If you’re on the hunt for a brand new device and are looking for something that could give you close to top tier specs at a low cost, you may want to check out Chinese manufacturer Meizu’s MX3. Previously this was a phone that you could only buy in China, but it seems that Meizu like other up and coming Chinese OEMs are looking to expand into other markets, and Meizu seems keen on the U.S. being one of those locations. Meizu just launched their new Meizumart website that has an online store, where U.S. residents can order the MX3 from last year if they’re looking for something a little different. By all accounts the Meizu MX3 is a decent looking phone with decent enough specs, although there are better options out there.
We’ll start with the basics, like the price. The Meizu MX3 is now available to all U.S. residents to order from the official Meizumart store, starting at just $399 for the 16GB model device. Bumping up to either the 32Gb or 64GB models will set consumers back $429 and $469 respectively. The phone also comes in either a white or a black option, so you have at least some color choice even if there are only two. As for the specs, the device comes packed with a 5.1-inch super retina display with 1080p resolution and 441 PPI. Not a bad start. The processor inside is a Samsung Exynos 5 octa-core CPU, and uses a 3-core PowerVR SGX544 MP3 GPU. It also houses 2GB of RAM so it should handle multi-tasking and games pretty effortlessly. The battery life is standard at 2,400mAh. One cool feature is the way Meizu handles cooling for the device, emphasizing that an outstanding cooling design is a vital to excellent performance. They have combined a magnesium alloy backplane with a stainless steel frame and high heat conductive materials. I can’t speak to personal experience on how well this really works, but it sure sounds efficient.
Camera wise it’s sporting a Sony 8MP sensor with f/2.0 aperture and what Meizu claims to be zero-delay shooting. Zero shutter lag is always nice, so if it really snaps off photos that quickly that is a plus. Where the device begins to fall a little bit is in the fact that for less than the cost of their 16GB model, you can pick up a brand new OnePlus One with 64GB of storage and better specs all around. That’s $349 compared to $399 and newer hardware with better specs and features. The other downside is that the MX3 uses what is called Flyme OS, which is technically Android but is more like a modified version similar to the way Amazon handled their Kindle Fire devices. The Android based OS does not have Google certified apps or services, so that means out of the box and running stock, you get no Play Store access. Compare that to the OnePlus One with Cyanogenmod11S that has Play Store access, and it should be a no brainer. However, the Meizu MX3 can be purchased now and will ship out in 5-7 business days from the time the order is placed, while the OnePlus One won’t be available to most until sometime in late June according to OnePlus. So not a bad device at all, especially considering you can get one immediately.