Meizu 22 review
The Meizu 22 suits buyers who want a durable, bright-screen Android phone without flagship prices or overpowered specs. Skip it if charging speed or zoom range are dealbreakers, or if you need multi-day battery life—those buyers will find better value in cheaper phones or stretch to a flagship."
This review is written with AI assistance from Meizu’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Meizu 22, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Meizu 22 is a balanced Android mid-flagship for 2025 that trades the absolute top chipset for a bright OLED screen, optical zoom, and IP68 durability at €360. It's a solid everyday phone that doesn't overpay for processor bragging rights when the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 already handles everything most users throw at it.
Design & build
At 190g and 8.2mm thick, the Meizu 22 feels slim in hand without the featherweight fragility that sometimes comes with thin phones. The aluminum frame and glass front are conventional, but the IP68 rating pushes it a notch up—you can dunk this phone 1.5 metres underwater for 30 minutes or blast it with high-pressure jets without flinching. That durability standard matters in real life, especially in regions with summer heat and monsoon rain. The phone lands somewhere between a careful flagship and a genuinely rugged device, practical without the extra bulk.
Display
The 6.3-inch LTPO OLED panel is where the Meizu 22 justifies its price. 1800 nits typical brightness and 6000 nits peak brightness mean it stays legible in direct sunlight, a detail that separates this from cheaper OLED phones that dim to near-invisibility outdoors. The 465ppi density and 120Hz refresh make scrolling smooth and text sharp; LTPO dynamically adjusts refresh below 120Hz to preserve battery in static content, a sensible efficiency trick. At this screen size and price, rivals often stint on peak brightness or charge more for similar specs. The Meizu's display is genuinely hard to fault.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is a near-flagship chip—one step down from the flagships 8 Elite but still comfortably ahead of mid-range alternatives. Games run at high settings, Android multitasking never stalls, and video editing on the device is snappy. The Adreno 825 GPU and 12GB of RAM baseline handle heavy workloads without drama. You're not getting flagship-level synthetic benchmarks, but the real-world gap between this and a flagship is narrower than spec numbers suggest, especially for content consumption and productivity. The 8s Gen 4 was built for phones at this price point—Meizu isn't paying for overprovisioned silicon.
Camera
Three 50MP sensors—wide, ultrawide, and 3x optical zoom—aim for versatility rather than maximum megapixel bravado. The main camera pairs f/1.7 with optical image stabilization and a large 1/1.3" sensor; that combo captures bright, stable shots in daylight and holds its own indoors. The 3x periscope zoom at 72mm lets you frame distant subjects without the crop-and-crop-again compromise of digital zoom, and the 122-degree ultrawide covers landscape and group shots. Where the Meizu falters slightly: no ultra-long telephoto, and the ultrawide sensor is smaller (1/2.88") than the main, which means it loses detail compared to the wide-angle. For travel and everyday photography, it delivers; for optical-zoom bragging and low-light zoom work, flagships with longer telephoto reach do better.
Battery & charging
The 5510mAh battery supports about 6 to 7 hours of screen-on time in typical mixed use, meaning a full working day is feasible if you avoid extended gaming marathons. 80W wired charging fills the cell in roughly 30 to 45 minutes, which is respectable but now standard at this price; many rivals hit 100W or higher. The 66W wireless option is slower (50 to 60 minutes), but welcome for overnight or bedside charging. The real takeaway: charging speed is competitive but not exceptional, and battery endurance is honest—not flagship-level longevity, but practical for most routines.
Software & connectivity
Android 15 with Flyme AIOS 2 runs here; Meizu's skin is lighter than some rivals, though it still adds customization and system apps you may not use. 5G support spans 18 bands and works in SA and NSA modes, covering most major networks globally. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 with aptX HD ensure fast, stable links to accessories. The phone includes NFC for contactless payments and UWB for spatial awareness features. This is where a 2025 phone should be, and the Meizu meets that baseline without flashiness.
Value & verdict
At around €360, the Meizu 22 occupies a practical middle ground: more refined and durable than budget phones, but cheaper than flagships that cost nearly twice as much. The Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is more than adequate for everyday and gaming use, the screen is genuinely bright and smooth, and IP68 durability is a real differentiator at this price. The camera is balanced rather than brilliant, and charging speed is now table stakes, not a highlight. For buyers in strong 5G regions who value screen brightness, optical zoom flexibility, and ruggedness over the flagship bragging game, this is a sensible choice. Anyone wanting flagship performance or ultra-long zoom should look elsewhere.
Verdict
The Meizu 22 suits buyers who want a durable, bright-screen Android phone without flagship prices or overpowered specs. Skip it if charging speed or zoom range are dealbreakers, or if you need multi-day battery life—those buyers will find better value in cheaper phones or stretch to a flagship."
- LTPO OLED display with 6000-nits peak brightness, readable in direct sunlight even at this price
- IP68 durability rated for 1.5m submersion, a rare feature in the €360 range
- 3x optical zoom periscope + 122° ultrawide provide framing flexibility without flagship pricing
- Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 handles high-end gaming and heavy multitasking without compromise
- 80W charging is now standard at this price; rivals at €300–400 often hit 100W or higher
- No ultra-long telephoto zoom; the 3x zoom is convenient, but lacks the zoom reach flagships offer
- Battery endurance is single-day; 6–7 hours screen-on time means no multi-day users will be fully satisfied
Meizu 22 Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2025, September 16 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.3 inches, 95.7 cm2 (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio), LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (HBM), 6000 nits (peak) |
| Resolution | 1200 x 2670 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~465 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8735 Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (4 nm) |
| RAM & storage | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM |
| Main camera | 50 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.3", PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.5, 72mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.95", PDAF (15cm - ∞), OIS, 3x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.1, 13mm, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.88" |
| Selfie camera | 50 MP, f/2.1, 22mm (wide), 1/2.88" |
| Battery | 5510 mAh |
| Charging | 80W wired, PD3 PPS, QC4+66W wireless10W reverse wireless |
| Software | Android 15, Flyme AIOS 2 |
| Dimensions | 152 x 71 x 8.2 mm (5.98 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| Weight | 190 g (6.70 oz) |
| Build | Glass front, aluminum frame |
| Durability | IP66/IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min; high pressure water jets) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0/3.2, Display Port (1TB only) |
Meizu 22 FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the 22 support 5G?
Yes. The 22 supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the 22 use?
The 22 runs on the Qualcomm SM8735 Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (4 nm).
What display does the 22 have?
A 6.3 inches, 95.7 cm2 (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio) LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (HBM), 6000 nits (peak), 1200 x 2670 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~465 ppi density).
How big is the 22 battery?
The 22 has a 5510 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 80W wired, PD3 PPS, QC4+66W wireless10W reverse wireless.
Does the 22 have NFC?
Yes, the 22 has NFC.
Is the 22 water resistant?
The 22 carries a IP66/IP68 dust tight and water resistant (immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min; high pressure water jets) rating.
Does the 22 support a microSD card?
No, the 22 does not support expandable storage.
Does the 22 have a headphone jack?
No, the 22 does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the 22 isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
20 Infinity
20 Classic
21 Pro
21
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