Meizu 16s Pro vs. iPhone 13 mini: A Clash of Chipsets and Philosophies

The Meizu 16s Pro, released in 2019, represents a peak in Android's pursuit of bezel-less design and powerful hardware. Now, we revisit it against Apple’s iPhone 13 mini, a 2021 release that prioritized a compact form factor without sacrificing flagship performance. This comparison isn't about raw specs; it's about how these different approaches translate to real-world usability and value in 2024.
Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing longevity, software support, and a refined user experience, the iPhone 13 mini is the clear winner. While the Meizu 16s Pro offers a compelling hardware package for its time, the A15 Bionic’s superior efficiency and Apple’s long-term software commitment outweigh the Snapdragon 855+'s initial performance advantage.

PHONES
Phone Names Meizu 16s Pro Apple iPhone 13 mini
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 34, 38, 39, 40, 411, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66 - A2628, A2629, A2630
5G bands-1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78, 79 Sub6/mmWave - A2628
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 MbpsHSPA, LTE, 5G, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
 CDMA 800 & TD-SCDMA1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - A2629, A2630
Launch
Announced2019, August. Released 2019, August2021, September 14
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2021, September 24
Body
Build-Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame
Dimensions151.9 x 73.4 x 7.7 mm (5.98 x 2.89 x 0.30 in)131.5 x 64.2 x 7.7 mm (5.18 x 2.53 x 0.30 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight166 g (5.86 oz)141 g (4.97 oz)
 -IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 6m for 30 min) Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified)
Display
Protection-Ceramic Shield glass
Resolution1080 x 2232 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~403 ppi density)1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~476 ppi density)
Size6.2 inches, 95.8 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio)5.4 inches, 71.9 cm2 (~85.1% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeSuper AMOLEDSuper Retina XDR OLED, HDR10, Dolby Vision, 800 nits (HBM), 1200 nits (peak)
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485)Hexa-core (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855+ (7 nm)Apple A15 Bionic (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 640 (700 MHz)Apple GPU (4-core graphics)
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), Flyme 8iOS 15, upgradable to iOS 26.1
Memory
Card slotNoNo
Internal128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM128GB 4GB RAM, 256GB 4GB RAM, 512GB 4GB RAM
 UFS 3.0NVMe
Main Camera
Dual-12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/1.9", 1.7µm, dual pixel PDAF, sensor-shift OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 120˚, 13mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm
FeaturesSix-LED dual-tone flash, Auto-HDR, panoramaDual-LED dual-tone flash, HDR (photo/panorama)
Single-12 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6" SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Triple48 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 20MP, f/2.6, (telephoto), 1/2.8", 1.0µm, PDAF 16 MP, f/2.2, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm-
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS)4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps, HDR, Dolby Vision HDR (up to 60fps), stereo sound rec.
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single20MP, f/2.212 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/3.6", 1.0µm SL 3D, (depth/biometrics sensor)
Video1080p@30fps4K@24/25/30/60fps, 1080p@25/30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker YesYes, with stereo speakers
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, LE5.0, A2DP, LE
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0Lightning, USB 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 а/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, hotspot
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFace ID, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
 -Ultra Wideband (UWB) support
Battery
Charging24W wiredWired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless (MagSafe) 15W wireless (Qi2) - requires iOS 17.2 update
TypeLi-Po 3600 mAh, non-removableLi-Ion 2438 mAh (9.34 Wh)
Misc
ColorsTwilight Forest, Dream Unicorn, Black Mirror, White storyStarlight, Midnight, Blue, Pink, Red, Green
Models-A2628, A2481, A2626, A2629, A2630, iphone14,4
PriceAbout 340 EUR€ 299.00 / $ 240.00 / £ 244.89
SAR-1.19 W/kg (head)     1.19 W/kg (body)
SAR EU-0.97 W/kg (head)     0.98 W/kg (body)
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 75h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -25.9 LUFS (Very good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 772512 (v9) GeekBench: 4681 (v5.1) GFXBench: 60fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Meizu 16s Pro

  • Potentially lower price point
  • Near-bezel-less display design
  • Android customization options

  • Limited software update support
  • Older chipset (Snapdragon 855+)
  • Less efficient power management

Apple iPhone 13 mini

  • Long-term software support
  • Superior performance (A15 Bionic)
  • More versatile charging options (MagSafe, Qi2)

  • Higher price point
  • Smaller display size may not suit all users
  • iOS ecosystem lock-in

Display Comparison

The iPhone 13 mini boasts a measured peak brightness of 831 nits, ensuring excellent visibility outdoors, a metric the Meizu 16s Pro’s display specifications don’t directly address. While the Meizu likely offers vibrant colors, Apple’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio (typical of OLED panels) delivers deeper blacks and a more dynamic image. The iPhone 13 mini’s smaller size (6.1” vs. the Meizu’s 6.3”) is a key differentiator for those prioritizing one-handed use. The lack of LTPO on either device means refresh rates are fixed, but the iPhone’s color accuracy is generally considered best-in-class.

Camera Comparison

Both devices offer capable photo and video recording, but the specifics are limited in the provided data. The iPhone 13 mini likely benefits from Apple’s advanced image processing pipeline and computational photography features. While the Meizu 16s Pro may have a competitive sensor, Apple’s consistent software updates and optimizations give it an edge in image quality and video stabilization. Without sensor size details for the Meizu, it’s difficult to assess low-light performance, but Apple’s larger sensors generally excel in this area.

Performance

The Apple A15 Bionic, fabricated on a 5nm process, demonstrably outperforms the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855+ (7nm) in both CPU and GPU benchmarks. The A15’s hexa-core architecture (2x3.23 GHz Avalanche + 4x1.82 GHz Blizzard) is optimized for efficiency, while the Snapdragon 855+'s octa-core configuration (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) relies on higher clock speeds. This translates to better sustained performance and less thermal throttling on the iPhone 13 mini, especially during demanding tasks like gaming. The iPhone also benefits from Apple’s tight software-hardware integration.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 75 hours, suggesting comparable battery life despite the Meizu 16s Pro’s unspecified battery capacity. However, the iPhone 13 mini’s charging capabilities are more versatile, offering 50% charge in 30 minutes with wired PD2.0, 15W wireless charging with MagSafe, and 15W Qi2 (with iOS 17.2). The Meizu 16s Pro is limited to 24W wired charging, which, while respectable, isn’t as convenient or feature-rich as Apple’s options. The A15 Bionic’s efficiency also contributes to the iPhone’s sustained battery performance.

Buying Guide

Buy the Meizu 16s Pro if you prioritize a near-bezel-less display, are comfortable with Android customization, and seek a powerful phone at a significantly lower price point, understanding software updates will be limited. Buy the Apple iPhone 13 mini if you value a compact, premium build, guaranteed software updates for years to come, and a seamless ecosystem experience, even if it comes at a higher cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Will the Snapdragon 855+ in the Meizu 16s Pro struggle with modern, demanding games?
While the Snapdragon 855+ was a flagship chip in its time, it will likely exhibit more thermal throttling and lower frame rates in graphically intensive games compared to the A15 Bionic. Expect to adjust graphics settings for optimal performance, and sustained gaming sessions may lead to noticeable heat buildup.
❓ How does the lack of 5G connectivity on the Meizu 16s Pro affect its usability in 2024?
The Meizu 16s Pro is limited to 4G LTE. While 4G remains widely available, users in areas with robust 5G coverage will experience significantly slower download and upload speeds. This is a considerable limitation for streaming, online gaming, and large file transfers.
❓ Is the Meizu 16s Pro still receiving security updates?
No. As a 2019 device, the Meizu 16s Pro is no longer receiving official security updates from Meizu. This poses a security risk, as vulnerabilities are not being patched. Using this device requires accepting this inherent risk or exploring custom ROM options (which come with their own caveats).
❓ What is the real-world impact of the iPhone 13 mini's MagSafe charging?
MagSafe offers convenient wireless charging with a secure magnetic attachment, preventing misalignment and ensuring efficient power transfer. It also enables the use of MagSafe accessories like wallets and stands, expanding the iPhone 13 mini’s functionality.