It has become a tradition for manufacturers to announce a slate of accessories when they unveil a new flagship. Meizu is no different. Alongside the Meizu 16s, it also announced the Meizu POP 2 wireless earbuds, the Meizu EP63 Noise Canceling Headphones, a Hi-Fi DAC, Meizu Urban Backpack, and the J-belt.
Meizu POP 2
The Meizu POP launched on April 22 last year. A year later, Meizu has followed it up with a second-generation model. We reviewed the original, and other than the limited battery life and occasional lags, there were no other issues.
The Meizu POP 2 keeps the design of the original. It comes in white and has a blue halo ring of light on the outside. The case also seems to have remained unchanged. However, Meizu has made some changes on the inside.
The Meizu POP 2 earbuds weigh less at 5.4 grams each. They also have smaller batteries 55mAh as against the original’s 85mAh but even though the battery capacity has been reduced, the battery life has more than doubled. The POP 2 lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge, up from its predecessor’s 3 hours! The POP 2 is able to have a better battery life even with a smaller battery capacity as a result of the switch to Bluetooth 5.0 LE which requires less power than Bluetooth 4.2. One of the advantages of Bluetooth 5.0 is that audio devices also make use of Low Energy.
You don’t only get more battery life from the earbuds but also from the case whose battery capacity has also been cut down by half to 350mAh from 700mAh. Meizu says users will get an additional 16 hours with the case. The case charges via a USB Type-C port but there is no mention of wireless charging support.
The earbuds use a graphene diaphragm for better audio. They can also be used to receive calls and also call up the voice assistant.
The best part of the POP 2 is its price as its launch price is lesser than the original. The POP 2 is priced at ¥399 (~$59), ¥100 (~$15) lesser than the original. It is already available for purchase on the official website, on Tmall, and on JD.com. Those who purchase the Meizu 16s alongside the POP 2 will get ¥50 ($7) off the price of the earbuds.
Meizu EP63NC Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones
The EP63NC is Meizu’s first wireless active noise canceling headphones. It has a neckband design and has a built-in AMS intelligent noise reduction chip. Meizu says it also supports aptX-HD.
The EP63NC has a battery capacity of 175mAh and a playback time of 11 hours. A 15-minute charge will provide up to 3 hours of listening time. The headphones connect via Bluetooth 5.0 and like the POP 2, has an IPX5 rating. It also works with the voice assistant.
The EP63NC Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones comes in black and has a retail price of ¥499 (~$74). It will be available for purchase on May 1 on Meizu’s official website, JD.com, Suning, and Tmall.
Meizu Hi-Fi DAC Headphone Adapter
If you still love wired headphones, Meizu has got something for you too. The Meizu Hi-Fi DAC Headphone Adapter connects to the USB Type-C port of your device and allows you to listen to Hi-Fi audio using your current wired headphones. It has a built-in Cirrus Logic CS43131 DAC for 32bit/384KHz audio. The DAC also has an impedance of up to 600Ω. It weighs just 4 grams and works with Android, Windows, and MacOS.
The Hi-Fi DAC has a price tag of ¥169 (~$25) and will be available on April 28 on the online website and on Tmall. Those who purchase it alongside the Meizu 16s will be able to purchase it for ¥99 (~$15).
Meizu Urban Backpack
Xiaomi makes backpacks, OnePlus makes backpacks, even Honor makes backpacks. Meizu also joined the backpack train back in 2016 and now it is back with a new model.
The new Meizu Urban Backpack has a 650D Oxford fabric on the outside with a water-resistant coating. It comes in gray and black variants with a design that hides all the seams. The interior is made from 100% polyester fiber. There are multiple compartments including dedicated ones for your computer (15.6”) and tablet. There is also a compartment on the outside for your phone or a snack that is hidden from passersby.
The backpack has an ergonomic design with a weight distribution system that removes strain on your spine, spleen, and waist. The shoulders have a mesh design for ventilation and a thickness of 10mm.
The Meizu Urban Backpack weighs 986 grams and measures 43.5 x 32 x 15 centimeters. It is priced at ¥169 (~$25).
J-Belt
The J-belt is the most expensive product after the Meizu 16s itself that Meizu launched today and probably the most ridiculous. It is a knitted belt (mKnit process) inspired/designed by Meizu founder, J. Wong. It is woven from 100% cotton and has a hand-polished stainless steel buckle.
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It comes in three sizes (97cm x 3.2cm, 105cm x 3.2cm, and 113cm x 3.2cm) and a single color variant – Flight Blue. Meizu is asking for ¥699 (~$104) for the belt! Yes, you read that right.
