasking tool and the new App Pairing feature definitely lets you take full advantage of the large screen. This lets you pair two apps together and save the shortcut to your Apps Edge or to the home screen; when pressed, both apps open together in Multi Window. Imagine a shortcut to let you open the calendar and Gmail together for increased productivity or Facebook and WhatsApp messenger for constant communication. App Pairing is great if you often find yourself switching between apps and is a subtle but clever addition.
The last notable feature in the Galaxy Note 8 may not be new but it is useful for those that have multiple social accounts. Called Dual Messenger, it lets you create multiple instances of the same single-account app (such as Facebook, SnapChat or WhatsApp) on the one phone, so you no longer need multiple phones to be able to use two numbers with WhatsApp or a personal and professional Facebook profile. It won’t be for everyone and Samsung wasn’t first (we saw it on the Huawei Mate 9 last year), but if this is a problem that affects you, Dual Messenger could be the answer.
With the introduction of the Galaxy S8, Samsung brought their own AI assistant, Bixby, into the fold and that feature has now made its way over to the Note 8. This includes the dedicated quick-access hardware button that sits just below the volume rocker. On the Note 8 you get the full Bixby experience out of the box including Bixby Voice. Bixby has certainly made some great strides since the Galaxy S8 but it still has its issues.
When it works, Bixby is fantastic and Samsung has it going in the right direction, but it still needs some polishing.
Bixby works wonderfully for doing phone-related tasks such as changing the screen brightness or having the phone download an app off the Play Store for you, but for factual or internet-related questions the experience can still be hit or miss. Most times it’s purely due to Bixby struggling to understand your every word to properly formulate a response.
When it works, Bixby is fantastic and Samsung has it going in the right direction, but it still needs some polishing. The bright side is that you have Google Assistant to fill in where Bixby falls short, allowing you to get the best of both worlds.
See also:
Google Assistant vs Siri vs Bixby vs Amazon Alexa vs Cortana – Best virtual assistant showdown!
AI assistants have become a large part of the smartphone and PC experience over the last couple of years, and the ever increasing competition in this space has led to a lot of improvements across …
The main drawback to the Note 8’s software is that it’s launching with Android Nougat and while Nougat is still very current, with Android 8.0 Oreo being official it does make you wonder when the Note 8 is going to get the update. Hopefully it happens sooner rather than later because it would be a shame for a phone as current as the Note 8 to fall behind in software updates right out of the gate.
With every new Galaxy device, we see a smartphone UI that’s consistently getting better, and growing into one of the best on the market.
These changes and tweaks aside, the rest of Samsung’s UI is all about software refinement. The software on the Galaxy Note 8 looks similar to the Galaxy S8, with very few changes in appearance but that’s not a bad thing. Samsung has improved its interface over the past few iterations and with every new Galaxy device, we see a smartphone UI that’s consistently getting better, and growing into one of the best on the market.
Specifications
| Display | 6.3-inch Quad HD+ Super AMOLED Infinity 2960 x 1440 resolution 521 ppi 18.5:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | US: 64-bit octa-core (2.35 GHz Quad + 1.9 GHz Quad) Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 10 nm processor
Global: 64-bit octa-core (2.3 GHz Quad + 1.7 GHz Quad) Samsung Exynos 8895, 10 nm processor |
| RAM | 6 GB LPDDR4 |
| Storage | 64/128/256 GB MicroSD expansion up to 256 GB |
| Cameras | Rear camera – Main: 12 MP wide-angle AF Dual Pixel sensor with ƒ/1.7 aperture, OIS – 12 MP telephoto AF sensor with ƒ/2.4 aperture, OIS Front camera |
| Battery | 3,300 mAh Non-removable Fast charging on wired and wireless WPC and PMA wireless charging |
| Water resistance | IP68 dust and water resistance |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz) VHT80 MU-MIMO 1024QAM Bluetooth v5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbps) ANT+ USB Type-C NFC, MST Location: GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Barometer Fingerprint Sensor Gyro Sensor Geomagnetic Sensor Hall Sensor Heart Rate Sensor Proximity Sensor RGB Light Sensor Iris Sensor Pressure Sensor |
| SIM | Nano SIM |
| Software | Android 7.1.1 Nougat |
| Dimensions and weight | 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6 mm 195 g |
Gallery
Pricing & Final Thoughts
There isn’t a whole lot fundamentally wrong with the Galaxy Note 8 and save for a few minor issues like the fingerprint sensor placement, the Note 8 offers enough firepower to satisfy Note users old and new. The experience that the Note 8 offers is fantastic, but despite how good the Note 8 is, most people including the most die-hard of Note fans will probably find the price this year to be extremely hard to stomach. It’s the most expensive Galaxy Note we’ve seen to date with a starting price of $930 dollars unlocked for the base model and can run as high as $960 dollars through U.S. carriers and €999 in Europe.
The Note 8 is as exciting a phone as many people, myself included, expected it to be but Samsung might have fizzled out some of that excitement with its hefty price tag.
The Galaxy Note is always one of the most exciting smartphone releases each and every year and even more so this year simply because we were unsure if there would even be another Galaxy Note after last year’s disaster. The Note 8 is as exciting of a phone as many people, including myself, expected it to be but Samsung might have fizzled some of that excitement with its hefty price tag. If you buy one will you regret it? Most likely not, but you might have to think twice about dropping that amount of cash before you do.
Buy Galaxy Note 8
Meizu Pro 7 Plus review
Buy it now!
When we reviewed the Meizu Pro 6 Plus earlier this year, we were very impressed by its excellent hardware. We made sure to note just how much Meizu’s Flyme 6 software helped the phone stand out amongst a sea of mid-range smartphones.
Four months later (our Pro 6 Plus review was admittedly a little late…) and we are ready to share our thoughts on Meizu’s most striking phone yet, the Meizu Pro 7 Plus. The Pro 7 Plus promises a signature Meizu experience with an added bonus: a secondary rear-facing display.
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You may be asking yourself “but why?” Perhaps you’re curious about the display’s implementation and features. Or you might be wondering if the Pro 7 Plus is a good buy, regardless of the secondary display. Let’s answer all of those questions and more with our comprehensive Meizu Pro 7 Plus review!
Design
If we ignore the addition of a secondary display for just a second, the Pro 7 Plus design is quite similar to that of the Pro 6 Plus. That shouldn’t be taken as a drawback though. We really liked the Pro 6 Plus’ design and are happy to see a familiar design here.
The first thing you’ll notice is how well built it feels
The first thing you’ll notice when picking up the Pro 7 Plus is how well built it feels. That may sound a tad cliché, but the Pro 7 Plus truly shines in this regard. The choice of materials especially helps the phone feel premium.
The aluminum unibody isn’t just strong and sleek. It actually feels softer than you would expect too, which makes the Pro 7 Plus more comfortable in the hand.
Unfortunately, this softer aluminum also means that the Pro 7 Plus is quite slippery. The flat edges do help make the phone easier to grip, but you may still want to consider a case. Thankfully, Meizu includes a free plastic case in the box.
Returning to the design, the Pro 7 Plus is available in a number of attractive color options: matte black, space black, silver, and gold. There is also a smaller Pro 7 model that is available in a bright red. As you likely suspected, we are reviewing the matte black model. The other Pro 7 Plus color options feature brushed aluminum instead if you prefer a more showy look.
The matte black unit is definitely more minimal looking though. The curved antenna lines at the top and bottom of the phone are barely noticeable. Aspects like the flush, curved, and cornered secondary display glass along with the carefully chamfered edges help the phone feel like a single piece of hardware.
We would have liked to see more understated Meizu branding on the bottom right instead of the silver, tactile branding as it slightly detracts from the phone’s minimal look. With that said, we can appreciate the uniqueness of this approach this time around.
Smaller details like the integrated light and proximity sensors in the earpiece and symmetrical top and bottom bezels add some serious polish to the overall design. It was details like these that made us repeatedly admire our unit’s premium build during our time with it.
The Pro 7 Plus does not include any water or dust protection
Unlike many true flagship smartphones, the Pro 7 Plus does not include any water or dust protection. This is not very surprising given the cost of implementing such protection, but it’s something to keep in mind if you are also considering more expensive options.
One of the more controversial aspects of Meizu’s smartphones is their single-key navigation configuration. With the Pro 7 Plus and mTouch, you go home by physically pressing down on the button and go back by tapping the button. For multitasking, you just swipe up from either the left or right side of the bottom bezel.
Almost everyone is accustomed to a three-key layout, where every function is visually represented. Perhaps the fear of change is why some people dislike the idea of a single button, but other OEMs have also offered it. While it can take a day or two to get used to, you may well end up loving this setup for its clever simplicity.
Navigation isn’t all the Pro 7 Plus’ single key can do though — it’s also a fingerprint reader. Although it’s not as quick as the quickest out there, it is still very much comparable to options like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and LG G6.
Since the Pro 7 Plus is running the same Flyme 6 software as its predecessor, it also includes the same extra fingerprint reader features. App lock, for example, allows you to add an extra layer of fingerprint security on a per-app basis.
There are also some powerful per-finger features. For example, you can select certain contacts, apps, and files to only be available in privacy mode. You could then make it so that one finger gives you access to those items while your other fingers do not.
Primary Display
Similar to its predecessor, the Pro 7 Plus is sporting a 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display. We already declared the Pro 6 Plus’ display to be one of the best in this price category and the Pro 7 Plus’ display is even better.
The Meizu Pro 7 Plus has an all around excellent display
Color reproduction is excellent, the display is well saturated for punchy colors, and sunlight readability is fairly good. It’s an all around excellent display.
We also really like the size. While 5.5-inches is a great middle ground, it’s nice that Meizu is giving customers the choice between a smaller 5.2-inch display with the Pro 7 and a larger 5.7-inch screen on the Pro 7 Plus. If you watch a lot of videos and frequently browse the mobile web, this size is perfect.
Meizu has dropped their 3D Press technology with this iteration of the Pro line, which is understandable since it was never a very useful feature. If this is something you really want, the Pro 6 Plus is still available.
There’s also no Always On Display (AOD) feature this time around. That’s because there’s a new way to check the time: with the secondary display.
Secondary Display
The Meizu Pro 7 Plus’ secondary display is unmistakably its standout feature. It may even be the sole reason that you’re checking out this review. Its uniqueness makes it a very enticing feature.
The Meizu Pro 7 Plus has a secondary 1.9-inch 240 × 536 AMOLED panel on the back
The secondary display is positioned on the top left area on the back of the Pro 7 Plus. The display itself covers a good portion of the glass below the camera configuration. In case you’re wondering, it’s a 1.9-inch 240 × 536 AMOLED panel. That’s a high enough resolution for what the display is.
So, what does it do? Well, there are three main information panels that you can swipe between: time, pedometer, and weather. These three panels provide some on-demand, basic information. The pedometer and weather panels have colorful animated icons, which is a nice touch.
The pedometer is independent of any app and appears to be very accurate when walking with the phone in your hand, but too liberal when walking with the phone in your pocket. The weather corresponds to what is shown in the system Weather app, which gets its data from Accuweather.
Here you can take photos…using the rear cameras!
If you swipe up or down on any of the information panels, you get to the viewfinder mode. Here you can take photos…using the rear cameras! This allows you to capture considerably higher quality selfies than if you were to use the front-facing camera (comparison under Camera).
There’s also no fussing around with unlocking the phone and getting to the camera app, which makes it easy to get a quick photo.
In addition to these on-demand core features, the secondary display also shows “new notification” for all notifications, music controls for the system Music app, event times and titles prior to an event, alarms, and the battery percentage when charging.
There seems to be some confusion surrounding how you activate the secondary display. To clarify, it is not an always on display. Instead, it activates when it thinks you turn the phone from front to back. If you have the Pro 7 Plus facing screen down on a table, picking up the phone is not enough to activate the secondary display. You have to turn the phone to the front first and then turn it around to the back.
Thankfully, there is an optional double tap to wake feature which lets you activate the secondary screen manually by just double tapping on it.
The secondary display only shows the time in a 24-hour format and the temperature in Celsius, even if you have 12-hour and Fahrenheit formats selected in the phone settings. We can forgive this since the phone is not intended for sale in the United States, one of the only countries still using 12-hour and Fahrenheit formats.
It’s one of the coolest smartphone features that we’ve seen this year
Overall: we are very pleased with the innovation by Meizu that brought us the secondary display. It’s one of the coolest smartphone features that we’ve seen this year, which is saying a lot. We are sure you can share our appreciation of Meizu’s successful attempt to differentiate.
With that said, we do feel that the secondary display could be improved. The hardware implementation is great, but the software could use some work. That’s absolutely fine given that this is the first try; I mean, can you imagine using Android 1.0 today?
Related: Smartphones features on the way out
On the top of our wish list are improvements to current features. We wish we could see actual notifications (or at least which app is sending them), be able to control third party music apps, and record video using the camera viewfinder. We believe that the secondary screen could use some new features too. We would like to be able to view our daily agenda, put the phone in and out of silent mode, and set timers and alarms.
Some good news: all of our wishes and likely most of yours can be fulfilled with future software updates instead of hardware changes. This is very promising, especially considering Meizu’s historical commitment to system updates.
At the moment, the secondary screen does not add much functional value
At the moment, however, the secondary screen does not add much functional value. It looks very cool, no doubt, but it’s not going to change how you use your smartphone a whole lot. As long as you manage your expectations, you’ll still enjoy this unique feature and all of the conversations that it helps start.
Performance
Meizu has chosen the 10nm deca-core MediaTek Helio X30 processor for the Pro 7 Plus. The Pro 7 Plus is actually the only popular smartphone to use the Helio X30, MediaTek’s high-end processor for 2017.
If you were to consider only benchmark test results, you would think the Pro 7 Plus would perform below average. Perhaps this is why our unit’s software blocks outgoing connections for benchmark apps to test and verify their results. Although we cannot confirm yet, it appears that there are some shenanigans going on here. Therefore, we cannot endorse the accuracy of these benchmark results.
In our experience, however, day-to-day performance on the Meizu Pro 7 Plus was excellent, although only marginally better than the Pro 6 Plus. There are a few big things that help pick up the processor’s slack though: 6 GB of RAM, fast UFS 2.1 storage, and well-optimized software.
Meizu’s One Mind AI optimizations combined with numerous nifty animations especially help smooth out the performance. When compared side-by-side to the Galaxy S8, the Pro 7 Plus often loaded apps and menus just a tad quicker.
Hardware
You can use up to two different nano SIM cards with the Meizu Pro 7 Plus. Since it is sold as an unlocked smartphone, you won’t have to worry about being restricted to any single carrier either.
For a United States audience, please note that this phone is incompatible with US 4G LTE networks. When using the Pro 7 Plus with AT&T, you may get LTE in rural areas thanks to legacy Band 5 coverage, but you can really only expect 3G. With T-Mobile, you can expect 3G in only a few areas.
The Meizu Pro 7 Plus is incompatible with US 4G LTE networks
While the Pro 7 Plus is not intended for sale in the US, we want to make sure that those who might import the device understand this limitation exists.
Similar to its predecessor, there is no expandable storage option with the Pro 7 Plus. This choice was likely made to avoid mixing slow microSD card storage with the phone’s fast UFS 2.1 internal storage. The base model’s 64 GB of storage should be plenty of storage for most users and, if you think you might need more, there is also a 128 GB model available.
Meizu has removed NFC with the Pro 7 Plus
Strangely, Meizu has removed NFC with the Pro 7 Plus. Perhaps there wasn’t enough internal space with the secondary display to implement an NFC antenna, or perhaps Meizu has data on its lack of usage. Regardless of the reasoning, some users may really miss this connectivity and contactless payment option.
The bottom-firing internal speaker on the Pro 7 Plus is surprisingly very good and is a remarkable improvement from the Pro 6 Plus. It’s very loud with minimal distortion, which is not the case with the average smartphone these days.
There’s also 32-bit Hi-Fi audio through the 3.5mm headphone jack. It has a Cirrus Logic CS43130 DAC + AMP combo, which is the exact same chip that’s in the Galaxy S8. Audio output through the headphone jack is loud and clear, as we expected.
Battery life
Meizu has bumped the battery capacity from 3,400 mAh with the Pro 6 Plus to 3,500 mAh with the Pro 7 Plus. Overall, we experienced similar battery life. That’s good news as the Pro 6 Plus’ battery life was quite strong.
As you can see from the screenshots above, we averaged about five and a half hours of screen on time during twenty-four hour periods with moderate usage. Since our battery life tests were conducted while connected to HSPA+ instead of 4G LTE, however, we suspect that our results may be slightly inflated. We also note the higher standby usage this time around, perhaps due to the Helio X30.
We estimate that you’ll be able to comfortably get a full day of use with four and a half hours of screen on time with the Meizu Pro 7 Plus’ battery. With lighter usage, you could very well get one and a half days of use with this phone.
We were able to get a 65-percent charge in just thirty minutes
When you need to top off the Pro 7 Plus’ battery, you can do so with mCharge 4.0 fast charging. We were able to get a 65-percent charge in just thirty minutes, which is extremely quick. It’s even 12-percent quicker than Dash Charge on the OnePlus 5, based on capacity.
Camera
The Meizu Pro 7 Plus features the same Sony IMX386 12 MP f/2.0 rear camera as its predecessor. However, there have been some changes; there’s no more laser autofocus, the 10-LED ring flash has been replaced by two LEDs, and the camera is no longer optically stabilized.
Another Sony IMX386 12 MP f/2.0 camera has been added though, making this a dual-camera setup. The secondary camera captures monochrome images which supposedly helps produce higher quality images. We would have preferred that the secondary camera instead be a wide angle or telephoto lens, but this setup shouldn’t be brushed off.
Overall performance is about what we would expect at this price
Images look pretty similar to those taken by the Pro 6 Plus. Color reproduction is excellent, there’s a good level of contrast, and images are quite detailed. Overall performance is about what we would expect at this price. Unfortunately, the lack of optical image stabilization translated to some blurry shots when we didn’t have a perfectly steady hand.
Thanks in part to its dual lenses, the Pro 7 Plus also offers a dual lens blur mode. This mode works by isolating the subject from the background and then by applying an artificial background blur. Chances are that you have already seen something similar to this on other smartphones. Basically, the added bokeh is supposed to make images look more professional, like those shot from a DSLR.
The dual lens blur mode is pretty hit or miss
We tested the feature in a number of different situations and found that it’s pretty hit or miss. Sometimes it works almost perfectly with accurate edges on the subject and a gradual blur. Other times, however, the edges are inaccurate and the blur is too sudden.
This is Meizu’s first implementation of this feature, so we will cut them some slack. We are certain that the feature can be improved with future software updates.
As expected, low-light camera samples didn’t come out as impressive at daytime shots. Colors aren’t as punchy, there’s a loss of detail, and there’s a fair bit of digital noise in most of our sample images. We would still say it performs about average for an affordable smartphone.
Although you can take selfies using the rear facing cameras thanks to the secondary display, there’s still a 16 MP f/2.0 front-facing camera. Selfies taken with the front-facing camera came out quite well.
You can record videos at up to 1080P at 30fps with the front camera and at up to 4K at 30fps with the rear camera. Videos recorded with the rear camera come out very nicely. Colors look pretty good and there’s a good amount of detail. Check out our video review at the top of this page to see a short sample clip.
Meizu has stuck with the new HEVC codec for video files. This codec retains video quality while offering smaller, more compressed files. The only drawback is that the files can be difficult to play on some devices. Don’t worry though, as you can easily convert the files if you have trouble.
The system camera app will feel very familiar if you’ve used a Meizu device in the past. Regardless, it offers an easy-to-use, intuitive shooting experience. There are multiple modes as well as some filters that you can play around with.
You can quickly access the camera with a double press of the home button. You can do this anytime the phone is on. So, even if it is locked, you can just double press the home button to quickly launch the camera. We really like this implementation.
Software
The Meizu Pro 7 Plus runs Android 7.1.1 Nougat, but the software is quite different from stock Android. Meizu has layered on its Flyme 6 skin, which we applauded in our Pro 6 Plus review. It’s not for everyone, but it’s great for those looking for something different.
Flyme 6 isn’t for everyone, but it’s great for those looking for something different
We maintain our assertion that Flyme 6 is one of the most well designed Android skins to date. Flyme’s polished user experience truly adds value to the Pro 7 Plus. You will love the clean design, fun animations, and extra features that come bundled with the Pro 7 Plus’ software.
The user interface design is especially remarkable. You’ll find that it’s colorful, bold, and responsive, which translates into an intuitive user experience. The design language is very consistent throughout the software, from the menus to the system apps.
We also appreciate the extra security features that Meizu has added on top of stock Android. The secure payment mode and Wi-Fi network security scanning, for example, help users stay protected against potential attacks.
It is slightly unlikely that Meizu will bring Android 8.0 Oreo to the global Pro 7 Plus
Just one more thing to keep in mind — Meizu’s system updates focus on changes to Flyme more so than Android versions. While it is slightly unlikely that Meizu will bring Android 8.0 Oreo to the global Pro 7 Plus, you should know that most new Android features are implemented into Flyme anyway. Still, we understand that this lack of software support might be a turn off for some.
Specifications
| Primary Display | 5.2-inch Super AMOLED display 1080 x 1920 resolution 423 ppi |
5.7-inch Super AMOLED display 1440 x 2560 resolution 518 ppi |
| Secondary Display | 1.9-inch AMOLED display 240 × 536 resolution 307 PPI |
1.9-inch AMOLED display 240 × 536 resolution 307 PPI |
| Processor | Meditatek Helio P25 Octa-core processor up to 1.6GHz |
Meditatek Helio X30 Deca-core processor up to 2.6GHz 10nm manufacturing process |
| GPU | ARM Mali-T880 | IMG PowerVR 7XTP |
| RAM | 4 GB LPDDR4X | 6 GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 64 GB | 64 GB (UFS 2.1) 128 GB (UFS 2.1) |
| Cameras | Rear: (x2) Sony IMX386, 12 MP, f/2.0 Front: 16 MP f/2.0 |
Rear: (x2) Sony IMX386, 12 MP, f/2.0 Front: 16 MP f/2.0 |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh Non-removable |
3,500 mAh Non-removable |
| Ports | USB Type-C (USB 3.1) 3.5 mm headphone jack |
USB Type-C (USB 3.1) 3.5 mm headphone jack |
| Water resistance | No | No |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n dual band Bluetooth 4.2, LE |
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac dual band Bluetooth 4.2, LE |
| Software | Android 7.1.1 Nougat Flyme 6 |
Android 7.1.1 Nougat Flyme 6 |
| Dimensions and weight | 147.6 x 70.7 x 7.3 mm 163g |
157.3 x 77.2 x 7.3 mm 170 g |
Gallery
Price
The global version of the Meizu Pro 7 Plus will be available soon in matte black, space black, silver, and gold for around $530. The global Pro 7 will also be available soon in matte black, gold, and red for around $430.
Meizu is planning an official release in 17 different markets. We do not recommend importing this device from China though as you cannot use global firmware on non-global units.
Conclusion
The Pro 7 Plus is one of the most unique smartphones that we have reviewed this year. With it, Meizu has not only delivered a fresh software experience on top of a great overall package, but has also implemented a very cool looking secondary display.
The secondary display helps the Pro 7 Plus truly stand out…
The secondary display helps the Pro 7 Plus truly stand out from the countless other smartphones out there. It substantially adds to the phone’s aesthetic while also serving as an excellent conversation starter.
But don’t buy this phone just for the secondary display. While the screen can definitely be useful at times, it’s still very much a first generation concept. It’s chic, yes, but you should think of it as a bonus item rather than a sole reason for a purchase.
…but you should think of it as a bonus item rather than a sole reason for a purchase
That’s not to say that the Meizu Pro 7 Plus isn’t worth the money. Its well-designed software and excellent hardware make it a very serious competitor to the Xiaomi Mi 6 and the OnePlus 5 – if you live somewhere you can take full advantage of what it offers.
If you’re looking for something genuinely unique and can get past its quirks, the Meizu Pro 7 Plus is an excellent choice. We are confident that future software updates will only improve the secondary display and overall experience.
As always, please feel free to leave any questions or comments in the comment section below!
Buy it now!
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 review
All screen, all the time – that was the philosophy behind the Xiaomi Mi Mix, one of last year’s hottest smartphones. Coming before offerings from Samsung and LG, it was Xiaomi that made such a big deal about having a minimal bezel display that we all had to pay attention. Naturally, expectations are a little high for the followup to a phone that tried to put just a screen in your hands. This is our full review of the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.
See also:
Xiaomi Mi 6 review
Buy now from OPPOMART
Xiaomi made headlines early last year with its 2016 flagship, the Mi 5. Not only was the Mi 5 affordable, beautiful, and packed with top-tier features, it was also one of the first devices …
Design
The first thing that most people will notice is the different size. Minimal bezels are generally supposed to help with the handling of a larger screen, but the original Mi Mix opted for a super-sized screen that wasn’t very easy to handle with one hand. That changes this time with a 5.99-inch IPS LCD display that minimizes what already prioritizes minimalism. As a result, the phone is easier to grip and keep from slipping about despite the ceramic body.
We love that Xiaomi is sticking to making ceramic phone bodies.
We love that Xiaomi is sticking to making ceramic phone bodies, and that the Mi Mix 2 continues this pleasing design trope. The back shines beautifully, with few elements breaking up the sheen. The fingerprint reader is found in an optimal place, just below the company’s simple but dramatic branding. The Mix 2 is easier to hold because of the smaller size, as we mentioned before, but also because of the rounded sides and edges that can actually be gripped this time around.
The curves make this phone look quite different from its predecessor, and not necessarily for the better. Xiaomi’s freshman attempt had a more square, angular look. It was an attractive take on the all-screen philosophy. Now, we have a phone that might seem pretty familiar to anyone that is used to current high screen-to-body ratio smartphones. It’s traded distinctness for familiarity.
Display
Over 80% of the front is taken up by that IPS display.
Over 80% of the front is taken up by that IPS display, and it stretches up to the very top of the phone. This is still a wonderful look that avoids the divots and notches that we see from the likes of Essential and the iPhone X.
However, the same compromise that helped make the front of the original Mi Mix a reality is back. The front facing camera is located in the bottom corner of the phone in one of the most awkward positions that we’ve ever seen. Not only is it incredibly easy to cover up the camera with one’s right hand, it makes for an odd angle that will annoy selfie experts. Sure, the camera app tells the user to turn the phone upside down for more conventional self-portraits, but that is not an option when using apps like Instagram and Snapchat.
Other compromises were actually mitigated this time around. The ultrasonic proximity sensor returns but is no longer accompanied by a vibration speaker found underneath the surface for calls. Now, there is a very small slit at the very top of the device that houses an actual phone speaker. It is a small driver that points upward and it already sounds much better than last year’s alternative.
Unlike the original Mi Mix, the Mi Mix 2 has a very small slit at the very top of the screen that houses an actual phone speaker.
While we think that the Mi Mix original’s lack of curves made for a more enticing design, we can’t deny that the new edition still rocks the all-display really well. We still miss the headphone jack and still don’t like the front facing camera placement, though.
What I really wish is that I was able to review the unibody ceramic version of this phone, which comes in both black and this incredible white color. Xiaomi claims that the white version is a lot like a perfect piece of jade, and it is definitely the edition of the Mix 2 that I would rock because it looks crazy good.
That IPS display does soften the blow a little, because it remains a wonderful viewing experience. The Mi Mix from last year was bucking a lot of trends in the Android space, bringing completely different aspect ratios to the operating system that were, at first, rejected by Google. But now that 18:9 aspect ratios are all the rage, the Mix 2 is afforded a good position to insert itself into the greater Android game.
This display is quite good to handle, though getting up and down the phone will still require hand gymnastics. The screen’s brightness is about where it should be even in daylight situations, though colors are just a little less saturated than its LED counterparts. You can change the color profile in the settings, and there is a reading mode included for lowering the blue light during the twilight hours.
Xiaomi’s only misstep is going with Full HD+ rather than Quad HD resolution.
Xiaomi’s only misstep with the screen here is making it Full HD+ rather than springing for Quad HD resolution. While the experience has still been great for gaming, media consumption, and all textual elements, that extra bit of clarity just keeps this phone from being squarely in the flagship pack.
Performance
The internal specs really make this phone shine, even underneath its gorgeous ceramic body. The Snapdragon 835 is accompanied with either 6 or 8 GB of RAM that come at different price points. Storage isn’t a problem for this phone, despite the lack of a microSD card slot, either, as 64/128/256 GB storage options are available.
The internal specs really make this phone shine, and as this is a global-ready phone, Google Play Services are pre-installed.
I had no problem with the everyday performance with the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2, zipping between applications despite the actual software itself remaining a bit rough around the edges. As this is a global-ready phone, Google Play Services were pre-installed on this device and didn’t have to be injected after the fact like with the original Mi Mix.
Hardware
The Mi Mix 2 has the most radios of any smartphone in the world.
Another factor that we were happy to see addressed this time around is the phone’s ability to work anywhere outside of China. The Mi Mix 2 has the most radios of any smartphone and is compatible with just about any band for voice and data throughout the world.
It was refreshing to use this phone with US LTE networks and not have to rely on slower HSPA+ speeds. When using the phone on my T-Mobile account, I also had no problems with calls and call quality on the GSM network, as sound came through nice and clear thanks to the new earpiece speaker.
Sound in other situations is a bit of a mixed bag, unfortunately – without a headphone jack, users are again forced to use a USB Type-C adapter to use wired headphones with the Mi Mix 2. While there are settings in the phone that help enhance the listening experience, it mostly requires use of Xiaomi’s own headphones to take advantage of it.
Sound in other situations is a bit of a mixed bag, unfortunately…
That was not as upsetting as the external speaker, however, which was an uneven experience. It seemed that, at volumes lower than 50%, the speaker was tuned to have a noise gate. Quieter sound seemed to drop off the spectrum so that there was a noticeable separation between it and louder parts of the audio. It was just noticeable enough to be annoying. The speakers will get the job done, but this phone feels like it’s begging you to use wireless headphone solutions at all times.
Battery life
Battery life was, like last year, a bright spot of the Mi Mix experience. While last year I could have attributed this to the lack of LTE connectivity, this year’s Mi Mix manages to last just as long. I got an average of 5 hours screen-on-time throughout 12+ hour workdays, some as long as 16 hours non-stop. Despite the large screen that takes up most of the body, the Full HD+ resolution helps a bit by being less power hungry. Nonetheless, getting power back isn’t a big deal with Quick Charge 3.0, which can top it up in no time.
Camera
Xiaomi decided to keep a surprisingly conventional camera experience compared to their competitors, at least on its back.
The rear camera is a 12 MP shooter that boasts 4-axis optical stabilization and not too much else. While the stabilization does help with some of the up-to-4K video capture modes and a bit better low light shooting, it is just about the only thing special about the camera. The app is still the same as before with no new modes. A manual mode does help with some deeper tweaking of the settings for specific results.
Pictures in general are pretty good, though it’s no surprise that it all kind of falls apart in low light. The HDR capture does help with exposure in lower light situations but it requires a longer shutter release and thus shutter to file speeds slow down pretty significantly. On that topic, the HDR setting is a toggle on the camera app rather than automatic like on plenty of other flagship devices. Hand-Held Twilight (HHT) mode produces decently crisp low light exposures although they do tend to be darker than HDR shots.
The front facing camera goes past unconventional and becomes downright odd.
The front facing camera goes past unconventional and becomes downright odd. I do a lot of video calls these days and this was where I found the camera positioning less than ideal.
When talking with someone and looking at their video feed, it makes you look like you are looking up and away from your subject, which is normally mitigated by more typical camera placements. Making the effort to look down at the corner usually meant that I also had to hold the phone in my left hand, because my palm would likely cover up and block the camera.
My other annoyance with the camera is that it is a bit too narrow – it just isn’t very wide at all, so it won’t capture much more than your head and very little of the background. The camera placement is uncomfortable as is, but adding the need to stretch one’s arm out in order to get more in the frame is even more awkward.
For those reasons, pictures coming out of the front facing camera, are rarely very good. Add to that the fact that you can’t use the camera upside down in apps like Instagram and Snapchat and you can see why the Mix 2 is definitely not my favorite selfie experience.
The camera did nothing to blow me away, even though I used it as a vlogging rig around Beijing. Some pictures came out really well, but plenty of others left quite a bit to be desired. I am inclined to say the camera is pretty average, especially since Xiaomi is trying much harder on their other phones with dual cameras.
Xiaomi is trying much harder on their other phones with dual cameras.
Software
Which brings us to the software and MIUI. MIUI is the backbone of Xiaomi and was the starting point of their success, so it’s not surprising that they continue to tweak and improve it as much as possible. Unfortunately, that doesn’t quite feel like the case here, as the software on the Mi Mix 2 feels really similar to previous versions of MIUI I experienced on the Mi 6 and the previous Mi Mix. That said, it is great that Xiaomi already included Google Play Services on my unit, which is important to have on a phone that is supposed to work outside of China.
MIUI still boasts quite a few features though. The Quick Ball is a small, convenient way of getting to core functions without relying on the soft keys. Dual App allows for multiple instances of the same application if you need to access two different accounts or experiences. Second Space can take that even further, by basically making a whole new second account that you can put together from scratch.
The main issues that I have with the software are ones I’ve had before, and they all have to do with polish.
Parts of the OS don’t seem to be completely finished or translated properly from Chinese and notifications in particular show up in odd ways – the heads up notifications don’t show any of the actual information and when looking at them in the notification menu, expanding puts much of the information too far down the screen.
The software on this phone is just short of ready for primetime outside China.
MIUI has come a long way and continues to be supported by the user forum community, meaning updates can come quickly. However, that doesn’t really excuse the bits of polish that are still missing even after a couple generations of Mi devices I’ve reviewed. That many of my critical apps, like Instagram, froze up and eventually crashed makes it clear that the software on this phone is just short of ready for primetime outside China.
Specifications
| Display | 5.99-inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080 resolution 570 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio DCI-P3 color gamut |
5.99-inch FHD+ 2160 x 1080 resolution 570 ppi 18:9 aspect ratio DCI-P3 color gamut |
| Processor | 64-bit octa-core (max 2.45GHz) Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 10 nm process | 64-bit octa-core (max 2.45GHz) Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 10 nm process |
| RAM | 6 GB LPDDR4X |
8 GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 64 GB/128 GB/256 GB USF 2.1 |
128 GB USF 2.1 |
| MicroSD | No | No |
| Cameras | Rear: 12 MP sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 4-axis OIS, 1,25 μm, PDAF
Front: 5 MP sensor, 1080p video, Beautify |
Rear: 12 MP sensor, f/2.0 aperture, 4-axis OIS, 1,25 μm, PDAF
Front: 5 MP sensor, 1080p video, Beautify |
| Battery | 3,400 mAh (typical) 3,300 mAh (minimum) 2A QuickCharge 3.0 |
3,400 mAh (typical) 3,300 mAh (minimum) 2A QuickCharge 3.0 |
| Wireless charging | No | No |
| Water resistance | No | No |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), 2X2 MIMO and MU-MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 NFC USB Type-C (no 3.5 mm jack) Location (GPS, AGPS, Glonass, BeiDou) Network bands |
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), 2X2 MIMO and MU-MIMO Bluetooth 5.0 NFC USB Type-C (no 3.5 mm jack) Location (GPS, AGPS, Glonass, BeiDou) Network bands |
| SIM | Dual nano SIM | Dual nano SIM |
| Software | MIUI 9 based on Android 7.0 Nougat | MIUI 9 based on Android 7.0 Nougat |
| Dimensions and weight | 151.8 x 75.5 x 7.7 mm 185 g |
150.5 x 74.6 x 7.7 mm 187 g |
| Design | Aluminum alloy frame Four-sided curved ceramic body 18K PVD gold coating camera rim |
Ceramic unibody design Black version: 18K PVD gold coating camera and fingerprint sensor rims White version: 18K PVD rose gold coating camera and fingerprint sensor rims |
Gallery
Final thoughts
All in all, the main problem the Mi Mix 2 is that the things its predecessor did differently are now standard in the smartphone world. The original Mi Mix was co-opted by the Essential Phone, among others, and we are seeing a move toward the phone’s 2:1 aspect ratio (well, 17:9 but close enough), along with minimal bezel displays, across the industry.
Xiaomi has done well to stick to its design guns in keeping the phone not only ceramic, but very similar to the minimalist and honestly beautiful original Mi Mix, albeit with more curves and a smaller overall body. If you want your Mi Mix 2 to be as unique as possible though, you might want to spring for the white unibody ceramic edition. Because the internals and the overall user experience of the Mi Mix 2 don’t set it apart from other high end Chinese devices and certainly other better known flagship smartphones. That special edition of the phone does come in at an equivalent of $720 US, making it the most expensive phone of the bunch.
However, the 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage model is just over $600, making it at least a few hundred dollars lower in price compared to plenty of other recent flagship devices. Depending on your stance regarding the lower resolution display, the single camera, and the Chinese software experience, that might be one hell of a steal.
It wouldn’t shock us if you wanted to go back to the phone that got us all really wanting all screen all the time – at least if you’re able to get your hands on it.
Nokia 6 review
Before HMD Global unveiled the Nokia 8, the Nokia 6 was the highest spec’d smartphone from the company, a company which describes itself as a startup but that carries the strong legacy of the Nokia brand. It was one of the three Nokia-branded Android smartphones (along with the Nokia 3 and Nokia 5) first launched by the company.
The Nokia 6 is essentially a mid-range smartphone that aims to offer a great Android experience instead of competing on the specifications sheet. Since it was first unveiled at MWC 2017 in February – but only went on sale only in the second half of the year – the innards are a tad dated compared to what else is on the shelves at the moment.
Does the Nokia 6 deliver on its promise of a capable mid-ranger with a pure and up-to-date Android experience? Let’s find out!
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Design
Let’s get this out of the way: the Nokia 6 looks brilliant. It’s probably the best-looking Android smartphone in its price range– standing out in a sea of similar-looking smartphones. The design elements are even reminiscent of some devices in the Lumia portfolio from the Nokia of old.
It looks blocky since the edges are tapered, rather than curved. At 7.85 mm and weighing 169 grams, it’s not the slimmest or lightest phone out there, yet it looks very premium and feels solid when you hold it in your hand. Milled from a single piece of 6000 series aluminum, the Nokia 6 feels like it is built to last.
At the back, there’s the familiar vertical Nokia branding. The matte finish looks slick, and the smartphone doesn’t pick up fingerprints easily. The camera is placed in a chrome housing, and it protrudes slightly from the body. It doesn’t look bad, but it does make the phone wobble when placed on a flat surface.
Overall, the Nokia 6 looks like a very premium smartphone with a build quality that gives you confidence it can withstand the rigors of everyday use.
Display
The 5.5-inch Full HD (1920 x 1080) IPS LCD display on the Nokia 6 adds to the smartphone’s premium look and feel. There’s 2.5D curved glass on top with Corning Gorilla Glass protection.
There’s also a polarizer layer on the display that works like a filter to reduce the glare and reflections from the glass while improving the sunlight legibility. Even in harsh sunlight, brightness is adequate though and there’s no problem in using the phone outdoors.
The display offers decent brightness generally, and the color reproduction is great. The images and text look crisp, but the contrast is somewhat lower than I would’ve liked. The viewing angles are just fine though.
Performance
The Nokia 6 has a modest specifications sheet, especially compared to other smartphones in its price segment – and some in an even lower one. The Snapdragon 430 processor isn’t a workhorse, but it’s no slouch either. 3 GB RAM is good enough for most people, and the Nokia 6 powers through everyday tasks without slacking. In most cases, the Nokia 6 actually fared better than other phones powered by the Snapdragon 430 chipset.
However, if you push it a little, the phone’s limitations are apparent. There’s some lag while switching between apps when multitasking extensively. That said, the gaming performance is all okay and there’s no stutter while playing graphics-intensive games. They do take a few seconds extra to launch, though.
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There’s 32 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded up to 128 GB using a microSD card. That should work for most people, unless you are a multimedia hoarder and need a device with 64 GB of storage on-board.
The Nokia 6 packs in a unremarkable 3,000 mAh battery – I didn’t expect any special endurance from it, but the smartphone can easily last a full day and then some. The only downside here is that there’s no fast-charging, and the phone takes over two hours to go from zero to 100% battery.
The Nokia 6 sports Dolby Atmos sound enhancement that offers loud and clear audio. The difference is quite apparent if you turn it on or off and it’s actually pretty impressive.
One critical yet often ignored area where the Nokia 6 excels is latching on to cellular networks. Even in weak spots where some other phones struggled, the Nokia 6 would keep the network bars lit up.
Hardware
The home button on the front doubles up as a fingerprint scanner as well. While the fingerprint authentication works flawlessly, it is awkwardly placed towards the very bottom edge of the phone. It’s not a deal breaker, but it takes some time to get used to.
The Nokia 6 includes a hybrid tray, so you can either use two Nano SIMs, or one SIM and a microSD card. It uses micro-USB for charging instead of the new USB-C type port, which is a tad disappointing.
Camera
The Nokia 6 sports a 16 MP rear camera with 1.0µm pixel size and f/2.0 aperture, along with dual LED flash. As expected, it manages to take good photos in daylight with a high level of detail. The contrast is great, and the photos come out sharp. But the colors lack punch and are more muted than what I would have liked.
In low light conditions, the details suffer and the experience is below-par. In the absence of a light source, some of the shots would just come out black.
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With the phase-detection autofocus, the camera is quick to lock focus though it takes a while for images to be captured and saved. The 8 MP front-facing camera does a good job with selfies in good lighting conditions, but not so great in low light.
HDR mode is pretty dramatic and inconsistent, and photos take a while to process. The Panorma mode though is pretty good. The details are great, and stitching is flawless in most cases.
While the camera app is pretty basic, there are handy features like a level and a compass, along with a Manual mode that lets you configure metering mode, white balance, exposure, and so on.
The Nokia 6 records video at 1080p/30fps. It’s nothing exceptional, but the videos manage to capture pleasant contrast and vivid colors, which is a little odd considering colors in photos can be muted.
Overall, the Nokia 6 has a decent camera, but certainly not the best in the business in its price segment. My primary issue with the camera was the inconsistency in performance. As a Nokia offering, I was hoping for a better imaging experience. That said, the software updates during my experience with the device have definitely enhanced the camera performance.
Software
In its grand comeback, Nokia’s primary pitch focused on ‘pure and up-to-date’ Android. With Android 7.1.1. Nougat out of the box, the company promises regular and timely Android updates. And it looks like HMD Global is not slacking off, with updates coming through during my review period. The company has also promised the Android Oreo update for the entire Nokia lineup.
One note for the purists: there are custom icons on board. There are also a few pre-loaded apps such as Amazon and the entire suite of Google apps, including Photos, which is the default app for photos on Nokia 6. There’s Google Assistant too.
The phone allows you to perform actions with supported apps by simply long-pressing the icons for launcher shortcuts. As in Android Nougat, there’s a split-screen mode, although the two simultaneous apps can only open as two equal halves only, without the option to resize them.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch IPS LCD 1920 x 1080 resolution 403 ppi |
| Processor | Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 |
| GPU | Adreno 505 |
| RAM | 3 GB |
| Internal Storage | 32 GB Expandable up to 128 GB with microSD card |
| Cameras | Rear: 16 MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture, PDAF, dual-LED flash
Front: 8 MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture |
| Battery | 3,000 mAh Non-removable Quick Charge 3.0 |
| Software | Android 7.1.1 Nougat |
| Dimensions and weight | 154 x 75.8 x 7.9 mm 169 g |
Gallery
Pricing and final thoughts
The Nokia 6 is a good enough device for a lot of people, but not for everyone.
The Nokia 6 is a conflicting device. There’s a lot to like about it, especially its premium design and solid build quality, but it’s only an average performer. It feels underpowered, especially for what many power users would expect. For those, there are better performing smartphones in the market available in the same price segment.
The camera is unfortunately pretty inconsistent too. I liked it initially, but some of the sample shots were disappointing.
At ₹14,999 ($231) in India, the Nokia 6 is a tad expensive for the internal components it packs. But the stylish and durable chassis with stock Android could be just fine for a lot of people, especially those that aren’t too fussed on high performance and premium photography. It’s a pity there are few misses here and there that keep this device from being the overall well-rounded package that one would’ve liked it to be.
Doogee Mix review – the $200 bezel-less smartphone
2017 has been a year full of new designs. Ever since the Mi Mix burst onto the scene at the end of 2016, manufacturers have been rushing to create a unique experience capable of tempting buyers from their current device and into a new, futuristic phone. Almost all of these devices are flagships. We’ve seen the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Note 8, the LG V30, and even the iPhone X radically shift their design language to fit into the new, bezel-less form factor of the future.
But what if you don’t have a lot to spend?
Doogee is attempting to fill the bezel-less void for the average consumer who doesn’t have as much money to blow on their phone, but who still wants something they can show off to their friends. While its specs aren’t on par with most flagships currently on the market, some of them actually come pretty close. And all for $200.
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Design
The Doogee Mix looks strikingly similar to another phone we’ve reviewed, the Xiaomi Mi Mix, and it honestly doesn’t seem like Doogee is attempting to hide it. The front facing camera is placed in the bottom-right corner, just like Xiaomi’s option. Because of this, you actually have to flip the phone upside down to use it in selfie mode. It’s a little awkward at first, but you’ll get used to it once you realize it’s there to make room for the nearly edge-to-edge display.
There is a very small bezel on the top of the device which houses the earpiece and proximity sensor, but it’s barely noticeable. It really feels like the phone’s only bezel is its relatively large chin.
Even though this is a $200 budget device, the company is still offering a very nice chassis. It uses an all-metal unibody design and feels quite nice in your hands. You may need to use a case or carry a cloth with you, though, because this thing is one of the biggest fingerprint magnets I’ve ever seen. I’ve been using the thin black case that Doogee includes in the box, which is a soft rubberized material, and I quite like it.
The milling work on the phone seems oddly messy though. It’s not something one usually notices, but in the case of the Mix, there are scratches around the port. The port itself doesn’t even appear to be centered on the device’s Z-axis.
The headphone jack sits at the top of the device on the leftmost side. It’s milling, too, seems a little dirty. The jack is set a little too far back into the phone and even slopes down a little bit with the curve of its edge. Fortunately, it works just as well as any other 3.5mm headphone jack. And to be honest, we’re just glad Doogee left it in the device instead of removing it.
Near the micro-USB port you’ll find two bottom-firing speakers, and we’re happy to see that they both work, unlike the Pixel which only uses one of the two grills to output sound. They’re not the best speakers in the world and the bass is certainly lacking, but they get the job done.
The right side houses the volume rockers and power button, and they are both quite tactile and clicky. The dual SIM/micro-SD port mirrors the volume rockers on the other side of the device, and it creates a nice sense of consistency through the phone. The dual SIM/storage tray is another feature that many manufacturers are not utilizing, and it adds quite a bit of value to a phone that otherwise seems like a cheaper carbon copy of a major player. SD cards have become extremely affordable, and the ability to store data on an external device is very useful for those with big music libraries and other forms of media.
Below the screen there’s a fingerprint reader/home button. While the phone is on, it works as the back button, as there are no hardware-implemented back or multitasking buttons in the chin. The lack of physical navigation buttons seems like a missed opportunity though. Given the Mix costs $200, this was likely a way for Doogee to save on costs but still make more than one use for the fingerprint reader, which I appreciate.
The reader can be used to wake the phone, but only if you use it within about a minute of turning off the display
Unfortunately, this fingerprint reader is pretty bad. It doesn’t recognize my finger about half of the time, and I find myself using the pin code to access the device more than I would on other phones. The reader can be used to wake the phone, but only if you use it within about a minute of turning off the display. If you pass this threshold, it goes to sleep, and you’ll need to use the power button to wake it up again.
In this way it functions more as a navigation button than an actual fingerprint reader, though it is nice to have the functionality in case you’re using something like Android Pay or want to log into an account using biometrics.
The back is basically a colored mirror with a Doogee logo in the center, with dual cameras and a flash at the top. Again, this is a way for Doogee to try to make a competitive device that has all the trendy features. There is no wide-angle lens on this device, but one of these cameras is 1x while the second is 2x. I actually prefer this, and it’s really nice being able to quickly punch in without losing any quality.
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Display
It seems like we’ve spent the last few years debating whether or not you need a 1440p screen. While most manufacturers still haven’t made the leap to 4K, 2K seems to be the standard on flagships these days. Some manufacturers like OnePlus have fought this idea, claiming that 1080p is perfectly acceptable for most users’ needs.
Well, the Doogee Mix isn’t a 2K panel. It’s not even a 1080p panel. It’s 720p. Am I disappointed?
Surprisingly not.
The screen on the Doogee Mix was made by Samsung, and delivers some nice colors with its AMOLED tech, though it’s a bit washed out. It’s not a screen that can handle visually demanding things like virtual reality, but it gets along well enough for everyday tasks. In a $200 phone, you really have to think about how much you value the difference in resolution. Almost every application you use on this phone is going to look “good enough,” though I did notice some more obvious quality drops in things like Facebook chat heads. Still, a lower resolution screen also means better battery life.
294 ppi isn’t great, but you could do worse. The biggest thing I saw this low pixel density affecting was photo and video quality. Both look a lot more “grainy” than if you were using a higher-end option, and it left me wanting a better screen, especially after using a Pixel XL for the last year or so.
For the average consumer that cares more about their product working vs little caveats like screen resolution, it’s really not half bad.
Yes, it looks strikingly similar to the Mi Mix
Speaking of the display, it’s really the key hardware feature that makes this phone stand out. Yes, it looks strikingly similar to the Mi Mix. Judging by the name, it’s clear Doogee isn’t trying to hide it, but I don’t think they really care either.
The Mi Mix retails at over $500 for the baseline model, and more budget-conscious users are going to turn their head if they can get a very similarly-styled device for way less than half the price. Yes, it is 720p, but the Mi Mix is only 1080p. If you care about your display, you’ll probably be willing to spend a bit more on a different phone.
Performance
Even with a Helio processor, this thing can really kick. When comparing it to the Pixel XL on the PCMark benchmark, the Doogee Mix performed admirably, with a score of 4713 compared to the 5425 the Pixel XL received. While a score differential of 700 may seem pretty big, I was honestly expecting worse.
In terms of real-world usability, I found most apps run just fine. I played a few games like Super Mario Run, and didn’t notice any hiccups throughout my time with the Mix. The main thing I noticed that really bugged me was the lag that happens when you hit the home button. Often when you return to your home page the phone will show a message that reads “loading launcher”, which will then take a couple seconds to actually populate the screen.
I don’t know if this is due to their launcher being bloated, but that’s what I’d guess. The news tab that you swipe onto is constantly updating to keep up to date, and that likely causes some lag when you jump out of your apps.
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I think Doogee is hyper-aware of their bad RAM management as well, since when you use the multitasking button the phone will tell you how much usable RAM you’ll get back if you kill all your tasks. This is pretty nice, but I would prefer they just worked to optimize app management in the back-end instead.
For your everyday tasks, this phone runs perfectly fine, and the Helio P25 Octa-Core processor does a pretty good job of running individual tasks. Just don’t get your hopes up.
Hardware
Accessories
In the box you’ll find the regular charging brick and cable, product booklet, and limited warranty card. Additionally, Doogee has included a soft touch case for the phone, screen protector, and even a ring holder that sticks to the back of your device. These are extremely popular in markets like China, and it’s cool to see a company throwing one in for free. The packaging that the ring comes with is more than a little odd, but we’ll take what we can get. It is free, after all.
FM Radio
FM Radio! This phone has an FM radio! I might be biased, but I’ve severely missed the days of using some wired headphones in my HTC Thunderbolt to listen to one of the oldest media sources on the planet. Sure, Spotify is going to give you better quality, but especially on a phone like this that doesn’t support many bands in a lot of countries, it’s nice to be able to tap into some good old fashioned local music.
On-Screen Buttons
This phone gives you the option of using on-screen buttons or pulling them away. Since there is no way to enable the multitasking mode without it, you’ll have to enable on-screen buttons to use this function. Again, I think there was a missed opportunity in not adding capacative hardware buttons, but it was probably due to cost management.
Network bands
If you live in the United States, you probably don’t want to purchase this phone. This device works with one band on T-Mobile, and that’s it. No AT&T, no Verizon, no Sprint. And since it’s just one band (3G at that), your service is going to be both unreliable and extremely spotty.
If you’re in somewhere like the UK, it may be worth a look. This device uses multiple 4G bands on FDD-LTE, so you’ll get good speeds if you live somewhere that works with these.
Battery life
Doogee seems really focused on battery life, and it shows. The 720p AMOLED panel is already great for getting more juice out of this device, and combining that with its 3,380 mAh battery gets you a lot more useable time than many other devices on the market. I used Wi-Fi a lot of the time because there is only one network band in this thing that works in the US, so that would’ve helped as well. Your mileage will undoubtedly vary.
There are subtle things about the battery in this phone that make me happy as well. The UI is very well optimized to help you get the longest amount of life possible, and features like battery percentage are on by default. The device will also automatically go into battery saver mode when it hits 15%, and there are three different power-saving menus in the options to satisfy your specific obsession for power management.
Using the phone at half brightness got me a couple of days of power, even with the terrible service I had on T-Mobile. I am a bit frustrated that I wasn’t able to get the screen-on time values, but the phone said I hadn’t charged it in over two days, which is pretty great.
Software
Doogee uses a custom launcher called DoogeeOS, which is really not all that different from stock Android. It’s based on Android 7.0 Nougat, and actually runs pretty well considering this is using a lower-end Helio P25 processor.
On the home screen there’s a cat/robot constantly hanging down from a string, which is clearly trying to play to a different audience than the US. The cat/robot design choice is a bit annoying, but it takes you to what is essentially a theme store. You may hate this feature, but I actually found it kind of nice. There are a wide variety of themes available, and they will change your wallpaper and icons to match a specific look.
A weird thing about these themes is that they download as apps initially, and then get applied to your phone. It seems like Doogee is using this as a way to get around the Google Play Store.
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If you swipe to the left of the home screen you’ll find a news section with five different categories: Local, World, Business, Entertainment, and Sports. This feels a lot like Flipboard, but it’s got a number of pretty invasive ads in it, so Doogee is obviously just trying to make an extra buck through their operating system. Nevertheless, it’s still nice to have a news curation platform built into your phone right out of the box.
Besides this caveat, the operating system has everything you would expect out of Android Nougat. There are a few other extra features like a modified screenshot manager, which allows you to select which portion of the screenshot you actually want. You can also paint on top of it and even do a freehand crop, so you won’t have to go through a separate app to show people what they need to see.
Camera
If you want to be a trendy smartphone manufacturer these days, you have to include dual cameras. While some companies like LG have gone and added additional functionality like wide-angle to their secondary shooter, Doogee has stuck with a 1x and 2x lens. I appreciate this and actually prefer it, since the UI gives you the option to immediately jump to the 2x camera to get your shot.
The main camera is 16 MP and the secondary one is 8 MP, but you won’t see a whole lot of difference between the two. Overall I’m just really glad to have the ability to do a 2x zoom on the fly, and you’ll find a similar feature in a few other phones.
Since there are two cameras, you’ll be able to emulate depth of field like you can on the OnePlus 5 and other dual-shooter options. The way Doogee does it is pretty terrible though, as you have to hold the phone absolutely still to get anything close to a good image. If you’re one of those people who likes to stabilize your phone camera this might work a little bit better, but I personally would recommend a dedicated alternative camera if this is the phone you’re going to be rocking.
If you swipe out from the left you’ll find a number of different live filters for the camera, which are cool but don’t seem all that useful. You’ve also got a “face beauty”, “blur”, and “mono” mode, so you can have a bit of fun, even if you aren’t getting the best images out of the cameras.
Still, the pictures produced aren’t half bad. You get a decent amount of quality out of those 16 and 8 MP shooters and they look a lot better off-device than on it. So if you’re taking photos and aren’t particularly happy with how your images are coming out, don’t worry too much, because they’ll probably look a lot better on your computer.
You get a decent amount of quality out of those 16 and 8 MP shooters..
There is a 5 MP selfie camera in the bottom right of the phone, which forces you to turn the device upside down to get a natural view. This camera is pretty bad, and produces extremely soft images. I wasn’t expecting much, but I was hoping these photos would be just a little bit sharper.
One of the coolest things about this camera software is the “Pro” mode. This allows you to adjust individual elements like exposure, aperture, ISO, and white balance. It’s almost funny that this is included though. The cameras aren’t terrible, but who are you trying to impress if you’re using pro mode on a budget phone? The auto worked fine for most of the shots, and if I was that worried about getting a good image, I’d be shooting in RAW with something else. It’s still fun to use though, so take this as you will.
Check out this photo gallery to see how well the three cameras did in different situations.
Specifications
| Display | 5.5-inch HD 1280 x 720 resolution 294 ppi Samsung Super AMOLED |
| Processor | Octa-core (max 2.5GHz) Helio P25, 16 nm process |
| RAM | 4/6 GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 64 GB/128 GB |
| MicroSD | Yes |
| Cameras | Rear: 16 MP sensor, f/2.0 Samsung ISOCELL, Additional fake lens which does not work
Front: 5MP F/2.2 |
| Battery | 3,380 mAh |
| Wireless charging | No |
| Water resistance | No |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 NFC Micro USB 3.5mm Headphone jack Location (GPS, AGPS, Glonass, BeiDou) Network bands |
| SIM | Dual nano SIM |
| Software | DoogeeOS based on Android 7.0 Nougat |
| Dimensions and weight | 144 x 76.2 x 7.95 mm 193 g |
| Design | All metal unibody |
Gallery
Final thoughts
I think the biggest thing you have to keep in mind when you look at this phone is the price. Yes, it uses an old charging standard, the milling isn’t perfect, and the UI is a little bloated. But for $200, this is a very solid device.
You’re getting great battery, a flashy design, dual cameras, and some nice extras in the box, and outside of some newer specs and caveats, I can’t see anyone with their expectations in check being truly unhappy with this thing.
Doogee has removed a few newer features to make room for a lower price and great battery life, and it’s hard to fault them for that. If you want to pick a phone up as a backup, this is a great option, otherwise, you’ll probably still enjoy this as a daily driver, even if it doesn’t have all those shiny bells and whistles.
AIVAnet 