Meizu Note 16 Series Breaks the Homogenization of Budget Phones with "Nation's Premium Choice" Approach

The Meizu Note16 series enters the fiercely competitive budget phone market with a "Nation's Premium Choice" stance, aiming to redefine value benchmarks through differentiation.

Key data from Xingji Meizu's sales report shows that within five hours of launch, the series achieved 10 times the sales of its predecessor across all channels, even ranking in the top three of JD.com's price-tier sales chart.

Xiao Bo, General Manager of Xingji Meizu Group China, previously stated that creating affordable yet high-performing phones for everyone is the key to this significant sales growth.

However, a phone's quality cannot be judged solely by specs and price—hands-on experience is essential.

Take the Meizu Note16 standard version, for example. As a budget phone, it may not seem impressive at first glance, but its 8GB+128GB storage configuration rivals competitors' high-end models.

In testing, daily usage feels smooth, with no excessive heating even during prolonged use, showcasing strong stability.

Additionally, the Note16 retains a 3.5mm headphone jack, offering better audio quality for music lovers compared to Bluetooth.

However, its camera performance is just adequate, and at 216g, it’s not the lightest.

As a budget phone, expecting premium build, performance, and imaging is unrealistic. But as a secondary device, it excels—equipped with Flyme AI OS2 optimizations, it handles daily tasks effortlessly.

Next is the Meizu Note16 Pro. The budget segment is fiercely competitive, and this model upgrades from LCD to OLED while adding more features.

Testing revealed that its IR remote and NFC are excellent, but the Z-axis linear motor feels slightly weak for typing feedback.

Powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, it handles mainstream games at medium settings, though spending slightly more could fetch a better alternative. Thus, the Pro version feels less compelling than the standard model.

Of course, this is just my opinion—user preferences vary, and my testing was brief.

Notably, the Pro version introduces an AI Task Robot and a dedicated button, giving budget phones "active thinking" capabilities for the first time, moving beyond mere speed.

That said, Flyme AIOS2 is still under optimization, and future updates may bring more features. After testing the Meizu 21, I found new features less noticeable, though Aicy shows promise.

To recap, the Pro version boasts a 1.5K eye-care display, 6200mAh battery, and flagship-grade cooling, making it a "battery life king" for outdoor and heavy users.

The standard version targets LCD enthusiasts and pragmatists with its LCD flat screen, 3.5mm jack, and AI note-taking, albeit with performance and imaging gaps due to cost constraints—a deliberate trade-off.

Ultimately, under the "AI Equality" philosophy, the Meizu Note16 series proves budget phones need not compromise—they can deliver exceptional experiences.