MobileReview
Meridian 3 Pro review: a brilliant camera phone with a battery problem
The best zoom camera we’ve used on a phone, paired with battery life that struggles to survive a busy day.
By Hana Sato
Meridian’s phones have always been camera-first, and the 3 Pro doubles down: a new periscope zoom lens, a larger main sensor and processing that finally tames the over-sharpening of previous models.
The camera
The 5x zoom is the best we’ve used on a phone. Concert shots from the back of a venue came out crisp and natural, and portraits at 3x have a flattering, lens-like quality. Low-light photos are bright without looking fake.
The battery
Here’s the problem. On days with heavy camera use and navigation, the 3 Pro was down to 10 percent by early evening. On lighter days it made it to bedtime — just. And 30W charging feels slow when rivals refill in half the time.
“The most exciting camera of the year lives inside a phone you’ll be nervous to leave the house with.”
Written by
Hana Sato
Senior Mobile Writer
Hana covers phones, watches and cameras. Before joining Vector she spent six years as a mobile engineer, which makes her very hard to impress.
More from Hana
