Chinese smartphone manufacturer Meizu has released the M6 Note, a phone that on paper looks like it will will be a more wallet-friendly version of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

 

The M6 Note represents a couple of firsts for the Chinese brand: it's the first Meizu phone to be released internationally with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, and it's the first to sport a dual-lens camera. Similarly, the Galaxy Note 8 is expected to be the first Samsung phone with a dual camera too.

That Qualcomm processor isn't the Snapdragon 835, but a 2GHz Snapdragon 825 instead, coupled with 4GB of RAM. You also get a 5.5-inch full HD display, up to 64GB of internal storage and an Adreno 506 GPU. Power comes from a 4,000mAh unit that supports fast charging, however Meizu doesn't say how long it will take to refill to 100 per cent.

The other headline grabbing feature of the M6 Note is its dual camera, which comprises a 12-megapixel Sony lens and a 5-megapixel Samsung lens. Meizu says the combination of an f/1.9 aperture and 0.03-second dual phase detection focusing mechanism, provides a "camera experience unseen in an entry-level smartphone".

The front-facing camera should be decent too, with a 16-megapixel lens and f/2.0 aperture, while some built-in algorithms help to deliver natural skin colours for your selfies.

Meizu smartphones aren't directly available in the UK or US, but can be imported from various retailers. The company has yet to reveal pricing and availability.