Skip to main content

Meizu’s new phone gets octa-core power and a Quad HD screen, not a record player in sight

Meizu may not be quite so well known as other Chinese smartphone manufacturers, Xiaomi for example, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t make some cool hardware. Its latest smartphone is the MX4 Pro, launched at a major event in Beijing, which was recently promoted using those unusual vinyl record invitations we told you about. Sadly, there’s no record player feature.

Larger, more powerful, and higher spec than the MX4 introduced earlier this year. The MX4 Pro is a full-on flagship smartphone for Meizu. It has a Japan Display 5.5-inch LED backlit LCD screen with a 2560 x 1536 pixel resolution, giving a total pixel density of 546ppi. That’s a touch more than even the LG G3. It’s wrapped in a curvy metal chassis, and has a surprisingly slim 2.8mm bezel, returning a screen-to-body ratio of 76.5 percent. Again this is almost equal to the LG G3, and considerably better than Samsung’s Galaxy S5.

Meizu has chosen Samsung’s new octa-core Exynos 5430 processor to power the MX4 Pro, and given it 3GB of RAM too. Announced during the summer, the Exynos 5430 is used in the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, and is the first to be built using a 20mn manufacturing process. This means it’s more efficient, generates less heat, and uses less energy – up to 25 percent less than chips built using other processes, according to Samsung.

The MX4 Pro has a fingerprint sensor built into the home button, which Meizu calls mTouch. It’s covered with sapphire glass, surrounded by stainless steel, and is sensitive enough to recognize sweaty or damp fingers. If you’re wondering where the vinyl record promotion fits in, it’s the ridiculously named RetinaSound feature. Building on its history in the portable audio player market, Meizu has filled the MX4 Pro with high-end amps, filters, capacitors, and audio processors to create, “the best audio experience ever found in a smartphone.”

The spec list continues with a Sony 20.7-megapixel rear camera, a 5-megapixel front camera, worldwide 4G LTE connectivity, GPS, a large 3350mAh battery, and a choice of 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB internal memory space. The operating system is Android with Meizu’s Flyme user interface over the top. Version 4.1 of the OS was introduced at the same event.

Meizu hasn’t confirmed when the MX4 Pro will go on sale, or its price. However, Meizu offers free worldwide shipping through the meizumart.com store, so if you’re tempted, it shouldn’t be difficult to get one.

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
You can pick up the Google Pixel 7 Pro for only $500 today
The Pixel 7 Pro with its display turned on, showing the home screen.

 

If you've been holding out on buying a new phone for a while because prices are still expensive, then you may want to consider going for one of the older flagship phones. For example, while the Pixel 8 Pro is out, the Pixel 7 Pro is still a powerful and viable alternative, and even better, it has quite a few great deals on it. In fact, you can buy a brand new and sealed Pixel 7 Pro from Woot for just $500, rather than the usual $1,100, and that's for the 512GB version of the phone, so you get a lot of storage with it as well.

Read more
A new Google Pixel Tablet is coming, but it’s not what you think
Google Pixel Tablet on its charging dock.

It's been almost a year since the Google Pixel Tablet went up for preorder, leading many Android tablet fans to wonder when the inevitable Pixel Tablet 2 will arrive. A new rumor suggests that Google could release a new Pixel Tablet as early as next month, but it's probably not what you were expecting or hoping for.

According to @MysteryLupin on X (formerly Twitter), Google is planning to "relaunch" the Pixel Tablet without the charging/speaker dock included in the box. As you'll likely recall, the speaker dock is the Pixel Tablet's standout feature. You can use the Pixel Tablet on its own as a traditional Android tablet when you want, and when you're done, you throw it on the dock to transform it into a smart display. The idea of Google selling the Pixel Tablet without its claim to fame is an interesting one.

Read more
Anker sale: up to 40% off portable chargers, cable, and more
The iPhone 15 Pro Max being charged by the Anker MagGo Power Bank.

If you've been looking to pick up a new charging cable, charger, or all-in-one charging station for your Android phone or iPhone, then you'll be happy to know that Anker is having a rather large Earth-Day sale that you can take advantage of. There are a ton of discounts that you can take advantage of, too, with up to 40% off in some cases. I that wasn't enough, you can even snag yourself some free gifts, for example, one of the best accessories for a Galaxy S24 is the Anker Nano Power Bank if you spend more than $90,  or even an Anker 621 Magnetic Battery if you spend over $120. Either way, there are a lot of options, and while we've shared some of our favorite deals below, it's also worth taking a look at everything Anker has to offer by pressing the button below.

What you should buy during Anker's Sale
One of the most basic things you may need for any device is a charging cable, and Anker has a couple of great options for that. If you're on an older iPhone with a lightning cable, you can grab Anker's Anker 641 USB-C to Lightning Cable that's 6 feet long using the coupon WSPEV2KENJP2. On the other hand, if you need a USB-C to connect and charge your devices, you can grab the 6-foot Anker 543 USB-C to USB-C Cable using the code WSPEV2EHDR0C.

Read more