Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro

Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro Review, Pros and Cons – The Xiaomi Black sub-brand is known for providing decent gaming-centric devices, from the mid-range to the flagship giants. Unlike other high-end phones, Black Shark devices come with interesting features that allow users to experience an entirely new gaming experience. Recently, they are preparing to launch the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and Black Shark 4 Pro.

Both smartphones are introduced to the world on March 23 in China and it looks like they will reach the global market. Not to forget, India covers a significant part of gaming smartphones, so you can also see them in the Indian phone market as well with a little change. In addition, we cover an in-depth review of both Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro smartphones.

So, let’s go to the preliminary specs and see what will be achieved with Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro phones and whether it is worth buying or not.

Table of Contents

Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro Review

Highlights

  1. You will receive a mesmerizing 6.67 inches 144Hz Super AMOLED display panel with the advantages of unique brightness settings.
  2. The Xiaomi Black Shark 4 comes with the Snapdragon 870 5G SoC, while the Black Shark 4 Pro arrives with the latest Snapdragon 888 chipset.
  3. In terms of camera specs, the Black Shark 4 Pro smartphone with a 64 MP main snapper, and the non-Pro phone comes with a 48 MP camera.
  4. Although the available battery size is 4500 mAh, the blessing of the 120W fast charging stand is pretty decent.
  5. Both the phones are equipped with the latest Android 11 OS with the dedicated Joy UI 12.5 layering.

Design and Display

Like any classic gaming smartphone, the Black Shark knows how to impress interested buyers. The first impression of the Black Shark 4 Pro and 4 is slightly different compared to previous versions. The Black Shark 3S and Shark 3, where they obtained a thick and bulky design with an attractive graphic layout on the rear.

In the new versions, you are getting a very simple design that offers a minimalist representation with a small twist of the curved body. The inlaid glossy glass offers a fascinating appearance of quality at first sight. Although the phone has an OLED display, the fingerprint is installed on the side panel.

You will get pop-up buttons that allow you a decent gaming experience. You can customize them for L1 R1 to aim and shoot, assign to anything in particular. In addition, the AMOLED panel provides a vigorous color tint with a monstrous 144 Hz refresh rate, but what makes these phones even more incredible is the 720 Hz touch sampling.

With advanced touch sampling, you will have a huge advantage while playing. In addition, the brightness of 1300 nits will present a relevant experience when using the phones in full sunlight. You will be able to identify everything clearly without any resolution problem. speaking of the resolution, here you will get a standard Full HD panel.

Not to forget, there are several fascinating things, such as cooling technology, located just below the screen. These heat receptors work very well to lower the overall temperature which gradually decreases any collateral damage. Although the company has not announced that these phones have Corning Gorilla Glass protection or not.

Memory and Internal

The magic of the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and Black Shark 4 Pro smartphones is that they are equipped with a performance-oriented chipset. From the player’s point of view, they got the best of this year’s best chipset. The Shark 4 phone comes with the relatively new and powerful Snadoparagon 870 chipset, while the latest Snapdragon 888 monstrous power has deployed the Shark 4 Pro.

The best flagship chipset of this year, the Snapdragon 888 is located in the heart of the Shark 4 Pro. In addition, the visual rendering with both Adreno graphics processes is good enough and has not provided any lag. On the other hand, the 192kHz audio quality of the speakers and the 3.5 mm jack come out of the box.

Let’s start with the Black Shark 4, it has 6 GB, 8 GB, and 12 GB of RAM for 128 GB storage in the upper option. It also includes 12 GB of RAM with 256 GB of space. On the other hand, the storage unit goes even further in the Black Shark 4 Pro, as it starts with 8 GB of RAM that goes beyond 12 GB of RAM with 256 GB storage.

The Shark 4 Pro phone is a flagship device in the premium line and has 512 GB of storage packaged with 16 GB of internal RAM. In addition, the funny thing is that the storage used in the 4 Pro is much more advanced than the normal UFS 3.1 technology. Undoubtedly, you will get ample reading and writing speed on this phone.

As for software integration, Android 11 is featured with tons of customization options, while Joy UI 12.5 offers impressive features that focus exclusively on games. The configuration of the interface somehow resembles the setting of a flagship phone. On the other hand, you can play 6 hours of Call of Duty and PUBG gameplay.

Camera

I know you’re thinking something like this, if it’s a gaming smartphone, it might have low-quality specifications on the camera. Well, those things are valid for the Black Shark 3 series, although they still have a three-camera setup, which you can’t expect from a game-centric device anyway.

You can achieve dynamic range with a set of triple-cameras, but I didn’t expect top-notch photo quality either. The image from the 48 MP primary camera of the black shart 4 or the 64 MP camera from the black shark 4 Pro is slightly above average.

The rest of the secondary camera card includes 8MP for the ultrawide camera, while there is also a 5MP macro lens with autofocus capability. Video recording would be a great pleasure, as you can record videos up to 4K at 30fps however, there is no trace of gyro-EIS stabilization technology.

Fortunately, the 20MP selfie camera saves the day in the end. Although photos in low light are not worth it, as you will see the images will not have sharp details and exposure. The overall camera experience is good enough to stand out as a second-rate flagship device.

Battery and Others

Fortunately, you can make the phone remain active for more than 6 hours in simultaneous use. If you are using the Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro phones just to listen to music, you will receive a valuable 4500 mAh battery. In addition, you can watch web series, movies, and games in their highest configuration without worrying about any problem.

At the launch event, employees demonstrated that the battery can charge in just 15 minutes. All credit goes to the 120W super-fast charging block, except that the overall battery capacity is a little low compared to what we expect from these phones. Still, the phones can maintain a slim and attractive design due to the smaller capacity.

In addition, there are a variety of color options like Magic Black, Black, Blue, and Silver, while the 4 Pro comes without Black, dark blue, and silver color variants. The sale takes place on March 26 in China and will be made available to the global market soon. All we can do is wait until these smartphones leave their homeland.

The price range of the Xiaomi Black shark 4 starts at USD 370 (Rs. 26,000 approx.) for 6GB RAM and 128 GB storage, while $100 more for the highest variant of 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. As for the Black Shark 4 Pro smartphone the cost around $600 (Rs. 43,000) for 8GB RAM and 256 GB storage, and the 12GB RAM variant reaches another USD 100.

Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro pros and cons

Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro Specifications Detail

Down below you can see the full specifications of the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro smartphones.

SpecificationsXiaomi Black Shark 4 ProXiaomi Black Shark 4
Network2G, 3G, 4G, 5GSame
AnnouncedMarch 2021Same
SIMDual SIMSame
Dimensions6.45 x 3.01 x 0.39 inches
Physical pop-up gaming triggers
Same
Weight220 g210 g
Size6.67 inchesSame
DisplayAlways-on display
144Hz
HDR10+
1300 nits brightness
20:9 ratio
~395 ppi density
Same
ProtectionNoSame
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixelsSame
OSAndroid 11, Joy UI 12.5Same
Chipset5nm – Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 8887nm – Snapdragon 870 5G
CPUOcta-core
1×2.84 GHz Kryo 680
3×2.42 GHz Kryo 680
4×1.80 GHz Kryo 680
Octa-core
1×3.2 GHz Kryo 585
3×2.42 GHz Kryo 585
4×1.80 GHz Kryo 585
GPUAdreno 660Adreno 660
Card slotNoSame
RAM8GB, 12GB, 16GB6GB, 8GB, 12GB
Internal256GB, 512GB
UFS 3.1
128GB, 256GB
UFS 3.1
Camera64 MP (wide)
8 MP (ultrawide)
5 MP (macro)
LED flash, HDR10+, panorama
4K@30/60fps
48 MP (wide)
8 MP (ultrawide)
5 MP (macro)
LED flash, HDR, panorama
4K@30/60fps
Selfie20 MP
HDR
1080p@30fps
Same
LoudspeakerYes, with stereo speakersSame
3.5mm jackYes
24-bit/192kHz audio
Same
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspotSame
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX AdaptiveSame
GPSYes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDSSame
NFCYesSame
Infrared portNoSome
RadioNoSame
USBUSB Type-C 2.0Same
SensorsSide-mounted fingerprint, accelerometer, gyro
proximity, compass, barometer
Same
BatteryLi-Po 4500 mAh
Fast charging 120W
Li-Po 4500 mAh
Fast charging 120W
ColorsBlack, Dark Blue, SilverMagic Black, Black, Blue, Silver
Expected Price$600 (Rs. 43,000)USD 370 (Rs. 26,000 approx.)

Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro smartphones Pros and Cons

Down below you can see the list of pros and cons (advantages and disadvantages) of the Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and 4 Pro smartphones.

Pros

  1. Next level of 120 W super-fast charging speed.
  2. Mix stunning colors and elegant design.
  3. Offers a 144Hz Super AMOLED screen.
  4. Physical pop-up gaming triggers.
  5. Joy UI 12.5 based on the latest Android 11 OS.
  6. 24-bit/192kHz audio jack.
  7. Device ready for 5G technology.
  8. 4K video recording.
  9. A perfect gaming device.
  10. Most recent performance crossbows equipped.
  11. Better cooling system.

Cons

  1. Relatively small battery size.
  2. No video stabilization software.
  3. Moderate photography experience.
  4. Without IP certification or gorilla glass protection.
  5. Was not compatible with wireless charging.
  6. Without micro SD card slot.
  7. Outdated USB type 2.0 charging port.

Conclusion

The Xiaomi Black Shark 4 and Shark 4 Pro smartphones are crazy deals, which will tempt you to buy them. The reason is also quite simple, the price and specifications are uniformly combined and offer awesome performance and gameplay features. However, being a gaming device is not profitable when you access the camera settings.

By the way, the quality of the camera and the image processing software is decent, you can click on some decent photos. But expecting top-level camera support may not be possible for players. Players tend to like devices that are less focused on the camera and more performance-oriented. That’s why companies invest less in the camera section.

We are launching the ASUS Rog 5 series review soon, so stay tuned for that. In addition, the Xiaomi Redmi K40 Pro Plus smartphone is a good alternative to the Black Shark 4 series.

Sumit Pandit
Sumit Pandit is a senior news reporter for Oispice. He is an expert on smartphones, apps, gadgets, and the tech industry. He writes for different tech news and has an excellent ability to make complex matters easy to understand. Sumit can be reached on Twitter @sumitkrpandit or Email at [email protected].