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Meizu 16

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I ordered this phone today.
I got it for 18490Rs (19k with EMI), I never thought I would spend so much on a phone.
My current phone is Nokia 6.1 which I bought for 7k only. And that's the rule I had( not to spend more than 10k on a phone).
Initially, I was thinking of going with POCO F1 Armoured Edition priced 8GB 256GB(18990)
But as it's build quality is cheap I was hesitant in investing in it.
And then I fell in love with Meizu 16th. It was difficult to like any other phone(I hate notched phones)

I tend to think I spent too much on it considering RishiGuru got it for 17k.
So having second thoughts as to cancel the order and wait for another price cut.
But then I am not sure if the phone will be available on Amazon.

Anyone has any idea about it, please let me know.

    Atila, 25 Dec 2019Thanks a lot, after your explanation i bought 8/128 model. ... moreYou are most welcome to the Meizu 16th family!!! Don't worry as you have made the right choice. In India, I got my 8/128 GB variant two months ago at damn cheap US $240 dollars. For that price their is no equivalent in our country barring the Asus 5z. After having experienced both (my friend owns the 5z) my conclusion is hardware wise 16th is better where as software wise 5z is better. Camera quality is almost same in both.

    One of the most import aspects I almost always consider while buying a smartphone is call quality. After all the phone has gone smart but its primary function is still a phone. Meizu 16th truly excels in this department which makes me very happy.

    1) Call reception quality: Being last year's flagship Meizu 16th sports 4 dedicated physical antennas, having flagship grade call reception quality at a mid-range price. One has to remember all mid-range SoCs coming out this year from Qualcomm like SD 730G is still no match for their last year's flagship SD 845. Hence in Meizu 16th we have Snapdragon 845's flagship RF system, the Qualcomm SDR845 coupled with two RF power amplifiers: Skyworks 77643-61 & Skyworks 77643-21. Combined they are just leagues ahead in this department in comparison to similarly priced mid-range phones.

    In Meizu 16th, the call reception quality is excellent, much better than similarly priced mid range devices like Realme X2 or Redmi Note 8 Pro.

    2) Voice Quality: The voice quality during call is again very good. Voice is loud and clear, nicely audible even in busy streets. Mind you Meizu 16th have stereo speakers, so the front speaker at the top of the screen doubles up as the receiver during calls. Voice is fed to this speaker through a dedicated Cirrus Logic CS35L41 mono audio amplifier which keeps the volume nice and high during calls.

    3) Ringtone Volume: Stereo speakers bliss in Meizu 16th, hence two expensive Cirrus Logic CS35L41 mono audio amplifier chips, one for each speaker pumps out really loud ringtones through both speakers. It scores excellent marks here.

      Alpha8, 21 Dec 2019Great. How is the display and fingerprint scanner? I am als... moreMeizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) uses a Super AMOLED display panel sourced from Samsung. Meizu always had a slightly different approach to smartphones but history reveals that being different doesn't always pay off. In 2018 after years of reliance on competitors Soc manufacturers like MediaTek and Samsung Exynos, the company is back in business, this time use the flagship chipset from Qualcomm in its smartphones - the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845.

      Meizu's obsession for notch-less smartphones with symmetric layout, and very high screen to body ratio has led them to jointly collaborate with OLED display panel manufacturer Samsung. Meizu invested 6 million US dollars in R&D to manufacture the 6 inch, 18:9 notch-less display panel we see on Meizu 16th. The money went into the display packaging technology to ensure that all the necessary components on the front are incorporated in the 7 mm thin forehead on the top & also in integrating the in-display optical fingerprint scanner with the display. The forehead of a smartphone has always been a crowded spot, with the earpiece, cameras, and sensors all cramming for space up on top. While it's not as thin as my Vivo Nex's almost non-existent 2.16 mm forehead (achieved with the help of pop up selfie camera and under display sensors), Meizu has managed to bring the screen to body ratio to up to 89.57% with this design. My Vivo Nex with no top bezel has a 91.24% screen to body ratio, and comparing this figure to Meizu 16th's 89.57% STB ratio, you immediately understand how thin its bezels are!

      As I said above, the design is pretty refined and the overall smartphone looks beautiful from up front. Symmetry has always been a big part of Meizu devices and despite the challenges associated, the company has managed to retain a symmetric design on its Meizu 16 series. A 89.57% STB ratio with top & bottom bezels on a phone are an achievement by itself.

      Speaking of the actual display on Meizu 16th, it has the usual traits of an OLED panel with deep inky blacks, punchy colors and great viewing angles. The brightness could have been better at just 430 nits but I had no issues using the phone under bright sunlight. Saying that the OLED panels on my LG V30+ & Vivo NEX (Vivo NEX S in China) are just superior to Meizu's implementation, but that was expected as they are more expensive phones.

      The optical in-display fingerprint scanner is fused with the display on the inside and cannot be separated or replaced. However this leads to a very accurate fingerprint scanner, with faster unlocking speeds than my Vivo NEX.

      Meizu flagship devices is also know for their superior haptic feedback with proprietary mEngine technology, and 16th is no different. The haptic horizontal linear motor of mEngine is sourced from the same vendor as the Apple iPhone and is a more expensive solution. The mEngine in 16th is driven by a AWINC AW8691 haptic driver IC. The haptic feed back leaves my Vivo NEX, Honor View 10 to dust and is right there with LG V30+. This is one the best implementations if haptic engine I have ever felt on any smartphone. Period.

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        • Atila
        • JhQ
        • 25 Dec 2019

        RishiGuru, 16 Dec 2019The stereo speakers of Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) are e... moreThanks a lot, after your explanation i bought 8/128 model. I am pretty sure that i made the right choice, this Phone is beyond perfect (for music, all phones are sthg missing) at its price and still an underrated flagship.

          RishiGuru, 08 Dec 2019As you rightfully said, Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) is a... moreWaouw, if that is not a thorough analysis, what is?

            Alpha8, 21 Dec 2019Thanks man. Do you like the construction quality of the pho... moreYes it does, and... no, I don't like it, I love it ! :-)

              rklemm05, 10 Dec 2019great speakers, powerful and crispThanks man. Do you like the construction quality of the phone? Does the phone have gorrila glass protection?

                RishiGuru, 16 Dec 2019The stereo speakers of Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) are e... moreGreat. How is the display and fingerprint scanner? I am also a big fan of Meizu mtouch.

                  Alpha8, 09 Dec 2019How is the stereo audio through speakers? Is it as good as ... moreThe stereo speakers of Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) are exceptionally good considering how compact the phone is. When I first had the LG V30+, I thought the LG is the most compact form factor you can have for a 6 inch 18:9 display phone. I was wrong as my 16th with the same size display is even more compact than my LG. Bravo Meizu !!!

                  Regarding the stereo speakers of Meizu 16th, they are of high quality with crisp clear sound. This is due to the implementation of two Cirrus Logic CS35L41 mono audio amplifier chips, one for each speaker. These CS35L41 are expensive solution with built in DSP to modify & amplify the audio signal from Qualcomm Aqstic WCD9341 audio codec so as to sound crisp, clear and detailed.

                  The CS35L41 is a better solution than NXP which is found in most phones including Asus 5z. I have heard both and to me they sound almost the same. 5z is tad louder, the 16th is more musical through speakers.

                    Alpha8, 09 Dec 2019How is the stereo audio through speakers? Is it as good as ... moregreat speakers, powerful and crisp

                      RishiGuru, 08 Dec 2019As you rightfully said, Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) is a... moreHow is the stereo audio through speakers? Is it as good as Asus 5z?

                        RishiGuru, 08 Dec 2019Finally I found out the audio sub-system Meizu 16th (Meizu ... moreThanks for sharing such awesome audio insights on meizu 16th. It seems the audio quality will be enough for me be it headphones or stereo speakers.

                          rklemm05, 05 Dec 2019How come this phone didn't make a buzz? I've tested a lot o... moreAs you rightfully said, Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) is a true underdog flagship of 2018. Devoid of any international advertising & propaganda from Meizu, the 16th is one of those rare gems which can easily slip unnoticed in the smartphone world where hype is everything.

                          What I love about Meizu 16th is the elaborate thought process that went on to design this flagship product. The 16th deserves a salute for the true dedication from Meizu engineers who put in a lot of effort to carefully select each and every hardware component & then design the phone is such a way so as to maximize the performance of each component. It reminds me of my Vivo NEX which is also built with a similar thought process.

                          Meizu 16th to me is characterized by its light, comfortable design, premium sound quality, and simple, elegant user interface, combining performance, ease of use and functionality with the durability needed to survive the human experience. After going through some elaborate disassembling videos, and internal tear-down pictures of Meizu 16th I was truly impressed by the way the phone with its compact form factor intelligently utilize the little space available inside the phone while taking extensive care to the thermals of the phone. The last aspect is often overlooked by manufacturers and least understood by consumers, but proper thermal management can work wonders often increasing the lifespan of a phone by almost 10 times.

                          Going back to the past, before Meizu 16th was unveiled the company was in legal issues with Qualcomm over unpaid licensing fees. During those period Meizu had to revert back to Mediatek & Samsung Exynos based solutions for some years. However after paying all the dues to Qualcomm, Meizu had for the first time access to flagship Snapdragon 845 SoC & all its ancillary chips. At it seems Meizu had put their heart & soul out to make the 16th a standout flagship which it truly is.

                          In this post I cannot cover all the aspects you mentioned which makes Meizu 16th a very special phone to have, but I will try to cover at-least one: Meizu's dedication for sound quality over 3.5 mm headphone jack. Bravo Meizu.

                          With Meizu having access to the flagship processor from Qualcomm, they decided to also use Qualcomm's flagship audio codec Qualcomm Aqstic WCD9341. This latest audio codec from Qualcomm is a dedicated audio chip and had come a long way with specs and performance to match established names in audio industry like ESS, Cirrus Logic & AKM. However what I want to discuss here is not the performance of this audio chips but the thought process, design & engineering that went on to implement the audio stack in Meizu 16th:

                          1) Complete physical separation of audio codec chip: The Qualcomm Aqstic WCD9341 audio chip sits under its own metal cover plate on the main PCB board, completely isolated from the rest of the circuitry in board. This complete isolation is very important as it eliminates induced noise on the analog audio signal produced by WCD9341 and fed to the 3.5 mm audio jack. Noise can be induced by any other components on the board, so Meizu shelled more money in the production line to make sure the sound quality remains intact through the 3.5 mm audio jack.

                          2) Power supply to the Audio Codec: Just like any high performance sports cars needs a lot of fuel to provide ultimate performance, the WCD9341 audio chip will provide its maximum performance, sound quality & headphone driving capability when provided with its maximum input power. Hence a dedicated power supply to feed power to WCD9341 is very important. The WCD9341 is designed to perform with power anywhere between 6mW to 34mW, but if you connect a big hulking headphone like Philips SPH9500 whose twin 50mm drivers are sucking power like crazy from the phone 3.5 mm audio jack, then the WCD9341 will need all of the specified 34mW power to provide maximum performance. By dedicated power supply what I am trying to imply is a separate power line in the PCB which draws power from phone battery through some PMIC like Qualcomm PMI8998 & have its own set of capacitors & voltage regulators to provide a stable & unadulterated 34mW of power to WCD9341. I am again truly impressed by Meizu's dedication for sound quality as I find a dedicated power supply for WCD9341 on Meizu 16th main PCB board.

                          If I compare the performance of the same WCD9341 chip also used in OnePlus 6 but this time with no dedicated power supply, the difference in sound quality & driving power is eye opening. While the OnePlus 6 with the SPH9500 headphones sounds anemic & devoid of any bass the same headphones on Meizu 16th sounds full, detailed with powerful bass. This is because the WCD9341 on Meizu 16th is getting dollops of raw unadulterated 34mW of power from of its dedicated power supply, while the WCD9341 on Oneplus 6 is starving to get the full power with no dedicated power supply.

                          An even higher quality chip like ESS Sabre ES9218P "Quad DAC" on LG V40 will need a very very demanding 80mW of power in a smartphone, almost 2.5 times that of Qualcomm WCD9341. However in return ES9218P will deliver the sonic performance & headphone driving capability which is unheard in the smartphone industry before it was introduced. As such the ESS implementation on LG flagships is till date the best audio you can find on any smartphone.

                          In the end the sound quality and headphone drive capability of Meizu 16th through 3.5 mm audio jack is nothing short of astounding considering that it still uses a audio codec from an unknown brand like Qualcomm in the audio world, though I admit the audio codec is of very high quality. Qualcomm deserves credit & also Meizu deserves a pat on their back for bringing to us perhaps the best implementation of Qualcomm Aqstic WCD9341 in a smartphone till date. Period.

                            Alpha8, 07 Dec 2019I surfed the net and found nothing special for meizu 16th a... moreFinally I found out the audio sub-system Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) is using. After going through some translated Chinese website performing detailed tear-downs, it got reveled Meizu 16th is using the highest quality flagship audio codec available from Qualcomm.

                            1) Headphone audio through 3.5 mm audio jack: Meizu 16th uses Qualcomm Aqstic WCD9341 audio codec. This is a dedicated audio chip from Qualcomm and is their flagship audio codec since 2017. In Meizu 16th, WCD9341 is responsible for audio playback through headphone jack, audio recording & voice assistant functions. With a dynamic range of 130dB & distortion of -109dB during audio playback the WCD9341 is right up their with ESS Sabre ES9218P & Cirrus Logic CS43199, at least objectively.

                            However in real life even if these objective measurements are very close to ESS & Cirrus Logic, there is still remains a gap that Qualcomm have to fill up to even come close to the very bests in the audio industry. Qualcomm knew about this fact and for sometime was trying bridge this audio performance gap that remains between their flagship audio codecs and full blown custom solutions from revered brands like ESS & Cirrus Logic.

                            Hence Qualcomm partnered and further tuned their flagship WCD9341 under the guidance given by an extremely talented group of audiophiles known as “Golden Ears.” Qualcomm was then able to create custom digital filters which creates the final sound signature which are generally adored by most audiophiles. ESS for example have sound signature which can be best described with words like pristine, neutral, clinical & accurate. Cirrus Logic belongs to a different camp and its sound signature is more humane, lush & musical. Each self proclaimed audiophile belongs to any one of these camps and some cases like me loves both.

                            Coming back to Meizu 16th audio performance through 3.5 mm audio jack, I will say it maintains more of a neutral style like that of ESS solutions found on LG flagships. The 16th maintains excellent resolution, especially in the middle and high frequency ranges. However the 16th is relatively weak in terms of driving force and overall dynamics of a song when compared with ESS implementation like LG V30/ V40 or Cirrus Logic implementation like Vivo NEX.

                            Qualcomm WCD9341 actual true competitor is AKM with its AK4376/ AK4376A audio chip lineup. Smartphones like Vivo NEX 3, Vivo X21, Vivo V5 Plus uses AKM lineup as it is a more cost effective solution. The WCD9341 is better than AKM in terms of details and separation while the AKM is more lush & musical. In other words the Qualcomm WCD9341 sound signature is more like ESS while AKM sounds more like Cirrus Logic. Personally I like the sound signature of ESS the most hence I prefer the Qualcomm WCD9341 more over AKM AK4376. If reference needs to be made with other phones I will say Meizu 16th sounds almost the same like Samsung S9 or S9+ (not the Exynos implementation) as both uses WCD9341.

                            The WCD9341 & AK4376 will easily drive any audiophile grade earphones through the headphone jack and even some low impedance audiophile grade over the ear headphones like Philips SPH9500. However if you wish to drive 600 ohms uber expensive planar magnetic open back headphones, my advice is you better stick with the ESS Sabre ES9218P (Quad DAC) found in LG V30 & LG V40.

                            The other point I must mention is Meizu 16th is unable to play DSD64/ DSD128 audio files natively even though WCD9341 have support for it. I tried this with the stock audio player. However for PCM files you can go all the way up to 32-bit/ 384 KHz.


                            2) Dual Stereo Speakers: For its dual speaker setup, Meizu 16th uses the analog sound source from WCD9341 and then uses two dedicated Cirrus Logic CS35L41 smart mono audio amplifier chips, one for each speaker. This an expensive setup with each CS35L41 pumping out raw 5.3 watts power per speaker without compromising sound quality. The stereo speaker setup on Meizu 16th is one of the best I have ever heard on a modern smartphone.


                            Summary: Meizu may not have used the expensive DACs from established names in HiFi industry, but took ample care during the implementation of Qualcomm's flagship audio codec and provide it with a robust power supply to properly feed the WCD9341 when maximum audio performance is required through headphones. Hence Meizu 16th does not sound as anemic as OnePlus 6 even though both uses WCD9341. This can be attributed to Meizu past legacy in audio as a maker of portable audio players. Same goes for the stereo speaker setup.

                              rklemm05, 05 Dec 2019How come this phone didn't make a buzz? I've tested a lot o... moreYou are right, it seems meizu does no advertising in our country. But all knows about vivo.. oppo.. honor.. OnePlus as they advertise.

                                RishiGuru, 04 Dec 2019The more I listen music through my Meizu 16th, the more I f... moreI surfed the net and found nothing special for meizu 16th audio. Good to know the audio quality is good through headphones. Please share your findings in audio as I am still waiting for a good offer during Christmas time to buy.

                                  How come this phone didn't make a buzz? I've tested a lot of 2018 and 2019 flagships from the likes of Samsung (S10e/S10/S10+, Note 10+), OnePlus (7T), Huawei (Mate 20 Pro, Mate RS Porsche) or Sony (Xperia 5) and this outsider of a Meizu 16th is my favorite, thanks to:
                                  1) Its weight and form factor, its comfort in hand. The dimensions are perfect, to me. Ok, you could say the same about the S10 but it's much more expensive and a bit un-original in terms of design. I like the underdogs better, probably...
                                  2) The stereo speakers
                                  3) The screen
                                  4) Cameras
                                  4) Its price!


                                    Alpha8, 25 Nov 2019Awesome explanation bro. Are you a tech writer or so? You t... moreThe more I listen music through my Meizu 16th, the more I fall in love with it. In my previous posts I said the sound quality of 16th through its 3.5 mm headphone jack is not as good as low cost dedicated DAC solutions like AKM AK4376 found on my Vivo V5Plus/ Vivo X9.

                                    However I never cared to listen my Meizu 16th with an audiophile grade earphone as nothing special was mentioned from Meizu's side regarding the audio implementation in 16th. But just for fun one day I sat down a did some critical listening with some expensive earphones, and now I can say the phone have extraordinary sound quality through the 3.5 mm headphone jack provided it is using Snapdragon 845 internal audio codec. This high level of sound quality is just not possible with internal codecs and Meizu must have done something special.

                                    Anybody have any info regarding Meizu 16th audio implementation?

                                      RishiGuru, 24 Nov 2019I am a music lover, and sound quality through 3.5 mm audio ... moreAwesome explanation bro. Are you a tech writer or so? You technical understand regarding phone tech seems much higher than normal phone users like us.

                                      Thanks again for clearing my doubts by writing in such details. I have decided to get the meizu 16th and will wait for another month if any bank offers come up.

                                        Alpha8, 13 Nov 2019You are truly a Guru of smartphones. While others are provi... moreI am a music lover, and sound quality through 3.5 mm audio jack is a very important criteria for me while purchasing a phone. I simply dismiss any phone that does not come with an ever so convenient 3.5 mm audio jack, like the latest Meizu 16s or 16s Pro.

                                        When it comes to audio quality in modern smartphones, and by that I mean the analog audio through the 3.5 mm audio jack it is generally the LG or Vivo flagships that prevails. These flagships have dedicated Digital to Analog converter (DAC) audio chips with built it powerful headphone amplifiers. These dedicated audio chips perform the magic of converting our digital audio files to analog signals that the headphones operate on. The way the digital audio signal is converted to analog audio signal decides the final audio quality and this is where dedicated audio DACs in phones wins over other phones using Qualcomm/ HiSilicon/ Mediatek in-built embedded audio codecs in their SoCs.

                                        As of now I have walked through the path of three solutions:

                                        1) ESS DACs: These are the best & most expensive audio solutions available for phones. The ESS Sabre ES9218P audio chip better know as Quad DAC in LG sales brochures is the best audio solution currently available on the market for audiophiles. Almost all LG flagships be it LG V30, LG V40 or LG G7 comes with Quad DACs and the audio quality is like heaven on earth. Not only these LG flagships have the best audio quality over headphone jack, they are capable to drive audiophile grade over the ear headphones of upto 300 ohms impedance with ease. I own a LG V30+ and it is my tool to attain audio nirvana through headphones.

                                        2) Cirrus Logic DACs: Almost as good as ESS solutions but tad less detailed. My Vivo NEX (NEX S in China) comes with Cirrus Logic CS43199 DAC paired with three Analog Devices SSM6322 headphone amplifiers and the sound quality is just magnificent. Every DAC manufacturer have its own sound signature, hence playing back the same song on LG V30+ & Vivo NEX provides very different experiences with same headphones. Where as with V30+ the sound signature is detailed with incredible instrument separation and a vertically narrow sound-stage, the NEX with Cirrus Logic DACs on the other hand produces warm, textured sound with super wide sound-stage in the horizontal plain. Vocals just shine on NEX. If you hear Norah Jones on a NEX, it feels like you are in her live concert, but if you hear the same song on V30+ and it will pick every nuances of her breath while she is singing the song and reveal every micro-detail of the song. I love my NEX too.

                                        3) AKM: AKM dacs are the most cost effective solutions in smartphones that provide tangible audio quality improvement over phones using audio codecs found in the SoCs. The AKM AK4376/ AK4376A/ AK4377A can be found on many mid to high end Vivo smartphone like Vivo V5 Plus, Vivo X21 & more recently the Vivo NEX 3. The AKM dacs have a sweet smooth velvet like sound signature more like Cirrus Logic implementations. However the sound quality is not as good as the other two above and also it does not have the power to drive big headphones, you have to stick to earphones only.

                                        4) Smartphones using own SoC audio codecs: Every smartphone SoC comes with its own audio codec which is responsible for the analog audio through 3.5 mm audio jack. High end audio solutions on smartphone like in LG V30+ & Vivo NEX does not use this SoC in-built audio codec while their HiFi mode is turned on and provides and much superior audio experence using dedicated DACs.

                                        However Meizu 16th (Meizu 16 in China) or almost every other phone on the market does not implement dedicated DACs and use the codec of the SoC to save cost. As such the SoC used in the phone becomes very important to decide the final audio quality. A phone like 16th uses Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 845 and hence the audio codec embedded on SD845 is way superior than the one found on my Nokia 7 Plus which comes equipped with a mid range Snapdragon 660 SoC.

                                        Secondly, it not only the audio codec quality that is important but also the audio tuning done by the smartphone manufacturer. Meizu for example prior used to make portable music players before they ventured into smartphones and still today makes some good quality headphones & earphones. As such Meizu understands sound quality and knows how to extract the maximum out the Snapdragon 845 audio codec used in 16th.

                                        After having an extensive audio session with Meizu 16th side by side with LG V30+, Vivo NEX & Vivo V5 Plus I was pleasantly surprised just how much the audio codecs have improved over the years at-least on flagship SoCs. I have read news Qualcomm is trying really hard to close the audio quality gap to dedicated DAC solutions and the SD845 is a big proof of that improvement. Together with Meizu's expertise in providing a very good sound signature the ultimate sound quality on my 16th is very near to my V5 Plus which comes with AKM AK4376 dac. The Cirrus Logic & ESS solutions are still way superior though. And perhaps Meizu & Asus are the only two companies that is extracting the maximum from SD845 audio codec as of now.

                                        In the end i am pretty comfortable to hearing songs over earphones with my Meizu 16th, but for critical listening I will always go back to the LG V30+ or Vivo NEX.

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