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

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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.

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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
Andy has written about mobile technology for almost a decade. From 2G to 5G and smartphone to smartwatch, Andy knows tech.
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