Related
Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi (one of main players currently) has just presented an update for his Redmi Note model, with a few novelties and the goal of being one of most popular smartphones for the season.
Packaging and design
The box is “iPhone-like” in paperboard color, something I've liked since it looks a little bit more Eco-friendly, and at the same time it's simple and elegant.
In the box we find the terminal properly wrapped, a charger (with US plug, not the European one), a good quality USB cable, the warranty and instructions both in Chinese.
As usual lately, no signs of the earphones, we'll have to get used :-/
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The design of this Redmi Note 2 is very simple and clean, on the front we have the secondary camera on the top, then the 5,5” FullHD screen with just the 3 touch buttons typical from Android.
On the right side we have the volume and lock buttons, both seem made in good quality
Looking at the bottom, the micro-USB plug and the microphone. We have the jack 3.5 plug for the (non included) earphones and the secondary microphone for noise cancellation on the top.
So we have a completely free left side, something very common nowadays, due to the big size of the devices, the buttons are grouped in just one of the sides.
Once we flip it, the main 13Mpx camera (we have no information about who is manufacturing it), the LED (not dual) flash and the speaker on the bottom with the XIAOMI logo.
When we remove the back cover, we found the removable battery, the slots for the 2 micro-SIM and another one for the microSD expansion card.
This model is available in 5 colors: white, blue, yellow, pink and mint green.
Hardware
The technical specifications are quite good. Just to start, it's equipped with the new X10 octa core from Mediatek, so 64-bits and 2.0Ghz speed. The 2GB of RAM memory put it on the middle of the table, since most of new phones already come with 3GB or 4GB if we talk about flagship devices.
To complete the game, we find a GPU Power VR G6200 that will put all the sauce for videos and games to play smoothly.
Model* Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
SO*MIUI 7 (Android 5.0)
Processor*X10 64bits, octa core @ 2,0Ghz
GPU Power VR G6200
RAM*2GB
Screen*5,5” IPS LCD FullHD 1920x1080,*with*403ppi and 16M colors
Storage*16GB + microSD
Cameras*Main 13Mpx with flash LED; front 5Mpx; video 1080p @ 30 fps
Connectivity*Wi-Fi 2.4GHz b/g/n with Wi-Fi Direct support // BT 4.0*// MicroUSB (High Speed USB)
Dual SIM*GSM: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 Mhz ; 3G WCDMA: 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 Mhz; 4G FDD-LTE: B1(2100MHz) / B3(1800MHz) / B7(2600MHz)
Other*G-sensor, P-Sensor, L-Sensor, Wifi, GPS, OTG< Multi-touch, Dual SIM, Schedule Power on/off, E-compass, Hall IC, Gravity Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Light Sensor, Magnetic Sensor, Gyroscope Sensor
Battery*3060mAh removable
Dimensions*152 x 76 x 8.25 mm
Weight*160gr with the battery
Colors White, blue, yellow, pink, mint green
Price*From $169.99 with current promos
Software and Multimedia
The Redmi Note 2 comes with the almost last version of Android 5.0 (Lollipop), however we won't appreciate it since the customization layer is very “intrusive”. We are talking about the very well known MIUI, which brings a iOS flavor that either you love or you hate normally.
MIUI is probably one of most known Android ROMs and doubtless one of the strengths that helped Xiaomi growth as much and sell their handhelds outside of China.
In this case, the Redmi Note has the v7 of MIUI and as expected it runs very well, fluid and smooth even when playing 2K videos. However, in my opinion is a little bit silly to play 2K videos in a 5,5” screen, even a very good one like this case. It will be very interesting if we are using a remote screen, and we are broadcasting to a big screen, but (and again is just my opinion) with a smartphone, I guess FullHD is already a great resolution.
On the same way, games (like Asphalt 8) run perfectly thanks to both the powerful chip X10 and the GPU Power VR G6200.
Camera
Nowadays it's very common to find 13 Mpx cameras on almost every smartphone. If we compare this one to other Chinese phones, we can say the results are very good.
It's not the main point in this phone, although as said before it achieves quite good results, specially with daylight (very good pictures!). But when the light is reduced, for example taking night pictures there is a lot of noise on the images.
When we move to video recording, FullHD at 30fps offer very good quality.
Battery
The trend is now to go around 3000mAh, and Xiaomi hits that mark in this case.
Of course the duration will depend on how much we use the smartphone and for what. Taking into consideration that on the first days we will be trying everything and the use will be much more exhaustive that the normal one.
However we will reach the end of the day without any difficulty, using data, camera,...
Conclusions
We have on our hands a very good terminal. We can notice it on the finishing and the overall user experience, thanks also to the good integration and performance of MIUI 7.
I don't like to open the box and don't find the earphones, but it becomes the rule now, so I will finally have to get used to that. I know manufacturers try to cut cost wherever they can, and they guess we all have good earphones already... but if you're presenting a device with an impressive screen and powerful enough to play and enjoy the multimedia part, why don't you complete it with a good earphones?
I'm sure this is a problem that we don't have when buying an iPhone or last Galaxy S or LG or any other first brand smartphone, since they have margin enough to pay quality extras.
This model (Redmi Note 2) is on the medium range so we have to consider it like that. If we are looking for a top class (Chinese) device we will have to choose the Xiaomi Mi5 (when available) or Xiaomi Note Pro and there the price will be already above 500€.
Are you looking a good smartphone for less than 200€? don't think more, you have to look and consider this one. It's not only because of the specifications on the paper, it's also (or mainly) because step by step the Chinese manufacturers are differentiating among them.
Xiaomi and Meizu have proved (or are proving yet) to be above the other Chinese companies... so if you have similar prices, ask for quality!
PS: if you like this review, just click on "Thanks"
Thx for the review
has or has not Gorilla Glass
has or has not Gorilla Glass
Phych said:
has or has not Gorilla Glass
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The glass is so called "Dragontail" which is actually very scratch resistance.
My problem so far with RN2 is the network location service, they return simplified chinese text to apps, also the international ROM is very buggy.
I got one question: Is a screenprotector already applied from the manufacture?
Btw I noticed you saying there are the 5 colours you mentioned but actualy there is also the colour gray (dark) (the one picture in your review has also a gray backcover)
Yes, screen protector is already applied but it covers front camera... So you have to change it
My device did not have a screen protector pre-applied.
Very strage
DOOGEE MIX - Information & Reviews - 5.5" HD | Helio P25 | 4/6GB | 64/128GB | AMOLED
DOOGEE MIX
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Specs:
Dimensions: 76.2 x 144 x 7.95 mm
Weight: 193 g
Chassis: Metal with Back Glass
SoC: MediaTek MT6757CD (Helio P25)
CPU: ARM Cortex-A53, 4x2390 MHz, Cores: 8
GPU: ARM Mali-T880 MP2 900MHz, Cores: 2
Network: 4G Cat.6 (300MBps) with VoLTE Support
RAM: 4 GB/6 GB
Storage: 64GB/128 GB
Memory cards: microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC
Display: 5.5 in, 720p, AMOLED
Protection: Gorilla Glass 5
Battery: 3380mAh, Li-Polymer
OS: Android 7.0 Nougat, FreemeOS skinned.
Back Camera: 4920 × 3264 pixels (16MP), Samsung ISOCELL Sensor, with 3264 x 2448 pixels (8MP) 2nd Camera
Front Camera: 3264 x 2448 pixels (8MP)
SIM card: Dual-SIM, Dual-Standby
Wi-Fi: a, b, g, n 2.4GHz/5.0GHz, dual-band, Wi-Fi Hotspot
USB: Micro-USB, 2.0
Bluetooth: 4.1
Positioning: GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Other Features: Front Fingerprint Scanner, High screen-to-body ratio
Colors: Dazzle Black, Blue (two variants)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Official Website:
http://www.doogee.cc/detail/mix-series-bezel-less-smartphone/106
Development & Support:
https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/doogee-mix-development-support-t3632785
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Reviews:
My own review: Post #6 & #7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
DISCLAIMER (spammers, be aware): all spam (e.g. adverts, news and similar) posts that might be published here will be immediately reported and removed.
WiredLeaks said:
Will this phone have a led notification light?
Do you know when it will be released?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both info are unknown for now, what i can tell you is that i may receive it in June.
Does anybody know when the 128GB version will be available again?
joda77 said:
Does anybody know when the 128GB version will be available again?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
They will start to distribute the 4/64 variant first, then (i guess after a while), also higher capacity ones.
Review (part 1)
Introduction
This is the DOOGEE MIX.
Hardware
Being one of the first Xiaomi Mi Mix clone released in 2017, this MIX tries to be as similar as possible (of course not equal), providing a 5.5" screen in a smaller body. Also as regards the RAM/ROM capacity, it tries to be as similar as possible, with a maximum of 6GB of RAM and 128GB of ROM. Unfortunately though it uses a Mediatek CPU, precisely the Helio P25, that isn't bad at all, but not as powerful as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820.
Unboxing
Packaging, with a really nice look, comes with some accessories: 1x Micro-USB Cable, 1x 5V/2A USB Charger, 1x Quick Start Guide, 1x Warranty Certificate, 1x Hard Plastic Case, 1x Phone Holder (Ring), 1x SIM Card Tray Remover and the Smartphone (of course). A plastic screen protector is already applied, and an extra protector is included.
As already introduced before, the design has been copied almost entirely from the Mi Mix, but with a Metal Chassis (instead of Ceramic), a smaller overall size (being smaller the screen) and less glossy colors. The device feels solid, and the Gorilla Glass panel placed on the back makes it looking really premium.
When it comes to the size, well...this is able to beat all 5.5" inches devices released in the last few years. It is only 14.44x7.67x0.80cm, unbelieably compact, but with a weight of 198g, unfortunately feels heavy due to the small size and high weight. I guess the amount of glass increased its weight.
On the front side there almost bezel-less AMOLED Display with an overall clean look (2.5D curved) and the upper front side of the device features an Earpiece (a real one), and the Sensors hole that includes Light, Proximity and Gesture Sensors. Somehow they choose to not include a Notifcation LED, in 2017 i think this is a must have feature.
As regards the lower front side, there is the Fingerprint Scanner in the center (doesn't work as a physical button, can't be pressed), and a Front-Facing Camera that due to space issues couldn't have been placed on the upper side. There is some wasted space though.
On the back side there is the Glass Back Cover i mentioned before.
The upper rear side of the device features the Dual Camera Sensor supported by a Single-LED - Single-Tone Flashlight, and nothing else. On the lower rear side, excluding the DOOGEE logo, there isn't anything at all because the Speaker is positioned on the lower side of the device.
Device
Screen
This is the most interesting part of the device, its almost bezel-less AMOLED screen looks gorgeous, even though i don't like AMOLEDs too much (due to unreal colors). Talking about color accuracy on a AMOLED is like talking about speed for a city car. Colors look really saturated and un-real, and the white balance is a bit messed up. Someone can like it, someone might not. This is really personal.
Unfortunately due to its 720p Resolution, pixels are noticeable on camera, and sometimes also while using it. I don't understand why DOOGEE choose to include a 720p screen instead of 1080p, the Helio P25 is fast enough to handle 1080p Apps/Games.
Its light sensor supports smooth light changes with a maximum brightness of ~500lux. Great Brightness for best usage under direct-sunlight.
Viewing Angles are awesome, as we all know, AMOLEDs are the best when it comes to this.
Camera
Luckily DOOGEE choose to include a pretty good camera sensor for this device, a Samsung ISOCELL 16MP sensor with fast focus-time and good overall quality. It also supports Camera API 2 for Manual Controls such as Manual Focus, RAW Recording and so on. This is the first Mediatek Device i review with Camera2 Compatibility.
I guess the software isn't 100% ready though because the amount of noise is slighlty too high even while shooting outdoors, and sometimes the Flashlight is out-of-sync.
Here you can see an HDR-on/off comparision, plus some random extra photos.
The Blur Effect using the "Blur" option seems to work. (aka Bokeh)
Macros are probably the most detailed ones.
Indoors shoots are decent, nothing to complain about.
The flashlight isn't super powerful, being a Single-LED only, but it is still able to support the camera sensor properly, when it isn't out-of-sync of course.
As regards Video Recording, the quality and frame-rate of 1080p30 videos is OK, and it can shoot also in 2160p25 with a decent stable frame-rate.
The Front-Camera is placed on the lower front side of the device, so you need to shoot photos with the device upside-down for selfies and so on. The Quality isn't too bad, but colors look a bit washed-out.
Audio
Surprisingly, considering the small size of the device, its Speaker is powerful, with a little amount of low-frequencies and excessive distortion at maximum volume. The Earpiece though is a whole different story, due to its limited size, there is a complete lack of low-frequencies, and the volume is a bit limited.
As regards the Microphone, it is as good as the speaker, with high sensitivity and clarity. Everyone was able to hear me perfectly while in-call.
GPS
GPS Quality is perfect, with no issues at all with signal stability and accuracy. Finally Mediatek fixed the GPS on the Helio P25 considering the amount of issues present on the Helio P10.
Indoors on the left, outdoors on the right.
Telephony, Mobile Network & WiFi
Providing full european bands support (with 4G Band 20), the device was able to keep a stable connection to my 4G Network, with decent speeds (considering other devices tested in the same place) and mid-high signal.
WiFi 5GHz is supported, and connected at 121Mbps, i was able to reach almost ~60Mbps. Probably not as high as expected from the Link Speed, but still better than using the 2.4GHz connection.
Battery Life
As my usual reviewing routine, i measured the real battery capacity using an USB Tester, and it seems to be way lower than declared, ~300mAh less. (declared 3380mAh, real ~3080mAh)
Luckily, PCMark run just fine on this device even though it is running Android Nougat. Other Mediatek Devices with Nougat (and also some with Marshmallow) caused the Benchmark to stop by itself after some hours. The result is not so good unfortunately for a 3380mAh battery, but for a 3080mAh it is acceptable.
Thanks to the 2.0A charger, and the small battery, it is possible to recharge the device completely in more or less 2 hours. Maybe a Pump Express Charger would have been appreciated for even faster charging, but it is fast enough already.
Software
Unlike previous DOOGEE devices, this is the first one released with DoogeeOS (based on FreemeOS), with an ad-hoc launcher and some extra customizations. It is based on Android 7.0 Nougat (hopefully will be updated to 7.1.1 soon), with June 2017 security patches and, unfortunately, some pre-installed bloatware that can be uninstalled and/or disabled.
The UI feels smooth, i must admit not as smooth as i would have expected, but this is an early release so i can't blame DOOGEE for that. OTA Updates will gradually improve the device, just like other brands do.
Following the Mediatek line-up, also this one features MiraVision, Gestures (such as tap-to-wake) and so on...
Yes, it includes a Magnetometer/Compass and Gyroscope! Finally a device with a complete set of sensors.
No malwares detected with Malware-Bytes Anti-Malware using latest definitions.
As regards the Fingerprint Scanner management, it is as easy to manage as on all Android Nougat devices, and it is fast to unlock the device. I have to report that sometimes, after keeping the screen off for a long time, it sleeps a bit too much, requiring to turn on the screen in order to get the finger recognized.
Review (part 2)
Benchmarks
I have used 3DMark, AndroBench, Antutu Benchmark, Epic Citadel, GeekBench 4, GFXBench, PCMark (Work 2.0, Computer Vision, Storage & Work 1.0) and Vellamo to stress the device to the limit. I won’t test Games or Video Playback because there are already some related tests included in these Benchmark suites.
3DMark – Thankfully the Mali-T880MP2 is able to handle almost everything.
AndroBench – I don't know yet the eMMC brand and model, but its performance is really good.
Antutu Benchmark – I won’t say a lot about this benchmark, this isn’t as reliable as others. I’m providing this just for benchmarks lovers.
Epic Citadel – 720p Gaming on a Mali-T880MP2 = Buttery Smooth experience.
GeekBench – CPU Performance is confusing. The CPU is recognized as MT6757CH instead of MT6757T, and its performance isn't higher than a Helio P20. Software Issue? I hope so.
CPU
Compute
GFXBench – Just like on most GPUs, this benchmark struggles to run smooth. This is normal, only super high-end devices could handle this properly.
PCMark – Interesting results, being the first time i benchmark an Helio P25 i do not have any point of referral that i can use to compare these scores.
Work 2.0
Computer Vision
Storage
Work 1.0
Vellamo – Luckily Vellamo is kind enough to provide a list of devices in order to compare all scores, and the result is as good as i would have expected, excluding for the Single-Core benchmark, a bit low.
Conclusions
DOOGEE MIX, the first innovative device i have reviewed in the 2017. Clone of the Mi Mix? Not really. I would call it the little brother.
The device itself beats all previous DOOGEE devices when it comes to the design and overall price-performance ratio, and excluding the software that isn't ready yet in my opinion, i find it to be unique and balanced.
Of course it isn't perfect, due to missing the Notification LED and 720p screen, but being the first try from DOOGEE to release something 100% new and hard to engineer, i am definitely happy with the result.
Do i recommend it? It is all up to you, this is a device that has some features that some users may like and some users may not. Personally, i like everything except the AMOLED over-saturated colors, but i know lots of friends that love this kind of screens so...think on every single feature and choose if it can satisfy your requirements or not. ^^
Pros:
Outstading Design
Ergonomically Perfect
Android 7.0 Nougat with latest security patches
Camera2 API Supported for Manual Focus and RAW Capture
AMOLED screen for real blacks
Magnetometer/Compass & Gyroscope are here
Cons:
Sleepy Fingerprint Scanner
HD-only screen = Low Pixel Density
Over-Saturated screen colors (PERSONAL)
No Notification LED
Battery Capacity doesn't match the declared value (at least on my review unit)
Rating: 8.6
Packaging and Accessories: 9
Design and Materials: 10
Performance and Heat Dissipation: 9.5
Screen: 8
Camera: 9
Sound: 7.5
Battery Life: 7.5
Software: 7
OEM Support: 9
Price: 9.5
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: http://imgur.com/a/a3OcI
Official Website: http://www.doogee.cc/detail/mix-series-bezel-less-smartphone/106
You can buy it on many online shops. Official, and authorized, Retailers are listed in the DOOGEE website.
Awesome review. Bought one... waiting for it to arrive. I'll hope to have custom roms for it.
looks like at the end there are some benchmarks there that are not suppose to be there, namely for the xiaomi mi mix instead of doogee mix
jeffreydeleeuw said:
looks like at the end there are some benchmarks there that are not suppose to be there, namely for the xiaomi mi mix instead of doogee mix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Some benchmarks recognize the device incorrectly unfortunately
Alberto96 said:
Some benchmarks recognize the device incorrectly unfortunately
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok no problem
Thank you for the good review. do you think that cistom roms will be released for this device?
Excellent job on the review Alberto. A lot of work you put into it. We're working on a TWRP now.
Our review will be coming soon.
fagin said:
Thank you for the good review. do you think that cistom roms will be released for this device?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chinaphonearena said:
Excellent job on the review Alberto. A lot of work you put into it. We're working on a TWRP now.
Our review will be coming soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dev. & Support thread: https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/general/doogee-mix-development-support-t3632785
And the speaker sound is real stereo?
There will be a software that ix the recording video sound or is a hardware bug?
Thanks
Botandroid said:
And the speaker sound is real stereo?
There will be a software that ix the recording video sound or is a hardware bug?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1) No, single speaker on the bottom.
2) I don't have the same issue :/
While having the Mix (6GB version) for 3 days now, I wanted to share my thoughts with you:
Pro:
- Display is almost as sharp to my eyes as a 1080p (thought this would be a minus)
- Looks nice and has premium feeling
- Works OK
- Is quite speedy
- Excellent mic (people hear me very well)
- fingerprint sensor works very fine on my sample
Cons:
- Very Heavy!!!
- Camera indoors is total crap, cannot even take any photos which are sharp, it seems this one cannot even properly focus in mid to low light.
- Earpiece speaker max. loudness is less than Oneplus X, Vernee Mars or Asus, or Nexus 4 (which is the best)
- Loudspeaker is waay to silent, compared to other ones, barely usable with speakerphone setup.
- battery drains faster then my OPX (which has low reputation)
- IT's not a bezel-less design, since it's wider than my old ASUS Zenfone 2 Z00AD.
And I'm afraid no SW update will come soon (or even ever) to this one.
But - Value for money is OK.
my 2 cents.
Bluboo S1 or Maze Alpha? I'm considering cancelling my order for Maze Alpha and grab the S1 instead.
Alberto96 said:
1) No, single speaker on the bottom.
2) I don't have the same issue :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was Cheated. I got a response from Doogee's support that the Doogee mix had stereo speakers and that there would be an update to correct the camera's sound and other errors. Mine is already on the way and should be almost to come ... if I could I cancel the purchase and buy the bluboo s1 or another of the same range. thank you
Great Review my friend
Introduction
This is the Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 Global Version.
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Hardware
This device is powered by the well-known power-friendly Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 MSM8953 (Octa 2GHz Cortex A53 and Adreno 506 GPU). In this case, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of ROM (a 4/64 variant is available too). This is basically the Redmi Note 4 sold officially in India, but with the addition of the 4G 800MHz (B20) band, essential for best 4G signal reception in coutries like mine where it is used.
Unboxing
Packaging comes with some accessories: 1x Micro-USB Cable, 1x 5V/2A USB Charger with EU plug, 1x Quick Start Guide, 1x Warranty Certificate (India-only), 1x SIM Card Tray Tool, and the Smartphone (of course). There isn't any case or screen protector included in the box.
Unlike the previous Redmi Note 3 Pro, this successor comes with a more premium chassis. The device feels solid, with the speaker finally positioned on the lower side near the USB port. Unfortunately though, Xiaomi choose to go with the Micro-USB port, something unexpected considering that they choose a Type-C port for the Mi Max 2 instead.
It is 15.10x7.58x0.83cm and weights 169g, impressive considering the 4000mAh built-in battery.
On the front side there is the 2.5D curved glass, something pretty common nowadays, and the upper front side of the device features a Front-Facing Camera, an Earpiece, and the Sensors hole that includes Light and Proximity Sensors. The Hall Sensor can't be noticed, but it is here. Also, an RGB Notification LED is here on the left, even though it isn't perfect since it doesn't support a complete palette of colors.
On the lower front side there is the Touch Keys area, with Multitasking, Home and Back touch buttons. All buttons are backlit, even if not too much.
On the back side there is the unibody metal chassis, with plastic bands for the top and the bottom.
The upper rear side of the device features the Camera Sensor (Sony IMX258) supported by a Dual-LED - Dual-Tone Flashlight, together with the Fingerprint Scanner.
On the lower rear side there is just the classic MI (Xiaomi) logo with nothing else since, as already mentioned before, the speaker has been moved on the bottom.
Device
Screen
There are some discussions online about the screen used on this device, some units are shipped with BOE panels, others with Tianma panels. Mine has a BOE panel and does seem to have the yellow tint someone reported. It is perfectly usable though, it will just look a bit warmer compared to another Redmi Note 4 with a Tianma screen.
Light Sensor supports ultra-smooth light changes, this is its maximum brightness.
Viewing Angles are excellent for an IPS screen, one of the best i have ever tested.
Camera
Thanks to the Sony IMX258 camera sensor, there are huge improvements compared to the predecessor. It is well-known that the number of megapixels doesn't matter too much (13MP vs 16MP), and here it is possible to have a confirm. Photos shot with the Redmi Note 4 are way better, with more realistic colors and less noise.
The Flashlight is pretty powerful, and the Dual-Tone config helps to not mess with colors even in low-light conditions.
As regards Video Recording, the camera is able to record 4K and Full-HD videos at maximum 30FPS (no 1080p60 is here), and the quality is decent, with stable frame-rate and an overall high amount of details.
Unfortunately the front-camera is pretty awful, this time the number of megapixels make the difference, since a 5MP camera sensor won't provide superb quality for selfies or video-chat.
Audio
Speaker is decent, produces a nice balanced sound, and it is loud enough. It lacks low frequencies just like the majority of all mid-range devices, but there isn't any distortion.
In-Call Quality is nearly perfect, and i say nearly because the earpiece seem to lack some low-frequencies, but the Dual Microphone config works great.
GPS
As i always say, Qualcomm devices are the best it comes it GPS Quality, and here i have the confirm. Excellent Indoors and Outdoors.
Indoors on the left, outdoors on the right.
Telephony, Mobile Network & WiFi
Being the Global Version, this Redmi Note 4 have no issues with European 4G Networks. Signal Reception is stable with pretty fast switching between 3G and 4G networks.
4G Network Speed is as good as expected, my mobile operator is not able to reach better speeds at home but, compared to other smartphones i reviewed, this is one of those who used the maximum upload bandwidth available here.
WiFi Reception is excellent, supporting 5.0GHz networks. Connected at 150MBps to my network, it is able to use all the bandwidth from my VDSL connection (70/20).
Battery Life
It is well known that, starting from the Redmi Note 3, this series has excellent battery life, able to reach almost three days for my usage. 4000mAh Battery + Snapdragon 625 = Perfect Combo for infinite battery runtime.
Here you can see some battery stats, reached almost 8h of screen-on time with a pretty heavy usage and unstable signal reception (since it isn't great here).
I won't show whether the battery capacity matches the declared value or not since it has been confirmed by everyone who already reviewed the device, and also there are no reason to not trust Xiaomi since they never lied to consumers about the hardware they use.
Something i don't like is the inability to get any Quick Charge compatibility, since Xiaomi, to reduce the cost, disabled this feature and also used hardware that would not be able to handle Quick Charge voltages. I hope they do not do the same for its successor.
Review (part 2)
Software
Just like all Xiaomi devices, the Redmi Note 4 comes with MIUI, the Xiaomi OS based on Android 7.0 Nougat (soon updated to 7.1), and we all know how the UI is and how well they take care of every single feature of the device.
Here is a good video that shows how to update the device to the latest MIUI 9 ROM and a first look of the new UI. In my opinion, i would have expected something more, there are no many new features compared to MIUI 8.
I am an Android Developer so i am not a fan of Custom UIs such as MIUI, eUI, etc... but MIUI is the only UI that i would use daily. There are many reasons for that: smoothness, feature-rich and updated. Memory Management (or LMK) struggles though to keep all apps running in background with only 3GB of RAM. I would recommend to get the 4GB variant instead, unless you are not an heavy user.
As regards the Fingerprint Scanner management, it is way better than the AOSP/Stock implementation since it gives the possibility to give a name to each finger, and also feels more polished.
Benchmarks
I have used 3DMark, AndroBench, Antutu Benchmark, Epic Citadel, GeekBench 3, GFXBench, PCMark (Work 2.0, Computer Vision, Storage & Work 1.0) and Vellamo to stress the device to the limit. I won’t test Games or Video Playback because there are already some related tests included in these Benchmark suites.
3DMark – The Adreno 506 isn't meant to be used with heavy apps, and as a result, OpenGL 3 tests struggles to get high scores.
AndroBench – Disappointing Write Performance with Great Read Performance, this is weird sincerely.
Antutu Benchmark – I won’t say a lot about this benchmark, this isn’t as reliable as others (well benchmarks are not reliable at all, imagine how bad this is). I’m providing this just for Antutu lovers.
Epic Citadel – Somehow this test seems to be well-optimized to run even at 60fps on this GPU.
GeekBench – The Cortex-A53 bottleneck is noticeable in single-core tests, but multi-core performance is rather acceptable.
CPU
Compute
GFXBench – As expected, 3D Performance varies based on the amount of load requested on the GPU, and the results vary from test to test.
PCMark – Even PCMark says the Storage test provides lower results than usual, i guess Xiaomi messed up something on the Android 7.0 Nougat release.
Work 2.0
Computer Vision
Storage
Work 1.0
Vellamo – Most tests are not able to beat the Snapdragon 800, something i would not have expected at all.
As you can notice, the Snapdragon 625 is not the best-performing CPU at all, but thanks to the optimized software, you won't even notice the lack of performance in daily tasks.
Conclusions
After having reviewed lots of Mediatek devices, i finally managed to get my hands on a proper Qualcomm device. This is definitely the best-buy for all those is search for outstanding battery life and solid performance.
OK, it may not have a great camera, neither the best screen quality, but for the price target, excluding LeEco devices that unfortunately have been abandoned due to company issues, it is impossible to find something better (correct me if i am wrong).
I can recommend it with no doubts, and consider getting the more powerful variant for the best experience.
Pros:
Stable Performance and smooth UI
Outstanding Battery Life
Decent Rear Camera
Blazing-Fast Fingerprint Scanner
Best Price/Quality Ratio
Cons:
Awful Front-Facing Camera
Lack of Performance for some apps
Missing Stereo Speakers
Screen Quality could have been better
Rating: 9.3
Packaging and Accessories: 8.5
Design and Materials: 10
Performance and Heat Dissipation: 9
Screen: 8.5
Camera: 8.5
Sound: 8.5
Battery Life: 10
Software: 10
OEM Support: 10
Price: 10
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: http://imgur.com/a/0o5SA
Official Website: http://www.mi.com/in/note4/
Check my Social Networks to know more about reliable places where to get the device and much more, i will be posting some updates too.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alberto.GearLabs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/XDA_Alberto96
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gearlabs_official
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AlbertoGuanti
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GearLabs[/B]
Nice one.
Hi All !
So today I am here with a detailed product review of Oppo Find X5 Pro as a Photographer POV.
First of all let me introduce myself to make this thread interesting.
My name is Abhishek Yadav and I am the only Oppo Product Ambassador for Oppo Find X5 Pro in India.
Firstly my expectation with this device was way too high from its first teaser as its the top most flagship product of OPPO this year till now.
I received a Glaze Black color variant which looks super classy in all the lighting condition as the ceramic is so well polished that you can use it like a mirror and the super cool thing about glaze black variant is it adapts in all the lighting conditions to look super premium every time.
Have a look at the device first.
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Hope you can feel the flagship class of this device through my product photography.
Now let's talk about performance .
This device comes with a Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 8 Gen 1 which is Ground-breaking innovation in terms of AI, photography, gaming, and connectivity in todays day to day life.
With this we can play high graphic games super smoothly with good FPS and no doubt about the RAM and Storage Capacity as always OPPO did a great job by providing 12 GB + 256 GB variant LPDDR5 @ 3200 MHz 4 x 16-bit RAM Type and UFS3.1 @ 1x2 Lanes HS-Gear4 ROM Type. And it does not have any SD card slot with is fine to keep it speedy and secure at the same time.
In Terms of Display It has a massive 6.70" QHD+(3216 × 1440) AMOLED (Flexible/LTPO) Display with 92.70% Screen to body ratio with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus which has a Brightness level of 8192.
The display uses a dynamic refresh rate switching technology which enables the display refresh rate to dynamically switch to lower refresh rates to save power and keep your system running smoothly.
It works on a minimum 1Hz to maximum upto 120Hz with a touch sampling rate of 240Hz with 1.07 billion colors (10-bit) of Color Depth and with Pixel Density of 525 PPI.
How can we forget to talk about the OS (The Amazing Color OS 12.1).
So the OPPO Find X5 Pro runs on Android Version 12 on top of Color OS 12.1 which gives so much of customization to keep our smartphone look and feel amazingly smooth.
And as its my personal review I can share some of my personally loved feature of Color OS 12.1
>Multi-Screen Connect
>Flexible Windows
>Personalization
>Camera and microphone toggles & indicators
>Oppo Share
>Reverse Wireless Charging
>Omoji
>Air Gestures
>Super Recorder
>O Relax
>Bionic Eye Protection
>O1 Ultra Vision Engine
And the most interesting , as a flagship device this also comes with IP68 Water and Dust Resistance
The speakers are also decent enough to provide you deep bass and clear sound experience. One you start listening to the speakers personally you feel the flagship level and richness of this device.
And In the battery compartment , This OPPO Find X5 Pro comes with a massive 5000mAh Battery with 80W SUPERVOOC which delivers 50% charge in just 12 minutes.
And to provide flagship experience oppo added wireless charging with 50W AIRVOOC Delivers 100% charge in just 47 minutes which is amazing in terms of high graphic work which can drain your battery faster so we don't have to worry about this now.
Customized Cooling System
-A next generation heat-dissipation system, with a super-large vapor chamber which is nearly 75% larger and cutting-edge 3D graphene films, helps the phone stay cool even during intensive tasks with about 75% Larger vapor chamber.
This device has a X-axis linear motor by which user can Feel the vibration of every goal and point scored. With O-Haptics, you can even set different vibrations for different friends and contacts.
So last but not the least one of my favorite part of this Review.
The Camera Review
Firstly just wanted to tell you that in this part there are some of the sample shots "not so professional edited shots" to get an idea about the camera quality .
and will share my photography experience with this device in the upcoming thread.
As OPPO says "Record Memorable Moments in Any Light". Yeah its true with this epic camera setup and capabilities you can shoot in any situations.
Let me share you the camera hardware details with Oppo's Official Page so that you can get the exact details in just an image.
This is the flagship camera setup in collaboration with Hasselblad and I don't need to write whole paragraph to let you all understand about the camera setup.
So before jumping into Image samples , Let me introduce you to the MariSilicon X.
This is OPPO's first imaging-specific NPU MariSilicon X, which uses advanced 6 nm process technology and boasts robust computing power and ultra-high energy efficiency. It works together with Qualcomm's flagship Soc to produce a remarkable dual-chip imaging system.
With this you can-
Enjoy Recording 4K Ultra Night Video
-Record subjects at night in all their natural glory with clear and realistic image processing – and without overexposing the entire scene. Meanwhile, capture clearer voices, less background noise and more realistic soundscapes with Binaural Recording
Ultra Dark Video
-See the details of shadows without turning up the lights. Light up the room like a candle, to illuminate and capture timeless moments in extreme low light.
Ultra Night Pro Mode
-Capture the thrill of night-time adventures in stunning detail.
Ultra HDR Video
-Now Record Backgrounds and foregrounds showing up clear and detailed without over exposure, even in backlit setups.
OPPO and Hasselblad have come together to co-develop Hasselblad Camera for Mobile. On top of Natural Colour Calibration, experience the iconic leaf shutter sound and XPan mode in Find X5 Pro.
Hasselblad Natural Colour Calibration provides more natural and accurate colours.
With the UI and iconic leaf shutter sound, the unique experience of Hasselblad Camera for Mobile is in the palm of your hand.
Capture cinematic panoramas and vintage-style photos in the legendary XPan format.
Experience the golden age of photography embraced by the future.
SLR-level technology, 5-Axis Optical Image Stabilization with 3-axis sensor shift and 2-axis lens OIS offers up to 3° anti-shake, enabling you to shoot perfect shots on the move.
AI Scene Enhancement 2.0
-Spectacular photos on autopilot. AI Scene Enhancement 2.0 sets the perfect tonality for every scene.
Now check some of the sample images I have taken from this smartphone.
View all of my sample photos here:
Shot On OPPO Find X5 Pro
Conclusion :
As per my usage and review this device is overall a powerpack flagship smartphone one can keep as a primary device which can perform all the normal and heave tasks with ease. Weather its gaming, calling, photography, cinematography, content consumption , etc.
Do follow me for more such amazing threads. #OPPOAmbassadors #OPPOFindX5Series
This is all for today's thread. If you find this thread interesting and helpful so please like and comment your reviews.
See you all in the next thread with my photography skills.
Till then, Stay Safe.
Signing Off-
OPPO Ambassador
Abhishekyadavphotography
Hello Everyone,
The last part with my final thoughts.
The first one is here.
The second here
The third one is this thread.
Camera
For the camera review. First, 2 weeks of snow, rain, wind, cold weather. Not the best for going outside, taking pictures without gloves, or having incredible scenery to shoot.
So, I will go further later.
But so far, I am still trying to understand why the primary camera is only 6P when the UW is 7P. And why only 110° for UW. And why only 5P for Telephoto. And why no x4 optical zoom. And why only 2 axis stabilization? And where is the microscope lens from the X3.
And why an additional imaging NPU when nobody uses all the functionalities of the triple Snapdragon ISP?
Okay, it's a lot of why? But if you come from the X3 series, you will definitely ask yourself these questions and see if the X5 is worth the update.
Spoiler alert: I won't be able to answer that.
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First, the MariSilicon AKA Imaging NPU:
4K Ultra (AI) Night Video
Ultra HDR
Hasselblad science
18 TOPS for AI Computing (11.6Tops/W)
20Bits Dynamic Range
Realtime RAW
The MariSilicon is made of a NPU, an ISP and a Memory Subsystem (8.5GB/S DDR).
It should be 20x faster than the ISP From the X3 Pro (meaning the ISP from SD 888). But Denoise (Noise Reduction Algorithm). They compare the 20Bits vs the 18Bits from SD888 bringing more contrast and brightness + a RGBW Pro Mode.
Okay, SD888 has three 18Bits ISP, got a Scalar, Tensor, and Vector Units, can process 0.1 lux video, capture 4K HDR videos, got AI-Based AF and Auto Exposure, got 26 TOPS of power processing.
So, on the paper, I'm pretty confuse. Okay, it's the trend, Google with its Tensor, Xiaomi with its C1 and soon C2, OPPO with MariSilicon, and VIVO with its V1…
Okay, it might help OEMs dev bring the same libraries and computational algorithms to whatever the SOC you use from Qualcomm to Unisoc via Mediatek and don't care about their ISP capacity, from mid-range to premium flagship.
But you need to feed them, with data, scenarios, and for now, it's only on the X5 and X5 Pro under Qualcomm and even the Mediatek variant doesn't have it.
So, so far, is MariSilicon working at 100% of its efficiency?
I don't know the same, but I don't think so. New technology always needs at least half a year in the wild to be better. It should be interesting to redo all the tests in September or before the end of the year with all the updates done in between.
Concerning the app, you will find the usual modes like Night, Video, Pro, Photo (AI, HDR, and 50Mp), Portrait, and the extra ones like Pano, Movie, Slo-Mo, Time Lapse, Long Exposure, Dual Video, Sticker (kill me), Text Scanner and the Hasselblad XPAN Mode.
For the XPAN mode, you have a color or black and white option, even if you don't have any B&W dedicated sensor. So, you will only have the 42/45mm mode and not the 30mm (for now, who knows).
For the color's restitution, we are close to the one in the OP9 Pro under Oxygen OS 11, meaning good even perfect for many users of this device. However, as usual, different lens construction, different aperture… meaning different color restitution between UW, Wide, and Tele…
And guess what, because the UW got a better construction lens, the photos taken with it are better than many flagships. And that's something that drives me crazy. If the UW would have a f/1.8 7P and the primary camera also the same thing (or even better a f/1.7), the Sony IMX 766 potential might have been exploited. But let's remember, we just received one and only update so far. And usually, there is always a gap, for the best or the worst, after a few OTAs.
Now, if I had to compare… Xiaomi is offering way more options, including for Vloggers and Bloggers, different long exposure modes or even videos modes (movies effects such as magic zoom, time freeze, // worlds, etc.), 8K, and Google a better computational AI and tech for skin restitution, portrait, night shots (plus an x4 optical zoom).
If OPPO can include functionalities from them or compete with them, Bingo.
Here are some pictures taken below. No fancy photography, no artistic one, at first, I try the phone as 90% of us, you take out of your pocket, you point and shoot, that's it, ready to go in your IG, WhatsApp group, or to your mom.
The folder with untouched pictures (and more shots) is here.
And don't get me wrong, I am one of those who think before having a cutting edge DLSR or Camera, know first how to shoot, compose your scene, and have a vision. It's not because you have a fancy camera you will take fantastic shots.
So far, excluding what the NPU is marketed for (Ultra Night Video, Photos, and so on, I will continue to shoot at night when the weather and the conditions are available), it's a good camera… for early 2021. So far, I will say my OP9 Pro or P6 Pro or Mi 10 Pro or Smartphone for Snapdragon Insiders are doing the job precisely the same or even better.
So, what are the plans here?
Take pictures at night, people, colors, landscape, city
Use the Movie Mode and do the same also at night
Having a clear sky at night to see the moon and shoot it.
Post some samples.
Play with long exposure for light painting or even taillights.
Battery
I talked earlier about the battery life or the super power saving mode and not having an issue for the day for it.
If I have to go further in this part, the X5 comes with the SUPERVOOC DVT 80W, it is compatible with 80W/65W, etc fast charging, 30W AIRVOOC, and 10W Reverse Wireless Charging. Too.
So you will have from 0 to 50% under 15mn.
It means it's fast for charging and has no heat issue as the 80W is 40Wx2 at peak times. You only have a 2/3mn difference between 80W or 65W fast charging anyway.
Wireless charging is compatible with current norms, and I am flawlessly using my 55W wireless charger. You can even choose what kind of charging you want, like slow/optimized for bedtime, the same for wireless.
There are 2 Cells 2340/2400 mAh.
No heat issue while charging; as I said, it's 2x40W, and it's now a while OEMs developed fast charging. 100W on one cell is reachable, so less than the half in 2022… easy peasy.
As usual, you can choose between different profiles to save more power in case of or depending on your usage. Why run full powerhouse if you're just watching videos on a social network.
My thoughts
So, at the end of the day, I need to dig up more ColorOS, and dig more for the photography part, especially at night.
So far, I see the OPPO Find X5 as a 2021 flagship under Android 12 with an NPU I am still trying to figure out the utility. No offense here; it's just how I use the smartphone for the past 2 weeks, I didn't have the opportunity to shoot vibrant HDR at night videos. I got rain, snow, cold, no parties or trips to the city past two weeks. It is on the checklist. But I'm thinking, in that case, I am using the smartphone as everyone else here, depending on the occasion and the opportunity.
For the rest, it's a nice rounded, balanced device. ColorOS is a surprise, mixed with nice and why questions, but as I said, hard to jump into a new customized OS you never used before (even on OP, as I stayed under O2OS 11).
However, despite the OPPO/OP framework on top of the Android One, the addition of many OPPO Apps (that need to be separate from the OS and moved on the Play Store BTW and allowed to uninstall), the system is responsive, have a great battery life, some nice customizations and still looks like, sometimes, as a clean OS (looks like, not is). There are still some glitches here and there and some UX details that I'm not used to (and don't know if it is intended this way or bugs).
For the camera part, UW is good, Main can be better, and Tele is under competition. I need more options in the camera and gallery app. It's a solid day-to-day photography phone, but there are better 2021 devices in front of it for now. That's why I'm curious about the following updates for the firmware and the NPU.
The build quality is present. The X5 is too light for me. I feel back I was sent a few years ago. It's a 6.55", meaning it's not tiny, but I can feel and see the difference with the 6.7/6.78" inches smartphones I've been using for the past year. However, it is pleasant to get this size, as it is well balanced, under 200g (7.41oz). Flat-screen, thinner would have perfect for me.
Okay, people will say no SD Card, No Jack port… Well, I don't care personally. Yeah, I prefer a 512GB variant, but I can deal with 256GB, and I am using Snapdragon Sound for wireless Audio.
For the price, in Europe, the product is around 999€ VAT included (meaning $999 taxes excluded in the US if we should imagine a retail price). For this price, 12GB instead of 8GB, a better construction lens for the primary camera with better stabilization. The same for the Tele camera, better camera and construction lens, and add a B&W sensor for the XPAN Mode. And maybe I will consider buying it.
So far, as a European living in the US, I see the X5 as an OP9 refresh, a little brother of the OP9 Pro. In Europe, the prices are between 619 and 919€ currently, with the addition of the 80W, the MariSilicon and switching one IMX 689 to IMX766, 749 or 799€/$ seems more the sweet spot for this model.
So, keep it posted; fav the threads; I don't know yet if I will update this one or go for another thread with the new information about this OPPO Find X5.
And here we are, at the end of this review. Again, thank you OPPO and @OPPO Ambassador Team for this opportunity.