In the ever-evolving smartphone market, budget devices are gaining significant traction by offering decent features at affordable prices. Among the latest entries in this category is the Meizu mblu 21—a smartphone designed to cater to users who want essential smartphone capabilities without burning a hole in their pockets. In an era where flagship models dominate headlines, the mblu 21 brings much-needed balance between cost and functionality.

TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read)

The Meizu mblu 21 is a budget smartphone that delivers strong fundamentals like a large display, decent performance, and reliable battery life—all while keeping its price extremely competitive. Powered by the UNISOC T603 processor, it’s optimized for daily tasks and casual media consumption. While sacrifices have been made in camera sophistication and premium materials, this phone strikes a smart balance for price-conscious buyers. If you’re not gaming heavily or chasing the latest tech fads, the mblu 21 is a wallet-friendly choice worth considering.

Design and Build Quality

The Meizu mblu 21 embraces simplicity when it comes to its design. The phone sports a 6.52-inch display on the front with a modest bezel footprint, giving it a contemporary look. The flat edges and polycarbonate back panel contribute to a lightweight profile, weighing around 192 grams. While high-end phones typically use glass or metal, the mblu 21 doesn’t try to mask its budget roots—but it does so with a tastefully minimalistic aesthetic.

Color options for the mblu 21 include standard tones like black, white, and blue, appealing to both conservative and youthful users. Side-mounted fingerprint sensors and volume rockers are neatly integrated, making physical interactions predictable and ergonomic.

Display and Visuals

One of the highlights of this budget phone is its 6.52-inch IPS LCD screen with a resolution of 1600 x 720 pixels (HD+). Sure, it won’t compete with AMOLED displays in color vibrancy or contrast ratios, but for basic usage—like browsing, streaming content, and social media—the screen holds up fairly well.

With a refresh rate of 60Hz, the mblu 21 delivers standard motion smoothness, which is acceptable in this price category. Outdoor visibility is decent, thanks to a peak brightness of about 400 nits, although use in direct sunlight may require some squinting.

Performance and Internals

Under the hood, the Meizu mblu 21 is powered by the UNISOC T603 chipset—a relatively lesser-known SoC that focuses on efficiency and cost. It’s coupled with 4GB of RAM and internal storage options of 64GB or 128GB. The device uses UFS 2.2 storage, slightly faster than traditional eMMC, making app loading times a bit snappier than in other phones in its class.

  • Processor: UNISOC T603, Octa-core
  • RAM: 4GB
  • Storage: 64GB / 128GB, expandable via microSD
  • GPU: PowerVR GE8322

This configuration is not designed for high-end gaming or multi-tasking several heavy apps, but it can handle day-to-day tasks like messaging, browsing, and light video streaming with no major hiccups. It’s surprisingly responsive for its price, though you’ll notice some slowdowns under heavy load.

Software and User Experience

The mblu 21 runs on Meizu’s custom OS, which is based on Android 13 (Go Edition). This lightweight version of Android is optimized for devices with lower RAM and processing capabilities, ensuring smoother performance across the system. The interface is clean, with minimal bloatware, and integrates well with Google Services.

Though it doesn’t feature all the bells and whistles of standard Android 13, such as high-level multitasking or AI enhancements, it makes essential tasks streamlined and efficient. Users new to smartphones or switching from feature phones will appreciate the intuitive user interface.

Camera Capabilities

On the back, the Meizu mblu 21 features a dual-camera system consisting of a 13MP main sensor and a 2MP depth sensor. It’s not a setup for photography enthusiasts, but it gets the job done for casual shots and social media posts.

Picture quality in daylight conditions is good enough, capturing satisfying detail and accurate color tones. However, low-light performance is quite limited, with noise and softness creeping into images. The front camera houses a 5MP sensor, suitable for basic selfies and video calls.

Camera software features include:

  • Portrait Mode
  • HDR support
  • Panorama
  • Basic AI scene recognition

Video recording maxes out at 1080p at 30fps for both the front and rear cameras. No stabilization features are included, so handheld footage can appear shaky without careful handling.

Battery Life and Charging

Battery capacity is a strong point for the mblu 21. With its 5000mAh battery, users can expect a solid full day of use or even longer with light to moderate usage. Tasks like watching YouTube, messaging, and scrolling social media barely put a dent in the battery thanks to the power-efficient chipset and HD+ screen resolution.

Charging is done via a USB-C port with support for 18W fast charging. While not lightning-fast, it is better than some competitors at this price level, many of which still come with Micro-USB ports and slower charging bricks.

On average, a full charge from 0% to 100% takes just under two hours, which is acceptable in a budget context.

Connectivity and Extra Features

Connectivity options include all the basics you’d expect:

  • Dual SIM support
  • 4G LTE connectivity (no 5G support)
  • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • 3.5mm headphone jack
  • Expandable storage up to 512GB via microSD

Notably, the lack of NFC and 5G puts the mblu 21 clearly in the low-end segment, but those omissions are reasonable considering the price point. The inclusion of dual SIM slots and expandable storage provides flexible use for work and personal life, which many users value highly.

Price and Value Proposition

Perhaps the most attractive aspect of the Meizu mblu 21 is its starting price of approximately $100 USD. That figure positions it squarely against other ultra-budget contenders like the Redmi A2, Realme C30, and Samsung Galaxy A04.

In comparison, the mblu 21 holds several advantages such as better storage speeds (UFS 2.2) and a cleaner software interface. Its design, while modest, also feels more put-together than some of its plasticky rivals.

Final Verdict

The Meizu mblu 21 is not trying to wow you with high-end specs or luxurious materials. Instead, it offers a pragmatic solution for users who require a functional smartphone for essential tasks—web browsing, messaging, video playback, and light photography—wrapped in a clean, serviceable design and sold at a wallet-friendly price.

For first-time smartphone users, senior citizens, or anyone looking for a reliable secondary device, the mblu 21 delivers excellent value without pushing excessive features that go underutilized. In today’s budget phone race, it manages to stand out—not by being flashy, but by simply being smart.

Pros:

    <liLarge 5000mAh battery

    <liClean and usable Android Go experience

    <liSolid performance for everyday use

    <liAffordable pricing

Cons:

    <liNo 5G or NFC

    <liAverage camera performance

    <liOnly 60Hz refresh rate

If you’re in the market for a capable and reliable low-cost smartphone, the Meizu mblu 21 is certainly worth a closer look.</p