Meizu Pro 6 is a new flagship Android smartphone with 10-core processor

The Android flagships introduced so far this year feature an octa-core processor, typically a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820. Hardly anyone can argue that eight cores are not enough for whatever apps and games users might want to run. Meizu is an exception as with its latest high-end smartphone it is taking things up a notch.

Meizu's new Pro 6 is among the first, if not the first, smartphone to feature a 10-core processor, namely a Helio X25 chip with four Cortex-A53 cores at 1.4 GHz, four Cortex-A53 cores at 2 GHz and two Cortex-A72 cores at 2.5 GHz. On paper it looks much more impressive than a Samsung Galaxy S7 or HTC 10.

The 10-core processor is not the only feature that sets Pro 6 apart from the competition, as the flagship also features 3D Press. That is a Meizu's speak for a pressure-sensitive display, similar to what Apple has introduced in iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The Samsung-made AMOLED screen measures 5.2 inches in diagonal, and has a resolution of 1,080 by 1,920. That's a bit low compared to the display on Galaxy S7 and HTC 10, but it's more than enough for the respective size.

The processor is backed by 4 GB of RAM, and there are two storage tiers: 32 GB and 64 GB, both eMMC 5.1 enabled. There is no microSD expansion listed in the specs sheet, so if you are interested in it you might want to opt for the latter version.

In the imaging department, Pro 6 features a 21.16 MP rear-facing camera with an f/2.2 aperture lens. There is phase-detection included, but no optical image stabilization. Focusing time is said to be 0.07s. On paper, it looks like it will struggle to keep up with the competition in low-light conditions. The front camera is a 5 MP unit, with an f/2.0 aperture lens.

There is a fingerprint sensor, called mTouch 2.1, embedded in the home button. Meizu quotes a 0.2s response time; it is designed to store up to five fingerprints.

Pro 6 has a 2,560 mAh battery, which is smaller than what its main competitors offer. That said, it supports quick charging (called mCharge 3.0 in this case), which enables a 24W charging rate. It will charge fully in an hour. Worth pointing out is that there's a USB 3.1 Type-C port at the bottom.

The smartphone measures 147.7 x 70.8 x 7.25 mm and weighs 160 g. The higher weight is likely due to it having a metal body and that 3D Touch-like display.

There is no word on what version of Android underpins Meizu's distribution, called Flyme, but by the looks of it it appears to be 6.0 Marshmallow.

As far as pricing and availability go, Meizu will sell the 32 GB Pro 6 for CNY 2,500 and the 64 GB version for CNY 2,800, starting on April 23. That is about $386 and $433, respectively, which is slightly higher than what Xiaomi asks for its Mi 5, but way below what you can expect to pay for an unlocked Galaxy S7.