Black Shark has announced the new Black Shark 5 series of gaming phones, which offer the best super capabilities that gamers around the world are looking for, with strong specifications that compete with the most powerful phones on the scene.
And the most prominent is the Black Shark 5 and 5 Pro models, where versions are similar in terms of specifications, as both have 6.67-inch AMOLED screens, FHD + display quality, pop-up magnetic players, and both are equipped with a 4650 mAh battery and 120W fast charging. There are also dual stereo speakers on every phone and they both run Android 12 with the Joy UI on top. So the question is, does Black Shark still offer the most powerful gaming smartphones on the market?
Black Shark 5 Pro Features
- JOYUI13 based on Android 12
- Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 8 Gen 1 5G
- Anti-Gravity Dual VC Cooling System
- 128/256GB UFS3.1 + 8/12GB LPDDR5
- 6.67 inches OLED display, 144Hz
- 10-bit color depth, 720Hz Touch Sampling Rate
- 108MP AI Triple Camera
- Magnetic pop-up triggers
- 120W Hyper Charge+4650mAh
- NO.1 in DXO Audio Ranking
- Magic Press+X-axis linear motor
- NFC, RGB lighting effects
- Phone for Games and Daily Use
Design And Build Quality
As usual for gaming phones, the Black Shark 5 Pro phone comes with large dimensions, it is fairly thick with a thickness of 9.5mm, its width is 76.5 mm while its length is 163.9mm, and the phone is also remarkably heavy with a weight of 220 grams, which can be expected One of the gaming phones that is famous for its really large dimensions.
In addition, its design is characterized by details that suggest strength, which is evident in the clear lines on the back of the phone in addition to the shape of the large camera frame, which bears the characteristic of mechanical design that includes the entire back. As for the phone screen, it does not differ from any of the leading phones such as Xiaomi 12 and others in terms of relying on the hole design above the middle, the screen relies on a 20:9 ratio and takes up about 85.7 percent of the front phone area.
To control games you don’t need to just use the screen, the phone relies on magnetic pop-up buttons on the side of the phone and uses a small gaming-class key where you can activate these physical buttons by moving the sliders of each of them, making them pop up from the right side of the phone. You can set up shortcuts with these buttons as well, like turning on the camera or turning on the flashlight.
The device also has 4 microphones on each side of the device, for a clearer sound experience. And two ambient light sensors – one on the front and one on the back – to perfectly control screen brightness. The phone includes a linear vibration motor to improve the level of vibration compatible with games.
Black Shark 5 Pro – Display Quality
The Black Shark 5 Pro gaming phone is based on a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2400 pixels, a pixel density of 395PPI, and support for a refresh rate of 144Hz, it is also a 10-bit panel with support for displaying content in HDR10 + color gamut DCI-P3, 720Hz touch sampling rate tracks multiple fingers commands simultaneously.
The phone also relies on two sensors for ambient light, one at the front and the second at the back of the phone, through which it can automatically control the brightness of the screen to match the ambient light.
Black Shark 5 Pro Performance
The Black Shark 5 Pro phone is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, the current flagship of 2022, developed with a 4nm process technology with 64-bit architecture for blazingly fast processing power. The Kryo680 CPU super core offers an incredibly powerful performance. which several phones such as Xiaomi 12 Pro and OnePlus 10 Pro depend on him, and is cooled during long gaming times not using a steam room One but two rooms, one on each side, with an area of 4323mm and 997mm square, which leads to lowering the temperature of the phone to acceptable levels that do not negatively affect its components even with prolonged gaming. So be sure that you will get the best processor that can be placed in an Android phone so far.
The Black Shark 5 series are associated with 8 or 12GB RAM on LPDDR5 at 6400 MB/s, for an internal storage memory of 128 or 256 GB, UFS 3.1, is not extensible. Using the so-called DM Cache technology, Black Shark was able to significantly improve the random read and write performance. In addition, fast RAM can be used to create a RAM disk in gaming situations where faster memory is required.
While the Black Shark 5 model is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, and both phones are powered by the JoyUI 13 user interface, based on the Android 12 OS.
Black Shark 5 Pro Battery And Charging Time
The battery also contains some powerful specifications that provide great performance, as both phones Black Shark 5 pack a high-performance battery with a capacity of 4650mAh, and support fast charging technology 120W, which can fully charge the battery within 15 minutes, and depending on the Temperature control mode The charging time is increased to 24 minutes to maintain the temperature of the phone. Also, the phone has a battery bypass mode for gaming when external power is connected. These are the kind of little features that enhance the user experience, especially on a gaming device.
Black Shark 5 Pro – Cameras
On the basis of the final performance of the game, the photographic capabilities of the gaming phones have been improved. Black Shark 5 series can easily handle complex shooting scenes such as different scenes and different brightness, and it can meet everyone’s daily needs. With that, the versions of the Black Shark 5 differ, in terms of cameras, as the 5 Pro comes with a main triple rear camera, including a 108MP camera with a diameter of 1/1.52 inches, a pixel size of 0.7 µm, an f/1.8 aperture lens, supported by PDAF autofocus technology. In addition to a 13MP wide-angle camera with an f/2.4 lens slot with a 120-degree viewing angle, and finally a 5MP macro lens with an f/2.4 aperture that can focus at a distance of 3 to 7cm.
The front camera of the phone has an accuracy of 16MP and supports 1080p video shooting at 30fps, while the rear camera supports 4K video shooting at 30/60fps, and 1080p quality at 30/60/240/960fps, and supports video recording Video shooting in HDR10 Plus.
While the regular version offers a triple rear camera that includes a 64MP sensor, connected to a 5MP ultra-wide sensor, a 2MP macro lens, along with a 16MP front camera.
Sound Quality
In terms of acoustics, both phones are equipped with identical speakers, which makes the Black Shark 5 Pro pack of balanced tweeters with 1.5cc bores. It is currently the best phone in the DxOMark audio rating with a score of 86 (beating its predecessors by 5 points). It relies on stereo headphones and supports 24-bit/192 kHz audio accuracy, but it does not include a 3.5mm port, which is what we are used to seeing in gaming phones despite its disappearance in various other leading phones. The phone also supports high-quality audio transmission formats aptX HD and aptX Adaptive depending on On Bluetooth 5.2.
And on the mention of wireless technologies, it also supports Wi-Fi6 technology and NFC technology, and the fingerprint scanner in the phone is on the side.
Comparison
| Black Shark 5 | Black Shark 5 Pro | ZTE nubia Red Magic 7 Pro | Redmi K50 Gaming | Asus ROG Phone 5S | |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 870 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 888+ 5G |
| Display | AMOLED | OLED | AMOLED | OLED | AMOLED |
| Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 144Hz | 120Hz | 120Hz | 144Hz |
| Camera | 64MP | 108MP | 64MP | 64MP | 64MP |
| Charging | 120W | 120W | 65W | 120W | 65W |
| Battery | 4650mAh | 4650mAh | 5000mAh | 4700 mAh | 6000mAh |
| OS | Android 12, Joy UI 13 | Android 12, Joy UI 13 | Android 12, Redmagic 5.0 | Android 12, MIUI 13 | Android 11, ROG UI |
Black Shark 5 Series: The Verdict
I think the Black Shark 5 series easily ranks high among the best gaming phones, especially the 5 Pro. It has a lot of power, many useful features, and great battery life. It’s not a cheap device, but you get a lot for your money. And if you are more focused on getting the best gaming experience, then Black Shark 5 Pro should be at the top of your list.
The Black Shark 5 and Black Shark 5 Pro are now available, starting at around $499 and $799, respectively. You can find it on the Black Shark online store, and AliExpress.
| Pricing | USD | Code（BR） | Code（expect BR） | First Sale Gifts | |
| Black Shark 5 | 8+128 12+256 | $499 $599 | BSHARK570: -$70 BLACKSHARK105：-$20 (AE code, limited) | BSHARK570: -$70 | 300pcs Black Shark JoyBuds($39.99) |
| Black Shark 5 Pro | 8+128 12+256 | $799 $899 | BSHARK5100: -$100 BLACKSHARK105：-$35 (AE code， limited) | BSHARK5100: -$100 | 100pcs Black Shark JoyBuds Pro($69.99) |
BlackShark 5 & 5 Pro Specifications
| Model | BlackShark 5 | BlackShark 5 Pro |
| Colors | Matte Black/Explorer Grey | Steller Black/Nebula White |
| CPU | Snapdragon 870 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
| GPU | Adreno™ 650 | Adreno™ 730 |
| Ram | LPDDR5 5500MHz | LPDDR5 6400MHz |
| Rom | UFS3.1 | Enhanced UFS3.1 |
| Storage | 8GB＋128GB 12GB＋256GB | 8GB＋128GB 12GB+256GB 16GB＋256GB |
| Size | 163.83mm 76.25mm Thickness:9.9mm Weight: 218g | 163.83mm 76.25mm Thickness: 9.5mm Weight: 220g |
| Battery & Charge | 4650mAh 120W Hyper Charge Support QC/PD USB Type-C | 4650mAh 120W Hyper Charge Support QC/PD USB Type-C |
| Camera | Rear Main Camera: 64MP, 0.7µm f/1.79, 6P Lens LED Flash Support PDAF Autofocus Dim Light Enhancement HDR, High-Dynamic Range Documents Mode, Portrait Mode, Dynamic Mode, Panorama Mode AI Cam, Super Nightscape Ultra-wide: 13MP, 1.12µm, Fixed Focus, f/2.4, 5P Lens, 120° Macro: 2MP, 1.75µm, Fixed Focus, 3P Lens Front Camera: Fixed Focus, 16MP, 1.0µm, f/2.45, 5P Lens Face Retouching, Selfie Timer, Vlog Mode 4K 60fps Video Recording 1080p 60fps Video Recording Slomo 1080P@120fps, 1080P@240fps, 1080P@960fps | Rear Main Camera: 108MP, 0.7µm, f/1.75, 7P Lens LED Flash Support PDAF Autofocus Dim Light Enhancement, HDR, High-Dynamic Range Documents Mode, Portrait Mode, Dynamic Mode, Panorama Mode AI Cam, Super Nightscape Ultra-wide: 13MP, 1.12µm, Fixed Focus, f/2.4, 5P Lens, 120° Macro: 5MP, 1.12µm, Auto Focus (Macro), 4P Lens Front Camera: Fixed Focus; 16MP, 1.0µm, f/2.45, 5P Lens Face Retouching, Selfie Timer, Vlog Mode, Portrait Mode HDR10+Video Recording, 4K 60fps Video Recording, 1080p 60fps Video Recording Slomo 1080P@120fps, 1080P@240fps, 1080P@960fps |
| Display | 6.67 inches AMOLED Brightness Peak: 1300nit 1080*2400 DCI-P3 111% TYP SGS Eye Care Display Certified MEMC Dynamic Motion Pressure Sensitive 144Hz Refresh Rate 720Hz Touch Sampling Rate | 6.67 inches OLED Brightness Peak: 1300nit 1080*2400 DCI-P3 109% TYP SGS Eye Care Display Certified MEMC Dynamic Motion Pressure Sensitive 144Hz Refresh Rate 720Hz Touch Sampling Rate |
| Connectivity | Dual nano-SIM Card 5G NR SA&NSA/TD LTE／FDD LTE／WCDMA／CDMA／GSM Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 4 X 4 MIMO, Wi-Fi: 2 X 2 MIMO Wi-Fi Display, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot Supports Bluetooth 5.2 wireless technology, supports aptX & aptX HD & aptX Adaptive & LDAC & LHDC & aptX TWS audio transfer | Dual nano-SIM Card 5G NR SA&NSA/TD LTE／FDD LTE／WCDMA／CDMA／GSM Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax 4 X 4 MIMO, Wi-Fi: 2 X 2 MIMO Wi-Fi Display, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Hotspot Supports Bluetooth 5.2 wireless technology, supports aptX & aptX HD & aptX Adaptive & LDAC & LHDC & aptX TWS audio transfer |
| Bands | 5G: SA&NSA N1/N3/N5/N7/N8/N28/N41/N77/N78 FDD LTE: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B17/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28 TDD LTE: B34/B38/B39/B40/B41 WCDMA: B1/2/4/5/6/8/19 GSM: B2， B3， B5， B8 CDMA／EVDO BC0 | 5G: SA N1/N3/N5/N8/N28a 5G: SA&NSA N41/N77/N78/N79 FDD LTE: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B17/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28 TDD LTE: B34/B38/B39/B40/B41 WCDMA: B1/2/4/5/6/8/19 GSM: B2， B3， B5， B8 CDMA BC0 |
| Buttons | Virtual Buttons: Multi-task, HOME, Back Gestures Navigation, Magic Window | Virtual Buttons: Multi-task, HOME, Back Gestures Navigation, Magic Window |
| Navi | GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS, A-GPS | GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS, A-GPS |
| Sensor | Gravity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Gyroscope, Compass, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Pressure Sensor | Gravity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Proximity sensor, Gyroscope, Compass, side-mounted fingerprint sensor, Pressure Sensor |
| Lighting effect | Shark Eye Lighting Effect | Shark Eye Lighting Effect |
| NFC | NFC | NFC |
| VIDEO | 3GP MP4 FLV AVI ASF WEBM etc. | 3GP MP4 FLV AVI ASF WEBM etc. |
| AUDIO | MP3/AMR/FLAC/AAC/WAV/OGG/WMA/APE/AIFF etc. | DXO TOP1 Symmetrical Speakers, MP3/AMR/FLAC/AAC/WAV/OGG/WMA/APE/AIFF, etc. |
| Photo | JPG/BMP/GIF/PNG/WebP etc. | JPG/BMP/GIF/PNG/WebP etc. |
