Last month we heard rumours about how “Black Shark”, Xiaomi’s gaming subbrand, was developing a Razer Phone competitor, largely in thanks to Xiaomi’s continued investment in the company which has thrust them into the spotlight. The phone has finally been officially confirmed and we can finally learn about its major specifications, as well as its first peripheral. It is also understood that Black Shark will be announcing more peripherals over the lifespan of the device. The Black Shark Gaming Phone is already available for pre-order and it will start shipping on the 20th of April, though it is currently unknown if the device will see a western launch.
Xiaomi’s Black Shark Gaming Phone Specifications
| Specs | Black Shark Gaming Phone |
|---|---|
| CPU | Snapdragon 845 @ 2.8GHz w/ Adreno 630 GPU |
| RAM | LPDDR4X @ 6GB or 8GB |
| Storage | UFS 2.1 64GB or 128GB |
| Display | 5.99-inch 2160×1080 IPS LCD @ 60Hz |
| Battery | 4,000 mAh supporting QuickCharge 3.0 |
| Colours | Polar Night & Sky Gray |
A gaming phone needs to have the best of the best in terms of specifications, even just to future proof itself given that phone hardware is at the stage where it is constantly evolving and changing. Anything less than the Snapdragon 845 powering this device would have left it dead on arrival. With the Adreno 630 GPU on board, it’s currently the best solution for high-performance mobile gaming — hopefully, the Black Shark’s thermal envelope will allow Qualcomm’s latest chipset to shine. In terms of RAM and storage, there are two options: you can get the device with 6GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 64GB of UFS 2.1 storage, or 8GB of LPDDR4X RAM and 128GB of UFS 2.1 storage.
As for the display, you get a 2160×1080 5.99-inch IPS LCD screen at an assumed 60Hz, unlike the Razer Phone’s 120Hz display. Neither Xiaomi nor Black Shark has specified the refresh rate of the display. The lower resolution is likely so that you can squeeze as much performance as possible out of your phone, but it’s a shame for anyone buying the device for virtual reality, especially when some competitors’ game management tools or core software allow for resolution scaling. You also get a 4,000mAh non-removable battery which can be charged via QuickCharge 3.0, meaning that it should charge relatively quickly as well.
The Black Shark features a dual-camera arrangement comprised of 12-megapixel (1.25um pixel size, PDAF) and 20-megapixel (1.0um pixel size, PDAF) sensors, with both cameras having a f/1.75 aperture. The singular front facing camera is 20MP (1.0um pixel size) with a f/2.2 aperture. There is also a “professional microphone” onboard, but it’s unknown what exactly the company means by professional. Other features include dual SIM card slots, a “liquid cooling system” which the company says will drop CPU temperatures by roughly 8°C and a “SHARK” button which enables a special high-performance mode. The included liquid cooling system is likely why the device is thicker than most, coming in at 9.35mm and weighing 190 grams. There’s also a fingerprint sensor built into the phone’s home button. It also runs Black Shark’s custom Android skin, JOY UI, not Xiaomi’s MIUI as previously suspected. The lack of headphone jack may come as an annoyance to some, given that this is a gaming phone many may want to charge their phone and play games with headphones at the same time. There is also a single bottom-firing speaker, but the earpiece can double up for a stereo audio experience. The phone will come in two colour variants, Polar Night and Sky Gray. 
In terms of radios, you get an X shaped radio antenna built into the frame of the phone for a better grip, along with the following LTE bands: FDD-LTE – band B1/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12; TD-LTE – B34/B38/B39/B40/B41.
The first peripheral the device is launching with is the Black Shark gamepad, which will be offered for free for the company’s first 50,000 customers. It connects to the phone via Bluetooth and comes with its own 340mAh battery which can be recharged. It features a single joystick which can be used for movement in some of your favourite mobile games like PUBG – so long as the game you’re playing supports it, that is.
The Black Shark Gamepad
The phone is available for pre-order from JD.com until April 20th, when it can then be ordered normally. The 6GB/64GB variant costs CNY2,999 which translates to $477. The 8GB/128GB variant will set you back a little more, costing CNY3,499, which is roughly $557. Xiaomi’s influence is clearly relevant here, given the highly competitive pricing. If you want to buy the gamepad separately, it’ll cost you CNY179 (about $28).
Via: Android Headlines
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