Meizu MX4 is like a budget iPhone 6 Plus with big ambitions (REVIEW)

The most fierce and fascinating tech battle going on in China right now is for US$300 smartphones. Despite the low price tag, these phones have grand ambitions and big muscles – enough for them to steal sales away from Samsung, HTC, and even the iPhone.

While that’s good news for consumers, it’s a tall order for phone-makers to make a phone for that little money which still feels ‘premium’. US$300 is the new high-end for many in China; shoppers have big demands of these phones.

China’s Meizu was arguably the first to build a credible phone in this niche, way back in 2011. But it failed to take off in the same way as Xiaomi’s did later in the same year. For the new Meizu MX4, which ships to consumers today in mainland China and September 22 in Hong Kong, Meizu has dropped the price to give itself a better shot against the Xiaomi Mi4 and new rivals like the One Plus One. (Read our Xiaomi Mi4 review here; the OnePlus One review is here).

And so the MX4 starts at only RMB 1,799 (US$292) for the 16GB model, while 32GB goes for RMB 1,999 (US$325). Meizu now slightly undercuts the flagship Xiaomi phone, in contrast to the firm’s usual price-point at about US$400. The MX4 will head to overseas markets eventually, but the company has not yet set any dates.

Before we leap into the review, here are the MX4 specs weighed up against a bunch of rivals for about the same price:

Hardware

As with all the big-bang-for-not-many-bucks smartphones, there are going to be some compromises on the hardware side – it’s inevitable that you can’t get a US$700 phone for just US$300. That’s like asking for a Lexus GS350 for the price of a Toyota Corolla.

In the case of the Meizu MX4, the compromises are mainly seen and felt in the plastics and the Mediatek processor.

Screen and sound

Software

Camera

Performance and battery life

Meizu MX4 vs Xiaomi Mi4 – which would we choose?

Conclusion

Pros & cons