After the Black Shark 2 was released just a year ago, today its worthy
successor, the much anticipated Black Shark 3, that
Tryeweb will be writing
a review on. For this new model, still geared towards gaming, the Xiaomi
subsidiary has made various modifications (notably by removing one of the two
detachable joysticks), with a smartphone with a very attractive technical
sheet. The price still keeps everyone in shock (in a good way) it cost just
$659.90 “only”. Read Trybeweb’s full review of the Black Shark 3 Beast.
smartphone
gaming market seems to be struggling to take off, but that does not prevent
Black Shark (as well as other competitors) from doing everything to
establish itself in this niche market.
XXL smartphone (which displays 222 grams on the scale), with a very large
6.67-inch screen, with a speaker at each end. Under the hood, a Snapdragon
865 processor (5G compatible), coupled with 8 GB (or 12 GB) of RAM, not to
mention a 4720 mAh battery and internal storage in UFS 3.0. In short, a real
little monster is what we should call this device.
a rather complex grip, which is due to its thick (and heavy) terminal. On
the look side, the Black Shark 3 displays a very pronounced “gaming” side,
with an X Core Diamondback, without forgetting the brand logo in the center,
which lights up when a notification is received. For people familiar to
smaller sized phones like the OnePlus 6T, the Black Shark 3 would seem quite
huge, and the handling isn’t portable.
without the slightest notch or punch on the screen. No borderless experience
here because there are borders at the top and bottom of the screen. Going
into Settings menu allows you to make changes to various settings, including
activation of 90 Hz mode, instead of the default 60 Hz.
side, the Black Shark 3 is far from the standards used by certain flagship
devices from notable companies such as the OnePlus 8, the
iPhone 11, or the Galaxy S20, and we have to admit that this Black Shark 3 is a bit
odd-looking.
Usability and Performance
From a strict user comfort point of view, in addition to the heaviness of
the smartphone, Trybeweb quickly noticed two faults in handling, namely the
standby button and the volume button, all placed very high, on each side of
the screen. Basically, holding the smartphone in one hand, it’s just
impossible for most users to reach the buttons in question (taking
screenshots might be a problem here).
fingerprint sensor (and also located quite high), but above all a fairly
the phone is good. The Black Shark 3 is fast in terms of user interface
and everyday use (messages, social networks, web, YouTube, etc.), the
Black Shark 3 is also a powerhouse when it comes to video games. All the
games we tested were launched in the “Max” mode (Max mode is a feature in
the phone used for gaming).
the screen display is just too glorious. For its part, the Joy UI 11
interface (derived from
Android 10) is a huge success from the company. Despite its “gaming” side, the
Black Shark 3 remains a “real” smartphone, with a rather neutral
interface, which one can easily be customized at leisure.
Black Shark 3 Built For Gaming
(and for that matter located very low), allows you to switch to Shark
Space 3.0 mode. This is a 100% gaming mode, which automatically stops
certain applications, and gives quick access to the games saved on the
smartphone. A dedicated menu (the Gamer Studio) allows you to make various
settings, and everything is obviously compatible with the new accessories
specifically added to this Black Shark 3.
Nintendo Switch with its two detachable controllers, here on this latest
model, we have a single pad, wedged on the upper part of the smartphone
(on the left once the smartphone is held horizontally). No controller on
the right hand therefore, I believe this was done in accordance with the
various feedback from players, who are content with touch controls.
comes with this device, and it requires tedious remapping of keys (when
possible). Note that it is possible to opt-in for a small accessory, to
clip on the GamePad 3, to add 2 additional buttons, and transform the
latter into a small wireless controller (which looks a lot like a
joy-con).
are like pliers), but which then obstructs access to the volume keys. When
the gamepad is connected, you lose control of the Volume button (thanks
for this Genius idea Black Shark).
FunCooler, optional at € 32.90) to be connected via USB and clipped to the
back of the smartphone. So yes, it is rather (very) efficient, and silent,
but with its pad, its clamp, its fan (to be wired in USB) and its magnetic
charger, the Black Shark 3, already not very glorious in terms of
portability, simply becomes agonizing, and grossly heavy, to use.
certain games, with an interesting side “portable console“, but for
many, who are interested in games that require moving the smartphone at
any time, it wouldn’t be fun playing and still having to carry around with
a controller, support, a cooling fan.
with the consumption of the various accessories attached, drains the 2
batteries in a few hours. Fortunately, the smartphone is compatible with
Quick Charge 4.0 65W recharge (charger supplied), and you can enjoy a
full recharge in less than 40 minutes.
The BlackShark 3 Camera
the camera aspect of being a smartphone, it has a triple sensor driven
by a 64-megapixel wide-angle module, coupled with an ultra-wide
13-megapixel lens and a lens 5 megapixels.
performance, especially in good light conditions. As soon as the external
light becomes more scarce, the Black Shark 3 is a little less flamboyant,
but the results are still very good despite everything, with the added
bonus of an ultra-fast trigger. This phone is not at the level of the best
photophones on the market of course, but the Black Shark 3 is adorned with
a Camera that is highly unexpected from a gaming smartphone.
camera. Note that the smartphone is also capable of filming in 4K @ 60fps,
but this will often be at the expense of its stabilization.
The Black Shark 3 for daily use
smartphone, very fast, and gives pride of place to multimedia content.
One of the great strengths of this smartphone, aside from the
inexpensive price (just $659.90), we enjoy an excellent screen, a 5G
compatible smartphone, and a technical sheet of the highest order,
worthy of being compared to most flagship phones valued at almost $1000.
ultra-fast terminal, you might still be interested in this Black Shark 3.
However, unlike “classic” smartphones, you will need to struggle here in
the face of a pretty abominable grip and a particularly heavy smartphone
and not always very pleasant to use.
Trybeweb’s opinion on the Black Shark 3
little “Nintendo Switch 2.0” side, this Black Shark 3 leaves a rather
mixed impression. Yes, the smartphone is ultra-fast, ultra-efficient,
and offers itself as a bonus a very successful camera in addition to 5G
compatibility, but in the context of daily “classic” use, the device
quickly displays real faults.
the Black Shark 3 is also not flawless on the gaming side, with its
accessories that lack portability (the GamePad in a clamp that obstructs
the volume key) and games which are, quite often, incompatible with the
said accessory.
to anyone who wants an extra edge when it comes to gaming speed, user
interface, and fair price.