The Maze company appeared on the mobile horizon relatively recently, but has already managed to be remembered by consumers. First of all, thanks to the smartphone - one of the first and most successful copies of Xiaomi Mi Mix.

The smartphone that became the hero of this review will also definitely attract the attention of the public. How can you not notice a device with a chic body made of metal and leather, classy big screen and a battery that can last up to two days of vigorous use?

It may seem that the filling of Maze Comet is nothing special. Our editorial team has already visited so many smartphones based on the MediaTek MTK6750T chip that we can easily say how many points they score in Antutu and how many frames per second can be expected in popular games. However, a review is a review, so you will find all the test results below.

The smartphone can be praised for its large volume random access memory, sufficient space for storing user data, a complete set of all necessary sensors. Additional advantages are Sony camera sensors, battery capacity and the presence of a modern USB Type-C connector.

All of the listed characteristics are not exclusive advantages of Maze Comet and are often found in competitors’ smartphones, but usually separately. Maze Comet, on the other hand, has a full set of all the cool features, which is very commendable for a smartphone that costs $145.

Equipment and appearance

The smartphone comes in a simple black box made of thick cardboard. On the cover there is the model name and the company logo, on the side there is a sticker, on the back surface there is a short list of the main technical characteristics.

The package is spartan: charger, connecting cable and a paper clip for removing the tray. The developers apparently decided that no one would hide such a beautiful smartphone in a case, so it is missing.

The design of Maze Comet is truly outstanding. You understand this immediately as soon as you pick up the device. The solid, weighty body of the smartphone has rounded metal edges that pleasantly cool your hand. But the most important thing is the unusual back cover, decorated with metal inserts around the camera and calfskin. All this looks unusual and interesting.

Almost the entire front surface of the device is occupied by a 5.7-inch screen with an aspect ratio of 18: 9. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, which is not afraid of scratches, shocks and even falls from a height. In addition to the latest generation tempered glass, the smartphone has a specially designed shock-resistant case. The Maze channel even has video clip, in which the Chinese throw, drop and scratch a smartphone in the vain hope of damaging it.

There is a fairly large space under the screen, where the fingerprint scanner looks a little lonely. However, Maze Comet does not claim to be a frameless device, so we’ll forgive it for this feature. But the main button is mechanical, with a distinct and pleasant click. It can be used for three actions at once: returning to the desktop, going to the previous screen and displaying a list of running applications.

The main controls are located on the left side of the gadget. Not a very good solution - it’s still more common when the power button is on the right. The keys fit tightly, there is no play or rattling.

On the bottom edge of the Maze Comet there is a USB Type-C connector for charging and data exchange, a microphone and an external speaker, designed in the form of small slots in polycarbonate. On the top side there is a headphone jack.

A whole team of perfectionists worked on the design and assembly of Maze Comet. Absolutely symmetrical, discreet and stylish appearance The device will undoubtedly find admirers. As for the build quality, we can safely give it the highest rating.

Screen and sound

The Maze Comet's screen has a diagonal of 5.7 inches and a resolution of 1,440 × 720 pixels. A high-quality matrix displays a rich and bright picture that looks good at any angle. Color rendition is correct, white balance is set correctly, contrast is excellent.

For those who like individual settings, there are MiraVision options that allow you to slightly change the display parameters. However, you are unlikely to need them - with the default settings, the picture quality does not raise any complaints.

The only criticism is that the brightness range is too narrow. Using a smartphone indoors is quite comfortable, but outdoors in direct sunlight the picture fades. Fans of night reading also have nothing to rejoice at, since even at the minimum level the brightness is too high.

The Maze Comet's external speaker doesn't sound impressive. It will still work for playing a call signal and system messages, but we do not recommend listening to music. A too compressed frequency range cannot compensate even for a high volume level.

But with headphones the picture is completely different. The sound acquires all the necessary frequencies, depth and volume. So you can use Maze Comet as a player, but only in tandem with high-quality headphones.

Performance

The eight-core MediaTek MTK6750T chip is now used in many entry-level and mid-price smartphones. It doesn't set any speed records, but it has ample performance for most common tasks. Our tests have proven this once again.

As you can see, nothing outstanding. At the same time, the performance of the MTK6750T in tandem with a large amount of RAM ensures comfortable work not only operating system, but also all mobile applications, with the exception of only the most demanding 3D games.

However, in modern racing or tank battles You can also play, but the graphics settings will have to be set to medium.

The capacity of the installed battery is quite normal 4,000 mAh.

Still, there is no need to complain about the autonomy of the device. In the PCMark Work 2.0 Battery Life test, the smartphone lasted 10 hours 14 minutes - a good result. This means that during normal use, owners will be able to recharge the Maze Comet once every two days. And if you switch to energy-saving mode, this period can be extended to three days.

I would like to warmly thank the Maze engineers for not deceiving customers once again. Unlike most competitors who loudly claim magical capabilities dual camera, which actually turn out to be fake, in Comet the main camera is quite ordinary. But with a good sensor - Sony IMX258.

As for the quality of the pictures, they leave a contradictory impression. When viewed on a smartphone screen, photos look great - bright, rich colors, good contrast and brightness, low noise. But as soon as you download them to your computer and enlarge them at least a little, the low detail of the picture catches your eye.

The reason may lie in the poor performance of the stabilization algorithm. Therefore, any movement in the frame or shaking of the photographer’s hands leads to problems.

Maze is a young Chinese brand (not a no-name) that appeared a few months ago. So far the manufacturer has only three models, including today's hero Maze Comet. Smartphones from this brand are not for everyone. The characteristics are not outstanding, but the design is interesting. Most likely, the manufacturer decided to focus on premium appearance rather than performance. They are asking approximately $150 for this device. It seems not very expensive, but on the other hand, not so cheap. Why? More on this below.

Equipment

In addition to the smartphone, the box made of black matte cardboard contains: a USB cable, a clip for the tray, a user manual with in Russian and charger.

Design

The smartphone is non-standard. The first association when you take it in your hand is a power bank from Xiaomi. The case itself is very long: 159 mm with a width of 73 mm. Yes, there is a widescreen screen here, and this affected the length, in addition, the side frames are minimal, but the top and bottom ends are quite wide, the bottom - by one and a half centimeters. And this is just such an idea. He was born to be long and unconventional.

In terms of ergonomics, there is only one plus here - it fits perfectly in the hand due to the rounded ends. The only thing that bothers me is the weight - 240 grams. Although many people like such a solid heaviness.

If you believe what is written on the box, the back side is made of calfskin. But the plastic inserts, painted to look like metal, near the main camera block spoil all the pleasant sensations.

There are also some comments about the assembly: the back side bends and does not fit tightly to the body. The gaps between the body elements are not uniform everywhere. In short, they wanted to make a premium design, but many nuances were not taken into account.

Screen

Screen - strong point smartphone. Firstly, it has an excellent oleophobic coating; your finger easily glides across the glass without leaving marks. Secondly, the Maze Comet has fifth-generation Gorilla Glass protection. The screen diagonal is 5.7 inches, the resolution is not the highest - 1440 x 720 pixels.

The color is excellent, rich, contrasting, clear, the sensor responds instantly. Excellent natural color rendition, which there is no desire to reconfigure. The maximum brightness is sufficient, although the minimum brightness should have been lower.

Performance

Maze Comet has as much as 4 GB of RAM, but the processor is very simple - Mediatek MT6750T. However, this hardware will be enough for most users, but not for gamers. Comet runs Android 7 OS, which is absolutely clean without unnecessary applications and launchers, most will appreciate it.

Audibility during a conversation is good, there are no problems with 4G Internet. The external speaker is annoying with high frequencies. The volume reserve is sufficient, and it will definitely be enough for ringtones. The sound in headphones is normal.

Cameras

The camera is disappointing, despite the 13-megapixel Sony IMX258 sensor. And the Chinese developers ruined everything; they did it by installing cheap optics. As a result, we have poor detail, frequent overexposure in pictures, periodic focusing errors and, in general, a budget level of shooting. Front camera there is nothing to scold for. This is an 8-megapixel Sony IMX219 sensor, with which you can post photos of your loved one on Instagram.

Autonomy

The battery capacity is 4,000 mAh, which is quite a lot. Considering the weak processor and low screen resolution, the charge lasts a long time. Watching videos on Youtube takes up only 10 percent of the charge per hour.

Results

The new product turned out to be strange, the manufacturer wanted to make a premium design, but something went wrong. This device will not be popular due to its weak processor and extremely poor main camera. The only plus of the device is the “long-lasting” battery.

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 - protected ones have been used in the world for several years now. push-button phones of such a type. 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 16 MP cameras, 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.

MAZE is a young Chinese brand that appeared in 2017. They currently have 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 smartphones Vertu.

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 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 cannot handle 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 bucket. 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, the Maze Comet charges in 1 hour by 33%, in 2 hours by 73%, and it takes exactly 3 hours to fully charge from 0% to 100%.

VERDICT

This new product will not fly high for the simple reason that for the same money, most people will choose a smartphone from a more well-known 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:

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VIDEO REVIEW:

The not very popular company Maze has released a new model of the 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.