Chinese smartphone maker Meizu has announced its latest flagship phone, the Meizu Pro 6. This is a follow-up to the Meizu Pro 5, which dropped the MX branding of earlier models. It comes less than a year after that device, and in some cases, it's not quite an upgrade.The Meizu has a 5.2-inch Full HD display, 4GB of RAM, and a 21 megapixel camera. These are big numbers. They're the kind that look great on a spec sheet and leave you wondering why folks are spending so much money on one of those other phones. You know, this one. Or that one.
But then you keep reading. The Pro 6 comes with a MediaTek Helio X25 processor, replacing the previous model's Samsung Exynos 7420. This doesn't just impact performance. It has an impact on whether you will see custom ROMs show up down the line, something you're more likely to see when a phone comes with a snappy dragon on the inside.
And even if you're not usually someone who replaces the default firmware, you may feel pushed in that direction. Meizu's FlyMe 5 interface tweaks Android 6.0 to make it feel more like iOS. The default launcher in previous versions did away with the app drawer in favor of dumping rows of icons directly on the homescreen. With the addition of 3D Press, it looks like Meizu is continuing its efforts to mirror the latest Apple has to offer.
The phone does offer USB 3.1 Type C, but instead of Quick Charge 3.0, you get mCharge 3.0 instead. This is Meizu's own 24W fast charging solution. You can use it to pump juice into the Pro 6's smaller 2560mAh battery (down from 3050mAh in the Pro 5).
As usual, the experience appears to be a mixed bag. But consider the price. You're getting a 32GB large metal phone for the equivalent of roughly $386. Or you're looking at the 64GB model, which will cost around $432.
The phone will be available in various countries through Asia, Europe, and South America. You can view a list of countries and retailers on Meizu's website.