Chinese firm Xioami has released its second-generation Black Shark 2 gaming smartphone and this time it ships with its own Bluetooth joy-con controller.
Amid a growing trend of gaming-centric smartphones like the Razer Phone 2 and the ASUS ROG Phone, the Black Shark 2 offers a 6-inch, 2160 x 1080 AMOLED display (up from the 5.99 LCD panel on the original).
In terms of specs, the Black Shark 2 is an absolute juggernaut. There’s a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor and up to 10GB of RAM. There’s 256GB of storage and a 4,000mAh battery to keep you playing longer. That battery can be charged at 18W (via Liliputing).
There’s also front-facing stereo speakers for a more immersive entertainment experience while gripping the phone. However, the coolest addition is the Bluetooth-enabled controller. It clips onto the side of a protective case, but can also be used in isolation.
There’s also RGB light bars on the sides of the handset, as well as a light up ‘S’ logo on the back of the device. The dual rear cameras remain the same 20-megapixel and 12-megapixel resolutions, while there’s also a rear-facing fingerprint sensor.
Unfortunately the Black Shark 2 is only available in China with no prospect of a launch in the US and UK yet. The top end version of the device with 10GB RAM, 256GB storage and an additional right hand controller launches on December 12 for 4,199 RAM (around $605/£465), which isn’t too bad for a spec list of this ilk.
Abroad, the Razer Phone 2 will be the Black Shark 2’s main rival. In our first look, the Razer sequel looked to be an iterative update to one of the surprise Android devices of 2017. We’ll have a full review of that device in due course.
In his hands-on Alastair Stevenson wrote: “The improved max screen brightness and clarity also look set to re-cement the Razer Phone 2’s lead in the display department. The new CPU will also ensure it continues to offer blisteringly fast performance and be able to handle pretty much any Android game you throw at it.”
