Black Shark 5 Pro review: excellent gaming phone, but how much it costs!

A couple of months after the announcement, Black Shark has also brought the smartphones of the new 5 series to Italy. These are Black Shark 5 and Black Shark 5 Pro, two smartphones that bet all their cards on the world of mobile gaming and that offer interesting solutions for anyone looking for a device that exactly meets this need: to offer a more comfortable gaming environment.

We had the opportunity to try the Pro version in the 12/256 GB configuration for a few weeks and now we are ready to tell you about our experience! Before starting, however, it is good to make the usual distinction when it comes to this category of smartphones: consider them only if you are really looking for a phone designed for gaming, not if you are looking for an inexpensive top of the range .

Gaming phones, in general, in fact tend to heavily unbalance the composition of their offer towards the theme of games, very evidently neglecting other superfluous sectors such as photography, the care of the UI and the long-term support given by the updates. With Black Shark 5 Pro these pillars don’t change, so if your idea is to bring home a high-end SoC at a good price, there are other alternatives to turn to.

• DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING QUALITY
• DISPLAY: AN EXCELLENT TOP OF THE RANGE PANEL
• SOFTWARE: MIUI 13 UNDER LIES
• EXPERIENCE OF USE: POWER NOT TO END
• DATA SHEET
• PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPARTMENT: NOT BAD FOR A GAMING PHONE
• CONCLUSIONS

DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING QUALITY

black shark 5 pro review excellent gaming phone, but how much it costs

Black Shark 5 Pro is a smartphone with dimensions in line with those of a high-end device of 2022, with the exception of two elements. The first concerns the weight, slightly above the average with its 220 grams , while the second is the thickness of 9.5 mm , a little higher than a classic top of the range but in line with the other famous gaming phones. The other measurements are 163.9 x 76.5 mm .

Overall, the smartphone is very solid and still holds well in the hand , also thanks to a rounded design that never annoys the palm of the hand with unnecessary edges. The frame is made of aluminum , while the back is protected by a high quality polycarbonate panel . During the first days of use it seemed to us that it was a good frosted glass , but with the passing of the days the real composition of the back became increasingly clear, especially due to its thermal properties that are decidedly different from glass. This is to say that even a polycarbonate panel can be very nice and pleasant to the touch.

The weight of 220 grams is well balanced and is justified by the presence of several hardware goodies on this Black Shark 5 Pro , starting with the physical back triggers with magnetic support, the adoption of a double symmetrical stereo speaker and the presence of a particularly advanced dissipation . Black Shark calls it Anti-gravity Dual VC Liquid Cooling , a certainly captivating name that hides – more simply – the presence of two vapor chambers on both sides of the smartphone, connected by different copper columns that allow the transmission of heat in a manner uniform.

All elements that ultimately determine a weight that is certainly above average, but still motivated. Remaining in terms of temperatures, the structure adopted by Black Shark for this smartphone uses the aluminum frame as the main dissipation channel , which can cause some minor inconveniences . This is because the heat produced ends up directly in the user’s hands, making the smartphone even hot in the most excited situations . The absence of a rear glass also eliminates that potential heat vent , further aggravating the situation.

On the design front we obviously find ourselves in front of a pure gaming phone, which expresses its belonging to this category with a definitely tamarro retro – but we have seen worse – and with the presence of the inevitable rear RGB LED whose behavior can be customized. at will from the dedicated suite.

DISPLAY: AN EXCELLENT TOP OF THE RANGE PANEL

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black shark 5 pro review excellent gaming phone, but how much it costs 1

Black Shark 5 Pro is equipped with a 10-bit SuperAMOLED display made by Samsung, more precisely a past generation E4 . We are talking about a high-level screen as regards the overall quality of the panel which, although not exactly at the top of current technologies, offers a visual rendering comparable to that of the best top of the range of the last generation.

The panel in question is a 6.67 “unit and offers an FHD + resolution of 2,400 x 1,080 pixels , with a pixel density of just under 400 ppi. Three of its other features include support for the HDR10 + standard, DC dimming , 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 range and a declared peak brightness of 1,300 nits . We have never had any problem using it outdoors, considering that there is also the classic feature that allows you to maximize readability under light direct sunlight, to the detriment of chromatic fidelity.

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The screen also supports a high refresh rate of up to 144 Hz , although the latter is only achievable in some well-defined scenarios. In particular , it is necessary to force it from the Shark Space for each individual game , while in everyday use scenarios the phone is limited to reaching 120 Hz . For heaven’s sake, nothing particularly penalizing, but it is good to know that 144 Hz are not always available, given that the best compromise between fluidity and balance of autonomy is always the expensive 90 Hz, which can be set in the dedicated menu.

SOFTWARE: MIUI 13 UNDER LIES

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The link between Black Shark and Xiaomi is certainly not a mystery, which is why we are not surprised that the Joy UI 13 of Black Shark 5 Pro is actually based on MIUI 13 and Android 12 . In fact, the experience of daily use does not differ in any way from that of any Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone, except for the presence of an interface characterized by darker shades inspired by the world of gaming, with all the strengths and weaknesses typical of the MIUI that we have known for some time now.

The main differences concern the implementation of the Shark Space 4.0 and all the software dedicated to the management of the back triggers and the pressure sensitive display areas. As we told you on the occasion of the Poco F4 GT review, even on Black Shark 5 Pro it is possible to take advantage of the removable triggers to start quick shortcuts , such as taking a screenshot or starting the flashlight, and here we also find the possibility to set additional ones that can be linked to the pressure of the force touch areas of the display.

Overall, the software experience is therefore very close to any Xiaomi smartphone, however it is immediately perceived that in this case we are talking about a product that has clearly not been designed for our market. This can be understood mainly from the classic incorrect or incomplete translations of all those aspects that are beyond the competences of MIUI , that is, those that regulate the typical aspects of the Black Shark 5 Pro, such as the management of the game mode and the particular menu dedicated to energy settings.

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Black Shark’s update policy is completely uncertain , a common trait with many other gaming phones. In this case we are in our hands a smartphone that in any case starts from Android 12, has the March security patches and integrates complete Widevine L1 support , so from this point of view we start well. Of course, we hope that Black Shark intervenes on a regular basis to correct all the small errors – mainly related to translations or errors in adapting the software to the smartphone – but it is better not to have too many expectations in this regard.

Do you want an example of an error in adapting the software to the smartphone ? Occasionally some screens require the user to place their finger on the display to perform biometric authentication; pity that Black Shark 5 Pro has a side fingerprint sensor on the power key (which works very well), so the interface shown is completely disconnected from the product in question. Staying on the subject of unlocks, we point out that facial recognition is also fast and accurate .

The Shark Space 4.0 is instead the classic launcher dedicated to the collection of games in one place and the possibility of intervening on some specific aspects, such as the complete blocking of notifications during the execution of a title and the possibility of programming the triggers. backbones to perform touch actions. This is a solution that we have known for several years now and there are no particular news in this regard, except for the fact that Black Shark 5 Pro is one of the few smartphones to offer physical and non-touch or ultrasonic triggers.

These can be extracted by moving the respective magnetic switches on the right side of the smartphone and offer much higher feedback than any other non-physical control. Obviously we are not on the levels of practicality of a real controller, also because the stroke is very limited – similar to that of a volume rocker – and in general they do not offer feedback that leaves its mark, however the interaction is certainly better than other solutions.

The other functions of the Shark Space allow you to apply custom settings for each game, such as the ability to choose the CPU / GPU performance level (levels are 3, balanced, stellar and exaggerated), the refresh rate of the display, anti-aliasing level, texture filter, and so on. Each game can therefore enjoy a level of customization that allows us to push it to the maximum of possibilities or to tackle it in a more conservative way to preserve autonomy.

Once a game has been started, it is possible to call up the Shark Space menu by swiping from the top right corner of the screen, in order to quickly access elements such as the configuration of the back triggers, blocking notifications, cleaning the RAM and having real-time information about the frame rate and resource consumption of the smartphone. In short, all that is expected from a dedicated gaming suite.

EXPERIENCE OF USE: POWER NOT TO END

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If there is one aspect in which the Black Shark 5 Pro is unrivaled, it is that of performance . On the other hand, in a gaming smartphone you are looking for just this and the team of the Chinese company did not disappoint, even if to achieve this result it had to sacrifice something in terms of temperature management, as highlighted above.

The smartphone is equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 ( a pity it didn’t manage to get the 8 + Gen 1 ) that never misses a beat, even in the most intense scenarios . Whether you are playing Genshin Impact to the max or the new Diablo Immortal with all the most advanced graphics options, Black Shark 5 Pro manages to guarantee an enviable stability of the gaming experience even after the classic 5-10 minutes.

Usually this is the threshold that causes a drop in performance due to the entry into the game of thermal throttling, but in the case of Black Shark 5 Pro you can continue to play without any problem for hours ( battery permitting, but we get there ) without experiencing significant performance drops, as long as you can live with the heat generated (or maybe you’re using an external controller!). The demonstration of this stability also comes from 3D Mark ‘s Wild Life Extreme stress test , where the smartphone maintained 95.3% performance even after the 20 test cycles , reaching a maximum score of 2,578 and a minimum of 2,456. ; really not bad for a chip that is certainly not as cool as Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.

The experience in the emulation phase is also decidedly positive, also considering that Black Shark 5 Pro offers full support for video output via Type-C . In this way it is possible to reproduce even on a big screen the classics PS2 (thanks to AetherSX2), GameCube / Wii (Dolphin), PSP (PPSSPP) and many more ( holy Retroarch ). The performances are extremely convincing even on the most resource-hungry titles and even in this case we do not see performance drops that can interfere with the excellent emulation quality, even when we go to higher resolutions than the native ones. Obviously the back triggers are particularly comfortable in this scenario as well, but an external controller is the real solution to be preferred.

To guarantee an excellent level of performance is not only the SoC and the effectiveness of the dissipation system, but also the fact that the Pro version of Black Shark 5 is equipped with better quality components than the standard version (based on Snapdragon 870) . Among these we mention the UFS 3.1 enhanched memories , capable of reaching almost 2 GB / s in reading and well over 1.4 GB / s in writing, or the LPDDR5 RAM at 6,400 MHz , against the usual 5,500 MHZ. Unfortunately the international version is not equipped with one of the main goodies of the Chinese variant, that is an additional SSD memory module, so we cannot give you opinions in this regard.

The audio sector is also excellent, which thanks to the use of two symmetrical stereo speakers allows you to enjoy a volume and a quality that is difficult to find elsewhere. This is because the second speaker is not the usual headset on steroids , but it is exactly the same that we also find in the lower part of the smartphone, proposed a second time to guarantee a perfectly balanced audio. It’s just a shame that a 3.5mm jack or a second Type-C port is missing , in order to take advantage of a higher quality pair of wired headphones during gaming sessions.

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black shark 5 pro review excellent gaming phone, but how much it costs 9

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As for the recharge , we point out that the wireless one is completely absent, however we find the very fast one at 120 W wired , made possible by the large power supply in the package ( which also includes a cover ). The 4,650 mAh battery that the Black Shark 5 Pro is equipped with can be fully charged from scratch in about 17 minutes using the fastest mode, but you can also slow down a bit in case you are concerned about compromising the health of the battery in the long run. Choosing the second mode takes about 25 minutes, a difference that can certainly be tolerated without any problem, especially if it preserves more battery life.

Battery which, however, certainly cannot work miracles with its capacity, given that the 4,650 mAh does not allow you to go much beyond the 5 hours of use of the display in a mixed scenario between gaming and everyday use. The fast recharge allows you to recover all the autonomy in a few minutes, but personally I still do not consider it the solution suitable for all scenarios, even though I appreciate its convenience.

In fact, to be able to enjoy the 120 W, it is necessary to carry around a power supply of almost 200 grams ( it weighs almost as much as the phone ) and with certainly not small dimensions, making it impractical to use the charge in scenarios other than the home one. Sure, you can equip yourself with a quick charger at home and one at your workstation, but it is clear that a level of planning (and additional expenses) is required that absolutely cannot beat a good battery that can offer autonomy without. compromises.

Over 420 grams between phone and charger

Black Shark 5 Pro does not disappoint even under the connectivity front, thanks to full support for 5G, Dual SIM, Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6e . An equipment that does not leave you uncovered in any field, even considering that the smartphone adopts the same completely revised antenna system that we have seen on the Poco F4 GT, which guarantees perfect cellular and Wi-Fi reception regardless of how you hold the phone.

This translates into excellent connection quality both via Wi-Fi and 5G even in particularly extreme scenarios. For example, the smartphone hooks the home network already ( and my apartment is on the seventh floor ) from the street and I have not noticed signal drops even in the elevator, a place where many newer devices tend to go into crisis and have to resort to 3G network.

The excellent coverage of the cellular network also results in a very high quality in calls and also the integrated microphones are able to reproduce our voice very well , even using messaging applications such as Telegram and WhatsApp. And speaking of calls and vocals, the proximity sensor seems to be the classic Xiaomi elliptical, but we did not detect any particular critical issues when we brought the phone close to the face to listen to a voice or during a call. The haptic vibration of the smartphone is also very convincing, which returns a very precise and reliable feedback both during daily use and in all those titles that support it.

DATA SHEET

• Display : 6.67 “, AMOLED Samsung E4, 144 Hz refresh and 720 Hz touch sampling rate, HDR10, maximum brightness 1,300 nit, double pressure sensor
• SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• RAM memory : 8, 12 or 16 GB, LPDDR5
• Storage memory : 256 or 512 GB, UFS 3.1 not expandable
• Cameras :
  • Main rear: 108MP f / 1.75 , 7P lens, 0.7 micron pixels, PDAF,
  • Rear Auxiliary: 13MP (120 ° ultra wide angle) f / 2.4 , 5P lens, 1.12 micron pixel, fixed focus
  • Auxiliary rear: 5 MP (macro telephoto) f / 2.45 , 4P lens, 1.12 micron pixels, autofocus,
  • Front: 16 MP, f / 2.45 , 5P lens, 1 micron pixel
• Battery: 4,650 mAh
• Charging speed : 120W wired
• Connettività: 5G, Dual SIM, Wi-fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, BEIDOU, Galileo
• Other : Heat dissipation with double vapor chamber, magnetic back buttons
• Interface : Joy UI 13 based on MIUI 13 and Android 12
• Dimensions and weight : 163.9 x 76.5 x 9.5 mm and 220 grams
• Colors : Nebula White, Stellar Black

PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPARTMENT: NOT BAD FOR A GAMING PHONE

The photographic sector is certainly not the strong point of a gaming phone and even Black Shark 5 is no exception. This does not mean that it is a bad sector, but it certainly is not aligned with the quality that someone might expect on the price range in which the smartphone is positioned. The comparison is certainly more favorable if instead we consider the category of gaming phones and in this case Black Shark 5 Pro defends itself well and offers shots of a decent quality in almost any light condition.

The main 108 megapixel sensor is Samsung’s well-known HM2 , capable of producing 12 megapixel shots with 9: 1 pixel binning. Overall, the photos produced are not bad and even in night mode you can pull out some usable shots, definitely above average compared to classic competing gaming phones, especially those made by Nubia and Lenovo.

Unfortunately, a camera dedicated to zoom is missing, given that the only tele present – from 5 MegaPixel – is actually designed for macros. This is equipped with autofocus and allows for decent close-up shots, since the large main sensor suffers – like everyone else – when trying to focus on a subject that is too close.

OmniVision’s 13 MegaPixel ultrawide camera is unforgettable, which continues to represent one of the main weaknesses of the photographic sector of any smartphone, which is why even Black Shark 5 Pro is no exception. On the video front, there is the possibility of shooting 4K movies at 60 and 30 fps from the rear main camera, while the front 16 megapixel camera switches to 1080p at 30 fps.

Overall, therefore, we are faced with a sector that is still satisfactory when compared to the category , which does not differ too much from what is seen on other mid-range devices placed on lower price ranges. Obviously we are not talking about a social machine , so if this is one of your needs, it is better to turn your attention elsewhere.

CONCLUSIONS

From what has emerged so far, Black Shark 5 Pro is a classic gaming phone that looks after the substance and offers almost everything you could ask for from a product belonging to this category, when examined in a bubble. The absence of the same L-shaped charging cable present on the Poco F4 GT, which would have made a lot of sense inside the sales package of the Black Shark 5 Pro, even considering that the smartphone – unlike than other gaming phones – it does not have a second Type-C port on the side, so that kind of cable would have made it more practical to use the device even during the charging phase.

And the name of Poco F4 GT also returns when the main problem of the new Black Shark 5 Pro is taken into consideration , namely the fact of having to deal directly with the latter. This year Poco wanted to give a gaming phone characterization to its top of the range with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, positioning it on absolute high list prices for a little, but which make an uncomfortable internal competition.

xiaomi black shark 5 pro	poco f4 gt pic
Xiaomi Black Shark 5 Pro 76.5 x 163.9 x 9.5 mm 6.67 pollici – 2400×1080 px	Poco F4 GT 76.7 x 162.5 x 8.5 mm 6.67 pollici – 2400×1080 px

 

Black Shark 5 Pro is in fact proposed starting from 799 euros for the 8/128 GB version, and then moving on to 899 euros for the 12/256 GB and 999 euros for the 16/256 GB . The first two memory cuts both cost 200 euros more than what is required for the same configurations of Poco F4 GT (599 and 699 euros) and considering the enormous similarities between the two smartphones it is really difficult to find a reason why to prefer the Black. Shark 5 Pro, since elements such as displays, memories, SoCs, triggers, speakers, battery and charging are practically identical between the two smartphones.

The Black Shark gaming phone is an excellent product in an absolute sense – with strengths and weaknesses typical of the category – but which is heavily penalized by a completely out of focus price positioning . Of course, the Black Shark 5 Pro has some interesting goodies on its side, such as very high speed memories (both RAM and UFS 3.1), a higher resolution main camera and the completeness of the Shark Space 4.0 suite. Is it enough to justify the 200 euro difference? Probably not, also considering that the products of these series rarely become the subject of significant discounts, so the introductory price tends to remain practically unchanged during their life cycle.

Anyway, those who are looking for a real gaming phone and do not intend to consider Poco F4 GT, will find in Black Shark 5 a complete and valid product, able to offer an excellent quality display, excellent audio, physical triggers and – above all – a constant level of performance even over time, as you have seen from the tests carried out. A bit more aggressive pricing would have made it really hard not to recommend.

Performance and stability over time Very fast charging at 120 W Excellent multimedia display / audio compartment Complete gaming suite and physical back triggers Complete sales package

Price definitely off target A second Type-C would have been very useful Under stress it gets very hot No IP certifications

VOTE 7.5

Black Shark 5 Pro EU Version 5G Gaming Phone, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Smartphone, 120W Charge, 4650mAh Battery, Magnetic Pop-Up Triggers, 6.67 AMOLED 144Hz, Dual Sim, NFC, 8 + 128GB, Black

799 € 

Black Shark 5 Pro EU Version 5G Gaming Phone, Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Smartphone, 120W Charge, 4650mAh Battery, Magnetic Pop-Up Triggers, 6.67 AMOLED 144Hz, Dual Sim, NFC, 12 + 256GB, Black

899 €