Review of Maze Comet - a budget smartphone from a young Chinese brand. Powerful floating cryptographic smartphone Comet with an emotion sensor Design, dimensions, control elements

The creation of smartphones is carried out not only by professional companies, but also by separate groups of engineers and developers. One of these projects is presented on crowdfunding. The model with the meaningful name “Comet” offers powerful functionality and a unique property for smartphones - buoyancy in an aquatic environment (video).

According to the startup, the need to create such a device is justified by statistical data: only according to confirmed information, for Lately In the world, about 82 million smartphones were damaged by water. Therefore, the new product was equipped with a waterproof IPX7 housing, which indicates the possibility of operation after an hour’s stay at a meter depth.

However, the developers went even further and provided such a function as buoyancy. We have known for a long time that gadgets can float - secure push-button phones of this type have been used in the world for several years now. But among smartphones, this new product is the “first sign”. If the user drops the product into the water, he will not have to dive for it - the smartphone will remain on the surface like a buoy.

In addition, the waterfowl smartphone has an innovative design and a longitudinal multi-color LED indicator located along the bumper. The LED can notify about the arrival of messages or changes in the user's mood. This technology is based on a biometric sensor, including one that measures the user’s body temperature.

The product is based on the Snapdragon 810 processor with 8 cores and a clock frequency of 2 GHz. The system memory is allocated 4 GB, the built-in memory can optionally have 32 or 64 GB, the memory card slot accepts 128 GB. The work is carried out in the Android 5.1.1 operating environment. The smartphone configuration includes 2 cameras of 16 MP, data is displayed on a 4.7-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 720p. Autonomous work provides a 2800 mAh battery. Floating smartphone works in all generations of communication

Another feature of the product is . The model is equipped with a QLOCK system based on 256-bit AES encryption and a 2048 Kbit RSA military-grade key. Almost all actions, from receiving and sending SMS to telephone calls, are encrypted, which increases the security of information and the level of confidentiality of the user’s personal life.

The model has a large number of sensors, including an accelerometer, compass, barometer, etc. The device body has dimensions of 7.9 x 67.7 x 137.5 mm and weighs 120 grams. The project is put up for crowdfunding, where the cost of the 32 GB version is 400 USD, and the 64 GB version is 470 USD. Details available here: Indiegogo.

P.S. The editors of “Electronics for the Road” warn that not all devices presented on this crowdfunding platform have actually working prototypes.

Case materials: metal, glass and calfskin
operating system: Android 7.0
Networks: GSM/EDGE, UMTS/HSDPA, LTE CAT 6 (2xnanoSIM), VoLTE
Screen: IPS LCD, diagonal 5.7", resolution 720x1440 pixels (HD+), aspect ratio 18:9, Gorilla Glass 5
Platform: MediaTek MT6750T
Processor: Octa-core, 64-bit, 4 cores 1.5 GHz (Cortex-A53) and 4 cores 1.0 GHz (Cortex-A53)
Graphics: Mali-T860
RAM: 4 GB LPDDR3
Data storage memory: 64 GB
Memory card slot: yes, microSD (instead of a second SIM card)
Main camera: 13 MP, Sony IMX258, f/2.0, dual LED flash
Front camera: 8 MP, Sony IMX219
Interfaces: Wi-Fi ac Dual-Band, Bluetooth 4.1, USB Type-C connector (USB-Host) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm jack for headset/headphones
Navigation: GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Additionally: fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, light sensor, proximity sensor
Battery: 4000 mAh (Li-Pol)
Dimensions: 158.8 x 73.5 x 9.9 mm
Weight: 234 grams

Contents of delivery

Telephone
AC adapter (Fast Charge)
Cable

Introduction

Not long ago, the Chinese company Maze (by the way, their official website has been translated into Russian) released a new product, Comet. They decided to style the smartphone as a premium device: a metal nameplate near the camera, genuine calfskin, metal frames, Corning glass. In general, we tried our best. However, there are many similar options on Ali. I'm not sure if the same materials are used, but the essence is similar - a la Vertu.

From point of view technical characteristics here, on the one hand, everything is quite simple: 5.7 inches HD+, one main camera, one of the most common MediaTek chipsets. And on the other hand – 4/64 GB of memory, Type-C connector, 4000 mAh battery.

The price varies depending on the choice of online store and discounts in it: in some places you can find from 9,000 rubles, and sometimes the cost reaches 12,000 rubles.

Design, dimensions, control elements

As I already said, the main feature of this model is, in fact, appearance. Some people call the design of Maze Comet gypsy, others call it premium. This means that there are definitely no indifferent people - this is the main thing for the manufacturer.

It’s worth starting with the dimensions of the device. They are unusual for a Chinese miracle of technology: 158.8 x 73.5 x 9.9 mm. That is, the smartphone is long, narrow, but quite plump. Due to the fact that the developers made the phone narrow, the ergonomics of its design have become much better: at least, the grip with one hand is more convenient. And you don’t even pay attention to the thickness of almost a centimeter!

Again, in my subjective opinion, let better smartphone will be long but narrow rather than wide and short (aspect ratio 16:9). Yes, I agree, less information fits horizontally, but using the device is more comfortable.

The Maze Comet has a decent weight – 234 grams. I think this doesn’t interfere with this model, it gives it some solidity or something. In case of danger, you can throw the Comet at the attacker: minor bodily injuries are guaranteed (too thick a joke, they won’t take it to the Comedy Club, the road is only to the Distorting Mirror).

The screen matrix is covered with fifth-generation 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass - no big deal! During use there was not a single scratch left on it. There is an oleophobic coating, it is of high quality, fingerprints are almost invisible and can be easily removed from the surface of the glass.

The central side strips are made of metal, secured with small screws. To the left and right of them are plastic inserts that go to the upper and lower ends. The shape of the sidewalls is smooth, rounded. The inserts on the ends are stylized as carbon, but in fact they are plastic.

I would also like to highlight the following point: absolutely (well, almost) all elements on the phone are made symmetrically: USB, microphone and speaker, volume and power buttons, finger scanner and decorative strip on the front panel. As they say, “China’s basement,” but everything was done wisely, even if it falls apart in a month (probably the key word in the entire review :)).

The Maze Comet smartphone is sold in two colors: black and blue. The only difference is the color of the back cover.

At the top center there is a speech speaker, next to it are sensors and an indicator of missed events. There is a fingerprint sensor located under the display; it also functions as a mechanical button (press – “Home”) and a touch button (touch – “Back”). The recognition speed is average, and the press itself is somewhat clumsy: the button wobbles from side to side. However, on some Meizu devices it’s exactly the same story.

At the bottom there is a microphone, USB-C and speaker. On the right is a combination slot, and on the left is the power button (the surface is embossed) and the volume rocker key. At the top is a 3.5 mm audio output for headphones.

WITH reverse side– a large pentagonal metal nameplate, seemingly screwed into the body, a double flash and a camera lens.

Maze Comet and Apple iPhone 8 Plus

Display

This device uses a screen with a diagonal of 5.7 inches. Physical size – 65x129 mm. There is an effective anti-reflective coating.

The display resolution of Maze Comet is low – HD+, that is, 720x1440 pixels, aspect ratio – 18:9, density – 282 pixels per inch. IPS matrix without air gap. Maximum brightness white– 500 cd/m2, maximum black brightness – 0.52 cd/m2, contrast – 960:1.

The resulting data slightly exceeds the sRGB triangle values in the green zone. If you believe the calibrator's readings, then the screen matrix has high level brightness and contrast, but there are problems with the gamma, and I would like the colors to be more saturated. However, I did not identify any purely visual problems: the viewing angles are maximum, the picture is not distorted.

Viewing Angles

Battery

This Comet model has a non-removable lithium polymer (Li-Pol) battery with a capacity of 4,000 mAh.

In my operating mode, the gadget functioned for 25-30 hours: about 30 minutes of calls, constant synchronization with Wi-Fi (from 9.00 to 02.00, Twitter, mail, Skype, WhatsApp). The screen glow (auto brightness) in this mode is up to 4 hours.

Videos play for about 9 hours, and games drain the battery in about 4.5 hours. I think this is quite good results for a device with a 5.7-inch screen.

The kit includes a network adapter 5V – 2A, 9V – 2A and 12V – 1.5A. The purpose for which these figures were indicated is unknown, since the smartphone takes a relatively long time to charge: 15 minutes - 7%, 30 minutes - 16%, 60 minutes - 35%, 3 hours - 100%.

Communication capabilities

The device works not only in 2G networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)/3G (HSPA+ up to 42 Mbit/s), but also 4G CAT 6: 4G FDD LTE:Band 1/3/7/8/20

The rest is standard for any modern Android smartphone: GPS and GLONASS (BeiDou available), Wi-Fi b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.1, USB 2.0 with OTG support. Positioning works typical for an inexpensive MediaTek device: up to 15-17 satellites are determined, the accuracy is up to 5 meters.

Memory and memory card

Random access memory 4 GB LPDDR3 (speed 3968 MB/s), and built-in – 64 GB. Reading speed of the built-in memory is 113 MB/s, writing speed is 149 MB/s. Memory cards up to 128 GB are supported.

Cameras

This model is not equipped with two main cameras, like many cheap Chinese models. On some level, this is even good: the experience of testing such devices has shown that the second camera was almost always a fake. At least the Maze company isn’t lying here – it’s just one module.

The rear sensor is provided by Sony - IMX258 (Xiaomi Mi4x, Meizu U10, Samsung Galaxy A3 2017, Neffos X1, Sony XA and many other devices) with 13 MP, 1/3.06 inches, 1.12 micron pixel size. Lens aperture – f/2.0.

The sensor itself is not bad, but the whole “raspberry” thing is spoiled by the poor optics in the Maze Comet lens: in the photos it is noticeable that the corners of the frame are blurred, and the rest of the area seems to be doubled. You can see this only when the image is 100% cropped. In addition, I discovered a pattern: if the lens is even slightly damaged, then in 99% of cases the photo comes out of extremely poor quality.

The front sensor is also Sony, model IMX219, 8 MP, 1/4.0 inch, 1.12 micron pixel size. Lens aperture – f/2.8. Surprisingly, it shoots very well: sharp images during the day and relatively bright even at night, given the weak f/2.8 aperture. The white balance, however, is fibbing.

The smartphone records video in HD resolution. The picture is normal, the frame rate is constant – 30 fps. "Front" - VGA.

Overall, no revelations. And this is quite understandable.

Sample photos

Performance and software

The Maze Comet smartphone is equipped with a MediaTek MT6750T processor. It was announced in the second quarter of 2016. 28 nm process technology, 8 Cortex-A53 cores, Mali-T860 graphics. In the “T” version, the Mali frequency was slightly increased. As a rule, almost all Chinese smartphones in the price range of 110 – 140 dollars are equipped with such a chip. In the Antutu test, the gadget scores a modest 40,000 points.

The device does not glitch or slow down, but it is not a record holder for shell speed. Honestly, I don’t even know what the system is missing? Similar solutions function in exactly the same way: they don’t seem to be brakes, but they’re all kind of sluggish.

When the processor is loaded, the case does not noticeably heat up. The temperature rises within reasonable limits only when the battery is charged.

operating system Google Android 7.0 with icons almost from the first versions of the OS. Personally, this upsets me. However, there is no Chinese junk in the system.

Multimedia

There is only one speakerphone in the Maze Comet model. It sounds loud, but not very clear and relatively flat with high-frequency notes.

I checked the quality of the music with Meizu Flow ears. Of course, the Comet is simple for the ears, but one feels that the sound is not bad. I missed the deeper low frequencies. In addition, at maximum volume, overload is possible. The highs and mids are great. There is a radio.

Conclusion

I already know in advance what the comments will be under this text, and I understand perfectly well that most potential buyers will consider this kind of smartphone to be “Chinese gypsy”. However, there are people who like just such devices. In the end, at least there is genuine leather here, and the phone as a whole is made well.

I think we’ve solved the design issue: it’s unique, not for everyone.

The parameters are not bad for the price: the processor is more or less functional, there is more than enough memory, the screen is bright and contrasty, but it is incorrect to demand FullHD+ from it.

The result is a smartphone that is not for everyone, but with decent technical parameters and high-quality materials. If there were a better main camera here, I would be able to use it: it looks unusual, the grip is comfortable, and the main functions are performed without problems.

When the price of a smartphone is around 9,000 rubles, it seems to me that it’s a sin to complain.

MAZE is a young Chinese brand that appeared in 2017. They have on this moment 3 models, including COMET, and I reviewed all of them. Smartphones are a big fan of theirs. The characteristics are usually not outstanding and the design is always not standard. Probably, due to their design, they are trying to compete with more well-known brands. was glass and tried to copy Sony smartphones. – a large 6-inch pseudo-frameless phone in the Mi Mix style. And this time we have MAZE COMET, similar to premium Vertu smartphones.

They are asking about $150 for this new product. It seems like it’s not very expensive, but on the other hand, it’s not that cheap; there are a lot of cool smartphones in this price category. Well, let's see what MAZE COMET is and how it plans to compete and survive in the oversaturated smartphone market.

EQUIPMENT

In addition to the smartphone, in a box made of black matte cardboard we have:
— USB-C cable,
- a paper clip for the tray,
- user manual with in Russian,
- charger capable of delivering from 5 to 12 V with a maximum current of 2A.

DESIGN

As I already said, design is in the foreground here. Yes, the smartphone is not standard. The first association when you take it in your hand is a power bank from Xiaomi. Yes, there are similar oval shapes here if you look at the Comet from the top and bottom ends. And this is the first smart phone in my hands with such a body.

The case itself is very long: 159 mm with a width of 73 mm. Yes, there is a widescreen screen and this affected the length. But in addition, the manufacturer did not try to get rid of frames and create a trendy narrow-frame smartphone. There are frames and they are not that small, and the space under the screen is generally 1.5 cm and even a little more.

But you need to understand that this is not some kind of bug or defect. This is such a smartphone and it was simply intended to be that way. It was born to be long and not standard. In terms of ergonomics, there is only one plus here - it fits well in the hand due to its rounded ends. But as soon as you start using it, all the shortcomings of this design appear. Firstly, you are unlikely to be able to fully control your smartphone with one hand. At least I can only cover 2/3 of the screen with my thumb. Secondly, Maze Comet is heavy, its weight is 237 g. Although, on the contrary, some people do not like light smartphones. You can’t call it thin either – the thickness is 11 mm. The volume and unlock buttons are on the left side and this is not very convenient if you are right-handed.

Our side ends are metal, the top and bottom are plastic. There is an audio jack on top, a USB-C port on the bottom and two holes for a microphone and a multimedia speaker.

The face of a modern smartphone is not the screen, but usually its back, because from the front they are basically the same. So, on the official website it is indicated that we get calfskin on the back. Naturally, this is an imitation and you don’t need to be a materials specialist to understand it. Although it must be admitted that this is a very successful and realistic imitation of skin. But the decorative insert on the back, where the camera is located, is ordinary plastic, painted to look like metal.

There is an event indication LED above the screen and it even has its own simple settings. The smartphone is controlled via the multifunction button under the display. The principle is similar to Meizu smartphones: a single touch – action back, a short press on the button – exit to the desktop and a long press – call up the menu of running applications. Convenient to manage. For fans of on-screen buttons, the settings provide the ability to activate them.

The fingerprint scanner is built into the same multifunction button and it works generally stable, there is no point in finding fault with it.

ASSEMBLY

There are some comments on the build quality. First, the back panel in my sample does not bend or crunch, but in the upper part it does not fit tightly to the body and moves away from it a little. Secondly, the gaps between the housing elements are not uniform everywhere and dust and dirt can get stuck in some of them. And third, I didn’t really like the dangling plastic part of the SIM card tray. The tray here is hybrid – for two nanoSIM cards or one nanoSIM + memory card.

DISPLAY

Now it's time to praise the smartphone. And I will praise it for its display. Firstly, the glass most likely has an oleophobic coating. Maybe this is not the highest quality oleophobic, but judging by my feelings it is there: the finger glides comfortably, fingerprints are easily removed. The glass itself is stated to be 5th generation Gorilla Glass. At the edges the glass is not slightly rounded, as is usually the case with the so-called. 2.5D effect, and here the glass is actually curved at the edges, harmoniously flowing into the ends.

The display aspect ratio is 18:9, diagonal 5.7 inches, resolution 1440x720. It would seem that the pixel density is not high - 281 per inch. But, believe me, there is no discomfort from this. The display is excellent - rich, contrasty, clear, viewing angles are maximum, color inversion does not appear even at sharp angles. Excellent natural color rendition, which there is no desire to reconfigure. Multi-touch for 5 touches. The maximum brightness is sufficient. And the only thing you can criticize the screen for is the high minimum brightness, but almost all smartphones from so-called brands suffer from this. third echelon.

HARDWARE

The next positive point is memory. MAZE COMET has a lot of it: 4 GB of RAM and a 64 GB storage drive, of which 53 GB is free. So you won't need a memory card. With processors, the 3rd tier is, as always, predictable. Of course, here is Mediatek, namely MT6750T. 8 cores with a maximum frequency of 1.5 GHz, 28 nm, Mali-T860 graphics. On the one hand, the percentage does not shine. On the other hand, it is quite enough for everything except the most demanding games, which it will not run on high graphics. However, mobile gamers know very well even without me that there are Qualcomm processors with Adreno graphics for them. And here you can easily race the same tanks (WOT BLITZ) on low graphics with an average FPS of 35-45.

SOFTWARE PART

The comet is controlled by Android 7, which is almost clean here. Yes, the Chinese added gesture control and, as usual, left this functionality on English language. But this is a drop in the ocean. Everything else is pristine Android 7 with excellent Russification and there is nothing to talk about here. Everything is stable, there is a Market, there are no viruses, over-the-air updates are provided, but whether they will be is another question and not for me.

OTHER FUNCTIONALITY

Communication is fine - audibility during conversations is normal: I heard everyone well, I was also heard normally, there were no problems. 4G is supported incl. on the 1st, 3rd, 7th and 20th Band.

The speaker is simple, the frequencies are high. If you turn off software audio enhancement in the settings, the sound will be slightly better. The volume reserve is good and will definitely be enough for ringtones. The sound in the headphones is standard.

GPS and GLONASS navigation and satellites are determined quickly by the smartphone and Maze Comet is quite suitable for use as a navigator. The main thing is that the holder in your car can withstand such a weighty smart phone.

The set of sensors is simple: lighting, proximity and accelerometer. I couldn’t check the OTG function, because... My adapter does not fit completely into the socket - it is too short.

CAMERAS

Now we move on to the main camera of the Maze Comet and here the situation is not very happy, even despite the presence of a good 13-megapixel Sony IMX258 sensor, which the Chinese from the MAZE company did not allow to fully reveal its capabilities by installing cheap optics here. As a result, we have poor detail, frequent overexposure in pictures, periodic focusing errors and, in general, this is a budget level of shooting.

The video here is FullHD, but focusing can only be done by tapping on the screen, the sound is recorded more or less normally.

There is nothing to criticize the front camera for. It is based on an 8-megapixel Sony IMX219 sensor and with its help it is quite possible to take selfies, but only in good lighting.

AUTONOMY

Battery with a capacity of 4000 mAh, the battery is not removable. The processor here is not very energy efficient, so the autonomy is not amazing, although it cannot be called weak. As usual, I’ll give an example of watching videos online on Youtube - in this scenario, you can count on a discharge of 12% per hour. Overnight with a SIM card and WiFi turned on, it took 5%. I expected the charging speed to be higher. In reality, Maze Comet charges in 1 hour by 33%, in 2 hours by 73% and by full charge from 0% to 100% takes exactly 3 hours.

VERDICT

This new product will not fly high for the simple reason that for similar money most people will choose a smartphone from more famous manufacturer and with a more classic design. Maze Comet will certainly also find its buyer, but there will be few of them. These are people who need a non-trivial appearance of a smartphone, who love pure Android, who need a lot of memory out of the box and who are ready, having received all this, to turn a blind eye to some shortcomings related primarily to ergonomics.

WHERE TO BUY MAZE COMET:

SAVE WITH CASHBACK:

VIDEO REVIEW:

The not very popular company Maze released new model Maze Comet smartphone with an unusual and unique design. The gadget has a more stylish iron frame than other gadgets and is completely covered in leather. back, as well as an interesting podium with five corners in which an excellent camera is built.

The device can boast of its excellent screen size of 5.7-inch 18:9, which displays very richly and juicily almost any even dim image transferred from another phone. And the heart of this gadget is the more than powerful MTK 6750T 1.5 GHz processor and it works in tandem with Mali-T860 MP2 graphics, which is complemented by 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. Such characteristics can give its owner comfortable use in any conditions and under any workload.

Characteristics of the Maze Comet smartphone:

5.7" In-Cell 18:9 display
Fast Helio MTK6750T processor
4 GB RAM, 64 GB flash drive
Battery 4000 mAh
Camera 13 MP IMX135, 8 MP selfie camera
Firmware Android 7.0 N

The main camera in Maze Comet is 13-megapixel, it is equipped with a Sony IMX258 f/2.2 detector, which in itself suggests that the user will be able to take excellent pictures even at night, and with the help of additional options from the manufacturer, make the photos more interesting. The front camera is 8-megapixel and has a Sony IMX219 detector, which also allows you to comfortably communicate via video and take excellent selfie pictures.

An important component is the main design of the smartphone, it is completely different from its competitors and very original, part of it is protected glass from Gorilla Glass 5. There is also a home button, the function of which is a built-in fingerprint scanner that unlocks the phone in an instant.

The Maze Comet smartphone is equipped with shock protection and, with all its style, can safely bear the name protected and even the entire appearance speaks of this. If you are attracted to unusual gadgets that can perform just as well as other competing devices, then this option is just for you. In fact, this is a more than affordable gadget that has good characteristics and unique appearance, and most importantly a low price, which is only about $190.

Finding accurate information about the number of mobile devices received by a particular service that were damaged due to water or moisture getting into their housing turned out to be a very difficult task. According to some data, at least 82 million smartphones break down every year after they have been in a bathtub, at the bottom of a swimming pool or natural body of water. Therefore, there can hardly be any doubt that the percentage of “drowned smartphones” - this is what they call gadgets that accidentally or deliberately end up in water, partially damaged or ultimately completely out of order - is undoubtedly huge.

A California team of eight specialists, taking into account the current negligence of smartphone users, decided to find the best way out of the situation described above. This is how the idea of creating the world’s first unsinkable phone appeared, which not only would not be afraid of ending up in fresh water, but it would also stay afloat perfectly, remaining on the surface in the owner’s field of vision all the time. To raise funds for the implementation of the plan, it was decided to use the crowdfunding model and turn to visitors to the Indiegogo site for help.

A startup called “COMET: World's First Buoyant Smartphone” offers visitors to the page to become the owner of a COMET smartphone, protected from water according to the IPx7 standard and having very impressive characteristics for the specified price. It’s worth starting with the fact that at least the key “trick” of the smartphone in question is is an innate unsinkability (the device does not sink, which is demonstrated in the promotional video with a test sample), the parameters of the future new product are not inferior even to some flagship models. At the same time, at the pre-order stage, COMET is offered to be purchased with a 40 percent discount at a price of only $249 (only 150 units) for the 32 GB version or $279 (a similar modification that will be available for pre-orders in unlimited quantities until the end of the fundraising).

Features of the COMET smartphone include:

In addition, the developers focus on the built-in QLOCK data encryption system, which meets the requirements of military communications devices. Therefore, taking over personal correspondence or eavesdropping on conversations of the owner of COMET, according to the project’s authors, will become not just a difficult task for attackers, but an extremely difficult one.

The device, if the campaign organized on Indiegogo is successful, will be available in several colors - black, white and gold. There are also two technical modifications - a version with 32 GB of internal memory and 64 GB. Their cost, subject to early pre-order, is $289/$329.

COMET models should go on retail sale at significantly higher prices - $399 and $469 for smartphones with 32 GB and 64 GB of memory, respectively. But to launch mass production, the startup needs an amount of $100 thousand, of which $15.9 thousand was received 38 days before the end of the period allotted for fundraising.